Kosova Daily Report #1362, 98-03-05

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1362
Prishtina, 5 March 1998

Seventh Edition: 15:30 hrs
Eighth Edition: 16:45
Ninth Edition: 19:30

CONTENTS

[01] U.S. Diplomat, Nicholas Hill, Arrives in Mitrovica

[02] Senior LDK Members Arrive in Vushtrri

[03] Evacuees from Drenica Heading for Mitrovica and Gllogovc

[04] All Albanian Patients Removed from Mitrovica Hospital

[05] LDK Officials to Meet Robin Cook in Belgrade

[06] Situation Tense in Other Parts of Kosova

[07] Serb Police Evacuates Serb Residents in a Podujeva Village

[08] President Rugova Urges World Leaders to Intervene End Serb Attacks in Kosova

[09] President Rugova's Telephone Conversation with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook

[10] Classes in Kosova Schools Discontinued Until Monday

[11] ARMED SERB ATTACK IN DRENICA CONTINUES UNABATED - Serb forces reportedly launch attack on Llausha village late afternoon

[12] U.S. Could Intervene Militarily if Belgrade Expands War into Kosova, Gelbard Says

[13] Serbian Police Prevents Kosovar Women's Protest in Front of American Center in Prishtina

[14] Political Parties in Albania Urge the World Act Urgently in Kosova

[15] Kosova Is Hovering Between Massacre and Sacrifice, Albanian PEN says

[01] U.S. Diplomat, Nicholas Hill, Arrives in Mitrovica

A delegation of the International Red Cross has arrived there too.

Mitrovica is a municipality neighboring on the Drenica region, namely Skenderaj ('Srbica') and Gllogovc.

People have been reported moving out of Drenica amidst the ongoing Serb forces' attack on Albanian villages, which started in the morning today.

[02] Senior LDK Members Arrive in Vushtrri

People from the area not yet affected by Serb attacks in Drenica have been moving out, in fear of imminent spill-over of Serb operations.

Some of the evacuees - mainly women and children - have been arriving in Vushtrri in panic.

[03] Evacuees from Drenica Heading for Mitrovica and Gllogovc

The LDK branch in Mitrovica said many Drenica families have reached Shipol, Vaganica and the Ura e Gjakut neighborhood.

The 34-member Haliti family from Galica has resettled to Shipol.

Inhabitants from Drenica villages have arrived at Domanek village of Gllogovc. Shooting occurring in Jashanica can be reportedly heard at Domanek.

A source from Pograxha said Serb operations have spread to Turi^evc village.

[04] All Albanian Patients Removed from Mitrovica Hospital

The hospital is run by Serb-installed authorities.

The Mitrovica municipality borders on Skenderaj (in Srbian 'Srbica'), where Serb forces launched an attack today against Albanian villages.

[05] LDK Officials to Meet Robin Cook in Belgrade

President Ibrahim Rugova of Kosova had a telephone conversation with Mr Robin Cook today.

[06] Situation Tense in Other Parts of Kosova

Prishtina High tensions and anxiety have been prevailing the Kosova's capital Prishtina. There are few people moving in the streets, while practically all the Albanian-run shops and businesses have been closed.

Increased movement of Serb police forces have been noticed in the streets.

The Reuters news agency reported today of two separate incidents to have occurred in Prishtina last night. Several shots were fired at a police station but no one was hurt, a Serb police officer has told Reuters. He also said that at the same time a police vehicle came under fire in a different part of the city.

Klina Sources in Klina, a municipality in central Kosova bordering on Drenica, said that heavily armed Serb police force have been roaming on the streets of this small town. There has been an extremely limited movement of people in the streets and virtually all the shops and service have been closed.

Sources said that Maxhun Ismaili, a reporter with the Prishtina based Koha Ditore daily, was detained by the Serbian police.

De^an The Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms said that heavy Serb police forces were seen moving towards the Junik village and the Gjocaj neighborhood of De^an, north-west of Kosova.

Still unconfirmed reports speak of a person killed in that village in still unknown circumstances.

