GOLJP WARNS ABOUT CONTROVERSY OVER BLASKIC CASE

ZAGREB, Mar 8 (Hina) - The Civic Committee for Human Rights (GOLJP) on Wednesday requested that those Croatian politicians and church dignitaries who are demanding that the Hague war crimes tribunal acquit general Tihomir Blaskic provide copies of documents on the basis of which they believe that Blaskic is innocent. If such documents exist, GOLJP, as an organisation for the protection of human rights, will intercede for Blaskic's rights, read a statement GOLJP issued on Wednesday, commenting on reactions to the verdict the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) imposed on Blaskic, sentencing him to 45 years in prison. Cited in the statement were the names of Sabor Vice President Zdravko Tomac, the president of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, and the head of the military ordinary, Juraj Jezerinac. Commenting on a protest rally organised due to Blaskic's sentence by the Croatian Invalids of the Homeland War (HVIDRA) association in front of the US Embassy in Zagreb on Monday, GOLJP warned that Croatia had to face "the sin of the structures", which had claimed for years that Croats could not commit crimes. Judging by the slogans that were shouted out during the rally, most protesters do not believe that the key issue is whether Blaskic is guilty of what he is charged with, GOLJP said. "For them, the crime in Ahmici was not committed by Croats, and even if they did commit it, it was not a crime." "The real sin of the structures which Croatia still has to face is not only the villainy and the financial frauds, but the moral invalidity of a part of citizens who, having been told for years that Croats cannot commit war crimes and similar xenophobic and racist nonsense, have become insensible of brutal murders of hundreds of women, children and elderly people, who were killed only because they were of another religion or nationality," the statement concluded. (hina) jn rml