KUPLJENSKO, May 20 (Hina) - 270 refugees from Velika Kladusa, western Bosnia, who were settled in the refuge camp of Kupljensko, 70 km south of Zagreb, on Monday left the camp in the organization of the UN High Commission for Refugees
and the Croatian government's Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons. They will return to western Bosnia or other refuge centres in Croatia.
KUPLJENSKO, May 20 (Hina) - 270 refugees from Velika Kladusa,
western Bosnia, who were settled in the refuge camp of Kupljensko,
70 km south of Zagreb, on Monday left the camp in the organization
of the UN High Commission for Refugees and the Croatian
government's Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons. They will
return to western Bosnia or other refuge centres in Croatia. #L#
About 770 Moslems left Kupljensko in the past three days,
thus starting the gradual closing of the camp.
Velika Kladusa refugees have been on Croatia's territory
for nine months. They have sought shelter in make-shift
accommodation along a road in the town of Kupljensko near the
border with Bosnia.
After having defeated the Velika Kladusa tycoon and Moslem
separatist Fikret Abdic who aligned himself with Bosnian and
Croatian Serb rebels in western Bosnia, the Bosnian Government
called on the refugees to come back home, and guaranteed security
and safety to them.
As the refugees did not want to return in fear of
retribution by the government-led forces, Bosnian, Croatian and
Turkish government officials formed a joint police force in western
Bosnia to ensure favourable conditions for the return.
The remaining 3,500-4,000 refugees should leave the camp in
the next 10-15 days. They will return either to Velika Kladusa or
to other refuge centres in Croatia or other countries which issued
permits for their arrival.
(hina) ha jn
201341 MET may 96