Operation "Flash"

Scenes showing black-faced, well armed soldiers in US Army uniforms celebrated as the heroes of the 1 May military operation dubbed "Bljesak" (Flash), after which Western Slavonija came under Republic of Croatia sovereignty again, have been replaced overnight with footage showing police chiefs giving cigarettes and chocolates to civilians, while the assistant interior minister has seen to it that milk and other goods reach Serb civilians living in the liberated territories. The Croatian authorities are going out of their way in their "unnatural" kindness towards their erstwhile "natural" enemies, war criminals and chetniks with whom a joint life is not possible. Shortly after the operation ended, official Croatian sources said that 9 policemen and 34 soldiers had been killed, while there were 350-400 dead on the Serbian side. No information has been released on who died on the Serbian side. The price of the takeover is rather high, especially from the point of view of a "peaceful reintegration" - something the Croatian authorities still "insist" on.

The Croatian army's military action was very well prepared, both from the military and media angles. All aspects of the operation were covered by Croatian television (HTV), Croatian Radio reports and the papers "Vecernji list" and "Vjesnik". Other journalists, including foreign correspondents had no access to territories where "Operation Flash" took place in the first few days.

A new twist took place when least expected. The UN forces were neutralized during "Operation Flash" to such an extent that it was possible to see on Croatian television Croatian commandos entering their base and searching the cabins in which they were housed. Unexpectedly, the UN forces sent a report to the Security Council in which Croatian forces are accused of looting, violating the Serbs' human rights in Western Slavonija, separating the men from their families and taking civilians off to refugee centers outside Western Slavonija. To the Croatian authorities' consternation, and that of its ambassador to the UN, the UN Security Council President made no apology with regard to this, and UN employees in the UNPROFOR headquarters in Zagreb continued to repeat assessments from the report sent to the Security Council. Deputy UN spokesman Christopher Gunnes cited the report on Saturday, which was repeated on Monday by UNPROFOR spokesman Frederick Eckhard who on being asked by a journalist if the report sent to the UN Security Council had been approved by UN Secretary-General special envoy Yasushi Akashi, replied - "Yes".

Croatian forces were accused of totally blocking all UNCRO movements in Western Slavonija. A list of stolen equipment, armored vehicles, jeeps, tv sets, etc. was submitted. Even though the Serbian side had not been much nicer towards them, this time the Croatian soldiers were responsible for 90% of the looting of UN property.

What lies in the background of the UN's insistence on the veracity of the report sent to the Security Council? The media in Croatia, especially the state media, accuse the UN and its office in Zagreb of a pro-Serb stand. They demand that Christopher Gunnes be proclaimed persona non grata. Croatia underscores that UN monitors saw what those from other organizations and numerous journalists couldn't confirm. The UN spokesman said that they couldn't have seen such things in those parts where the Croatian authorities allowed them to go.

It is difficult to determine if UNPROFOR is pro-Serbian or pro-Croatian, because both sides find arguments for their claims. Events in Western Slavonija have shown once again the general confusion which has resulted from the undefined mandate of the peace-keeping forces in Croatia, as well as the helplessness and absurdity of their position in a clash such as this one.