Kosova Daily Report #1554, 98-09-16
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1554
Prishtina, 16 September 1998
First Edition: 12:30 CET
Second Edition: 17:30 CET
CONTENTS
[01] Serb Forces Resume Attacks against a Dozen Villages of Shala e
Bajgorės Region
[02] Shelling of Shalė from Podujeva Area Continues, the Town Virtually
Sealed Off
[03] Population Holed Up in Three Klina Villages Held inside Serb Siege
[04] President Rugova Receives Japanese Ambassador
[05] House Joins Senate in Resolution Calling for Indictment of Milosevic
for War Crimes
[06] SERBS CONTINUE ATTACKS ON SHALė E BAJGORėS REGION
[07] Three Albanians killed, many wounded
[08] 19,000 New Refugees in Mitrovica
[09] Some 20,000 have fled their villages in Podujeva area
[10] Serbs Execute Old Man and His Nephew in Malisheva
[11] Serbs Terrorize Refugees Returning to Their Villages
[12] Three Babies Die Shortly after Being Born in Outdoor Refugee Camp
[13] Bodies of Killed Albanians Found in Suhareka and Klina
[14] Over 30 Activists Detained by Serb Police in Gjilan
[01] Serb Forces Resume Attacks against a Dozen Villages of Shala e
Bajgorės Region
Three Albanians killed at Stari Tėrg Tuesday; population on the move from
scores of villages in northern Kosova
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC); 10:00 hrs - At 6 o'clock in the morning today
(Wednesday), Serbian military and paramilitary police troops resumed
shelling the villages of Shalė e Bajgorės region, which lies in a triangle
straddling the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva, sources
said.
Reports from Mitrovica said at 7 o'clock the shelling of these villages in
Shalė e Bajgorės was continuing: Zabėrxhė, Melenicė, the "Trepēa" suburbs,
Stari Tėrg, Vidishiq, Rashan, Mazhiq, Pasomė, Tėrstenė, Kaēanoll, Bare and
Kutllovc. Serb forces have been shelling from their positions at Kisha e
Boletinit, Zherovnica, and Kutllovc, whereas overnight Serb military opened
artillery and mortar fire from its base at Frashėr ('Fresher') village of
Mitrovica.
An LDK activist said today's explosions were very heavy. Houses in Melenicė,
Stari Tėrgu and Mazhiqi were in flames and smoke, he added.
Tuesday, three Albanians were killed at Stari Tėrg. Halim Ferizi (60), his
son Enver Ferizi (38), and a family guest, Rizah Tahiri (55), resident of
Selac village, were killed in the courtyard of Halim Ferizi's house.
Halim's sons, Fadil Ferizi (35) amd Adil Ferizi (32) were arrested and held
for eight hours in custody, during which time they were ill-treated, LDK
sources in Mitrovica said Wednesday.
The population of the attacked villages has fled their homes, but most of
them spent the night in the Lisica mountains, as Serb police has not
allowed them to proceed to Mitrovica.
As many as 40,000 Albanians driven from their homes have found refuge in
the municipality of Mitrovica in the past several months.
In Zhabar of Mitrovica foreign observers have been stationed, but it is not
known whether they were able to see the Serb attack of the past few days in
Shalė villages.
Meanwhile, reports from Podujeva there was sporadic shooting overnight. At
6 a.m. today, Serb forces started firing heavy guns.
Serb forces which were deployed Tuesday in an area between the villages of
Bajēinė, Dobratin and Bradash, half a dozen km north of Podujeva, have been
pounding the Shalė e Bajgorės villages with heavy artillery. The shelling
was especially fierce after nine o'clock in the morning, local sources
said.
Foreign observers were seen travelling the Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway
today.
A large portion of the population of the Podujeva villages straddling the
Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadawy - such as Peran, Bajēinė, Dobėrdol, Zakut,
Kėrpimeh, Pakashticė, Revuē, Dobratin and Bradash - has fled their homes in
fear of Serb crackdown against the Albanian civilian population seen
elsewhere in Kosova. The huge Serb military buildup only added to a
psychosis of an imminent Serb action.
On Tuesday, LDK activists on the ground worked to persuade the panic-
stricken population not to flee the area altogether, but rather stay in the
villages with a relative safety in the Podujeva area.
In the afternoon hours Tuesday, most of the people fleeing their home
villages found refuge in the town of Podujeva.
Panic and fear spread to the villages straddling the Podujeva - Prishtinė
roadway, too. Part of the Albanian population was moving Tuesday in the
direction of Prishtina.
Reports from Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') said Serb forces started just after seven
o'clock in the morning shelling the village of Pasomė and the outlying
villages which make part of the geographic whole known as Shalė e
Bajgorės.
