APPEAL CENTRE SENDS OPEN LETTER TO UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR

ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - The "Appeal" Centre on Sunday sent an open letter to the UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and FR Yugoslavia, Jiri Dienstbier, calling him to resolve the issue of missing persons, and warning about "political and humanitarian terrorism". In the letter, also sent to all ambassadors accredited in Croatia, Zdenka Farkas, president of the Centre for the protection of human rights of missing and imprisoned persons and their families, asked Dienstbier to "contribute to the progress in solving the whereabouts of 1,795 persons" who are still missing. Farkas also warned of "political and humanitarian" terrorism to which families of missing and imprisoned Croatian soldiers are subjected. She stressed a part of the international community was avoiding openly speaking about crimes committed by the former Yugoslav People's Army and Serb para-military troops during the aggression on Croatia. UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, is the only person to have "granted the promise given to the families of imprisoned, abducted and missing Croatian soldiers and civilians", by holding talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic about the issue and informing the families about the meeting, Farkas said in the letter. (hina) lml