$ ON FRIDAY OSIJEK, Oct 30 (Hina) - Head of the Croatian government Office for the establishment of Croatian Authority in the Croatian Danubian area, Ivica Vrkic, head of the Implementation Committee for religious issues, father Josip
Varzic, deputy chief of the Borovo Naselje-based transitional police, Ivan Babic and coordinator for organizing the visit to cemeteries, Marko Kvesic, on Thursday held a news conference on occasion of Friday's All Saints' Day and the visit of displaced persons to cemeteries in UNTAES-administered areas.
AREAS
$ ON FRIDAY
OSIJEK, Oct 30 (Hina) - Head of the Croatian government Office for
the establishment of Croatian Authority in the Croatian Danubian
area, Ivica Vrkic, head of the Implementation Committee for
religious issues, father Josip Varzic, deputy chief of the Borovo
Naselje-based transitional police, Ivan Babic and coordinator for
organizing the visit to cemeteries, Marko Kvesic, on Thursday held
a news conference on occasion of Friday's All Saints' Day and the
visit of displaced persons to cemeteries in UNTAES-administered
areas. #L#
Vrkic informed reporters that Friday's visit to cemeteries in
UNTAES-administered areas on All Saints' Day will be organized in
line with an agreement reached by the Croatian government Office,
Displaced Persons' Association and the mayors and deputy mayors of
the occupied municipalities.
The displaced persons are to visit 30 cemeteries in the
Croatian Danubian area, in Bilje, Kopacevo, Darda, Torjanci,
Baranjsko Petrovo Selo, Novi Bezdan, Beli Manastir, Branjin Vrh,
Draz, Zmajevac, Antunovac, Ernestinovo, Laslovo, Korod, Nova Tenja,
Celije, Vukovar, Ovcara, Miklusevci, Marinci, Bogdanovci, Tordinci,
Orolik, Svinjarevci, Lipovac, Nijemci, Apsevci, Podgradje, Donje
Novo Selo and Ceric.
In his message to displaced persons, Vrkic stressed that
everything that could have been done to create conditions to visit
the cemeteries with the cooperation of UNTAES, had been done.
"We realize that some of you will not get the opportunity to
visit the graves of your loved ones, but we assure you that this is
the maximum that could be achieved within the framework of
security," Vrkic said, adding that some cemeteries which had been
included in this visit were still mined and the ceremony would be
held nearby.
"Please, act according to the instructions which will be given
to you by your municipal and local committee leaders and members of
the transitional police and UNTAES," Vrkic warned.
He also said that reporters would not be allowed to visit the
cemeteries, adding that because of memories of the loved ones, the
visit to the cemeteries should be "a civilized and dignified
event".
Babic stressed that the transitional police and UNTAES would
be in charge of security, adding that it had been agreed that
people should not wear any national insignia so as to avoid any
provocations.
Events were not expected to take place because it was
exclusively a religious holiday, not a political event, Babic
stressed.
Reverend Varzic said that priests would not be accompanying
the displaced persons to the cemeteries, but called all those who
would go to id with dignity and in faith. This was the last year
that all cemeteries could not be visited, Varzic said.
He called all the faithful who could not visit the graves of
their loved ones, to gather at the "Queen of Peace" chapel in
Tvrdja, where the Djakovo bishop Ciril Kos would conduct mass at
10.00 hours on Friday.
Marko Kvesic stressed that all details of the visit had been
established, including the time of gathering of the displaced
persons, to the time of passing the UNTAES check-point and the
number of busses needed for certain locations.
(hina) lm
311602 MET oct 96