The explosion were very heavy, sources in the town of Vushtrri said, adding
that their echo can be heard in town and the flames and smoke billowing
from them can be seen there too.
Because of Serb attacks, the residents of the villages of Pasomė, Tėrllabuē,
Bajskė, Sllatinė and Smrekonicė have fled their homes.
Tens of thousands of Albanians driven from their homes in central Kosova
earlier this year have found refuge in Vushtrri and Mitrovica
municipalities.
[02] Shelling of Shalė from Podujeva Area Continues, the Town Virtually
Sealed Off
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) 12:00 hrs- Serb forces which have been deployed in
the village of Dobratin of Podujeva have been continuing shelling the
villages of Shalė e Bajgorės region in the triangle between Mitrovica,
Vushtrri and Podujeva, sources said around midday today (Tuesday).
LDK sources in Podujeva said a number of families of the Ahmeti family
compound have not been able to evacuate.
A heavy Serb forces' buildup is reported in the town of Podujeva.
Forces have been stationed in several key positions in town.
Citizens are being strictly and routinely checked in the center of the town,
in the vicinity of the post office, near the Brick Factory, near the Steel
Factory on the road leading to the northern village of Dumnicė, as well as
in the outskirts of Podujeva on the road to Shajkovc.
Sources in Podujeva said at 11 a.m. a convoy of Serb forces consisting of
40 vehicles, coming from Serbia, passed along Podujeva in the direction of
Prishtina.
Traffic in the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway has been heavier today compared
to yesterday. In the entrance to capital Prishtina, police has been
stopping cars and people for routine checks.
[03] Population Holed Up in Three Klina Villages Held inside Serb Siege
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The village Sferkė e Gashit in the municipality
of Klina, in central Kosova, has been under siege by Serb forces, local
sources reported Wednesday morning.
The LDK chapter in Klina said Serb troops have set a five-day deadline to
the residents of Sverka to surrender the weapons they allegedly possess or
else face a harsh crackdown.
Part of the local population succeeded in fleeing the village, but the
majority are holed up fearing imminent Serb onslaughts.
The population of a couple of neighboring villages, ēupevė and Volljakė,
have likewise found themselves trapped in the area encircled by Serb
troops.
Witnesses told the KIC Serb troops entered the Dush village two days ago,
torching the few farmhouses which had survived an earlier attack.
[04] President Rugova Receives Japanese Ambassador
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr
Ibrahim Rugova received today in Prishtina Mr. Norioki Owada, the Japanese
Ambassador to Belgrade.
The situation in Kosova and the prospects for a political resolution were
discussed in the meeting.
The continued Serb offensive operations, especially its extensions to other
parts of Kosova such as Mitrovica and Podujeva, adds further to the
extremely dramatic situation in Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova said.
He called for an urgent international intervention to stop the Serbian
offensive and the creation of the preconditions for a political resolution
to the Kosova issue.
The Ambassador of Japan, Norioki Owada, said his country was following the
developments in Kosova with concern, adding that Japan is supportive of a
negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue.
Mr. Owada said the Japanese government, besides the aid it has given so far,
plans to take part in projects for reconstruction of damaged and ruined
buildings/houses and other medium-term infrastructure projects in Kosova.
[05] House Joins Senate in Resolution Calling for Indictment of Milosevic
for War Crimes
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The United States should press The Hague
Tribunal to consider indicting and trying 'FRY' President Slobodan
Milosevic for crimes against humanity and genocide, the House of
Representatives said Monday in a non-binding resolution.
The measure calls for the United States to publicly declare that there is
reason to believe that Milosevic has committed war crimes and collect
information that can be supplied to the tribunal, the Associated Press
reported.
By voice vote, the House passed the same resolution the Senate passed in
July.
"For most of this year, we've witnessed a repeat of the carnage and havoc
that the world experienced during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia at
the beginning of the decade," Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., said from the
House floor.
"Now once again we're faced with the tragic spectacle of hundreds of
thousands of innocent civilians made homeless, towns and villages in ruins,
unknown numbers of persons dead or missing in Kosovo," Bereuter said. "The
architect of this misery is Slobodan Milosevic."
Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., was quoted as saying: "Slobodan
Milosevic's ruthless, reckless, irresponsible behavior brought us to the
point of a bloodbath in Bosnia and now a bloodbath in Kosovo."
"Today Congress can go on record. Slobodan Milosevic must be held
accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide," Rep.
Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said.
Before approving the Senate resolution, the House also passed its own
version of the resolution 369-1.
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was the only House member to vote against the
measure, AP reported.
