ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Twelve Croatian generals, including two former army chiefs-of-staff and the current Deputy Croatian Armed Forces Chief-Of-Staff, on Thursday forwarded an open letter to the Croatian public urging competent
officials and state institutions, particularly the media, to oppose the negative and false presentation of the Homeland Defence War (HDW).
ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Twelve Croatian generals, including two
former army chiefs-of-staff and the current Deputy Croatian Armed
Forces Chief-Of-Staff, on Thursday forwarded an open letter to the
Croatian public urging competent officials and state institutions,
particularly the media, to oppose the negative and false
presentation of the Homeland Defence War (HDW). #L#
A large part of the media and politicians are speaking of the HDW
today "as if it were something negative and even shameful, although
the HDW was the foundation of Croatia's freedom, sovereignty and
independence."
The generals believe it is inadmissible that soldiers and disabled
veterans are mentioned only in the context of a group of people who
have violated laws, while positive and magnificent events, in which
a vast majority of Croatia's best sons took part in, are being kept
silent about.
This eventually leads to the criminalisation of the very will of the
Croatian people to defend itself from the Greater Serbia aggression
and occupation, the letter reads.
The generals emphasise that they are not against the prosecution of
individual crimes or criminal acts. However, the recent police
operations look more like the settling of accounts with terrorists
and mobsters than like an operation by a law-based and democratic
state complying with domestic circumstances and the dignity of
Croatian HDW soldiers, they said.
The generals were commenting on an operation the Croatian police
carried out in mid-September in several Croatian towns in which
about a dozen persons were arrested on suspicion of having
committed war crimes or other criminal acts. The apprehended
persons also included Croatian Army members and HDW participants.
The unnecessary demonstration of force, declaring somebody's guilt
before trial and even before investigation, including the
announcement of Hague indictments, only lead into unnecessary and
dangerous rifts in our society, the letter read.
No conflicts, terrorism least of all, or any form of violence, which
lately has been mentioned so lightly, are or can be in the interest
of anyone reasonable and responsible, especially not those who
established this state with their own blood, the generals said.
The generals further support plans to appoint educated and trained
persons to the commanding posts in the Croatian Army. Those should
be people who proved themselves during the HDW, because the staff
and the doctrine which secured the victory are a capital which no
one who cares about the country's security and freedom can easily
neglect.
The letter was signed by retired General of the Army Janko Bobetko,
Admiral Davor Domazet-Loso, reserve Lieutenant General Ivan
Cermak, retired Lieutenant General Ivan Basarac, Lieutenant
General Kresimir Cosic, Lieutenant General Ante Gotovina, Major
General Damir Krsticevic, Major General Ivan Kapular, Major
General Mirko Norac, Major General Milenko Filipovic, retired
Major General Ivan Korade and retired Major General Nojko
Marinovic.
(hina) jn rml