Kosova Daily Report #1327, 98-01-24

Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1327

Prishtina, 24 January 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Discusses Situation in Kosova with U.S. Diplomats

[02] Serbian Police Attempts to Dodge Its Responsibility for Thursday's Attack in Skenderaj

[01] President Rugova Discusses Situation in Kosova with U.S. Diplomats

The situation and current developments in Kosova were discussed in the meeting. President Rugova reaffirmed the commitment of the people of Kosova for a peaceful solution to the Kosova issue.

The U.S. diplomat expressed the continued concern of the State Department over the situation in Kosova.

The need for restraint and avoidance of violent conflicts was underlined during the meeting the Kosova President had with the US diplomats.

[02] Serbian Police Attempts to Dodge Its Responsibility for Thursday's Attack in Skenderaj

The Ministry of Interior (Police) of Serbia said in a communique on Friday that "police forces did not get involved in any way in the territory of that village" [Prekaz]. The Prishtina-based Bujku newspaper has carried today excerpts of the Serb police ministry communique which says that "one cannot rule out possibilities that it was a clash between local gangs which operate in the Drenica region". (Drenica is a region in central Kosova which includes the municipalities of Skenderaj, Gllogovc and a part of Lipjan municipality).

The statement further said that the "that motives of the clash were probably of financial-material nature". It did not, however, mention, in any context the killing of Hysen Manxholli the same morning.

Apart from being received with a great astonishment, the latest statement of the Serb police ministry has been seen in Kosova as a story that no one buys any more. The Serb police attack on Thursday morning was emitted as breaking news all day long in all the news programs of the Serb radio of Prishtina. The piece of news describing "an attack of the Albanian terrorists against Serb police forces" at Prekaz village of Skenderaj was broadcast the same day by the Belgrade state television. "Following the intervention of the police, the terrorists withdrew in the direction of Prekaz village who put up an armed resistance from the household of Shaban Jashari", the Serb television report went on as saying.

Meanwhile, reporting about the killing of a Serb civilian in the area on Thursday the Prishtina Serb-language local newspaper said that he could have been killed by Albanians in revenge "to the attack of the Serbian police in Prekaz".

Eyewitnesses have claimed that during the whole time the 400 minute full- scale attack took place in Prekaz village, an armoured vehicle of the Serbian police was waiting on the knoll apposite to the house. It withdrew when the attack was over.

Apart from trying to conceal its atrocious attack against the Albanian family, the statement of the Serb police conveys but another ominous message. It heralds the Serb regime intention to create itself and control itself chaos and anarchy in Kosova, thus have a pretext for a wide-scale crack-down in Kosova.

The Serb media have been for weeks heralding a possible intervention of the Serbian forces in Drenica region under the pretext of tracking down members of alleged underground organizations. After having shelled the house of Shaban Jashari the those who masterminded the attack believed the plan was fulfilled.

Yet, when realizing that the score was only two wounded girls, it was hard to justify the attack in the face of the Serb public opinion.

The game of the Serb police disappointment probably became a passer-by Hysen Manxholli, who was killed while on his way to work, about one hour after the attack at the family of Shaban Jashari was over.

Kosova Information Center

Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article