BOOK ON COMMUNIST PRISON 'STARA GRADISKA' PRESENTED

( Editorial: --> 1503 ) ZAGREB, Feb 12 (Hina) - The Croatian-English book 'Stara Gradiska' by Vjekoslav Zugaj was presented in Zagreb on Thursday. This historical and documentary book contains numerous photos and statements by former inmates of the prison 'Stara Gradiska' (in Stara Gradiska, some 150 km east of Zagreb), one of the oldest prisons in Central Europe. Parliament representative Djuro Perica, the president of the Croatian Emigrants' Society Ante Beljo and Assistant Immigration Minister Domagoj Ante Petric spoke at the presentation about the suffering of prisoners in 'Stara Gradiska', especially in the period between 1945 and 1990. Perica, a former political prisoner, who spent more than 14 years in 'Stara Gradiska' during the communist reign, said that crimes against humanity committed against Croats in that prison were beyond imagination and made material for thousands of books. The history of 'Stara Gradiska' reflects the suffering of the Croatian people, said Ante Beljo, while Domagoj Ante Petric called on Croatian scientists to research that recent period of history. 'Stara Gradiska' is a symbol of what drove Croats to death, imprisonment or emigration, said Petric, adding the prison was a warning to all future generations to respect what they have. (hina) mm rm 122006 MET feb 98