Kosova Daily Report #1393, 98-04-06

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1393

Prishtina, 6 April 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Bodies of Six Murdered Men Found Just Outside Rahovec

[02] President Rugova Appoints Negotiating Team

[03] Identity of the Six Murdered Men, Found Earlier Today Near Rahovec, Still Unknown

[04] Fresh Serbian Forces Deployed to Kosova

[05] Heavy Weapon Shootings Reported in Two Drenica Villages Monday

[06] Serbian Forces Leave Klina Heading for Skenderaj Monday Morning

[07] Serb Army Movements Reported Near Prishtina

[01] Bodies of Six Murdered Men Found Just Outside Rahovec

Who the people were, and the circumstances of their death remain unknown.

Sylejman Bala, a member of the local Finance Council in Rahovec, told Kosova Information Center (KIC) by phone he had seen the corpses of six men (five of whom probably in their fifties, the sixth younger), who were on both sides of the road - four on one side, two on the other.

Mr. Bala said the condition of the corpses would indicate that the men were murdered two or three days ago, probably somewhere else.

Only one of them had signs of blood.

The local Albanian activist said the bodies had not yet been identified, adding that the murdered people were probably not local people from the municipality of Rahovec.

Albanians, local residents or passers-bye, gathered in the scene where the bodies lied in the morning today.

Representatives of the local chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) went there, too.

After 9:30, Serb police authorities sealed off the area, the latest report from Rahovec said.

[02] President Rugova Appoints Negotiating Team

Members of the team are Dr. Fehmi Agani, Mahmut Bakalli, Veton Surroi and Dr. Pajazit Nushi.

The President met earlier today with his Advisory Council (G-15), which was commissioned by him to prepare the platform for negotiations with Belgrade, under the party mediation.

The platform should be approved by the institutions of the Republic of Kosova, President Rugova's office said.

[03] Identity of the Six Murdered Men, Found Earlier Today Near Rahovec, Still Unknown

Five of the men were said to be in their fifties, whereas the sixth younger. Only one of them had signs of blood, a local Albanian activists who saw the bodies around 8 o'clock in the morning said.

Arguably, the people had been murdered somewhere else earlier, and the bodies dumped on both sides of the road, near a Serb military shooting poligon in the suburbs of Rahovec.

LDK sources from Rahovec said Serb police authorities showed up in the scene at 9:30. A lorry to collect the bodies arrived there at around 13:00 hrs.

CDHRF activists in Rahovec asked permission to go to the scene, but were denied it by Serb police authorities.

Mr. Sabahedin Cena, member of the Parliament of Kosova, who had been to the scene before the actual arrival of the Serb police, was detained and taken for questioning by police. He was released.

[04] Fresh Serbian Forces Deployed to Kosova

These Serb forces arrived from Serbia, drove through Podujeva and headed in the direction of Kosova's capital Prishtina.

Serb Military Helicopter Flying Low Over Villages of Malisheva PRISHTINA, April 6 (KIC) - A Serb military helicopter has been flying for a couple of hours over the villages of Malisheva, a municipality i central Kosova neighboring on Rahovec.

Bodies of six yet unidentified murdered men were found this morning on both sides of a road, just outside Rahovec.

The LDK Information Commission in Malisheva said at noon today that the Serb army helicopter was flying quite low over the villages of the municipality and the small town of Malisheva itself.

[05] Heavy Weapon Shootings Reported in Two Drenica Villages Monday

A source in Llausha village said the shootings coming from A^areva and Kopili^ could be clearly heard in this village which is about ten kilometers away. Sporadic blasts and shootings from cannons were heard too, the source said.

Meanwhile, another source in the area reported of stepped up movements of Serb police forces since morning today. A convoy of about 10 lorries and buses with Serb forces on board was seen leaving Mitrovica and moving towards Skenderaj (in Serbian 'Srbica'), the source said.

[06] Serbian Forces Leave Klina Heading for Skenderaj Monday Morning

The LDK Information Commission in Klina said the Serb forces emplacements in Jashanica and surrounding villages have been on red alert since Monday morning.

[07] Serb Army Movements Reported Near Prishtina

LDK sources in Shkabaj said the Serb army convoy was heading for Gazimestan, a grove and Serb monument site near Prishtina. There were at least 20 tanks and 15 vehicles with armed Serb soldiers on board, the source said.

Residents of Shkabaj were prevented from going out in the streets of the village while the Serb army convoy was passing through.

Meanwhile, a Serb army convoy with four APCs and a truck with armed soldiers on board was seen heading towards Sllatina village this morning.

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