Croat Anti-War Statement

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The Helsinki International Federation for human rights has just been
reported as condemning violations of human rights by the Croatia forces.
It claims that the burning of Serb houses in Krajina appears to have
been co-ordinated.

I have also just read the following which, in some confusion and humility
I feel I should forward to the list. The precise details of what was
done in Krajina have yet to emerge.

I have no idea whether the "Anti-War Campaign Croatia" contains
communists, former communists, marxists, pacificists or just liberals.
Nevertheless I think the statement below is a very courageous statement
at a perilous time when their own lives could be at risk, and it is
consistent with a marxist position of  opposing all national oppression
by your own bourgeoisie of another nation or nationality.

One concrete act therefore by any of us, could be to press our
governments to express deep concern to the Croatian government and call
for an international investigation, and for evidence that the Croatian
govenment is  implementing its declared policy of assisting Serbs to
return to Krajina.  Carrying this out, would also have the merit of
serving notice on Milosevic in turn that there may be international
pressure to investigate any further human rights abuses within Serbia
proper.

Chris, London




/* Written  2:08 pm  Aug 19, 1995 by VESNA.TERSELIC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in
gn:yugo.antiwar */
/* ---------- "Statement of Antiwar Campaign Croat" ---------- */
ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN CROATIA
Tkalciceva 38, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel +385 1 422 495, Fax +385 1 271 143
E-mail: ARK-ZG@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



                                   Zagreb, August 18, 1995



STATEMENT  FROM   ANTI-WAR  CAMPAIGN  CONCERNING  MILITARY
ACTION "STORM"



The chance  for peaceful reintegration involving habitants
of former  "Krajina" has  been lost.  The  concept  of  an
ethnically clean  state, with  which the  conquest of some
parts of  Croatia was  heralded,  is  now  turned  into  a
completed reality  from the Croatian side through military
action. the  Croatian Army  has established  an ethnically
cleansed state  on nearly  the whole of the territory. The
Military action  "Storm" formed  the preconditions for the
return of  A few  hundred thousand   displaced  Croats  to
their homes;  their four  years long suffering nearing an
end. The  action however  included  Croatian  citizens  of
Serbian nationality  only in  the sense  of securing their
evacuation. From 1991 till now more then 70% of Serbs have
left Croatia.

As the  last Serbs are leaving "Krajina" the counter brunt
has already begun - the expulsion of Croats from Vojvodina
and Bosnia  - 30.000 are expected to leave during the next
months. The expulsion of Serbs from Croatia is inseparably
linked to the expulsion of Muslims and Croats from Bosnia.

Because of  the four  years of  war in  Bosnia and Croatia
hundreds of  thousands  of  people  have  been  killed,  4
million have  been expelled,  material and cultural wealth
has been  destroyed and the feeling of security within our
multinational  community  has  been  shattered.  The   war
conducted here,  has taught  people that there is no other
solution save flight.

We are  standing at  a decisive  point in  the war.  After
Croatias  military   success  the  establishment  of  other
ethnically cleansed states will follow. This does not help
create a  lasting and  just peace, but contributes to greater
political instability.

Even if they do not share responsibility for the beginning
of the  war, all  the sides involved in the conflict share
responsibility for  its result  - ethnic  cleansing.  This
includes the  so  called  mediators  -  the  international
institutions and world powers. As usual world powers stand
on the side of the more powerful. When Serbia was stronger
they supported  their actions.  When Croatia  is  stronger
they support theirs.

Croatian citizens have to accept shared responsibility for
the tragedy.  All of  us have the responsibility to ensure
for everybody  in this  country security and human rights,
in order  to prevent  the  formation    of  an  ethnically
"cleansed" and  intolerant state.  We do  not want  to  be
privileged because we are born as Croats.

This is  why during  the "victory  celebration" we want to
give the  reminder that  in the  past the  record of  this
state is  that it  has not  even been  able to control its
armed  representatives   from   comitting   violence   and
violating the rights of citizens in peaceful times.

We  protest   that  during   the   action   in   "Krajina"
representatives of  international institutions,  media and
observers  had   their  freedom  of  movement  restricted.
Croatian authorities  therefore can  not be freed from the
suspicion that  they tolerated  or did  nothing to prevent
looting and burning of houses of the fleeing civilians.

The declared  will of  Croatian authorities  in  accepting
Croatian citizens  of Serbian  nationality from  "Krajina"
will be taken seriously only if programs for the return of
refugees will  be presented  and implemented,  as  it  was
promised in Western Slavonia.

It is  both necessary  and an  obligation for the Croatian
authorities and international organizations to ensure the
permanent  presence   of  international   institutions  as
monitors and  active creators - in planning, financing and
implementing return  programs and  following human  rights
situation in all the parts of Croatia.

Peace  organizations  gathered  in  the  Antiwar  Campaign
Croatia will  continue contributing to social and material
reconstruction, supporting the  return of displaced people
and refugees  and the   establishing  of international and
intereligious tolerance  in the republic of Croatia and in
the wider Balkan region.


Antiwar Campaign  Croatia, The  network of peace and woman
organizations,  human   rights  protection  groups,  civic
initiatives and projects
     B.a.b.e. - Group for Woman Human Rights, Zagreb
     Center for Peace Noviolence and Human Rights, Osijek
     Center for Peace and Nonviolence, Karlovac
     Center for Woman Victims of War, Zagreb
     Citizens Committee for Human Rights, Porec
     Group for direct protection of human rights, Zagreb
     HOMO, Pula
     Humanitarian Peacemaking Movement "Rijeka-Suncokret",
     Rijeka
     SMALL  STEP   -  Center  for  Culture  of  Peace  and
     Noviolence, Zagreb
     Volunteer Project, Pakrac




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