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| Nenad, Here's another reason to drink a red wine (and it's good for your heart). Cheers, Steve Rukavina <A HREF="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Home/1,1137,,00.html">Home</A> > <A HREF="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily_Main/1,1146,,00.html"> Daily Wine News</A> > Researchers Solve Mystery of Zinfandel's Origins Researchers Solve Mystery of Zinfandel's Origins Posted: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 By Lynn Alley The hidden origins of California's Zinfandel grape have at last been uncovered, according to prominent grapevine geneticist Carole Meredith, who is known for her discoveries of the parents of <A HREF="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,1307,00.h tml">Cabernet Sauvignon</A>, <A HREF="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,2371,00.h tml">Chardonnay</A> and <A HREF="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,3322,00.h tml">Syrah</A>. Using DNA profiling techniques, Meredith and two Croatian scientists, Ivan Pejic and Edi Maletic, discovered in December that Zinfandel and an indigenous Croatian grape called Crljenak are one and the same. The modern search for Zinfandel's roots, so to speak, dates back to the late 1960s. While traveling in Italy, USDA plant pathologist Austin Goheen noticed that the Primitivo grape widely cultivated in the Puglia region bore a strong resemblance to Zinfandel. He brought Primitivo cuttings back to the University of California, Davis, where he was based, for a closer look. Goheen made his assumption based upon visual criteria, but he could never be sure that Primitivo and Zinfandel were exactly the same variety. Other later tests backed up Goheen's theory, but a definitive answer didn't come until the 1990s, when Meredith -- a professor of enology and viticulture at UC Davis -- used DNA profiling techniques capable of establishing grapevine identity beyond doubt. Meredith determined that Primitivo and Zinfandel were indeed two clones of the identical variety. But the question remained: Where did Zinfandel-Primitivo originate? Italian researchers had determined that Primitivo had only been cultivated in Puglia for about 150 to 250 years, but were not sure how it had arrived in the region. Available historical records first document Zinfandel's presence in the eastern United States in the 1820s and indicate that it was then brought to California in the mid-1800s. An Italian colleague had told Goheen in the '60s that a grape variety similar to Primitivo grew in Croatia. Since there had long been an interchange of vines between Croatia and southern Italy, Goheen speculated that this Croatian variety, called Plavac Mali, might shed further light on the Zinfandel-Primitivo mystery. In 1977, he obtained Plavac Mali cuttings and cultivated them at Davis, but never determined whether it was the same variety or a related one. Still on the trail of Zinfandel's origins in the '90s, Meredith decided to visit Croatia to gather DNA samples of Plavac Mali. In May 1998, Meredith, Pejic and Maletic searched many different vineyards on the Dalmatian coast and on some of the larger islands offshore. She brought back 150 samples to Davis for comparison with Zinfandel and Primitivo samples. Although a definite relationship could be demonstrated between Zinfandel and Plavac Mali, Meredith's work showed they were definitely not the same variety. She believed that one was the offspring of the other, but could not tell which was parent and which was offspring. Pejic and Maletic continued to examine other old Croatian varieties, and in June 2001, the team determined that a grape called Dobricic and Zinfandel were clearly the parents of Plavac Mali. The discovery was compelling evidence, but still did not prove conclusively that Zinfandel had originated in Croatia. Then, in December 2001, Pejic told Meredith he had found a sample of a grape called Crljenak, which he felt certain was Zinfandel. Pejic had the technology to do simple DNA comparisons in his Croatian lab, but wanted Meredith to do a more detailed, definitive analysis at Davis. Meredith's tests indeed confirmed that Crljenak and Zinfandel were the same variety. At long last, Zinfandel's Croatian heritage has been established beyond doubt. But Meredith pointed out that the grape's trail doesn't necessarily end there. She speculated that Crljenak could have been brought to Croatia from Albania or Greece. However, the presence of one confirmed offspring and many other similar vines in the region indicate that the variety has been in Croatia for a long time. distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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| Nenad Please post. With these presentations we are targeting Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Media and anybody that has an interest in Croatian Tourism. We invite all pro-active Croatians to help us generate interest among american friends and bring them to the presentations. Please note: Space is limited and R.S.V.P is a must! Thank you Niko Hazdovac CATA coordinator I N V I T A T I O N CNTO - THE CROATIAN NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE and CATA - THE CROATIAN AMERICAN TRAVEL ASSOCIATAION Cordially invites you to a special