US embassy cable - 95ZAGREB3045

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 003045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, MOPS, PREF, MOPS, PREF, MOPS, War Crimes 
SUBJECT:  UPDATE NO. 21:  GLINA BECOMES A GHOST TOWN 
 
 
1.  (U) ON AUGUST 9 AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH MADE HIS SECOND 
VISIT TO  "SECTOR NORTH" SINCE THE CROATIAN MILITARY 
ACTION.  ONE OF HIS STOPS WAS GLINA, WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO 
OBSERVE THE DESTRUCTION THAT HAD OCCURRED DURING RECENT 
FIGHTING, SPEAK TO A FEW CROATIAN RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN, 
AND DISCUSS THE FUTURE WITH CROATIAN AUTHORITIES. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------- 
OLD DESTRUCTION AND NEW 
----------------------- 
 
2.  (U) THE AMBASSADOR AND A NUMBER OF EMBASSY PERSONNEL 
TRAVELLED TO THE TOWN OF GLINA IN SECTOR NORTH ON AUGUST 
9.  ON THE WAY, AFTER CROSSING WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN 
THE CONFRONTATION LINE, THE EMBASSY VEHICLES PASSED 
THROUGH A SURREAL LANDSCAPE OF DEVASTATED HOUSES AND 
SHATTERED STOREFRONTS THAT LOOKED STRAIGHT OUT OF THE SET 
OF THE OLD "COMBAT" TELEVISION SERIES.  EVERY FEW MILES, 
GROUPS OF SOLDIERS COULD BE SEEN LOUNGING INSIDE BOMBED 
OUT BUILDINGS, SHELTERING THEMSELVES FROM THE RAIN. 
 
3.  (U) JUDGING FROM THE GROWTH OF VEGETATION, MOST OF THE 
DESTRUCTION ALONG THE ROAD HAD TAKEN PLACE DURING THE '91 
WAR.  IN GLINA, HOWEVER, FRESH SCARS FROM MORTAR SHELLS 
AND MACHINE GUN FIRE COULD BE SEEN ON MANY BUILDINGS. 
MOST STRUCTURES WERE INTACT, HOWEVER, AND THERE WERE NO 
SIGNS OF THE FIRE BOMBING THAT HAD BEEN SO PREVALENT ON 
BOTH SIDES DURING THE CONFLICT OF FOUR YEARS AGO. 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  03045  01 OF 03  101510Z 
 
4.  (U) THE SHOW WINDOWS OF MOST STOREFRONTS HAD BEEN 
SHATTERED AND MUCH OF THE MERCHANDISE (THOUGH BY NO MEANS 
ALL) HAD BEEN LOOTED.  WHETHER THIS HAD OCCURRED AS THE 
RESIDENTS WERE DEPARTING AND GRABBING WHAT THEY COULD, OR 
WHEN THE CROATIAN FORCES FIRST ARRIVED, WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO 
TELL.  THERE WAS CLEARLY NO LOOTING GOING ON WHILE WE WERE 
THERE AND THE CROATIAN MILITARY AND POLICE APPEARED 
DISCIPLINED AND WELL-ORGANIZED. 
 
5.  (U) AT THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE/POST OFFICE, A FEW 
PEOPLE HAD BEGUN SWEEPING UP THE SHATTERED GLASS WHICH 
COVERED THE FLOOR.  WATER DRIPPED IN THROUGH A GAPING 
SHELL HOLE IN THE ROOF.  REPAIRMEN FROM THE CROATIAN 
TELEPHONE COMPANY SAID THE LOCAL PHONE SYSTEM WOULD BE UP 
AND RUNNING THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THE TOWN SHOULD BE 
HOOKED UP TO THE NATIONAL GRID SHORTLY THEREAFTER.  DURING 
THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, ALL "RSK" COMMUNICATION LINES HAD 
RUN THROUGH BELGRADE. 
 
---------------------------------- 
FIRST THE CROATS AND NOW THE SERBS 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U) THE TOWN HAD AN EERIE FEEL ABOUT IT, AS ITS 
INHABITANTS HAD APPARENTLY GOTTEN UP AND LEFT IN THE 
MIDDLE OF WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING.  CLOTHES WERE STILL 
HUNG ON THE LINE TO DRY.  ICECREAM WAS MELTING IN 
FREEZERS.  FRESH MEAT COULD BE SEEN SPOILING IN THE 
BUTCHER SHOPS.  (NOTE:  ELECTRIC COMPANY OFFICIALS SAID 
POWER WOULD BE RESTORED IN A COUPLE OF DAYS).  IN A TV 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  03045  01 OF 03  101510Z 
REPAIR SHOP A SET WAS DISMANTLED ON THE WORKBENCH.  OTHER 
SETS LINED THE WALLS.  A SMALL DOG WAS COWERING UNDER A 
CHAIR, VAINLY AWAITING THE RETURN OF HIS MASTER. 
 
