WILL THE CRIMES BE PUNISHED?

AIM, Zagreb, October 2, 1995 On Thursday, September 28, towards evening, in a village of Varivode near Kistanje, unknown persons massacred twelve elderly persons. Of Serb nationality. The youngest among them were sixty, the oldest 85. Croat Helsinki Committee which reports about this case, claims that on the walls of houses where the crime was committed there are traces of blood and fragments of the bodies. The massacred corpses were tranferred to Knin by an official helicopter and buried there. Relatives of the deceased are embittered because they were not allowed a dignified burial in family vaults. They received neither official reports nor death certificates, and the competent authorities do not respond to their inquiries.

The Helsinki Committee which ordinarily maintains correct regular contacts with the Ministry of Police, met with a veil of silence concerning this matter. With its public statement, the Committee warns that there are indications that the number of victims might be considerably larger, that similar crimes were committed elsewhere. It also expresses dismay and surprise that the Croat authorities have so long been silent about this and similar crimes which occurred on liberated territories of Croatia, and it claims that there were a few hundred killed, mostly elderly, persons, and that the destiny of a large number of them is unknown - they were taken away from their villages by uniformed men and there has been no trace of them since.

In the past days, Croatia has been the target of criticism from all sides due to disrespect of human rights - due to what has happened and what is still happening in Krajina, reception of Croatia into the Council of Europe has been postponed again, the UN Security Council published a statement, a secret report of the European Union leaked out, and then findings of Amnesty International, strict messages from countries close to Croatia are arriving one after the other, especially from the USA.

They are all concerned about the same issue and demand the same. Reception of Croatia by the Council of Europe was conditioned by taking measures, without delay as it was said, for the return of those who have left Krajina during military actions. Along with condemnation of violation of human rights during and after this armed action, demands that "perpetrators be taken to court" are issued.

The confidential report of the European Union and the letter of Amnesty International addressed to the Croat Government claim that during the military action in Krajina and afterwards, there were serious violations of human rights. The Serbs were intimidated and killed, their property robbed and burnt. Observers of the European Union claim that reports on murders were numerous, especially around Knin where people were generally killed by shots in the back of their heads and by cutting their throats. Amnesty International claims that it has information which indicate that there were executions of death penalties without previous trials in court, and it reminds that between 120 and 200 new graves in Knin bear no sign. In some places up to 90 per cent of houses were robbed and then burnt to the ground. Maltreatment of the inhabitants continues, although there are practically no Serbs in Krajina any more. There were about 180 thousand of them, and there are somewhere between two and four thousand of them left - assessments vary. Amnesty International claims that the Serbs have "simply disappeared" since the Croat Army took possession of Krajina.

Responsibility for killings and robberies is addressed at the Croat Army and police. There is no doubt about what had been the objective of such behavior. People in the European Union claim that setting houses on fire was aimed at preventing the return of the Serbs into Croatia. Regulations which place estates of the Serbs who have fled under supervision of the state are also criticized. United Nations Security Council also refer to these regulations with disapproval. Stressing the time limit of three months that Croatia has determined for the refugees to reclaim their property, the Council notes that property rights usually do not expire ten or twenty years. A detailed discussion about this issue is scheduled for later this week.

The Americans are the bluntest and the sharpest of all. The USA have recently publicly warned that their assistance for post-war rennovation of Croatia will be conditioned by the stance of Zagreb concerning rights of the Serb minority. Croatia is instructed that it must treat all its citizens equally, regardless of their being Croat or Serb. "Ethnic differences must be pushed aside", it is explicitly said.

Interruption of ethnic cleansing, respect of human rights and necessity of establishment of a multiethnic society

• these are the major elements of an overall peace solution, as John Shattuck, assistant US secretary of human rights said in Zagreb, directly designating Croat authorities as being responsible for what had happened in Krajina. He believes that "feeling of unculpability" of those who are committing crimes in Krajina must end, that there would have been less arson, roberries and violence had the Croat authorities arrested any of the perpetrators. Therefore, he insists that those guilty of crimes must be taken to court "not losing another instant". Assessing that taking possession of someone's property without any compensation leads to mass confiscation, Shattuck "seriously warns" Croatia to reconsider its policy, to provide conditions for return of the Serbs who have fled and to renew their property rights.

Croatia reacts to all this with deep silence. Robberies, arson and crimes in Krajina are denied or minimized for the local public, it is claimed to be untrue, just malevolent false accusations, and finally, when pressured from abroad, that they are just individual cases. For the international public, it is claimed that Croat authorities would do everything possible to have these sporadic cases of "understandable revenge" punished and prevented. It was even reported at the Council of Europe from Zagreb that 370 civilians and soldiers suspected of different crimes in Krajina were arrested. But, there has been no confirmation that this has actually happened.

Zarko Domljan, head of the Croat delegation in the Council of Europe admits that Shattuck's statement is "very unpleasant", but he adds that it has "political connotations". He says he "would not pay too much attention to it", because "there is not a single state where there are no violations of human rights one way or the other", and "Croatia has obviously acted properly, there is absolutely no doubt about that', "what has happened after the military action are uncontrolled, individual and marginal incidents". Domljan admits that he has personally seen some cases and that he has "immediately on site warned" the commander of Knin, general Cermak, and then he, as the Vice-President of the Croat Assembly, joyfully declares, "reacted wonderfully - he cried out and raised his voice at his subordinates and asked that it all stop immediately".

The large dosis of criticism aimed at Croatia from all directions Domljan understands as an attempt of political pressure: "It is obviously necessary to exert pressure on Croatia again or try to keep it from making steps which are announced and expected". He has not explicitly said so, but he evidently aimed at Eastern Slavonia. That the pressure exerted on Croatia really does have to do with Eastern Slavonia was confirmed by the American Ambassador in Croatia, Peter Galbraith, but he interpreted it somewhat differently. Speaking side by side with Shattuck, he says that "it is impossible to imagine peaceful integration of Eastern Slavonia without full respect of rights of the Croat Serbs, including their right to return and get back their property". Does this mean that due to the crime in Krajina, Croatia is losing its East?

JELENA LOVRIC