BOSNIA yesterday celebrated its first independence day at peace in nearly four years with a presidential appeal for tolerance. Meanwhile, in The Hague, the UN war crimes tribunal indicted a Serb general on war crimes charges.
President Alija Izetbegovic appealed for more tolerance in Bosnia, where thousands of people were on the move again this week as refugees following the exchanges of territory approved in the Dayton peace agreement.
"I would like all of us to be less Bosnian, Croat, Serb and Jew and more citizens of Bosnia Herzegovina," the ailing 70 year old President said.
Bosnian Serbs have evacuated five districts around Sarajevo because of transfer to the mainly Muslim Bosnian government in March, despite appeals to preserve the city's multi ethnic tradition.
Meanwhile, in The Hague, Mr Richard Goldstone, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal, charged Bosnian Serb general Djordje Djukic with war crimes.
Gen Djukic will stand trial on charges of "crimes against humanity" and "violation of the laws and customs of war". Hiss lawyers said he would plead not guilty at a preliminary hearing later.
Gen Djukic's indictment deals with the Serb shelling of civilian targets in Sarajevo between May 1992 and December 1995.
In the northern town of Tuzla, independence day celebrations took a decidedly nationalist form as thousands of civilians packed the town's football stadium to listen to belligerent rhetoric from military leaders and watch some 2,000 soldiers march past.
"I congratulate you on this day of independence ... and in case the Dayton peace accords should fail, I wish you good luck in war and future military victories," said the commander of the Bosnian Army Second Corps GenSead Delic.