BOSNIA: GENERAL WESLEY CLARK ARRIVES IN SREBRENICA скачать в хорошем качестве

BOSNIA: GENERAL WESLEY CLARK ARRIVES IN SREBRENICA

(24 Apr 2000) Eng/Serbo-Croat/Nat On his final visit to Bosnia as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe, General Wesley Clark arrived in Srebrenica to dedicate new housing to Bosnian Muslim councillors. The town was the scene some of the worst atrocities of the multi-ethnic conflict in Bosnia. The Muslim city of Srebrencia was almost destroyed by the Serbs during the 1995 Bosnian war. Today the scars of that conflict are still visible. Buildings have been pockmarked by bullets and U- S peacekeepers patrol the streets. Almost five years after the fall of Srebrencia, the outgoing Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe, General Wesley Clark, hopes to heal some of the psychological scars by returning here to end his mission where he began. Clark was accompanied by US ambassador to Bosnia, Thomas Miller, and the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, Milroad Dodik. They met Muslim councillors and refugees who will return to Srebrencia and settle in a new housing facility built with the donation of US embassy and CRS (Catholic Relief Services). Srebrencia is the alleged scene of the worst atrocities committed in Europe since World War II. In July 1995 Bosnian Serbs marched into a so-called "safe area" of Srebrencia prompting a mass exodus of Muslim refugees to neighbouring Tuzla. United Nations peacekeepers were powerless to prevent the ethnic cleansing, forced to look on as the infamous Serb General Ratko Mladic oversaw the removal of the majority of the town's Muslim population. Many refugees claim the Serbs also massacred thousands of the town's 40-thousand inhabitants. The testimonies of survivors became the basis of indictments for genocide issued by the International War Crimes Tribunal against the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his General, Mladic. But now it is hoped many of those who fled will return to their former city, free from the fear of persecution. On Monday General Clark said U-S troops, taking part in the SFOR mission in Bosnia will be moving in with a small operational base in Srebrenica during April to provide security for returning refugees and help encourage normalisation of the city. He said that now is the time for the people of Bosnia to look to the future. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The people in Srebrencia, the people in Bosnia have got to move forward. Justice has to be done forgiveness has to be achieved and the future has to be attained" SUPER CAPTION: General Wesley Clark, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Prime Minister Dodik said he hoped to create a situation where all those who fled Srebrencia could return to their native city. SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat) "I will do everything possible to implement the Dayton peace accords and return all pre-war population to Srebrenica. The Republika Srpska is a very safe place to be no matter which nationality they are." SUPER CAPTION: Milroad Dodik, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska According to the records of UNHCR, there've been up to 12-thousand Bosnian Muslims found dead or missing in Srebrenica after Bosnian Serb troops overran the town in July 1995. Many Serb commanders who ran Srebrenica operations have been detained by SFOR troops and handed over to the Hague War crimes Tribunal. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...