In Bosnia, today is a Day of Remembrance on the Concentration Camps and Survivors. While the exact number of concentration camps functioning during the Bosnian war is unknown, it’s estimated there were at least 650 camps in which people were abused, tortured, and murdered.
Today we will be highlighting some of the worst and most notable concentration camps throughout the Bosnian genocide.
Omarska Camp was in operation from May 25-August 21, 1992. An estimated 6,000 civilians were imprisoned at Omarska, with at least 700 humans being murdered.
Omarska Camp was in operation from May 25-August 21, 1992. An estimated 6,000 civilians were imprisoned at Omarska, with at least 700 humans being murdered.
The Trnopolje Camp held between 4,000-7,000 Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croats. The Trnopolje camp, just like the Omarska camp, was shut down after an investigation by British journalists uncovered the crimes against civilians, torture, harassment, rapes were common in the camps.
In May of 1992, the Sušica camp was opened. During its time of operation, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were imprisoned there; particularly women, children and the elderly. Around 1,600 were killed in the camp, while others survived horrific abuses.
Vilina Vlas, which now serves as a tourist attraction in Visegrad, was a concentration camp that served as a mass rape camp for Bosniak/Bosnian Muslim women and girls as young as 12 years old. Only a handful of women imprisoned there survived the camp.
Kerterm, one of the four concentration camps in the Municipality of Pijedor, held over 1,500 Bosnian Muslim civilians. While initially the camps population was all male, Bosnian Muslim women were brought there to be raped prior to being transported to Omarska.
In Brcko, the Luka concentration camp was opened during this month in 1992. Hundrends of civillians were imprisoned, their belongings and property stolen from them, and subjected to mass violence including having hungry and feral dogs set on them to be attacked and eaten alive.
The Manjaca Concentration Camp, located near Banja Luka saw 6,000 imprisoned civilians pass through the camp. Initially, closed down due to the international pressure in 1993, the camp re-opened and the abuses continued in 1995.
Buk Bijela was part of several camps in the town of Foča specifically created to dehumanise, torture, and abuse civilians prisoners. In places like Buk Bijela and the Foca High School, mass rapes and torture of women was particularly common. At least 2,707 civilians were killed.
The HVO forces held several concentration camps, such as the Dretelj camp, in which torture, beatings, and severely dangerous living conditions were common. Most notably, Swedish Neo-Nazi Jackie Arklöv was a guard at the camp and charged with torture of pregnant Bosniak women.
There are many more camps to be discussed and each of the above camps were mentioned in various ICTY judgements with several people being convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, forcible deportation, murder, sexual abuse, persecution and other inhumane acts. #WeRemember
While reading the above facts, it’s important to remember that these concentration camps were in operation during our lifetime and on European soil. Some of the participants in these horrific crimes still walk freely amongst their victims. We must continue to fight for justice.
