ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The whereabouts of 1,588 persons who went missing during the Serb aggression against Croatia and in its wake, are still unknown. According to official data released recently in a report on the work of a
Croatian commission in charge for search for missing and detained persons, nothing is known about the destiny of 1,588 persons who went missing or were forcibly detained by the Serb rebels, supported by the then Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), during the Homeland War. Last Thursday the Government received the report on the work of this commission covering the period from 15 October last year to 30 August this year. In that period the commission established facts about the destiny of 80 missing persons for whom search procedure was launched by the commission. Since May 1993, when the mandate of the commission started, this body helped clarify the destiny of 1,8
ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The whereabouts of 1,588 persons who went
missing during the Serb aggression against Croatia and in its wake,
are still unknown.
According to official data released recently in a report on the work
of a Croatian commission in charge for search for missing and
detained persons, nothing is known about the destiny of 1,588
persons who went missing or were forcibly detained by the Serb
rebels, supported by the then Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), during
the Homeland War.
Last Thursday the Government received the report on the work of this
commission covering the period from 15 October last year to 30
August this year. In that period the commission established facts
about the destiny of 80 missing persons for whom search procedure
was launched by the commission.
Since May 1993, when the mandate of the commission started, this
body helped clarify the destiny of 1,836 registered missing
persons. The Croatian Government last Thursday commended the
commission it for its endeavours, and established the Office in
charge for search for missing and detained persons, in order to
highlight the importance of more intensified efforts in search for
persons whose whereabouts have been unknown since the 1991-1995
Serb aggression against Croatia.
During its mandate the commission organised and coordinated
exhumations of remains of victims. So far, 3,155 corpses have been
exhumed in 308 villages and towns in the former Serb-occupied
Croatian areas. Most of them (1,938) were found in 125 mass graves.
Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic cautioned that
it could be expected that a larger number of persons be found than
the number on lists. "Of three found persons, one is on lists (i.e.
officially registered as missing)," Granic explained.
He complained about the total obstruction from representatives of
the Serb community, adding that their cooperation is necessary for
efforts aimed at detecting locations where the killed have been
buried. In addition, a diplomatic action will be important so that
we can find spots where the killed were buried during the UN
(UNTAES) mandate in east Croatia, Granic added.
Of 3,155 exhumed bodies, 80 percent, namely 2,519 soldiers and
civilians, have been identified to date.
The Croatian commission held negotiations with competent bodies in
Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) and the Bosnian Serb entity (the
Republic of Srpska) within its efforts to expedite search for
missing people.
(hina) ms