INSTEAD OF RALLYING HSP SUPPORTERS IN KNIN ATTEND MASS

( Editorial: --> 9625 ) KNIN, Mar 14 (Hina) - An unusually large number of people gathered in the town of Knin Saturday morning to attend a mass for defenders killed in liberating this area in southern Croatia from Serbian occupation in 1995. The crowd of 2,000 included many members of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) who, instead of attending a party rally banned by the county police, attended the mass. The HSP announced a party rally for today to the effect of establishing a branch office in Knin. But Sibensko-Kninska County police on 12 March banned the rally after assessing that some of those attending might imperil public peace and order, like they had done at a rally in Vukovar on 14 February. According to HSP president Anto Djapic, also in Knin, the people could not enter the town as the police had blocked all access roads. He estimated that 7,000 were kept outside Knin. "We know very well how to behave here, no one has or will say one word against the Serbs", Djapic told reporters before the mass. At a press conference after the service, Djapic assessed that everything had passed in a "dignified way, without any incident by (HSP supporters)". "(Party supporters) did not even react to the provocations made by several Serbs", he added. The HSP president announced the party would organise rallies in other towns in the area, like Glina, Topusko, Petrinja and Kostajnica. He believed there would be no more bans as today's events in Knin demonstrated they were uncalled for. (hina) ha jn 141827 MET mar 98