Kosova Daily Report #1344, 98-02-12

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From: Kosova Information Center <kic_pr@zana-pr.ztn.apc.org>

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1344

Prishtina, 12 February 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Three Persons Killed and Hundreds Ill-treated in January, Kosova Human Rights Group Says

[02] Serbian Police Beat Severely 70-year-old in Kijeva

[03] Armed Serb Teenagers Threaten to Kill Albanian Students

[04] Serbs in Skenderaj Ask for Fresh Police and Army Forces in the Area

[05] Serb Paramilitaries Pledge Readiness to Fight Albanians in Kosova

[06] Serbian Police Loot Marketplace in Malisheva

[07] Albanian Mother Ill-treated in Front of Children

[08] Young Albanians in Gjilan Summoned to Join Serb Army

[01] Three Persons Killed and Hundreds Ill-treated in January, Kosova Human Rights Group Says

During January alone the 2Serbian police and military forces have undertaken a vast campaign of violence against the Albanian population, including mysterious abduction and liquidation of Albanians. The Council has recorded 313 cases of ill-treatment during January, in which cases the Serbian police used the most brutal methods against innocent population. In 101 cases the Serbian police used excessive torture.

Three Albanians were killed, and five were wounded, during January, the Council said. One person disappeared in yet unclear circumstances, and has been missing for two weeks now.

According to the report, there were 80 cases of arbitrary arrests.

Five persons were summoned to join the so-called Yugoslav Army (JNA).

During January the Serbian police raided on 80 Albanian families.

Twenty-four persons were tortured under the charges of alleged possession of weapons.

At least 33 persons were inflicted body injuries while under torture. The Serbian police have not spared women and children, either. They ill-treated or tortured 17 women and three children.

The Serbian police beat up 2 journalists for their reporting. There were numerous other cases of interrogation and ill-treatment of political and educational activists, says CDHRF.

[02] Serbian Police Beat Severely 70-year-old in Kijeva

Ramadan Ukaj, 70-years-old, was beaten severely just because he was wearing Albanian national hat, sources in De^an reported.

Sources in Gjilan reported that the Serbian police in Kijeva ill- treated Faik Sopi (34) from Gjilani. They told him they will have a similar situation in Gjilan soon!, referring to large-scalae campaign of repression which has been underway in Kijeva for a week now.

The Serbian police beat up 10 February Gani Makolli, Bedri and Fehmi Toplana teachers from Kijeva. The police demanded 30 DM from Gani Makolli, and since he did not have the money they beat him severely.

Sources throughout Kosova report of numerous cases of Albanians ill-treated at this police check-point.

[03] Armed Serb Teenagers Threaten to Kill Albanian Students

Fadil Krasniqi, father of Herolind, told LDK Information Commission that his son and other kids were saved owing to interference of the teacher Shaban Mustafa.

Meanwhile, yesterday at 6 p.m., a Serb civilian threatened with a revolver three Albanian youths at Qylag& village, sources in Lipjan said.

Qemajl Bahtiri, from Dubraj& e Madhe village, told LDK sources that the Serb civilian had asked them of the address of a person, but since they refused to tell him he pulled out his revolver and threatened them.

[04] Serbs in Skenderaj Ask for Fresh Police and Army Forces in the Area

The Prishtina-based Serb daily "Jedinstvo" said that in a meeting of the local branch of the Serb Socialist Party (SPS) in Skenderaj on Thursday which was attended also by the chief of Serb socialists of Kosova, Vojislav Zovkovic, Serbs demanded fresh enforcement of Serb police in the town to "provide safety and tranquil life for them", as they put it.

Skenderaj is a municipality in central Kosova with a 98 pre cent Albanian population.

For more than three weeks now, heavy Serb police forces, both police and military, deployed in the area have been already involved in a large-scale campaign of repression and terror against the Albanian population.

It bodes ill indeed the fact that the Serbs did not in a single sentence denounce the ongoing Serb police repression against their neighbors in Skenderaj yet demand fresh forces and stepped up efforts to terrorize their neighbors. Such an attitude does not serve to good cohabitation or neighboring relations but only incites hatred and conflicts.

Kosova Albanians have continuously denounced the violence regardless of its perpetrators, while the Kosovar leadership has advised the population to refrain from violence and not fall pray of provocations.

The President of the Republic of Kosova has repeatedly called on the Serbs in Kosova not to provoke their Albanian neighbors.

[05] Serb Paramilitaries Pledge Readiness to Fight Albanians in Kosova

The Serb newspaper Jedinstvo said in its today's issue that the "volunteers expressed their readiness to be at disposal of the Serb army and police in fighting Albanian terrorism in Kosova".

During the warfare in Croatia and Bosnia in 1991 and 1992 Serb volunteers from Kosova were involved in ethnic cleansing campaigns together with paramilitary units of Arkan and Seselj. The newspaper refers to the 'veterans' of those wars as "combatants of Serb liberation war".

Over the past weeks armed Serb civilians have been involved in wide-scale campaigns of harassment and provocations against Albanians. In several villages of couple of municipalities in central Kosova Serbs have even imposed a dusk-to-down curfew, terrorizing local Albanians.

[06] Serbian Police Loot Marketplace in Malisheva

The Serbian police looted the market place in downtown Malisheva, plundering scores of Albanian vendors, LDK sources in Malisheva reported.

The police prevented buses from entering and leaving the town and dispersed all the people waiting at the bus station. They used truncheons against a lot of people, says the report.

LDK Sources said the police ill-treated many secondary school students, too.

Meanwhile, LDK sources in Rahovec reported that the Serbian police have set up a check-point at a place called Rrasa at the entrance of the town, where they harass and intimidate every single person.

They stop every car and bus, and search them thoroughly.

The police are heavily armed and wear bullet-proof vests.

Sources in Rahovec said the police held last night for over an hour Cen Desku, LDK activist in Malisheva, Xhevat Kryeziu, and Isuf Bytyqi, journalist.

[07] Albanian Mother Ill-treated in Front of Children

The police demanded from her to turn in a revolver allegedly let over by her husband, who is currently in Germany. The police reportedly damaged a lot of home furniture during the raid. They threatened Mrs. Islami they'll be back.

[08] Young Albanians in Gjilan Summoned to Join Serb Army

The Serb army officials warn Albanian youth that in case they do not reply to summons they will face tough consequences.

Kosova Information Center

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