Magura (Lipjan) Unspecified number Albanian women and children who have moved out of Drenica region today have been reported to have arrived in Magura, a mining village in Lipjan municipality bordering on Drenica. Children and women on board of tractor trailers have been reported to have reached also village of Vushtrri and Skenderaj.

[07] Serb Police Evacuates Serb Residents in a Podujeva Village

In Orlan village the police have visited every Serbian family.

This morning heavy Serbian force headed from Prishtina in the direction of Podujeva (north-east Kosova). Reports say there are heavy Serbian police forces in the town.

Sources in Podujeva said the is a large number of snipers on top of the high buildings in town.

In Llapashtic& village the Serbian police raided on the home of Albanian, Ali Potera. During the raid they demolished a lot of home furniture and beat severely all the men of the family.

At noon a Serbian army convoy left Podujeva in the direction of Kursumlia (Serbia).

[08] President Rugova Urges World Leaders to Intervene End Serb Attacks in Kosova

President Ibrahim Rugova urged the international community intervene with urgent preventative measures in Kosova, and to presure Belgrade into bringing an immediate end to Serb police/military operations in several villages of the Drenica region.

In an appeal addressed to President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Jacques Chirac, Chancellor Kohl, President Ibrahim Rugova of Kosova urged them pressure Belgrade into bringing an end to outrageous operations of Serb forces in Kosova.

The Kosova leader pressed for an international presence of all forms in Kosova to protect the people of Kosova, who have been engaged for years in a peaceful struggle for freedom and independence.

The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova called on the people of Kosova not to fall prey to Serb provocations and misinformation, both aimed at instilling fear and panic among the Albanians.

In face of the current situation, the President called on all Kosovar political forces to work together and be mobilized.

It is of great importance that political forces operating in the municipalities neighbouring on Drenica be prepared to help its population and to closely watch the grave situation in that region.

President Rugova assured today the affected people in Drenica and Kosova in general that he has been in contact with relevant international institutions regarding today's developments in Kosova.

The Kosova leader urged the media to inform objectively and speedily about the range of Serb actions in Drenica.

[09] President Rugova's Telephone Conversation with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook

They discussed about the most recent developments in Kosova.

The President informed Robin Cook, the current president of the European Union (EU) Council of Ministers, about the operations Serb police and military forces launched today in the municipalities of Skenderaj and Gllogovc, as well as about last week-end's massacre of Serb forces in the Drenica region.

President Rugova said the people of Kosova has been all along committed to its peaceful struggle for freedom and independence of their country.

He called on Great Britain, and the EU, to establish all kinds of presence in Kosova as a preventative measure to protect the people of Kosova.

The British Foreign Secretary expressed his deep concern over the most recent developments in Kosova and stressed that the EU is watching the situation in Kosova attentively.

Emphasizing that the EU stands for an acceptable settlement to the Kosova issue by peaceful means and dialogue, Robin Cook invited President Rugova visit London as soon as possible.

President Ibrahim Rugova invited the British Foreign Secretary visit Prishtina and get acquainted first-hand with the grave situation in Kosova.

[10] Classes in Kosova Schools Discontinued Until Monday

Meanwhile, the Kosova Federation of Sports said in a statement today that all sports events will be suspended in Kosova during the next week.

[11] ARMED SERB ATTACK IN DRENICA CONTINUES UNABATED - Serb forces reportedly launch attack on Llausha village late afternoon

In a telephone conversation, the Kosova Information Center (KIC) learned at 16:45 hrs that the Llausha village of Skenderaj (in Serbian 'Srbica') was being held under siege by Serb forces.

Electricity was reported cut off at Llausha, and reaching it be phone is very difficult indeed.

An LDK source from Llausha said in the afternoon the Serb armed attack on Prekaz village was going on. This source said shooting was being heard still from A^areva and Vojnik& villages of the Skenderaj municipality.

A huge Serb police build-up was reported in Skenderaj.

Serb forces, backed by heavy military equipment, launched an attack in the morning today, targeting the Prekaz village first. The village, neighboring on Llausha, was reported shelled with cannons.

