Kosova Daily Report #1421, 98-05-06

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1421
Prishtina, 6 May 1998

First Edition: 10:15 CET
Second Edition: 15:45 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Spiral of Violence in Kosova, Several People Killed in the Afternoon and During the Night

[02] President Rugova Receives Swiss Ambassador

[03] The Two Old Albanians Killed by Drowning, Physician in De^an Says

[04] Kosovar Parliamentarian Parties Discuss Situation in Kosova

[05] Albania's Foreign Ministry Warns over Escalating Tension in Kosova

[06] After Unsolved Shoot-out Incident, Albanians Beaten Severely in Mitrovica

[07] Sporadic Shooting Reported During the Night in Border Villages

[08] Serbian Forces Torture Several Albanians in Duh&l Several

[01] Spiral of Violence in Kosova, Several People Killed in the Afternoon and During the Night

The two men were presumably killed by as yet unidentified people.

The remains of Hajdar Ku^aj was found in his meadow, his head dipped in the Bistrica River water and his body on soil. It is assumed that Beka's body was swept away by the river.

Many citizens of De^an have been searching for his body in the river.

The LDK activists in De^an suspect that the two Albanian old men were killed by Serb civilians, who had been seen roaming near the veterinary center.

Serb paramilitaries have been deployed together with heavy Serb police and military forces in the vicinity of the Serb Monastery in De^an.

Sources in Peja ('Pec'), in western Kosova, reported of two casualties near Baran village yesterday afternoon. Rifat Shala (30) was shot dead, while his brother Ismail Shala was critically wounded in still unsolved circumstances. Their car was fired upon near their native village of Baran.

Rifat Shala died on the spot, whereas the condition of his brother is reported critical. The late Rifat Shala was chairman of the local LDK chapter in his village.

Firearm shootings was reported during the last night in the vicinity of the bus station in the town of Mitrovica, too. The Tavnik neighborhood, where shootings occurred, is reported still sealed off by heavy Serb police forces.

The LDK Information Commission in Mitrovica said at least 6 residents of this neighborhood were detained by the police. They were released in the meantime.

Meanwhile, the Serb radio of Prishtina said in its 10:00 hrs news broadcast today that two people were killed and two others wounded near the bus station in Mitrovica at around O1:00 hrs today morning.

A Serb police vehicle was fired upon by still unknown gunmen leaving a Serb police officer dead and wounding two others, the radio said. The radio said that and attacker on the police patrol was shot dead too.

Meanwhile, reports said intermittent gunfire echoed throughout the night till eight o'clock in the morning today at the village of Baballoq near the Albanian border.

Sources in Llausha village of Skenderaj ('Srbica'), in central Kosova, said Serb forces opened fire on an old Albanian man, Hasan Babariqi, in the village Tuesday afternoon. Luckily, he was not hit, but the cow he was pasturing.

Serbian fire reportedly intensified after 22:00. Sporadic shooting is reported today.

The killing of Kosovar citizens in mysterious circumstances is evidence to a drastic increase of violence in the country. Only a day earlier, six people were killed and two wounded in different parts of Kosova.

The past couple of months have seen Serbian police, military and paramilitary involved in operations targeting Albanian villages and family compounds in Kosova. Such attacks have been alternating with individual killings of people, many of them by Serb snipers or in unsolved circumstances.

[02] President Rugova Receives Swiss Ambassador

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

President Rugova described the situation in Kosova as extremely grave and dangerous amidst actions by Serbian military and police forces against the local Albanian population in Drenica region and the municipalities at the border area with Albania. Dr. Rugova pressed for increased international pressure to bring Serbian police and military actions to an end.

The people of Kosova are committed to their peaceful struggle for freedom and independence, the President said, reaffirming the critical need for an unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade under a third party mediation, which should be conducted in a neutral country.

The Swiss Ambassador to Belgrade, Paul Wiphly said his government was very concerned about the developments in Kosova. Switzerland supports a peaceful and negotiated settlement to the Kosova crisis, he stressed.

President Rugova expressed appreciation for the interest and support of Switzerland for the people of Kosova.

[03] The Two Old Albanians Killed by Drowning, Physician in De^an Says

The two men were arguably drowned by as yet unidentified persons.

Bek& Cacaj and Hajdar Ku^aj were seen last at half past four in the afternoon Tuesday pasturing their cattle at a location called Livadhet (meadows) near the veterinary center in De^an.

The remains of Hajdar Ku^aj was found earlier today in his meadow, his head dipped in the Bistrica River water and his body on the ground. Bek& Cacaj's body was found later in the water, some 200 meters down the river.