CROATIAN TOURISM PRESENTATION Featuring famous folk singers "Klapa MAESTRAL" - Dubrovnik * LOS ANGELES - FRIDAY, FEB.1st. at 12:00-1:30 PM Croatian Cultural Center Seventh & Pacific Ave. SAN PEDRO,CA Dalmatian style lunch,Croatian wine RSVP by Jan.31,2002 - (310) 548-1446 or e-mail:<A HREF="adriaticsp@aol.com">adriaticsp@aol.com</A> *SAN FRANCISCO - MONDAY,FEB.4th at 5:00 - 7:00 PM Holiday Inn- Portola Room-Lobby Level 1500 Van Ness Ave., SAN FRANCISCO,CA Hors d'oeuvres RSVP by Feb.1,2002 - (800) CROATIA or e-mail:AdriaticSP@aol.com * CHICAGO - THURSDAY, FEB.7th. at 5:00 - 7:00 PM Croatian Consulate 737 N.Michigan Ave Suite 1030,CHICAGO,IL RSVP by Feb.4,2002 - (773)271-1800 * NEW YORK - MONDAY, FEB.11th.2002 at 6:00 -8:00 PM Hotel Millennium Broadway - Metropole Room - 2nd Fl. 145 W.44th Street., NEW YORK, NY Wine & Cheese RSVP by Feb.8,2002 - 1-800-683-6767 For further info call CNTO: 1-800-829-4416 distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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| Gulf News; Jan 27, 2002 BY A CORRESPONDENT Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic is set to return to Dubai next month in a bid to claim his second singles title at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Winner in 1996, the popular Croat came close to repeating his success the following year, but had to be content with the runner-up position. Now, inspired by his fairytale Wimbledon triumph, Ivanisevic will once more attempt to become the first player to win the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open for a second time. "Goran is one of our most popular former champions and we're delighted that he is returning for the 10th anniversary staging of the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open," said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, the owners and organisers of the $1million tournament. "Goran last played in Dubai in 1997 and was at that time one of the most popular players we'd ever had, thanks to his winning combination of athleticism and personality," McLoughlin added. "But he has been through so much and achieved so much in the four years since then that he returns to Dubai in 2002 as one of the all time greats of the game." A year ago, Ivanisevic was in despair and seemingly on his way out of tennis. He was forced to play in the qualifying event at the Australian Open, and lost in the first round on a battleground so far from the show courts that he needed a map to find it. "It was the furthest court you could imagine," he said. "Nothing there. Next stop is the railway station!" Then, for the first time in 10 years he played a modest Challenger event, reached the final, and his rehabilitation was underway. A few months later he had achieved his greatest ambition, lifting the Wimbledon trophy after denying home favourite Tim Henman - who will also play in Dubai next month - in the semifinal and Australia's Patrick Rafter in that memorable final last July. Ivanisevic doesn't now have to fight the inner demons that once tormented him to such an extent that he once smashed all his racquets and had to default a match. Now, his greatest challenge comes from an ailing shoulder. "It's not good, you know. It hurts, but I'm playing until I feel like I cannot play any more," he said, knowing that if he does undergo surgery for a rotator cuff injury then it would mean the end of his career. That can't happen yet, for despite his Wimbledon win there is still much he wants to do. His many fans in Dubai can be grateful that one of those ambitions is to once more hold the beautiful silver Dhow trophy that goes to the winner. Held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, the Dubai Tennis Championships runs from February 18 to March 3 with the back-to-back staging of the Dubai Duty Free Women's Open and the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open. Tickets are on sale daily from 10am to 9pm at Dubai Tennis Stadium's north stand box office. World Reporter All Material Subject to Copyright Wimbledon supremo set to return Gulf News; Jan 22, 2002 BY A CORRESPONDENT The Dubai Tennis Championships has won a glowing seal of approval from top Wimbledon official Alan Mills. Mills, who has been the Wimbledon referee since 1982, will be reunited with reigning Wimbledon champions Goran Ivanisevic and Venus Williams when he returns to officiate at next month's Dubai Tennis Championships. Both Ivanisevic and Williams are star draws in the February 18-March 3. Familiar to millions of TV viewers around the world as the man peering anxiously for rain clouds from the corner of the All England Club's legendary Centre Court, Mills made his debut as Chief of Umpires in Dubai last year and is looking forward to returning in 2002. "My memories of last year are the weather and the beautiful Centre Court," he said, speaking from Melbourne where he is officiating at the Australian Open. "As well as the unique facilities, the tournament's organisation also impressed Mills. He reserved special praise for "the friendliness and professionalism of everybody involved with the tournament." "I got on very well with the officials and look forward to coming back and working with them again," said Mills, whose role will again be to ensure that all runs smoothly, from the eve-of-tournament draw to the