TRAVNIK MUSLIM POLICE FORCE CROAT RETURNEES TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES

NOVA BILA, March 25 (Hina) - On 23 March, six vans with Muslim policemen from Travnik (central Bosnia) carried out raids in the Bosnian army-controlled suburbs and Croat villages in the Travnik municipality. #L# 'They wanted to check which Croat returnees had permission by the Bosniac authority to return to their municipality', the exiled head of the Travnik municipality, Mirko Batinic, said today. Batinic currently lives near Travnik, in Nova Bila, which is located in the Croat-controlled part of the Federation's territory. According to Batinic, the Muslim police found some 100 Croat families who had returned to their homes without the permission of the Bosniac authority. 'They have been ordered to leave the Travnik municipality within 24 hours', Batinic said, adding that those poor people were besieging the Nova Bila municipal building, asking for help and protection. Batinic has informed IFOR about the event and the Dutch liaison officer, Major Ad Koppe, promised that IFOR would intensify patrols in the Bosnian army-controlled part of the Travnik municipality. Croat representatives have sent today a protest letter to the European Union High Representative Carl Bildt and his deputy Michael Steiner, the U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and the President of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kresimir Zubak. The protest letter will also be delivered to the mediator for the Federation, Christian Schwarz-Schilling. 'I expect support from federal leaders and all international factors, but I also expect the Muslim side to realise that this is not the way to build the Federation, because without Croats, Travnik cannot be the capital of the Srednja Bosna canton', Batinic said. Before the war, Croats made up 36,9% of the whole Travnik population, Muslims made up 45,3% and Serbs 11%. (hina) rm jn 251503 MET mar 96