FIRST CROATIAN VICTIMOLOGY CONGRESS ISSUES DECLARATION

( Editorial: --> 2918 ) ZAGREB, June 22 (Hina) - The First Croatian Victimology Congress which ended in Zagreb on Sunday concluded that it should pursue thoroughly searching for the truth about the victims and the suffering in Croatia's past and present. According to a Congress declaration issued on Monday, research is necessary due to a "tendency to forget the victims while the cruel world persists in equating the aggressor and the victim. Instead of (holding trials for) the genocide over (the eastern Croatian town of) Vukovar, it is (World War Two concentration camp) Jasenovac of 50 years ago that is being judged. Evidence has been put forward at the congress that Jasenovac 'worked' as a communist killing site until 1948, especially for those from the Way of the Cross (Croatian soldiers and civilians who were handed over to partisans after surrendering to the British in 1945)". The congress forwarded a strong protest to the Hague war crimes tribunal for "inappropriate trials against Croats and the difficult conditions in which the detainees are kept". The congress suggested that signatures be gathered in support of Croatian detainees. "The U.S. government has been requested to free Zvonko Busic and Ante Ljubas who are on long-term imprisonment in U.S. prisons for their patriotic actions for an independent Croatia against communist Yugoslavia", the declaration further says. It was also demanded that Croats in Serbian prisons be freed as well. The victimology congress reached a special decision to pay homage and gratitude to its high patron Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, for his care for people, especially for the successful peaceful reintegration of Vukovar and the Croatian Danube river region in the east without any further Croatian victim. It was also decided to hold a second Croatian victimology congress next year and to draw up and publish by then a list of all Croats killed and gone missing in the Serbian aggression on Croatia. (hina) ha jn 221849 MET jun 98