Kosova Daily Report #1543, 98-09-05

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1543
Prishtina, 5 September 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives Shattuck and Dole

[02] Rugova, Shattuck and Dole Speak to the Press

[03] Serb Shelling, Burning of Villages in Dushkaj& Region Continues

[04] Serb Forces Loot and Burn Prizren Villages

[05] Serb Forces Continue Destroying, Torching Albanian Settlement in Rahovec Municipality

[06] 62 Albanians Rounded Up Thursday in Sopniq Village of Rahovec

[07] Thousands of Refugees in Dire Situation, Encircled by Serb Troops in Malisheva Area

[08] Serbs Pound Villages of A^areva, Plluzhina and Tica in Skenderaj

[09] Humanitarian Disaster Looms over Barani Valley Villages

[10] More IDP's Swell Open-Air Refugee Camps near Pagarusha

[11] Albanian, Wounded Earlier by Serbs, Dies in Hospital

[12] Serb Troop Driving across Podujeva Square Simulate Attack Against Passersby

[13] Serb Police Clamps Down on Albanian Family in Ka^anik

[01] President Rugova Receives Shattuck and Dole

Rugova and the senior U.S. officials discussed the most recent situation in Kosova and the possibilities of resolving it with political means.

Assistant Secretary of State Shattuck said they had come to Kosova on a mission to assess the situation and identify the most urgent needs. President Clinton, Secretary Albright and the American people are very concerned about the situation in Kosova, especially the humanitarian situation and the plight of displaced persons, Shattuck said.

President Rugova said the situation in Kosova is grave, deteriorating dramatically as a result of the continued Serb offensives against Albanian villages and settlements. He underscored the critical situation of hundreds of thousands of people who have been driven from their homes in the wake of Serb attacks, and called on the international community, first and foremost the USA, to intervene urgently so that they can return back home.

[02] Rugova, Shattuck and Dole Speak to the Press

The President of the Republic of Kosova recalled that this was the second visit of Senator Dole to Kosova.

"We asked for the help of the U.S. and the international community regarding the humanitarian situation in Kosova", Rugova said. "The Serb offensive against Albanian villages and settlements should by all means be stopped, to create the conditions for an end to violence and the return of people to their homes."

President Rugova thanked the United States, President Clinton, Secretary Albright, and the Congress for their engagement and commitment, and urged for more support for Kosova.

Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck had this to say to reporters in Prishtina: "We appreciate this opportunity to speak to Dr. Rugova. The humanitarian situation is a matter of a very deep concern to the United States of America. It is urgent that there be an end to violence, that there be an end to the terrible climate of human rights abuses, in which people are afraid to return to their homes.

That is something that must end, and that is the key to the end of the humanitarian crisis. In addition, investigation of all human rights abuses should go on. And we are here to assess the evidence, and there is a great deal of it, of human rights atrocities. These need to be investigated by the international community, by the International War Crimes Tribunal. Any atrocities committed against any persons of whatever background in Kosovo need to be brought to justice. And that has been the reason for our meetings here, and further meetings that we will have, as well as discussions and opportunities. I'll have further fact-finding tomorrow, and meetings in Belgrade."

Senator Robert Dole, who visited Kosova for the first time eight years ago, made these remarks: "I am pleased here to be with Secretary Shattuck, Ambassador Miles, [to meet with] President Rugova, whom I have known for a long time.

I am now a private citizen, but I chair the International Commission on Missing Persons for President Clinton and Secretary Albright. And I think I can speak to some, not authority, but knowledge that the American people are very supportive of Kosova, the efforts for autonomy, and very concerned about what will happen to the displaced persons as winter approaches, starting I think on October 1st., which is very bad. So, it seems to me, that having listened to many people today, that I would underscore - what both President said and Secretary Shattuck has said - we want to end the violence, to reduce the forces here, encourage people to go back to their homes - if they have homes to go back to - encourage people to come down from mountains and leave the force, and to do that we have to end the violence, we have to have a ceasefire and withdraw the Serb forces, so that people could back with a feeling of some safety and security. And we will continue to work towards that end."

