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Kosova Daily Report #1662, 99-01-13
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1662
Prishtina, 13 January 1999
CONTENTS
[01] Today, a Day of National Mourning in Kosova
[02] Assassination of Enver Maloku Condemned, Rugova, KIC and Family
Condoled
[03] President Rugova Receives USAID Officials
[04] U^K to Release 'Yugoslav' Soldiers Later in the Day?
[05] One Albanian Killed in Mitrovica, Another in Ferizaj, Third Body Found
in Gllogovc
[06] Gunfire and Fighting Reported Monday and Tuesday in Border Area
Villages
[07] Serbian Military and Police Buildup in Podujeva Continues
[01] Today, a Day of National Mourning in Kosova
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - In honor to, and on the occasion of the
assassinated Enver Maloku, head of the Kosova Information Center (KIC), the
President of the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova declared Wednesday,
13 January, a day of national mourning in Kosova, Rugova's Office said on
Tuesday.
Enver Maloku (1954), a leading Albanian journalist in the 1980s and 1990s,
director of the KIC since 1993, was assassinated in downtown Prishtina on
Monday afternoon. This was the second, now fatal, attempt on his life in
six months.
[02] Assassination of Enver Maloku Condemned, Rugova, KIC and Family
Condoled
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - All Kosovar institutions, the major Albanian
political and cultural organizations in and outside Kosova, as well as
foreign colleagues have sent President Rugova, the KIC as well as Maloku
family messages of sympathy on the tragic death of Maloku, together with
words of strong condemnation for the criminal act of his assassination
Monday afternoon.
Albania's Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Sokol Gjoka, said the assassination
of Enver Maloku is an "expression of the official Belgrade policy of
concealing the truth of the tragedy in Kosova, violating the right to
freedom of information, as well as depriving an entire people of its right
to live in freedom and equality".
The deputy spokesman for the French Foreign Minister condemned in the
strongest term the assassination of Enver Maloku, "the chief of the
Albanian information service (KIC)", who was also a "close aide to Mr.
Ibrahim Rugova".
The Austrian Ambassador to Belgrade, Wolfgang Petritsch, said "We will
remember Mr. Maloku, whose work was most appreciated, as a compassionate
human being whose impressive commitment to his task has earned him the
respect of the whole diplomatic community. He will be greatly missed."
The Czech People in Need Foundation, in a letter to the KIC said, "The
killing of any journalist is a reprehensible act, but Mr. Maloku's was all
the more so given his moderate views and his articulately expressed desire
for a peaceful and democratic Kosovo".
The People in Need Foundation accorded last year its annual Homo Homini
human rights prize to President Ibrahim Rugova of Kosova.
The People in Need showed its solidarity with us in the KIC in our moment
of loss, and made an offer of material support "that will enable you to
continue and strengthen your work".
Enver Maloku's "name stands for clear information and courage. The
Milosevic regime could no longer bear his clear voice. One of Kosova's best
men was murdered, and the entire nation of Kosova was hit as well", Tilman
Zuelch, President of the Society for Threatened Peoples International, said
in a letter of condolences to the KIC.
A political science student, John Mullaney, from Texas, U.S., expressed his
sadness about Mr. Maloku, and praised the KIC's "excellent journalism".
"You are being heard. Keep trying. Never give up until you shed the
shackles of tyranny and violence", the American student said, referring to
"Milosevic's madness" and his terror that has plagued Kosova and the Balkan
region.
Confident that we will be unable to do justice to all who have commiserated
with us on the great loss of ours, we in the KIC herewith thank from the
bottom of our heart all those who have sent us messages of sympathy in
whatever manner - by letter, phone or E- Mail.
[03] President Rugova Receives USAID Officials
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova received Tuesday evening a delegation of the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), consisting of Frank Pavich, director
of the Prishtina Office, and Chuck Howell, Bruce Adams, and Scotty Johnson,
officials with the USAID.
Rugova and the USAID delegation - which is on an fact-finding mission here -
discussed about the most recent developments in Kosova and ways to de-
escalate the situation and speed up the political process in pursuit of a
settlement.
