CATHOLIC PRIESTS FROM BOSANSKA POSAVINA ISSUE STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - Catholic priests from the deaneries of Derventa, Brcko, Doboj and Samac in the Bosanska Posavina area (northern Bosnia-Herzegovina along the Sava river) and civil representatives of these municipalities on Wednesday issued a statement in which they want to caution the Croatian and world public about certain problems. The statement was issued after a meeting held with the head of the Croatian Emigrants Society and parliament representative Ante Beljo. The statement points out that the international community has as yet done nothing concerning the return of Croats to the Bosanska Posavina area. The Croats' position in the Bosnian Serb republic continues to be difficult, while the international community shows much concern for national minorities in Croatia, they add in the statement. The priests called on people from the Bosanska Posavina area who could not return there to stay in Croatia and refuse to go to third countries. They requested the Croatian government to find a solution for providing social and health insurance for refugees from the Bosanska Posavina area. The international community did not ensure equal participation in the Bosnian September municipal election in municipalities under the Bosnian Serb control, they said in the statement. The international community through its engineering caused considerable damage to Croats in Bosanska Posavina, they added, pointing out that it is unacceptable that the Serb electoral body was more numerous than the 1991 census showed. (hina) ha 092137 MET oct 97