BosNet NEWS / Apr. 5, 1996

From: Nermin Zukic <[email protected]>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

From: Nermin Zukic <[email protected]>

Subject: BosNet NEWS / Apr. 5, 1996

CONTENTS

[01] CANTON OF BOSANSKA POSAVINA

Orasje, April 4, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Canton No. 2 was established in Orasje, including a part of Bosanska Posavina from the BH Federation (Odzak and Orasje, according to the Dayton accord, while according to the Contact group it should have been much bigger part).Croat Mato Madzarovic (B.Samac, HDZ) is appointed President and Bosniak Mustafa Hadzispahic (Orasje, SAD) Vice- President of the Canton. <end> A.S.

[02] COMMON STATEMENT OF IZETBEGOVIC AND SILAJDZIC

Sarajevo, Apr 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

President of Bosnian presidency and Bosnian ex-prime and foreign minister Alija Izetbegovic and Haris Silajdzic, respectively, offered today the Statement to all political parties in B-H as follows:

"We warn the world that division of B-H will not mean a disaster only for our state. It will cause permanent instability in the Balkans jeopardizing the peace in Europe. We, despite all differences among us, organized a joint front and we will together as we did in previous war, resist the attempts of division of our state into the zones of Apartheid." /end/ A.S.

[03] FORUM FOR FEDERATION

Sarajevo, Apr 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

At the establishment of the Forum for Federation in Sarajevo today, the US assistant State Secretary J. Kornblum said: "This is the US impetus for the B-H Federation establishment. Our aim is to work not only on reaching accords with leaders but also with Federation's residents & local authorities." Kornblum visited Zagreb before Sarajevo. /end/ A.S.

[04] Swiss to send back 21,000 refugees

The Swiss government, without consulting the international organizations such as UNHCR, has decided to send 21'000 of 27'000 bosnian refugees before the end of August 1997. First targets will be the single persons followed by the childless couples, according to the Justice Minister Arnold Koller.

Several Swiss refugee-aid-organisations such as think it's too early for this decision. Depending on the size of family, the returnees/deportees will receive sum between Sfr750 to Sfr1,350 (Sfr1~ USD.85).

Testimony from survivors was heard in the case of nationalist Bosnian Croat militia leader Ivica Rajic who was charged last year with leading the attack on a village of Stupni Do in central Bosnia, killing at least 16 civilians.

Prosecutor Eric Ostberg of Sweden told a panel of three judges that Stupni Do had been a quiet and remote farming community of no military significance. ``It was a small town, I use the past tense, because...it was totally devastated and no longer inhabitable. It was a village of about 250 people living in some 60 houses,'' he said.

Ignoring thousands of NATO troops in nearby Sarajevo who are supposed to arrest him, nationalist Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, indicted war criminal, appeared at a factory building in the Serb ``capital'' of Pale to hand out medals to his nationalist fighters. ``I honor all dead soldiers who gave their lives for the recognition, security and dignity of the Republika Srpska...'' The event was attended by hard-line Serb politicians and Sarajevo corps commander General Dragomir Milosevic, who addressed Karadzic as president and supreme commander of the Serb army. Gen. Mladic, also indicted for war crimes, was not present.

Acting president of Bosnia, Ejup Ganic, Sunday said Karadzic and Mladic were obstacles to peace and democracy. ``The NATO military is capable of removing them. We are begging them to do it. There will be no free elections with Karadzic still in power,'' said Ganic.

U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry, visiting Sarajevo, told reporters that he did not expect either man to be in positions of power by the end of the year. He did no specify how they would be removed.

According to the Christian Sceince Monitor on the scene, two mass graves under nationalist Bosnian Serb-controlled territory have been tampered with. That may weaken a war crimes tribunal's case against nationalist Serb leadership. Wide swaths of the two graves, located five miles west of the town of Karakaz, have recently been dug up, and dozens or more bodies of slaughtered Muslims may have been removed from the site, the Monitor reported.

Civilian jackets, canes and shoes photographed by the Monitor at the graves have disappeared, while new evidence, such as human remains and dozens of blindfolds, were found nearby as described by Muslims who survived the massacre.

About 70 percent of the larger of the two graves and half of the smaller were freshly dug up and crisscrossed by tracks from heavy vehicles, while U.S.-led NATO forces, assigned to safeguard the graves through aerial reconnaissance and intermitttent ground controls, claim they have seen no evidence of tampering with the graves.

``What you're going to see are various bone fragments. We have not disturbed any land, we have just photographed the place,'' said John Gearns, a U.S. forensic specialist in the seven-member UN team, investigating a muddy field near the village of Oraovac some six miles from Zvornik. This part of eastern Bosnia is thought to be littered with makeshift graves into which thousands of Muslims were bulldozed after being executed by nationalist Serbs.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says some 3,000 Muslim men have been killed after nationalist Serb forces overran the town of Srebrenica while another 5,000 remain unaccounted for and many if not all are feared dead.

