====================================================== KOSOVA COMMUNICATION Bulletin of the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Kosova 4th Year; No202, 9 January 1995 Rugova Receives German Bundestag Member The President of Kosova, Dr Rugova, received in Prishtina Mr. Willy Wimmer, Vice-Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and member of the German Bundestag, accompanied by Dr. Thomas Schmitt, First Secretary of the German Embassy in Belgrade. In the meeting with Mr. Wimmer President Rugova outlined the current situation in Kosova which had deteriorated due to increased repression and violence exercised by the Serbian authorities. President Rugova presented the political options for the solution of the Kosova issue, an independent and neutral Kosova, open to Albania and Serbia being the optimum solution and bringing about a lasting peace and stability in the region, and reiterated his call for an international civil administration over Kosova as a transitory solution. Rugova also pointed out that the Albanian side was ready for equal dialogue with under the mediation of a third party. Mr. Wimmer expressed the readiness and commitment of the OCSE and Germany in reaching a political solution for the Kosova issue. Belgrade should be cooperative and ready in reaching a solution Mr. Wimmer said, adding that no return of Serbia to the international community could be possible without a solution to the Kosova problem. Bukoshi protests at expulsions and document seizures The Prime Minister of Kosova, Dr Bujar Bukoshi, recently addressed a letter to the Interior Minister of Macedonia, Mr. Stevan Crvenkovski, expressing concern at the recent arrests of the Chairman and several delegates of the outgoing legislation of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosova, who were residing in Skopje. Dr Bukoshi pointed out that the delegates were residing in Macedonia in accordance with an agreement reached between the authorities of the Republic of Kosova and Macedonia, signed in June 1992 and that during their stay they had respected the conditions of the agreement . Bukoshi went on to add that on the occasion of Mr. Ramajli's arrest Macedonian authorities seized the complete archives of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosova, including acts passed by the Assembly, correspondence of the Chairman and other Ministers, and audio and visual recordings of the Assembly proceedings. In view of the fact that the documentation belonged to the citizens and institutions of the Republic of Kosova, wrote Dr Bukoshi, and in view of the fact that no crime had been committed under Macedonian Law, he requested the immediate return of the materials to the Government of the Republic of Kosova via the Macedonian embassy in Germany. The Prime Minister ended by stating that in view of the already tense situation in the Balkans, the actions of the Macedonian Government in this matter could hardly be said to facilitate Albanian-Macedonian relations. Serbian forces wound two Albanians Serbian army border units shot at and wounded on 31 December 1994, an ethnic Albanian, Ibrahim Zeqir Pagarizi from Libizhdk village of Malisheva. Ibrahim Zeqiri, together with a friend of his, Zeqir Thaqi from Mirusha village of Malisheva, attempted to cross the FYROM-Kosova border, about a mile away from the Hani i Elezit border check point in order to avoid the border checks. He was first beaten up by Serb soldiers and then shot Mr Zeqiri in his leg while he was laying down, whereas Zeqir Thaqi was beaten unconscious. Ibrahim Zeqiri was reportedly sent to the Prishtina hospital, whereas Zeqir Thaqi was taken to the police station in Ferizaj where he was subjected to police torture and forced to sign a statement Serbian border forces in the Qafa e Morines region near the Albanian-Kosova border opened fire on Ali Hysen Dervishaj, from the village Gllogjani. Mr Dervishaj is currently in hospital in Peja where he is condition is said to be stable. Serbian Helsinki committee calls for Kosova-Serb dialogue The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights In Serbia has recently released a report on Human Rights titled "Forced repression in function of possible dialogue". The report amongst other things states: The situation in Kosova is being worsened for economic reasons as well. due to the total lack of any investment since 1981, but also due to constant conflict within the municipality authorities and management of companies. The most important economic potentials of Kosova, such as mines and the manufacturing complex TREPCA, are almost bankrupt. Since the autonomy of the province has been dissolved, the state's policy has been directed towards the firing of workers of Albanian nationality (about 150,000 wor kers during the first year), the pulling out of all valuable capacities from Kosova (the economy of Kosova has been estimated on 5000 billion dollars, according to the data of the International Labour Organisation and IMF) and depriving any social help to families of Albanian background. During the last three years, in the ownership transformation, the Fund for the Development of Serbia, in more than 100 companies in Kosova, has taken over the property along with other firms in Serbia. In this way, the more valuable capacities became the legal property of large firms outside Kosova - Belgrade, Nis, Kragujevac and elsewhere, thus additionally impoverishing the technology and economy of Kosova. The discontent is growing due to the non-achieved , but also due to the negative attitude of the international community on the secession of Kosova. The arrest of about 200 former workers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Albanian descent, during November, further dynamizes the political