The LDK Information Commission in De^an said the dead bodies of the Albanian old men killed were collected after laying on the Bistrica river banks for some time. The Commission quoted a physician in the local health center in De^an, who saw the bodies, as saying the two Albanian old men were forcefully drowned into the river.

Local Albanians in De^an who attempted today to reach the scene where the Albanians were killed yesterday were prevented from going there as Serb police opened fire from its positions nearby, LDK sources said.

Sources in De^an say Rexhep Shabanaj, Qazim Shabanaj and Xhevdet A.

Cacaj were arrested by the Serbian police Wednesday.

A Serbian helicopter flew overhead in De^an around 9 o'clock in the morning. The roads have been blockaded by heavy Serbian forces.

Many residents have been reported ill-treated.

Serb paramilitaries have been deployed together with heavy Serb police and military forces in the vicinity of the Serb Monastery in De^an.

The past couple of months have seen Serbian police, military and paramilitary involved in operations targeting Albanian villages and family compounds in Kosova. Such attacks have been alternating with individual killings of people, many of them by Serb snipers or in unsolved circumstances.

[04] Kosovar Parliamentarian Parties Discuss Situation in Kosova

The joint meeting of the four parties represented in the Parliament of the Republic of Kosova elected on 22 March but which has not met yet was called by the LDK.

The parliamentary parties concluded that the Parliament should meet at the earliest possible date, a statement issued from the meeting said. "Party activities cannot in the current circumstances have the effect it had before", they said.

There is an "undeclared war in Kosova, because it is being done by one side, the Serbian side", the parties said, adding that there are no Albanian terrorists in Kosova, but "a Serbian state terror".

The parties agreed to have joint groups to visit the endangered areas in Kosova.

The LDK, PSHDK, PSDK and PLK will be in permanent touch, and their representatives will get together for joint meetings at least once a week, the statement concluded.

[05] Albania's Foreign Ministry Warns over Escalating Tension in Kosova

Instead of withdrawing Serbian police, paramilitary and military forces from Kosova, as called for by the international community, the Belgrade authorities have been moving on an opposite direction, defying the world and increasing the tensions in Kosova, the Albanian Foreign Ministry said, the Albanian ATA news agency reported.

"Serb military and police supported by radical ultra-nationalist paramilitary troops, are using in Kosova the scorched-earth tactics causing innocent victims among the Albanian civil population and ruining their dwelling centers", the statement said.

By denouncing the concentration of the Serb army and its heavy weapons in the border between Albania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the continuous threatening accusations of Belgrade against Albania for allegedly stirring up the conflict in Kosova, the Ministry statement points out that the policy of violence and repression is the worst choice that Milosevic and his team have made in Kosova.

"This policy runs counter to all recommendations of the international community and the Contact Group in particular to ease the situation there and to prevent any spillover of the conflict in the region," Albania's Foreign Ministry statement said.

[06] After Unsolved Shoot-out Incident, Albanians Beaten Severely in Mitrovica

Bajram Jaha (36), Xhevat Selmani (24), Bahri Sumiqi (25), Fidaim Hajrizi (26) were arrested at Tavnik, as well as Sk&nder Haliti (28) and Ham&z Hasanin (24) at Shipol suburbs of Mitrovica, LDK sources said.

The Albanians were all reported beaten up severely before taken to the police station. During the seven-hour-long custody, they were subjected to additional torture.

Meanwhile, LDK sources in Mitrovica said the Serbian police arrested this morning Hasan Deliu (44) and Abaz Deliu (36), whereas Serb police patrols in town reportedly beat up severely Shefqet Ferizi (56).

The Belgrade state radio said today at 00:45 a Serbian policeman, named as Milovan Nikolic, was killed, whereas Darko Ivac and Jovica Jovic wounded near the bus station in Mitrovica.

[07] Sporadic Shooting Reported During the Night in Border Villages

The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said fresh Serb military and police forces have been going to the area today. At 11 o'clock, five Serb military lorries paraded through the town and left for the border area, the Commission said.

[08] Serbian Forces Torture Several Albanians in Duh&l Several

LDK sources in Suhareka said the Serbian police beat severely the Albanian youth M&rgim R. Bujari and Beqir H. Bajraktari, Ilmi Bllaca, Ibrahim Fangu, Rexhep Iballi (75), Bekim Pirku, Muhadin Suka (75), Qazim Suka (65) and Ahmet Suka, all residents of Bllac& who happened to pass through Duh&l Tuesday.

Heavy Serbian police forces went through Bllac& village Wednesday morning and stopped at the Bellanica village for several hours.

They left Bellanica later some time and headed for Prizren. They were reported to have stopped at Gellanc& village, at the Suhareka- Prizren road, and have been scrutinizing all passers-by, sources in Suhareka said.

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