Kosova Daily Report #1412, 98-04-27

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1412
Prishtina, 27 April 1998

First Edition: 10:00 CET
Second Edition: 14:00 CET
Third Edition:

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Army Attacks Albanians with Gunship and Artillery in De^an

[02] DRAMATIC ESCALATION OF SITUATION IN KOSOVA AMIDST UNFOLDING SERB MILITARY AND POLICE OPERATIONS

[03] Fresh Massacre of Albanians Feared to Have Occurred Last Night in De^an

[04] Reinforcement of Serb Troops Reported in Gjakova

[05] Funeral of Nine Albanians Killed by Serbs to Be Held Monday Afternoon

[06] The Prizren-Gjakova Road Severely Blockaded by Serbs Forces Monday

[07] Tense Situation Reported in Central Kosova

[08] Serb Police Builds New Base at Strellc of De^an

[09] LDK Condemns Massacres of Serb Military and Police Forces in Kosova

[10] Rugova's Aide Slams Serb Propaganda Pamphleteering on Dialogue

[11] Bodies of Two Killed Persons Spotted on Prizren-Gjakova Road

[12] "Freedom, Independence" - Five-Minute Rallying Call in Peaceful Marches on Tuesday

[13] British Historian of Kosova Says the West Is Wrong Ruling Out Independence for Kosova

[14] Cook Says Belgrade Should Withdraw Special Troops in Barracks

[15] Buildup of Serb Forces along Hasi Region of Prizren

[16] Human Rights Activists Beaten in Gurrakoc of Istog

[17] Serbian Forces Build Emplacements at Ponashec of Gjakova

[18] Several Albanians Arrested in Gjakova

[01] Serb Army Attacks Albanians with Gunship and Artillery in De^an

The Serb army artillery attack which was launched at around 1:00 a.m. continued until 5 in the morning today. It is feared that huge casualties were caused, though KIC could not still secure any credible reports about them.

Witnesses told KIC that Serb army aircraft were seen flying over the area at around 3 a.m. At around 6:00, a couple of military helicopters landed on the venue of Serb forces attack. The helicopters were seen flying in the direction of Gjakova subsequently.

The place where the Albanians were attacked from last night and this morning is about ten kilometers far from the Kosova-Albania border line.

The LDK Information Commission in De^an said the local Albanian population in the are has been overwhelmed by panic and fear.

Residents of Vokshi village, children, women and old people have been fleeing the village speedily.

Ten Albanians, victims of the Serb army, were buried in two villages of De^an and Gjakova, Slup and Dujaka respectively, on Sunday. The funeral of ten other Albanians killed by Serb army last week is expected to be held later today at Herq village The Serb army has said it had killed at least 19 Albanians near the Kosova-Albania border on 23 April.

Serb authorities claimed the Albanians were killed only 50 meters far from the border line, on the Kosovars said of the Albania- Kosova border, allegedly in a bid to be infiltrated from Albania to Kosova.

An Albanian who said he managed to escape the Serb carnage on 23 April has said Albanians were first captured and executed by Serb force not 50 meters away from the border line but some 4 kilometers further on the Kosova territory, at a place called Zharet e Batushes.

[02] DRAMATIC ESCALATION OF SITUATION IN KOSOVA AMIDST UNFOLDING SERB MILITARY AND POLICE OPERATIONS

The YA attacked scores of Albanians from midnight through the early morning today near the Voksh village of De^an, a municipality in western Kosova, some ten kilometers away from the border with Albania. The casualty toll is feared high, some put it at a dozen.

The Yugoslav army had launched an artillery attack, whereas from 3 o'clock onwards the Yugoslav military aircraft and gunships flew overhead in the region.

The village of Voksh is near the Sllup village, where late afternoon yesterday (Sunday) the funeral of 9 young Albanian killed by the YA army on 23 April took place.

The Baballoq and Grama^el villages of De^an, which have been under siege since 21 April, have come under renewed Serb fire last night.

Fresh Serb police and military forces have been reported arriving today in the neighboring municipality of Gjakova, in southwestern Kosova. The funeral of another 9 Albanians, killed like the 9 Sllup villagers on 23 April, will take place early afternoon today at the village of Here^ in Gjakova.

The Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) branch in Gjakova said part of the Serb forces are heading for the border area with Albania at Morina, whereas the rest in the direction of the village of C&rmjan, which has been under siege since 23 April. The roads have been blockaded by Serb forces.

In the village of Here^ a mother and her child were wounded in their yards Saturday evening as result of a grenade launched by Serb forces.

The situation is reported highly explosive in the border region of Has in the municipality of Prizren, too. Large Yugoslav army forces were building up in the area yesterday. Lots of shooting was reported just after midnight, at 00:30 hrs.

The LDK branch in Prizren reported that the Prizren-Gjakova main road has been blockaded by Serb forces at the village of Pirana.

Meanwhile, in Drenica, a region in central Kosova, the villages of Llausha, A^areva, Broja, Turi^evc and Vojnika came under renewed Serb attacks last night. Heavy weaponry, guns and machine-guns, 2have been reported used. In a similar attack two days ago, two brothers and a mother and her child were wounded.

On board two dozen buses and lorries, huge Serb forces, police and military, have arrived in the small town of Skenderaj ('Srbica') today.

The Prishtina-Peja ('Pec') main road - especially in the territory stretching from Kijeva to Arllat - huge Serb police forces have been deployed. It was through this route that the Serb military convoys, fully equipped, have been passing through on their way to De^an, Gjakova and Peja.

In Klina and in the vicinity of Peja, during a Serb police operation, one local Albanian was killed and two high school students wounded.

Serb regime authorities have armed the local Serb civilian population up and down Kosova, as a rule in local police stations.

The newly armed Serbs roamed the streets of towns in a show of force.

Media representatives and humanitarian workers have been denied access to areas where Serb police and military operations are unfolding.

The operations of the Yugoslav military, Serb police and civilians are taking place along the line of a territorial carve-up of Kosovar territory which Belgrade has designed and floated publicly for quite some time now.

[03] Fresh Massacre of Albanians Feared to Have Occurred Last Night in De^an

PRISHTINA, April 27 (KIC) - The situation in De^an has been reported extremely tense in parts of the municipality which were attacked by Serb army on Sunday night and Monday morning.

It is feared that yet another massacre of local Albanians has occurred in the area.

The village of Hulaj and St&rguni i Vokshit of De^an came under fierce Serb/Yugoslav army fire during the whole course of last night and this morning.

Serbs army used artillery and gunship helicopters during the operation, reports said.

The area where Serb forces launched attacks is about 10 kilometers insider Kosovar territory along the Kosova-Albania border zone.

Witnesses told KIC that Serb army aircraft flew overhead the area at around 3 a.m. At around 6:00, a couple of military helicopters landed on the venue of Serb forces attack. The helicopters were seen flying in the direction of Gjakova subsequently.

The pretext of Serb forces' attack in the area is unknown. KIC has failed to obtain credible reports about the causality toll.

Serbian state radio said Serb forces killed 3 Albanians and wounded four other near De^an last night.

Most of the residents of villages Voksh, Pob&rgj& and Hulaj have already fled their homes, sources said.

The LDK Information Commission in De^an said firearms shootings were heard last night in the villages of Baballoq and Grama^el too.

[04] Reinforcement of Serb Troops Reported in Gjakova

The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said Serb forces have been moving today on two directions: the Kosova-Albania border and Dushkaja, a region between Gjakova and De^an.

Roads leading to border zone villages have been blockaded. Sporadic shooting from automatic rifles and other types of weapons was heard in the area on repeated occasions during last night, sources said.

Heavy Serb army forces with tanks and other combat equipment were brought in the compounds of the slaughter house and poultry farm in Bec Sunday afternoon. Some of the troops were later transferred to Radoniq, where huge Serb forces have been garrisoned for almost a week now.

Serb civilians were supplied with weapons and uniforms in Gjakova on Sunday, sources said.