finals. Commenting on Mills's return to Dubai, Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, said: "The Dubai Tennis Championships is the Middle East's premier tennis tournament and over the 10 years of the men's tournament and for the inaugural women's event in 2001, we have attracted our fair share of Grand Slam champions and world number ones. "But our officials are also the cream of the crop, and to have someone of Alan's calibre not only to come here, but to complement the tournament, is tremendously rewarding. We look forward to welcoming him back in 2002." The Dubai Tennis Championships, held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, runs from February 18 to March 3. Tickets are on sale daily from 10am to 9pm at Dubai Tennis Stadium's north stand box office. Information about the event is available from 971 4 316 6966 or www.dubaitennischampionships.com. distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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| http://www.whtt.org/articles/rpr021025.htm Quest For The Opulent West 01/25/02 By Tomislav Sunic Catching up with the West is the big dream of all post-communist countries in Eastern Europe. This dream transpires through imported liberal slogans such as "transition," "integration" and "market democracy" aired daily on all local TV and radio wavelengths. This rhetorical switch from former socialist command economy to capitalist market economy appears to East European leaders far more palatable than the necessity of removing their own ossified past. In fact, proponents of globalism and their institutional transmission belts, such as the IMF and WTO had never given the green light for the Eastern European masses to forcefully remove communist officials from power. With the choice between local nationalists and local ex-communists, the global plutocrats have opted for the latter. In reality though, the transition to market economy has been going on for years, yielding meager results and only in some areas of Eastern Europe. The countries of Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary now on the fastest track to "catching up with the West," benefit from their geographic vicinity of affluent Germany. Other post-communist countries further to the East do not have the same comparative geographic advantage, offering little incentive for direct foreign investments. The modern financial network based in Brussels and New York, makes a mistake, despite its financial ingenuity. These assume that rapid economic growth in Eastern Europe could be solely achieved through liberal formulas or by resorting to some Asian role modeling. What was successful in denazified Germany in the 1950's, in Thailand and Singapore in the 1980's, does not apply to present day Rumania, Ukraine, or Croatia. It is also a frequent error among many US politicians to project their own wishful thinking onto Eastern Europe, pumping their taxpayers' money into the hands of bankrupt East European leaders. The gap between Eastern and Western Europe is bigger today than ever and likely to get even bigger. In terms of economic output, from a ratio 12 in 1989, the gap in productivity between East and West increased threefold in 1999, notably to the ratios of 13 and 14 respectively. On the whole, east European countries have reached only 60 to 70 per cent of their 1989 communist GDP level. In plain English it means that the purchasing power of the majority of east European citizens is worse off than during the last days of communism. The leading slogan which had brought down communist economies was the popular outcry, "join Europe." The main motor behind this naive idea was that Western affluence would suddenly follow suit. But catching up with the West has not occurred. One can now sense a widespread nostalgia for the economic predictability and guaranteed social security which communism once provided for all. A Western visitor should not be duped by the shopping mall glitz in Croatia's Zagreb, Hungary's Budapest, or Russia's Moscow. Nor should the presence of rowdy young "conspicuous consumers" be viewed as the trademark of an improvement in living standards. The core of any democracy is its middle class. However, in late 1945, the communists physically destroyed the middle class. An overzealous mimicry by east European leaders copies the free market canons with the incessant regurgitation of slogans such as "the rule of law," and "market democracy." But the real market is a mixture of bandit capitalism and shadow economy in full swing. This is true not only for Russia, but also for every other country in the region. The so-called basket-case economies of neo-communist Croatia and the bankrupt post-Milosevic Serbia garner little support from their respective citizenry. This will result in a mass appeal for yet another muscled man in the not too distant future. In such a fragile economic environment that is still governed by never repentant communists now turned phony liberals, it would be unwise for individual US businessmen to make any professional commitments. Of course, for global sharks it is easy to lecture East European politicians on the virtues of market democracy. Despite their planetary influence modern plutocrats ignore the heritage of communist psychology. All the present political elites from the