SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - UNHCR and international police representatives in Sarajevo on Thursday informed reporters about new incidents in different parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina which jeopardized the freedom of movement and prevented
the return of refugees.
SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Hina) - UNHCR and international police
representatives in Sarajevo on Thursday informed reporters about
new incidents in different parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina which
jeopardized the freedom of movement and prevented the return of
refugees. #L#
According to reports of the international police, a Serb had
on Wednesday been arrested for trying to visit his home in Sanski
Most (some 60 kilometres west of Banja Luka, in the Bosnian
Federation). He arrived there from Prijedor (some 50 kilometres
north-west of Banja Luka in the Serb entity) and the local police
apprehended him, accusing him of war crimes.
A day later, a larger group of Serbs stopped a UNHCR buss
carrying seven Moslems from Sanski Most to Prijedor. They had to
return from where they came from and UNHCR temporarily put the bus
route out of service.
International police spokesman Patrick Swenson said that a
Moslem had been seriously wounded on the Serb section of the border
between entities near Sarajevo on Wednesday.
Unknown assailants had fired at the man and take had stolen
his car, Swenson said, adding that the Moslem was taken to the
"Kosevo" hospital in a very serious condition and the investigation
was under way.
Spokeswoman of the UN High Commission for refugees (UNHCR)
Ariane Quentier said that this organization was concerned with
repeated incidents in Capljina and Mostar. A group of Croats had on
Wednesday prevented a bus traveling between Mostar and Capljina to
pass through, and five Moslem houses had been set on fire in the
village of Bivolje Brdo, Quentier said.
The bus had been carrying about 80 Bosniacs-Moslems who had
left Mostar to visit their homes in Capljina, Quentier said, adding
that the bus had been blocked for several hours.
She recalled that a bus travelling on the same route had been
stoned last Thursday, and there had been people wounded.
She condemned the continuation of exile of Moslems from the
west part of Mostar.
The last such case had been registered two days ago, when a
man had been exiled from his home, Quentier said, adding that this
was the 55 case registered since the beginning of the year.
In only five cases have the exiled been able to return to
their homes, at the insisting of UNHCR.
According to information of the UNHCR, the exiling was
executed by men in civilian clothing and some were thought to be
connected to the Croatian Defense Council (HVO).
Around 3,000 Moslems and 800 Serbs lived in the west (Croat-
held) part of Mostar, according to the UNHCR.
The pilot-project of return of 70 families to both parts of
Mostar had been put into question due to constant tensions in the
town. During Thursday's meetings which focused on this problem, no
agreement was reached on the names of the people who are to return.
UNHCR representatives are also dissatisfied with the situation
in Stolac where the pilot-project of return of refugees had also
come to a standstill. Because of the lack of guarantees for their
safety in visiting their homes, Moslems had threatened to stop all
cooperation on the project, Quentier said.
(hina) lm
241413 MET oct 96