BOSNIA: KRAJINA: CLAIM OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSED IN REGION скачать в хорошем качестве

BOSNIA: KRAJINA: CLAIM OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSED IN REGION

(27 Aug 1995) Eng/Serb/Nat The United Nations Sunday released pictures its says provide further evidence that Croatian troops committed atrocities after they recaptured Krajina. The UN interviewed Krajina Serbs who spoke of human rights violations against many of those who decided to stay after the Croat offensive. However, Croatian administrators have denied the charges. As Croatian President Franjo Tudjman triumphantly rode through the villages of Krajina this weekend, the United Nations released new pictures to back up its claims of human rights abuses in the region. Two weeks after the Croatian government claimed victory over the rebel Serbs in the area, Serb civilians claim they continue to be harassed. Many of those who didn't join the tens of thousands fleeing to the relative safety of Bosnia and Serbia are now seeing their homes burned to the ground. VOXPOP: (In Serbo-Croat) "Most of the villagers left to hide, but when we returned we couldn't find anyone who had stayed - we don't know if they were killed or burned." According to the UN, these Serb villagers believed the Croats when they ordered them to leave their homes and to register with the UN. When they returned, many of their homes had been torched and two elderly men were found murdered. This man was deaf, and stayed behind while his family went out. The UN believes Croats murdered him with a bullet to the head. However, Croatian administrators deny troops are abusing human rights in Krajina. SOUNDBITE: (In Serbo-Croat) "With regard to the repeated mentioning of arson, you must know that neither the Croatian state nor the Croatian military have any interest in destroying the property. You can rest assured that this is not a wide-scale phenomenon. Understandably, during the mopping up or war actions, some houses or villages were deliberately set on fire. You have to understand though that within our units are people whose houses were burnt, whose parents were killed so they burnt a house or two thinking this would relieve their anguish. But this was immediately stopped. You can verify that many villages in the Knin region are preserved and therefore there is no arson on the houses." SUPER CAPTION: General Cermak - Military Governor Krajina But United Nations officials monitoring the area have seen the aftermath of the alleged human rights abuses. SOUNDBITE: "We witnessed the bodies, two people had been shot through the head. Another person - both had been elderly men - had his throat slashed." SUPER CAPTION: EJ Flynn - UN human rights officer The UN reports of burning, looting and possibly killing in the aftermath of the Croat offensive seem to have had little effect on the Croat president. Speaking in Split Saturday, he said his country was "building a state for centuries to come". 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...