ZAGREB, July 20 (Hina) - The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) on Thursday released a report claiming 267 civilians of Serb nationality were killed or went missing during and after 1995's "Storm" military and police operation. On 150
pages compiled by HHO activists over four months, the report lists by name the killed and missing civilians, mostly elderly people, as well as numerous cases of abuse, arson and house-mining, thefts, threats to and disturbing of civilians in 11 municipalities under the former United Nations sector North. The report is based on testimonies by numerous eye-witnesses, providing descriptions of how each victim was killed. The list of the casualties is divided by those killed in refugee columns fleeing towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and those killed in their homes. The highest number of casualties was recorded in Dvor, Glina, Gvozd, Vojnic, and Slunj. The HHO also records
ZAGREB, July 20 (Hina) - The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) on
Thursday released a report claiming 267 civilians of Serb
nationality were killed or went missing during and after 1995's
"Storm" military and police operation.
On 150 pages compiled by HHO activists over four months, the report
lists by name the killed and missing civilians, mostly elderly
people, as well as numerous cases of abuse, arson and house-mining,
thefts, threats to and disturbing of civilians in 11 municipalities
under the former United Nations sector North.
The report is based on testimonies by numerous eye-witnesses,
providing descriptions of how each victim was killed. The list of
the casualties is divided by those killed in refugee columns
fleeing towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and those killed in their
homes. The highest number of casualties was recorded in Dvor,
Glina, Gvozd, Vojnic, and Slunj.
The HHO also records several murders in the Dvor area committed by
members of the Army of BH Fifth Corps, as well as murders by Serb
paramilitary units.
Presenting the report, HHO Executive Committee member Zarko
Puhovski said the purpose of the report was not to find those
responsible or those who committed war crimes, nor "reinterpret
history."
"The HHO wants to point to crimes committed against Croatian
citizens who were the responsibility of Croatian authorities, and
until these crimes are individualised they are 'Croatian crimes',"
said Puhovski. "Unless the past is cleared and the perpetrators
punished, there can be no talk of the rule of law."
Puhovski reminded of last year's HHO report on crimes and 410
civilians killed in UN's sector South to which Croatia's former
government reacted harshly, claiming the report was "unfounded,
exaggerated, and degrading." Then actual Justice Minister Zvonimir
Separovic had claimed more than 5,000 court cases related to crimes
committed during and after "Storm" had been processed.
Puhovski said today the HHO did not know about any one court case
initiated for war crimes committed during "Storm", and that less
than 20 persons had been sentenced for other crimes.
"I hope the investigations will be stepped up and that the new
authorities will react to this report differently," said he, adding
"the HHO stands behind every piece of data published in (the
report)".
(hina) ha mm