TURANJ - REFUGEE CRISIS UPDATE [Main Title]

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  • Title: TURANJ - REFUGEE CRISIS UPDATE [Main Title]
  • Film Number: UNT 440
  • Other titles: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Developments in the refugee situation at Turanj where the Velika Kladuša population fled.
  • Description: Martina Balazova reports for UNTV beside the makeshift roadside homes of refugees at the Turanj checkpoint. From a total number of 30,000 refugees who fled from the area of Velika Kladuša approximately 15,000 have now collected here at Turanj. They are currently lined along a four kilometre stretch of road. According to UNICEF 40 percent of the refugees are children. The living conditions for these refugees are very poor at present. Interview with Benny Otim, UNHCR Protection Officer, who says that there is insufficient accommodation, no area where they can put tents and no facilities for UNPROFOR to deliver water. Under these conditions there is a high risk of disease spreading. Four medical teams are working in the area but five people have died including three children. Shots of refugees milling around the area and queuing to see a medical officer. One person has also been injured in a mine accident. Shot of a sign warning of mines. The refugees want to cross the Turanj checkpoint. However, Croatia, with its 500,000 refugees from Bosnia and the UNPAs, is still unable and unwilling to receive such a huge number of people. Shot shows the street full of people and coaches. Balazova reports that the Bosnian authorities have asked refugees to return to their homes in Velika Kladuša, promising to protect their personal safety but so far the refugees are unreceptive to this offer. Interview with a woman, who carries a baby in her arms. She says ‘I don’t want to go back, I’d rather die’. Another man is sceptical of promises of safety. He believes that they will be prosecuted under a law from 1951. UNPROFOR have been negotiating daily with Mr Abdić and authorities in Knin, Sarajevo, Bihać and Croatia. Shot of Richard Holbrooke, US Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, walking on the outskirts of a village, surrounded by UNPROFOR soldiers, staff and journalists. Interview with Sergio Vieira de Mello, UNPROFOR Head of Civil Affairs, who says that they have agreed that refugee representatives can return to the area to inspect the situation on the ground as there have been too many rumours and lies spread for refugees to be sure of what they might find on their return. He says that the UN knows that Velika Kladuša has not been destroyed but the refugees are not expected to believe them. He says that the UN has received full guarantees from the Bosnian authorities that these representatives will have full immunity and UNPROFOR will also protect them when they visit Velika Kladuša and the surrounding area. Shots of people living in vehicles on the side of the road. This agreement come on top of other agreements with the governments in Sarajevo and Bihać that on their return to Bosnia, refugees will receive indefinite amnesty and exemption from military service for six months. Sergio Vieira de Mello says that resettlement in a third country is not a viable option for these refugees and as they cannot remain in the zone of separation indefinitely, repatriation under safe conditions and with dignify is the only solution.
  • Alternative Title: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: English (Tape Code A)
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: UNT 440
  • Sound: Croatian (Tape Code C)
  • Access Conditions:
  • Featured Period: 1990-2000
  • Production Date: 1994-08 1994-09-02
  • Production Country: UN
  • Production Details: Currie, Mary (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: de Mello, Sergio Vieira (person)
  • Keywords: Croatia & Turanj (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: English (Tape Code A) Sound format: Croatian (Tape Code C) Soundtrack language: Serbian (Tape D)
  • Technical Details: Format: Beta-SP Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Running time: 3 mins 32 secs
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    UNT 440

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    UNT 442 (UNTV PROGRAMME NO 11 [Main Title]) UNT 440 X (REFUGEE CRISIS UPDATE (UNEDITED RUSHES) [Allocated Title])
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