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Voice of America Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] BOSNIA/VOTE (S ONLY) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (ZEPCE)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203099 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: INTRO: ONE OF THE POTENTIAL TROUBLE SPOTS IN SATURDAY'S BOSNIA ELECTIONS IS THE CENTRAL TOWN OF ZEPCE, UNDER CROAT CONTROL SINCE THE BLOODY MUSLIM-CROAT FIGHTING OF 1993. SEVERAL THOUSAND MUSLIMS EXPELLED FROM THE TOWN PLANNED TO RETURN FOR SATURDAY'S VOTE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF INCIDENTS SO FAR, AS WE HEAR FROM DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN ZEPCE. TEXT: THE REFUGEES BEGAN ARRIVING HERE AT MID-MORNING TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS AT A SCHOOL IN THE CENTER OF TOWN, WITHIN SIGHT OF ZEPCE'S GUTTED AND POCK-MARKED MOSQUE. MANY WERE SEEING THE TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS. FOR ESMA, A PRETTY BLONDE-HAIRED WOMAN IN HER EARLY THIRTIES, IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT. I HAVE DREAMED OF THIS DAY, SHE SAID, HER HANDS TREMBLING WITH EXCITEMENT. WE ARE GLAD TO VOTE HERE, SHE ADDED, BECAUSE WE HOPE IT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO RETURN. CROAT CIVIL AND MILITARY POLICE STOOD GUARD AT THE POLLING STATION, AND THERE WERE REGULAR PATROLS BY THE U-N POLICE FORCE. BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF TROUBLE AS THE VOTERS CAST FOUR COLOR-CODED BALLOTS FOR THE BOSNIA PRESIDENCY AND PARLIAMENT, FOR FEDERATION LEGISLATURE AND THE CANTONAL ASSEMBLY. SOME OF THE REFUGEE VOTERS SAID THEY PLANNED TO STAY ON IN ZEPCE
FOR A FEW HOURS, HOPING TO SEE THEIR FORMER HOMES, BUT ALL SAID
THEY WOULD LEAVE THIS CROAT STRONGHOLD BEFORE NIGHTFALL. (SIGNED)
[02] BOSNIA / SARAJEVO (S) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203093 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: INTRO: VOTING HAS BEGUN IN NATION-WIDE ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA. POLLING STATIONS OPENED SEVERAL HOURS AGO AS MORE THAN TWO MILLION BOSNIANS ARE EXPECTED TO CAST BALLOTS. ELECTION ORGANIZERS SAY SOME PEOPLE ARE ALREADY BEING PREVENTED FROM CROSSING ETHNIC LINES TO VOTE. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. TEXT: ELECTION OFFICIALS SAY SO FAR VOTER TURNOUT IS RELATIVELY LIGHT ACROSS BOSNIA. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF TORRENTIAL RAIN, MOST OF BOSNIA IS TODAY ENJOYING GOOD WEATHER, AND ELECTION ORGANIZERS SAY THIS SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE POLLING STATIONS. AS MANY AS 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE, MOSTLY MUSLIMS, ARE EXPECTED TO CROSS ETHNIC LINES TO VOTE, AND THE NATO SPOKESMAN, MAJOR BRETT BOUDREAU SAYS THERE ARE ALREADY REPORTS OF PROBLEMS IN BRCKO, ONE OF THE MAIN EXPECTED TROUBLE SPOTS. /// BOUDREAU ACT ///APPARENTLY THERE IS, THERE IS SOME STOPPAGE OF TRAFFIC THERE BY REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE WHICH WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THEIR STATED OBJECTIVE OF ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH. /// END ACT ///CROAT ELECTION WORKERS HAVE ALSO WITHDRAW FROM POLLING STATIONS
IN BUGOJNO IN CENTRAL BOSNIA, AFTER A GRENADE WAS THROWN AT THE
HOUSE OF A SENIOR CROAT ELECTION OFFICIAL ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
TENSIONS BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CROATS IN BUGOJNO REMAIN HIGH, BUT
NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEIR TROOPS ARE IN THE AREA TO TRY TO HELP
RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. (SIGNED)