scene of Kosova and represents a kind of a Milosevic response to the petition demands of the Serbian Resistance Movement in Kosova. The repression and arrogance of the Serbian regime has pushed Albanians to an even more radical position, and now it is hard to expect their willingness to accept conditions of the international community. Bearing in mind the repression being increased on a daily basis and especially the torture exercised in the above mentioned arrests, the control over the events may be lost, which can be dangerous in conditions of permanent tension. The objective of recent arrests and constant intimidation of the Albanian population seems an effort to dissolve the parallel state and to create a better negotiating position. With this political action of arresting 200 Albanians the regime demonstrates force and re-opens the Kosova question. The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia follows developments in Kosova with great concern and thereby is warning that the constant increase of repressive measures lead s to a spillover of the conflict to the south of the country. The Helsinki Committee also calls attention to massive violations of human rights of the Albanian population in Kosova and to living conditions that are becoming worse and worse. Bearing in mind the above mentioned, the Helsinki Committee considers that it is necessary to immediately start the dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina on an equal basis. The Helsinki Committee also considers the return of the CSCE mission to Kosova is necessary. Congress members write to Clinton Members of the U.S. Congress Susan Molinari and Eliot Engel wrote to the President of the U.S. Bill Clinton. In the letter they state: "We are writing to express our gratitude for the high level of attention paid to the visit of the President of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova. Although we are very satisfied that the Adviser for National Security, Anthony Lake, reiterated the stand of the U.S.A that some of the sanctions imposed on Serbia should remain until a definitive resolution of the Kosova issue is achieved, we strongly believe that a greater cooperation from Serbia is needed before the lifting of the sanctions is considered. Nevertheless, your conditioning to remove the sanctions imposed on Serbia is clear evidence that a reasonable solution of the Balkans crisis is not po ssible without the solution of the Kosova problem. In the end, at a time when U.S. policy towards Bosnia is changing and the violation of the Human Rights in Kosova is escalating, we would recommend to you some further steps that your Administration should take in order to help the people of Kosova and prevent the expansion of the conflict from Bosnia to Kosova. First, we feel that the warning that U.S.A. would act on the escalation of Serbian aggression to Kosova should be repeated clearly and publicly. Second, the U.S.A. should open an Information Office in Prishtina, as it is anticipated by Law, and to allow the Government of Kosova to open an office in Washington. Third, the International presence in Kosova should be increased through the return of the OSCE mission and possibly through the application of a type of an international protectorate. Serbian police evicts the Albanian families Besides arresting and prosecuting more than 200 members of former Albanian Kosova police employees, Serbian police has forcefully evicted from many of their families from their homes and threatened others. On 15 December, Serbian police broke into the flat of Shemsi Xhema, former commander of Kosova Special Police Units and was evicted from his home. His family was even made to pay the expenses of the police intervention. The flat was given to a Serbian policeman from Kamenica. The family of Mr. Xhema was left homeless. On 28 December Serbian police visited the families of four former Kosova police employees in Prishtina, and demanded that they move out of their flats as soon as possible under the justification that the flats belong to the Serbian state and it's enemies can no longer live in them. The following day a further 5 families were given orders to vacate their homes. Three families were forcefully evicted, including those of Reshat Goga and Sherif Krasniqi. On 2 January two other families were forced to leave their flats. Similar threats have been reported all over Kosova. News in Brief An advert published in 'Jedinstvo', dated 4 January, states that in order to prevent the emigration of Serbs from Kosova, and to aid its colonisation, The Fund for Development of Serbia is letting 15 flats in Vushtrri and 5 in Mitrovica. Kosova Unions are very concerned as the above mentioned Fund does not possess any flats in Kosova, and therefore those advertised must have been taken from Albanians. All government ministries have been commissioned to prepare propositions for the 'settlement' of the problems in Kosova, stated Vekoslav Sosevic, a minister in the Serbian government responsible allegedly for the 'economic development' of Kosova, to the Serbian local daily based in Prishtina, Jedinstvo (31/12/94) Mr. Sosevic announced plans of the Serbian government towards the further colonization of Kosova and the changing of the ethnic structure in the favour of Serbs and Montenegrins. He said construction of settlements for Serb settlers was included in the Serbian government's overall scheme and funding, DM 3.5, million was to be allocated from the state budget. The construction of 'industrial capacities' to offer job opportunities for those settled in Kosova are also to be included in the Serbian government's agenda, Sosevic told Jedinstvo. The same paper, on the 5 January issue, reports that a building with 26 flats dedicated for Serbs will