U.N. REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

ZAGREB, May 12 (Hina) - The UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in former Yugoslavia, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, warned of human rights violations in the Banja Luka area of northwestern Bosnia, in his report of April 21 which was released today. "The persecution of non-Serbs in and around Banja Luka reached a critical point in February 1995, when certain towns suffered sustained campaigns of violence directed principally against the Muslim inhabitants, and also, increasingly, against Bosnian Croats as well," the report said. "In Gradiska, near the Croatian border, reliable reports were received of armed men in civilian dress, calling themselves policemen, systematically moving from house to house over the course of some 10 days, breaking in, demanding money and valuables and beating residents. At least two persons were shot and had to be hospitalized in serious condition," Mazowiecki said, adding that similar incidents had taken place in Banja Luka, Prijedor and Sanski Most. He stressed that "significant numbers of the local Serb population refuse to take part in the discriminating practices against the non-Serb population" and were exposed to "constant pressure from nationalistic groups." Mazowiecki also warned of Bosnian Muslims and Croats being used for forced labour at or near active military confrontation lines. "Persons required to perform this activity by the de facto authorities are men from as young as 16 to 65 years of age and more; recent reports suggest that childless women are also subject to the work requirement," the report said. Mazowiecki called on all responsible authorities to put an end to ethnic cleansing and enable the restitution of property and the return in safety and dignity of all displaced persons and refugees. He urged that all those responsible for crimes be brought to justice and called on the international community to exert pressure to obtain access of UN civilian police and human rights monitors to Serb-held areas in Bosnia-Herzegovina. (hina) jn vm 121551 MET may 95