camp camp death camp run forces mining town near northern bosnia set men women massacre functioning months war alleged detention centers camps set war nominally investigation center assembly point members croatian population human rights watch classified concentration camp yugoslavia located found individuals guilty crimes humanity murder torture rape abuse prisoners common held conditions camp months spring summer including women hundreds died starvation punishment ill treatment overview predominantly village northwestern bosnia near town camp village existed august military police segregated detained confined captured ethnic authorities termed investigation center accused alleged paramilitary activities end war result death forced departure population municipality people went missing population mass graves hundreds individual graves extended region conflicting information people killed according survivors usually men singled killed camp night governments believe minimum hundreds identities known unknown survive killed evacuation camps area massacre declaration takeover forces prepared politicians repeatedly read day takeover policemen assigned participate takeover objective seize functions president municipality vice president municipality director post office chief police etc night april takeover power took place employees public security station reserve police gathered town people given task taking power municipality broadly divided groups group leader ordered gain control certain buildings group responsible assembly building main police building courts bank post office yugoslavia concluded takeover politicians illegal coup état planned coordinated long advance ultimate aim creating pure serbian municipality plans hidden implemented coordinated action police army politicians leading figures came play dominant role political life municipality camp intensive infantry attacks areas municipality caused survivors flee homes majority surrendered captured forces forces rounded residents forced march columns bound prison camps authorities established municipality weeks serbs took control municipal government days start large scale military attacks population centers forces began taking prisoners camp weeks serbs continued round near places municipality send camps intellectuals politicians sent virtually prisoners male women detained camp served food cleaned walls torture rooms repeatedly raped bodies mines complex located kilometres taken camp point camp buildings completely held area main buildings area lit specially installed spot lights arrived female held separately administrative building according wartime documents authorities total persons held camp august area mining complex camp camp authorities generally confined prisoners different buildings administration building killings took place hangar building white house inmates tortured cement courtyard area buildings known shaped strip concrete land scene torture mass killings small building known red house prisoners taken order executed arrival permanent guard posts anti personnel set camp conditions camp horrible building known white house rooms crowded people room larger square metres faces distorted walls covered blood beginning beaten rifle wooden metal sticks guards hit heart decided beat death garage people packed like heat days allowed given jerry water bread men night bodies taken following morning room restaurant known room dimensions room average number people detained women camp slept rooms clean day rooms covered blood pieces skin hair camp hear people beaten meal day food usually process getting food eating returning plate usually lasted minutes meals accompanied toilets blocked human waste british journalist testified visited camp poor physical condition witnessed eating bowl soup bread said impression eaten long time appeared terrified according drank water river industrial waste suffered criminal report filed persons detained camp concrete charges apparently legitimate reason people detention murder torture rape abuse prisoners common kept conditions atmosphere extreme psychological physical violence camp camp guards frequent visitors came camps types weapons instruments beat physically abuse particular muslim political civic leaders intellectuals wealthy non serbs considered resisted serbs especially subjected resulted death addition camps operated manner designed non serbs acts cruel treatment acts included brutal living conditions imposed prisoners deliberate policy lack basic life including inadequate food water insufficient non existent medical care cramped conditions prisoners suffered psychological physical deterioration state constant fear inmates usually killed shooting beating cutting incident prisoners burning tires corpses transferred trucks inmates instances prisoners brought dig graves return case found basis evidence presented trial prisoners killed camp late july people brought camp july held building known white house early hours july heard continued dawn corpses seen white house camp guards seen shooting rounds ammunition bodies witness testified given extra bullet shot heads bodies total loaded truck taken away camp closed immediately visit foreign journalists early august august divided groups transported buses different destinations people transported buses death toll ethnic operations camps helped reduce non population little fewer subsequently precise calculations number actually died camps difficult newsweek reporter claimed officials representatives western governments told people vast majority non serbs perished journalist puts death toll member united_nations commission experts testified trial number thousands precise despite fact serbian officials confirmed large scale releases prisoners sent member served chief police stated conversations meaning non serbs transferred camps leaving according according august prisoners passed killed international reaction early august reporter reporter gained access camp reporting served effort investigate war crimes committed conflict camp closed month exposure caused international controversy academic media controversy events took place claims false reporting lies allegations promoted state controlled paper prompted network accuse libel won case effectively forcing paper close trials officials responsible running camp indicted found guilty crimes humanity war crimes commanders camp local taxi driver found guilty crimes humanity sentenced seven years respectively given longest term years found guilty crimes humanity murder imprisonment torture sexual violence persecution acts facto commander instance found joint criminal enterprise intent promoting persecution camp sentenced years imprisonment found guilty crimes humanity murder imprisonment torture sexual violence persecution acts command responsibility crimes committed camp acted joint criminal enterprise sentenced years imprisonment found guilty crimes humanity murder torture sexual violence persecution acts found directly involved crimes carried camps found guilty theory joint criminal enterprise camps systems persecution sentenced years imprisonment february presented judgment examined atrocities committed detention camps including relation article genocide convention court stated judgment having carefully examined evidence presented taken note presented court considers established fully conclusive evidence members protected group systematically victims massive rape torture causing mental harm conflict particular detention camps requirements material element defined article convention fulfilled court finds basis evidence established atrocities war crimes crimes humanity committed specific intent destroy protected group required finding genocide mass grave located meters site unearthed containing remains persons camp doubt whatsoever hundreds bodies vicinity said president government active advocating identification bodies mass graves area help number victims identified dna testing memorial controversy company purchased mining complex planned resume extraction iron ore site announced december company build finance memorial white house project later abandoned serbs believe memorial believe construction postponed victims found entire use allocated memorial site time 20th anniversary camp closure proposals physical memorial camp existence progress said prepared meet inmates demands local authorities ultimately responsible granting permission authorities considered allowing camp survivors free access site construction memorial originally agreed undermine reconciliation president stated campaign memorial continue july ahead start london olympic games survivors camp laid claim tower tallest structure britain located olympic stadium memorial exile survivors orbit history war crimes bosnia bones victims mixed iron ore denied material orbit construction company said sensitive issues relating addressed urged world largest steel producer use considerable influence oppose local politics denial play active role healing fractured communities company success possible london observed insistence taking sides area persecution injustice continued neutrality taking political position default
Omarska camp