Baltic to the Balkans are basically recycled communists who have no idea of what a free market really means other than verbal virtuosity in free market recitals. The road to genuine democracy in Eastern Europe can only be achieved through reeducation and the removal of all former communists from power. Prior to its economic miracle, post-war Germany had to start the process of denazification first - in order to attain the certificate of democracy much later. It is impossible for the present recycled neo-communist political class in Eastern Europe to shed its old Bolshevik carapace. Half a century of communist social leveling, a culture of mendacity and the lack of personal initiative have left deep scars on the souls of all East Europeans. This tragic area of Europe has historically been subject to unpredictable tremors. A new version of bandit capitalism mixed with the legacy of communism creates a breeding ground for all sorts of terrorist temptations. - TOMISLAV SUNIC Mr Sunic is an author, former professor in political science and contributor from Europe. Related study Divide and Disarm The Warmakers Plan for the Occupation of Yugoslavia. Copyright (c) 2001, We Hold These Truths All Rights Reserved May be reproduced only in full. Please send questions and comments to info@whtt.org distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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| For Dialogue, Tolerance and Togetherness The Forum of Croatian Unity (Forum Hrvatske Sloge), an Association of Citizens for Dialogue, Tolerance, and Togetherness, was founded in Zagreb on October 26, 2001, and was registered on November 13, 2001. It held its Business Convention in the European Hall in Zagreb, on December 19. 2001. The first National Convention will be held at 6 P.M. on February 14, 2002 in the Lisinski Hall in Zagreb The Association brings together an impressive number of political heavyw eights and outstanding figures from all walks (and parties) of Croatian public life, including former prime ministers, ministers, ambassadors, current and former Sabor deputies, university professors, museum directors, and professionals. To name just a few: Davorin Rudolf, Zdravko Tomac, Franjo Greguric, Josip Juras, Ante Klaric, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, Ante Lauc, Osman Muftic, Vladimir Malekovic... As stated by Dr Davorin Rudolf, the President of the Association, "the Forum is not a political party. It is not based on any leftist or rightist ideology, but on a program of peaceful, stable, progressive, democratic, and European Croatia. Our goal is to contribute, among other things, to a consensus concerning the key issues of Croatia and her future." At the Founding Assembly in October, there were about 50 people, including the Canadian Member of Parliament of Croatian origin, Janko Peric, who strongly endorsed the idea, and a number of well-known Croatian Americans. Partnership between Croatian home and abroad is among the planks of the Association’s program. The Borking Convention presented the Presiding Board of the Association: Davorin Rudolf (President), Osman Mufti_ (Vice President), Josip Juras (Secretary), Marina Voki_-_u_ul, Zdravko Tomac, Ante Klari_, Franjo Greguri_, Mirko Bari_i_ (Members), and Ivana Pezo (Secretary to the Board). The Convention elected the Governing Board of 77 members (with a proviso of extending it up to 120 as the Association spreads throughout Croatia and the world), the Committee of Control, and the Council of the Impartial; it adopted eight committees (economy, human rights, legal system, Liberation War issues, national security and internal affair, foreign affairs, health and social security, and science, education, and culture). The ninth committee, for relations between homeland and the Croats abroad was proposed, and also adopted. This may be of a particular interest for the Croatian diaspora as, in our opinion, partnership between Croats at home and abroad, a creation of a Global Croatia, is a key to stable and prosperous future of Croatia and Croatian people, an issue so far either mishandled or neglected by Croatian authorities. The Forum has published a 39 page program booklet which reads as a dream come true for anyone who supports a sovereign, modern, democratic, tolerant and prosperous Croatia. It is written in Croatian and I will quote just a few spots to give you a foretaste of what the Forum proposes to do. The purpose of the Forum is "to promote and strengthen unity, political and social dialogue, tolerance and togetherness; democracy, political pluralism, state of law, economic and social progress. It will support an optimal state of human rights for everyone, strengthening of international peace and stability, in particular in Southeastern Europe." The creation of the modern Croatian state "is an act of historic proportions, and we are proud of our Liberation War (1991-1996). Croatian defenders are the glory of the Motherland… We demand a better future. Let us leave history to historians. We want to live with more satisfaction, and with less worry." The goals of the Forum will be achieved "by working together in unity and tolerance… Nobody will help us pull our cart out of quicksand…Our goal is not power, but efficient functioning of the institutions of the state, and decision-making which