Yugoslavia: Information on an alleged war criminal nicknamed Arkan and his soldiers called Tigers, on their activities, and on who they target and whether the Yugoslav government is able to provide protection from them
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | YUG16025.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Yugoslavia: Information on an alleged war criminal nicknamed Arkan and his soldiers called Tigers, on their activities, and on who they target and whether the Yugoslav government is able to provide protection from them, 1 December 1993, YUG16025.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abcf48.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Please find attached some articles that refer to Zeljko Raznatovic or Raznjatovic, also known as Arkan. One of the attachments is a profile on Raznatovic published by The Christian Science Monitor (3 Dec. 1993). This and other reports describe him as a current ally of President Slobodan Milosevic, as a leader of the Party of Serbian Unity, and as a paramilitary "warlord."
The Christian Science Monitor report provides details on his alleged activities, describing him as a "jail-break expert, former secret police agent, suspected war criminal, and reputed millionaire crime boss" (ibid.). The report adds that
Raznatovic first won notoriety as the commander of the "Serbian Volunteer Guard" and "Serbian Tigers," the most dreaded and highly trained of the paramilitary bands that Milosevic nurtured as part of the territorial conquests he oversaw in Bosnia and Croatia (ibid.).
Used as ruthless shock troops, Raznatovic's fighters played a prominent role in the devastating siege of the eastern Croatian city of Vukovar and spearheaded "ethnic cleansing" assaults against Muslim Slavs in the northern Bosnian towns of Bijeljina and Zvornik (ibid.).
The United States and international human rights groups have named Raznatovic as a suspected war criminal, alleging his involvement in mass killings of non-Serb war prisoners and civilians (ibid.).
The report adds that Raznatovic is wanted by Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) for a variety of crimes allegedly committed in the past decade in western European countries (ibid.). After escaping from three western European prisons, Raznatovic reportedly returned to Belgrade and established an ice cream parlour and a soccer fan club, which he reportedly used to recruit members for his paramilitary force (ibid.). As an agent of former Yugoslavia's communist secret police, he reportedly "worked as an assassin during a crackdown on anti-communist expatriates," and, "protected by Milosevic, used his paramilitary band to build a vast criminal empire" (ibid.).
Finally, the report describes his recent political activity, stating that he first led a slate of candidates in Kosovo in the 1992 assembly polls (ibid.). His party is now running for all seats in the 250-seat assembly, and, without having denied the crimes attributed to him, he now claims to have ended his paramilitary activities (ibid.).
Another report provides some details on his current political campaign and states that his paramilitary units known as the Tigers, "terrorised villages around Vukovar in the war in Croatia 1991 [sic]," and "went on to make a bloody assault on the north-eastern Bosnian town of Bijeljina last year [1992]" (The Independent 1 Dec. 1993). The report adds that his wealth is attributed to control over oil and cigarette smuggling, and states that he was an assassin in the Yugoslav secret service (ibid.). The report states that "he is wanted for bank robberies in several countries including Sweden, where he reportedly shot his way out of a court room" (ibid.).
The other attached documents provide similar descriptions of Zeljko Raznatovic or Raznjatovic's political and alleged criminal activities. Nearly all of the attached reports indicate that his party is apparently supported by President Milosevic, who would be hoping to draw votes away votes from the other extreme nationalist parties that oppose his government. The sources add that the Party of Serbian Unity (or Serbian Unity Party) is not likely to get more than 35 assembly seats in the elections scheduled for 19 December 1993. Please consult the attached documents for additional details.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
The Christian Science Monitor [Boston]. 3 December 1993. Jonathan S. Landay. "New Star of the Serbian Right." (NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 1 December 1993. Marcus Tanner. "Serbian Warrior Wins Hearts and Mindless; Women Swoon and Men Gush as the Warlord Arkan Goes on the Campaign Trail, Writes Marcus Tanner in Paracin." (NEXIS)
Attachments
The Christian Science Monitor [Boston]. 3 December 1993. Jonathan S. Landay. "New Star of the Serbian Right." (NEXIS)
The Dallas Morning News. 20 November 1993. Home Final Edition. George Rodrigue. "Serb Leader is Linked to War Crimes; Ex-Ally Says Milosevic Used Secret Police." (NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 1 December 1993. Marcus Tanner. "Serbian Warrior Wins Hearts and Mindless; Women Swoon and Men Gush as the Warlord Arkan Goes on the Campaign Trail, Writes Marcus Tanner in Paracin." (NEXIS)
The San Francisco Chronicle. 26 November 1993. Final Edition. David Begoun. "Serb Leader's Lock on PowerMilosevic's Socialists Seem Assured of Big Win in Election." (NEXIS)
The Times [London]. 30 November 1993. Tim Judah. Guerrilla Chief Swaps Tank for Election Battle Bus." (NEXIS)