Kosova Daily Report #1458, 98-06-12

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1458
Prishtina, 12 June 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Meets British Prime Minister Blair, Foreign Secretary Cook

[02] President Rugova Meets German Foreign Minister Kinkel

[03] Albanian Wounded, Two Serb Policemen Killed in Exchange of Fire 10 Km Away from Prishtina

[04] Serbs Launch Four Ground-to-Ground Rockets in De^an Village

[05] Serb Forces Shell Border Villages Late Thursday Evening

[06] Serbia Reimposes Trade Blockade on Kosova

[07] 38-Year-Old Albanian Killed Today in De^an Municipality

[08] Albanian University Teachers Reveal Details of Serb Police Crackdown in Faculty Hall

[01] President Rugova Meets British Prime Minister Blair, Foreign Secretary Cook

President Rugova and Prime Minister Blair exchanged views on the most recent situation in Kosova, ways to prevent further escalation of violence, as well as prospects for a political solution to the crisis.

Rugova described the situation in Kosova as extremely dangerous in the wake of Serbian military and police aggression against the Albanian population, referring to what happened in De^an, Peja, Gjakova, as well as the border villages. Serb troops killed scores of civilian Albanians, wounded many others, shelled entire villages and settlements, including the town of De^an in western Kosova, turning scores of thousands of people into internally-displaced people or refugees in neighbouring Albania, President Ibrahim Rugova stressed.

The Kosova leader urged the British government, and indeed its Euro- Atlantic allies, to undertake urgent measures to prevent further ethic cleansing in Kosova and pressurize Belgrade into engaging in genuine efforts to find a political solution to the Kosova question.

Kosova enjoyed the status of one of the eight equitable units in the former Yugoslav federation, Dr. Rugova recalled, adding that when Yugoslavia disintegrated the people of Kosova opted democratically, in a national referendum, for an independent and neutral country. "This is the optimal arrangement that would stabilize the entire region".

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said the situation in Kosova was unacceptable. He pledged that Britain and its allies will press ahead with urgent measures and pressure to bear on Belgrade so that further escalation of violence is averted and a political solution for Kosova is sought in the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, President Rugova discussed Kosova, also Friday, with Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who hosted a working dinner for the Kosova leader and his aides.

"President Milosevic is now on his last walk. He will be making a heavy mistake if he imagined that international community will be as slow to respond as it was during the unfolding tragedy on Bosnia.", Robin Cook told the press after meeting Rugova in London.

[02] President Rugova Meets German Foreign Minister Kinkel

Participating in the meeting were also Kosova Prime Minister Dr. Bujar Bukoshi, and Veton Surroi, member of Rugova's negotiating team.

In the meeting at Lancaster House in the run-up to the Contact Group meeting in London today, Rugova and Kinkel discussed about the most recent developments in Kosova and the prospects for a political solution to the crisis.

The situation in Kosova is extremely dangerous in the wake of the Serbian military and police aggression against the Albanian population, Rugova said, referring to what happened in De^an, Peja, Gjakova, as well as the border villages in the past couple of weeks, but also earlier in other parts of Kosova.

The President pressed for urgent international action - by the Contact Group, the UN Security Council, and Nato - to bring about an end to Serbian military crackdown and pave the way for a negotiated solution to the Kosova issue.

Rugova reconfirmed the position of the Kosova leadership for an independent Kosova based on the political will of the people and the commitment to peaceful means.

The negotiating process between Prishtina and Belgrade cannot resume until Serbian brutalities have been terminated and the attacked areas in Kosova unblocked and made accessible to humanitarian and medical workers, as well as the displaced people, Dr. Rugova said.

Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said the current situation in Kosova is unacceptable, and pressed for an immediate end to violence.

Germany and its allies will not allow a repeat of the war atrocities of Bosnia in Kosova, Klaus Kinkel stressed. A political rather than a military solution for the Kosova issue should be sought, he said, expressing the hope conditions will be created for an early resumption of the Prishtina-Belgrade talks process.

[03] Albanian Wounded, Two Serb Policemen Killed in Exchange of Fire 10 Km Away from Prishtina

In an exchange of fire Albanians and Serb suffered casualties, according to reports.

An inhabitant of the village of Plemetin said an Albanian was wounded, whereas Serb sources reported of two Serb policemen killed and one wounded in the incident.

An eye-witness said on Thursday, around 19:00 hrs, four 'Yugoslav' army trucks and eight police vehicles headed to Plementin, a village one km west of Obiliq.

The Serb forces were stationed on the east bank of the Sitnica River. They pointed their guns in the direction of the villages of Hamidi and Bivolak in the municipality of Obiliq, and Strofc and other villages in the municipality of Vushtrri ('Vucitern').

It seems Serb forces were targeting the family compounds of Berisha, Krasniqi and Prokshi at the village of Hamidi, the eye-witness said.

Some Plemetin villagers tried to move out the village, but were threatened by Serb police. Some of them hid in the fields overnight, the witness said.