7.  (U) SOLDIERS ACCOUNTED FOR 90 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE TO 
BE SEEN ON THE STREETS.  THE TOWN'S POPULATION WAS 6,933 
IN THE 1991 CENSUS.  VIRTUALLY ALL OF GLINA'S CROATS, 
(ABOUT A THIRD OF THE POPULATION), WERE ETHNICALLY 
CLEANSED DURING THE '91 WAR.  NOW ITS SERBIAN RESIDENTS 
HAD FLED AS WELL, PANICKED BY THE ADVANCE OF CROATIAN 
TROOPS, LEAVING THE BULK OF THEIR POSSESSIONS BEHIND. 
 
8.  (U) THE AMBASSADOR ENCOUNTERED NO SERBS IN GLINA, BUT 
AMONG THE FEW CIVILIANS WANDERING ABOUT WERE A PAIR OF 
CROATIAN WOMEN.  THEY HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO STAY ON AFTER 
THEIR FELLOW CROATS HAD BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE FOUR YEARS 
AGO.  THE ONE WITH WHOM THE AMBASSADOR SPOKE WAS A MIDWIFE 
WHOSE SKILLS WERE PERHAPS NEEDED.  SHE HAD NO COMPLAINTS 
REGARDING HER TREATMENT BY THE SERBS.  SHE SAID THAT SHE 
ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD EVENTUALLY 
RETURN TO THE REGION. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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PAGE 01        ZAGREB  03045  02 OF 03  101510Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  OASY-00  SRPP-00  EB-01 
      OIGO-01  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-06    L-01     ADS-00 
      NSAE-00  OIC-02   PA-01    PM-00    PRS-01   P-01     SP-00 
      SS-00    STR-01   TRSE-00  USIE-00  SNIS-00  NISC-01  PMB-00 
      PRM-10   PRME-01  DRL-09   G-00       /039W 
                  ------------------E21E6F  101511Z /38 
P 101611Z AUG 95 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6837 
INFO SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP// 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
USLO SKOPJE 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
USMISSION USVIENNA 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
NSC WASHDC 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 003045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: N/A 
TAGS:  PHUM, PREF, MOPS, HR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  03045  02 OF 03  101510Z 
SUBJECT:  UPDATE NO. 21:  GLINA BECOMES A GHOST TOWN 
 
------------------------------ 
A PRIEST RETURNS TO HIS PARISH 
------------------------------ 
 
9.  (U) WE HAD A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH THE LOCAL CATHOLIC 
PRIEST, RETURNED TO HIS PARISH FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 
BEING FORCED TO LEAVE ON JULY 14, 1991.  AS HE WANDERED 
THROUGH THE ROOMS OF HIS FORMER RECTORY, HE POINTED OUT 
ITEMS THAT HAD APPEARED SINCE HE HAD LEFT; A POSTER OF THE 
BELGRADE "RED STAR" SOCCER TEAM, A PICTURE OF SERBIAN 
LEADER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. 
 
10.  (U) A FAMILY HAD CLEARLY BEEN LIVING IN THE HOUSE UP 
TO A FEW DAYS BEFORE.  THE GARDEN WAS PLANTED WITH 
VEGETABLES.  CHILDREN'S TOYS LAY SCATTERED ON THE FLOOR. 
A HALF EATEN BOX OF COOKIES WAS ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER. 
THE FACT THAT THE PLACE HAD BEEN INHABITED PROBABLY 
EXPLAINS WHY IT HAD BEEN SPARED THE FATE OF MOST CROAT- 
OWNED BUILDINGS. 
 
11.  (U) THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ACROSS THE PARK HAD NOT BEEN 
SO LUCKY.  IN WHAT AT FIRST GLANCE APPEARED TO BE AN EMPTY 
LOT, THE OUTLINES OF THE CHURCH'S FOUNDATION COULD JUST 
BARELY BE MADE OUT.  EXCEPT FOR THE TWISTED REMAINS OF A 
WROUGHT IRON GATE, NOTHING ELSE REMAINED, INCLUDING AN 
ALTAR WHICH HAD BEEN SALVAGED FROM THE ZAGREB CATHEDRAL 
AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE LAST CENTURY.  THE PARISH 
PRIEST SAID HE HAD PREVIOUSLY MINISTERED TO A CONGREGATION 
OF 2.500 PEOPLE. 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  03045  02 OF 03  101510Z 
 
