Kosova Daily Report #1392, 98-04-04

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1392

Prishtina, 4 April 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives French Diplomat

[02] Serb Forces Shell Llausha Village of Skenderaj Saturday

[03] Serb Police Beats 72-Year-Old Albanian and Seizes His Pension Money

[04] Serb Regime Builds Over 30 New Police Checkpoints in Kosova

[01] President Rugova Receives French Diplomat

The current situation and the prospects for a negotiated and peaceful settlement to the Kosova issue were discussed.

The President hailed France's role over Kosova in the Contact Group deliberations as well as the UN Security Council.

The situation in Kosova is extremely grave in the wake of actions by Serbian forces against the local Albanian population in some parts of Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova said. He pressed for increased international pressure to make Belgrade withdraw its special police and paramilitary units from Drenica.

The people of Kosova are committed to their peaceful struggle for freedom and independence of their country, the President said, adding that negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade, under third party mediation, are necessary in pursuit of a just solution for Kosova.

The senior French diplomat Jacques Blot affirmed France's engagement for a speedy progress towards the resolution of the Kosova crisis.

He stressed the importance of the statements of the Contact Group and the UN Security Council resolution pressing for an unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade. A peaceful resolution of the Kosova issue is important for stability in the entire region, Mr. Blot underlined.

The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr.Ibrahim Rugova urged the French government be even more active in efforts on Kosova.

[02] Serb Forces Shell Llausha Village of Skenderaj Saturday

The shelling was done from a place called Deliqe nearby the Serb monastery of Devi^, and lasted for one hour the Commission said.

At around 12 noon, a Serb helicopter flew over the Llausha and Turi^evc villages.

[03] Serb Police Beats 72-Year-Old Albanian and Seizes His Pension Money

Bujku said that Haki Berisha was halted by a Serb police patrol near Zabel village while on his way back from Gllogovc where he had been to collect his pension money.

The old man said the police beat him because he could not speak fluently in Serbian when halted on the street. In addition, he said he was seized 200 dinars out of his 500 dinar pension he had collected in the post office in Gllogovc the same day.

[04] Serb Regime Builds Over 30 New Police Checkpoints in Kosova

New Serb police checkpoints with heavily armed men have been established in key-points in the Kosova towns and villages, as well as roads and intersections in dozens of places. Local residents, passersby and drivers have been on a permanent basis subjected to strict control and scrutiny, maltreatment, beating and plundering in such checkpoints.

Below is a list of the places (charted by LDK branches in the Kosova municipal centers) where new Serb police checkpoints were established over the past two month: Sk&nderaj : New checkpoints were since February established at Klina e Ep&rme, Runik, T&rnoc and in the town of Sk&nderaj itself.

Heavy Serb forces have been garrisoned in this municipality for two over two months, including the huge emplacements at the hillsides around Llausha, T&rnoc, Kopiliq i Ul&t, Broja, as well as in the Game Ammunition Factory in Skenderaj.

Mitrovica - Serb police checkpoints have been recently built in virtually all the entrances/exit points of the town, as well as near the villages of Shipol and Frash&r and the Mitrovica-Sk&nderaj road. Serb police forces have been garrisoned inside the buildings of the Fire Brigades, the Serb army barracks, the "3" motel in Zve^an.

Vushtrri - A new Serb police checkpoint was recently established at Nedakoc village on the Prishtina-Mitrovica road.

Prizren - In early February, a fixed Serb police checkpoint was built in Lubizhda village, while temporary ones in Landovica, Dushanova, Gjonaj etc.

Junik - A new checkpoint was established at a place called "Kulla e Malokut" near Serb refugees settlement. Increased Serb police and military forces have been deployed outside villages along the Kosova-Albania border belt.

^ab&r (in Serbian 'Zubin Potok'): Besides the permanent police checkpoint in Gazivoda, Serb police patrols have carried routine inspections of passersby on several other places. Additional Serb forces have been deployed in the area and the compounds of the army reservists near Gazivoda.

Klina - In addition to the existing checkpoints at "P&rlika" neighborhood in the small town of Klina and Klina-Sk&nderaj road, new ones have been built lately at the road between Pogragja and Jashanica villages, at Peja- Prishtina-Dollc intersection, and a huge one in Kijeva.

A 1000 strong Serb police forces has been garrisoned in the premises of the "Malishgani" agricultural cooperative at Pogragja village.

Suhareka - Temporary checkpoints were built in a couple of exits/entrance points of the town as well several villages in the municipality. There has been for years now a fixed checkpoint near the police station.

Gllogovc - A checkpoint which was abandoned a couple of years ago was re- established in February at Komoran village at the Peja- Prishtina-Gllogovc intersection. Another one was recently established at Morina village, while heavy Serb police forces have been garrisoned in the premises of the police stations in Gllogovc and Komoran.

Kamenica - Serb police checkpoints have been established earlier at a place called "Crepane", at Kamenica-Bujanoc-Gjilan crossroad, while since February, new ones were established at a place called "Dheu i bardh&" in Katushnic&, at a place between the villages Hodonoc, Roga^ica and Novosella, near the placque factory in Koretin, one between Berivojca and Koretin villages. Heavier Serb forces have been reported garrisoned in the villages with Serb population in them such as Ranilluga, Rapotova, Bozhec, Rajnoc etc.

Armored Serb police vehicles have been for weeks stationed at Bozhevc village.

Meanwhile, two checkpoint at "Dheu i bardh&" and in Koretin have been dislocated, the LDK sources in Kamenica said.

Ka^anik - A Serb police checkpoint has been built at Gerlica village on Ferizaj-Ka^anik road.

Zhur - Besides checkpoints at Vlashnja, Zhur and V&rnic&, a new one was recently established on the road linking villages Biluzha, Vlashnja, Zhur, Shkoza and V&rmica. Increased deployment and movement of Serb police and military forces have been reported about the zone bordering on Albania.

Fush&-Kosov& - No permanent checkpoint was established in the municipality lately, except a temporary one at the Prishtina-Peja- Airport intersection in Sllatina village.

Podujeva - A permanent checkpoint was established several years ago outside the town of Podujeva at the Prishtina-Nis (Serbia) highway.

Temporary and unfixed checkpoints have been reported in several places on the roads leading t the countryside.

Leposaviq - A police checkpoint at a place called "Ballaban" which was closed last December was re-established in February.

Serb military and police forces have bee reported garrisoned in the premises of the shirt factory at Banjska.

Residents of Kushtova village have been warned not to cross the hillside where Serb forces have been garrisoned.

Dragash - Besides an existing checkpoint built eight years ago at Zym village, police patrols stationed now and then in other places of the municipality have been substituting the checkpoints and carrying strict control of passersby.

Increased Serb army forces have been lately noticed in the military barracks and border watch-house at Bresana.

Istog: A new checkpoint of Serb police was lately established at Gurrakoc village at the Peja-Mitrovica-Klina road.

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