Kosova Communication 246 - 19/12/95

From: kosova@gn.apc.org (Kosova Information Centre)

Kosovo News Directory

Kosova Communication

Bulletin of the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Kosova

4th year, No 246 , 19 December 1995

CONTENTS

[01] Rugova Meets Kinkel

Dr. Ibrahim Rugova urged the German Foreign Minister to commit Germany to ensuring effective international mediation to resolve the Kosova question. Dr. Rugova said that international pressure is needed to make sure that Kosova on the agenda. "Germany can contribute a lot in this respect", he said. Mr. Kinkel said Germany has firmly maintained its position that the repressive situation in Kosova should be brought to an end, noting that a prompt settlement for Kosova was needed. Now that the Dayton Accords have been reached, Kinkel said, it should be made clear to the Serbian authorities that the oppressive and repressive measures in Kosova must be discontinued. The people of Kosova should be supported. Klaus Kinkel said that the Council of Europe, of which Germany is a member state, is preoccupied with the Kosova issue and has taken the position that there will be no integration of Belgrade in the international community till progress is made towards resolving the Kosova issue.

The German Foreign Minister went on to say that his country is prepared to support Kosova in the field of humanitarian relief as well as education, and by granting scholarships to Kosova students. Klaus Kinkel promised his country's political support in international institutions towards putting the Kosova issue on the agenda and resolving it.

[02] Another UN Resolution on Kosova

The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly then blames the Serbian regime [referred to as the authorities of FRY (Serbia and Montenegro)] for discriminatory and repressive measures aimed at making ethnic Albanians in Kosova leave their country against their will ("widespread involuntary migration"), and sees the practices as a form of ethnic cleansing". The resolution further denounces the Serbian regime's designs to "exploit Serbian refugees and use other means to alter the ethnic balance in Kosovo", and notes the "positive role" of the OSCE (then CSCE) long-term mission to Kosova. This mission was discontinued by the Serbian regime in the summer of 1993.

The Third Committee of the UN considers that the re-establishment of the international presence in Kosova is of great importance "in preventing the situation in Kosovo from deteriorating into violent conflict". Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General presented pursuant to General Assembly resolution 49/204, the resolution of the Third Committee of UN General Assembly concludes with the 11 points, in which it:

1. Strongly condemns the discrimination against the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and the violations of their human rights committed by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro);

2. Condemns the large-scale repression by the police and military of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) against the defenseless ethnic Albanian population and the discrimination against the ethnic Albanians in the administrative and judiciary branches of government, education, health care and employment, which is aimed at forcing ethnic Albanians to leave;

3. Urgently demands that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro):

a) Take all the necessary measures to bring to an immediate end all human rights violations against ethnic Albanians in Kosova, including,in particular, the discriminatory measures and practices, arbitrary searches and detention, the violation of the human right to a fair trial and the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as revoking all discriminatory legislation, in particular that which has entered into force since 1989;

b) Release all political prisoners and cease the persecution of political leaders and members of local human rights organizations;

c) Allow the establishment of genuine democratic institutions in Kosova, including the parliament and the judiciary, and respect the will of its inhabitants as the best means of preventing the escalation of the conflict there;

d) Abrogate the official settlement policy as far as it is conducive to the heightening of the ethnic tensions in Kosova;

e) Reopen the cultural and scientific institutions of the ethnic Albanians;

f) Pursue dialogue with the representatives of the ethnic Albanians in Kosova, including talks under the auspices of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia;

4. Demands again that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) cooperate fully and immediately with the Special Reporter of the Commission on Human Rights on the human rights situation in the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the discharge of her functions as requested by the Commission by its resolution 1994/76 and other relevant resolutions;

5. Encourages the Secretary-General to pursue his humanitarian efforts in the former Yugoslavia, in liaison with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund and other appropriate humanitarian organizations, with a view to taking urgent practical steps to tackle the critical needs of the people in Kosova, especially the most vulnerable groups affected by the conflict, and to assist in the voluntary return of displaced persons to their homes;

6, Urges the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to allow the immediate unconditional return of the long-term mission of the Organization for Security Council resolution 855 (1993);

7. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General presented pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 49/204;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to seek ways and means, including through consultations with the High Commission on Human Rights and relevant regional organizations, to establish an adequate international monitoring presence in Kosova and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;

9. Emphasizes the importance that laws and regulations concerning citizenship applied by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) be in accordance with the standards and principles of non- discrimination, equal protection before the law and the reduction and avoidance of the statelessness as set out in the relevant international human rights instruments;

10. Calls on the special Reporter to continue to monitor closely the human rights situation in Kosova and to continue to pay due attention to this matter in her reporting;

11. Decides to continue examination of the human rights situations in Kosova at its fifty-first session under the heading of "Human Rights Questions."

