$ BUGOJNO, Oct 19 (Hina) - The Bugojno municipal council on Saturday issued a public statement on occasion of a most recent incident which happened on Friday at 22.00 hours when Moslem extremists set fire to three Croat houses,
destroying them completely. Representatives of the local Moslem police and of the International Police Task Force (IPTF) investigated the sites.
HOUSES
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BUGOJNO, Oct 19 (Hina) - The Bugojno municipal council on Saturday
issued a public statement on occasion of a most recent incident
which happened on Friday at 22.00 hours when Moslem extremists set
fire to three Croat houses, destroying them completely.
Representatives of the local Moslem police and of the
International Police Task Force (IPTF) investigated the sites. #L#
The statement forwarded to president and deputy president of
the Bosnian Federation Kresimir Zubak and Ejup Ganic, said that
since the signing of the Washington, and especially Dayton
agreements, the survival of Croats in the Bugojno municipality was
under question because of actions of the local Moslem authority, as
it was doing nothing to protect the remaining Bugojno Croats and
their property, and did not do anything to punish the perpetrators
because they remained "unknown".
It was especially worrying that Moslem extremists, with the
support of local authorities, were using every measure of
repression in attempts to cleanse the town of remaining Croats, not
allowing them to return, the statement said.
"So far, 2,550 houses have been destroyed in Bugojno, 1,800 of
them since the signing of the Washington Agreement, which is meant
to intimidate the Croat people and prevent them from returning to
their homes. However, despite such actions of the extreme part of
the Moslem people in Bugojno, Croats will not capitulate on their
way to return to their homes, but will become even more united and
stronger in the political struggle for the implementation of the
signed peace accords, conscious of the fact that domestic and
foreign factors, in their loss of power, are turning a blind eye on
our problem," the statement said.
"We ask that a stop be put to attacks on Croats and their
property, by which we are being denied of our human rights and
freedom of movement in a town where 1,113 Croats have remained out
of the total of 17,000, according to the 1991 census, and of which
only ten are employed. If the domestic and international public are
to continue turning a blind eye on our problem, representatives of
the Croat people in Bugojno will not be responsible for self-
organization in protecting their own lives and property," the
statement said.
"We invite the president and deputy president of the Croat-
Moslem federation, Kresimir Zubak and Ejup Ganic, as well as the
Interior Minister and his deputy, Avdo Hebib and Jozo Leutar, to
visit Bugojno and express their views on the policy of Moslem
extremists," the statement said in conclusion.
(hina) lm
191511 MET oct 96