Kosova Daily Report #1434, 98-05-19

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1434
Prishtina, 19 May 1998

CONTENTS

[01] As Expected, the West Makes Wrong Decision

[02] Police Abducts 8 Albanian Men on Train Commuting Between Peja- Prishtina

[03] Two Albanians Killed During Serb Onslaught on Denica Villages Monday

[04] Serb Forces Shell Villages at Border Zone in Western Kosova

[05] Serb Police Confiscates Huge Humanitarian Relief Shipment in Gjakova

[06] Serb Police Raids Several Albanian Households in Mitrovica Village Monday

[07] Serbian Police Beats Two Children in Obiliq

[08] Serb Civilians in Obiliq Supplied With Automatic Guns

[09] Thirty-two Albanian-Owned Shops Demolished by Serb Authorities in Mitrovica

[01] As Expected, the West Makes Wrong Decision

The six-nation Contact Group agreed to suspend the Western ban on new investment in Serbia, announced a week earlier.

It was an open secret that an expected, but wrong decision, was in the making before the Rugova-Milosevic meeting took place at all.

"President Slobodan Milosevic began talks with ethnic Albanians on a political settlement to the crisis in Kosovo" was the message the photo opportunity in the 'White Palace' in Belgrade conveyed to those eager to receive it.

Great Britain chaired a meeting of the Contact Group Saturday in Birmingham while leaders of the leading industrial nations (G7+1) were holding a summit.

"The Contact Group is encouraged by the fact that President Milosevic has taken personal responsibility for the start of dialogue, and now looks to him to show that he has made a clear choice to work with the international community rather than to face the deepening isolation which otherwise confronts him," a statement from the Foreign Office said on Monday, two days after the decision to ease sanctions on Belgrade had been made.

Last but not least, the West and Russia have reportedly already agreed to consider later this month whether to continue a freeze of official 'Yugoslav' funds held abroad and review other measures to ease sanctions!

Slobodan Milosevic imposed a trade embargo on Kosova the very day he welcomed Dr. Rugova in Belgrade, last Friday, on 15 May.

Slobodan Milosevic's military and police aggression in Kosova Albanian settlements goes on unabated, with civilians being killed on a daily basis by Serb paramilitary police forces.

Slobodan Milosevic orchestrated the ousting of the 'FRY' Prime Minister Kontic, to replace his faithful associate with a yet more faithful protege and trample on the rights of the Republic of Montenegro, the tiny 'equal' partner in the Federation.

Any 'greater autonomy', 'enhanced status' talk for Kosova within 'FRY' becomes hollow rhetoric in view of an 'equal' partner in the Federation being kicked at will by the Belgrade establishment.

The world gives Milosevic credit for 'assuming personal responsibility' in search of a settlement in Kosova.

The people of Kosova have known for a long decade now that Slobodan Milosevic has assumed personal responsibility to crack down on Kosova.

For too long the Europeans delighted in the Serb brutalities in Bosnia before the Americans stepped in.

"We will not allow a second Bosnia" in Kosova, U.S. President Bill Clinton said earlier this month in Washington during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

[02] Police Abducts 8 Albanian Men on Train Commuting Between Peja- Prishtina

Around 200 Serb policemen intervened from 12:20 through 13:10 at a train stop at Pograxh& village, an eye-witness told KIC.

The police sealed off the train, searched all cars, and forced 30 Albanian men off the train. 22 of them were released, whereas 8 them were detained by police, the eye-witness said.

The train proceeded, to only be ordered to stop for a second time at Ujmir village by a Serb in plain clothes who threatened the driver.

It turned out that the Serb was a local villager.

A woman commuter said she saw several crying passengers get off the train at Ujmir, apparently saddened by the abduction of their relatives at Pograxh&.

This is the first time that train commuters have been abducted by police in Kosova.

The move could be aimed at intimidating people travel by train to Peja at a time the Prishtina-Peja highway has been closed to civilian traffic for more than a week now.

[03] Two Albanians Killed During Serb Onslaught on Denica Villages Monday

Two elderly Albanians were killed yesterday, and one wounded.

Mrs. Ajmane ^itaku was killed at ^itak villages, whereas Hysen ^itaku wounded, LDK sources said.

Ramadan Loshi (68), native of Padalisht& village of Skenderaj, was the second fatality in yesterday's attack on his native village and ^itak and Le^in&.