[05] Funeral of Nine Albanians Killed by Serbs to Be Held Monday Afternoon

Shefqet Selim Alijaj (b. 1969), Bekim Sali Aliaj, Skender Qazim Hajdaraj (1969), Gazmend Hasan Ramaj (1972), Uk& Misin Shabani (1970), Hasan Bajram Tahiraj, Sadik Lush Alijaj (1961), Hajdar Ramadan Thaqi (1972) and Vehbi Asllan Hasanaj (1967) were killed by Serb forces last Thursday.

Ten other Albanians were buried in two villages of De^an and Gjakova, Slup and Dujaka respectively, on Sunday afternoon.

The Serb army claimed it had killed at least 19 Albanians near the Kosova- Albania border on 23 April.

Serb authorities claimed the Albanians were killed only 50 meters far from the border line, on the Kosovar side of the Albania-Kosova border, allegedly while they were crossing into Kosova territory from Albania.

A local Albanian, who said he managed to escape the Serb carnage on 23 April, claimed Albanians were first captured and then executed by Serb force some 4 kilometers insider the Kosova territory, at a location called Zharet e Batushes.

[06] The Prizren-Gjakova Road Severely Blockaded by Serbs Forces Monday

The situation was reported tense in the Has villages, a region bordering on Albania. Firearm shooting was heard coming from the area last night after midnight, sources said.

The LDK Information Commission in Prizren said Serb army convoys with combat equipment were seen moving towards Hasi region on Sunday.

Heavy Serb police and military forces stationed near Pirana village on the Gjakova-Prizren have made the movement of civil population impossible since morning hours today.

Sources in the Serb-run Prishtina hospital said two wounded Serb policemen were taken there early Monday morning. Unconfirmed reports say the two Serbs were wounded somewhere near Krusha village, along Prizren-Gjakova road.

[07] Tense Situation Reported in Central Kosova

They were positioned at hill-tops on both sides of the roads, and the woods, LDK sources in Malisheva reported.

Kijeva, Mleqan, Llazic&, Balinc&, Gjurgjic&, Arllat Llapushnik and Vukovc, have been placed under fierce control.

The Serbian forces have build a base in Kijeva itself for two months now. They also ethnically cleansed the area around them, forcing dozens of families flee their homes.

Sporadic shooting along this distance was reported Sunday and today morning.

As a result of Serb forces build-up in the area the local secondary school in Kijeva, and the primary school in Llazic& have discontinued classes.

Serb forces in Kijeva have been provoking and threatening local residents, and often shoot at people from the distance.

Several convoys with Serbian army forces, and special police forces were reported driving along the Prishtina-Peja highway heading in the direction of Western Kosova, Monday morning.

[08] Serb Police Builds New Base at Strellc of De^an

The police check-point was built near Albanian houses. Some of the families around the newly established police base have already moved out of their houses in fear of possible police harassment, LDK sources in De^an said.

Strellc has over 500 Albanian homesteads.

Around 40 new Serb police check-points, either fixed or temporary, have been established in Kosova since end February this year, besides a large number of existing ones in towns, villages and roads.

[09] LDK Condemns Massacres of Serb Military and Police Forces in Kosova

In a meeting today, the top LDK body said the party will intensify its political activity at all levels, especially in the areas affected by the unfolding Serb operations - in Drenica and the municipalities in western and southern Kosova, Peja, De^an, Gjakova and Prizren.

"The LDK Presidency calls for local party leaders to cooperate closely with the other political parties in the framework of the peaceful policy and the respect for the will of the people of Kosova for independence, which should be achieved by political means", a statement issued by the party said.

The LDK warned that the Serbian regime has, besides embarking on the military and police crackdown, engaged in a propaganda warfare aimed at making Albanian people flee their homes so as to achieve the ethnic cleansing of Kosova scheme.

The Republic of Kosova has its state bodies, parties and other institutions, the LDK recalled, calling on all the citizens to act in conformity with the official Kosovar policy lines.

[10] Rugova's Aide Slams Serb Propaganda Pamphleteering on Dialogue

President Rugova has been steadfast on his position on the need for a third party-mediated unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade, Mr. Mustafa said. "I hope Mr. Markovic is aware of Dr. Rugova's call made last week for the negotiating teams to meet in a neutral country venue under the mediation of a third international party".