[03] Serb Shelling, Burning of Villages in Dushkaj& Region Continues

Serb forces have been dousing and setting ablaze those houses that have survived the offensive of the last three days, they added.

Reports said more than 90 percent of the houses in the villages of Dushkaj& - C&rmjan, Kralan, G&rgoc and Kodrali - have been levelled to the ground. 42 houses have been destroyed in Kralan, whereas the hamlet of Kodrali has been levelled to the ground and does not exist any more, LDK sources said.

The residents of these villages have run to the mountains, most of them being camped out in Shushic&.

The latest Serb offensive left killed and wounded, but also many arrested and ill-treated, LDK sources said.

On Thursday, Benita Ismaili (f. 22) from C&rmjan village was killed, whereas her husband, Haki Ismaili (24), was wounded seriously.

On Friday evening, Haxhi Alia (67) died at Kodralia village of sever tortures, A number of residents of these villages are in a critical condition, having remained in the mountains, without any medical attention.

[04] Serb Forces Loot and Burn Prizren Villages

They added that after having destroyed and burned houses in the villages of V&rrin region, Serb forces torched several houses in the Tusus suburb of Prizren. In mid-evening, Serb forces looted and torched the houses of Enver Shala, Ahmet Berisha, Hajrim ^enga and Rizan Krasniqi. Eye-witnesses saw Serb police lorries carrying away domestic appliances and other belongings before the houses were actually set ablaze.

Estimates put the number at 45,000 of Albanians who have been driven of their homes in villages or else fled them in fear and arrived in the town of Prizren.

In the past couple of days the population of the villages of Zhur, Vlashnj&, Kobaj&, Hatmaxh& and other communities along the border area with Albania has been streaming towards Prizren.

A tense situation is reported in the Dushanov& suburb of Prizren, too, as well as in Piran& and other villages of the municipality, which have been given ultimatums by Serb police to surrender weapons they allegedly posses or risk attack.

[05] Serb Forces Continue Destroying, Torching Albanian Settlement in Rahovec Municipality

LDK sources in Prizren said there were killed and wounded in the villages of Rahovec affected by the Serb forces' offensive. At Sopniq village an 80- year-old man, who was hidden in haystack, was burned to death, Zeqir Morina (63) and his, Agron Morina (22), were wounded.

Meanwhile, LDK sources in Gjakova say Serb forces shelled last night the villages of Ratkoc, Dejn&, Dobidol, Qifllak, Kramovik, Palluzh&, Koznik, Petkoviq, Postosel, Drenoc, Poto^an and Mal&si e Vog&l.

These sources said Serb police and soldiers started today torching Albanian farmhouses in these villages. Reportedly, no houses has remained intact in Mal&si e Vog&l village, most of them ruined or burnt altogether.

Sources in Prizren also reported of immense destruction in these villages, including the villages of Sopniq, Pota^an i Ep&rm, Poto^an i Posht&m, Nashpall, Senoc, Vrejak, Bratatin and Gexh&.

LDK chapters in Gjakova and Prizren said tens of thousands of these villages are living rough in the open, in hills, forests and along the Drini river bank. The Albanian population is going through critical times because of the worsening weather and scarcity of food and medicines.

The area where these people have been camping out is sealed off, so it is impossible to provide them with any kind of help.

LDK chapters urged international NGOs to step urgently to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

[06] 62 Albanians Rounded Up Thursday in Sopniq Village of Rahovec

They were all held in huts of local vineyards and gravely ill- treated at Ratkoc village. The following day, they were taken to the Serb police station in Prizren, where they were subject anew to beatings.

Most of them were released at around 17 hrs on Friday, with the exception of ten people who are still in custody.

Several Albanians were arrested last night by police in the town of Prizren, where displaced people from villages had taken refugee, LDK sources said.

