FEW REMAINING CROATS IN TRAVNIK FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY

NOVA BILA, Oct 13 (Hina) - Few remaining Croats in Travnik (central Bosnian town under Moslem control) are living in fear for their safety, according to a statement by exiled Travnik Croat leaders. The Travnik Croat leadership, based at Nova Bila, sent the public statement to Bosnia-Herzegovina's Federation President Kresimir Zubak, international High Representative in Bosnia Carl Bildt, and the Federation's and international community's institutions, describing recent cases of intimidation and abuses of few remaining Croats in Travnik. On October 4, a 71-year-old woman, Sipovik, was raped and robbed. A few days before she was sexually abused by a masked man. The elderly woman filed a complaint to Moslem Travnik police. However, the police have done nothing, and the unknown offender, the next time without mask, raped her on October 4, in revenge for her report to police. Unfortunately, the police investigation of this offence and other claims yielded no results, the same source said. On October 6, Mrs. Andjelka Bosnjak was evicted from her own flat in the Travnik downtown, so that a Moslem Sulejman Ribo could move in, with Travnik authorities' permission. Fifteen tombstones were desecrated at the Roman-Catholic cemetery of Slimena. Furthermore, huge marble slabs have been lately vanished from Catholic cemeteries in the Travnik municipality. The slabs have been sold off to hostelries and similar establishment in the area where they are used for decoration of such facilities, according to the statement. In the village of Gornje Puticevo five stables and one house in the ownership of Croats, were burnt, the same source said. (hina) mš 131022 MET oct 96