Arkan Crimes File Published Documents for Massacres in Bosnia, Kosovo

For the first time in Serbia, evidence has been collected for crimes committed by the paramilitary units in the former Yugoslavia. The crime file includes the activity of one of the most engaged figures in organised crime in Serbia. It is Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, known as the author of massacres in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo.

Arkan is known as head of the Serbian Volunteer Guard, but he was also one of the leaders of organised crime in those years in Serbia. With the support of Milosevic, he managed to organise special departments known as “Tigers”, who committed crimes in several states. It is clear that his gangs participated in the Srebrenica genocide, as well as had an active role in massacres over the civilian population in Kosovo.

For the first time in Serbia, the crimes of Arkan's paramilitary are being spoken out, and researcher Jovana Kolavic has presented a file with most of the crimes that Serb forces are involved.

According to Kolavic's study, the Arkan units had about 40,000 members, but to date none of them have been convicted of crimes. The soldiers' recruiting centre was on one of Belgrade's main streets. Part of the paramilitaries became people who had problems with the law and former convicted of serious crimes.

The study shows that paramilitary units were equipped with weapons and military logistics in the 1990s by the Milosevic government. Besides weapons, they were granted licenses to commit crimes and sabotage operations where the regular army was not involved.

The crime file shows that this militia is responsible for the killings and rapes of women in Bosnia. For these crimes, Serbian institutions were announced on time, but no measures were taken to stop.