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Serbia Today, 97-01-14
Serbia Today
CONTENTS
[01] BRIDGES NO ONE USES
[02] CONCERN FOR THE AWAKENING OF NEO-USTASHA MOVEMENT
[03] "SIMPO" - A RENOWN COMPANY
[04] COMMON PAST AND FUTURE
[05] THE REPORT ON THE BREACHES OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR AND HUMANITARIAN
CODE HAS BEEN ADOPTED
[06] THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA NEEDS GREATER AID
[01] BRIDGES NO ONE USES
Frequent incidents and conflicts in the Moslem-Croatian Federation are
continuing in the new year - remarked Moslem and Croatian Commentators
yesterday. The most difficult situation is visible in the Mostar area,
where every day someone is stoned, beaten or robbed - especially along the
disengagement line. "The European Union built seven new bridges over the
Neretva river in vain - since no one uses them," said UNHCR Spokesman Chris
Yanowsky.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Borba, 1997-01-14
[02] CONCERN FOR THE AWAKENING OF NEO-USTASHA MOVEMENT
On December 28, all day and night a portrait of the Ustasha leader Ante
Pavelic stood at the base of the Count Jelacic Monument in the center of
Zagreb. The portrait of the Nazi puppet state "Independent State of
Croatia" was adorned with flowers and wreaths by his present-day followers
and supporters. On that same day, a memorial service was held in the church
on the town square. The Dominican Vjekoslav Lasic that held the service
glorified the war criminal as a great Croatian politician and statesman,
that "made the sole mistake of allowing that Croatian state to disappear".
Such celebrations of a war-criminal held in the center of Zagreb (and
Split) appalled the international anti-fascist public, as well as the anti-
fascists in Croatia, but very few dared express their disapproval publicly.
It is particularly alarming that such obvious political abuse of the Church
has been allowed by the highest Catholic Church prelates. Remarking that
condemnation and rejection of the Ustasha movement have become extremely
rare and timid in Croatia today, Slavko Goldstein (in an article published
yesterday by "Feral Tribune") wonders about the meaning of this "new
variant of Croatian silence", that "also involves, each in its own way, all
the leading opposition parties and all Croatian state, cultural and art
institutions." "If we are unable to condemn the crimes committed by fellow
Croatians in the past, we shall be unable to condemn present and future
ones as well. This is why we are incapable of condemning the atrocities
committed in Ahnici and in Lika and Knin area after 'Operation Storm'",
stresses Mr. Goldstein.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Politika, 1997-01-14
[03] "SIMPO" - A RENOWN COMPANY
The international furniture fair has been opened in Koln yesterday. Among
the exhibitors is the "Simpo" company from Vranje (Serbia), this being its
first appearance in the world's largest furniture fair since the lifting of
the sanctions. The stand bearing the name "Simpo-Yugoslavia" has drawn
great attention and some 250 sq. meters have been used to display lounge
furniture. Last July, the "Simpo-Deutschland" company was founded, and it
has quickly managed to contract a number of sales. In Germany, "Simpo"
offers a special discount to people from Yugoslavia living and working
there. Yesterday at the Koln Fair, a special offer for those returning to
Yugoslavia has been announced. The project involves the creation of small
family-run manufactures which are an important element of the privatization
policy of the company from Vranje.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Borba, 1997-01-14
[04] COMMON PAST AND FUTURE
Federal Secretary of Interior Vukasin Jokanovic stated in an interview for
the "Koha" magazine (published in Albanian) that the situation in Kosovo is
complex and that this is primarily the result of the presence of Albanian
separatism that has been promoted in various forms for quite some time.
"Still, we are destined to a common future, just as we have a common past.
Together we must build up good relations to live better, to ensure freedom,
human and ethnic dignity, and personal safety for every man." - said Mr.
Jokanovic. Asked about the reasons for the modification of the 1974
Constitution, Mr. Jokanovic remarked that the constitutional changes were
carried out in a legal and legitimate manner without any pressures. "The
old Constitution was first undermined by the 1981 demonstrations organized
by the Albanian nationalists in Kosovo, with the purpose of creating a
separate republic and then annexing it to Albania. Even though the province
enjoyed a high level of autonomy at the time, the separatists wanted more.
On the other hand, they were supported by separatists from Slovenia and
Croatia that realized similar plans several years later." - remarked the
Federal Home Secretary. He also reminded that all political forums in
Kosovo - where the majority of seats were held by ethnic Albanians -
endorsed the constitutional change, and that this helped prevent a civil
war in Kosovo thus saving many human lives and property.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-01-14
[05] THE REPORT ON THE BREACHES OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR AND HUMANITARIAN
CODE HAS BEEN ADOPTED
Yesterday, the Federal Government adopted the 8th Report concerning
individual breaches of the international war and humanitarian code in the
territory of former Yugoslavia. Divided into five topics/chapters, this
latest document treats the situation in the county of Visegrad before the
breakout of the civil war and the crimes committed against the Serbs during
the conflict, the genocide against civilians from the Republic of Srpska in
august 1995, the crimes in the Tarcin prison camp, and the abuse of
Sarajevan medical institutions for military purposes. The report not only
provides evidence on war crimes, but also the genocide against the Serbian
people during the civil war. Special attention has been given to the crimes
committed against the Serbs by the Croatian Army during "Operation Storm"
in 1995. Some 90 specific cases of war crimes have been treated in detail,
showing that the objective of the military operation was to annihilate and
expel the remaining Serbs from Croatia. As a result of such a genocidal
plan, the Serbs - that were once a constituent people in Croatia - have
been reduced to a minority, having been reduced from 12% to 3% of the
Croatian population, the Report affirms. After "Operation Storm" Croatian
forces occupied the Mrkonjic Grad area in the Republic of Srpska, and
committed numerous crimes against local civilians. This has been
established beyond any doubt by the exhumation of the mass grave at the
local Orthodox cemetery, in the presence of Hague Tribunal representatives,
since the remains of 181 victims have been unearthed. All the victims were
Serbs, many of them quite old, and this denies the assertions that only
"enemy soldiers" were killed in Mrkonjic Grad. The latest Federal
Government Report will be submitted to the competent authorities and bodies
of the international community.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Borba, 1997-01-14
[06] THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA NEEDS GREATER AID
Mr. Pierre Crenbill - Head of the ICRC in Bosnia and Herzegovina stated in
an interview for the Vienna daily "Die Presse" that major international
community aid should be allocated to the Republic of Srpska. "Too little
aid and support for the Serbs in Bosnia certainly won't help create more
tolerance", remarked Mr. Crenbill adding that the economic situation in the
Serbian entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina is extremely difficult. He also
stressed that only a small part of international aid destined to the
victims of the civil war in Bosnia has been delivered in the Republic of
Srpska.
Serbia Today, 1997-01-14 ; Ekspres, 1997-01-14
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