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Amnestied Serbs Carry Out Terrorist Attacks

by A. Terzic

Nova Bosna, Frankfurt, Germany, 3/19 1996

With the arrival of peace, the inhabitants of Bosnia are daily facing different deadly dangers. Throughout Bosnia-Hercegovina people are daily dying from mines and explosive devices which the aggressor has left behind. The most terrible are the deaths of children who loose themselves in their games and forget to pay attention to where they are going. Three big explosions occured in only 48 hours in Sarajevo, Sanski Most and Zenica. Bosnian authorities blame amnestied Serbs for them.

Still, the accidents happen despite warnings and efficient work of the competent authorities. Three big explosions have happened in three places throughout Bosnia-Hercegovina within only 48 hours.

A bomb exploded in Sarajevo at the dawn of March 11 in Ferhadija mosque. The detonation woke up citizens in the central part of the city. The following day, at 3 a.m., a huge fire destroyed the bus station in Zenica together with five new buses; explosions were heard for a while in the immediate neighborhood of the gas station and train station. A day later, after retired general Mehmed Alagic had been elected for the mayor of that city, several fires destroyed numerous commercial buildings. The fires were most probably the work of arsonists. The fire engulfed the Privredna Bank offices as well as some apartments. After these events, one wonders whether the amnesty for all suspicious people was enacted too soon.


Enough Compromise, We are the Victims

Nova Bosna, Frankfurt, Germany, 3/19 1996

Ankara, March 18: After an unsuccessful American attempt to raise money for arming of the Bosnian Army, Muhamed Sacirbey, personal envoy of president Izetbegovic gave a short statement for Nova Bosna:

"Too much arms is not a cause of war, but too much arms in wrong hands is. The representatives of the European Union who are against the arming of the Bosnian Army should know that. On the other hand, there was not enough arms for defense and avoidance of the aggression. In order to achieve that what our neighbors already have, the Federal army would have to be given arms and technical assistance while both Serb and Croat sides would have to reduce their capacities on all levels. Above all, the program of rearmament and training would ensure that the Federation can demobilize as many as 80 percent of the soldiers who were mobilized in war conditions; at the same time the accommodations for those soldiers would have to be established in the barracks, as was stipulated in the Dayton Agreement. So far, we were only able to counter Serb dominance in armament by fielding a large number of soldiers."

Sacirbey emphasized that the conditions for the integration of Bosnia-Hercegovina into the western defense system, including NATO, should be established. "Those who view the rearmament and training program only as an increase in armament in the region, haven't offered an alternative and their "arguments" are only made at the expense of the victim. Inhabitants of Bosnia made painful compromises when they signed the peace agreement with the aggressor; hopefully, they deserve to be able to say 'never again'."

Muhamed Sacirbey didn't hide his disappointment with the behavior or the European Union representatives which again didn't "understand" the root of the problem.


Their Signs and Howling are all in Vain

by M. B.

Nova Bosna, Frankfurt, Germany, 3/19 1996

Serb protesters have recently demonstrated and carried all kinds of signs in Belgrade. Of course, all of them have the same content - the overthrow of present [Serbian] authorities. But, as far as Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims], Croats, Albanians and Hungarians and all others living in the territory of the former Yugoslavia are concerned, those signs mean nothing. Because Serbo-Montenegrin politics and all politicians hate the above listed nations. Therefore we shouldn't be happy because of three-finger [Serb salute] demonstrations and howling: they are all fascists and butchers; butchers like those are rare in history. As far as this sign is concerned, it is easy to guess what is it about: serves them well.[There are two signs on the picture next to the article; one of them says "the house of flowers was reduced to a flower in hair"; former president Tito was buried in the House of Flowers in Belgrade. President Milosevic's wife, Mirjana Markovic, who is considered to be the power behind the throne and is the founder of the refounded Yugoslav Communist party, often wears a flower in her hair; the other sign says "I am on a hunger strike - I live from my salary"]


Expelled Bosniaks from Stolac and Capljina Visit Their Cemeteries

Nova Bosna, Frankfurt, Germany, 3/19 1996

More than 400 expelled persons from Stolac and Capljina visited yesterday the graves of their relatives and friends in spite of many obstacles. The visit was agreed by the representatives of the war councils in the counties of Capljina and Stolac and IFOR. This development of the situation followed the firm decision of the expelled persons to block the road M-17 for everyone except the IFOR soldiers if the visit is not organized. After a several hour wait the group of Capljina inhabitants left and visited the graves. Some of them were satisfied with the visit while the others, who didn't succeed to visit the graves, were disappointed because they were so close and still, after four years, weren't able to visit the graves.

Expelled persons from Stolac and Capljina waited for two days for a permission to visit the cemeteries. On the road to Capljina and Stolac, expelled Bosniaks were followed by the IFOR forces. There were no incidents during the visit.

Croatian media hurried to inform that the "muslim citizens" blocked the access to Mostar. According to a HABENA [Bosnian Croat official news agency] report they stopped and abducted several Croat civilians, mostly drivers, at a checkpoint in Kovacine. What else is there to say than that this is huge lie.


Translated on 4/28 1996


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