SCHUMACHER ASSESSES STOLAC SITUATION AS UNACCEPTABLE

( Editorial: --> 9471 ) MOSTAR, 4 Feb (Hina) - The international community's Deputy High Commissioner for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hans Schumacher, on Wednesday assessed the situation in the southern Croat-controlled town of Stolac as "unacceptable and horrific". Schumacher's visit followed a number of incidents against Bosniak (Muslim) returnees in Stolac during the second half of January, resulting in the suspension of the local police chief on Tuesday. At a press conference held in Mostar following the visit to nearby Stolac, Schumacher said conduct towards several people who had return to Stolac was shameful. Periodically they are beaten and maltreated and explosives placed in their homes, Schumacher said. He considered Stolac Mayor Pero Raguz responsible for the incidents and sought his suspension from duties, if developments in Stolac did not move in a positive direction during the next week. Schumacher added that he was astounded that two years after Dayton, the pilot project of returning 100 Bosniak families was not completed. The Deputy High Representative said he did not speak with Raguz in the mayor's office but in another building because the flag of the Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBH) was not prominent in the office. Some people have to be clearly told that the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is not in Croatia, but is part of the FBH and the president of that country is not (Croatian President) Franjo Tudjman, Schumacher continued. There will not be a second Dayton nor a partition of Bosnia, he said, adding that following the surprise changes in the Bosnian Serb entity the international community was again focusing on the situation in the Federation. (Hina) jn mb 042219 MET feb 98