Kosova Daily Report #1452, 98-06-06

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1452
Prishtina, 6 June 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives Senior German Diplomat

[02] President Rugova Receives British Diplomat

[03] Ischinger: Serb Military Action, Ethnic Cleansing Must Stop in Kosova

[04] Serb Military Aircraft Involved in Bombarding De^an Villages

[05] Serbian Attacks in De^an Villages Continue

[06] Serb Forces Step Up Ethnic Cleansing Sweep in Border Villages

[07] LDK Sources Say Identity of 45 Killed Albanians in De^an Established

[08] At Least 202 Held Captive in Two Buildings in De^an

[09] Albanian of De^an Village Reveals Details about Serb Atrocities

[10] LDK Senior Officials in Serb Custody

[11] Serb Police Shoots at Albanians on Mitrovica-Skenderaj Road

[01] President Rugova Receives Senior German Diplomat

Ischinger shared with Rugova the deep concern of the German government over the escalating violence against the civilian population in Kosova.

The German diplomat said his trip to the region was aimed at getting a first-hand account on the recent developments in Kosova in the run-up to the Contact Group meeting next week.

President Rugova said the Serbian military and police operations against Albanian villages were continuing. The most worst-hit areas are De^an, Peja, and Gjakova, and the border areas with Albania, he said.

Many Albanian civilians have been slain and wounded, entire villages burned or destroyed, President Rugova said, adding that the Serb military and police have been driving the population out of their homes. "They have been forced to flee Kosova running for their lives".

The Kosova President said this was a large-scale camping of ethnic cleansing being carried out by Serb forces in Kosova.

He called for urgent international action to bring an end to Serbian attacks in Kosova.

The Kosova leadership is steadfast on its position to pursue a negotiated settlement of the crisis based on the political will of the people for independence, Dr. Rugova said.

Dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade should resume, but this can only be done after Serb attacks have been terminated and the sealed-off areas unblocked, President Rugova concluded.

[02] President Rugova Receives British Diplomat

The current situation in Kosova and the prospects for a way out of this were discussed in the meeting.

President Rugova described the situation in the country extremely dangerous amidst the continued Serbian military and police operations against Albanian villages in De^an, Peja, and Gjakova, along the border areas with Albania, but also elsewhere in Kosova.

Serbian military and police troops have killed and massacred scores of Albanian civilians in less than a week, he said, adding that many more have been wounded in their homes, while entire villages have been burned and destroyed during heavy shelling.

Tens of thousands of people have been driven out of their homes by Serb troops, the President said, referring to this as a massive- scale ethnic cleansing.

Against this background, an urgent international action is needed to reverse the situation and protect the people of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said.

Dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade should resume, but this can only be done after Serb attacks have been terminated and the sealed-off areas unblocked, President Rugova stressed.

The Kosova leadership has been steadfast in its pursuit of a resolution for Kosova based on the political will of the people for independence, Dr. Rugova said.

The President urged Britain step up efforts in support of Kosova.

The British Ambassador, Brian Donnelly, expressed the deep concern of his government over the developments in Kosova, adding that London and other EU capitals stand for a negotiated settlement in Kosova.

An immediate end to violence should preceded the resumption of an unconditional dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade, Ambassador Donnelly said.

[03] Ischinger: Serb Military Action, Ethnic Cleansing Must Stop in Kosova

"I had another round of consultations with President Rugova, with other political party leaders and with a number of members of the negotiating team", he said at the outset.

"This is part of the ongoing German effort to be in the closest possible touch with the Kosovo Albanian leadership", Ischinger said, adding that the Contact Group will be making "another strong effort next week" to de- escalate the present crisis, to end the [Serbia] military action in the south-western of Kosova, to help the refugees, to enable a process for them to return quickly to their homes, and to facilitate a political process that could lead to negotiations about the status of Kosova and a peaceful settlement in the future.

The situation in south-western of Kosova is "a complete disaster, it is totally unacceptable", Wolfgang Ischinger said. "A large number of Kosova Albanians are being driven out of their homes and their towns and are forced to seek refuge across the border in Albania." The German government has, as a matter of urgency, yesterday released a large amount of immediate aid, both through UNHCR and through the International Red Cross and the Albanian Red Cross, the senior German diplomat told the press. "We are sending immediately 500.000 DM for the UNHCR, and 725.000 DM for the Albanian Red Cross, to give immediate support to the many thousands of Kosovo Albanians who came into Albania over the last several days."

Germany is the first country "to have reacted so quickly to help these poor people," Ischinger said."We are interested into pursuing a policy that would enable these people to return to their homes as quickly as possible. Because what has happened to them is absolute shame."

