APPEAL BY THE GOVERNMENTAL OFFICE FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED

ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - Governmental Office for Refugees and Displaced of the Republic of Croatia launched today an appeal to international factors for help to Croatia and Herzegovina in the accomodation and care of refugees from central Bosnia. "We are also urgently appealing for an immediate cessation of the Muslim aggression on Vares and other Croat enclaves in central Bosnia in order to protect the remaining population from massacring", said the appeal. Around 5,000 Croats who fled Vares are expected either today or tomorrow in Herzegovina, while "the fate of other 15,000 people from Vares who are in Muslim encirclement is unknown. It is feared that a portion of them has been exposed to massacres", read the appeal. Local authorities in Herzegovina have warned that the arrival of the largest group of people from Vares is expected in the upcoming few days, and that they feared an impending exodus of around 60,000 people from the remaining Croat enclaves in central Bosnia, said the appeal. They also warned that they are not able to accommodate such a large vawe of new refugees and are pleading to the Governmental Office to accommodate at least a portion of refugees in Croatia, stated the appeal. "We have to warn that another 1,000 refugees are accommodated in tent villages, and that a group of newcoming refugees will also have to be put up in tents", warned the Governmental Office. (end) j-jt 041648 MET nov 93