Kosova Daily Report #1359B, 98-03-02

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1359

Prishtina, 2 March 1998

Third Edition (16:45 hrs)

CONTENTS

[01] March 3 - National Day of Mourning in Kosova

[02] Serb Police Cracks Down Brutally Against Peaceful Protesters in Prishtina

[03] President Rugova Denounces Serb Crackdown on Peaceful Protest in Prishtina on Monday

[04] President Rugova's Condolences to Albanian Families

[05] Definitive Death Toll in Serb Attack in Drenica During Weekend Still Unknown

[06] Developments in Kosova Endanger the Entire Region, Kinkel Says

[07] European Commission Condemns Violence in Kosova

[08] Albania Demands that Belgrade End Violence in Kosova

[09] Kosova Bosniaks Denounce Serbian Police Terror

[10] History Scholar Beaten up in Downtown Prishtina

[11] Albanian Receives Gunfire Wounds in Prishtina

[12] Ms Fatime Azemi, Albanian Protester, in Comma After Being Run Over by Serb

[01] March 3 - National Day of Mourning in Kosova

This is in honor of the Albanians massacred by Serb forces in the municipalities Skenderaj and Gllogovc in the region of Drenica over the weekend.

[02] Serb Police Cracks Down Brutally Against Peaceful Protesters in Prishtina

Scores of Albanians have been reported beaten up and injured by the police during and in the wake of protest. The Serb riot police used batons and water cannons to break up the peaceful demonstration.

A similar protest was staged in Podujeva, a town north of Prishtina where, according to sources there, around 30.000 people rallied peacefully in the streets of this small town.

Today's protest rallies were called by the coordinating council of the Prishtina branches of the Kosovar political parties to protest the Serb police brutal crackdown in the Drenica region over the week-end, where some 20 people were killed and scores of others wounded and arrested by Serb forces.

Dozens of protesters have reportedly sought medical assistance in several private clinics in Prishtina today. Dr. Osman Sejfia, director of the "Galaksia" private clinic, told KIC that over 20 people had sought assistance in his clinic by noon. Mr. Sejfiu said five of them had suffered fractures: extremities, head and jaw. He also said the number of persons seeking medical assistance there was growing every minute.

Many protesters were reportedly beaten up by Serb police after 11 o'clock, when the protest was declared practically over and people were heading homes. Many were halted or beaten indiscriminately in the back street and smaller lanes leading to the town center where the protest was staged.

After the crowd was dispersed from the downtown streets, heavy Serb police forces were seen moving in the direction of the Kodra e Trimave neighborhood. At around 11:20 fire shootings from fire arms, including automatic rifle, were heard coming from the northern part of the town, i.e the Kodra e Trimave neighborhood. No casualties have been reported.

Several men, presumably police officers in plain clothes, with sniper guns in their hands were seen leaving the building of the former Banka e Lubjan&s (Bank of Lubjana) after the protest was over.

Among those beaten up during the police intervention in Prishtina today were Fatmir Sejdiu, LDK Secretary General, Adnan Ruhani, KIC photographer, Avni Spahiu, editor-in-chief of Bujku newspaper, Veton Surroi, editor-in- chief of Koha ditore daily, Ibrahim Osmani, VOA correspondent in Prishtina.

Fatmir Sejdiu has suffered an arm fracture, while the others have suffered lighter body injuries.

Eyewitness have told KIC that Serb police has beaten children and women in Prishtina today. At Ramiz Sadiku street the police beat up an Albanian lady and her son solely for having saluted the protesters.

Sources told KIC that apart from Serb police forces, Serb civilians have harassed and even taken part themselves in beating Albanians.

Serb students were seen throwing glasses at Albanian protesters in front of the Faculty of Philology. Scores of Serb students who came out of the students canteen shouted offensive slogans against the Albanians walking peacefully.

In the vicinity of the Students Dormitory, occupied by Serb students only, the police has beaten up several Albanian old men. albanians wearing traditional national white hats were reportedly halted by the police, were beaten up behind a couple of parked buses there, and had their hats trampled down.

[03] President Rugova Denounces Serb Crackdown on Peaceful Protest in Prishtina on Monday

President Ibrahim Rugova said in a statement today's protest manifestation was "peaceful and dignified".

He denounced the Serb police crackdown against the participants of the peaceful protest. "The protesters did not in any way provoke violence,", Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said, adding that the Albanians expressed their opposition to violence, and did this "peacefully and in a civilized manner".

President Rugova pressed for international pressure on Belgrade to end the mounting Serbian campaign of violence against Albanians in Kosova. He urged the international community, the United States of America and the European Union, to work on creating the conditions for the establishment of an equitable dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade, under the effective mediation of a third party, in pursuit of a peaceful resolution of the Kosova issue, a statement from President Rugova's Office concluded.

