Kosova Daily Report #1390, 98-04-02

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1390

Prishtina, 2 April 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives Wolfgang Ischinger

[02] President Rugova Receives Delegation of The French National Assembly

[03] LDK Calls for Withdrawal of Special Serb Forces from Kosova

[04] Fresh Serb Massacre May Be a Crime Foretold, Local LDK Activist at LLausha Says

[05] Serbs Were Disguised in 'U^K' Uniforms During Serb Onslaught in Drenica, Eye-Witness Says

[06] Tense Situation in Skenderaj and Klina

[07] Seven-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in Gjakova Area

[01] President Rugova Receives Wolfgang Ischinger

President Rugova and Mr. Ischinger had a lengthy discussion about the situation in Kosova, and the future steps to ensure a peaceful resolution of the Kosova issue.

Ambassador Ischinger stressed the German Governments's commitment to a rapid progress towards a settlement for the Kosova crisis.

Rugova and Ischinger stressed the importance of the Contact Group's call for an unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade.

President Rugova described the situation in Kosova as very tense in the midst of stepped up actions of Serb police and (para)military. He reaffirmed that the people of Kosova and their leadership are committed to non-violence and peaceful means in their strive for freedom, independence and democracy. Dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade, with the assistance and under mediation of a third international party, is critical to ensure a negotiated solution for Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova underlined.

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger called for a smooth and speedy implementation of the Education Agreement which would contribute to building confidence between Albanians and Serbs. He said the EU stood ready to help and urged all sides to cooperate with Sant' Egidio to reduce tensions.

The Kosova President said he appreciated the German Government's commitment to help the solution of the Kosova issue.

[02] President Rugova Receives Delegation of The French National Assembly

The President and the delegation of the National Assembly of the French Republic exchanged views about the dangerously deteriorating situation in Kosova and the possibilities for a negotiated settlement of the Kosova issue.

Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said the situation in Kosova is extremely grave in the wake of the terror campaign of Serb forces in several villages of the Drenica region as well as the De^an municipality. Almost one 100 Albanians, including women and children, were slain by Serb forces, and whole family compounds shelled, he added.

The President called for international pressure to bear on Belgrade so that the actions of Serb forces be brought to an end, and Serb special police and paramilitary forces be pulled out.

Regarding the prospects for a political resolution of the Kosova crisis, President Ibrahim Rugova said the people of Kosova are committed to pursue their legitimate demands for independence by peaceful and political means. The Kosova leadership has been steadfast on its willingness to engage in an unconditional, well-prepared dialogue, in the presence of a third international party, he emphasized. "Mediation is not a precondition but a device for a meaningful and fruitful talks process, and a guarantor of the outcome."

Touching on the historic, political and legal identity of Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova recalled that in the former Yugoslavia, Kosova was one of the eight equitable units of the federation. In the wake of the disintegration of the now defunct federation, the people of Kosova opted for independence in a national referendum, he stressed.

An independent and neutral Kosova, with all guarantees for local Serbs and their interests, is the best solution, President Ibrahim Rugova said. This arrangement would stabilize the entire region, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia itself, he added.

Members of the French National Assembly said their country stands for an equitable and negotiated settlement to the Kosova crisis.

President Rugova was handed over an initiation to visit France extended by the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Assembly, Mr. Jacques Langue.

[03] LDK Calls for Withdrawal of Special Serb Forces from Kosova

These forces have been maintaining a "harsh grip on the Drenica region and are terrorizing the defenseless people", the LDK said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The Belgrade regime has been spurning calls by the Contact Group for Serbian special forces to pull out of the region, the LDK said. Reports speak to the contrary: of Serb troop reinforcements in Drenica, the party added.

The LDK called "lies" remarks the Serbian officials have been making about the alleged withdrawal of Serbian special police forces from Drenica.

In order to prevent a conflict breakout and create the climate for a meaningful dialogue on Kosova, Serbian special police and military forces should be withdrawn, the LDK concluded.

[04] Fresh Serb Massacre May Be a Crime Foretold, Local LDK Activist at LLausha Says

A Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) source in Skenderaj told the Kosova Information Center (KIC) the Serb forces are digging in, not moving out of the Drenica region.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fadil Geci, local LDK leader in Llausha village said Serb forces have been reinforcing in the surrounding hills in the past few days.

Serb forces are in the habit of opening fire on the village whenever they know there are no foreign journalists around.

An extremely difficult situation prevails in Rakinica, Gllodenica and other villages amidst an alarming shortage of food and medical supplies.

Mr. Fadil Geci called on the public opinion in Kosova, the Kosova institutions, the Government of Albanian, and the international community at large to do all they can to ensure that Serbia withdraws its special police and (para)military forces from Drenica.

Serbian reinforcements in the region amount to a fresh massacre foretold, the local LDK activist said, adding that in such a case all concerned who can do something to prevent it will become accomplices, politically and morally.

