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Steiner Asks Klickovic to Halt Ethnic Cleansing in Teslic
Michael Steiner, the No. 2 official overseeing the implementation of the civilian aspects of the peace accord, said the expulsions were a "clear violation of fundamental obligations of the peace agreement." "In fact, the responsible authorities have reportedly found a way to profit from these gross human rights violations by imposing an illegal charge of 10 Deutsch marks (or $6.67) upon those leaving the area," Steiner said in a letter to Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic.
Steiner said Klickovic should should ensure the safety of remaining minority residents and guarantee the return of those kicked out of Teslic in recent weeks.
The Dayton accord signed late last year calls for free movement throughout Bosnia for all people. While some areas have opened to free movement since fighting stopped, others remain closed to minorities, particularly in Bosnian Serb territory.
While not suggesting specific punishment, Steiner urged Klickovic to take action against the responsible parties and "also the authorities who, by failing to respond, allowed these abuses to continue." Klickovic became prime minister two weeks ago when nationalist Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic ousted Rajko Kasagic for being too friendly with the West and too supportive of the Dayton agreement. Like Karadzic, Klickovic is considered a strong nationalist opposed to having non-Serbs living in the Bosnian Serb republic, which under the peace agreement controls 49 percent of Bosnia. |
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 1 (AP) -- Expulsions of Bosnian Croats and Muslims from northern Bosnia led a top civilian official on Saturday to ask the Bosnian Serb prime minister to halt the ejections and punish those responsible. Scores of people have left the northern region of Teslic in recent weeks complaining of harassment by Bosnian Serbs, including police officers. Joining a chorus of protests over the removals, NATO and U.S. officials on Saturday said the expulsions were a return to ethnic cleansing policies of the war.
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