[03] BOSNIA ELECT (S - 2ND UPDATE) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203101 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: INTRO: THOUSANDS OF NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS ARE KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE ON BOSNIA'S FIRST POST-WAR ELECTION, WHICH GOT OFF TO WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A STUTTERING START. AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO, TRAFFIC JAMS AND SOME MINOR INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN THE ONLY MAJOR COMPLAINTS, SO FAR. TEXT: ORGANIZERS OF THE BOSNIAN ELECTIONS SAY THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE DEAL WITH MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THAT CAME UP SHORTLY AFTER THE POLLS OPENED. IN ONE DISTRICT OF SARAJEVO PEOPLE KICKED IN DOORS AND BROKE WINDOWS AT POLLING STATIONS BECAUSE OF LONG DELAYS. TRAFFIC JAMS ARE REPORTED ON SOME OF THE SPECIALLY DESIGNATED ROUTES THAT ORGANIZERS ADVISED PEOPLE TO USE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY. INITIAL REPORTS SAID SERBS WERE BLOCKING SOME ROADS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, BUT OFFICIALS SAY ALL OF THE 19 SPECIAL ROUTES ARE OPEN AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT SECURITY PROBLEMS. NEARLY THREE-MILLION PEOPLE, INCLUDING 600-HUNDRED THOUSAND REFUGEES, ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION, WHICH IS BEING WATCHED OVER BY MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS. VOTERS ARE ELECTING A NEW THREE-MEMBER PRESIDENCY AND JOINT PARLIAMENT, AS WELL AS A PARLIAMENT AND PRESIDENT FOR THE SERB REPUBLIC, AND A PARLIAMENT AND CANTONAL ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION. FIRST RESULTS ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. (SIGNED)
[04] BOSNIA ELECTION (S) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203092 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: INTRO: VOTERS IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA ARE STREAMING TO THE POLLS IN THE FIRST ELECTION THEIR COUNTRY HAS SEEN SINCE THE END OF THE BLOODY 43 MONTH WAR. AS VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO, THE POLLS OPENED ON TIME AND THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY MAJOR INCIDENTS. TEXT: SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE LINED UP OUTSIDE ONE POLLING STATION IN SARAJEVO AS THE DOORS WERE OPENED AT SEVEN OCLOCK THIS MORNING. BUSES ARE ALSO STREAMING INTO BOSNIA, FILLED WITH MANY OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOME BY THE WAR. THE ELECTION, WHICH IS BEING ORGANIZED BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX EVER UNDERTAKEN. VOTERS WILL BE ELECTING A NEW THREE MEMBER PRESIDENCY, AND A JOINT PARLIAMENT, AS WELL AS A PARLIAMENT AND PRESIDENT FOR THE SERB REPUBLIC, A PARLIAMENT FOR THE MUSLIM CROAT FEDERATION AND OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS. MORE THAN 50 THOUSAND NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS ARE PROVIDING SECURITY FOR THE ELECTION, TO TRY TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AS ETHNIC RIVALS MEET EACH OTHER IN THE PLACES THEY ONCE FOUGHT OVER. ORGANIZERS HAVE PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF BUSES THAT WILL TAKE PEOPLE
ACROSS THE ETHNIC BOUNDARIES USING 19 SPECIALLY DESIGNATED
ROUTES. FIRST RESULTS ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
(SIGNED)
[05] BOSNIA ELECT (S-3RD UPDATE) BY KING (SARAJEVO)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203108 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: /////INTRO: ORGANIZERS OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA'S FIRST POST WAR ELECTION HAVE EXTENDED VOTING HOURS AT A LIMITED NUMBER OF POLLING STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE "ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE" ANNOUNCED THE MOVE IN AN EFFORT TO DEAL WITH THE SLOW PACE OF VOTING IN SOME AREAS. FROM SARAJEVO, KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: ELECTION ORGANIZERS SAY THEY ARE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THE VOTING HAS GONE SO FAR. BUT, THEY DECIDED ONE POLLING STATION FROM