12.  (U) A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN THE STREET, AT THE ORTHODOX 
CHURCH A SHELL HAD LANDED NEARBY AND BLASTED A HOLE 
THROUGH THE WALL SHATTERING SOME OF THE WINDOWS.  HOWEVER, 
THE ALTAR AND ICONOSTASIS REMAINED UNDAMAGED.  THERE WERE 
NO SIGNS OF VANDALISM.  A CROATIAN POLICEMAN WAS STATIONED 
OUT FRONT TO PREVENT LOOTING. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
"WE WILL NOT TREAT THEM AS THEY HAVE TREATED US" 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
13.  (U) WE SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF SOLDIERS ORIGINALLY FROM 
THE GLINA AREA.  THEY SAID A MAJORITY OF THE SOLDIERS WE 
SAW WERE FROM THE AREA AND THEY EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO 
REMAIN NOW THAT THE TOWN HAD BEEN RETAKEN.  THE HOUSE OF 
ONE HAD BEEN DESTROYED.  THE HOUSE OF THE OTHER WAS STILL 
INTACT BECAUSE, HE SAID, A SERBIAN FAMILY HAD BEEN LIVING 
THERE. 
 
14.  (U) IN TALKING TO US THEY EMPHASIZED THAT SERB 
PROPERTY WOULD NOT BE DESTROYED AND SERBS WHO HAD NOT BEEN 
GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES OR ETHNIC CLEANSING WERE WELCOME TO 
RETURN.  "WE ARE A CIVILIZED, WESTERN SOCIETY," THEY 
INSISTED.  "WE WILL NOT TREAT THEM AS THEY HAVE TREATED 
US." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  03045  02 OF 03  101510Z 
15.  (C) THE WAY THE POLICEMEN SPOKE GAVE THE IMPRESSION 
THAT THEY HAD TAKEN SOME PAINS TO LEARN THE "PARTY LINE." 
CLEARLY THAT WAS NOT THE CASE IN SISAK WHERE, REPORTEDLY, 
THE PEOPLE HURLED BRICKS AND INSULTS AT DEPARTING SERBS 
AND THE POLICE STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING TO PREVENT IT. 
(NOTE:  THE AMBASSADOR IS TRAVELLING TO SISAK AUGUST 10 TO 
OBSERVE, AND IF POSSIBLE PREVENT, FURTHER SUCH INCIDENTS.) 
 
16.  (C) IT WAS PREDICTED THAT MOST SERBS WOULD FLEE THE 
KRAJINA IF CROATIA TOOK MILITARY ACTION.  FROM WHAT WE 
HAVE HEARD AND OBSERVED IN PLACES LIKE PETRINJA, KNIN, AND 
GLINA, THERE APPEARS TO BE LITTLE EVIDENCE OF ATROCITIES 
OR PEOPLE BEING FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BY CROATIAN 
FORCES.  MORE TYPICALLY THEY FLED BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF 
CROATIAN TROOPS OR WERE ORDERED TO LEAVE BY "RSK" 
AUTHORITIES. 
 
17.  (C) HOWEVER, THE FOCUS WILL NOW TURN TO WHETHER THE 
CROATIAN GOVERNMENT CREATES THE CONDITIONS THAT WILL 
ENCOURAGE THESE PEOPLE TO RETURN TO THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES. 
HUMANE TREATMENT OF SERBS WHO REMAINED BEHIND, CARE AND 
PROTECTION OF SERB PROPERTY, AND ALLOWING FOR A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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PAGE 01        ZAGREB  03045  03 OF 03  101511Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  OASY-00  SRPP-00  EB-01 
      OIGO-01  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-06    L-01     ADS-00 
      NSAE-00  OIC-02   PA-01    PM-00    PRS-01   P-01     SP-00 
      SS-00    STR-01   TRSE-00  USIE-00  SNIS-00  NISC-01  PMB-00 
      PRM-10   PRME-01  DRL-09   G-00       /039W 
                  ------------------E21E72  101511Z /38 
P 101611Z AUG 95 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6838 
INFO SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP// 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
USLO SKOPJE 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
USMISSION USVIENNA 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
NSC WASHDC 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 003045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: N/A 
TAGS:  PHUM, PREF, MOPS, HR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  03045  03 OF 03  101511Z 
SUBJECT:  UPDATE NO. 21:  GLINA BECOMES A GHOST TOWN 
 
SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE OF POLITICAL AND CULTURAL AUTONOMY IN 
SERB MAJORITY AREAS WILL BE CRITICAL IN THIS REGARD. 
UNFORTUNATELY, THE EXAMPLE OF FORMER SECTOR WEST AND THE 
INCIDENT IN SISAK ARE NOT LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE MANY OF 
THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT TO RETURN. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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