We do not want to see propaganda pamphleteering, but rather Serbia's compliance with Contact Group demands - the withdrawal of special forces from Kosova, and the establishment of a negotiation process on Kosova - President Rugova's aide said.

Instead of withdrawing forces, as called for by the international community, Belgrade has been increasingly building up military and police forces in Kosova, Mr. Mustafa warned.

[11] Bodies of Two Killed Persons Spotted on Prizren-Gjakova Road

Some eye-witnesses said a Lada car with Prizren license plates, a BMW car, as well as a TAM lorry with Podgorica license plates were stuck there amidst an unexplained crash.

The witnesses said at the site two bodies, whose identity is unknown, were spotted.

The area has been placed under a ring of steel.

The Prizren-Gjakova road, from Pirana to Krush& e Vog&l village, has been reported blocked.

In the roadblocks at Pirana and Krush& e Vog&l all commuters are being routinely harassed, reports said.

[12] "Freedom, Independence" - Five-Minute Rallying Call in Peaceful Marches on Tuesday

Today was the eighteenth day of peaceful marches of Albanians in the main avenues and streets of capital Prishtina and other Kosovar towns. The calm half-hour manifestations have been called by the LDK and other political parties to protest Serbian occupation (the motto being "Kosova, the biggest jail in Europe") and call for independence for Kosova.

The half-hour protest marches start at noon.

Today, for ten minutes, from 12:20 through 12:30 hrs, Albanian marches stood in silence to pay homage to the Albanians killed most recently.

Meanwhile, the Protest Committee said today tomorrow's protest will consist of a twenty-minute march. For five minute people will stop and stay in calm. The last five minutes the participants have been called to shout the rallying call "Freedom, Independence" in both Albanian and English.

"This is a civilized call for the great powers, the Contact Group countries and the rest, to undertake urgent steps against the criminal Belgrade regime and place the Albanian people of Kosova under protection", the Protest Committee said in a statement today.

[13] British Historian of Kosova Says the West Is Wrong Ruling Out Independence for Kosova

In an article published in The Times magazine, Malcolm initially asks the question: "Is the conflict in Kosovo about to turn into a second Bosnian war?", to which he answers himself: "The short answer is no".

There are too many differences between the Bosnian example and what is happening, or can happen, in the Albanian-inhabited Kosova, the author says.

It seems that Western governments have still not learned the most basic lessons of that earlier diplomatic disaster, he notes. "While the problem itself is different in important ways, the international response is similar enough to prompt an alarming sense of deja vu."

Mr. Malcom goes on to say: "To understand why there can be no replay of the Bosnian war in Kosovo, one must study a contour map.

That will help to explain why the war lasted three and a half years, even though the Bosnian Government forces had almost no weapons to begin with and the Serbs had tanks and artillery. Much of Bosnia is like Switzerland: tanks do not climb mountains, and in such terrain lightly-equipped infantry can defend hugely extended front lines.

Kosovo, on the other hand, is tank country with key towns and territory situated on rolling plateaus. If Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic ever launches a full-scale war against the Kosovo Albanians, who have no weapons apart from some smuggled Kalashnikovs, it will be not so much a war as a massacre.

This means that prolonged, Bosnian-style war is not an option, leaving only two possible scenarios for physical conflict. Either the present situation continues as a simmering intifadeh in which most Albanians are active but non-violent, while a minority resorts to force. Or the collective patience of the Albanians snaps with a general rising amounting to an act of virtual mass suicide. The Kosovo Albanians are not crazy or suicidal, but the risk of such a bloodbath is something that Western governments must take seriously.", Noel Malcolm writes.

The British historian says NATO will not be able to stand idly by if hundreds of thousands are killed, and refugees flood into neighboring Macedonia and Albania.

"The West cannot afford to get this one wrong, so no long-term political solution should be ruled out until the whole range of options has been explored. And yet the position taken by the leading Western powers is that almost all options are closed off except for the restoration of Kosovo's "autonomy"--in other words, a return to the status it had in Tito's Yugoslavia.", Mr. Malcom writes.

This is where the sense of deja vu comes in, he stressed. "In 1991, as Yugoslavia slid slowly toward war, Western governments were fixated on the idea that the Yugoslav state must be kept together.