[06] SERBS CONTINUE ATTACKS ON SHALė E BAJGORėS REGION
Early in the morning today (Wednesday), heavy Serb forces resumed the
shelling of the villages of Shalė e Bajgorės region, which is situated in a
triangle between Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva. A number of houses have
been destroyed, killed and wounded reported, and over 20,000 Albanians have
fled their homes
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) 16:00 - Reports from Mitrovica said Serb forces
resumed today morning the shelling of: Zabėrxhė, Melenicė, the "Trepēa"
neihgbourhood, Stari Tėrg, Vidishiq, Rashan, Mazhiq, Pasomė, Tėrstenė,
Kaēanoll, Bare and Kutllovc. Serb forces have been shelling from their
positions at Kisha e Boletinit (the Boletin church), Zherovnica, and
Kutllovc. Overnight, Serb military fired from its base at Frashėr
('Svinjare') village.
[07] Three Albanians killed, many wounded
Six Albanian houses and a shop have been reported burnt in Stari Tėrg,
whereas in the village of Melenicė four houses.
There have been reports on killed and wounded.
Tuesday, Serb forces killed three Albanians at Stari Tėrg, Halim Ferizi
(60), his son Enver Ferizi (38), and their family guest Rizah Tahiri (55),
resident of the village of Selac. They were all killed in Halim Ferizi's
courtyard. His two sons, Fadil (35) and Adil (32) were arrested, held in
custody for eight hours, and beaten up severely, LDK sources in Mitrovica
said.
Members of Serb forces with camouflaged faces have entered a number of
Shalė e Bajgorės villages. They have looted and burnt houses in Stari Tėrg,
Mazhiq and Rahovė.
Rifat Zeneli (80) has remained behind in his native village of Mazhiq, and
his fate is unknown.
After 14:00 hrs today, 8 Serb military lorries trailing heavy guns left
Mitrovica for Stari Tėrg, reports said.
Four Albanians - Besnik Z. Peci (27), Kujtim Xh. Peci (16), Smajl Peci (23)
and Afrim Xh. Peci (20), from Boletin and Rahova villages - were arrested
in the entrance to Mitrovica Tuesday afternoon.
They were held for fours in custody and beaten up severely.
[08] 19,000 New Refugees in Mitrovica
The Shalė e Bajgorės region has a population of 19,000 Albanians, all of
whom have now fled their homes. Most of them spent the night in the Lisica
mountains, because Serb police thwarted their bid to proceed to Mitrovica.
In the past few month as many as 40,000 Albanians driven from their homes
in central Kosova found refuge in Mitrovica area.
Reports from Podujeva said there was sporadic gunfire overnight. In the
morning today, Serb forces deployed in the area between the villages of
Bajēinė, Dobratin and Bradash (less than 10 km north of Podujeva) were
shelling the Shalė region with heavy guns. The shelling was heavy after
9:00., and then after 14:00 hrs.
[09] Some 20,000 have fled their villages in Podujeva area
Some local residents of the village of Dobratin have been holed up in the
elementary school building, whereas Serb forces have been stationed in the
school yard, sources said.
The shelling from that position was heavier after 14:00 hrs today.
Houses in the village of Dobratin were in flames and smoke. A convoy of
Serb forces is said to have reached the peak of the mountain, and clashes
with local Albanian resistance forces to have taken place, with killed and
wounded.
A large portion of the population of the Podujeva villages straddling the
Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway - such as Peran, Bajēinė, Dobėrdol, Zakut,
Kėrpimeh, Pakashticė, Revuē, Dobratin and Bradash - has fled their homes in
fear of Serb crackdown against the Albanian civilian population seen
elsewhere in Kosova. The huge Serb military buildup only added to a
psychosis of an imminent Serb action.
On Tuesday, LDK activists on the ground worked to persuade the panic-
stricken population not to flee the area altogether, but rather stay in the
villages with a relative safety in the Podujeva area.
In the afternoon hours Tuesday, most of the people fleeing their home
villages found refuge in the town of Podujeva.
Panic and fear spread to the villages straddling the Podujeva - Prishtinė
roadway, too. Part of the Albanian population of these villages, which in
peace time amounts to 20,000, was moving Tuesday in the direction of
Prishtina.
A heavy Serb forces' buildup has been reported in the town of Podujeva
today, and police stationed in several key positions in town which
routinely harassed citizens.
The local Albanian doctor, Fadil Dabinoci, was reported arrested today,
whereas the Serb medical staff withdrew from the local medical center and
sent to a make-shift hospital near the Serb police checkpoint at former
"Besiana" motel in Podujeva.
Sources in Podujeva said at 11 a.m. today a convoy of Serb forces
consisting of 40 vehicles, coming from Serbia, passed along Podujeva in the
direction of Prishtina.
Traffic in the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway has been heavier today compared
to yesterday. In the entrance to capital Prishtina, police has been
stopping cars and people for routine checks.
Foreign observers were not allowed to go to villages where Serb actions
were being conducted, reports from Podujeva said.
