BOSNIA: SARAJEVO: 14 DETAINED BY SERBS IN ILIDZA

(2 Jan 1996) Serbo-Croat/Nat

The Bosnian government has claimed that Serbs in Sarajevo's western suburb of Ilidza have detained 14 non-Serbs.

It said the 14 were detained on a route that NATO officials have held up as proof of freedom of movement in and around the Bosnian capital.

The Bosnian government now cautions it might have to prohibit travel by civilians, which would be a clear setback to the Dayton peace accord.

The Ilidza route was held up by NATO to show the Implementation Force's success in securing freedom of movement in and around Sarajevo.

The people using the road seemed pleased no longer having to use the much more dangerous route over Mount Igman.

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"There is no problem driving along the way other that kids throw stones."
SUPER CAPTION: Bosnian truck driver

But it the Ilidza route now seems to have turned into a danger zone.

The Bosnian government claims that 14 people have been reported missing over the last seven days.

On Monday, government officials said 11 non-Serbs were being held by Ilidza police.

On Tuesday, they claimed three more non-Serbs had been detained on Monday.

For the relatives of the disappeared, waiting to hear from their loved ones has turned into a nightmare.

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"A group of Bosnians including my husband were on the way from Tarcin to Sarajevo. The last time I heard from him was a phone call from Visoko seven days ago."
SUPER CAPTION: Emina Spahic - wife of Adil Spahic who has been missing for seven days

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"We are very much worried about the fate of my husband. We cannot sleep, we cannot have a normal life."
SUPER CAPTION: Zlatka Kursumdjija - wife of missing Meho Kursumdjija

Ilidza straddles the main western access road to Sarajevo.

The route had been blocked for non-Serb Sarajevans and most other people since shortly after war erupted in April 1992.

But the Ilidza route was opened for civilian traffic less than a week ago.

All checkpoints were removed and IFOR guaranteed safety to civilians.

However, on Tuesday, Bosnian Serbs laid mines along the route to stop people from turning left or right, thus forcing them to use the route as a corridor with Sarajevo.

The Serbs claimed the mines were training devices and not filled with explosives.

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
"We laid the mines to prevent people from turning left or right, but they are only school mines without explosive."
SUPER CAPTION: Serb soldier

However, there has been no independent confirmation for this.

Serbs in Ilidza and other Sarajevo suburbs are unhappy with the Dayton peace deal because they must cede their areas to the control of the Muslim-led Bosnian government.

They have threatened a mass exodus if the accord is not altered in their favour.

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