Local people of the Drenica region outside the area where Serb armed operations were going on have been fleeing in panic throughout the day.

[12] U.S. Could Intervene Militarily if Belgrade Expands War into Kosova, Gelbard Says

Reuters has quoted Robert Gelbard as saying that he would join "its European allies at a special meeting in London next Monday that could threaten new sanctions on Yugoslavia if President Slobodan Milosevic does not act to ensure tensions with Kosovo are resolved peacefully" Foreign ministers and state secretaries of Contact Group members states - United States, Germany, Britain, France, Russia and Italy - are expected to meet in London on Monday to address the recent situation in Kosova.

"We continue to be prepared to deal with this problem (of Kosovo), with Milosevic, with his military and with his police, using every appropriate tool we have in our command," Gelbard told a meeting of the Defense Writers Group.

U.S. policy, which for years has held that Washington would respond militarily if Belgrade expanded the Balkan war into Kosova, "has not changed," Reuters quoted Gelbard as saying The prospect for violence in Kosovo has been building for some time and "we have warned Milosevic about this and he is going to have to face the consequences of his actions," he said.

[13] Serbian Police Prevents Kosovar Women's Protest in Front of American Center in Prishtina

Called by a local organization, the League of Kosova Women, the gathering was scheduled to begin at 17:00 hrs. The women were expected to protest the ongoing Belgrade-sponsored campaign of violence in Kosova, and to urge the United Stated undertake necessary steps into making the Belgrade regime end it outrageous armed attacks against people in Drenica, central Kosova.

Hundreds of women were denied access to the Dragodan neighborhood in Prishtina where the American Center is located. Serb police patrols were stationed in all the key positions leading to the Center.

[14] Political Parties in Albania Urge the World Act Urgently in Kosova

In a ten point statement Albania's political parties note that Milosevic is to be held responsible for the ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia and "is also ready to apply the same stand against 2 million Albanians in the Republic of Kosova. The Drenica massacre indicates the public start of the application of the platform of the extermination of the Albanians".

Calling on the international community - Security Council and the other UN bodies, the Group of Contact, the OSCE, the NATO, the EU, the WEU - to intervene energetically to prevent the conflict from escalating.

" We request the offer of facilities to NATO and WEU in Albania, so that these organisms fulfill their mission to guarantee the stability in the region", the statement reads.

The political parties of Albania call on the USA and the European Union to "provide assistance and support for the normal development of the March 22, 1998 election in Kosova; and to join their efforts for the solution of the Kosova problem, by immediately organizing an International Conference to this end", reads the statement.

[15] Kosova Is Hovering Between Massacre and Sacrifice, Albanian PEN says

The letter of appeal was signed by Dr. Sabri Hamiti, a leading Albanian writer from Kosova, secretary of the Prishtina-based Albanian PEN Centre organization.

"The systematic violence of the Serbian regime against two million Albanians in Kosova, which has been occurring for years on end, has in the past few days taken the form not only of state-sponsored terror but also massacre", the appeal says at the outset.

The Kosova Albanians have found themselves sealed off in a quarantine, "in which Serb police, military and paramilitary forces, amounting to around 50.000 troops, have been instituting ethnocide".

The movement of people and communications have been paralyzed, life put at risk on the street and in the house, the writers association said.

"Kosova has found itself hovering between massacre and sacrifice", the PEN Centre said.

"The Albanian-inhabited Kosova is in danger, it is a country and a people who should be saved".

The appeal recalls that in one day alone, over the last week-end, in two villages of the Drenica region of Kosova, 25 Albanians, men and women, were killed and massacred in front of their children; they underwent prolonged mutilations, with parts of their bodies being cut off. Serb criminal formations, disguised with masks or without them, roam freely and go about torturing Albanians on the streets and in homes, even forcing them out of their homes, the Albanian PEN said.

"This terror, which has been mounting amidst fresh police and military operations, is continuing today [Thursday, 5 March 1998] in many Drenica villages. It is feared that Serb massacres will be repeated in other regions of Kosova."

