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Kosova Daily Report #1582, 98-10-14
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1582
Prishtina, 14 October 1998
CONTENTS
[01] President Rugova Receives Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch
[02] Negotiating Group Has Objections on Proposed Plan for Kosova, Agani
Tells Petritsch
[03] Serb Texture of Draft Document for OSCE Kosova Verification Mission
[04] Two Teenagers Killed in a Minefiled in Western Kosova
[05] Refugee Girl, Wounded By Serb Shrapnel, Dies in Hospital
[06] Serbs in Plain Clothes Inflict Life-Threatening Injuries to Albanian
in Prizren
[07] Serb Police Beat Brutally 13-Year-Old Girl in Her School
[08] At Least 14 Serb Police Bases Still in Place in Skenderaj
[09] Serb Forces Crack Down on Albanian Families in Gjakova
[10] Serbs Take Livestock of Albanians Away in Lorries in Klina Area
[11] Serb Military Orders Albanians Repair Road
[01] President Rugova Receives Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - In Prishtina today, the President of the Republic
of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova received the European Union (EU) special envoy
for Kosova, Mr. Wolfgang Petritsch, Austrian Ambassador to Belgrade.
President Rugova and Ambassador Petritsch discussed at length about the
situation in Kosova, the efforts of the international community to
alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe and create the preconditions for the
establishment of negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade in pursuit of
a political resolution in Kosova.
Rugova said he appreciated the significance of the NATO ultimatum for the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1199 on Kosova, and the
protection of the people of Kosova.
The President hailed as a positive step the efforts of Ambassador Holbrooke
and the deployment of an OSCE Verification Mission in Kosova.
International pressure on Belgrade should be maintained and efforts stepped
up to create the conditions for a negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue,
based on the will of the people of Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova
concluded.
[02] Negotiating Group Has Objections on Proposed Plan for Kosova, Agani
Tells Petritsch
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - Dr. Fehmi Agani, the chief Kosova negotiator, met
today in Prishtina with Austrian Ambassador to Belgrade, Wolfgang Petritsch,
who is a special European Union (EU) envoy for Kosova.
The current developments in Kosova, the Holbrooke-Milosevic discussions, as
well as the negotiating process mediated by Ambassador Chris Hill, were
discussed in the meeting.
Dr. Agani unveiled the reservations of the Kosova negotiating team on the
plan Hill and has team have put forward. The objections and complaints have
been raised in the meetings with the mediator, but also in a written form,
he said.
There is no way the Kosova problem can be solved if the solution is sought
within Serbia, Dr. Fehmi Agani stressed. In the process of the resolution
of the Kosova issue, the wishes and demands of the people here, as well as
political developments in Kosova since the Independence Declaration of 1990
should be taken into consideration, the Kosova negotiator concluded.
[03] Serb Texture of Draft Document for OSCE Kosova Verification Mission
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - The deployment of a 2000 person OSCE verification
mission to Kosova was hailed as the crowning success of the Holbrooke-
Milosevic's marathonic talks which concluded Tuesday in Belgrade.
The Kosova Information Center (KIC) obtained Wednesday a copy of the draft
agreement for OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission, which will reportedly be
signed in a couple of days' time by Bronislaw Geremek, the Chairman in
Office of the OSCE, and Zivadin Jovanovic, the Foreign Minister of the
"Federal Republic of Yugoslavia", the country that has not yet been
admitted in the OSCE.
The five-page draft agreement sets down the mandate for the Mission which
will last for one year, with possible extensions, "upon the request of
either the OSCE Chairman-in-Office or the FRY government'.
The regrettable thing about the draft document is that the mainstream
Kosovar authorities, namely the structures of the majority Albanian
population, do not figure as a party in communications, let alone as a
signatory.
Key propositions in the draft agreement, including "Preambular Language",
have been couched in typical Serb regime terminology on Kosova.
"Considering in particular the importance of reaching a peaceful,
democratic, and lasting solution of all existing problems in the Province
of Kosovo and Metohija, based on the equality of all citizens and national
and ethnic communities", reads paragraph 2 of the Preambular Language. The
matter and the manner in this is Serbian: "existing problems", "the
Province of Kosovo and Metohija" are two phrases notoriously conveying the
Serb vision of Kosova.
There is no Kosova question as such, but 'existing problems", the Serb
argument goes, as well as the Serb claim over Kosova which is embodied in
its Serbianized name: Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet).
The concluding "Field Presence" gives away the Serb texture of the draft
agreement. The territorial division known in English as the 'municipality'
or 'commune' (in Albanian 'komun&'; in Serbian 'opstina') is referred to in
the document in plain Serbian 'opstina', and is emphasized in cursive, as
if it was a word that is so singular that it is untranslatable!
Following are excerpts of this part of the OSCE Kosova Verification Mission,
which indicate that the Mission will maintain a liaison relationship with
the (Serbian) authorities in 'opstinas' and "the local leadership of the
Albanian and other communities".
"Coordination centers will be established in the capital of each opstina in
Kosovo with specific areas of responsibility, under Mission Director
located in Pristina. Many opstina coordination centers will have one or
more sub-stations in smaller towns/villages in the opstina. The number and
location of sub- stations will vary from opstina to opstina, depending on
the verification environment and past conflict situation", one
paragraph reads. Sub-stations will be responsible for coordination with
"local authorities, including the local leadership of the main ethnic
groups", the paper goes on to say, further degrading the stature and status
of the 90 plus percent population of Kosova in the draft agreement.
The draft agreement on the OSCE Mission is supposed to be concerned with
Kosova, which has not been designed to be included amongst the signatories.
Kosova is not a recognized nation, the argument goes perhaps. Nor it is the
"Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" as such, for that matter.
