Kosova Communication 251

From: kosova@gn.apc.org (Kosova Information Centre)

Kosovo News Directory

Kosova Communication

Bulletin of Ministry of Information of the Republic of Kosova

5th year, No 251; 4 February 1996

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Writes to EU Council of Ministers

All the crises in the former Yugoslavia, including the Kosova issue, should be solved, Dr. Rugova said, noting that Dayton accords have retained an "outer wall" of sanctions against Serbia, which should be kept in place until a number of issues, including Kosova, are addressed first. Recognition by the EU would "encourage Belgrade to continue its aggressive policy and to reject any co-operation" towards to the resolution of the Kosova issue "on the basis of the political will of the people", President Rugova of Kosova concluded. Meanwhile, "Free Europe" radio said normalisation of relations the UE with the rump Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) will be made conditional on Serbia's recognition of the FYROM, the settlement of the Kosova issue, as well as the safe return of thousands of Kosova Albanian asylum-seekers, who have not been allowed back by the Serbian regime.

The High Representative of the international community in the former Yugoslavia, Mr. Carl Bildt, is quoted by the Belgrade-based Nasa Borba newspaper to have said in a press conference Monday "Kosova is among the key issues, high on the EU agenda", which will substantially determine the development of the rump Yugoslavia and the European Union.

[02] Berisha Visits Israel

President Berisha, concerning the situation in the Balkans, pointed out that Albania, while opposing violent changes of borders, encourages dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade with the mediation of a third party.

Prime Minister Peres, addressing this issue, stated that he appreciated the fact Albania supports dialogue for the solution of the question of Kosova.

[03] Albanian Parliament on Kosova

The intention of this question is obtaining information about attempts made by Albanian diplomacy for a solution to the question of Kosova, and more specifically, about the attitude of the Albanian diplomacy towards an earlier decision of the Albanian Parliament for the recognition of Kosova.

[04] Will Serbian Terrorism Remain Unpunished

The Belgian senator Anne-Marie Lizin requested an explanation from the Foreign Minister, Dericke, regarding shelter provided by Greece to the killer of Enver Hadri. She stated that Enver Hadri was killed in Brussels because of involvement in the protection of human rights to the majority Albanian community. Her question to the Foreign Minister concentrated on what measures the Belgian Government will undertake to realise the extradition of the criminal.

The criminal Asanin was part of the Serbian secret service. After the assassination, Belgian police identified two other criminals also involved in the killing: Andria Lakonic and Veselin Vukotic. In August 1995 Asanin was caught by Interpol in Greece and was arrested by Greek police. Greek authorities refused his extradition to Belgium deciding to return him to Belgrade. This has caused deep indignation among the Albanian community in Belgium and elsewhere.

[05] Serb Colonists Given Jobs of Albanians in Suhareka

The Serbian-installed authorities in Suhareka were quoted by the Prishtina- based Serbian daily "Jedinstvo" as saying all other Serbs refugees housed in the town will soon be given jobs. The LDK Information Commission in Suhareka noted that Serb colonists have been given the jobs of dismissed Albanians, sacked by the Serbian regime on ethnic and political grounds.

[06] Milosevic should be indicted

[07] Serbianization of Names in Klina

This campaign has not spared Klina, a small town in the central part of Kosova with an Albanian majority.

Street names, such as Ganimete Terbeshi , Ali Kelmendi, Emin Duraku, Avni Rrustemi and Xhemajl Kada were replaced with Slav names written in Cyrillic script.: Majka Jugovic, Kosovska, Knjaz Milos, Vuk Karadjic and Jug Bogdan. The same was done with a number of the remaining streets in the town. The two main streets of Klina were given the names of Serbian saints, Car Dusan and Sveti Sava.

The monument which was in the town centre was destroyed by the Serbian regime that claimed to have detected signs of separatism in its structure.

Serbian authorities also perceived a danger of Albanianism in the names of schools. It was the attack on school names that marked the beginning of the anti-Albanian campaign in 1988. The first school name to be attacked was Luigj Gurakuqi in Klina, then Azem Bejta in Grabanica. Serbian authorities then faced a strong opposition waged by teachers, the pupils and their parents, so this campaign was brought to halt in order to be reactivated again in 1992-3. In the village of Budisalc, the school name Liria was substituted with Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj, in Jashanica, Perparimi was substituted with Milan Rakic, in Grabanica, Azem Bejta became Branislav Nusic.

In addition, all portraits of Albanian historical figures and personalities as well as all inscriptions in Albanian were removed from schools where there are Albanian and Serbian pupils.

Serbs are given key positions in all institutions. Communication is carried out in Serbian alone, now the only official language. Administration is also carried out in Serbian only. Young Albanians are often ill-treated because they cannot speak Serbian. Inscriptions in both languages remain only at the post offices and clinics. Inscription for shops and companies belonging to Albanians are written first in Serbian, in Cyrillic alphabet, and then in Albanian. These inscriptions have a disconcerting effect because, many Albanian words are impossible to be written in Serbian.

[08] Albanian Political Prisoners Must be Released

Most of the 160 former Albanian policemen sentenced in 1995 in Prishtina, Peja, Gjilan and Prizren and former Albanian army officers who are still imprisoned, are not included in the above list.

[09] One Albanian Dies, Several Gravely Wounded, by Gang of Slavic Refugees

The latest reports said the wounded people are in a critical condition. Doctors at Peja hospital are fighting for the life of Brahim Deme Shabanaj. The danger that Slavic refugees settled in Kosova might pose to Kosova has been frequently cited by the Kosova leadership, Albanian political and human rights activists, when they warned against the Serbian regime's plans for settlement of Serbs and Montenegrins in densely-populated Kosova, in an attempt to change the ethnic structure of the country. Around 20.000 Serbs and Montenegrins (mostly from Bosnia and Croatia), including several of thousand refugees from Albania, have been settled in Kosova in the past few years.

Hasan Shabanaj gave the following statement: Suddenly a group of Serbian refugees entered our Travel Agency office and ordered customers that were present to leave the building. They then attacked us with knifes. Each of them possessed two long double edged knives , similar to bayonets. The attack was observed by Serbian police. Following the massacre, police removed some of the attackers away. Others followed the police vehicle. One of the policemen, Zarko Milosevic, is the son in law of the refugees who committed the crime. Another fact proving the police involvement in this crime was that Beqir Shabanaj was ordered to report to the police station where he was kept until the refugees ended the mascre. Several years ago, Serbian authorities settled 1000 Serbian refugees in Dean area. Since then they provoked many incidents, individuals or groups attacking innocent Albanians. The attacks have increased during January.

[10] NEWS IN BRIEF

Prishtina, 30 January - The President of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, received the Charge dAffairs of the French embassy in Belgrade, Gabriel Keller. Rugova told Mr. Keller that Kosova demands temporary International civil administration until the situation is normalised and mediated talks on the future of Kosova may commence.

Tetova, 30 December - Tetova Magistrates Court fined the following Albanians for violating public peace and order by unlawfully raising the flag of the Republic of Albania at several rallies , schools and other building and on 28 November 1995, the Albanian National Day: Fadil Rexhepi, Jusuf Ferati, Isak Sefer, Ilaz Halimi,and Bedredin Ibrahimi .

Prishtina, 1 February - The Belgrade based daily Nasa Borba writes that following the peace settlements in Bosnia and Eastern Slavonia, paramilitary forces of the Serbian criminal Arkan will be transferred to Kosova. According to the paper a tigers centre is to be established in Ferizaj. Borislav Pelevic, a close associate of Arkan, is reported to have said that in event of war in Kosova, Arkans guard will be at the disposition of the Serbian nation.