Asked to comment whether he agreed with German Defense Minister Rhe that NATO troops should not be deployed around Kosova but in Kosova, and whether it was possible for Contact Group to propose this, Ischinger said: "I have nothing to add to what my Defense Minister has said. I can only repeat what he has said. We are examining with our partners in NATO and the Contact Group all, I underline all, options which might be conducive to resolve this escalation. I think the first point to be made is that the use of the military to drive out civilians must be stopped now. I think that is the first priority for our international effort, both in the Contact Group and in Nato. And I am not here to say to you results of our considerations. Results will be presented next week, when we have met in the Contact and in other fora. But I am taking a number of recommendations back with me, which I am not now going to present to the public."

There is still a prospect for peace talks on Kosova, the German diplomat said, in reply to a question. "I think the military action must be terminated immediately, and I think that would be itself an important step back to create an atmosphere that would permit substantive discussions about the future of the Kosovo."

This is going to be our demand.", he added.

Ischinger said additional measures are being considered at this point.

"The German government is conducting a review of its approach to the Kosovo issue. My trip to the region is part of that review. And I am going to take a number of recommendations back to Bonn tomorrow. And the results will then be discussed in the German government. And will make it public early next week.", Wolfgang Ischinger said.

Asked by reporters to say whether he could restate what he stated in Tirana - that ethnic cleansing was being carried out in Kosova - Ischinger replied: "I can repeat this. It is a shame that large numbers of ethnic Albanians of Kosovo are being forcefully driven out of their homes, that their villages are being shelled, that this has all the ingredients of a policy of ethnic cleansing in that part of Kosovo."

Asked to say how this could be stopped, the Political Director in the German Ministry said: "The first demand, as I said, has to be that the military action by the Serb military has to be stopped and has to be a withdrawal, as we have demanded repeatedly in the Contact Group, not only the military, but also the special police, from the region."

[04] Serb Military Aircraft Involved in Bombarding De^an Villages

Fatmir Berisha, a local schoolteacher at Strellc, told the KIC the Serbian military has been attacking with artillery the villages of Grama^el, Glloxhan, Isniq, and Prejlep.

Four Serbian airplanes were involved in bombarding the village of Prejlep from 11:30 through 11:45 hrs yesterday, sources said, adding that three young Albanians were wounded on the occasion: Beqir Haxh& Qufaj, Riza Sahit Qufaj and Q&ndrim Sejdi Qufaj.

It is estimated that as many as 30,000 Albanians have been crowded into these villages, having had to flee shelling of their home villages in De^an and Peja during the week-long Serbian offensive of destruction and ethnic cleansing in the area.

The area under attack - the Serb military aircraft having been involved too - covers also the villages of Prapa^an, Dubovik, Lumbardh, Pozhar, Lluk& e Poshtme, the Albanian schoolteacher said.

Fatmir Berisha said the people in the area under attack have been calling for a humanitarian corridor to proceed to neighboring Gjakova, or else into Albania, so that they not become targets for fresh Serb massacres.

Serbian military airplanes bombarded the town of De^an just before midday Friday, the local human rights activist, Musa Berisha, told the press.

[05] Serbian Attacks in De^an Villages Continue

Yesterday, a three-year-old Albanian boy was killed during Serb attack against Grama^el village of De^an. He was named as Leutrim Esat Aga, activists of the LDK branch in Gjakova said.

At Baballoq village the body of an unidentified killed man was found, LDK and the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said.

CDHRF said in addition that from their position at Suka e Biteshit Serbian forces shelled with heavy artillery the villages of Shaptej, Grama^el and Baballoq yesterday.

The Albanian toddler, Leutrim Esat Aga, was killed in his cradle at home, when the houses was hit with shells. Three other persons were reported on the occasion.

Scores of houses were reported in smoldering fire today after Serb shelling of the villages.

[06] Serb Forces Step Up Ethnic Cleansing Sweep in Border Villages

Most of the Albanian population fled the village of Mulliq in the wake of the most recent wave of Serb ethnic cleansing campaign.

The villages of Mal&si e Vog&l, Gexh& and Gradish&, in the municipality of Rahovec, were attacked by Serb forces overnight.

At 22:00 hrs yesterday (Friday) a building in the town of Gjakova was fired upon, local sources said, adding that police forces roamed the streets of the town after midnight, singing chauvinist Serb songs through loudspeakers.

Heavy Serbian forces left Gjakova this morning for the villages of the Reka e Keqe region.

Meanwhile, the bodies of two killed Albanians were reported taken to the Gjakova town morgue this morning.

Reports said they were killed at the village of Prejlep in De^an.

Their identity has not been made known yet.

[07] LDK Sources Say Identity of 45 Killed Albanians in De^an Established

The death-toll amongst Albanians is higher, he warned.

