(4 Sep 1996) Serbo-Croat/Nat One of the most controversial candidates standing for election in the Bosnian elections is the former renegade Muslim leader Fikret Abdic. Bosnian state prosecutors accuse Abdic of war crimes during his campaign to carve out a self-proclaimed autonomous region in western Bosnia. But unless the International Tribunal at The Hague decides to file charges against him he will be free to stand for office. As elsewhere in Bosnia, here in the northwestern city of Bihac memories of war remain vividly imprinted on everyone's mind. But if anything the legacy of the fratricidal war are more bitter because this region saw fighting between fellow Muslims. Many Muslims here will be voting in the forthcoming elections for the government Democratic Action Party -- the S-D-A. But others remain loyal to the renegade Muslim leader Fikret Abdic. The millionaire tycoon turned military commander insists he enjoys wide support in the region. SOUNDBITE: (in Bosnian) "I already said last year that I will participate in the elections and that I will win the elections again." SUPERCAPTION: Fikret Abdic, leader of DNZ Abdic is affectionately known as "Babu" -- "Father" -- by his supporters. Many of them live in refugee camps in Croatia. Families of rebel Muslim soldiers and inhabitants of villages in Abdic's self proclaimed "Western Bosnian Autonomous Region", they dare not return to Bosnia for fear of reprisals. Abdic's formerly luxurious home in the town of Velika Kladusa is now a burned out wreck. But outside the gates someone has scrawled the words "Babu, come back to your home." Abdic's opponents point to the brutality of his military campaign. Bosnian prosecutors say shelling by his men in Velika Kladusa killed 77 civilians and wounded 125. He is also accused of interning 5-thousand civilians in concentration camps, among them children and old people. Djeko Bibuljica a professor of literature says he was imprisoned for seven months for refusing to serve in Abdic's administration. S-D-A politicians say local people have not forgotten or forgiven what Abdic did. SOUNDBITE: (in Bosnian) "Fikret Abdic has absolutely no chances at these elections." (Bihac, 29/08/96) SUPERCAPTION: Mirsad Veladzic, Governor of Unsko-Sanski Canton and leader of local SDA The bitterness of Abdic's electoral battle with the S-D-A is mirrored by a struggle for the airwaves. When Bosnian government troops seized control of the area in 1993, Radio Velkaton was shut down as a punishment for its support for Abdic. The station has re-emerged as an electoral vehicle for Abdic but complains of harassment from the authorities. SOUNDBITE: (in Bosnian) "Bosnian authorities and the Party for Democratic Action, which is the ruling party, started to jam our signal by jammers and by transmitting other radio programmes just to obstruct our programme from being heard." SUPERCAPTION: Sead Puric - managing director of Radio Velkaton Radio Velkaton has started broadcasting on its old wavelength, much to the annoyance of staff at the state station set up to replace it. SOUNDBITE: (in Bosnian) (Middle shot) "About ten days ago we had an unexpected and unannounced incursion of Radio Velkaton at the working frequency of Radio Bihac. (Close up) " We decided to lengthen our programme from 8 pm to midnight or to transmit the signal of state radio- television. SUPERCAPTION: Nijaz Glumac - managing director of Radio Bosnia and Herzegovina, studio Bihac Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/9747fa711baa90814241f238d50e4846

• published: 30 Jul 2015
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