Sarajevo, January 25, 1999 (IKA) – Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljić of Sarajevo sent a request today, January 25, to the president of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Edhem Bičakčić, regarding measures that must be taken to stop the injustices being inflicted upon two Catholic parish offices in Kakanj and Vareš. The parish office in Kakanj received a “claim for the payment of damages” in the amount of 6,441 DM from the Pilana Lumber Company of Kakanj for the destruction of flat and reinforced glass that occurred in consequence of the detonation of an explosive device set in the Church of SS. Peter and Paul in that parish during late July of last year. Cardinal Puljić stated: “We received this claim with disbelief and wonderment, but even greater wonderment was provoked by the police report prepared four months after the explosion.” The parish office of St. Michael in Vareš and the Franciscan monastery of St. John the Baptist in Kraljeva Sutjeska are experiencing the ongoing and systematic destruction of their legally owned property by the Šumarstvo [Forestry] Company of Vareš in the territories of Slatina, Robinje brdo, Ponikve, Jušića njiva, Fratarska šuma, Javornik, Javornik donji, Gaj, Osoje, Luka, Markovišta, Bara and Požeblje. In the letter to Premier Bičakčić, the archbishop of Sarajevo asked for protection of the property in Vareš and for the police and other authorities in Kakanj to start protecting the rights of the Catholics in that city and municipality, and stop supporting injustice.