results in the best, most useful, and timely decisions." On Economy: "… We will support activities that respect hard work, and fight sloth, ‘gray economy', and economic irresponsibility…" On Courts and Law: "The slowness of Croatian courts is unacceptable… Courts must impose laws, not serve as political arms of this or that party… We should all be equal in front of the law…" On Foreign Affairs: "Croatian foreign policy must be decided in Zagreb, and not in foreign centers of power…" On the Hague Tribunal: "We insist on the principle of individual guilt. Nobody should be tried twice for the same cause… The Liberation War was a defensive war, and for Croatia it was a just war." On Science and Education: "We support bringing Croatian science and education system up to the European standards as quickly as possible…" On Culture: "The Forum will systematically promote national cultural achievements…" On the Media: "We support free, professional and responsible public media in which there is no room for dilettantes, hate-mongers, and informers…" On the Youth: "The young are the best educated section of the Croatian society. But they stand no chance… We support jobs for the young, their quick entering into the political system and the administrative structures; we support development projects, fresh ideas, and creativity…" ON CROATS ABROAD: "The Motherland is the firmest link among the Croats all around the world. By maintaining the dignity of the Croatian state, through patriotism and promotion of trust into financial, economic, and political institutions of the Republic of Croatia, by promoting efficiency of the legal system, and through an ongoing dialogue, the links between homeland and the Croats abroad continue to be strengthened. The Forum will propose eliminating bureaucratic barriers to investing of the funds of the Croats abroad into the economy of the Republic of Croatia. We will promote genuine care and political protection for the Croats living in other states, in particular the constitutional rights and equality of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while fully recognizing sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of that state." . On December 29, acting as the Chair of the Committee for Relations between the Homeland and the Croats Abroad I have, additionally, published a position paper on that topic. Here is a brief summary: In my opinion, without cooperation between the Croats at home and abroad, without a Global Croatia, a Croatian world interest group in which we all work for the benefit of all, there will be no safe and prosperous future for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Croatian people. Therefore, we propose to inform and instruct the leadership of the Forum on important issues in the area of the relations between the Croatian home and abroad, our main goals being: 1. Strengthening political links between the Homeland and the Croats abroad. 2. Stopping the sale of Croatia to foreigners by promoting investment by the Croats abroad. 3. Creating mechanisms for understanding Global Croatian culture, and for presenting a true picture of Croatian culture to the world. 4. Promoting timely transfer of knowledge and professional experience from Diaspora to the homeland. 5. Creating a world-wide Croatian lobby to spread truth about Croatia and the Croatian people. Immediate issue: Representation of the Croats abroad in Croatia in the light of the new electoral law which is being prepared. I will have a chance to present, in five minutes, our views at the Convention on February 15. Your input is most valuable. Please communicate your ideas and views to vgoss@aol.com or at 919-732-7576. Vladimir P. Goss distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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Anyone know this attorney? Tom Kuzmanovic TKuzmanovic@HINSHAWLAW.COM http://www.abanet.org/media/jul98/humrtlit.html Media Contact: Marcia L. Kladder Email: abanews@staff.abanet.org Online: http://www.abanet.org/media/news.html Croatian Lawyer Vesna Alaburic And Sen. George Mitchell To Receive ABA Section Of Litigation International Human Rights Awards CHICAGO, July 24-- Croatian lawyer Vesna Alaburic and former Sen. George Mitchell will receive the annual International Human Rights Award from the American Bar Association Section of Litigation, during the ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto next month. ABA Section of Litigation Chair Gregory P. Joseph will present the awards during a noon luncheon on Tuesday, Aug.4, in the concert hall of the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The keynote address will be delivered by Madam Justice Louise Arbour. Justice Arbour is a member of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, presently on leave from the court, having been appointed Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminals Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, by resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations. Also speaking at the awards presentation will be David Byrne, Attorney General of Ireland. "Award recipients such as Vesna Alaburic have pursued the highest ideals of our profession in the face of extraordinary adversity," said Christopher Wall, chair of the nomination process. "Sen. Mitchell's efforts have