Bosnian Serbs reject Foca wartime rape plaque

[Ivo Skoric]

Bosnian women were not allowed by Republika Srpska police to install 
the comemorative plaque at the place where they were raped by Serbian 
soldiers during the recent war. Officials said, the women did not 
have the permission. On the other hand, Serbian soldiers commiting 
the rape had not only permission but also encouragement to do so by 
their leaders. And those leaders - Karadzic and Mladic - are still 
permitted to walk freely on this planet. Isn't that absolutely 
abhorrent?
ivo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3706554.stm

Last Updated: Friday, 1 October, 2004, 11:45 GMT 12:45 UK

Bosnian Serbs reject rape plaque

Hundreds of Bosnian Serb protesters have prevented Muslim women from
placing a memorial plaque on a building used as a rape camp during 
the war.

The crowds stopped members of the Women Victims of War Association
from getting to the sports centre used by Bosnian Serb soldiers in
Foca in 1992.

Many of the women held at the site say they were raped and tortured 
by troops.

Riot police, keeping the groups apart on Thursday, let the women 
leave the plaque and flowers at a site nearby.

The engraved sign described the building as the scene of war crimes
targeting Muslim women.

Authorities in Foca, known as a hardline Bosnian Serb town, said the
women did not have permission to install the plaque.

Pelted

Members of the Serb Republic's Association of Wartime Camp Inmates
were among the crowd of around 200 people protesting at plans to 
erect the plaque.

They told Bosnia's independent TV Hayat that they objected because
they were not allowed to erect similar memorial signs in Sarajevo or
Tuzla.

Slavko Jovicic, vice-president of the inmates association, told the
station he did not deny the offences were committed in Foca, but 
urged the council of ministers to regulate the laws so such incidents 
could be avoided.

A reporter for TV Hayat said the Muslim women were "seen off out of
Foca with insults and pelted with eggs and stones".

Foca, about 70km (45 miles) southeast of Sarajevo, was one of the
first Bosnian towns to fall into the hands of the Bosnian Serbs in
1992.

During the 1992-1995 war, most Muslims were expelled from Foca, but
others were abused or killed in camps like the sports hall.

A mass grave, containing up to around 350 bodies, thought to be 
Muslim detainees killed during the war, was found near Foca in 
August.


RELATED INTERNET LINKS:

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina
http://www.bh-hchr.org/index2.htm

Institute for War and Peace Reporting
http://www.iwpr.net/balkans_index1.html


Graphics accompanying this article were not specific to this event.


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---------------------------
Ivo Skoric
19 Baxter Street
Rutland VT 05701
802.775.7257
ivo at balkansnet.org
balkansnet.org