Kosova Daily Report #1365, 98-03-08

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1365
Prishtina, 8 March 1998

First Edition: 14:30 hrs
Second Edition: 17:45 hrs
Third Edition: 20:00 hrs

CONTENTS

[01] 50 Albanians Released from Detention in Game Ammunition Factory

[02] Prekaz and Llausha Still Sealed Off

[03] Residents of Llausha Cannot Bury Their Dead

[04] LDK Sources Say Seven, Suspected Killed and Included in the CDHRF List, Are Alive

[05] Federation of Red Cross Prevented from Reaching Crisis Areas in Drenica

[06] Prishtina Women Stage Protest in front of American Center

[07] Young Serbs Refugees Removed from Banja Village of Peja

[08] Serb Forces Resume Actions in Drenica, Targeting Three Albanian Villages

[09] Villages Still under Serb Deadly Siege in Fourth Day of Serb Crackdown

[10] Peaceful Protests to Be Staged in Kosova Monday

[11] Serb Police Beats Indiscriminately Catholic Churchgoers in Peja

[12] Albanian Women Protesters Beaten in Peja and Mitrovica

[13] U.N. Human Rights Chief Urges Action on Kosova

[01] 50 Albanians Released from Detention in Game Ammunition Factory

LDK sources in Skenderaj said scores of Albanians were held there as hostages and detainees, and that many of them were ill-treated.

Most of the attacks of Serb forces against the Drenica villages were prepared in or launched from this Serb-run factory, reports said.

[02] Prekaz and Llausha Still Sealed Off

Four days ago huge Serb forces launched police/military operations in several villages in Drenica, shelling who Albanian family compounds. Scores of Albanians, including women and children, were killed in their own homes.

Early evening yesterday a number of Serb forces moved out of the area, reportedly heading for Mitrovica.

There were reports that this morning fresh Serb forces, on several buses with Nis (Serbia) license plates, and armored vehicles and police vans headed towards the affected area from Mitrovica and Klina.

KIC sources in Skenderaj, Vushtrri ('Vucitern') and Mitrovica said there were no fresh attacks of Serb forces on Prekaz and Llaush& villages, excepting sporadic shooting. The danger comes from the Serb snipers who shoot on anything on move.

The situation continues to be very dramatic, in particular in Prekaz i Posht&m village.

There are a lot of victims, killed and wounded people. No medical team or humanitarian organization, or even journalists, have been allowed in the area during the fierce Serb police/military operations, which started Thursday morning.

People who made it close to the area, say they could see bodies scattered about the fields.

LDK sources in Sk&nderaj (Srbica) told KIC there was no movement in town itself out of fear from snipers and Serb forces patrolling the small town.

The situation regarding food and water supplies has been described as very difficult. The town has found itself sealed off for days.

All the roads, from Mitrovica, Gllogovc and Klina have been blocked by the Serb forces and no one has been able to enter the town from these directions.

Sources in Mitrovica and Vushtrri (Vucitern) said the flow of refugees from the Drenica area to Mitrovica and Vushtrri has continued yesterday and last night.

The number of refugees these two towns has reached five thousand, according to reports.

[03] Residents of Llausha Cannot Bury Their Dead

Sporadic shootings from snipers were heard during the night, he said.

Five victims, residents of the Llausha village, killed by Serb forces three days ago could not be buried yet as the local who are remained in the village dare not go out being under constant sniper fire.

Sadik Ka^kini, Bajram Gashi's wife and their three children, Gazmend, Shukrije and a third child whose name could not be obtained were reported killed on March 5.

[04] LDK Sources Say Seven, Suspected Killed and Included in the CDHRF List, Are Alive

The Prishtina-based CDHRF is the major human rights organization which has a network of chapters in Kosova.

The LDK branch in Mitrovica said it had credible sources which indicate that seven people, suspected to have been killed and included in the list of the CDHRF, have not been killed.

So, Zuk& Jashari, Qemal Sherif Jashari, Naim Zuk& Jashari, and the wife of Halit Jashari are alive.

Likewise, the LDK branch said, it is not true that three members of the family of Sabit Jashari have been killed.

Sabit's wife and sister have informed they are in Gllogovc, but that they have no knowledge about the fate or whereabouts of the son.

[05] Federation of Red Cross Prevented from Reaching Crisis Areas in Drenica

In press statement issued today, head of the ICRC Sub-delegation in Prishtina, Pascal Haldimann said: "As our humanitarian trip of yesterday (07.03.98) was unsuccessful (authorities mentioned that humanitarian organizations are transporting weapons) today ICRC/Federation team will be trying to reach once again Mitrovica, Skenderaj and Prekaz.

Other team will precede towards Macedonia in order to make a survey of the situation".

Meanwhile, a local resident in Llausha told KIC today early afternoon that three vehicles of international organizations were seen leaving the small town of Skenderaj heading for Prekaz at around 13:00.