brought Northern Ireland closer to peace, which is essential to the rule of law." The Section of Litigation award annually recognizes lawyers and judges who have made extraordinary contributions in foreign countries to the causes of human rights, the rule of law, and promotion of access to justice. "Vesna Alaburic should be commended for her tireless efforts, often undertaken on a pro bono basis, to defend independent newspapers, journalists and editors who face charges because they have published articles critical of the government. Sen. Mitchell's work in brokering the Northern Ireland peace agreement is an example of dispute resolution for all lawyers to admire. We are proud to honor both Vesna Alaburic and Sen. Mitchell for their dedication and commitment to promoting human rights and the rule of law," said Gregory P. Joseph, chair of the Section of Litigation. In particular, the award recognizes the following contributions: * Vesna Alaburic, a Croatian lawyer, has represented independent newspapers, journalists and editors in dozens of cases where the government has attacked them for publishing articles critical of the government. Croatia's independent newspapers today face more than 500 cases, including some 130 criminal libel cases, and more than $13 million fines. Croatia's criminal libel law, penalizing "spreading false information," is the first of its kind in Eastern Europe and is seen as a dangerous precedent for other countries in the region. Alaburic has been at the center of a campaign to reform Croatia's libel law. She has represented the Croatian Journalists Association in challenging government efforts to confiscate property of independent media. She has provided pro bono assistance to journalists, media and associations; established a legal assistance organization to pay the costs of defending independent media and journalists; and has organized a network of !lawyers to provide free legal assistance. Alaburic has also worked on a pro bono basis as a legal adviser for the International Federation of Journalists in Croatia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for which she was an observer of the election in Albania. * Sen. George J. Mitchell, a former litigator and federal judge, is honored for his role in brokering the Northern Ireland peace accord. Senator Mitchell served as Chairman of the Peace Negotiations in Northern Ireland. Under his leadership an historic accord, ending decades of conflict, was agreed to by the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom and the political parties of Northern Ireland. In May, 1998, the agreement was overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters of Ireland, North and South, in a referendum. He serves as Chairman of the International Crisis Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of crises in international affairs. At the request of the British and Irish Governments, he served as Chairman of the International Commission on Disarmament in Northern Ireland. The Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association includes approximately 60,000 trial lawyers, judges and others involved in all aspects of litigation and the dispute resolution process. The section, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is dedicated to promoting justice both domestically and internationally and enhancing public understanding of and respect for the legal profession. Editor's Note: Members of the media are invited to cover the presentation of the Section of Litigation International Human Rights Award. Media in attendance must have ABA media credentials, which will be available in the ABA Press Room at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, beginning at noon on Thursday, July 30, telephone 416/585-3744. |
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| The BBC does seem to recognise Croatian as a language, look: <A HREF="http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/languages/european_languages/countries/cr oatia.shtml"> http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/languages/european_languages/countries/croatia. shtml</A> BBC monitoring still use "Serbo-Croat". I will be writing in due course. The BBC also has News in Croatian. I have no idea as to the quality of reporting. From what little I know I have not been impressed. <A HREF="http://www.bbc.co.uk/croatian/">http://www.bbc.co.uk/croatian/</A> Brian Op-ed Brian, tell us where to send an email for BBC monitoring ! nb |
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| Marcus Tanner's book "Croatia: A nation forged in War" has just been updated for a second edition in paperback. It was the first sympathetic English language history of Croatia of note to be published in the UK. It is important for such books to do well, to enable further books on Croatia to be written. For various reasons I emphasise the last point! Here are Amazon US and UK details: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0300091257/ref%3Dsdp%5Famz%5F/102-59663 59-6903362 Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0300091257/qid=1012157656/sr=1-2/ref= sr_sp_re/202-7250249-5754248 Brian distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. |