There were 106 "yes" and 2 "no" votes for the resolution, besides 36 abstentions.

[03] "The Kosova Issue Will Be Addressed by the OSCE Forums", the French Foreign Minister said

Hungarian Foreign Minister Kovcz also spoke on the need to resolve the Kosova issue in the wake of the recent developments in the former Yugoslavia and the Balkans.

Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi was among the participants of the Wednesday meeting which saw the adoption of the Stability Declaration for the Balkans.

[04] Top European Officials on Kosova

Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees: I do understand the issue of refugees from Kosova is very serious and it needs a rapid solution. We will consult the governments of the European Union and seek help for the organised return of Kosova refugees as well. Emma Bonnino, EU commissioner for humanitarian issues: We had and still have projects for humanitarian assistance in Kosova. During our visits to Zagreb,

Belgrade and Sarajevo, we clearly stated our view on the difficult situation in Kosova. Our views on Kosova issue provoked several problems with the Belgrade authorities. Nevertheless we will continue our work and our preoccupation with Kosova is permanent. At Belgrade I also met two senior officials of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK).

[05] Statement by Albanian Alliance of the Right

[06] Kosova Delegation Received at the Foreign Office

The Foreign office diplomats reassured the delegation that the Conference was totally impartial over Kosova and the Geneva Conference Subgroup on Kosova has not been abolished by the PIC. They also stated that they are acquainted with the circumstances in Kosova and acknowledge the seriousness and importance of the issue. They stated that they would inform the foreign secretary of the Albanians dissatisfaction of Albanians and the possible radicalisation of their movement. Mr. Johnson repeated that Serbia can not rejoin International Institutions without solving the issue of Kosova.

[07] Latest Colonisation Plans

An article in the Serbian daily Jedinstvo states that a number of refugees currently sheltered in Belgrade and Vojvodina will be brought in Kosova permanently. On their arrival in Kosova, the refugees are employed immediately. By now about 720 of them have found employment.

[08] Mounting Serbian Repression in Kosova, CDHRF Says

During November alone, 254 Albanians were arrested by the Serbian police; 92 Albanians had their homes raided for non-existent weapons, while 362 were ill- treated in various ways; 211 persons were tortured by the Serbian police,19 of them suffering severe bodily injuries; 34 persons were interrogated, while 231 were summoned to appear at the Serbian police stations; 21 Albanians were convicted by the Serbian courts, while 4 had their passports seized for having travelled to Albania. As many as 107 persons involved in Albanianlanguage education, 57 activists of Kosova Albanian political parties and human rights associations, and 9 Albanian sportsmen were maltreated by the Serbian police during the last month.

The CDHRF notes that 24 women, 9 old persons and three children underwent harassment and intimidation. Five Albanians, including a mother of two, and a 12-year-old boy were taken hostage by the Serbian police when the persons wanted by the police were not found at home. In November, the Serbian police kidnapped one LDK activist, maltreated 3 Kosova Albanian journalists, and on several occasions broke up cultural, religious and sports events.

As many as 17 Albanians were forcibly evicted from their apartments in Kosova during the last month alone. In most cases Serbian police employees or Serb arrivals from Serbia or other parts of former Yugoslavia were housed instead. The Serbian army arrested 3 draft-age Kosova Albanians, who were later sent to military jails in Serbia, while a dozen were delivered military call-up papers. The CDHRF has registered 7 cases of massive raids on the Kosova markets, as well as 98 cases of persons having been plundered by the Serbian police in Kosova during November. Units of the so-called Serbian fiscal police, in tandem with the regular police forces, have robbed hundreds of Albanian vendors, small businesses and individual citizens.