UNPROFOR TAKES DOWN CROATIAN FLAG IN MOSCENICA, NEAR SISAK

SISAK, May 2 (Hina) - On Monday morning U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) members took down a Croatian flag from the community centre in the village of Nova Moscenica in the "blue zone" near Sisak (50 kilometres southeast of Zagreb). The act of taking down the flag outraged villagers so that at about 12:00 hrs today some 100 inhabitants of Moscanica set up road-blocks. UNPROFOR members came among the gathered villagers who tried to explain to U.N. troops that they have no right to take down the Croatian flag on Croatia's soil. The villagers said that UNPROFOR was expected to take down a flag of the self-proclaimed "Krajina" from the roof of a neighbouring timber processing and woodworking plant "Finel" in the vicinity of the free part of Moscanica from where the flag could be discerned. The inhabitants of Moscenica announced that they would constantly patrol the road and keep the Croatian flag on the community centre. They would not let for the time being UNPROFOR vehicles and convoys with relief aid for Serb rebels freely pass through Moscenica to the occupied town of Petrinja (UNPA North). The trucks loaded with food that had come from the direction of Sisak were being blocked at the entrance to Moscenica. At the scene of the protest rally the superintendent of Sisak-Moslavina County's police, Vladimir Milankovic, arrived today afternoon. 021741 MET may 94