FAMILIES OF MISSING, IMPRISONED STAGE PROTEST RALLY IN OSIJEK

OSIJEK, Dec 10 (Hina) - The families of missing and imprisoned Croatian soldiers gathered on Sunday in the eastern town of Osijek for a peaceful rally, warning the domestic and international public about the slow pace of the search for their dearest ones. "Today, on Human Rights Day, we only seek the truth about 134 missing persons, no matter how awful it may be," said Stefica Krstic, head of the Osijek county association of the families of missing and imprisoned soldiers and civilians. The association also urges Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica to show good will and reveal the truth about missing Croatian citizens. There are some 300 Croatian victims on the Yugoslav territory, Krstic said. The association will send the photos of their missing family members to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Sabor Speaker Zlatko Tomcic as well as to Yugoslav President Kostunica. They will also send an appeal to the U.N. Human Rights envoy, European Commission and the European Court for Human Rights. The families request the Yugoslav authorities to hand over the bodies of 300 Croatian citizens buried on the Yugoslav territory and release those imprisoned in Yugoslav prisons. The families also urge countries with advanced DNA analysis systems to help Croatia in the identification of exhumed bodies. (hina) rml