MOSTAR CROATS ACCUSE MOSLEMS OF DESECRATING GRAVEYARDS

MOSTAR, Nov 7 (Hina) - Local Bosnian Croat leaders from the village of Dreznica, (15 kms north of Mostar), who are in living in exile in western part of Mostar, Thursday sent a letter to the EU special envoy in Mostar, Sir Martin Garrod and the town officials, saying that Bosniacs (Moslems) destroyed or desecrated Roman Catholic graveyards in the Dreznica parish. The letter said Croat refugees, visiting the graveyards on the All Souls' Day (Nov 2), had seen that the cemetery of Perutac was most badly desecrated where "all tombs were destroyed, graves and coffins opened, bones scattered in graves." At the graveyard of Copa ten tombs were destroyed, whereas at the Grabovica cemetery all monuments and tombs were "removed, destroyed, smashed and scattered all over the cemetery and its surroundings." It added that the chapel at the Grabovica graveyard was mined. Furthermore, two coffins with bodies, one of them demised Bosnian Croat soldier, were taken away. There were ten devastated or smashed monuments at the Donja Grabovica cemetery, whereas eleven monuments were ruined or shattered at the Donja Dreznica graveyard. The letter said desecration was committed after 1994 when all peace accords had been signed paving the way for the partnership between Croats and Moslems (Bosniacs). (hina) mm mš 071834 MET nov 96