Voice of America, 98-09-12

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / ELECTIONS (L) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (DOBOJ, BOSNIA)

[02] BOSNIA ELECTION OVERNIGHTER (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (VITEZ, BOSNIA)

[03] BOSNIA ELECTION/PROBLEMS (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (ZEPCE)

[04] KOSOVO REFUGEES (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

[01] BOSNIA / ELECTIONS (L) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (DOBOJ, BOSNIA)

INTRO: TECHNICAL PROBLEMS MARRED THE START OF THE WEEKEND GENERAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA, BUT ELECTION SUPERVISORS FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE SAY THEY ARE CONFIDENT THE DIFFICULTIES WILL BE RESOLVED AND THAT THE VOTING WILL BE COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE. BOSNIA'S TWO POINT SEVEN MILLION VOTERS ARE FACING A DIZZYING ARRAY OF CHOICES IN CONTESTS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL AND COUNCIL AND NATIONAL LEGISLATURE, AS WELL AS FOR THE REGIONAL LEADERS AND LEGISLATORS IN BOTH THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION AND BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC. DOUGLAS ROBERTS SAMPLED VOTER OPINION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FORMER DIVIDING LINE SATURDAY AND FILED THIS REPORT FROM THE SERB TOWN OF DOBOJ, NORTH OF THE SARAJEVO.

TEXT: A STEADY STREAM OF VOTERS FILED IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS AND OTHER MAKE-SHIFT POLLING CENTERS SATURDAY. IN RANDOM INTERVIEWS, VIRTUALLY ALL SAID THEY HOPED THESE ELECTIONS WILL BRING FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES TO BOSNIA. BUT THE INTERVIEWS REVEALED DIFFERING PRIORITIES AND NO CLEAR SENSE OF WHAT TO EXPECT.

WESTERN NATIONS INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORD HAVE BEEN URGING VOTERS IN THE SERB REPUBLIC TO GIVE THEIR SUPPORT TO A MODERATE ALLIANCE COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT: THE RE-INTEGRATION OF BOSNIA'S ETHNIC COMMUNITIES AND THE RETURN OF REFUGEES. ONE OF THOSE REFUGEES IS CONFIDENT THE SERB MODERATES WILL WIN.

LENA IS A MUSLIM HOUSEWIFE FORCED TO ABANDON HER HOME IN DOBOJ DURING THE WAR. SHE WAS AMONG SEVERAL BUSLOADS OF MUSLIM REFUGEES WHO CROSSED THE FORMER DIVIDING LINE TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS HERE SATURDAY. LENA BELIEVES THE MODERATES WILL EMERGE VICTORIOUS IN THESE ELECTIONS AND SHE HOPES THAT WILL SPEED UP THE RETURN OF THE REFUGEES.

BUT OTHER VOTERS HERE SAY THEY ARE FAR FROM CERTAIN OF A VICTORY FOR THE MODERATES. DARKO, A SERB WAR VETERAN, SAYS HE BELIEVES THE ULTRA-NATIONALIST FACTIONS WILL AGAIN EMERGE THE WINNERS IN ALL PARTS OF BOSNIA. HE SAYS HE TOO IS LOOKING FOR FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN THE COUNTRY AND ECONOMIC REVIVAL AND AN END TO GOVERNMENTAL CORRUPTION. BUT HE QUICKLY ADDS THAT HE SEES NO REASON FOR OPTIMISM.

THE CONTEST BETWEEN THE SO-CALLED MODERATES AND NATIONALISTS IS ALSO EVIDENT IN BOSNIA'S FEDERATION, ESPECIALLY AMONG CROAT VOTERS. THE LONG DOMINANT CROAT NATIONALIST PARTY, THE H-D-Z, IS FACING ITS FIRST REAL CHALLENGE FROM A NEW MODERATE OPPOSITION GROUP HEADED BY KRESIMIR ZUBAK, A MEMBER OF BOSNIA'S THREE-MAN PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL. MR. ZUBAK IS GIVEN NO CHANCE OF VICTORY IN THE CROAT HEARTLAND IN THE SOUTHWEST, BUT THERE IS SOME EVIDENT SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION LEADER IN SOME OF THE DISPARATE CROAT COMMUNITIES OF CENTRAL BOSNIA. MIRIANNA , A CROAT REFUGEE IN THE TOWN OF ZEPCE, SAYS SHE RESPECTS MR. ZUBAK, BUT QUICKLY ADDS THAT SHE CAST HER BALLOT FOR THE H-D-Z.

MR. ZUBAC WILL DO WELL HERE, SHE SAYS, BUT MOST CROAT VOTERS HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THAT IT WAS THE H-D-Z THAT HELPED THEM SURVIVE THE WAR.

MIRIANNA SAYS SHE SKEPTICAL OF THE CALLS FOR CHANGE IN BOSNIA. THE MEMORIES OF THE WAR ARE STILL FRESH, SHE SAYS, AND IT IS TOO EARLY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. (SIGNED)
NEB/DR/KL
12-Sep-98 3:04 PM EDT (1904 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA ELECTION OVERNIGHTER (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (VITEZ, BOSNIA)

INTRO: THE GENERAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA ARE DUE TO WIND UP SUNDAY WITH VOTERS CHOOSING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEADERS IN BOTH THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION AND THE SERB REPUBLIC. THE FIRST DAY OF VOTING WAS MARRED BY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, AS WE HEAR FROM DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN THE CENTRAL TOWN OF VITEZ.

