Kosova Daily Report #1454, 98-06-08

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1454
Prishtina, 8 June 1998

First Edition: 16:30 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Kosova Tops International Agenda this Week

[02] Serb Forces Shell Border Villages Monday Morning

[03] Grave Situation in Skenderaj, Serbs Shell Llausha for Hours on Sunday

[04] Gunfire Reported at Police Checkpoint in Komoran

[05] Serb Police Orders Burial of Three Unidentified Albanians

[06] Fresh Serb Army Reservist Troops Deployed Brought in Kosova

[07] CDHRF Activists Arrested by Armed Policemen in Plain-Clothes

[08] Serbs Bring Terrorism-related Charges against Albanian Students

[09] Serbian Police Station at Ratkoc Has Not Been Destroyed

[10] Heavy Serb Police Presence along Prishtina-Podujeva Roadway Sunday

[11] Serb Police Beat Albanian Youth Ahead of Peaceful Rally in Prishtina

[01] Kosova Tops International Agenda this Week

PRISHTINA, June 8 (KIC) - The 15-member European Union (EU) reimposed an investment ban on Serbia today (Monday), during a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, reports said.

Yugoslav/Serbian assents abroad were reported frozen.

This was in reaction to Serbia's military offensive against Albanians in Kosova, killing dozens, burning and destroying villages with heavy shelling, and turning scores of thousands into refugees.

The West hastily suspended the sanctions on Belgrade just after a symbolic meeting of 'FRY' President Milosevic and Kosova President Rugova three weeks ago.

Milosevic, as usual with him, outsmarted the West by simultaneously engaging in 'dialogue' with Prishtina and embarking on a military offensive to ethnically cleanse Kosova.

Tens of thousands of Kosovars have been driven out of their homes in the past three months.

Some 20.000 have fled to Albania in the wake of Serb bombardments of Albanian villages in the border area in De^an, Peja, and Gjakova.

Is the West about to reverse its lenient policies towards Belgrade and Milosevic?

A clear, hopeful, 'yes' answer cannot be given for sure. For there are still diplomats who get 'impressed' by renewed willingness and kindness on behalf of Milosevic to allow outsiders see the results of the atrocities of his military and paramilitary police in Kosova.

There are, however, hopeful signs the world is at last willing to understand Milosevic's policies for what they really are: disgusting tactics of the man who has masterminding barbarous ethnic cleansing sweeps in the former Yugoslavia.

Following is a summary account of reaction in the West, first and foremost in London and Washington, to the unfolding Serbian military and police offensive aiming at ethnically cleansing Kosova.

'Butchery' and 'barbarism', the words attributed to have been uttered by British Prime Minister Blair, are the two words that do best match the meaning of what Belgrade's forces have been engaged in in Kosova.

In the past three days the principle of an imminent Nato action in Kosova has come to the fore, according to some sources.

News agencies reported that there is increasing support for resolute action to end the Serbian offensive in Kosova, threatening the use of military force to do that.

In addition to today's EU meeting, the political directors of the international Contact Group on Kosova meet on Wednesday, the Nato defence ministers will discuss the situation on Thursday, and the Contact Group of foreign ministers would be meeting with their G8 colleagues in London on Friday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned the Cabinet that British troops may have to be sent to Kosova to prevent it becoming the next Bosnia.

The Prime Minister made clear: "The only question that matter is whether you are prepared to use force. And we have to be."

Following Thursday's meeting in Downing Street, Mr Blair told his closest ministers: "Reports indicate a level of butchery that risks escalating into another Bosnia."

The Prime Minister believes the lessons of Bosnia meant it was better to decide "whether and when to intervene rather than be dragged in", Downing Street sources were quoted as saying.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair asked Russia on Sunday to help end the "barbarism" in Kosova province, and joined the United States in warning Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic against more bloodshed there.

Blair telephoned Russian President Yeltsin to ask him not to oppose the effort to build an international consensus authorizing force against Yugoslavia for its attacks on Kosova Albanians and to help end the Kosovo crisis if he could, a Downing Street spokesman said.

The prime minister also had a lengthy telephone conversation with U.S. President Bill Clinton, in which they agreed to send a "strong message" to Milosevic that "the activities of the Yugoslav forces (in Kosovo) were totally unacceptable," Blair's spokesman said.