After the votes for independence in Slovenia and Croatia, even after Milosevic's artillery had begun shelling Croatian cities, Western diplomats still thought that keeping Yugoslavia together would be the best way to ensure "stability."

"Today, when they refuse even to admit the long-term possibility of independence for Kosovo on the grounds that such a move would be "destabilising," they are making the same mistake.", Noel Malcolm points out. So long as "2 million deeply alienated Albanians are cooped up in a Serbian or Yugoslav state, with anti-Albanianism as the trump card of every Serb nationalist politician, the causes of instability will be built-in."

Western diplomats are "obsessed by an artificial nightmare of their own devising", the historian says, noting that diplomats say that even to discuss the possibility of independence for Kosova would set a terrible precedent, opening the floodgates for secessionist movements all over the world. "In fact, Kosovo's claim to independence is almost identical with that of Slovenia or Croatia. As an international committee of jurists found, what happened in 1991 was not "secession" but the complete dissolution of the old Yugoslavia into its constituent units. Kosovo was one of these units of Yugoslavia under the 1974 constitution, and, in practice, functioned just like the other republics, with its own borders, parliament and government."

Dr. Noel Malcolm says it is a virtual certainty that Kosova will become independent from Serbia within the next 50 years. "The only question is: how do we get from here to there? A negotiated solution based on a prolonged interim phase, like the one agreed for Chechnya by General Alexander Lebed, may be possible but only if the Albanians are assured that independence remains an eventual option."

With Western governments "blithely telling them [Kosovar, KIC] that even long-term independence is out of the question, the chances for "stability" in the Balkans are slender indeed.", Noel Malcolm, author of Kosovo: A Short History, concludes.

[14] Cook Says Belgrade Should Withdraw Special Troops in Barracks

The British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook insisted that Belgrade must cooperate.

"I think it is very important that we continue to press Belgrade with two things: first of all to stabilize the situation, to withdraw the special troops in barracks, end using heavy weapons against the population, and, secondly, to really get going with meaningful talks", Cook said before the meeting.

In a statement issued from the EU meeting, the Council of Ministers expressed its "deep concern at the mounting violence in Kosovo" and called on both parties to act with restraint.

The Council underlined the "fundamental importance of an early start to meaningful dialogue without preconditions between the parties if further bloodshed is to be avoided."

Given the lack of trust between the parties (Prishtina and Belgrade, KIC), the Council considered the participation of an outside representative in the process is indispensable and called on Belgrade to accept such a presence."

[15] Buildup of Serb Forces along Hasi Region of Prizren

Hasi is a region bordering on neighboring Albania.

Heavy Serb army troops were deployed Sunday along the border area with Albania around the villages Planeja, Milaj, Mazrrek, Gjonaj, Krajk, Kushin, Romaj& and Lugishta, LDK sources said.

There has been heavy deployment of Serbian troops equipped with heavy artillery at Planeja village since Friday. Heavy shooting in the area has been reported on several occasions. The local primary school has been besieged by Serbian army tanks. Classes have been discontinued.

Heavy Serbian military and police troops as well as armed civilians have been stationed at a location called "Lugu i Suzis&" at Nashec village.

The LDK branch Presidency in Prizren described the situation in the area as extremely dangerous. They advised for maximum restraint, calling on the population not respond to Serbian provocations.

The LDK in Prizren said Serbs have been provoking an all-out war in Kosova.

[16] Human Rights Activists Beaten in Gurrakoc of Istog

The two activists were loading food and other supplies for the displaced persons in the area.

They were taken to the police station in Gurrakoc and were beaten up severely during three hours in custody.

[17] Serbian Forces Build Emplacements at Ponashec of Gjakova

Meanwhile, LDK sources reported of Serbian army movements, equipped with tanks and APCs, in the villages Morin&, Botusha and Junik, in the border zone with Albania.

[18] Several Albanians Arrested in Gjakova

Mr. Miftari was reported beaten up by the police and released, while Ilir Sadriu has been held in detention.

Source in Gjakova said the number of the arrested Albanians, who are being held at police station in Gjakova, is higher.

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