Kosova Communication, Week 9, 97-03-10

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From: Kosova Information Center <kic_pr@zana-pr.ztn.apc.org>

Kosova Communication W. 9

CONTENTS

[01] `PEOPLE IN KOSOVA CONCERNED ABOUT ALBANIA', RUGOVA SAYS

[02] PRESIDENT RUGOVA RECEIVES U.S. DIPLOMATS

[03] SEVERAL PEOPLE SUFFER INJURIES IN BOMB BLAST IN PRISHTINA

[04] SLAVIC EXTREMISTS STEP UP PROTEST AGAINST ALBANIAN CIVIC RIGHTS

[05] INDEPENDENCEE ONLY SOLUTION FOR KOSOVA, PARTY LEADER SAYS

[06] `RILINDJA' PROPERTY MISSAPROPRIATED BY SERBS

[07] SERBIAN POLICE HARASSES ALBANIAN VILLAGE

[08] REPATRIATED ALBANIANS SUBJECTED TO POLICE MALTREATMENT

[09] SERBIAN POLICE HARASSES ALBANIANS IN FERIZAJ

[10] IHF DENOUNCES SERBIAN PRACTICES AGAINST ALBANIAN DETAINEES

[11] SERB NEWSPAPER CASTIGATES INTERNATIONAL MEDDLING ON KOSOVA

[12] SERBIAN STATE TERROR IN KOSOVA CONTINUES

[01] `PEOPLE IN KOSOVA CONCERNED ABOUT ALBANIA', RUGOVA SAYS

President Rugova of Kosova called on all sides in Albania to show restraint, to refrain from resorting to violence and to "soften the rhetorics".

In order to clam the situation, further pragmatic steps should be taken by the Albanian leadership and all the political forces, President Rugova said, pressing for acceptance of international assistance, first and foremost from the USA and EU.

A protracted continuance of the current trend in Albania would be detrimental to Albania itself, but also Kosova and the Albanian community living in FYROM. "The resolution of the Kosova issue would be put off", the President emphasized.

Asked to comment on a statement President Rugova made Sunday [before the declaration of the state of emergency, KIC] about the need for new elections in Albania within an optimal time-span, Rugova said: "Since there is widespread frustration over the financial crisis and political issues, new elections would be needed to calm down the situation."

The United States of America and the European Union have likewise advanced the idea, President Rugova said, noting that elections would serve the interests of Albania, for in that way "democratic processes would be invigorated and reaffirmed" in the country.

[02] PRESIDENT RUGOVA RECEIVES U.S. DIPLOMATS

The situation in Albania in light of the current crisis was also discussed during the meeting President Rugova had with the U.S. diplomats in Prishtina Thursday afternoon.

[03] SEVERAL PEOPLE SUFFER INJURIES IN BOMB BLAST IN PRISHTINA

The Albanian teachers and students were kicked out of the school and educational premises of in the autumn of 1991.

[04] SLAVIC EXTREMISTS STEP UP PROTEST AGAINST ALBANIAN CIVIC RIGHTS

Sources in the FYROM capital said today that four slavic-Macedonian women joined the strike today morning. Meanwhile, over the past two days the number of people rallying on the streets of Shkupi and other towns in the republic has increased considerably. The protests were initially called by the Students Union of the "Ciril and Metodie" University in Shkupi after the FYROM government had announced that a draft legislation which would allow the use of Albanian as a language of training in the Pedagogical Faculty.

[05] INDEPENDENCEE ONLY SOLUTION FOR KOSOVA, PARTY LEADER SAYS

Referring to a reported agreement between Bern and Belgrade on the repatriation of asylum-seekers whose applications have been turned down, Gjergj Dedaj said the fate of the Kosovars should be discussed with the legitimate representatives of the people of Kosova, namely Prishtina. An eventual repatriation process should be closely watched by international organizations, so as to ensure the safety of the returnees to their homeland, the PLK leader stressed.

A PLK delegation took part at a secretary generals' meeting of ELDR (European Liberal Democratic and Reform parties). PLK has been an affiliate member of ELDR for a year now.

[06] `RILINDJA' PROPERTY MISSAPROPRIATED BY SERBS

[07] SERBIAN POLICE HARASSES ALBANIAN VILLAGE

Besides the common pretext of alleged arms possession, the Serbian police has been harassing residents of the Llausha village for having allegedly set armed guards around the village. Jakup Gecaj, Mursl Bylykbashi, Halil Gecaj, and Syl& Gecaj were reportedly beaten up brutally. When released the Albanians have told sources in Skenderaj that the chief of the police station in Skenderaj himself, Ilia Trajkovic, was involved in maltreating them. Jakup Gecaj was ordered to hand over an automatic rifle he was allegedly in possession of. After deneing of being in possession of fire arms, he was advised by the police chief to buy one and deliver it to him personally!