He said the prime minister spent the weekend going over the military options and legal positions about Kosova, where a Serb crackdown on Albanians has sparked a big exodus of refugees into neighboring Albania and fears of a new Balkan war.

In his 30-minute conversation with Yeltsin, Blair appealed to the Russian leader to use "whatever influence he has to get Milosevic to stop the barbarism against civilians" in Kosova, Blair's spokesman said.

Yeltsin "undertook to do so,"' the spokesman was quoted as saying, without elaborating.

Blair and Clinton, in their telephone conversation, agreed that they "must work together at the United Nations and elsewhere, to make sure that Milosevic is in no doubt we're taking on the issue," Blair's spokesman said.

Foreign Secretary Robin Cook has warned Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic that the European Union will not permit a repetition of Bosnian- style ethnic cleansing in Kosova.

"President Milosevic over the past week has crossed the threshold," Mr Cook told an audience at a conference at the London School of Economics. "The use of tanks, of artillery, of the might of the military army against civilian centers of population is wholly unacceptable within the modern Europe."

The Foreign Secretary said the EU could not tolerate a confrontation so clearly ethnic in its origins.

Britain is consulting its allies about the wording of a resolution for the UN Security Council to authorize all necessary measures against Belgrade, sources said.

Robin Cook said one of the great achievements of the present generation had been the end of racial segregation in South Africa.

"We are not going to celebrate the ending of apartheid within Africa in order to see a new apartheid created by ethnic cleansing within our own continent," he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II called on the world Sunday to act against violence and domination in Kosova.

"Not far from us, in Kosovo, violent options, repression and the flight of peoples must not leave the international community inert," he said after his regular Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square.

The bloodshed "recalls the tragic recent history of the Balkans," he said, referring to wars in Bosnia and Croatia.

He urged both sides to take up the road to dialogue - "longer but more effective for all."

Also on Sunday, the U.S. Senate majority leader said he would not rule out using American troops to end ethnic fighting in Kosova.

"Kosovo has the potential to become another Bosnia," Sen.

Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."

"We cannot allow this slaughter to occur. Once again the Serbians are out of control. Something should be done."

Lott said the United States should "always be reluctant to use military force," but "I'm not saying we should not consider troops if it continues the way it is going."

Meanwhile, top diplomats from nine Balkan countries are to discuss the Kosova problem at a regional meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, that started today (Monday).

[02] Serb Forces Shell Border Villages Monday Morning

The LDK Information Commission said that Serb/Yugoslav army forces began bombarding Albanian settlements in the area at around 5 a.m. today.

Heavy Serbian artillery, backed up by military helicopter gunships, has been shelling the villages of Nec, Smolic&, Popoc, Ponoshec, Morin&, Brovin&, Stub&ll, etc, the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said.

The most fierce attacks are being waged against the villages of Morin& and Smolic&, reports said, adding that the sound of heavy detonations can be heard in the town of Gjakova itself.

Serbian forces have been attacking from their positions in the ^abrati upland, at Babaj t& Bok&s and in the Kodra e Pllanikut (the Pllaniku upland) as well as other mobile positions.

Reports from the ground said Albanian defendants have put up a fierce resistance to the ongoing Serbian attacks.

The resistance is all the more meaningful, for it aims at preventing Serbian military and paramilitary forcing Albanians out of their homes and ethnically cleansing the area, sources said.

Eye-witnesses said the building of the local elementary school at the village of Morin& was in ruins after heavy Serb shelling.

In addition, the village of Dujak& has been under siege by Serbian forces since yesterday, sources said.

Serb forces have occupied the building of the elementary school "Fan Noli" at Dujak&. Serb snipers have been targeting this and other villages in the vicinity from there.

Meanwhile, sources in De^an reported of renewed Serb shelling in the area today.

Artillery sounds can be heard coming from several villages surrounding the town of De^an, sources added.

[03] Grave Situation in Skenderaj, Serbs Shell Llausha for Hours on Sunday

Serb forces garrisoned at the Kodra e Skenderajt base shelled the extended families of Haziraj, Babaj, Zejnullahu and Gecaj, an LDK activist told KIC on the phone today.

Zuk& Zejnullahu, a 45-year old Albanian, has died for lack of due medical care in the sealed-off village, the activist said.

