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Kosova Daily Report #1612, 98-11-14
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1612
Prishtina, 14 November 1998
CONTENTS
[01] President Rugova Receives U.S. Senators, Ambassador Hill, and Italian
Ambassador
[02] Albanian Youth, Killed Almost Two Months Ago, Buried in Obri Village
[03] Menacing Buildup of Serb Troops in Malisheva Continues
[04] Serb Forces Harass Scores of Local Albanians in Suhareka
[05] Serb Police Harass Villagers, Loot Local Shops
[01] President Rugova Receives U.S. Senators, Ambassador Hill, and Italian
Ambassador
PRISHTINA, Nov 14 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova received today (Saturday) in separate meetings U.S. senators Frank
Lautenberg and Tom Harkin, and U.S. envoy for Kosova, Ambassador Chris
Hill.
The overall situation in Kosova and the prospects for the creation of a
climate and environment conducive to negotiations in pursuit of a political
settlement for Kosova were discussed at length during the meeting Rugova
had with the two U.S. senators, in which Ambassador Richard Miles, Chief of
U.S. Mission in Belgrade, was also participating.
President Rugova described the situation in Kosova as very grave and
precarious in the wake of the Serbian military and police aggression this
year, which has killed thousands of people, destroyed tens of thousands of
homes, and turned hundreds of thousands of Albanians into refugees and
internally displaced people. He said the huge presence of Serbian forces in
Kosova is a deterrent to the process of return of people, expressing his
hope that an early deployment of the OSCE and NATO verification missions
will instil a feeling of some security for Albanian people to return to
their homes and start rebuilding their lives.
President Rugova and U.S. senators Lautenberg and Harkin exchanged views
about ways to proceed with a political process in pursuit of resolution in
Kosova. He thanked them for their visit to Kosova and the U.S. Congress for
its longstanding support for a rightful solution to the Kosova issue.
In his meeting with the senators as well in discussions with U.S. envoy for
Kosova Chris Hill, Rugova stressed that compliance on the part of Belgrade
with international demands will pave the way for the advancement of the
negotiating process between Prishtina and Belgrade. In this context,
President Rugova said he appreciated the work of Ambassador Hill and his
team.
Meanwhile, the President had a meeting Friday evening with Italian
Ambassador to Belgrade, Ricardo Sessa.
Mr Sessa briefed Mr. Rugova on the decision of the Italian government to
launch a comprehensive humanitarian program to alleviate the humanitarian
crisis in Kosova.
[02] Albanian Youth, Killed Almost Two Months Ago, Buried in Obri Village
Remains of three unidentified people found in De^an area
PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - A young Albanian, Driton Hyseni (17), was buried
yesterday in the village of Obri e Ep&rme of Skenderaj ('Srbica'). His body
was found in the village of Likoc, buried under a layer of sands which Serb
forces had used in their fortifications in the area.
Driton was one of the 22 members of Hyseni family compound, rounded up by
Serb forces on 22 September at the beginning of the last huge Serb
offensive in Drenica region.
Eye-witnesses said Driton Hyseni was slain in a barbarian fashion by a Serb
army officer, slitting the Albanian youth's throat.
The Prishtina-based Koha Ditore daily carried today in its front page a
picture of the remains of Driton Hyseni.
Of those 22 rounded up almost two months ago, two are reported still in
Serb custody, whereas the fate of Zymer Hyseni, an old man, is still
unknown.
The remains, skeletons, of three unidentified people were found and buried
this past week in the De^an area, the scene of a brutal Serbian aggression
in late spring.
One of the bodies was found at Pob&rgj& village, the other at Shaptej, on
Tuesday, Koha Ditore reported. They were buried without any identification.
On Thursday, the skeleton of a person were found at Carrabreg i Ep&rm
village, also impossible to identify.
The remains were buried Friday at Carrabreg.
[03] Menacing Buildup of Serb Troops in Malisheva Continues
PRISHTINA, Nov 14 (KIC) - Serbian forces have been increasingly
concentrating in the town of Malisheva and in several villages in the area,
including Carralluka, Smonica, T&rpeza, Llazica, Balinca and Mle^an, the
head of Malisheva LDK Information Chapter told the KIC today (Saturday)
morning.
Isuf Bytyqi said Serb forces in armored vehicles have continued today
moving along the Malisheva-Rahovec road. Several local Albanians in the
villages along the road as well as IDP's who have been trying to return to
their villages have been intimidated and provoked.
The LDK activist said the local population is very much fearful of these
increasing and threatening Serb movements in the area. There is a feeling
that Serb forces will be once again allowed to crack down on the Albanian
population, with the international observers unable to do anything to
prevent further possible massacres, he said.
The wounding of four Albanians near Malisheva four days ago and the killing
of Xhafer Gashi (50) in his family courtyard in Mle^an village are but a
clear example that the Serb regime is intent on continuing violence, the
LDK activist said.
[04] Serb Forces Harass Scores of Local Albanians in Suhareka
PRISHTINA, Nov 14 (KIC) - Scores of Albanians in the municipality of
Suhareka have been subjected to Serb forces' brutality over the past two
days, local sources told the KIC today.
The LDK chapter in Suhareka, a town 55 km south-west of Prishtina, named
several local Albanians maltreated by Serb forces manning checkpoints in
the area as well as police patrols roaming the streets of the town. Several
Albanians were harassed, some beaten up brutally, at Shiroka village, not
far from the place where the OSCE verifiers have been stationed, it said.
At the village of Reshtan, where the Serb police have established a new
checkpoint recently, several Albanians were harassed and threatened. One of
them, Osman Gega, has told the LDK chapter in Suhareka he was beaten up
with no reason whatsoever at the checkpoint.
Serbian police forces were posted again yesterday at Krushica e Ul&t
village. The local IDPs, who had started returning to the village, are
fearful to stay in the homes that are at the Serb forces fire range.
[05] Serb Police Harass Villagers, Loot Local Shops
PRISHTINA, Nov 14 (KIC) - Over 20 Serb policemen cracked down on the local
Albanian population at Ke^ekolla village near Prishtina.
Local villagers told the KIC Serb policemen harassed all the people who
happened to be in the street of the village on Friday at 10 a.m., when
police in three armored cars went to the village square.
Hamit Aliu, a secondary school student, in Prishtina was one of the
Albanians beaten most.
Serb police raided later a shop ('Ylli') and a caf‚ ('Drita') in the
village, intimidating the owners and ordering both of them to give them
money.
Kosova Information Center
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