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According to
the official results of the 1991 census, the Gornji Vakuf district
had 25,130 residents:
10,709 Croats
(42,6%)
14,086 Moslems (56,1%)
106 Serbs (0,4%)
229 others (0,9%)
Following the Serbian aggression on Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992), a
large number of Moslem refugees from the neighbouring district of
Donji Vakuf, and other districts in northwestern Bosnia, took shelter
in the Gornji Vakuf district. Serbian tank and artillery attacks
from the directions of Siver and Vukosavsko Polje (August 15th and
September 26th 1992) caused a considerable material damage.
The first fierce
conflict between B-H Army and HVO occurred on October 23rd 1992,
when B-H Army soldiers tried to take control over the town of Prozor
and the G.Vakuf-Prozor-Jablanica highway. There were many casualties
on both sides.
Another conflict
between B-H Army and HVO was triggered off on January 15th 1993
when Moslem units tried to take by force Croat populated villages
by the G.Vakuf-Bugojno road. The town of Gornji Vakuf was divided
on the Croatian and Moslem sections. The disturbed balance in the
national structure of the population contributes to the tensions,
since Moslem refugees have been pouring into the district constantly.
In the beginning
of July 1993, B-H Army soldiers burnt down the Croat populated villages
of Rostovo and Sebesic.
In the beginning
of August 1993, the villages of Donja and Gornja Vrs, Krupa and
Bistrica have been occupied and the surviving Croats were evicted
to western Herzegovina.
The front line
did not change significantly in the period between August 1993 and
May 1994 (the time when the conflicts between Croats and Moslems
were terminated).
B-H - VILLAGE
OF BISTRICA (NEAR GORNJI VAKUF/USKOPLJE) - January 17, 1993
DESCRIPTION
OF REPORTED CRIME: Wilful causing of suffering,
wilful infliction of serious bodily injuries, and wilful killing
of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: January 17, 1993, the village of Bistrica near
Gornji Vakuf (Uskoplje) (4 kilometres north of Gornji Vakuf).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: Ruza Kvasina was killed with firearms,
two other Croatian civilians, Stipo Skraba (56 years old)and Ivica
Skraba (54 years old) were taken to a part of thevillage called
Smajici, while their houses were burned down. The bodies of Ivica
and Stipo Skrabo were discovered fifteen dayslater by Ante Ivankovic.
Ante Ivankovic was killed the same dayby a sniper. The representatives
of the UNPROFOR transported bodies and performed an autopsy during
which they established that the bodies had been mutilated.
PERPETRATORS:
Members of the Muslim forces with the B-H Army insignia. Ruza Kvasina
was killed by Smajil Pokvic, and another man whose name is still
unknown (both are members of the B-H Army). They fired 17 bullets
at her. Stipo and Ivica Skraba were killed by a dull object.
EVIDENCE: Video
tape recording of the bodies, audio tape recording of an interview
with an eye-witness, supplemented by a written statement and photographs
taken at the scene of the crime, are currently kept in the archives
of the Department, no.1A3GV06A001
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