[05] Serbs Were Disguised in 'U^K' Uniforms During Serb Onslaught in Drenica, Eye-Witness Says

Over 80 Albanians, including children and women, were slain by Serb forces in Prekaz and neighboring villages in the Drenica region in central Kosova in early March during a huge operation of Serb police and paramilitary forces.

The Serb regime claimed it was tracking down and destroying cells of militant organization which calls itself Ushtria ^lirimtare e Kosov&s - U^K (Liberation Army of Kosova). Over a dozen villages in the area have been sealed off by Serb forces for over a month now.

The Albanian from Prekaz village has told the Prishtina-based Bujku newspaper that he was himself arrested by Serb-speaking persons who were wearing clothes the press and television had described as being U^K uniforms.

"The attack in Prekaz started at 6:30 a.m. From my house I could see a large number of uniformed persons who opened fire without warning. Shelling started from the game ammunition factory [a site between Skenderaj and Prekaz]. I saw houses being burned down from grenades. The house of Shaban [Jashari] was set on fire first, then that of Maliq, Beqir, Sherif, Fejza, and Zuka [all of them surnamed Jashari]. The next day the houses of Tahir, Halit, Qerim, Hamit and Sadik [Jashari] were burned. The all-out attack lasted from Thursday morning until Friday evening", the witness who spoke on condition of anonymity told Bujku newspaper.

He further said that during the whole time he was trapped inside his house trying to calm down his terrified kids. On Friday, at around 10:30 a.m., the shooting had died out, so he attempted to run out of the village. After having walked for about 150 meters he was halted by armed men in uniforms, he said. "The uniforms they were wearing were those I had seen in newspapers and television described as being the uniforms of the U^K. There were about 30 such persons who ordered me to stop with my hands up. They spoke in Albanian when ordering me to stop, but soon they shifted into Serbian. When seeing I was unarmed they asked one another what they were to do with me. Some said they would kill me, others said they would better wait a while. 'Da pitamo onog glavnog", (let's ask the chief) said on of them".

The Albanian, a school teacher, told Bujku that soon he had his eyes concealed with a dark scarf until he saw himself inside the game ammunition factory. "I was in front of man in a blue-and-black uniform and a painted face, who started kicking me immediately. He broke my jaw, while blood was coming out of my ear. 'Bice mesa veceras' (there will be meat for tonight'), other Serbs said. A civilian began questioning me about the U^K. I said I was a teacher and I only knew about it [U^K] what the media said.

The Albanian said that while he was kept in the game ammunition factory he realized that it was that very place from where the whole Serb operation was being conducted. He said other people, including women and children, were being held in the factory.

The Albanian revealed in details how he was tortured with a blanket over his head, how he was threatened and intimidated.

"Just before dusk, we were taken to the police station in Skenderaj. There were four Serbs, who brandished knives and threatened they would cut our heads. A very tall policemen hit me on my stomach. I only came back to my senses in a room,in which there were many security officers. I think I knew 3 or 4 of them. They had been in Prekaz in 1991".

He said he was later transferred to the Serb security premises in Mitrovica, from he was set free at about 22 hrs.

The Albanian said he was tortured and could hardly move for four days.

[06] Tense Situation in Skenderaj and Klina

Several Albanian families fled their homes in panic.

Sources in Skenderaj said at least three persons among the displaced population died of natural death over the last five days. They could not be buried in their home villages, but rather in the villages they had fled to.

Ali Rrahmani, native of Turiqefc, shot dead by the Serbian police, was picked up by his relatives in the Peja morgue after 12 days. He was buried in the local cemetery in Gjurgjevik of Klina.

A 14-month little girl, Marigon& Vojvoda, died two days ago, but could not be buried at Llausha. She died because of the freezing weather, her mother claims. "We run away through the mountains in the wake of Serb attack at Prekaz, fleeing to Tushilla. The girl got sick because of freezing temperatures. We got her to the Mitrovica hospital eventually. She died, and we were prevented from having her buried in the native village of Llausha", Mevlude Vojvoda, mother of the girl, told the Bujku newspaper.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Chapter in Klina reported the Serbian forces buried 'something' at the Albanian cemetery at the Shtupel village of Klina, Albanian-language Bujku reported.

An expedition of 10 Serbian policemen dug a "hole" in the Albanian cemetery in Shtupel with a tractor, buried "something" in it. Witnesses said they saw a funeral services' vehicle the same day. The Human Rights Council said the area around the cemetery was kept under a strict control by Serb forces during the whole time.

Bujku said the Human Rights Council suspected the Serb forces buried unidentified persons they had killed during their onslaught on the Drenica region.

[07] Seven-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in Gjakova Area

The little girl was a second-form pupil at the local primary school.

The dead body was taken to the Gjakova town hospital. As the post mortem obduction has not been carried out, the circumstances of her death remain still unknown.

Relatives of the little girl said she had signs on the body indicating she might have been raped, Bujku daily reported today.

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