Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Nearly 15,000 war missing still haunt the Balkans
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Nearly 15,000 war missing still haunt the Balkans
AFP - Monday, August 30
Send
IM Story
Print
Nearly 15,000 war missing still haunt the Balkans
BELGRADE (AFP) - – Verica Tomanovic holds up a flyer as she talks about her Serb husband who disappeared in Kosovo more than a decade ago.
"This man went missing. If you know his whereabouts, please call KFOR or 92 (the police)."
Andrija Tomanovic, the 62-year-old chief of surgery in Pristina's hospital, disappeared in broad daylight on June 24, 1999, two weeks after the war ended and NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping forces controlled the area.
He is one of some 14,650 people unaccounted for after the wars in Croatia, Bosnia Hercegovina and Kosovo, which tore apart the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Families throughout the western Balkans still hope to find out what has happened to their missing loved ones, if only to bury and grieve for them properly.
"On that day he called (from the hospital)... and said he was going home and would call back in 10 minutes," Tomanovic's wife recalls.
"We haven't heard from him since," she adds in a whisper.
Immediately after he disappeared Verica, who was visiting her daughter in Belgrade at the time, spent frantic days and nights calling friends and colleagues in a desperate bid to locate her husband.
"Eleven years have passed and I still do not know where he is," the tearful woman, dressed in black, tells AFP as she and scores of other families prepare to mark the International Day of the Disappeared on Monday.
The problem of missing persons has remained a huge obstacle to reconciliation in the Balkans and has prevented the region moving on from its bloody past, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Paul-Henri Arni, the Belgrade-based head of ICRC's regional delegation, calculates that 15,000 missing people affects the lives of another 200,000 people who still search for their loved ones.
"Now you have a political problem, with 200,000 people. In some areas you don't have conditions for regional cooperation or reconciliation," Arni says. To highlight the issue the ICRC has launched "Missing Lives", a book and exhibition telling the stories of 15 people whose loved ones went missing in the Balkans wars.
"We wanted to put faces on statistics to show that right now people are suffering a hell of a lot," Arni says.
"It is a suffering different from others. It is the only suffering that gets worse with time."
It took several years before Tonka Pezelj of Croatia found out what had happened to her husband Miljenko, a judge and president of a district court in the Croatian town of Petrinja.
She said in the book that she begged him to leave the town before the rebel Serbs took control but he refused, saying it was his duty to stay in Petrinja.
After the takeover she lost contact with her husband and spent years asking everyone she could think of, from the ICRC and European observers to UN peacekeepers and even the Serb military authorities, for any information about him.
It was only when the Croatian army regained control over Petrinja three years later that she was able to go back and discovered that he had been killed by local Serb forces after months of house arrest early in the 1991-95 war.
Tonka said she finally found peace when she reburied her husband, who had been entombed in a local cemetery, in the family grave site.
"There is no bigger suffering than not knowing where your loved person is buried," she said.
"There is an extraordinary similarity between the stories, be they Serb, Bosnian, Albanian, Croat... same feelings, same people and the same tragedies," says the ICRC's Arni.
Out of 140,000 victims in the 1990s Balkan wars, some 35,000 went missing, according to the ICRC.
While the states of the former Yugoslavia are doing a relatively good job with 58 percent of these war missing cases solved, it's still not enough, Arni says.
At this rate it will take another 24 years in Croatia and 50 years in Kosovo to solve the still open cases, while for Bosnia it will likely take another 10 years, Arni adds.
The ICRC has called on both Brussels and Washington to help increase pressure on authorities throughout the Balkans states to open wartime military and police archives, allocate more money and speed up the search for the missing.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
News Search
Top Stories
Gun rampage leaves seven dead in Slovakia
US spending, incomes edge upward
Japan announces 920 bln yen stimulus package
Sweden's HQ Bank announces involuntary liquidation
Child health at risk from non-prescription drugs: study
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Earth's upper atmosphere shrinking, scientists say
Russian spy courts new scandal with racy photo shoot
Joy and tears greet US Army troops back from Iraq
Paris Hilton arrested for cocaine possession
Child health at risk from non-prescription drugs: study
More Most Viewed »
Obama endorses mosque plan near Ground Zero
Earth's upper atmosphere shrinking, scientists say
Tiger's ex breaks her silence on sex scandal
Belgian man dies of South Asian superbug
Most US students think Beethoven is a dog
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Monday, 30 August 2010 Gun rampage leaves seven dead in Slovakia
Ten held over Beirut clash amid arms control talks
Exclusive: Obama to widen sanctions on North Korea
|
US-TECH Summary
Anger at German banker's comments on Jews, Muslims
Infineon sells wireless group to Intel
Afghan president criticizes anti-terror strategy
Palestinian PM Fayyad says time for Israeli answers
|
US spending, incomes edge upward
Moscow death rates 'up 50% in heatwave'
Nokia, Siemens confirm NSN investment talks: report
Somali rebels kill four AU peacekeepers
|
Two Russian pilots abducted in Darfur: army
Abbas, Palestinians should die
Abducted U.S. aid worker released in Darfur
|
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
Sweden's HQ Bank announces involuntary liquidation
Israel won't extend settlement freeze ahead of talks
Iraq says sale of donated U.S. computers legal
Egypt urges EU to bolster U.S.-led Mideast peace bid
|
Nine dead in Russian retirement home blaze
Japan announces 920 bln yen stimulus package
Iraqis say war "not ending" despite U.S. drawdown
Americans Spending Up In July
Seven U.S. troops killed in south Afghan bombings
|
Zara takes the plunge into crowded online market
12 suspected rebels killed in Chechnya: president
Child health at risk from non-prescription drugs: study
Seven US troops, politician killed in Afghan attacks
Pastor Sent To Jail In Case Of Mistaken identity
North Korea's Kim says wants nuclear talks restarted
|
France Socialists challenge Sarkozy on security
3PAR says HP acquisition bid 'superior' to Dell's
Joy and tears greet US Army troops back from Iraq
Suspect In Utah Sheriff Deputy's Death Arrested
Israeli actors boycott theatres in settlements
Sanofi-Aventis makes 18.5 bln dollar bid for US Genzyme
Serbia ready for Kosovo compromise, up to a point: Tadic
Public Protests over Unemployment in Saudi Arabia
Libya to free 38 radical Islamists: attorney general
|
Analysis: Will battle for Kandahar win the war?