EACH DISTRICT WILL BE KEPT OPEN AN EXTRA THREE HOURS BECAUSE OF DELAYS CAUSED BY THE PROCESS SET UP TO PREVENT FRAUD. IN ONE DISTRICT OF SARAJEVO PEOPLE FRUSTRATED BY THE DELAYS KICKED IN DOORS AND BROKE WINDOWS AT POLLING STATIONS. TRAFFIC JAMS ALSO HAMPERED VOTERS ALONG SOME OF THE SPECIALLY-DESIGNATED ROUTES THAT ORGANIZERS ADVISED PEOPLE TO USE. INITIAL REPORTS SAID SERBS WERE BLOCKING SOME ROADS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, BUT OFFICIALS SAY ALL THE 19 SPECIAL ROUTES ARE OPEN. OBSERVERS AROUND THE COUNTRY REPORT FEW REFUGEES DECIDED TO RISK CROSSING THE INTER-ETHNIC BOUNDARY TO CAST BALLOTS IN AREAS FROM WHICH THEY HAD BEEN EXPELLED. NEARLY THREE-MILLION PEOPLE, INCLUDING 600-THOUSAND REFUGEES, ARE
ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION, WHICH IS BEING WATCHED OVER BY
MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS. (SIGNED)
[06] BOSNIA ELECT UPDATE (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203095 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: // UPDATES WITH SERBS BLOCKING SOME ROUTES //INTRO: BOSNIA'S FIRST POST WAR ELECTION GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC THEY WILL BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. FROM SARAJEVO VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: AS MANY AS TWO POINT NINE MILLION PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS, WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS HOPING WILL HELP HEAL THE WOUNDS OF BOSNIA'S 43 MONTH WAR. BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE POLLING STATIONS OPENED, ORGANIZERS SAID SERB AUTHORITIES WERE REFUSING TO OPEN ONE OF THE 19 DESIGNATED ROUTES EXPECTED TO BE HEAVILY USED BY VOTERS. THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS OF SERB POLICE BLOCKING VOTERS FROM CROSSING INTO BOSNIA AT A NORTHERN BORDER POINT WITH CROATIA, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE SORTING THE PROBLEMS OUT. MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS ARE PROVIDING SECURITY FOR THE ELECTION, TO TRY TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AS ETHNIC RIVALS MEET EACH OTHER IN THE PLACES THEY ONCE FOUGHT OVER. VOTERS WILL BE ELECTING A NEW THREE MEMBER PRESIDENCY, AND A JOINT PARLIAMENT, AS WELL AS A PARLIAMENT AND PRESIDENT FOR THE SERB REPUBLIC, A PARLIAMENT FOR THE MUSLIM CROAT FEDERATION AND OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS. FIRST RESULTS ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. (SIGNED)
[07] SERB REFUGEES VOTE (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)DATE=9/14/96TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-203111 CONTENT=_ VOICED AT: INTRO: MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND BOSNIAN-SERB REFUGEES LIVING IN YUGOSLAVIA RETURNED -- AT LEAST BRIEFLY -- TO THEIR HOME TOWNS SATURDAY TO VOTE IN THE BOSNIAN ELECTION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM THE YUGOSLAV CAPITAL OF BELGRADE. TEXT: AS MANY AS NINE SPECIAL TRAINS DEPARTED FROM BELGRADE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. FOR THESE SERBIAN REFUGEES FROM THE WAR IN BOSNIA THE TRAIN RIDE WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THEIR JOURNEY TO FORMER HOMES. AFTER A THREE-HOUR RIDE TO THE DRINA RIVER AND THE TOWN OF BIJELINA, MOST OF THE REFUGEES TRANSFERRED TO BUSES. MANY WERE BOUND FOR THE BOSNIAN-SERB TOWN OF BANJA LUKA. BUT AS MANY AS 10-THOUSAND BOSNIAN SERBS WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION. ////THE PRESENCE OF THESE MOSTLY ELDERLY REFUGEES ATTRACTED LITTLE ATTENTION AT THE BELGRADE TRAIN STATION. THE REFUGEES, MOST OF WHOM HAVE LIVED IN SERBIA FOR AT LEAST ONE-YEAR, SEEMED AS CONFUSED ABOUT THE ELECTION AS THEY WERE ABOUT THEIR TRANSPORTATION. LOCAL CITIZENS SEEM TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR OWN DIFFICULT
LIVING SITUATION TO TAKE MUCH NOTICE. (SIGNED)
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