UNVEILING OF MONUMENT TO VICTIMS OF YU ARMY CONCENTRATION CAMPS

ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - President of the "Hrvatski domobran" Association (Croatian Defenders), Vladimir Sklopan, and president of the Parliament committee for uncovering the victims of war and post-war, Zdenka Elblinger, on Friday unveiled a monumental plaque on the facade of the Zagreb Bus Station. The plaque pays tribute to the victims of the concentration transit camp "Kanal" which was established at the end of World War II by the Yugoslav Army. According to details by the Committee, early May 1945, because of fear of revenge by the Yugoslav Army, the Croatian Army and civilians from all over Croatia began to retreat through Zagreb. Some of them, believing they would be protected by the Western Allies retreated to Austria, from whence they were returned on the now known 'Croatian Way of the Cross'. After the Yugoslav Army entered Zagreb, the OZNA (former secret service) issued a proclamation by which all persons who had collaborated with the Independent State of Croatia (NDH 1941-1945) were to be reported. Between 1,500 and 2,000 persons were disclosed during OZNA raids and taken to the "Kanal" concentration camp. Some of them were made to go on the 'Way of the Cross' through Slavonia and Baranja on to Serbia and Bulgaria. Many were killed along the way and buried in numerous mass graves surrounding Zagreb. The president of the Zagreb branch of "Hrvatski domobran", Mladen Grgac said that this monumental plaque to these victims is a step in the association's attempts to mark all the spots where Croats met their fate at the end of World War II. (hina) sp