WASHINGTON, 29 Aug (Hina) - Croatian authorities were still not doing enough in the improvement of conditions for the return of Croatian Serbs after last year's Croatian army military operations nor in the improvement of safety
conditions in the areas liberated by the military operation 'Storm', U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said in his report to the Security Council yesterday.
WASHINGTON, 29 Aug (Hina) - Croatian authorities were still not
doing enough in the improvement of conditions for the return of
Croatian Serbs after last year's Croatian army military operations
nor in the improvement of safety conditions in the areas liberated
by the military operation 'Storm', U.N. Secretary General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali said in his report to the Security Council yesterday.
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The atmosphere of lawlessness was still present in former UN
sectors, Ghali said.
'Croatian Serbs are the most frequent victims of attacks',
Ghali said, adding that the situation was most serious around the
town of Knin. The situation in the former sector West was better,
Ghali said, adding that the Pakrac area was safe thanks to strong
measures taken by the local police force.
It was obvious that the Croatian government had not taken
adequate measures in securing efficient police presence in the
region, because plunder and arson were still widespread, Ghali
said.
Several dozen cases of plunder and maltreatment by men wearing
military uniforms had been reported during the summer, Ghali said,
adding the international monitors believed that more police forces
would drastically decrease the incidence of crime.
The situation was additionally aggravated by several bomb
attacks on the local Serb population and by the maltreatment of
members of non-government organisations for human rights (such as
Homo and the Croatian Helsinki Committee), the report said.
It was obvious that Croatian Serbs did not think that the
current safety conditions were in their favor. Neither was their
return encouraged by speeches such as President Tudjman's speeches
on the island of Brijuni or in Knin, Ghali said.
Croatian authorities still had a lot to do in the
investigation and prosecution of the violation of human rights of
the local Serb population.
The International War Crimes Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) was satisfied with the cooperation of Croatian police forces
in the investigation of crimes which followed last year's military
operations in former UN sectors, but it was concerned because
Croatian authorities had still not arrested persons who were known
or believed to be on Croatia's territory, Ghali said, mentioning
the case of Dario Kordic.
The return of Croatian Serbs was proceeding at a slow pace and
although the returnees had the legitimate right to a decent home,
the way the Croatian government was trying to solve the problem
strongly influenced ethnic balance of the region, turning the
population from mainly Serb into mainly Croat.
Some of Croatian Serbs who returned to Croatia could not claim
back their property, Ghali said, adding that Croatia should take
other measures as well to facilitate the return of Serbs, including
the improvement of issuance of personal documents.
Ghali described as efficient the Government's humanitarian
program aimed at providing medical aid and food in former UN
sectors.
Another remark concerned the discrimination in the process of
employment. The Croatian government was reluctant to grant amnesty
to the members of Serb paramilitary units and it failed to provide
substitutes for the suspended constitutional regulations on
protection and improvement of minority rights.
The overall attitude of the Croatian government toward the
Serbs did not encourage their trust, Ghali concluded in his report.
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