REFUGEES OF CROAT CENTRAL BH VILLAGE PREPARE FOR RETURN

GUCA GORA, Aug 18 (Hina) - About a 100 residents of Guca Gora (central Bosnia-Herzegovina) continue to clear up their demolished or burned houses, safeguarded by Bosniak (Muslim) police and International Police Task Force and Stabilization Force patrols. The prefect of the Central Bosnia Canton, Ivan Saric, visited them on Monday and called on the international community to incite the return of displaced Croats as it incited the return of Bosniaks. Saric said Croatia was providing construction material for the reconstruction of some 40 houses, in the worth of more than two million kunas. He called on the international community to assist as well, so that the houses of Guca Gora residents could be reconstructed by winter. The Central Bosnia Canton prefect also said he hoped the example of Guca Gora would be followed by the remaining 18,000 displaced residents of Travnik, but also the almost 70,000 Croats from his canton. Prefect Saric stressed the return of both Bosniaks and Croats to their homes could be stepped up if an end was put to the terrorism against Croats, especially in Bugojno. Before the war, Guca Gora was one of the biggest Croat villages and Catholic parishes in the Travnik area. In June 1993, about 3,000 people were forced to leave it, some 1,500 fled Guca Gora alone. Of 250 houses, there is only a dozen whole today. The others were either demolished or set fire to. (hina) ha jn 181851 MET aug 97