Kosova Daily Report #1420, 98-05-05

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

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1420-B

Prishtina, 5 May 1998

Second Edition: 20:00 hrs

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives Nicholas Hill

[02] Intermittent Fire by Serb Forces Reported at Border Area Villages in Kosova

[03] Bodies of Two Killed Persons Spotted at LLapushnik and T&rstenik Villages

[04] Planned Mobilization of Serbs Portends Huge Intervention in Kosova

[05] Serb Police Ill-treat Albanian Returnees from Germany

[01] President Rugova Receives Nicholas Hill

During a lengthy and friendly discussion, President Rugova and the U.S. diplomat discussed the current situation in Kosova and prospects for a peaceful resolution to the Kosova issue.

President Rugova described the situation in Kosova extremely grave and tense amidst Serb police and military actions in some parts of Kosova.

A meaningful and well-prepared dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade, under the mediation of a third party, in a neutral country, is critical for a peaceful solution to the Kosova issue, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova stressed.

President Rugova expressed his deep appreciation for the U.S. Administration's support and commitment to the Kosova issue.

[02] Intermittent Fire by Serb Forces Reported at Border Area Villages in Kosova

The villages of Ponoshec, Morin&, Smolic& and Pepoc in the municipality of Gjakova have been attacked by Serb forces in the past several days.

The LDK Information Commission said there was heavy Serb fire in the area today afternoon, adding that fresh Serb forces have been massing there.

The LDK said the killed man, brought to the Gjakova morgue today, was identified as Abdyl Du^i (60), resident of Ponoshec. He was found dead near his native village.

Serb snipers have been deployed on top of many buildings in the town of Gjakova, local sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said the Baballoq village of De^an came under intermittent Serb fire beginning from 6 o'clock in the morning today.

[03] Bodies of Two Killed Persons Spotted at LLapushnik and T&rstenik Villages

One of the bodies, spotted last evening, was lying near the Hasan Prishtina elementary school at Llapushnik. Serb forces have been deployed in this location since 26 April. Serb police equipped with two armoured vehicles and two personnel carriers reached the scene today, LDK sources said.

The body of another killed person, likewise unidentified, has been reported stranded at a location called Ura e Spahis& at T&rstenik village today.

Increased movements of Serb forces were reported earlier in the day along the Arllat-Klina road.

A convoy of vehicles with Serb forces on board headed for Skenderaj ('Srbica') just before midday today.

At least four other deaths have been reported in the last two days.

Two Albanians, Hajdar Morina (59) and Avdyl Du^i (60) were reported killed by Serb forces. The former was killed by Serb snipers Sunday near Ponoshevc village of Gjakova. The other was found dead near his native village of Ponoshec. It is not known when he was killed.

His body was taken to the Gjakova hospital today, LDK sources said.

A Romany man, Binak Bakri, died last evening in hospital of wounds he had received at Ponoshevc.

An ethnic Albanian, Nazif Bashota, was killed by unidentified gunmen in his native village of Bubavec at around 5 o'clock in the morning today.

A Serb postman, named as Nenad Jaredic, was reported killed Monday near Klina, Associated Press said.

[04] Planned Mobilization of Serbs Portends Huge Intervention in Kosova

The Belgrade-based Nasa Borba newspapers said in its today (Tuesday) edition that all men who served military service in Kosova during the 1980's will be mobilized in the first place.

The mobilization of men who served in Kosova has but an obvious explanation: they know best the terrain in Kosova, the newspaper said.

Nasa Borba noted that the such a move on the part of the Serb regime probably portends a huge intervention in Kosova.

[05] Serb Police Ill-treat Albanian Returnees from Germany

The two Albanians were on the way back from where Germany, where they were refused asylum.

Sources in the Sllatina airports said other Albanians were also maltreated there on 30 April, including several taxi-drivers.

Mystery Surrounds the Case of Former JNA Officer Naim Maloku

'Yugoslav' Army claimed it killed him on 23 April, while trying to infiltrate Kosovar territory together with '200 Albanian terrorists' PRISHTINA, May 5 (KIC) - Naim Maloku, a former ethnic Albanian officer with the then JNA (Yugoslav People's Army), was killed on 23 April by the 'Yugoslav' army (YA), the General Staff of the YA said in a statement issued on 24 April. He was killed in an exchange of fire with "Albanian terrorists" trying to infiltrate the territory of Kosova from Albania, the statement said.

The YA claimed it had killed "seven (Albanian) terrorists" at the Radoniq Lake region on 23 April.

Serbian media, including Beta news agency said quoting Serb police that "eight Albanian terrorists" had been killed by police at Gllogjan village of De^an.

None of the three reports have been substantiated to this day. If they had been killed, then at least their bodies would have been given back by Serb forces.

The propaganda edifice built upon the case of Naim Maloku, the former JNA officer, is illustrative of the Serb regime notorious record of mendacity.

He was declared killed on 23 April by the Yugoslav army; 19 Albanians were killed that day at the border area with Albania. It was only Naim Maloku who was mentioned by name in the YA statement.

Two days later, the Serb regime Tanjug agency carried the names of "ten Albanian terrorists" killed on 23 April. The list, issued by the Martial Court in Nis, did not contain Maloku's name. The former JNA officer's name did not appear in the court's statement, neither as killed, nor among the wounded, nor among the arrested "terrorists".

The Serb press added to the confusion about the alleged killing of Naim Maloku. On 24 April, the press alleged Maloku had been captured by Serb military. A day later, pro-government Politika daily said he had died of wounds on the way to the Gjakova hospital.

The name of Naim Maloku, as the alleged leader of "200 Albanians who tried to infiltrate" the Kosovar territory, is mentioned in a report by Tanjug agency, carried by today's local Serb Jedinstvo daily.

The name of the former Yugoslav army officer has been used in different Serb versions since 24 April.

Naim Maloku's fate is still a mystery.

Many alleged terrorists have been killed in Kosova, but no terrorist has been tried to this day, the British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said last week.

Kosova Information Center

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