be built in the centre of Kamenica. The Belgrade based daily 'Vecernje Novosti' , (5/1/95) writes: 'A new law on regional organization is to be introduced by the Serbian government because of the changes of the form of signposting settlements, streets and town centres and the changing of several place names, particularly in Kosova. The law will outline the procedures on forming new communes, merging and abolishing them. =========================================================== Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 533 Prishtina, 18 January 1995 Defending Lawyers Testify about Savage Torture against Albanian Detainees Since mid-November 1994, the Serbian regime has launched a wild-scale campaign against former police employees of the former Kosova police force. Over 170 former policemen have been arrested throughout Kosova in a bid to 'uncover' the alleged Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Kosova. Based on the reports of defending lawyers and statements of the Serbian-run judiciary authorities, some 130 detained persons have been extended pre-trial detention to additional two months. The Prishtina-based newspaper Bujku carries in its today's issue accounts of the defending lawyers in connection with the torture and savage experiences the detainees have been going through during investigation proceedings. Hasan Hoti, a defending lawyer of 10 detainees from Gjilan and Prishtina, told the newspaper that one of his clients (he did not reveal his name for fear of possible implications) was forced by the Serbian security inspectors to take on the role of an investigating judge and later to cross-examine and torture his colleague. Another client was forced to take all his clothes off and told that a homosexual would come to his prison cell and rape him, Mr. Hoti said. Adem Bajri, a defending lawyer from Peja, told Bujku that his client, Dkrgut Bibaj, was badly tortured by a Serb examining magistrate, Veselin Cadjenovic. Mr. Bibaj was later transferred to the intensive care ward of the Peja Hospital and forced to give a statement there. Mr. Destan Rukiqi, a defending lawyer from Prishtina, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that there was many a procedure infringement and that he was in possession of evidence that his clients had been subjected to all forms of torture and that electric shock had been used against the detainees in order to force them sign self-incriminating statements. The Serbian public prosecutors have violated provisions of the Serbian law itself, he said. According to this law, detainees cannot be held in detention to more than three days, while most of the former policemen have been held in detention for weeks without having had any charges instituted against. Article 197 of the Serbian Penal Code reads that detainees can be held in the so-called pre-trial detention to one month at most, whereas Albanian detainees have been extended pre-trial detention to two further months, Mr. Rukiqi underscored. Serbian-installed Rector of Prishtina University Drums up Schemes for Colonization of Kosova The Serb-installed Rector of the University of Prishtina, Radivoje Papovic, told today's Prishtina-based Serbian daily "Jedinstvo" that he preferred the strategies of the Serbian king Aleksandar Karadjordjevic for the colonization of Kosova. Mr. Papovic regretted that such schemes had not 'regrettably' been 'completed entirely'. "Nonetheless, what we [Serbs] are doing now is a recurrence of such an idea which is necessary and reasonable because it is based on necessities of the Serbian state," Papovic points out. Commenting on remarks of foreign delegations over the colonization of Kosova, the Serbian rector says that no one from abroad should interfere with these matters as "Kosova is solely a Serbian issue, it is Serbian interests and Serbian morrow that are here". The Serbian ultra-nationalist 'scholar' who is a settler to Kosova himself, has many times called on university professors and students from Serbia to come to the usurped University of Prishtina, promising them accommodation and other benefactions. He also testifies that such schemes have already been performed. "Over the past two and a half years, some 7000 students and 348 professors have come to our University. We call on those who are willing to come here and our duty is to provide apartments to all of them," Mr. Papovic told the Belgrade-based "Nin" in its 30 September 1994 issue. The Serbian regime has been widely advocating and performing campaigns for the colonization of Kosova and changing of its ethnic composition. Only last week the government of the self-proclaimed Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) passed a statutory decree for the "realization of the Programme for the settlement of 100.000 Serbs and Montenegrins in Kosova". Over the past two years, several settlements for Serbs have either been erected or are under construction in Kosova. British Writer James Pettifer Harassed by Serbian Security James Pettifer, a British writer and academic, Senior Associate Member of St. Antony's College, Oxford, was harassed by 2 Serbian security agents in Gjakova, at 4.30 on Monday (16 January). While walking in the street, he was stopped by 2 agents who jumped from a car and questioned him. Mr. Pettifer, the author of 'The Greeks' and 'Blue Guide to Albania', among other publications, was in Gjakova in connection with research for his new book. Mr. Pettifer told KIC that the security agents had warned him not to take photographs, not to stay overnight in Gjakova, and to leave the town on the next bus. Albanian Youth Forcefully Drafted On 10 January, the Serbian police arrested the youth Bafti Berisha at Mirosalk village of Ferizaj. The report indicates that Mr. Berisha was