Grave situation in Vushtrri
Reports from Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') said Serb forces started just after seven
o'clock in the morning today (Wednesday) shelling the village of Pasomė and
the outlying villages which make part of the geographic whole known as
Shalė e Bajgorės.
The explosion were very heavy, sources in the town of Vushtrri said, adding
that their echo can be heard in town and the flames and smoke billowing
from them can be seen there too.
Because of Serb attacks, the residents of the villages of Pasomė, Tėrllabuē,
Bajskė, Sllatinė and Smrekonicė have fled their homes.
Tens of thousands of Albanians driven from their homes in central Kosova
earlier this year have found refuge in Vushtrri and Mitrovica
municipalities.
In Vushtrri smoke could be seen billowing from the villages of Mazhiq,
Melenicė, Stari Tėrg and Bare of Shalė e Bajgorės.
In the past few days the population has been deserting their home villages -
Pasomės (1000), Bajskė (550), Smrekonicė (1500), Tėrllabuq (200), Sllatinė
(300), Ceceli (550) - of the municipality of Vushtrri, whereas part of the
population has fled also Studime e Epėrme.
Damaged houses have been reported in Pasomė and Bajskė. Three has been word
on several wounded Albanians, among whom a woman from Tėrllabuq, who was
reportedly hit while fleeing her village.
[10] Serbs Execute Old Man and His Nephew in Malisheva
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - A 70-year-old Albanian, Osman Paēarizi (70), and
his nephew, Fehmi Paēarizi, were reported executed by Serb forces in their
village of Dragobil in Malisheva on Tuesday.
Local sources said the two Albanians were pasturing cattle in the fields
just outside their village, where they were killed by Serbs.
The bodies of Fehmi Paēarizi and his grandfather Osman were found today in
a forest not far from the village.
The head of the chapter of human rights Council in Malisheva said the two
men were apprehended by Serb police and were executed later near
Malisheva.
Besides manning an outpost of Serb police near Dragobil, Serb troops have
been dug in in several other places in the vicinity of the village and
surrounding hamlets, the LDK chapter in Malisheva said.
[11] Serbs Terrorize Refugees Returning to Their Villages
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Malisheva said
today the local population which has been camping out in the fields or was
sheltered in safer places have met with Serb terror if they decided to
return to their half-razed villages.
Many have been reported beaten by Serb troops once they reached their
places of residence, and had no choice but to flee again, the Commission
said. It named some of the persons who were subjected to Serb forces terror
and intimidation recently, including Bedri Paēarizi (20) and his uncle
Jetullah Paēarizi from Dragobil. The two men were beaten brutally when they
went to their village yesterday to see if their houses had survived the
Serb shelling earlier. They were beaten because they witnessed Serbs
looting the property of their fellow villagers.
The head of the Malisheva LDK Information Commission told the KIC today
that Serbs have resumed pillaging property of Albanians in many villages in
the area, such as in Ostrazub, Dragobil, Banjė, Bubavec, Carrallukė,
Tėrpezė e Ulėt. After pillaging houses, they commonly set them ablaze, he
said.
[12] Three Babies Die Shortly after Being Born in Outdoor Refugee Camp
PRISHTINA, Sept 3 (KIC) - Three babies died shortly after birth in the past
few days in Lladroc village of Malisheva, because of lack of proper medical
treatment.
Local sources said 12 other pregnant women are expected to give birth soon
in an outdoor refugee camp in Lladrovc. The women have been living under
plastic makeshift tents around the village for weeks.
Several thousand internally displaced persons have been camping out in two
valleys near the village of Lladrovc of Malisheva. Scarce humanitarian aid
has reached the village so far, as the area has been tightly sealed off by
Serb forces.
[13] Bodies of Killed Albanians Found in Suhareka and Klina
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The bodies of two Albanians, killed earlier in
their places of residence, were found by their returning families in Klina
and Suhareka.
Members of the Krasniqi family in Samadrexhė village of Suhareke returned
to their home yesterday to find the corpse of their member, Sylejman
Krasniqi (56). The late Krasniqi was reportedly shot dead on 23 August.
Meanwhile, the body of a 75-year-old woman, Gjyle Hajdari (75), was found
in her village of Drenoc in Klina. As her body was spotted by the Serbs,
the Serb press alleged today that she was killed by the Albanian guerrillas
('terrorists').
[14] Over 30 Activists Detained by Serb Police in Gjilan
PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - At least 30 activists with local chapters of
Albanian political parties and human rights groups in Gjilan were detained
and interrogated by Serb police during the past few days.
The LDK chapter in Gjilan named today over a dozen of activists who were
held for hours in the Serb police custody. They were questioned about
activities of their parties and human and humanitarian groups in the area.
All of them forced to tell everything they knew about the Liberation Army
of Kosova (UēK).
Kosova Information Center
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