The Coup in Banjaluka

The Crisis Committee headed by Ostoja Zec, the captain of a military police battalion, seized power. Two other members of the Committee are Major Ostoja Bilak from 16th Banjaluka brigade and Dragutin Babic, the military police officer.

``While we fought, old and new manipulators led a comfortable and luxurious life, enlarging their wealth and realizing their monumental and warped political dreams,'' it was said in the announcement which Zec presented to the people over the radio. A resignation of the local authorities and a purge of the leadership of the Serb Republic in Bosnia were demanded.

Frequent cases of `human rights violations' were also mentioned in the announcement. It is still not clear whether they also referred to cleansing the town of mosques, three of which were blown up a day earlier.

General Momir Talic, the Commander of the Banjaluka Corps, who had been the highest authority in the town until recently, was temporarily arrested and tanks occupied the streets. The Crisis Committee informed the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and Bosnian Serb Army Commander, General Ratko Mladic, of the reasons why such a move had been made. The Crisis Committee does not recognize the civilian authorities. Mayor Predrag Radic and the local leader of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) Radisav Vukic were taken into custody.

Radovan Karadzic appealed to the members of the Krajina Corps not to ``dishonor a Serb soldier fighting for the holy Serbian cause'' and to return to the barracks. He also invited a delegation of rebelled citizens of Banjaluka to present their stands in the Parliament of the Serb Republic in Bosnia which was in session on Mount Jahorina. According to the latest reports, both demands were rejected. General Ratko Mladic took off by helicopter for Banjaluka, but was advised from the local airport to return ``for reasons of safety.''

Meanwhile, General Talic issued an announcement, saying ``The First Krajina Corps in not behind Major Ostoja Bilak. The uprising is led by the people who are not worthy of attention of the Serbian people in their fight for a just cause. I, therefore, order Major Bilak, as the highest ranking officer there, to return the men to their positions. The fighters who obeyed him and went to Banjaluka must immediately return to the front. We have to fight for creating of our own state, and cannot allow ourselves to solve problems this way. There are reasons for dissatisfaction, but without arms. those who headed Serb fighters and never lost in the battle, do know how to fight for the rights of their soldiers.''

Reports from Banjaluka say that the people have accepted the coup with exhilaration and are treating the members of 1st Krajina Corps to food and drinks. They were also joined by unions of all big companies in the town. Although the Crisis Committee ordered the closing of all restaurants and bars, only few obeyed. This might account for sporadic shooting in the town.

Dragutin Babic, the member of the Crisis Committee, addressed the public. He asked the soldiers not to come to Banjaluka as everything went as planned. He also called on them to remain on their positions due to reports claiming that Muslims were preparing an offensive. The town is closed, one can enter it, but no one can leave.

The last report said that both TV channels in Banjaluka went blank, Radio Television of Serbia is broadcast on the first, and Bosnian Serb Television from Pale on the second channel. Hardly anyone believes the official explanation that this was caused by a power cut on transmitter Kozara.