REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

UNCLASSIFIED SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569 SIPDIS USMISSION USNATO 1096 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0306 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// CTF SIXTWO CTF SIXONE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569 SIPDIS E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS ¶1. WE HAVE COMPILED A SERIES OF REPORTS FROM THE EC OBSERVERS (WHO WERE IN GRUBISNO POLJE ON NOVEMBER 6 AND PLAN TO RETURN NOVEMBER 7),THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT OF THE JNA, AND CROATIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS ON EVENTS, ALLEGED AND OTHERWISE, THAT HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN PLACE IN WESTERN SLAVONIA. THE TEXTS OF THOSE REPORTS FOLLOW. -- REPORT ON EC MONITORING MISSION TEAM NOVEMBER 6 VISIT TO GRUBISNO POLJE AREA ¶2. BEGIN TEXT. ON 6 NOVEMBER, AN EC MONITORING TEAM VISITED THE GRUBISNO POLJE AREA TO INVESTIGATE A REPORT BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SFR YUGOSLAVIA UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 01 OF 04 071627Z (LETTER DATED 4 NOV) THAT FORCES OF THE CROATIAN NATIONAL GUARD (CNG) HAD BURNT OR DESTROYED SERBIAN VILLAGES IN THE AREA AND KILLED THOSE INHABITANTS WHO WERE UNABLE TO ESCAPE. ¶3. THE TEAM WERE ESCORTED BY THE PERSONNEL FROM THE CNG. AS SERBIAN IRREGULARS AND UNITS OF THE YUGOSLAV PEOPLES ARMY (YPA) REMAINED OPERATIONAL IN THE AREA, THERE WERE SOME VILLAGES WHICH THE TEAM WERE UNABLE TO VISIT FOR SAFETY REASONS. ¶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¶5. IN CONCLUSION, WHILE THERE WAS COMPELLING EVIDENCE OF CHETNIK EXCESSES DURING THEIR 2-3 MONTHS PERIOD OF CONTROL OF THE AREA, THE TEAM COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF SUBSEQUENT CROATIAN KILLINGS OR OF A SYSTEMATIC POLICY OF DESTRUCTION OF SERBIAN PROPERTY ON THE PART OF THE CNG OR LOCAL CROAT OR OTHER MINORITY GROUPS. A SECOND VISIT WILL BE MADE BY AN EC MONITORING TEAM ON 7 NOV TO INVESTIGATE THE POSITION IN OTHER VILLAGES REFERRED TO IN THE LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF SFR YUGOSLAVIA. END TEXT. -- JNA REPORT ¶6. BEGIN TEXT. ON 1 NOV 91 THE MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD AND MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA HAVE UNDERTAKEN A BROAD AND EXTREMELY BRUTAL OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE SERBIAN POPULATION IN THE AREA OF SOUTHERN SLOPES OF MT. BILOGORA AND AT THE DIRECTIONS OF VELIKI GREDJEVAC-GRUBISNO POLJE-IVANOVO SELO AND THE VILLAGE OF LEVINOVAC-MIOKOVICEVO. UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS ¶7. EIGHTEEN (18) SERBIAN VILLAGES WERE SET ON FIRE, AS PER INCOMPLETE DATA AND INFORMATION, WHILE THE NUMBER OF KILLED AND WOUNDED CITIZENS IS HIGH. ¶8. REFUGE OF SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF SERBS, MOSTLY UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 02 OF 04 071628Z WOMEN, OLD PEOPLE AND CHILDREN, ARE ON THE MOVE TOWARDS THE SLAVONIAN MOUNTAINS AND BANJA LUKA. ¶9. APART FROM THAT, A PROCLAMATION FOR FORCED EXODUS UNCLASSIFIED NNNN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 CSCE-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-03 SNP-01 SP-01 SSO-00 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01 /052W -------------- A9A82B 071631Z /38 O 071605Z NOV 91 FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9919 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE USIA WASHDC 0825 AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG AMEMBASSY MADRID AMCONSUL MILAN AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMCONSUL MUNICH AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z USMISSION USNATO 1098 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0308 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// CTF SIXTWO CTF SIXONE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569 SIPDIS E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS OF THE SERBIAN POPULATION FROM APPROX. TWENTY SEVEN (27) VILLAGES IN THE POZESKA KOTLINA (SLAVONSKA POZEGA) HAS BEEN ISSUED AND THEY ARE DIRECTED TO THE ALREADY ORGANIZED CAMPS. ¶10. FURTHER TO THE ABOVE STATED, WE DEMAND THAT THE HEAD OF THE EC MONITORING MISSION STRONGLY PROTESTS WITH THE CROATIAN AUTHORITIES AGAINST THESE GENOCIDE ACTIONS AND OTHER PROCEDURES AND TO SEND URGENTLY THE MONITORING TEAMS FOR COLLECTING OF RELEVANT DATA AND SUBMITTING OF REPORTS TO THE EC MONITORING MISSION. ¶11. A REQUEST WAS ADDRESSED TO THE REGIONAL COORDINATION CENTER OF THE EC MISSION IN