[07] Thousands of Refugees in Dire Situation, Encircled by Serb Troops in Malisheva Area

Serb forces advanced Friday afternoon into the village, setting ablaze most of the farmhouses there. Panorc was first pounded with heavy artillery, then Serb infantry entered into it.

Serb troops pillaged commodities in the village, doused houses with petrol and set them afire, witnesses told the KIC yesterday evening.

An Albanian, who made out of the siege today morning, told the LDK Information Commission of Malisheva that the situation in Panorc was extremely vulnerable and deteriorating by the hour. A large number of refugees from many villages and hamlets in Malisheva and the neighboring municipality of Klina have been crammed in groves and fields around Panorc, with food supplies running short quickly.

Meanwhile, sources in the area said the situation in Panorc itself was highly critical today aftrenoon. Around 90 men, mainly young, have been rounded up by Serb troops. They were reportedly being held in the local school building. About 2,000 others, including women and children, were being held encircled by Serb troops in one of the neighborhoods in the village. It is feared that Serbs may commit fresh atrocities in the area.

Yet another source told the KIC today the situiation was also very dire near the Bubla village. Several thousand displaced persobs have been squeezed into a narrow strip of land, where the rivers Mirusha and Drini meet. The people camping out there are said to be residensts of Gremnik, Volljak&, ^upev&, Sverk&, P&r^ev&, Ponorc, Llap^ev&, Mrasor and Dush villages.

A Serb helicopter has been flying overhead the villages of Malisheva since morning today. Serb troops garrisoned in key positions in the municipality opened machine-gun fire in the direction of Albanian communities on several occasions today, witnesses claimed.

[08] Serbs Pound Villages of A^areva, Plluzhina and Tica in Skenderaj

The local chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in Skenderaj said Albanian settlements were pounded with artillery fire for a couple of hours.

The CDHRF described the situation as most critical in Plluzhina and Tica, as the majority of the local population has not fled the village. It could not learn if there were any casualties in the villages attacked last night.

[09] Humanitarian Disaster Looms over Barani Valley Villages

Activists from Klina and Peja described the situation in the area as extremely grave, with people living rough in the open or under homemade plastic sheeting. Many of them are seriously sick, including a couple of women who have given birth to babies in the camps, they said.

The refugees have been repeatedly appealing to the international agencies to provide medication, food, blankets and clothing, LDK activists said.

[10] More IDP's Swell Open-Air Refugee Camps near Pagarusha

According to his estimates, around 40,000 people have been crowded in the area around Pagarusha.

[11] Albanian, Wounded Earlier by Serbs, Dies in Hospital

Sogojeva received life-threatening wounds on 18 August, when Serb troops pounded his village with machine-gun fire.

The brother of the deceased told the KIC that they could not bury him in the cemetery of his native village, which is still being kept tightly sealed off by Serb troops. He was buried in Prishtina instead.

[12] Serb Troop Driving across Podujeva Square Simulate Attack Against Passersby

Since Thursday morning, heavy Serb troops with dozens of army tanks and other combat equipment have been dug in in the vicinity of the villages of Llapashtic& and Obran^&, neighboring on the town of Podujeva.

Sources in Podujeva, a town 30 km north of Prishtina, said today that a Serb troops' convoy with tanks and trucks trailing artillery guns headed for K&rpimeh village in the morning.

While passing along the main square of the town, Serbs in combat fatigue provoked the papulation by simulating machine-gun attacks against them.

[13] Serb Police Clamps Down on Albanian Family in Ka^anik

Serb policemen broke into the house of Naser Kika, Zahir Kika and Abdyl Kika, harassing family members and smashing everything inside, the local LDK chapter in the town said.

A 16-year-old boy, Valon Kuka, was beaten up brutally. He received serious injuries in his arm when one of the Serb policemen assaulted him with a knife. Zahir Kuka was arrested subsequently and, by early afternoon, he was reported still in custody.

Serb police authorities did not produce a search warrant or any explanation related to the motive for the crackdown on the Kika family today morning.

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