The Association for Social Research and Communication (UDIK)reminds the public that this year marks 34 years since the closure of the Sušica camp near Vlasenica, which was established by Serb forces onMay 31, 1992 and operated by members of the military and local police. From the end of May until October 1992, the camp was used to detain approximately 8,000 non-Serb civilians from Vlasenica and surrounding villages.

According to the Dossier: Svetozar Andrić published by the Humanitarian Law Center Belgrade, MajorAndrić issued an order for the establishment of the Sušica camp,based on the decision of the government of SAO Birač.Upon its establishment, the camp manager was Vlasenica SJB member Veljko Bašić, and from mid-June 1992 approximately, the camp was commanded by a member of the Special Police Platoon atVlasenica SJB, Dragan Nikolić, aka “Yankee”.In 2005, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) sentenced Nikolić to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to persecution, murder, torture, and rape of Bosniak detainees at the Sušica camp. He was granted early release in 2013, after serving two-thirds of his sentence. He died in Vlasenica in 2018.

According to the judgment in the case against Dragan Nikolić, the Sušica camp consisted of two main buildings and a smaller house. Detainees were held in a 50-by-30-meter warehouse, where between 300 and 500 people were held at any given time. The second building was used for storing uniforms and weapons. Conditions were extremely harsh, with severe overcrowding and scarce, often spoiled food. The smaller house was used by the guards and the camp commander for interrogating detainees.

Men, women and children were detained at the camp, sometimes entire families. Women and childrenwere usually detained for short periods of time and then forcibly transferred tonearby Bosniak areas. The men were held in the camp until its closure in late September 1992, and werethen transferred to theBatković detention camp near Bijeljina.Many of the detained women were subjected to sexual assaults, including rape. Camp guards or other menwho were allowed to enter the camp frequently took women out of the hangar at night. When the womenreturned, they were often distraught and traumatized.

We remind the public that UDIK’s publication “War Crimes in Milići and Vlasenica – Verdicts” documents three cases before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning war crimes committed in the area of the pre-war municipality of Vlasenica. The State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Predrag Bastah and Goran Višković to a combined total of 40 years in prison for crimes committed in Vlasenica, while Dragan Marinković was sentenced to eight years in prison for a war crime committed in the area ofMilići.Bastah and Višković participated in the removal of several Bosniak civilians from the camp. They never returned, and all trace of them was subsequently lost. Their remains have never been found. Several proceedings concerning war crimes committed in this area are currently ongoing before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite confessions by some individuals convicted of war crimes, testimonies from survivors, and numerous facts established by domestic and international courts, Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face the denial of war crimes and genocide. Of particular concern is the public glorification of individuals convicted by final court judgments of war crimes, the disparagement of survivors, as well as rhetoric that fuels divisions, intolerance, and fear of renewed conflict.It is also concerning that issues related to the wartime past and interethnic divisions continue to be used as a means of political mobilization, particularly during election campaigns. Instead of focusing on programmes aimed at addressing the genuine concerns of citizens, political discourse often centers on blaming others, deepening divisions, and exploiting wartime trauma for political purposes.

We therefore call on the relevant judicial and other institutions to carry out their duties responsibly, efficiently, and impartially. Ongoing proceedings must be expedited, and efforts to prosecute those responsible for the crimes must be intensified. Many victims and their families are still waiting for justice, and it is the responsibility of the state and judicial institutions to ensure that crimes are investigated and those responsible are prosecuted in accordance with the law.We must not allow institutions to become part of policies of forgetting, denial, or the relativization of crimes. Establishing the facts, prosecuting those responsible, and fostering a culture of remembrance are essential to building a society in which human dignity and every victim’s right to justice are respected.

Finally, it is necessary to speak openly about our own responsibility. The situation in which our society finds itself is not solely the result of decisions made by institutions, but also of the political agendas and decisions of those entrusted with the confidence of citizens.Truth, justice, and dignified remembrance of the victims must not be subject to political calculations. They must remain a lasting responsibility of society and the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.