Reportedly Transported to the Keraterm Camp
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S/1994/674/Annex VIII Page 230 reportedly transported to the Keraterm camp. At Keraterm, they were reportedly led off the bus and lined up in front of a wire fence where a group of civilian women abused them verbally and allegedly pelted them with stones. Thereafter, the prisoners were informed that there was no room for them at Keraterm, and they were thereafter loaded back onto their buses and brought to the Trnopolje camp via the Omarska camp (which was also reported to be full). 2872/ 1860. Transfer of Prisoners-Camp Closing: Reports indicate that the Keraterm camp was closed during the first week of August, 1992. It was reported that Keraterm and the Omarska camps were closed during the first week of August 1992 following an international outcry after media reports on conditions in camps in the region. 2873/ 1861. According to one subject, on 2 August 1992, several prisoners were loaded into buses and taken away. The subject alleged that most of the prisoners were killed as they got onto the bus and that blood was seen running from the bottom of the vehicle. 2874/ 1862. Other subjects reported that on 3 August 1992, the last remaining 700 prisoners at the camp were transferred to the Trnopolje camp, along with several of the camp's guards. 2875/ 1863. A number of subjects reported that the Keraterm camp closed on 5 August 1992. Some prisoners were reportedly taken to Omarska, and 1,200 were taken to the Trnopolje camp. 2876/ One subject reported that in early August 1992, Keraterm's prisoners were dispersed to other camps. The subject stated that two buses were to transport a total of 120 prisoners (who were called off a list), to the Omarska camp, but possibly because it too was closing, the two buses instead took the prisoners to the Manjaa camp. The subject stated that the rest of the prisoners (totaling approximately 2,000 men, including subject), were all sent to the Trnopolje camp. 2877/ 1864. One subject reported that he was transferred to the Trnopolje camp on 15 August 1992. 2878/ 1865. One subject reported that prior to the camp's closing, some prisoners being held there were moved to the Omarska camp in the middle of the night of 27 May 1992. 2879/ 1866. Visits to Keraterm by Outside Organizations and Individuals: One subject described the preparations made in anticipation of the arrival of television journalists at the Keraterm camp. The subject stated that camp authorities: "[f]ound wooden pallets and forced us to take them out and wash. They disinfected the camp. They selected those who were ill and loaded them into trucks and they did not come back. We and others from Keraterm were transferred to Omarska and Trnopolje when they heard that the journalists would come. There was no shooting by cameras in Keraterm." 2880/ 1867. According to reports, in August 1992, western journalists visited what was represented to be the Keraterm camp. The facility which they viewed was described as very clean. When Bosnian Serbian authorities were questioned by journalists about whether anyone had been beaten or killed at the facility, they reportedly stated that those were only stories which were not true. However, after seeing the videotape of the journalists' visit to the facility, former risoners stated that the site viewed by journalists was not the Keraterm camp, but was a brick factory located about 300 metres from the actual camp. 2881/ S/1994/674/Annex VIII Page 231 1868. Helsinki Watch reported that it visited the Keraterm camp in August 1992, and that Serbian military authorities showed them one part of the factory which was empty. The area had reportedly been cleaned, and the walls freshly painted. There was reportedly a large ceramic baking kiln in the hall. Helsinki Watch stated that none of Keraterm's ex-detainees interviewed, remembered a kiln in their place of detention. Based on this information, Helsinki Watch believed that it was not shown all or any of the areas in which prisoners were kept. Helsinki Watch also reported that its representatives observed that the outside wall in front of one of the rooms had been repaired. 2882/ 1869. Other sources reported that western journalists who visited the Keraterm camp in August 1992 were prevented from examining the location where the July 1992 mass killings took place. Two unidentified journalists reportedly stated that it appeared that local authorities there were cleaning a wall and adjacent area where prisoners had allegedly been shot. 2883/ 1870. Another report stated that while western journalists were not shown the room where the shooting was said to have taken place on their first visit in early August 1992, a return trip approximately a week later found the doorway and the outside wall of the room where the alleged incident took place, pocked with what appeared to be bullet holes. New panes of glass had reportedly been installed on the window panes which still had their masking tape across them. 2884/ 1871. Intake Procedures: Prisoners arriving at the Keraterm camp were reported to have been subjected to a variety of abuses. One subject reported that upon arrival at the camp on 24 June 1992, the prisoners were met by a group of soldiers and camp guards who proceeded to beat them with baseball bats and rifle butts as they came off the bus. The subject reported that prior to entering their detention rooms, the prisoners were subjected to a registration process, which included demands for all valuables. A man in civilian clothes reportedly asked the subject his full name, date of birth, and place of residence and wrote this information into a large record book. 2885/ 1872. One subject reported that prisoners who arrived at the camp in late May 1992 were formed into three groups and were administered a beating before being put into a crowded room with over 200 people. 2886/ 1873. It was reported that during intake, prisoners had to leave their buses in groups of five and were beaten with heavy sticks to the head. It was also reported that after arriving in the evening, the prisoners had to walk to the camp building through rows of soldiers who beat them. One subject who arrived on 9 July 1992 reported that two prisoners died the same night due to their injuries. Another subject, who also arrived at the Keraterm camp on 9 July 1992, reported that the arriving prisoners had to line up and sing Serbian songs, and that soldiers shot around in order to make them sing louder. 2887/ 1874. It was reported that upon their arrival at the camp, prisoners were registered and frequently searched for valuable items and money. Ill-treatment upon intake was also reported. 2888/ One subject reported that upon arrival at the camp, his personal possessions, documents, belt and bootlaces, and other items were removed. 2889/ 1875. According to one subject, when prisoners were initially processed at the camp they were first checked by a guard upon arrival. The subject identified one guard who was almost always on duty at night during the prisoner arrival and described the young man as especially brutal. The subject reported that when processing prisoners, the guard would routinely strip them of their S/1994/674/Annex VIII Page 232 jewelry and money, and then beat them using metal pipes or thick wooden sticks, often breaking their bones. 2890/ Another subject described a process, by which all of the prisoners got off their bus and put their hands up in the air. One-by-one, the men went to a porter, who took all of their belongings. The prisoners were then reportedly brought to their accommodations. 2891/ 1876. It was also reported that when prisoners arrived at the camp, they were first checked by guards to ensure that they did not possess weapons. The prisoners were then reportedly taken to one of the four rooms used for accommodation. 2892/ 1877. One subject reported that when his group arrived at the camp in late May 1992, one of the prisoners asked an identified guard for a cigarette and was told to come down from the truck to get it. The guard reportedly fired a single rifle shot and killed the prisoner. 2893/ Another subject reported that upon arrival at the camp from Prijedor on 26 June 1992, he and seven other prisoners were beaten, and three of the prisoners were stabbed with a knife and wounded. 2894/ 1878. One subject reported that upon arrival at the Keraterm camp in early July 1992, the guards formed a gauntlet, and the prisoners had to walk singly into the building. The guards reportedly beat the prisoners with various implements. 2895/ 1879. Another subject reported that after they were registered in late June 1992, the prisoners were beaten and brought to their respective detention rooms. The subject reported that Room 1 was filled with men, many of whom were begging for help. After a short time, four or five Serb guards reportedly opened the door to the room and asked: "Who is new?" The approximately 20 newly arrived prisoners to Room 1 reportedly responded and were taken out into the courtyard where the guards arranged them into a circle and once again demanded money and valuables. About 10 more guards were said to have come to the circle, and then all of the guards reportedly beat the prisoners' heads, ribs, backs and legs with the butts of their M-48 rifles. Five of the prisoners were reportedly killed by the beating and the rest of the prisoners were returned to Room 1.