Kosova Daily Report #1435, 98-05-20
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1435
Prishtina, 20 May 1998
CONTENTS
[01] WEU Recommends Contingency Plans for Intervention in Kosova
[02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Villages in Gjakova and De^an
[03] Body of Albanian Found in Rahovec Suburbs
[04] Four Albanians Arrested on the Train Released Late Tuesday
[05] Increased Movements of Serb Forces in Gllogovc Municipality
[06] Armed Serb Civilians Intimidate Schoolchildren at Strezofc of
Kamenica
[07] Albanian Political Prisoner Ill-treated in Serb Prison at Sremska
Mitrovica
[08] Police Orders Bus Driver to Run Over an Albanian in Klina
[09] Serb Police Target Albanians Wearing National Hat
[10] Three Albanian Private Shops Set on Fire in X&rx&
[01] WEU Recommends Contingency Plans for Intervention in Kosova
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - The Assembly of the ten-nation Western European
Union (WEU) recommended on Tuesday in Paris making contingency plans for
European intervention in Kosova.
The WEU assembly, with only a consultative role, voted to ask EU's military
wing's planning unit to ``prepare a set of options for possible European
intervention in Kosovo.'' A report by the WEU Assembly report dismissed
Milosevic's claim that Kosova was an internal issue of Serbia or 'FRY'.
Meanwhile, unidentified sources from Brussels indicated Tuesday NATO was
planning the deployment of a military presence, ranging from 7.000 to
20.000 troops, in northeastern Albania along the border with Kosova.
[02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Villages in Gjakova and De^an
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - Gunfire and artillery shooting was reported
during the course of last afternoon and evening in several villages of
Gjakova and De^an, municipalities in western Kosova bordering on Albania.
The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said villages adjacent to the
border on Albania were intermittently shelled on Tuesday by Serb forces dug
in in the area for weeks now. The village of Morina, in particular, came
under fierce fire in the evening hours. Damage was caused in several houses
in the village, whereas the one of Ismet Dauti was burned down entirely.
The neighboring village Stublla was likewise shelled yesterday at around
19:00 hrs. The house of a local Albanian, Dem& Kadria, was burned to the
ground. Both Morina and Stublla village came under renewed Serb fire today
morning the LDK chapter in Gjakova said.
The situation in the town of Gjakova itself has been reported tense. Serb
police and army have been building in along the roads leading to villages
at the border area, limiting to the minimum the circulation of people.
I addition, the Serb police have been preventing any humanitarian relief
from entering the town and the area sealed off by Serb forces. On Tuesday,
the Serb police confiscated a huge shipment of humanitarian relief in
Gjakova. Four truck with food and hygienic supplies were not allowed to
drive to the Mother Teresa warehouse in the town but were forced to unload
in a students dormitory housing Serbs refugees.
Meanwhile, sources in the neighboring municipality of De^an said gunfire
and artillery was heard again last night at villages Baballoq and
Grama^el.
The two villages have been intermittently shelled by Serb forces for weeks
now, as well as during the last weekend.
Albanian houses in Grama^el and Baballoq were shelled on several occasions
during the last night from the Serb positions around the villages.
Gunfire was also heard at around 20:00 last evening in Carrabreg village. A
Serb forces convoy in armored vehicles opened fire on the houses in
Carrabreg and other villages it drove through, sources, the LDK Information
Commission in De^an said.
No casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, sources in Gjakova said village on the border area - Ponashec,
Morina, Smolica and Pepoc - came under fierce fire today (Wednesday).
At Ponashec village, the few houses that remained un-fired, are in fire,
the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said.
[03] Body of Albanian Found in Rahovec Suburbs
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - The body of an Albanian, in his forties, was
found today in the suburbs of the small town of Rahovec ('Orahovac').
The LDK Information Commission said he was identified as Ymer Delibeqa,
resident of Rahovec, father of four.
The body was spotted by chance passers-by.
A shovel, a hoe and a plastic bottle with water were lying near the body,
sources said.
While the circumstances of his death remain unsolved, it is supposed he was
going back home from work in the fields.
[04] Four Albanians Arrested on the Train Released Late Tuesday
The fate of four others remains unknown PRISHTINA, May 29 (KIC) - Serbian
police abducted Tuesday 8 Albanians on a passenger train commuting between
the town of Peja ('Pec') and Kosova capital Prishtina, LDK sources in
Klina reported.
Around 200 Serb policemen intervened from 12:20 through 13:10 at a train
station at Pograxh& village, sealing off the train, searched all cars. They
forced 30 Albanian men off the train. 22 of them were released, whereas 8
them were detained by police, eye-witnesses said.