The town of Skenderaj itself was reported going through extremely hard times, with lack of basic necessities in the wake of the three-month-long siege laid to it by Serbian forces.

Bakeries in the town have been without flour for two weeks now. So the people have to brace going to Mitrovica to fetch supplies.

Communication lines have been cut to a number of villages in the municipality of Skenderaj.

During the month of May, 9 Albanians were killed in the municipality; 15 others wounded.

Over 250 Albanian houses have been destroyed, partly damaged or looted by Serbian forces, LDK sources said.

[04] Gunfire Reported at Police Checkpoint in Komoran

LDK sources in Gllogovc said Serb police fired automatic rifles in the direction of villages north of the checkpoint.

There was no immediate report on possible casualties.

Sporadic gunfire was reported coming from the area today morning too.

Life in Komoran and the surrounding villages has been paralysed.

The local population in the vicinity of the police checkpoint has moved out a couple of weeks ago.

The main Kosova axis, connecting the capital Prishtina with the town of Peja, is still closed.

[05] Serb Police Orders Burial of Three Unidentified Albanians

They were buried in the town cemetery, a report said.

The killed persons - whose identity has not been made known - were brought to Gjakova from villages in the municipality of De^an, the scene of a ten- day long Serb offensive against Albanian settlements.

Another corpse of an unidentified man was buried in the Gjakova cemeteries Saturday. The body of the man had been brought by Serb army in the town morgue earlier last week, sources in Gjakova said.

[06] Fresh Serb Army Reservist Troops Deployed Brought in Kosova

Sources in Fush&-Kosova, a town 5 km north of Prishtina, said six train cars full of Serb army reservists entered today the railway station.

During the whole time, while passengers got off the train, the area around the railway station was held sealed off by Serb police.

The Serb reservists were reportedly housed in the huge military barracks in the suburbs of Prishtina in the direction of Fush&- Kosova.

[07] CDHRF Activists Arrested by Armed Policemen in Plain-Clothes

Ms Zahrije Podrim^aku, an administrative secretary, and Mr. Ibrahim Makolli, a member of the CDHRF, were arrested by two armed policemen in plain- clothes.

[08] Serbs Bring Terrorism-related Charges against Albanian Students

A lawyer from Prizren, Syl& Hoxha, said that the students Njazi Kryeziu, Aqif Iliazi, Bardhyl Duraku, Sejdi Bellania, D&frim Rifaj and Sherif Iliazin have been charged with involvement in 'setting up terrorist groups".

According the Serb indictment, they may be sentenced up to 10 years in prison each, he said.

Njazi Kryeziu, Aqif Iliazi, Bardhyl Duraku, Sejdi Bellania are members of the Students Union of the "Xhevdet Doda" Teachers Training College in Prizren.

The six students have been held in Serb detention for over a week now.

The lawyer said the Serb court in Prizren ruled today a 2-month extension of pre-trial detention for all of them.

Three other female students - Behare Tafallari, Jehon& Krasniqi and Leonor& Morina - arrested together with the six students named above, are being held at a prison house in Lipjan.

[09] Serbian Police Station at Ratkoc Has Not Been Destroyed

The building did indeed suffer minor damages, but was not destroyed, the LDK said, adding that Serb police deserted the station at Ratkoc village of Rahovec.

The LDK sources said the situation in the municipality was a bit quieter today.

Three Albanian villages in the municipality - Gexh&, Mal&si e Vog&l and Ratkoc - have been shelled by Serbian forces on several occasions in the past few weeks, causing considerable material damage and a number of casualties amongst Albanians.

[10] Heavy Serb Police Presence along Prishtina-Podujeva Roadway Sunday

There was at least one armed policeman standing on every 100 meters along the 30 km long northbound roadway.

They were there to secure the passage of a bicycle race tour along the road to demonstrate the everything was O.K. in Kosova!

[11] Serb Police Beat Albanian Youth Ahead of Peaceful Rally in Prishtina

He said the police stopped him on the street, beating him with no reason whatsoever.

Jakup Bektshi said he was on his way to Mother Teresa square, the venue of a peaceful protest, planned to start at noon.

Serb riot police intervened brutally Sunday against peaceful protesters in Prishtina, beating scores of Albanians.

The ralliers paid homage to victims of Serb aggression in different parts of Kosova over the last weeks.

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