TEXT: THE POLLS WERE DUE TO OPEN EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AND IN MOST CASES, THE VOTING BEGAN ON SCHEDULE. BUT THE DELAYED ARRIVAL OF VOTER'S REGISTRATION LISTS HELD UP THE START OF BALLOTING IN MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED PRECINCTS AND SOME POLLING CENTERS OPENED MORE THAN SIX HOURS LATE.

ELECTION SUPERVISORS FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE BLAME THE DELAY ON A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. BUT BY LATE AFTERNOON, THEY SAID VIRTUALLY ALL THE DIFFICULTIES HAD BEEN OVERCOME.

VOTER TURN-OUT WAS REPORTED HIGH, DESPITE HEAVY RAINS IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. O-S-C-E OFFICIALS SAY THEY EXPECT MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF BOSNIA'S TWO POINT SEVEN MILLION ELIGIBLE VOTERS WILL HAVE CAST THEIR BALLOTS BY THE TIME THE POLLS CLOSE LATE SUNDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DR/TMD-T/KL
12-Sep-98 2:35 PM EDT (1835 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA ELECTION/PROBLEMS (S) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (ZEPCE)

INTRO: TECHNICAL PROBLEMS MARRED THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEKEND PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA. BUT OFFICIALS OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, OR O-S-C-E, WHICH IS ORGANIZING THE VOTE, SAY THEY ARE CONFIDENT THE PROBLEMS WILL SOON BE RESOLVED. DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS FROM THE TOWN OF ZEPCE, NORTH OF SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE ELECTIONS GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START IN SEVERAL MAJOR PRECINCTS. VOTER LISTS FAILED TO SHOW UP AT SOME POLLING STATIONS WHILE INCOMPLETE LISTS APPEARED AT OTHERS.

O-S-C-E OFFICIALS BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION AND PROMISED TO DELIVER THE LISTS BY HELICOPTER, IF NECESSARY.

VOTERS HERE IN ZEPCE WAITED IN A STEADY RAIN OUTSIDE ONE POLLING STATION BEFORE IT FINALLY OPENED, MORE THAN SIX HOURS LATER.

THE BOSNIAN ELECTORATE IS FACING A DIZZYING ARRAY OF CHOICES. MORE THAN SIX-THOUSAND CANDIDATES FROM 83 PARTIES ARE VYING FOR OFFICE. TWO DAYS OF VOTING ARE SCHEDULED WITH INITIAL RESULTS EXPECTED SOME TIME MONDAY.

BUT O-S-C-E OFFICIALS SAY IT COULD BE TEN DAYS OR MORE BEFORE ALL THE VOTES ARE TALLIED. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/DW/KL
12-Sep-98 10:58 AM EDT (1458 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[04] KOSOVO REFUGEES (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

INTRO: SERB FORCES ARE BEING BLAMED FOR THE EXPULSION ON SATURDAY OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM THE TOWN OF ISTINIC IN WESTERN KOSOVO. IN PRISTINA, CAPITAL OF KOSOVO PROVINCE, A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE U-N SECRETARY GENERAL CONDEMNED THE EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE BY SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES. PHILIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM PRISTINA.

TEXT: REFUGEE WORKERS AND WESTERN OBSERVERS SAY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES WERE FORCED AT GUNPOINT TO LEAVE THE TOWN OF ISTINIC.

ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND SERBIAN POLICEMEN WITH WHIPS MOVED IN ON SOME 30-THOUSAND REFUGEES EARLY SATURDAY AND ORDERED THEM TO LEAVE A CROWDED REFUGEE ENCAMPMENT.

THE REFUGEES HAD BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES BY HEAVY SHELLING EARLIER IN THE WEEK AND WERE SURROUNDED AT ISTINIC BY SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES. WESTERN REFUGEE OFFICIALS ACCUSED SERB AUTHORITIES OF MISTREATING THE REFUGEES AND BLOCKING JOURNALISTS FROM ENTERING THE CAMP.

SERB FORCES, BENT ON CRUSHING AN ETHNIC ALBANIAN UPRISING IN KOSOVO, HAVE RAMPAGED THROUGH SCORES OF VILLAGES IN RECENT WEEKS.

REFUGEES WHO FLED CIVILIAN ROUNDUPS WERE PREVENTED ON SATURDAY FROM ENTERING THE NEIGHBORING YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO.

IN PRISTINA, A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, OTARA OTTUNU, SAID THE SERB FORCES HAD USED EXCESSIVE FORCE. MR. OTTUNU SAID HE HAD APPEALED TO THE SERB GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE ITS BATTLE TACTICS IMMEDIATELY.

MR. OTTUNU SAID HE HAD CALLED FOR GREATER INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN SOLVING THE KOSOVO CRISIS.

HE SAID THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE HAS SO FAR BEEN WOEFULLY INADEQUATE GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TRAGEDY UNFOLDING IN KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
NEB/PS/DW/KL
12-Sep-98 2:27 PM EDT (1827 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article