EXILES LOST PATIENCE

Zagreb Oct 14, 1996

AIM, ZAGREB, October 4, 1996

Have the Croatian authorities firmly decided to let the remaining exiles, about 100 thousand of them, return to their homes around Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem? According to the envisaged programme UNTAES should return the refugees by January 15, 1997 and leave behind it a fulfilled task of establishing the local authorities. The elections for local self-government are planned for December 15, 1996, in other words a month before UNTAES mandate expires. On the other hand, the Serbs advocate a totally different timetable. They demand the extension of the mandate for another year. Consequently, Boutros Boutros Ghalli has submitted a proposal to the UN Security Council for the extension of the UNTAES mandate until July 1997.

What do the refugees say to that and what do they think of these calculations? Mr.Tome Povreslo, President of the Association of Refugees from Osijek-Baranja District, points out that refugees hoped that they would return to their homes back in 1995 after the "Blitz" and the "Storm" operations. However, since that didn't happen, and in order to avoid new victims, the Erdut Agreement was signed. The refugees have accepted the guarantees that UNTAES would carry out peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube Valley within one year. In the first six months of that mandate the area was disarmed. The so called heavy weapons were transported to Serbia. It was expected that after that General Klein would enable the gradual establishment of the Croatian rule, as well as the return of exiles. However, there had been no return to Tenj, Sarvas, Antunovac and other places.

At that time the Association of Refugees, the Croatian Government and UNTAES agreed on the implementation of a pilot-project which with its stages "A" and "B" was supposed to give an approximate picture what would the return look like. However, not a single exile returned in the period between June and October. First the mine-removal process was delayed, and now the "popular protests" of the Serbs have added fuel to the flames. Mr.Povreslo states that after six long years refugees have absolutely lost their patience. This is confirmed by protest rallies held on September 13, 1996 in Vinkovci and Osijek. On a rainy day at Ante Starcevic Square in Osijek ten thousand refugees have gathered to express their support to the Management Board and the Association of Refugees of the Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srem Districts. Silently protesting they requested the adoption of a resolution guaranteeing the envisaged departure of UNTAES.

Soon after that the Assembly adopted such a resolution, and Franjo Tudjman received refugee representatives and expressed his support. There still remains a question whether the Government will confirm the decision of the Assembly. Refugees fear that the international community might exert pressure on Croatia.

How realistic is to expect peaceful reintegration?

"The Serbian side is obviously stalling, buying time. They expect something to change in the world in a year and that that region will be annexed to Serbia. UNTAES mandate is worthless. They are under the Serbian influence and have to listen to what the Serbs say", emphasizes Mr.Povreslo.

The attitude of the Association of Refugees is that the multiethnic community should be restored: "Croats, Hungarians, Serbs, Czechs, Ruthenians and other used to live here together. The Croats were a majority and have to remain a majority. The Serbs have to understand that they were a minority and that in that area they can only be a minority. We want everyone who used to live here before, naturally those who want to stay and accept the Croatian state, to stay. But, we do not want those who have come from other parts of Croatia, there are people even from Bosnia and Serbia. We demand that they return to where they came from or go on".

The refugees want the elections to be organized according to the Croatian laws and all the Serbs who have taken the Croatian citizenship, but according to the 1991 census lived in that area, to be granted the right to vote. If things are postponed further, the refugees say that they will organize other methods of return: "A limited operation, perhaps! After all, the world has recognized Croatia within its borders. Yugoslavia has also recognized it. That means that some police forces have to enter that area and establish order according to the Croatian laws. Croatia is a democratic state. Believe me, and we shall specifically point out that at the 4th Conference of Refugees (October 12, 1996 in Zagreb) that after January 15, 1997 we shall wait no more. We were patient enough".

MARIJA KOSOR