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| http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/europe7.html Op-ed They need some serious letters about serious subjects. For example Croatians in Vojvodina and Boka and Bosnia Herzegovina nb Croatia HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENTS President Stipe Mesic's government often failed to confront entrenched ethnic Croat nationalists obstructing reform, particularly on issues of impunity for war-time abuses and the return of Serb refugees. The Parliament approved constitutional changes reducing presidential authority and abolishing the upper house of Parliament in November 2000 and March 2001 respectively. In local elections held throughout the country on May 20 nationalist parties made significant gains in some areas. Police intervention was required in some areas, such as Vojnic, where ethnic Croat nationalist demonstrators tried to keep elected Croatian Serbs from assuming office. Croatia's first census since 1991 took place on March 31, 2001. Some Croatian Serb organizations protested that the government did not do enough to include Croatian Serb refugees in the Fedral Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the count. Serbian Democratic Forum (Srpski Demokratski Forum, SDF), a Croatian NGO, distributed over 50,000 census forms abroad. Comprehensive statistics were not available at this writing, but preliminary results indicated that Croatian Serbs made up approximately 5 percent of the population of 4.38 million in 2001, compared to approximately 12 percent in 1991. Optimism over the extent of Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) cooled when the ICTY's chief prosecutor reported to the U.N. Security Council in November 2000 that the government's cooperation was unsatisfactory, particularly in providing access to documents requested by the tribunal. Demands by opposition parties to cease cooperation with the ICTY resurfaced in June, after the ICTY issued indictments against Croatian generals Rahim Ademi and Ante Gotovina. Opposition rhetoric cooled after the government, standing by its commitment to cooperate with the ICTY, survived a vote of confidence in July. General Ademi, indicted for killing at least thirty-eight people and other abuses committed by troops under his command in the Medak pocket near Gospic in 1993, surrendered voluntarily to the ICTY in July. At the time of writing, General Gotovina, indicted for killings, house destruction, and other abuses against Croatian Serbs in 1995 remained at large. The ICTY also publicly charged Yugoslav and Serb personnel for abuses committed in Croatia in 1991. In October, the ICTY published a previously sealed indictment against four members of the Yugoslav People's Army and Navy for crimes committed during attacks on the Dubrovnik region. Two of them, Pavle Strugar and Miodrag Jokic, surrendered to the tribunal in November. Also in October, the ICTY amended its indictment of former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic to include charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for the killings, torture, imprisonment, deportation, and other crimes amounting to persecution of the Croat and other non-Serb population of Croatia in 1991. Progress was also made on domestic accountability efforts. In February, Croatian authorities expanded their investigation into the killing of approximately forty Croatian Serb civilians in the Gospic area in 1991, naming as a suspect former Croatian Army general Mirko Norac, who reportedly ordered the formation of a firing squad. Protesters took to the streets to oppose General Norac's or ICTY involvement in his trial. The ICTY prosecutor had not indicted General Norac, however, and she decided not to request that the Croatian court cede jurisdiction to the international tribunal. In June, Croatian authorities arrested Fikret Abdic, the leader of the wartime breakaway Bihac pocket of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and charged him with war crimes. Bosnian authorities had long sought his arrest, but his Croatian citizenship prevented his extradition under Croatian law. In August, Croatian authorities in Bjelovar detained four men, accusing them of killing Croatian Serb civilians and prisoners of war in 1991. In September, six former military police were arrested on charges of torturing and killing non-Croat detainees in the Lora military prison in Split in 1991. Croatian authorities also pursued war-crimes charges against Croatian Serbs. The OSCE noted a substantial increase in such cases, many of which involved defendants arrested pursuant to longstanding dormant indictments. Although some suspects were refugees arrested when attempting to return to Croatia, others had been present in Croatia for years. In many cases charges were subsequently dropped, raising suspicions that the arrests were politically founded and arbitrary. When three men from Glina were arrested in March on the basis of a 1993 war-crimes indictment, the alleged witnesses, who had been tortured at a detention center, were unable to identify any of the three as having been present at the scene of the crimes. At least two of the suspects had been living in Croatia for over a year and one had regularized his status as a returnee with the authorities. Although these men were acquitted, fear of such arrests deterred many Croatian Serb men from returning to Croatia. Obstacles to