Lovas war crimes trial continues

Witness in the Lovas war crimes trial, Franjo Zadanj, said that most of the victims that died on the minefield were killed by gun shots. He told the Belgrade District Court War Crimes Chamber on Monday that a smaller number of Croatian civilians in Lovas died from the mine explosions and that "most were killed in a short time in several turns". Lovas war crimes trial continues “In the first one about 20 were killed, some were killed in improvised prisons, and 20 were civilians that were forced to walk through the minefield,” Zadanj said. One day before going to the minefield, on October 17, 1991, the men from Lovas in Croatia were taken to a workshop in which they were tortured and beaten, and the day after, about 60 of them were taken to the minefield and forced to walk through it, said the witness. He added that he did not know who organized for the victims to be taken to the minefield, but said there was talk that they were in fact going to clear the field of mines. Zadanj said that first-indicted Ljuban Devetak was known as the commander in the village and that all the others took orders from him. He confirmed the claims in the indictment that Croats in Lovas had to wear white arm bands once the Serb paramilitaries entered, and that the Croatian homes were marked with white as well. In order to leave the village, people had to ask Milan Devcic, another defendant, for his permission. Devcic, according to this witness, was the man in charge at the police station. A total of 14 persons were charged with committing the Lovas crime, four of which were local government officials, four members of the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), and six members of a paramilitary formation called Dusan the Great. They are accused of killing 22 civilians in an attack in Lovas on October 10, 1991, and killing 23 more in improvised prisoners and several others in sporadic incidents by October 18 the same year. According to the indictment, they made a human shield out of civilians on October 18 and made them walk into a minefield.

Lovas war crimes trial continues

“In the first one about 20 were killed, some were killed in improvised prisons, and 20 were civilians that were forced to walk through the minefield,” Žadanj said.

One day before going to the minefield, on October 17, 1991, the men from Lovas in Croatia were taken to a workshop in which they were tortured and beaten, and the day after, about 60 of them were taken to the minefield and forced to walk through it, said the witness.

He added that he did not know who organized for the victims to be taken to the minefield, but said there was talk that they were in fact going to clear the field of mines.

Žadanj said that first-indicted Ljuban Devetak was known as the commander in the village and that all the others took orders from him.

He confirmed the claims in the indictment that Croats in Lovas had to wear white arm bands once the Serb paramilitaries entered, and that the Croatian homes were marked with white as well.

In order to leave the village, people had to ask Milan Devčić, another defendant, for his permission. Devčić, according to this witness, was the man in charge at the police station.

A total of 14 persons were charged with committing the Lovas crime, four of which were local government officials, four members of the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), and six members of a paramilitary formation called Dušan the Great.

They are accused of killing 22 civilians in an attack in Lovas on October 10, 1991, and killing 23 more in improvised prisoners and several others in sporadic incidents by October 18 the same year.

According to the indictment, they made a human shield out of civilians on October 18 and made them walk into a minefield.