SERB RETURNEES ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE IN KISTANJE

KISTANJE, May 23 (Hina) - Croatian Serb returnees on Tuesday formed an agricultural cooperative 'Krka' in Kistanje, a small town in the Zadar hinterland which was settled by Croat refugees from Kosovo after Operation 'Storm'. The cooperative is the legal successor of a cooperative which existed before the Homeland War and had the same name. The cooperative had 320 members and 80 employees, operated successfully, and owned about 30 attractive trading and catering facilities. Today's constituent assembly was held at the proposal of the Split- based centre for the protection of human rights and civil freedoms, 'Altruist', and in cooperation with the US Embassy and the foundation Open Society. Although they had been invited to the assembly, which was held in the town council building, and join the cooperative, Kosovo Croat refugees settled in Kistanje did not attend the event. There were no incidents or attempts to thwart the meeting, which gathered about 20 cooperative members and a number of guests. Members of the Open Society foundation served refreshments and the reception and toasts were joined by policemen who secured the meeting, municipal workers, and those Kosovo Croats who wanted to know what the event was about. The centre 'Altruist', US Embassy and the foundation 'Open Society' promised they would help the cooperative's members reconstruct cooperative buildings and return to their homes. None of the cooperative members who returned to Croatia live in their houses in Kistanje but with their relatives or in abandoned houses in nearby villages. (hina) jn rml