Troops from the U.S. Army 2nd Brigade were providing security for the investigators, patrolling the area in armored vehicles and tanks while attack helicopters flew overhead.

[05] GANIC USURPS AUTHORITY, KLJUIC ASSERTS

Sarajevo, April 3, 1996 (Press TWRA)

"I want to inform our public that public appearances of BH Presidency member and BH Federation Vice President, E.Ganic have during this last period a completely personal character and thus do not represent the official stands of the Presidency. Guided by his political greed, Ganic undertook, without any previous agreement, dealing with the issues which should be under responsibility of the Presidency", it is said in a public statement of Stjepan Kljuic, member of the BH Presidency. At the same time, two other members of the Presidency, M.Pejanovic and I.Komsic stated they were not mentioned by official BH media while assisting with E. Ganic in the talks with U.S. Minister of defence, W.Perry and President of the World Bank, J. Wolfensohn. <end> S.K.

[06] REFUGEE CAMP "KUPLENSKO" IS GOING TO BE CLOSED

Vojnic, April 3, 1996 (Press TWRA)

On yesterday's meeting held between BH Minister for refugees and displaced persons, N. Recica, Vice President of the Croatian Office for refugees and displaced persons, D. Zoric and UNHCR representatives for ex- Yugoslavia and Croatia, S.Jossen-Petersen and P. Jambor, it was decided that after 239 days a refugee camp Kuplensko should be closed. There are actually 5468 persons in the camp. Those who want may return to Velika Kladusa and Cazin, helped by UNHCR. The rest will be either dislocated to other camps in Croatia or sent to "third countries". <end> S.K.

[07] CATHOLIC PRESS AGENCY (IKA) / ZAGREB INFORMATIVNA KATOLICKA AGENCIJA

Kaptol 4, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia tel. 385 (1) 27 26 07, fax 385 (1) 27 31 51

JAJCE AND VICINITY ARE FACING HUNGER Trogir, March 20, 1996 (IKA)

On March 20, returning to Jajce from Zagreb, Fra Stipe Marcinkovic, guardian of the monastery in Jajce and head of the parish Caritas and St. Anthony's Bread, stated that there is a grave food shortage in the city of Jajce and vicinity. The warehouses are empty. None of the promised shipments of humanitarian aid have arrived and it is not known if and when any will arrive. Fra Stipe issued the following appeal: "I call upon all people of goodwill, here and throughout the world, to send help, at least the urgently needed basic foodstuffs such as flour, rice, sugar, salt, potatoes and hygienic supplies."

Fra Stipe also stated that since September 1995, nearly 10,000 returnees, including approximately 3,000 children, have been subsisting exclusively on the assistance provided by Church humanitarian organizations. "The economy has collapsed and there are no signs yet of a revival. The few people with employment receive low wages. Worst of all is that among the returnees, an (un)justified fear of hunger prevails. Some have already left the city and many are preparing to do so. This is causing general concern, especially to the Franciscan priests who had urged the people to return," said Fra Stipe.

Emergency assistance should be sent to Jajce. Further information can be obtained by telephone from Jajce ( ) 79-121 or Trogir (021) 884-323.

[08] ICTY BLAMES CROATIA OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY HVO

The Hague, Apr 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

"HVO is to such extent under Croatia's control that it can be regarded as some other state's body. When Stupni Dol occurred, Croatia became an occupying force in B-H as those villagers were Bosnian citizens, while the fact that the HVO members were also Bosnian citizens is legally irrelevant as HVO was so much dependent on Croatia that it could be taken as the Republic of Croatia's agent."

It was a statement issued by Sweden judge Erik Ostberg, who as a prosecutor put forward today details on crime in the village of Stupni Dol where 16 Bosniak civilians were killed, of which ICTY indicted I. Rajic. The Tribunal was summoned today to decide on the grounds for indictment against Ivica Rajic for whom, if the accusations proved to be true, the ICTY would send out a wanted circular. During the procedure E. Ostberg will quote the statements of some witnesses and experts whose identity has not been disclosed yet. Ostberg said ICTY prosecutors did not have fully reliable data on Rajic's current residence.

ICTY president Antonio Cassese announced for tomorrow a decision on whether Blaskic would remain imprisoned or be placed under strictly supervised house arrest as the lawyers Z.Hodak and Nela Pedisic demand. Cassese questioned the lawyers today asking them why Croatia had not acted in accord with the arrest warrant issued by ICTY. Hodak said the procedure was underway in Croatian parliament on adopting Constitutional law on cooperation with ICTY, so that arresting Blaskic prior to the law adoption would be contrary to Croatia's Constitution and Law. /end/ A.S.

[09] HANS KOSCHNICK'S MANDATE IN MOSTAR OVER

Mostar, Apr 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Hans Koschnick opened a Health Center in Mostar to be run by EU administration. Koschnick in this way, marked the end of his mandate in the center of Herzegovina. Koschnick's successor R.P. Casado is to take over the office on April 26, and his most important goal is to organize local elections late last months. Till Casado takes over the duty, it will be performed Klaus Metscher.