[04] President Rugova's Condolences to Albanian Families

"On the occasion of the killing of members of your families, your loved ones, in the massacre in Drenica, please accept my deep sympathies and the sympathies of the people of the Republic of Kosova.

Be strong in these hard times, because all Kosova, the Albanian world and the civilized world stands by you, by us, down the road of freedom and independence.", President Rugova said in his letter of message of sympathies to the bereaved Albanian families.

[05] Definitive Death Toll in Serb Attack in Drenica During Weekend Still Unknown

A wide zone stretching into half a dozen villages between Gllogovc and Skenderaj (in Serbian 'Srbica') was under the siege of the Serb police forces for around 30 hours, starting from Saturday noon.

Residents of Likoshan village of Gllogovc have told LDK sources they could count a convoy of 55 to 50 armoured vehicles with Serb police on board leaving the village on Sunday afternoon. Heavy Serb police forces have been likewise reported involved in the attack against Albanians in other villages, including the town of Skenderaj itself. Witness have spoken of unseen nightmare and large-scale terror perpetrated against Albanian men, women and children.

Different sources of information have carried discrepant figures of fatalities in Drenica during the last weekend.

The Kosova Information Center (KIC) has so far learned about the identities of ten Albanians killed by the Serb forces: four brothers, Beqir Sejdiu, Bekim Sejdiu, Bedri Sejdiu and Nazmi Sejdiu and their relatives Xhemshir Nebiu and his wife Rukije Nebiu, killed at Qirez village; Muhamet Islam Gjeli (70) and his son Naser Gjeli (37), Rexhep Ajet Rexhepi killed at Likoshan village, and Bekim Beqir Deliu (16) killed in Skenderaj.

Sources in Skenderaj and Gllogovc say the number of fatalities is still bigger. There have beer reports saying that bodies of the dead people were not collected and identified yet, whereas, some sources have said that an unspecified number of dead bodes have been collected by the Serb police and allegedly sent to forensic medicine institute. Meanwhile, the area where the institute for forensic medicine as well as the morgue in the Prishtina hospital have been strictly guarded by the Serbian police since Saturday night.

Serb Police Claims It Has Killed 16 Albanians in Drenica The Ministry of Interior (police) of Serbia has confirmed that its forces killed 16 Albanians in Drenica during the last weekend.

In a statement issued on Sunday the Serb police ministry said the 16 Albanians were killed in the villages of Likoshan and Qirez.

Four Serb policemen were killed and two others wounded in Drenica, the statement said.

Wounded Albanian Dies Being Denied Medical Assistance Bekim B. Deliu (16) from Sk&nderaj died Sunday afternoon from the wounds he had received a couple of hours earlier in Skenderaj.

The Bujku newspapers said the Albanian boy died as the Serbian police had prevented the people from offering him a timely medical assistance.

Bekim Deliu was fatally wounded by the Serbian police just outside the town of Skenderaj, while in an attempt to leave the town and go to his native village in Polac.

Serb Police Fastens Two Men to Posts and Beats Them to Death The Koha Ditore newspaper has quoted residents of Qirez village of Gllogovc as saying that they had seen two people tied to electric posts who were beaten to death by the Serb police.

The Qirez residents said they could not identify the tow men, neither could they tell what happened to their bodies later.

No Word About the Fate of Albanians Detained by Serb Police Sources in Gllogovc and Skenderaj said the Serb police has detained scores of Albanians during the crackdown in Drenica during the last weekend. The Serb police has likewise confirmed in a statement carried today by the Belgrade media that a huge number of Albanians have been arrested. While withdrawing from Likoshan village on Sunday the Serb police arrested at least 11 local Albanians. LDK sources in Gllogovc have named the 11 apprehended Albanians as Ahmet Ahmeti (50), Gani Ahmeti (46), Ilmi Ahmeti (44), Ham&z Ahmeti 2(44), Driton Ahmeti (23), Naim Ahmeti (22), Lumni Ahmeti (20), Shemsi Ahmeti (19), Basri Ahmeti (19) and Elhami Ahmeti (16), a well as Behram Fazliu (50) from Gradica village who happened to be a guest of Ahmeti family.

There is not information about their whereabouts.

No Classes in Skenderaj Schools This Week Xhafer Murtezi, chairman of the Education Council in Skenderaj has told the Bujku newspaper that due to the prevailing circumstance, in the wake of the violent crackdown of the Serb forces, there will be no classes in schools of this municipality.

The schools will be closed for the whole week, while the decision for the resumption of classes next week will be taken later, Mr. Murtezi said.

