DAILY: MILOSEVIC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPULSION OF VOJVODINA CROATS

SUBOTICA, Feb 24 (Hina) - It is Slobodan Milosevic who is the most responsible for the expulsion of Vojvodina Croats, although the U.N. war crimes tribunal does not charge him with that, Rev. Marko Kljajic, who witnessed the persecution of Vojvodina Croats, told Vojvodina's "Gradjanski list" daily. #L# "I could not say that Vojislav Seselj's Radicals orchestrated the expulsion of Croats. Headed by Seselj, they were certainly the loudest, but although we witnessed their campaign with anxiety, I would not say they were the main reason for what happened," said Kljajic, the parish priest of St. Roko's Church at Petrovaradin. Kljajic said that countless crimes had happened in Vojvodina in the 1990s, including rape, murder and bombings, however, the Radicals did not always lead the way. "... Seselj was only a broom and a stick in the hands of Slobodan Milosevic and the state he ruled," said Kljajic, the author of a book of witness testimonies, "Kako je umirao moj narod" (How My People Was Dying). Kljajic dismissed claims that Vojvodina Croats were expelled from their homes because they went to Croatia to fight in the Croatian army. He claims that the number of those who fought against Croatian forces as loyal citizens is higher. "Seselj can't fool anyone with his stories, Croats from Hrtkovci could join the Croatian army only after they were expelled. In the 1990s they hunted our young men of age and mobilised first Croats and Hungarians, so that there were more Croats and Hungarians from Hrtkovci fighting on the Serbian side than Serbs," Kljajic said. According to information collected by the Democratic Alliance of Vojvodina Croats, around 40,000 Croats were forced to leave their homes in Vojvodina and Srijem in the 1990s. (hina) rml