OVCARA MAY CONTAIN REMAINS OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL PATIENTS

ZAGREB, 21 Oct (Hina) - 'Although we still do not have definite results and do not know necessary facts, it is possible that the mortal remains, found in Ovcara mass grave near Vukovar, belong to the wounded who had been treated in Vukovar hospital. This could be established on the basis of external fixating devices, bandages and similar signs of surgical treatment, which were found on the bodies recovered from Ovcara mass grave', Croatian Vice Premier Ivica Kostovic told a press conference in Zagreb Monday. The conference was also addressed by the head of the Government Commission for Missing and Imprisoned Persons, Major Ivan Grujic, the head of the Croatian forensic team, Dr Davor Strinovic and Kostovic's aide Neven Henigsberg. #L# Kostovic informed reporters about the past and future course of identification of the bodies from Ovcara mass grave. The identification is being carried out at Croatian Forensic Institute by international experts and is monitored by Croatian and Yugoslav representatives. A list of identified bodies had not been made yet, Kostovic said, adding that the families of missing persons would be the first to know when the list was completed. After international experts had gathered substantial evidence for The Hague Tribunal, the process would be taken over by Croatian experts. This would probably happen at the beginning of December, Kostovic said, adding that the Government would provide psychological and social help for the families of missing persons. Major Grujic recalled that the exhumation of remains from Ovcara mass grave had lasted from 1 September until 7 October. The exhumation had been carried out professionally and correctly, Grujic said. He added that the Government Commission for Missing and Imprisoned Persons had so far exhumed remains of more than 700 victims of the Serbian aggression in the areas liberated by the military operations 'Flash' and 'Storm'. More than 80% of those victims were civilians and elderly people, including six children. More than 90% of the bodies found had been identified, Grujic said. Some hundred bodies were yet to be exhumed in the liberated areas, Grujic said, adding that several hundred bodies were to be exhumed in the Croatian Danubian area. There were more than 13 mass graves, mostly around Vukovar, Prime Minister Kostovic said. Forensic expert Davor Strinovic described the process of exhumation and identification of remains. Foreign experts had first established that Ovcara mass grave had not been disturbed since the crime had taken place. They then carried out the exhumation and transported the bodies to Zagreb Forensic Institute. At the institute, the bodies are first examined for iron particles with x-rays, so that it can established whether the victim was killed with fire arms. Clothes are then taken off the body and washed. In many cases, the clothes were well-preserved, Strinovic said. Identification papers and all other items that can help in the identification are separated. Forensic experts establish wounds, and anthropologists describe bones and bone wounds, Strinovic said, stressing the role of the mitochondrial DNA analysis, which will be used in case classic identification methods yield no results. The search for missing and imprisoned persons would continue despite claims by Yugoslav authorities that there were no living missing persons on the Yugoslav territory, the Croatian officials stressed. (hina) rm 211423 MET oct 96