Meanwhile, an investigation started in Mostar in killing of Edina Lakisic (31) and wounding five persons (four children among them) by previously unexploded grenade which children found while playing in the cellar of the Ruza hotel. /end/ A.S.

[10] MARINKO CULIC DENIES NOBILO'S STATEMENT

Paris, Belgrade, April 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Marinko Culic, RFI correspondent from Croatia, journalist of Croatian independent media, made a comment, in his report to RFI, on a statement by Mario Nobilo, Croatian Ambassador to UN, saying that Serbs in Croatia are less endangered than diplomates in New York. Nobilo does not mention a fact that a violence over diplomates in the U.S. is not committed under the supervision of the country, which is un important distinction, Culic says, in a statement reported by all important media in SR Jugoslavia. <end> A.S.

[11] BBC: VIDEO RECORDS ON GENOCIDE IN SREBRENICA

London, April 2, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Under the title "War crime: five days in hell", BBC documentary program "Panorama" presented records on genocide committed by Serbs last summer in Srebrenica. These records provide first testimonies of Paul Groenewegen, Ynse Sheelens, Warner Ceelan, Gerry Kremer, UNPROFOR DUTCHBAT soldiers in charge of protection of UN safe area Srebrenica. Groenewegen says: "I was watching Serbs taking a man away, turning his face towards a wall and shooting him with few bullets in his neck. Single shooting could have been heard all day long in Potocari, where we were situated, and where inhabitants of Srebrenica tried to shelter themselves." The role of Ratko Mladic was especially treated. Records have been made by a Serbian cameraman who wanted to make a testimony on a "famous Serbian victory" but it was used as an evidence on a war-crime. He recorded Mladic saying: "Do not be afraid. Those who want may stay here - nothing would happen to them but those who want, young or old, may leave. Some 3O buses arrive to take you to Kladanj." Somehow later, majority of those people were killed. Mladic was also recorded while hurrying up his units towards UN base in which refugees sheltered themselves: "Direction Potocari! Do not stop!" Serbs were recorded while separating men (and boys) from women and while, camouflaged in UN uniforms, calling people from neighboring forests. There is also Mladic talking to prisoners: "Do you recognize me? Do you see now what your government has done to you? Even NATO can not protect you!" and after the massacre, ordering his men to "fulfil a task thoroughly": to kill all those who survived. <end> A.S.

[12] "HERZEG-BOSNIA" OBSTACLE TO STABILIZATION OF FEDERATION

Sarajevo, April 3,1996 (Press TWRA)

In the recent interview for B-H Radio Prime Minister Muratovic stated that "self-proclaimed republic of Bosnian Croats, 'Herzeg-Bosnia' and its HVO soldiers are the biggest obstacles for stabilization of the Federation and that not one federational law was implemented on the territory under their control". "Biggest obstacle for the implementation of the agreements are criminals to whom 'H-B' and HVO give shelter", said Muratovic.Inspite recent HDZ B-H Presidency's recommendation for changing of the name of so called "Croatian Republic Herzeg- Bosnia" to community nothing still happened. Even the B-H Federation President Zubak stated that "H-B" will continue to exist". "CR H-B" still, through its government, parliament and ministries adopts laws, issues press releases and has all the symbols of the state. Most ministers in B-H Federation Government has the function in the bodies of H-B. Some of these officials claim:"H-B" will die out same pace as B-H Republic and confederation with the Croatia is the condition for survival of B-H Federation survival. Both these ideas are in contrast with the signed agreements, including Dayton. (end) S.K.

[13] BRITISH FORCES' SECRET WAR IN B-H

London, April 3,1996 (Press TWRA)

Under title "Bosnia - secret war" "Guardian" reporter Ed Vulliamy writes about some of the less known details relating to British troops' involvement in B- H. Vullimy reminds of the interesting coincidence: croatian- muslim conflict started with establishing the three British bases in Tomislavgrad, Gornji Vakuf and Vitez, in other words the same week when 12 people from Ist Chesire Regiment arrived to Vitez. Until that moment Muslim-Croatian forces fought against Serbs, and British bases were far away from the first lines. Besides, "Guardian" claims that British forces in B-H killed more Croatian, Muslim and Serbian soldiers than official London was ready to admit. According to official estimates between October 1992 and February 1994 British killed 38 soldiers, however one former British solider stated for the 'Guardian' that "nought could be added to that". Other estimates say that only Yorkshires reg. alone killed between 4O to 5O Croats and up to 3O Muslims. All convoys escorted by Yorkshires arrived to their destination and Col Leut. Duncan used that as justification of the killings. But according to 'Guardian' the humanitarian reasons were the least. The "Guardian" also describes SAS actions which used the ambulances for intelligence work. (end) S.K.