Kosova Daily Report #1340, 98-02-07

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1340

Prishtina, 7 February 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Paramilitary Impose Curfew in Ethnically Mixed Villages in Klina

[02] Over 100.000 Fresh Serb Police Troops Deployed in Kosova Lately, Serb Media Say

[01] Serb Paramilitary Impose Curfew in Ethnically Mixed Villages in Klina

Source in Klina said that the tensions in the area have rapidly increased over the past couple of days. Fresh Serb police forces have been deployed in the area, who together with local Serbs, armed to the teeth, have been involved in a uncommon campaign of intimidation and provocation of Albanians.

Sources in Klina said that armed Serb civilians have imposed dawn- to-dusk curfew in several Albanian-Serb mixed villages in the municipality, such as Dugajev&, Drenoc, Pot&rq i Ep&rm, Pot&rq i Ul&t, Videj&, Budisalc, Jagod&, Krushev& e Madhe. They have established barricades, halting and asking the ID's of passersby as well as local residents.

The LDK Information Commission in Klina said that very few Albanians decide to move in the area, especially during evening and night hours. Armed Serb civilians have been roaming during the night in the streets of Klina too, a small town on the Prishtina- Peja road.

Meanwhile, the Serb police has increased the number of check-points in the area. The Commission has provide the names of several Albanians who were subjected to severe Serb police maltreatment.

Over the past two days alone the following Albanians were ill- treated a recently established such a checkpoint at Dollac village: Alush Hoti from Klina, Avdullah Ymeri from Shtupel, Nezir Abazaj, Asllan Abazaj, Bajram Abazaj, Elmi Abazaj from Gllareva, Shaqir Doqi, LDK activist from Shtupel, Agim Gashi and Sheremet Gashi from Cerovik, Gjon Lekaj, Ms Marte Lekaj, Ms Melinda Lekaj, Labinot Lekaj, Rrahman Bashota, Lek& Prenaj, Mihill Prenaj, Agim Prenaj, from Cerovik village, Murtez Havolli and Driton Havolli from Resniku village, Sabit Osmani from Izbica of Sk&nderaj, Islam Morina from Drenoc village of Malisheva.

At Komoran village, a village some 15 km from Klina on the left side of Prishtina-Peja road, the Serb police has re-established a check-point. Serb policemen have occupied the house of an Albanian near the road, while sand- bag barricades have been placed around the checkpoint. Ruzhdi Aliu, whose house has been since Thursday occupied forcefully by Serbs was forced to move and ask shelter at his relative's houses.

Several Albanians have been reported maltreated there over the past days at the Komoran checkpoint. A Serb policeman has reportedly hit with a shovel Enver H. Morina, a secondary school student from Arllat village as hit. He was fetched unconscious by his parents.

Brothers Agim Kastrati (1960) Behram Kastrati (1965) from Komoran were reportedly beaten by the police too.

Many Albanians driving in the area have told the LDK Information Commission that they were seized money by Serb police. Serb policemen in an armed vehicle near the check-pot in Komoran have been provoking passersby by pointing their guns at them, sources said.

At the Kijeva intersection, on the road leading to Klina, a new police check point has been reported established since today morning. Over a dozen of heavily armed Serb policemen have been halting every passer-by and traveller. Several Albanians were reportedly subjected to maltreatment.

Bedri Kryeziu (24), Selim Kryezu (32), Habib Kryeziu (38), Milaim Kryeziu (20) and Zenel Kryeziu from Bubavec village of Malisheva were some of the Albanians who were subjected to maltreatment in Kijeva Source said that some Albanians who were halted by the Serb police, apart from being harassed, they were forced to eat snow near the road.

Aqif Shehu, chairman of the LDK branch in Gjakova, was halted Friday afternoon in Kijeva by the Serbian police. For about half an hour he was subjected to harassment, provocations and assaults there.

[02] Over 100.000 Fresh Serb Police Troops Deployed in Kosova Lately, Serb Media Say

The newspaper said that most of the newly deployed policemen are civilians who were provided with police uniforms and armament.

According to Dnevni Telegraf the assignment of these forces is "to track down and find collection centers and leaders of the U^K (Ushtria ^lirimtare e Kosoves)", an underground organization calling itself the Liberation Army of Kosova.

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