BERAK RALLY, VILLAGERS PROTEST OVERNIGHT BERAK, May 10 (Hina) - Although last night local authorities of Berak and the municipality of Tompojevci and representatives of Vukovar-Sirmium County Police agreed on the discontinuation of
three-day-long protests of returnees to the eastern Croatian village of Berak, protesters said they would continue with rallies until Monday's session of the municipal authorities. About 300 Croat returnees have been protesting since last Friday to show their indignation at the fact that none of local Serbs, whom they suspect of complicity in killings, persecution and harassment of Croats during the Serb aggression against eastern Croatia, including their village, has not so far been brought to justice. They staged the rally in Berak in the wake of the recent discovery of a mass grave in the village. Furthermore, 28 villagers are still on the list of missing persons whose whereabouts have been
BERAK, May 10 (Hina) - Although last night local authorities of
Berak and the municipality of Tompojevci and representatives of
Vukovar-Sirmium County Police agreed on the discontinuation of
three-day-long protests of returnees to the eastern Croatian
village of Berak, protesters said they would continue with rallies
until Monday's session of the municipal authorities.
About 300 Croat returnees have been protesting since last Friday to
show their indignation at the fact that none of local Serbs, whom
they suspect of complicity in killings, persecution and harassment
of Croats during the Serb aggression against eastern Croatia,
including their village, has not so far been brought to justice.
They staged the rally in Berak in the wake of the recent discovery of
a mass grave in the village. Furthermore, 28 villagers are still on
the list of missing persons whose whereabouts have been unknown
since the Serb occupation of the Berak in 1991.
While we are watching exhumations of our dearest we cannot accept
the fact that those who are to be blamed for their deaths are walking
calmly in the village, said Berak protesters. They lit candles in
front of the houses of Serbs whom they hold accountable for Croats'
plight in 1991 and 1992, and insisted that Croatian authorities
instigate procedures against such persons who are believed to have
committed war crimes.
"No one would like that Serbs are guilty only because they are
Serbs, but we want to learn of the truth, and they certainly know the
truth," protesters said on Sunday night.
A senior police official of Vukovar-Sirmium County, Ivan Grcanac,
who participated in last night's talks with local authorities, said
in 1992 the police pressed charges against 52 persons from Berak on
suspicion of their involvement in war crimes and terrorism. But,
some of them are not within the reach of Croatian law. In addition,
15 charges were pressed for the armed rebellion, but those persons
have been amnestied by Croatian President, Grcanac explained.
The police official asked protesters to inform the police if they
have any new data on those who allegedly committed war crimes.
On Saturday evening, some of protesters physically attacked a
fellow villager, Ilija Mirilovic, who is said to have been one of
organisers of the rebellion in Berak and to have held commanding
posts during the Serb occupation. After the incident, the police
arrested five people from Berak on Sunday.
Following the talks between the local authorities and
representatives of protesters, these five villagers were released
from custody.
(hina) ms
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