INTERNATIONAL HELSINKI FEDERATION ON ILLEGAL EVICTIONS

ZAGREB/VIENNA, June 3 (Hina) - The International Helsinki Federation is concerned over certain "patently discriminatory elements" in illegal evictions and the "failure of the Croatian authorities to curb such behaviour," said the Vienna-based Federation in a report released last March, and forwarded to Hina through the Croatian Helsinki Committee. The report is based on information collected by delegations of the International Helsinki Federation, the Croatian Helsinki Committee and other human rights groups in 1992 and 1993 in Croatia. The International Helsinki Federation expresses particular indignation at the failure of the Defence Ministry to abide by its two-year moratorium on evictions of December 10, 1993. "It is obvious that the Croatian authorities have made no effort to protect the rights of the victims of illegal evictions, to investigate any illegal actions or prosecute the perpetrators," said the statement. The statement energetically called on "the Croatian authorities to honour their commitments." The report lists cases of illegal evictions of sitting tenants from apartments formerly owned by the Yugoslav army, in which "gross intimidation or violence" were used by "Croatian army soldiers or unidentified uniformed persons." 031544 MET jun 94