Serb military and police embarked 29 May on a large-scale offensive, shelling the town of De^an and entire villages with heavy artillery. A number of villages have been destroyed or burned down, a great many more badly damaged.

Most of the Albanians were killed in their farmsteads, the LDK Information Commission's head said, giving the names of the Albanians - men, women, and children - killed in De^an, Llo^an, Carrabreg i Ep&rm, Carrabreg i Ul&t, Strellc i Ep&rm, Vranoc, Lubeniq, Pob&rgj&, Irzniq, and, Prejlep.

[08] At Least 202 Held Captive in Two Buildings in De^an

The LDK official gave the names of family heads and the number of family members, totalling 202.

Three Albanians (Curr C. Ku^i, Hasan Z. Ku^i and Zenun S.Ku^i) were held up and taken hostage when they went out in an effort to pick up the body of Xaj& C. Ku^i, killed by Serbian forces in the town of De^an.

The number of people missing may well be higher, Mr. Cacaj told the KIC.

[09] Albanian of De^an Village Reveals Details about Serb Atrocities

For ten days now, the Serb forces have mounted a large-scale offensive in De^an and surrounding villages, leaving dozens of residents dead and burning entire villages. The local population has fled the area in panic. A large number of them sought refuge in the neighboring Albania, after trekking a rugged mountainous terrain.

The witness from Carrabregu village, himself a lawyer, said the Serb forces have applied a scorched-earth policy after having looted whatever could be taken away. "The Serb forces would initially shell the villages, in most of the cases from the Podi i G&shtenjave base, advancing subsequently with tanks and infantry.

The Serbs broke into houses, looted them and set them ablaze. They took everything they found, even carpet rugs" he said.

He said that over 80 per cent of the town of De^an was in rubble.

All the parts of the town in which there were no Serb houses were destroyed during a several-day-long shelling. "The Albanians living in blocks of flats in which Serbs and Montenegrins live too, were given a five-minute deadline to run away. They left homes at Serb gun point. Then, the Serb tormented them, taking everything".

The lawyer said no one knew what was happening to 150 Albanians held as hostages in the buildings of a private firm.

Revealing what happened in his Carrabregu village, he said: "They [Serbs] shelled the village during the whole course of a day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The next day, after the entire population had left, Serbs advanced with tanks and infantry. They took everything, then they set houses ablaze. Serb snipers were holding around the village, ready to shoot at anyone. They killed a 13-year girl that day, Shaqir Dobra (around 90), and two elderly women. Two days later, the Serbs advanced into the neighboring Carrabregu i Ul&t village, where they destroyed in the same manner 200 houses. The village was hit with at least 590 grenades before the Serb invaded it. Those houses which could not be destroyed by shelling were set on fire by Serb troops subsequently. At least 5 people were killed there, including two old women. Over 30 were wounded."

The Albanian said that local villagers did their best to defend their homes, but that they could not do much with the meager and light armament they had. The area is being kept under a watchful eye of Serb snipers, dead bodies of people lying out in the heat, with no one to bury them, he said.

The witness, speaking to KIC on condition of anonymity, named many villages of De^an which have either been destroyed completely or deserted. "My impression was that the Serbs deliberately left a corridor open so the population could flee. They left behind everything they had. It hurts when seeing the huge supplies of food were left behind or destroyed, while on he other hand we have become a burden to other people who are short of food themselves.

Besides Albania, they have found shelter in some safer villages and other parts of Kosova. There are cases when as many as 100 people have been sheltered in a household alone, sleeping on the floor."

Speaking about the Serb troops, he said one could see them in different uniforms, very often with painted faces. There were casualties amongst the Serbs too, he said.

The witness said that local Serb were also involved in operations.

"Their children and women were sheltered to places elsewhere, while men were involved in killing Albanians and razing their villages.", he concluded.

[10] LDK Senior Officials in Serb Custody

The two senior LDK officials were on the way to Vushtrri this morning to take part in a planned meeting of the local LDK chapter.

Fatmir Rexhepi said they were halted by police at a checkpoint just outside the small town.

After having had their identity checked, both of them as well as their driver were taken to the local Serb police station.

During the two hours in custody, they were interrogated about the purpose of their trip to Vushtrri.

In addition, the LDK driver, Ymer Re^ica, had 150 DM seized by the police.

[11] Serb Police Shoots at Albanians on Mitrovica-Skenderaj Road

The LDK Information Commission has quoted the taxi driver Gani Gashi and his companion Hysen Gashi as saying that the Serb police opened fire without any warning, peppering their car with two volleys of bullets.

Luckily, the two Albanians were not hit, the Commission said.

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