ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - Representatives of the International Tribunal for War Crimes, who are to work on the exhumation of the Ovcara mass grave near Vukovar, on Wednesday met for the first time with members of the "Vukovar Mothers"
association of families of missing and detained Croatian soldiers.
ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - Representatives of the International
Tribunal for War Crimes, who are to work on the exhumation of the
Ovcara mass grave near Vukovar, on Wednesday met for the first time
with members of the "Vukovar Mothers" association of families of
missing and detained Croatian soldiers. #L#
Croatian vice-premier Ivica Kostovic said that the exhumation
of Ovcara was the beginning of a very important process which would
reveal the truth about all victims.
The International Tribunal's investigator Clint Williams said
that the exhumation would begin this week, adding that it would
take several weeks.
During the exhumation the team of experts is to hold meetings
and inform the public from the UNTAES centre in Vukovar, Williams
said.
Head of the group of experts William Haglund said that the
International Tribunal had gathered all information needed for the
investigation and about the persons buried in the mass grave.
The bodies would be taken out of the grave one by one and
analyzed, Haglund said.
First, the cause of death would be established, they the
bodies would be identified on the basis of information given by the
family, Haglund said, adding that the identification would be
concluded by November of December.
Members of the "Vukovar Mothers" asked that the investigation
into the rest of mass graves in Croatia would begin as soon as
possible.
They also warned that the Ovcara mass grave did not only hold
the remains of wounded soldiers taken forcefully from the Vukovar
hospital, but also several civilians.
(hina) lm
282000 MET aug 96