[04] Two Teenagers Killed in a Minefiled in Western Kosova
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - Two Kosovar Albanian teenagers died Tuesday when
they walked into a mine-field laid down by the Yugoslav army.
Shpejtim Kryeziu (18), resident of Suhareka, and Latif Gollopeni (19) from
Dob&rdelan village (Suhareka), died near Ponashec village, in the Kosova-
Albania border zone, in the Gjakova municipality, LDK sources in Gjakova
said.
[05] Refugee Girl, Wounded By Serb Shrapnel, Dies in Hospital
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - A nine-month girl Fikrije (Bejtush) Klinaku,
wounded three weeks ago near her Bivolak village of Vushtrri, died in the
Prishtina hospital.
On 22 September, a Serb army grenade hit a tractor in which the Klinaku
family was fleeing the village of Bivolak, which was targeted together with
a dozen other villages in the ^i^avica mountain during a huge Serb
offensive.
One member of the Klinaku family died at the spot, and several others were
wounded then.
[06] Serbs in Plain Clothes Inflict Life-Threatening Injuries to Albanian
in Prizren
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - A 20-year-old Albanian, Ibrahim Llap^eva (20),
received serious injuries when attacked by three Serbs in Prizren today
morning.
Sources in Prizren said three Serb civilians apprehended Ibrahim Llap^eva
near the "A. Frash&ri" primary school in the town at around 7:00 hrs today.
They took him in a basement in a block of apartments nearby, and beat him
brutally. He was reportedly hit with sharp objects and sustained severe
body injuries.
Ibrahim Llap^eva was taken to the Prizren hospital in a life- threatening
condition. Witnesses have told the LDK chapter that all the three Serbs in
plain clothes who tortured Mr. Llap^eva had talkie-walkie sets, implying
that they could be members of the Serb security.
[07] Serb Police Beat Brutally 13-Year-Old Girl in Her School
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - Four Serb policemen cracked down on a 13- year-
old girl in the courtyard of the "Muharrem Bekteshi" primary school in
Mitrovica.
Serb policemen dragged Lejla S. Smaka (13) by her hair and began kicking
her in front of other kids, the LDK chapter in Mitrovica said. The Serbs
said they would kill her and her father.
Residents of the "Kroi i Vitakut" suburbs in Mitrovica said they were
intimidated and provoked for hours by armed Serb civilians on Monday
evening. Over 40 Serbs roamed the streets of the suburbs, shooting in the
air, waving Albanian banners and singing Serb nationalist songs, stormed
the neighborhood.
[08] At Least 14 Serb Police Bases Still in Place in Skenderaj
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - At least 14 checkpoints manned by heavily armed
Serb policemen were still in place by today in villages and roads in the
Skenderaj ('Srbica') municipality, the chapter of the Council for the
Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in the town said.
Around the Llausha village alone there are five Serb police bases, and
three near Likoc. Police outposts are still in place near the villages of
Polac, Mak&rmal, Polluzh&, T&rnavc, ^ubrel, Vitak, Runik&, Suhog&rll&,
Padalisht&, Le^in& and ^itak. Yugoslav army troops are still dug in near
A^arev&, it said.
The former ammunition factory near Skenderaj has been turned into a huge
base of Serb troops and armory since February. Scores of Albanians have
been terrorized in its compounds over the past months.
Skenderaj is a 99 percent Albanian-inhabited municipality in central
Kosova.
[09] Serb Forces Crack Down on Albanian Families in Gjakova
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - Heavy Serb police forces cracked down Tuesday
morning against the extended Lleshaj family in Hosek-Hyl village in Gjakova,
brutalizing family members and arresting four menfolks subsequently.
Sources said Lush Dod& Lleshaj (70), Sokol Dod& Lleshaj (66), Maxhun Dod&
Lleshaj (42), and Besnik Llesh Lleshaj (18) arrseted early in the morning
on Tuesday, were being still held in police custody by Wednesday morning.
The Serb police did not produce any arrest warrant or explanation on the
reason why the four Albanians were detained.
The LDK chapter in Gjakova described the situation in the town today as
highly volatile. Serb police and army troops have been increasingly moving
on the streets of the town, intimidating the population. Almost half of the
town has been without electricity supply since Tuesday morning, it said,
adding that thousands of uprooted persons sheltered in the town were in a
desperate situation, unable to return to their gutted homes.
[10] Serbs Take Livestock of Albanians Away in Lorries in Klina Area
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - The Serbs, both police and civilians, have
resumed looting the property of Albanians in the villages of Klina, the LDK
Information Commission in the town said toady.
Lorryloads of livestock as well as household commodities and appliances
have been taken away from Albanian villages in the region, it said.
The Albanian population was driven from around 40 villages and hamlets in
the municipality of Klina, central Kosova, during repeated campaigns of
bombardment and attacks by Serb infantry.
Thousands of farmhouses have been razed or badly destroyed. Part of the
population whose houses survived the Serb shelling are still afraid to
return to their homes because of the ubiquitous presence of Serb troops and
intimidation drives by armed Serb paramilitary gangs, the Commission said.
Sources in Klina said that a Serb civilian shattered on Monday all the
windows of the "Fontana" restaurant in Klina. In addition, the Serb
threatened to kill the owner, Syl& Gashi, and the customers with the shovel
he smashed the windows with.
[11] Serb Military Orders Albanians Repair Road
PRISHTINA, Oct 14 (KIC) - In the village of Krajk on Tuesday, Serb military
officers ordered Albanian residents repair the road, the LDK sources in
Prizren said.
Two weeks ago, Serb military forces started bailing a military outpost at
the nearby village of Kushnin.
Amidst stepped up Serb police and military movements in the area, the
population has increasing security concerns, LDK sources said.
Kosova Information Center
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