PR firm staff wrote iTunes 'customer' reviews
"The Last Exorcism" Finishes At 1st Place At The Weekend Box Office
Core business: Genome of the apple is laid bare
Car bomb kills Afghan official in east
|
"American Idol" Still Pining Over Elton John To Be Judge
Suspicion of 'racist' thinking on Roma expulsions
Afghanistan's blasted Buddhas beckon tourists
Microsoft appeals to Supreme Court over i4i patent
Nearly 15,000 war missing still haunt the Balkans
Obama To Mark End Of Combat Missions In Iraq With Tuesday Address
Senator Kerry warns of instability in Pakistan
|
Internet Age overhaul of USA Today to cost jobs
Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Georgia Golf Course
7 US troops killed in latest Afghanistan fighting
Putin opens Russian side of oil pipeline to China
Nokia, Siemens confirm NSN investment talks: report
Indian Born Archie Panjabi Takes Her First Emmy
Paris Hilton arrested for cocaine possession
Father Suspected In Fatal Arizona Shooting Found Dead
Lenovo to develop game consoles in China: report
Nokia and Intel launch joint research lab
Wife of ex-GOME chairman paroled in China
'Spiderman' arrested after scaling Sydney skyscraper
Human bones found at Australia backpacker murder site
Many evacuated as Indonesian volcano erupts again
Antigua, Caribbean brace for Hurricane Earl
Nokia, Intel say MeeGo software off to good start
Flood spares Pakistan city as waters recede
BlackBerry to offer India access: govt source
|
Angelina Jolie to write, direct movie on Bosnia war
Australian 'kingmakers' resume talks
3M to buy Cogent for more than $900 million
|
"Slumdog" helps usher in Hollywood's Indian era
Thousands flee Indonesian volcano
Tangible signs of life to arrive at 9/11 memorial
Intel seeks to close mobile gap with Infineon unit
|
LG Display says in talks with Compal for JV
China, Russia boost efforts to save tigers
Britney Spears may return to "Glee"
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
|
7 Folsom inmates hurt after riot, shots fired
Taiwanese LCD maker files second suit against Sony
Bank of Japan announces fresh easing measures
Carter brings American home from North Korea
Online video key to Disney, Time Warner Cable row
|
Jolie to star in romantic film set in Bosnian war: UNHCR
"Kingmakers" make new demands in Australia deadlock
Guard troops to deploy to Arizona border on Monday
Dell says assessing 3PAR offer after HP trumps bid
|
Jolie to film love story set in Bosnia war
Brewer condemns report to UN mentioning Ariz. law
Iraq says sale of donated U.S. computers legal
|
Accused Somali pirate pleads guilty in U.S. court
Nokia, Siemens confirm NSN investment talks: report
|
Paul Allen's firm sues Silicon Valley giants
|
Accused Russian arms trader blasts media coverage
Rossellini to head Berlin Film Festival jury
RIM looks forward as India, other challenges loom
|
Drama series 'Mad Men' wins at Emmy awards
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
New faces keep Emmys broadcast fresh
"30 Rock" crushed at Emmys
Australia immigration prison riot hits second day
On Italian beaches, dog lifeguards are on watch
Indonesia eyes new capital as Jakarta bursts at seams
HBO leads Emmys pack, powered by "Temple Grandin"
CORRECTED
First-timers and new shows shake up Emmy awards
Pakistani central bank deputy seen getting top job
George Clooney wins humanitarian award at Emmys
Pakistan stocks end down; rupee weaker; o/n rates up
Time takes its toll on Latvia's 'Old Believers'
Japan announces fresh stimulus measures
Taiwan regulators to meet on stalled AIG unit deal
Emmy wins prove modern families are U.S. hits
|
Japan announces 920 billion yen stimulus package
First-timers and new shows shake up Emmy awards
|
HBO leads Emmys pack, powered by Temple Grandin
|
China state giants outstrip private firms: report
S.Korea c.bank to buy back 2-year MSBs from Sept
New faces keep Emmys broadcast fresh
|
George Clooney wins humanitarian award at Emmys
|
India gives BlackBerry 60-day reprieve
30 Rock crushed at Emmys
|
Seoul shares gain 1.8 pct on banks, steelmakers
Last Exorcism edges out Takers at box office
|
Venice festival gambles on youth, movie mavericks
|
Paris Hilton released after cocaine arrest: lawyer
|
Lennon's toilet sells for $14,740 at UK auction
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights