(24 Dec 1995) English/Nat
The first prisoner exchange since the signing of the Dayton peace accord has taken place in Bosnia.
Government forces released about 115 Bosnian Serbs at Sockovac Bridge in return for around 130 men -- mostly survivors of the fall of Srebrenica.
But another exchange of Croats for Serbs at Dubrac was cancelled.
The rolling back of three-and-a-half years of war in Bosnia is finally underway.
For these Bosnian Muslim prisoners, the Dayton peace accord has brought more than peace -- it has also brought freedom.
Around 130 Muslim prisoners were exchanged Sunday for 113 Bosnian Serbs at Sockovac Bridge, about 20 kilometres from the town of Doroj.
The prisoner exchange is the first in Bosnia since the signing of the Dayton peace accord.
Under its terms, all prisoners of war must be handed over by January 19.
Some of these men had been imprisoned for over 2 years.
As a column of Bosnian Muslims made their way one way, about 115 Bosnian Serbs trudged their way to freedom in the opposite direction.
The exchange is yet another sign that -- so far -- things are running relatively smoothly for the new I-FOR mission in Bosnia.
SOUNDBITE:
We're meeting with all of the factions. Everybody says that they're ready to get on with it.
Question: Are you satisfied that there is compliance with the treaty?
We see evidence of things happening that are very positive.
SUPER CAPTION: Admiral Leighton Smith, NATO commander
But, in a reminder of the unpredictability of events still in the region,
a Croat-Serb prisoner exchange was cancelled at the last minute -- after the Bosnian Serbs failed to show.
For this man, the cancellation was an especially bitter blow.
He had been waiting to see his three-year-old son for the first time in his life.
His son was born shortly after he was conscripted into the Croatian army and has been living with his grandmother behind the Serb-lines for the past three years.
He was due to be exchanged in the deal.
SOUNDBITE:
I think it's immoral that you've got prisoners in the vehicle behind me that you're not prepared to release. And if Brigadier Dragizovic thought that he was going to make a public gesture of goodwill on Christmas Eve, then you need to tell him from me that it's backfired publicly.
SUPER CAPTION: Brigadier Richard Dannatt, 4th Army Brigade
The Croats arrived with four Serb prisoners -- only to turn back again for the 250 kilometre drive back to Zepce.
But, despite the set back, I-FOR troops in Bosnia seem determined to bring some Christmas cheer to the Balkans.
Mount Igman no longer reverberates with the echo of sniper fire.
Instead on Sunday it had the men of Britain's 19/5 Battery of the Royal Artillery giving their rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful.
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