Letter: Human rights in Croatia

Sir: Vivian Grisogono's comments (letter, 2 October) on Franjo Cvetkovic's letter (30 September) included the statement: 'The written constitution of Croatia offers full protection for his human rights, if his cause is just.'

Your readers may be interested in the following information which appeared in Vienna's Der Standard (5/6 September):

After her fact-finding trip through Croatia and Bosnia, Marijana Grandits, Member of Parliament representing the Greens, held a press conference in Vienna on Friday and declared that the right of the fist rules in Croatia: with the approval of the government, this has, for months, led to a massive violation of human rights.

In Croatian towns, civilians, especially Serbs, are taken away from their homes by armed groups at night; they disappear without trace, Others may be given 24 hours to clear their homes. Torture and murder are happening . . .

The MP believes that in Croatia a 'subtle form of ethnic cleansing' is taking place in order to drive away the Serbs. There is a threat that the country will slide into totalitarianism.'

Miss Grisogono writes that '600,000 refugees have been pushed into Croatia'. It should be noted that there are also more than 600,000 Serbian refugees from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Serbia and Montenegro.

Yours sincerely,

ALEKSA GAVRILOVIC

Stafford

4 October