Nachricht Nummer : 259 Übertragungszeit : 3 min 39 sec Nachricht von : WAM@ZAMIR-ZG.ZER.sub.org Betrifft : Zagreb Diary 3 September, 1993 Erstellungsdatum : 13.09.1993 09:38:00 S+2 Realname: Wam Kat Zagreb Diary 3 September, 1993 Dobar dan, Yes, Simo is still in jail, but not any longer in Nova Gradiska, they transport him yesterday evening to a military jail in Zagreb. This morning the newspapers in Croatia report about it, it were not long reports and not all the details were right, but surprisingly they all reported that Simo was already working for the UN for over a year before he was arrested. If this is to bring the UN in discredit or to make clear that he, the reporter who wrote it, was also surprised that somebody of the UN is arrested is not clear. After reading the articles I think the second, although living in this country for some time and knowing how not-loved the UN family is wouldn't be surprised of the first either. One of the workers in the reconstruction office came up with the newspaper, she said she knew Simo well and couldn't imagine that he was arrested. Annette and I went in the morning over to the "other side" in order to tell the people in the Serbian part of Pakrac what has happened with Simo. Passing through was not particular difficult in an UN vehicle, the Argentinean (the last days all the checkpoints has been changed from the Canadians to the Argentineans, something which went on with a lot of noise, all the APC's had to be replaced and the Argentinean APC's are looking like tanks and sounding the same) Captain at the checkpoint could resist to call Annette Northern Irish, rather than Irish (she comes from Dublin). We arrive at Djakula's house a few minutes later after we picked up a translator, we were looking for Goran, but one of the police man also called Goran and also speaks well english, so we ended up with the wrong translator, but we don't mind. When we enter the Opcina in this part just before we bumped in to the real mayor, who doesn't speak any word English, when we made him clear that we were looking for a translator, he reacted immediately "Simo ?". Djakula looked happy seeing me again. And the door I gave him an old bank account booklet of him which somebody of the volunteers found in one of the houses they were working in. He was surprised and wanted to know where I had found that bank book, I told him where about, but that we weren't sure about the house. Than Annette explained what happened with Simo and what her role was in his arrest and that she was feeling very sorry for what happened. He told her that if the Croats want to arrest him, they would have done it under any conditions, so she don't have to feel guilty. On the other hand he also mentioned that we shouldn't be surprised that the Serbian Krajina officials in Okucani would arrest a Croatian translator in the coming days. After this Annette explain a bit more about what the BBC was planning to do in the Croatian part of Pakrac and that she was busy to convince them to send a part of the aid to the Serbian part as well. We said good-bye soon after this since Annette had some other appointments and I made an agreement that they would wait for me this afternoon at the Serbian Checkpoint, than I could walk over. Back in the Croatian part of Pakrac, I first went for a good meal at my favourite and only restaurant, I had to wait a while, since the whole staff of UN CIVPOL was also eaten there at the time that I arrived. When my meal came, Goran passed by and we had a small talk, he went to the meeting of the working brigades to inform them about the BBC project and the hear when and where we should work in that project. Than I went back to the check point and the planning was perfect, precisely at 4 o'clock I walk up the road in between the destroyed houses up to the Serbian checkpoint, it is always a special feeling to walk that road up, it reminds me always on the peace marches I was into in the beginning of the 80'ties and the feeling when you march into a city. At the checkpoint Goran was waiting and 5 minutes later I was sitting again in that living room which I have visit so often in the last period. There was electricity, since the television in the corner played for the first time that I was here and it was the whole time on during the visit, even after Djakula turned, or rather let, the noise turned off. Soon it became clear to me that the idea of bringing his bank book over wasn't the best idea I ever had, I didn't know in which house it was found and even after he draw the place I was not sure, all those Slavonia houses look-a-like. It could have been the house where he grow up, but also the neighbouring house. I don't know if it influenced his decision but he expressed that he was to tired to continue his work under this tension, all the help which was promised to him didn't came and look at the BBC every body wants to help the Croats, but nobody really wants to help the Serbs here, a lot of promises but that is all. Starting with next Monday he wants to give up his job and he don't want to talk with anybody anymore. When he was saying this I missed the nice Peter Pan lights in his eyes. What could I do, I was always welcome whenever I wanted, but even when I would try it wouldn't help much, the Croats don't let me to help him (he said) and I should waste my energy on it. It was rather heavy to leave him that way, never before I saw him so destroyed, maybe the tension really got him, I hope I find the money and the place for Goran soon to study in Beograd (or somewhere else). Bok I Mir from Zagreb, Wam ------------------------------------------------------ Zagreb Diary can be found on a lot of different electronic networks, it is copyright free and can be ported to any network or other means of communication you like, but please drop my a line, you can reach by sending a message to wam@zamir-zg.comlink.de or wam@zamir-zg.comlink.apc.org. Zagreb Diary is dedicated to Tyche, Pjort and Rik, so that they found out what there father have been doing all that time in Zagreb. Financial support for Grassroot relief work in Croatia or BiH can be send to Kollektief Rampenplan (atn. Lylette, Postbox 780, 6130 AN Sittard, Netherlands, tel:. +31-46-524803 and fax: +31-46-516460 or to Zagrebacka Banka, Zagreb, accountnr.: 2440291594, to Kat, Pieter Jan Herman Fredrik, Brace Domany 6 6fl nr3, 41000 Zagreb. Please notify me if you send or have send any donations. ## CrossPoint v2.1 ##