The USAID representatives shared an interest in aspects of the organization
of the Kosovar society and the ways this organization may help in the
appropriate fields, as well as in the process of democratization as a
whole.
President Rugova appreciated as very significant the USAID's support for
Kosova.
[04] U^K to Release 'Yugoslav' Soldiers Later in the Day?
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - The eight Serbian ('Yugoslav') soldiers, taken
prisoner by the U^K last week, will be released later in the day today
(Wednesday), sources said.
The agreement on their release was concluded today in the village of Likoc,
in central Kosova, during a meeting of the U^K General Staff members and
representatives of the international community, American and European
envoys, ambassadors Chris Hill, Wolfgang Petritsch, and William Walkeram
Walker, Mr. Murat Musliu, a local human rights activist in Skenderaj
('Srbica') said.
OSCE chairman Knut Vollebaeck said in Prishtina Tuesday evening an
agreement on an early release of the Serbian soldiers had been reached.
The U^K had initially demanded that the 'Yugoslav' soldiers be swamped with
U^K prisoners in Serb hands.
The modalities of the release of Yugoslav prisoners have not been made
available as of yet.
[05] One Albanian Killed in Mitrovica, Another in Ferizaj, Third Body Found
in Gllogovc
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - Two Albanians were killed in the last 24 hours in
Kosova, and the body of a third person, still unidentified, was found
today.
Early in the morning today (Wednesday), unidentified assailants shot dead
in front of his house Nexhmedin Sadiku (43), resident of Bair neighborhood
in the town of Mitrovica, LDK sources in Mitrovica said.
Meanwhile, unknown persons shot and fatally wounded with two bullets Sejdi
Sahiti (50) in the town of Ferizaj ('Urosevac') on Tuesday evening, around
18:50 hrs, the LDK chapter in Ferizaj reported. He was taken to the
Prishtina hospital, where he died today of wounds he sustained yesterday.
Sejdiu was shot and wounded while on his way to work, in a construction
material depot in Ferizaj. Six spent bullets were found in the scene of the
incident, sources said.
The Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms
(CDHRF) said the body of a killed person was spotted early in the morning
today near the Chicken Farm at Krivov& village of Gllogovc. The CDHRF said
it could not get further information regarding the identity and the
circumstances in which the person had been killed.
[06] Gunfire and Fighting Reported Monday and Tuesday in Border Area
Villages
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - Heavy arms shooting was heard coming Monday night
and Tuesday morning in the villages of Zulfaj, Qaf& e Prushit and Dev&,
situated in the Kosova-Albania border area, LDK sources in Gjakova said.
Fighting was reported Tuesday between the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) and
the Serbian military and police in the villages of Shaptej, Gllogjan,
Ratish, Dashinoc and Maznik& of the municipality of De^an, the Prishtina-
based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF). There
was no information on the casualty toll.
The body of an U^K fighter, Hysen Rama, from Skenderaj ('Srbica'), was
taken Tuesday afternoon to the town morgue in Gjakova. It is not known
where he was killed.
[07] Serbian Military and Police Buildup in Podujeva Continues
PRISHTINA, Jan 13 (KIC) - Heavy Serbian military and police troops, backed
up by tanks and other heavy weaponry, continue being deployed along the
Prishtina-Podujeva roadway, the 'Tabet e Llapashtic&s', on the Podujeva-
K&rpimeh roadway, which is being kept sealed off, and in several key
communication sites in Podujeva, 30 km north of Prishtina.
The fate of Nazmi Ismajli and Ismet Beqiri (42), residents of Peran village,
who were arrested Saturday by the Serb military, is still unknown.
Eight Albanians are said to be still holed up in the village of Peran, five
km north of Podujeva. LDK sources have their names, adding that Albanian
farmsteads are being looted by the Serb forces.
Two dozen Albanian houses were shelled by Serb forces last week in
Llapashtic& e Ep&rme and Llapashtic& e Poshtme, and in the outskirts of the
town of Podujeva, LDK sources said, listing the names of family heads.
Kosova Information Center
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