Deutsche Welle radio reported today Loshi was found dead after the Serb attack was brought to an end.

Ten homes were reported burned at ^itak and Padalisht&.

Serbian forces were backed up by three Serbian army helicopters during their operations against Albanian villages.

Fire was opened from helicopters, targeting Albanian residents on the ground.

The region of Drenica has been under siege since the beginning of March, when scores of Albanians, including women and children, were slain by Serb forces and entire family compounds shelled to the ground.

Serb Forces Intermittently Shell Two De^an Villages Since Monday Evening

PRISHTINA, May 19 (KIC) - The villages of Baballoq and Grama^el of De^an, a municipality in western Kosova, came under repeated Serb forces' fire on Monday night and today (Tuesday) morning, sources in the area reported.

The LDK Information Commission in De^an said Baballoq was shelled for almost one hour last evening from 19:00 through 20:00 hrs. Serb forces garrisoned in several positions around the village fired on Albanian houses with machine-guns and high-calibre cannons. Many houses in the villages have suffered serious damage.

Baballoq came under renewed fire today morning at around 10:45.

LDK sources in the area could not learn about possible casualties or further damage caused in the village today.

The neighboring village of Grama^el was likewise repeatedly shelled by Serb forces overnight and today morning.

A woman and two children, whose names have not been made known yet, were reported wounded today morning.

Meanwhile, the LDK Commission in De^an said heavy Serb police forces besieged first and then raided the household of Ismail Cacaj in the small town of De^an, as well as a karate training hall in a house next door. The police demolished the hall and seized equipment worth over DM 10.000, sources said.

The LDK chapter in De^an said that on 16 May Serb civilians and police removed the whole equipment from a vehicle spare part factory in the town. Facilities and equipment were loaded on huge trucks which were seen later heading for the neighboring town of Peja.

[04] Serb Forces Shell Villages at Border Zone in Western Kosova

The Morina village was particularly targeted by Serb forces garrisoned in the area for several weeks now. The Serb forces reportedly fire on the villages with heavy weaponry, including high calibre cannons and multi- barrel rocked launchers.

The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova has failed to learn about possible casualties, noting that damage was caused in the houses of Albanians in Morina. The local residents fired back, sources said.

[05] Serb Police Confiscates Huge Humanitarian Relief Shipment in Gjakova

Drivers of the four lorries were compelled by the Serb police to stop in front of the students dormitory in the town, housing for three years now Serb refugees from Bosnia and Croatia.

The humanitarian relief shipment donated by international organizations such as Handicap International, Children's Aid Direct, MBE (sp) and BRS (sp) was meant to be unloaded in the warehouses of the "Mother Teresa" charity association in the town.

There were huge amounts of food and hygienic supplies in the shipment, including 1590 liters of cooking oil, 1116 liters of milk, 1625 kg of salt, 1100 kg of rice, 500 kg macaroni, 1500 kg sugar, 1200 meat cans, 225 blankets, 110 11-kg food parcels, 150 hygienic parcels and 10 tons of flour.

[06] Serb Police Raids Several Albanian Households in Mitrovica Village Monday

The police reportedly beat old men and children in their home yards. Among the beaten persons are Xhevat H. Veseli (48), Musli B.

Bahtiri (18) and Fatmir B. Bahtiri (16), LDK sources in Mitrovica reported.

During the raid the Serbian police demanded from residents of Lushta to tell them of the whereabouts of the so-called U^K.

[07] Serbian Police Beats Two Children in Obiliq

The Serb police threatened the children who were grazing animals, they would kill them and their animals next time.

Hedije Restelica was reported to have been placed under medical treatment.

[08] Serb Civilians in Obiliq Supplied With Automatic Guns

Also yesterday the Serbian civilians of Vodica were given automatic guns and revolvers. A Serbian named Jovance Z. Spasic from Jana Voda was the man delivering weapons to the Serbs.

The Serbian police supplied with automatic guns and revolvers the Serbian civilians of Obiliq Monday, too.

[09] Thirty-two Albanian-Owned Shops Demolished by Serb Authorities in Mitrovica

The whole operation was backed up by heavy Serbian police forces, LDK sources in Mitrovica said. The shops were built in and around the town market. All owners were in possession of proper license and documentation.

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