the return of Croatian Serb refugees remained a significant human rights concern. Although by August 2001 over 100,000 Croatian Serbs had returned according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, most were elderly. According to international organizations, significant numbers of these returnees may have again departed for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or Bosnia-Herzegovina after only a short stay in Croatia. Human rights violations contributed to the reluctance of refugees to return and to their renewed flight. While violent attacks on Croatian Serbs continued to decrease in frequency, isolated serious incidents contributed to apprehension about return. Croatian authorities frequently condemned ethnically motivated attacks and opened investigations, but arrests or judicial proceedings did not always follow. A complicated web of discriminatory and confusing legislation meant that few Croatian Serbs were able to repossess their pre-war homes or obtain governme nt reconstruction assistance. Although the Croatian authorities acknowledged the difficulties and modified some legislation, in many cases these changes simply exacerbated confusion over implementation. For example, the reconstruction law had excluded housing destroyed by "terrorist acts" from reconstruction (a category the authorities often used to describe the tens of thousands of Croatian Serb properties burned and looted following Croatian military operations in 1995). Although this provision of the law was repealed, some county offices refused to consider such applications, claiming that the amended reconstruction legislation contradicted other laws. With few exceptions, courts also failed to rule favorably in repossession cases where the prewar housing had been socially owned and occupancy rights revoked because the residents were absent as refugees or internally displaced persons. There were no mechanisms for compensating people deprived of such property rights. Even when their property rights were recognized, Croatian Serbs also faced discriminatory practices when attempting to physically repossess their property. For example, in most jurisdictions, officials failed to implement court decisions, particularly with regard to evictions of ethnic Croats from Croatian Serb property. Although the authorities acknowledged this common problem, they failed to condemn even the most flagrant cases, nor did they take action against officials who refused to implement the law. DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS Croatia's vibrant civil society continued to make an active contribution to public life despite legislation restricting associations. In a serious but isolated incident, lawyer Srdj Jaksic of Dubrovnik, who was known for taking on human rights cases, was shot and injured shortly after his Montenegrin client accused of war crimes was acquitted in December 2000. At the time of writing, there had been no substantial progress in the investigation. THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY United Nations The U.N. Commission on Human Rights decided in April 2001 to exclude Croatia from the mandate of its special representative on the former Yugoslavia. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights maintained a field presence in Croatia, however, focusing primarily on technical assistance to the authorities. In March, the Human Rights Committee considered Croatia's initial report on implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. While commending Croatia on constitutional reforms, the committee criticized the continued impunity for killings and torture committed during the armed conflict. The U.N. observer mission in Prevlaka was extended until January 2002. In May, Croatia ratified the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) In June, the OSCE Mission to Croatia reported to the Permanent Council on Croatia's progress in meeting its international commitments, highlighting the continuing obstacles to the sustainable return of Croatian Serb refugees. The mission's mandate was extended until December 2001, although staff numbers were reduced in June. Council of Europe The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance published its second report on Croatia in July. It found that despite the good will of national authorities, discrimination endured, particularly against Croatian Serbs in war-affected areas, but also against Roma. European Union Croatia further advanced its ties to the European Union, in May initialing a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, establishing favorable economic and trade relations and cooperation in justice and internal affairs. The European Union also continued to provide significant reconstruction and development aid to war-affected areas. United States Continuing its support for moderate and non-nationalist reforms, the United States funded reconstruction and demining efforts, as well as development and technical assistance. The U.S. Agency for International Development did not directly engage in housing reconstruction, but it did fund community infrastructure and other projects. distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.com Notice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. 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