LDK sources in Klina said the arrested men had been sent to the Klina
police station. Among them were Ymer Raci, school principal and chairman of
the LDK sub-branch in Jashanica, Kajtaz Raci, teacher, Ismet D. Raci and
Safet Raci, all residents of Jellovc village of Klina, who were released
later in the day.
Sources in Klina failed to provide any information about other men arrested
on the train Tuesday.
The four Albanians, who were released, were beaten severely while in police
custody, and had to seek medical treatment, sources in Klina said.
Ymer Raci, the LDK local chairman in Jashanica, was accused by the Serb
police of having knowledge of the killing of a Serb postman not long ago.
The Serb police intervention on the passenger train yesterday could be
aimed at intimidating the people travel by train to western and south-west
Kosova at a time the Prishtina-Peja highway has been closed to civilian
traffic for more than a week now.
[05] Increased Movements of Serb Forces in Gllogovc Municipality
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - The Serb forces shot at a civilian car driving in
a remote road not far from the Prishtina-Peja highway at the Gryka e
Laupshnikut, Tuesday afternoon.
No information whether the persons(s) in the car were injured or killed
could be obtained.
The Serbian police raided offices of the political and human rights council
in the town of Gllogovc, Tuesday.
Heavy armed Serb forces stopped the train coming from Prishtina Tuesday,
plundered all the goods people had purchased in capital Prishtina.
Heavily armed Serbian forces have been patrolling on the Komaran Prishtina
road routinely, shooting often in the direction of villages. The police
provoked and intimidated pupils of the local primary school in Krajkov&
village.
[06] Armed Serb Civilians Intimidate Schoolchildren at Strezofc of
Kamenica
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - A large group of armed Serb civilians raided
Tuesday morning the schoolyard of "Idriz Seferi" primary school at Strezofc
village of Kamenica.
The armed Serbs spent two hours in the schoolyard peeking often on the
windows of the school where Albanian pupils were attending classes.
From time to time, the Serbs kept the children at gunpoint from outside the
classroom windows.
[07] Albanian Political Prisoner Ill-treated in Serb Prison at Sremska
Mitrovica
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - Several weeks ago a number of Albanian political
prisoners were transferred from the Dubrava prison house in Istog (Kosova)
to jails in Serbia.
Among them was the 35-year-old Raif ^ela from Mitrovica. He was transferred
to the Sremska Mitrovica.
His father Brahim ^ela, who had visited him recently, told the LDK
Information Commission that his son has been kept in solitary confinement
and subjected to brutal torture on several occasions.
He has not been allowed to meet other Albanian political prisoners serving
in the same prison camp, Mr. ^ela said.
Raif ^ela served seven years for political reasons from 1984 to 1991.
He was sentenced to 8 years in prison in 1993.
[08] Police Orders Bus Driver to Run Over an Albanian in Klina
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - A 19-year-old Albanian, Vilson Gjoni, was
tortured and threatened with killing by the Serb police in Kijeva on the
Prishtina-Peja highway, the Prishtina-based Bujku newspaper said today.
Bujku sad that Vilson Gjoni, resident of Dei^ village of Klina was forced
off the bus at the Serb police checkpoint in Kijeva where he was subjected
to outrageous torture. He was accused of being allegedly member of the so-
called Liberation Army of Kosova (U^K).
While lying unconscious in the street the Serb police ordered a bus driver
to run over the young Albanian, but he refused doing so, Bujku said.
[09] Serb Police Target Albanians Wearing National Hat
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - Albanian old men wearing customary hats, a
signature white skullcap, have been routinely targeted and subjected to
brutal ill-treatment by Serb police in the Kosova streets.
The Bujku newspaper said in its today's edition that an old man Syl&
Slivova from Jashanica village of Klina was maltreated two days ago merely
for wearing the white skullcap. Quoting the local chapter of the human
rights Council in Klina, Bujku said the Serb policemen ill-treated the old
Albanian, trampled with boots on his hat, and wrote a '4-s' Serb sign on
it.
Another Albanian, Martin Ademi (55) from Gllogjan village of De^an was
beaten brutally in Peja ('Pec') last Sunday merely for wearing the national
Albanian hat.
A Serb policeman surnamed Culafic beat Martin Ademi at the Peja bus station,
inflicting him grave body injuries, LDK sources in Peja said.
[10] Three Albanian Private Shops Set on Fire in X&rx&
PRISHTINA, May 20 (KIC) - Unidentified persons set three Albanian-owned
private shops on fire at X&rx& village of Rahovec Monday night.
The shops of Rrustem Tha^i, Adem Shala and Lulzim Gashi, were set on fire,
LDK sources in Rahovec reported.
Several other Albanian-owned shops were looted and damaged considerably, .
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