[06] Developments in Kosova Endanger the Entire Region, Kinkel Says

In a statement issued today, Kinkel said the European Union member countries cannot accept a tense situation in Kosova. "We condemn terrorism and violence, irrespective of where it comes from, and will not allow ourselves to tolerate it", he was quoted as saying.

The best way to bring an end to terrorism is to make steps forward in the resolution of Kosova, he said.

The events over the weekend demonstrate that a political settlement to the Kosova issue is necessary, the German Foreign Minister said.

The implementation of the Rugova-Milosevic education agreement is very important in efforts to reduce tensions in Kosova, Kinkel stressed.

The developments in Kosova endanger the entire region, the German Foreign Minister said. He recalled he would visit Belgrade later this month together with his French counterpart, Hubert Vedrine.

At Kinkel's initiative, the European Union's Political Committee (POCO) will be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss Kosova, namely the steps the Contact Group partners should take in view of the current situation.

[07] European Commission Condemns Violence in Kosova

Following is a statement issued by this European body on Monday: "The European Commission condemns the incidents in Kosovo this week-end and regrets the loss of life. External Relations Commissioner Hans van den Broek stated : "We call again on all parties to abstain from the use of violence. We feel that more pressure is needed on Milosevic to enter into a dialogue to find a peaceful solution." The European Union's Political Committee (POCO) will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter in light of this week-end's developments and to decide on which steps the Member States should take. According to Mr van den Broek, "a concerted international effort is needed to decide what pressure can be brought to bear on Belgrade. We hope that the POCO meeting will result in clear recommendations on further steps to take." The Trade Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will be meeting with Commissioner van den Broek tomorrow and the matter will also be raised. The point will also be discussed at the Informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Edinburgh."

Meanwhile, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Leni Fischer condemned strongly today the violence in Kosova over the last weekend.

[08] Albania Demands that Belgrade End Violence in Kosova

"The Foreign Ministry of Albania calls on Belgrade to stop the escalation of violence and terror against Albanians in Kosovo because the deterioration of the situation there carries big risks for peace in the Balkans and beyond," ministry spokesman Sokol Gjoka said in a statement.

The ministry said a "serious war situation" had been created in the Drenica region of Kosova as a result of Serbian crackdown.

Albania also called on the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Contact Group which resolved the conflict in Bosnia to use their influence with Belgrade to stop the Serbian violence in Kosova and convince Serbia to engage in dialogue with Kosova Albanian leaders.

"We appeal to the EU, the Contact Group, the OSCE and the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and France to use their influence with Belgrade as soon as possible...to prevent a possible war there before it's too late, " the Foreign Ministry said.

[09] Kosova Bosniaks Denounce Serbian Police Terror

In a statement issued today, the PDA calls on the international community to take urgent preventive measures before it gets too late.

Meanwhile, PAD supported today's peaceful protests in Prishtina against the Serbian police terror exercised against the unprotected Albanian population in Drenica, and expresed its solidarity with the Albanian political parties and all other organizations participating in the protests, a statement issued by PAD, signed by its leader Hilmo Kandic, said.

[10] History Scholar Beaten up in Downtown Prishtina

Mr. Bajraktari told KIC this afternoon he was harassed and asked provocative questions, such as 'What university are you teaching at, the Tirana one or the official [Serbian] one?'. The police threatened with "we will massacre you all" statements.

A Serb policeman took Bakraktari's glasses off and tried to pull his eyes off with his two fingers.

Eventually, the Serbian police arrested him and took him to the police station. He was held at the Serbian police station for two hours and beaten up.

Signs of torture were evident, bruises on his face and his legs.

Dr. Jusuf Bajraktari said he saw many Albanians being tortured at the police station while in custody. The police held Mr. Bajraktari's ID.

[11] Albanian Receives Gunfire Wounds in Prishtina

A policeman opened fire on peaceful protesters, who were running way, Mr. Morina said.

This happened in front of the Brick Factory in Prishtina.

The young Albanian said he was hit with a bullet. It was only a miracle that others were not hit, he added.

The life of Sylejman Morina is not life-threatening.

He is being treated in a private clinic in Prishtina.

Tens of thousands of Albanians staged a peaceful demonstration in Prishtina today to protest Serb regime terror in Kosova.

[12] Ms Fatime Azemi, Albanian Protester, in Comma After Being Run Over by Serb

A Serb driver with a Zastava 101 car intentionally run over her and three other protesters in Prishtina today.

Serb policemen came to the aid of Serb criminal, when the crowd of Albanians approached him after running the protesters down.

Eye-wtinesses related the event, which occurred in front of the Institute of Albanian Studies and the Faculty of Philosophy in Prishtina.

Kosova Information Center

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