U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CROATIA

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Hina) - The US State Department on Wednesday issued a report on human rights abuses in Croatia after two military operations last year. The report, which is a part of the State Department's regular annual survey of human rights practices round the world, said that the most flagrant human rights violations had been committed after military operations in May and August in 1995. It said that there had been no violations of the constitutional rights and freedoms in respect of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other views, and origin. International and non-governmental human rights organizations were active in Croatia and openly criticized the government, the report said, adding that the Croatian government cooperated with the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. However, the government failed to take adequate measures to curb retaliatory arsons, looting and killings, and it did not seem sincerely interested in keeping the Serb population. Military and police forces were responsible for substantial abuses committed in the liberated areas of Croatia, the report said. Great constititutional powers of the President, the military occupation of parts of the country and the domination of one party tended to suppression of the expression of different views. Rebel Serb authorities in Croatia committed human rights violations in the areas under their control. Serb military and police forces continued with violence, killings, intimidation and eviction of Croats and minorities in order to ethnically cleanse those areas. The report said that the population in the occupied areas was subjected to a controlled and quasilegal system without the freedom of speech, assembly, media, confession and movement, and without the right to the change of government. (hina) vm mm 062122 MET mar 96