SARAJEVO UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z THAT THE MONITORS, FROM THE SUB-CENTER ALLOCATED IN BANJA LUKA IMMEDIATELY PAY VISIT TO LT. COL. GENERAL NIKOLA UZELAC WHO WILL INFORM THEM IN DETAILS ON DRAMATIC POSITION OF THE SERBIAN PEOPLE IN THE WESTERN SLAVONIA. END TEXT. -- CROATIAN ARMY REPORT (ROUGH CONSULATE TRANSLATION) ¶12. BEGIN TEXT. ALREADY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, SINCE THE AGGRESSION ON THE CROATIAN REPUBLIC BEGAN, JNA ENEMY FORCES AND CHETNIK UNITS ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THEIR IMPERIALIST GOAL OF "GREAT SERBIA". NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO REALIZE THIS IRRATIONAL GOAL CONFIRM THOUSANDS OF HURT CIVILIANS, DESTROYED CROATIAN VILLAGES AND TOWNS. CHILDREN, WOMEN, WOUNDED, OLD AND FEEBLE ARE NOT SPARED FROM THE WAR SUFFERINGS CAUSED BY THE OCCUPYING FORCES. WP U UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS HOSPITALS, CHURCHES, KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS, OLD FOLKS HOMES, OBJECTS OF ZERO CATEGORY, ETC., ARE DESTROYED. ¶13. ONE OF THE MANY DAMAGED PLACES IS GRUBISNO POLJE WHICH FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO ENEMY MILITARY ACTION. ATTACKS FROM THE AIR AND MORTAR SHELLS THREATENED IN ADDITION TO THE TOWN ALSO CROATIAN VILLAGES IN THE AREA AND IN ADDITION TO THE SUFFERINGS OF CIVILIANS, GREAT MATERIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z ¶14. TO JUSTIFY ALL THIS, AND TO DRAW ATTENTION FROM THEIR OWN CRIMES, THE ENEMY IS USING ITS SERBIAN PROPAGANDA TO CONVINCE THE WORLD THAT CROATIA IS AN "USTASHA COUNTRY" AND IN CONNECTION WITH THIS, IS UNCLASSIFIED NNNN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 CSCE-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-03 SNP-01 SP-01 SSO-00 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01 /052W -------------- A9A837 071631Z /38 O 071605Z NOV 91 FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9920 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE USIA WASHDC 0826 AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG AMEMBASSY MADRID AMCONSUL MILAN AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMCONSUL MUNICH AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z USMISSION USNATO 1099 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0309 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// CTF SIXTWO CTF SIXONE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569 SIPDIS E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS LAUNCHING NEW MISINFORMATION WHICH AS A RULE REVEAL FURTHER CRIMINAL INTENTIONS. ¶15. AN EXAMPLE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED IS THE STRIKING SUBJECT OF THE SERBIAN MEDIA IN RECENT DAYS, ABOUT A SUPPOSED BURNING OF SERBIAN VILLAGES AND KILLING OF "UNARMED" SERBIAN PEOPLE ON THE TERRITORY OF GRUBISNO POLJE FROM THE SIDE OF "USTASHA COMBATANTS." BY THIS, FOR WHO KNOWS HOW MANY TIMES, IT IS ATTEMPTED TO CREATE MISUNDERSTANDING, IN ORDER, UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE WORLD PUBLICITY, TO TRY TO PREVENT MILITARY ACTION OF THE CROATIAN ARMY FROM THE LIBERATION OF ITS OWN TERRITORY, AND TO JUSTIFY ITS OWN IMPERIALIST ACTIVITY. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z ¶16. THE CROATIAN ARMY IS LEADING AND WILL LEAD THE LIBERATION WAR FOR EVERY INCH OF ITS HOMELAND ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS. BY THE DIRTY WAR WHICH WAS IMPOSED UPON US NOT ONLY FROM THE GRUBISNO POLJE REGION, BUT FROM THE WHOLE CROATIAN TERRITORY, ALL WILL DISAPPEAR WHO REACHED OUT FOR CROATIAN TERRITORY AND ALSO THOSE WHO VIOLATED THE CROATIAN STATE. THERE WILL BE NO MERCY IN THE NAME OF ALL INNOCENT VICTIMS FROM VUKOVAR TO DUBROVNIK. ALL LOYAL CITIZENS OF THE CROATIAN REPUBLIC HAVE NO REASON FOR FEAR. CROATIAN SOLDIERS ARE DEFENDING UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL RULES OF MILITARY BEHAVIOR IN DISTINCTION FROM THOSE WHO DID NOT WP UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS SUCCEED TO LEARN IT DURING MILITARY SCHOOLING. (NO WONDER THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CRIMES|) ¶17. CROATIAN ARMY WILL WIN, FIGHTING TO THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD IF THIS IS NECESSARY FOR ITS HOMELAND, BUT THE FLAME WHICH BURNS ON THE GROUND OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA IS THREATENING WITH INCREASED PROPORTIONS. IT IS THE VERY LAST MOMENT THAT THE WORLD, WHICH SEES AND UNDERSTANDS ALL, VERY WELL, UNDERTAKES SOMETHING. END TEXT. EINIK UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z UNCLASSIFIED NNNN