SEVERAL THOUSAND CROATS PROTEST AGAINST ICTY VERDICT

VITEZ, Jan 16 (Hina) - Several thousand Croats from central Bosnia gathered near Vitez Sunday in protest against verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) issued to five Vitez Croats. "Is it not a paradox that three times more Croats were exiled from central Bosnia than Bosniaks, but only Croats are being accused and sentenced for ethnic persecutions," the protesters said in a protest letter read at the rally, addressed to the international community. "About two million Croats were displaced in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the ICTY is accusing only Croats for this, based on very unconvincing evidence," the letter said. "According to these criteria every citizen of age who lived in Bosnia-Herzegovina could be convicted," the letter said. "We did not gather here to defend crime. every crime with irrefutable evidence must be sanctioned. But no crime against Croats has been processed. We still wish to believe that the ICTY prosecution will charge criminals and that the hand of justice will reach them." The road on which the protesters gathered was blocked from 1.15pm to 1.45pm after which they dispersed peacefully. (hina) lml