[08] REPATRIATED ALBANIANS SUBJECTED TO POLICE MALTREATMENT

He said that on their arrival at the Belgrade airport, one of the Albanians whose name he has failed to learn, was harassed by the customs authorities and police. In addition, he was told he should serve a 5-6 month imprisonment, for the resown unknown to him.

[09] SERBIAN POLICE HARASSES ALBANIANS IN FERIZAJ

Faik Hashani from Pleshina village was taken to the so-called "informative conversations" on 26 February. Mr. Hashani was interrogated about his brother Shaip Hashani, US national, who paid a visit to his family on July last year. He was also interrogated about the Trade Union of Education and albanian activities in the area.

[10] IHF DENOUNCES SERBIAN PRACTICES AGAINST ALBANIAN DETAINEES

Torture is apparently used in order to extract self-incriminating statements during investigating procedures that clearly violate the 'Yugoslav' [Serbia-Montenegro] Law on Criminal Procedure as well as international legal standards and norms, the IHF said in a statemend dated 28 February, a copy of which was obtained by the KIC today.

"Torture by the police has caused another death of an Albanian detainee, Besnik Restelica (29), a graduate enngineer. This has been substantiated by the independent sources who inspected the body of the deceased including the members of a European Parliament delegation. He had been arrested by the end of January in a sweeping wave of arrests of Albanians on charges of belonging to the illegal Albanian nationalistic organizations", the IHF said.

The Vienna-based human right organizations recalls that a number of lawyers who represent the detainees as well as as numerous humanitarian organizations testify that their rights have been systematically violated by the Serbian authorities in contravention of the 'Yugoslav' Law on Criminal Procedure.

"Serbian authorities have also denied the International Red Cross Commitee the right to visit Albanian detainees arrested despite claims by defending lawyers that the detainees are being routinly subjected to torture", the IHF said in its 28 February statement.

The IHF called upon the Belgrade authorities to halt the campaign of arbtary arrests, detentiosn and torture of detainees, and to investigare responsibly the death of Besnik Restelica. "We urge the international community to strengthen its commitment to preventive measures in Kosova before the situation deteriorates further", the IHF and the Kosova Helsinki Committee for Human Rights said, pressing the international community to created conditions for "an internationally-mediated dialogue between representatives of Prishtina and Belgrade, which is necessary to reaching a political solution for the status of Kosova."

[11] SERB NEWSPAPER CASTIGATES INTERNATIONAL MEDDLING ON KOSOVA

Yet, Belgrade-based Politika Ekpsres daily is worthy of mention for its today's edition in which the Serb newspaper castigates the Serb regime for having allowed foreigners have access to what is happening in Kosova. The Stallinist accusations of foreing meddling in the Serbian affairs in Kosova is compounded with harsh words for Elisabeth Rehn, the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurm, Doris Pack, the German MP in the European Parliament, and the Internation6a Red Cross official, Michael Frey, who is based in Prishtina.

Doris Pack is catigated for having visited the family of Besnik Restelica (29) , the Albanian who was tortured to death last month in Serbian custody. Her remarks about the medieval practices of tortured used against Albanians in Kosova were made after she had seen herself the body of Restelica. But she should not have been allowed to visit the family and seen the body of the deceased in the first place, according to Politika Ekspres.

[12] SERBIAN STATE TERROR IN KOSOVA CONTINUES

Deçan: Last week, the Serbian police went at the home of Adnan Lekaj at Lumbardh village. Mr. Lekaj family told LDK sources that Adnan Lekaj is living abroad since 1990.

Suhareka: On 24 February, the Serbian police raided on the home of Enver Zenelaj, at Grejkoc village. Since Mr. Zenelaj was not at home the police interrogated his father Bajram Zenelaj. He told the police that his son was currently living abroad.

Istog: On 5 March, Feriz H. Blakaj from Vrella village was taken to the Serbian police station. He was interrogated about his alleged involvement in distributing an underground pamphlet in the area.

Prishtina: On 6 March, at around 5 a.m., a Serb police expedition raided on the home of Halil Canolli at Marec village. As Mr. Halil Canolli was not at home, the police took as hostages his sons. The police summoned Mr. Halili to report to the Serbian police station in Prishtina under the alleged pretext he was in possession of arms. No arms were reported found during the search.

Junik: On 5 and 6 March, Ethem Krasniqi, local LDK activist from Junik was taken to the Serbian police station. He was interrogated about his and political activity.

Podujeva: On 5 March, at around 1 p.m., the Serbian police arrested Xhevdet A. Kosumi (17), Ferit M. Kosumi (16) while they were playing in the field. They were detained under the pretext they were doing military drills. The police beat up Xhevdet and subsequently took both of them at the Serbian police station where they were held until 5p.m,. While in custody they were asked to hand over weapons, allegedly in their possession. The police raided on their homes later.

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