Albanians protests in Prishtina on Monday against Serbian violence and massacre in Drenica were broken up, and "some 400 peaceful protesters have been beaten up and injured by Serb security forces."

That day, journalists working for domestic and foreign news media were harassed and beaten up. Intellectuals, university professors, humanitarian and political activists were likewise targeted by Serb police that day.

What is going on at present is a continuation of the Serb police brutality against Albanian university students, who have been staging peaceful protests to regain access to university buildings from which they were forcefully kicked out seven years ago by Serb regime authorities, the Albanian PEN notes. "Ever since Albanian students have been attending classes in make-shift premises, private houses, whereas university buildings have been used to shelter Serb refugees and settlers from Croatia."

Over 80 Albanians are serving long-term prison terms in Serbia for their political views, the writers association recalls, adding that in the run-up to show political trials Albanian defendants have been exposed to cruel and inhumane treatment in the hands of Serb security and investigating authorities; "all this aimed at criminalizing the right of Albanians to free speech and expression of opinion". This has been done systematically to criminalize the call for human and national rights of Albanians.

The kicking of Albanians from jobs in the public sector and the plundering of public and private property has resulted in a grave social situation, facing half of the Kosova population with a struggle for mere existence, the Albanian PEN Centre said.

"The political and social situation has made, in turn, around 300.000 Albanians leave Kosova and go to Western countries, fleeing political persecution by Serbia and in search of elementary conditions of life. The speedy deterioration of the situation has been making people leave Kosova on a daily basis, not only individually, but also as families."

Dr. Sabri Hamiti then recalls that "the Albanian people of Kosova has pursued so far, at great costs, the peaceful policies advocated by their democratically elected leader, Ibrahim Rugova, a prominent intellectual and writer, who represents the political will of this people for freedom and independence of Kosova and adherence to tolerance and a civic society."

This policy "has enjoyed the admiration in the form of statements by the international community, but not duly supported to this day.", the Albanian PEN Centre warned. Therefore, the situation in Kosova, instead of inching towards understanding and reward by the outside worlds, is slipping towards misunderstanding and deterioration, it added.

"Does this mean that the international community preaches non- violence and civilization, while accepting realities created by the sheer use of force and violence?" - the Albanian PEN asks.

The Albanians of Kosova are on the very edge of their bare existence, their patience is running out, the PEN points out. "They (the Albanians) have nothing else to give to evade conflict but their lives."

They cannot any longer engage in plays of the victim trying to tame the Serbian fierceness in this quarantines. "They look at Europe and America, hoping they will not be sacrificed for a second time."

The Albanians of Kosova are hovering between massacre and a collective sacrifice, the Albanian PEN said, appealing on writers, intellectuals and scholars, their human consciousness, to understand Kosova, to visit Kosova, to speak about it, and tell their public opinions about it.

"Kosova is a nation which cries out to be saved!", Albanian PEN Centre Secretary Dr. Sabri Hamiti says at the end of this appeal.

Serbian Police Use Force to Disperse Peaceful Demonstration in Presheva PRISHTINA, March 5 (KIC) - Early afternoon today (Thursday) Serbian riot police used truncheons to disperse a peaceful demonstration of Albanians living in Presheva, an Albanian-inhabited municipality in southern Serbia, the information service of the Albanian parties in this region reported.

The protesters, who gathered in downtown Presheva spontaneously to protest against the Serbian police violence and terror in Kosova, were dispersed by heavy Serbian riot police, who used truncheons.

The police arrested today in Presheva the town mayor Riza Halimi, who is also the leader of the Albanian Party for Democratic Action, Nazer Haziri, deputy mayor of Presheva, Tahir Dalipi and Zenun Nasufi, former MPs in Serbia's Parliament, and Dr. Skender Destani, physician.

The police arrested also a number of local Albanian residents.

Sources in Presheva said they have all been held in detention and have not been released so far.

In a statement issued today (Thursday), the Albanian political parties in Presheva and other Albanian inhabited areas in southern Serbia called on the Albanian population in the region to exercise restraint.

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