In a telephone conversation he could not confirm whether they were allowed to enter the village. He could neither specify the names of the international organizations the vans belonged to.

[06] Prishtina Women Stage Protest in front of American Center

The demonstration, which started at noon, was staged by a network of women organizations in the Republic of Kosova to protest the Serbian military and police operations in the Drenica region.

The motto was "We stand in front of our doorsteps".

There was a ubiquitous Serb police presence in the Kosova capital.

The protesters held white sheets of papers.

There were women and children victims during Serb police/military sweep against Albanian people in Drenica, a statement of the protest said.

The Albanian called on the international community to review its attitude towards the peaceful struggle of the Kosovars, and the outrageous Serb regime's behavior in Kosova.

A humanitarian corridor should be established to offer the due assistance to the people in Drenica, the women said.

The director of the USIS Center in Prishtina, Richard Huckaby, received a delegation of the women protesting today.

Among the organizations staging the protest were the Center for the Protection of Women and Children, The LDK Women's Forum, The League of Albanian Women, Women in Black.

Similar protests were staged in other urban centers in Kosova.

[07] Young Serbs Refugees Removed from Banja Village of Peja

The bus Serb refugees were driven was escorted by a Serbian police vehicle, sources said. It is suspected that the Serbs could be recruited into Serb army.

Other Serb refugees, generally orderly ones, were lodged at the Oniks hotel and have been guarded by the Serbian police.

[08] Serb Forces Resume Actions in Drenica, Targeting Three Albanian Villages

LDK sources said that heavy guns of all kinds are being used.

A source in Llausha village told Kosova Information Center (KIC) on 8the phone this afternoon that the sound of firing can be heard in the village, which is about 15 km away from Jashanica.

Sources in Klina said that Serb police/military tanks and other vehicles have been moving towards Skenderaj from Klina.

Since Thursday morning Serbian forces have imposed a deadly siege around several Albanian villages in Drenica region, central Kosova. Scores of Albanians, including women and children, are feared dead in the ongoing onslaught of Serb forces.

[09] Villages Still under Serb Deadly Siege in Fourth Day of Serb Crackdown

Some villages in Drenica were reported fired upon for some time in the afternoon. Latest reports said they have ceased before dusk.

The Serb siege Llausha and Prekaz i Ul&t villages of Skenderaj continues.

The number of casualties in the four-day Serb attack against the civilian Albanian population in Drenica is still unknown.

The Serbian occupation authorities have not allowed humanitarian or medical crews enter the affected region.

[10] Peaceful Protests to Be Staged in Kosova Monday

The decision was made today during a joint meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Albanian Political Parties of Kosova, the Independent Student Union of the University of Prishtina, and the Kosova Independent Trade Unions, The half-an-hour peaceful protests will start at 11:00. They will be held in the Kosova capital Prishtina, and all other municipal centers throughout Kosova.

The peaceful manifestations come as Serb onslaught on Albanian villages in the Drenica region continues.

[11] Serb Police Beats Indiscriminately Catholic Churchgoers in Peja

A statement issued by the "Sh&n Katarina" (Saint Catherine) Catholic Church in Peja said today at around 12:25 right after the High Mess was heard, Serb policemen cracked down brutally against the people leaving the churchyard.

Many have suffered severe body injuries, the statement said.

Serb regime authorities in Peja and Belgrade, as well as international religious organizations have been notified about the Serb police crackdown.

The Serb police attack against churchgoers was not provoked by any move, the statement signed by the pastor of the church, Don Lec Sopi, said.

There is a 70.000-strong Catholic Albanian community in Kosova, and a Kosova Diocese.

[12] Albanian Women Protesters Beaten in Peja and Mitrovica

Meanwhile, sources in Mitrovica said the Serbian police obstructed the women's protest in this town, and beat the teacher Luljeta Sara^ini, Fatime Prekazi and Kadrie Shipoli, activists with the women's movement.

Over 15 thousand women protested Sunday the Serb regime terror in Prishtina. Rallies were staged in half a dozen other town in Kosova

[13] U.N. Human Rights Chief Urges Action on Kosova

The former Irish president urged the international community to stop violence in Kosova from spreading, Reuters news agency reported.

Ms Robinson, now U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, was speaking in the fringes of a forum on human rights in Ireland.

"We have to take preventive measures and recognize that the situation is deteriorating quite rapidly," she was quoted as saying, referring to the violence which erupted in Kosova last week.

"This is very, very worrying and could have a wider impact in the whole region, so I hope it will be given the proper priority," she said.

Robinson welcomed a meeting of major power foreign ministers due to take place in London on Monday.

Robinson said on Tuesday that the problems of Kosova would have to be resolved through negotiation, not force, and through respect for human rights.

On Saturday she said she would prefer to hear the outcome of Monday's meeting before commenting on what concrete steps she thought should be taken.

"We keep talking, both at the U.N. and at the international level, about lessons learned -- but we don't learn the lessons!" she concluded.

Kosova Information Center

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