The LDK Information Commission in Obiliq said an armoured car and two other Serb vehicles headed to Hamidi around 20:00, to only be joined later by other Serb police cars.

LDK sources in Obiliq said there was an exchange of fire between Hamidi and Plementin from 21,10 through 22,50 hrs.

Serbian forces shelled some Albanian settlements, source said.

Plemetin villagers said Serb forces were joined last night by local Serbs but also reinforcements from the "Kosova B" power plant in Obiliq.

Gunfire was heard around 24,00, sources said, adding that they heard later the sound of women and children leaving homes on tractors.

A person originating from Plemetin - now living in Prishtina - said s/he could reach the village somehow and see a police build-up there.

The person said s/he said a young wounded man, who claimed there were other wounded people amongst local women and children.

The eye-witness said yesterday's attack was probably carried out by Serb forces allegedly aimed at cracking down on U^K forces.

Overnight, Serbian forces laid siege to the villages of Zhilivod&, Strofc, Be^uk, etc., lying on the foot of the ^iqavica mountain near the Drenica region.

The situation in this part of Kosova, a dozen km away from Prishtina, capital of Kosova, has been reported extremely dangerous.

Journalists have been turned back in their efforts to reach the area today.

Serbian air jets flew overhead Prishtina in the morning hours today.

[04] Serbs Launch Four Ground-to-Ground Rockets in De^an Village

A source from De^an said Serb forces launched last night, for the first time during their offensive in the area, four ground-to-ground rockets.

Serb launched three of them from a location called Bunari i Fush&s, between Carrabreg and Prejlep villages, and were meant to hit Gllogjan, the source said. They fell in a field harming nobody, the report said.

The fourth rocket was aimed at the Pob&rxh& village, the source said, adding that it could not say whether there were casualties or material damage.

The village of Prejlep has been under Serb attack since morning today, reports said, adding that the village of Baballoq was targeted, too.

[05] Serb Forces Shell Border Villages Late Thursday Evening

At around 22:30, the sound of two heavy detonations was heard as far as the town of Gjakova, the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said.

There was sporadic shooting overnight in the Reka e Keqe villages in the border area, in the municipality of Gjakova.

Reports said 37 houses of the village of Popoc have been levelled to the ground or burned down by Serbian forces.

There is an increasing movement of the population out of the attacked area.

Catering for the needs of so many people who found refuge in the town of Gjakova has been very difficult, as basic necessities are running short, sources warned.

[06] Serbia Reimposes Trade Blockade on Kosova

Serb police have blocked all trucks at Merdar, a village on the border between Kosova and Serbia.

Albanian truck drivers said Serb police asked them produce a special permit to bring in supplies into Kosova.

KIC has learned some of the Albanian tradesmen could not even load supplies in Serbian factories, again on account of lacking this kind of special document.

On 15 May, the very day 'FRY' President Milosevic met for the first time with Kosova President Ibrahim Rugova in Belgrade, a similar food blockade was imposed, lasting for a week or so.

[07] 38-Year-Old Albanian Killed Today in De^an Municipality

Reports from De^an said Serbian forces attacked Thursday afternoon and overnight the villages of Baballo^, Grama^el, Rastavic&, Prejlep, Irzniq, Carrabreg and Drenoc.

Today, however, the villages of Carrabreg i Ul&t and Prejlep have been reported attacked.

Serbian forces have used 220 mm cannons, reports said.

[08] Albanian University Teachers Reveal Details of Serb Police Crackdown in Faculty Hall

At least 15 Serb policemen broke up a meeting of teachers of the Faculty of Philosophy in Prishtina Wednesday, beating brutally all the 26 men and women who happened to be there.

All the six teachers who spoke to the press today morning in Prishtina had bandages all over their heads and arms.

In addition, they presented photos showing wounds all over their bodies.

Dr. Nijazi Zylfiu said the police broke brutally into the faculty hall, where the meeting of the teachers was underway. "Once they got inside the hall, they started beating people indiscriminately there. They did not explain why they intruded, neither asked us who we were or what we were doing. They hit us all, men and women, with long batons", he said.

Dr. Zylfiu said that they were beaten both in the teachers common hall, in the corridors of the building, as well as outside in the streets. "Serb policemen lined up on both sides of the narrow passageway, hitting all the teachers on their way out.

Most of us have sustained head injuries and even arms or finger fractures, as we tried to cover our heads," Dr. Zylfiu noted.

Najazi Zylfiu said that some of the beaten teachers are still in a vary bad health condition. One of them has even suffered spine injury, and is being treated in a private clinic, he said.

Dr. Edi Shukriu, said that besides being beaten inside the building of the faculty, Serb police who were scattered all over the neighborhood chased and beat the teachers out. "The [Serb police] intervention without any warning or search warrant is but an evidence that being an Albanian is all that you need to be beaten by Serb police".

Dr. Kadri Metaj, whose head was covered in bandages and his arms in plaster, said the Wednesday attack against the Albanian teachers was only part of the repression the people in Kosova in general have been subjected to for years now.

Kosova Information Center

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