CROATS FROM USKOPLJE PROTEST AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF BARRACKS

( Editorial: --> 2627 ) GORNJI VAKUF, Sept 23 (Hina) - Several hundred Croats from Uskoplje, a town in central Bosnia, on Wednesday blocked the Bugojno - Gornji Vakuf road for half an hour. The Croats are dissatisfied with the fact that the Muslim (Bosniak) component of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina Army is constructing an army barracks in nearby Krupa, which is under Muslim control. Before the war Krupa was inhabited by a majority Croat population. According to the Croats, the Muslims are also constructing barracks in Vucipolje, Bugojno municipality, which too had a majority Croat population before the war. The aim of the blockade was to turn the public eye to the dissatisfaction of the Croat population in this regard. The gathering was addressed by Uskoplje mayor Zdravko Batinic who said that the construction of the barracks and the occupation of former Croat homes in Krupa by Muslim soldiers was in violation of the Constitution of the B-H Federation. "If the construction is not halted, the Croats too will begin constructing their own barracks as well as taking other measures of protection", Batinic said. (Hina) sp/rml 232124 MET sep 98