immediately sent to serve the army at the Serbian military barracks in Belgrade. Repression Chronicle Ferizaj: On 11 January, the Serbian police detained Isa Kamberi who was repprtedly illtreated under the excuse of being in possession of weapons.LDK sources in Ferizaj say that this was the sixth time he was detained under the same pretext. Same day, the Serbian police during a search conducted at the home of Skknder Advdulli, for unknown reasons, shot with fire arms in the direction of the young Enver Avdulli. They arrested him afterwards and beat him up severely. Skenderaj: On 15 January, a Serbian police patrol halted a group of Albanian wedding-goers and reportedly ill-treated some of them with no reason whatsoever. Gani Koci, a member to the Kosova Parliament and member to the LDK Central Board was reported detained together with his wife and interrogated at the police station in Gllogovc for over two hours. ====================================================== Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 546 Prishtina, 6 February 1995 Killer of Six-year-old Albanian Child Promoted As reported, last Saturday, February 4, under the pretext of arms searches, the Serbian police raided on the home of Abdullah Daci at Hani i Elezit town. This raid would not make any specific impression - as the public in Kosova is used to the news on everyday arbitrary raids carried out by the Serbian police forces -if the police patrol which carried out this raid was not headed by Boban Krstic the killer of the six-year-old boy Fidan Brestovci. On 27 July 1994, at around 10:30 at the Rahovica - Ferizaj road, the six-yearold child Fidan Brestovci was shot dead, whereas his parents Bajrush and Makfire Brestovci were wounded by shots fired by the Serb policeman Boban Krstic. The Serbian police authorities had confirmed the following day the incident, and that policeman Krstic was the perpetrator, allegedly by mistake, from an ambush set up for an alleged criminal. Instead of being held responsible for the killing of an innocent child, policem an Boban Krstic appears to have been promoted in the meantime, being appointed deputy-commander of the Serbian police department in Kaganik. Boban Krstic was likewise involved in the arrest of Ismajl Raka (39), an ethnic Albanian, who was tortured to death in a Serb Security Center in November last year. Serbian Police Raids Albanain-language School in Istog A Serbian police expedition raided last Friday the premises of "Ismail Qemali" elementary school at Staradan village of Istog, where students of a secondary school have been attending classes, LDK sources in Istog report. Serb policemen intruded into the classrooms intimidating and forcing out students and teachers. For four years now, Albania-language secondary schools throughout Kosova have been compelled to use either the premises of elementary schools or operate in private homes after having been expelled from their school buildings. Serbian police expeditions have been very often obstructing the educational process by raiding on the premises the Albanians have been exploiting as classrooms. Dozens of teachers and schoolchildren have been reported subjected to various forms of ill-treatment and intimidation on a daily basis. Apartments and Vineyards Provided Free of Charge to Serb Colonizers The Serbian mass media have been widely covering the Serbian regime's schemes for the colonization of Kosova. The Prishtina-based Serbian daily Jedinstvo, which leads in drumming up and advocating schemes for colonization of Kosova and change of its ethnic composition, has been on a daily basis reporting on new enterprises of the regime in colonization drive. The newspaper reported in its Friday's issue that the Serbian-installed municipal authorities in Rahovec have provided as many as 40 apartments to Serb colonizers. The installed mayor of Rahovec, Rade Simic, is quoted by Jedinstvo as saying that a great number of plots of land have ben likewise provided to Serbs in the villages Hoqk, Xkrxk and Zeqishtk. In addition, those Serbs who wish to come and live in the municipality of Rahovec, will be allocated three hectares of vineyards each. The agricultural plant "Orvin' will provide technical equipment and professional assistance to Serb colonizers, Mr. Simic told the newspaper. Jedinstvo reported today that the Serbian-installed authorities in Ferizaj have likewise provided 25 plots of land free of charge to Serb colonizers. Nebojsa Vucurovic, officer in charge with the so-called "YU-Programme for colonization of Kosova' is quoted by the newspaper as saying that another 17 plots of land would be provided in the town of Ferizaj. The newspaper says that some Serbs who were allocated plots of land have already commenced erecting their homes in Ferizaj. ========================================= Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 547 Prishtina, 7 February 1995 Kosova Red Cross Vice-Chairman on Frangois Bellon's Statements------------------------------------------------------- --------- Mr. Qerim Spahiu, vice-chairman of the Kosova Red Cross (KRC), commented today on statements of the head if the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Belgrade, Frangois Bellon, during a meeting he had with Deputy Governor of the so-called 'Kosovo District', Milos Nesovic, as carried by Serbian daily Jedinstvo in its Friday edition. [See Kosova Daily Report # 545]. Mr. Spahiu said he was startled by Frangois Bellon's statements, because, as he said, those statements do not honour an official of a prestigious international organization, which is committed to the basic humanitarian principles. Qerim Spahiu said one cannot understand the part of Mr. Bellon's statement where he states that his organization [ICRC] "can and wants to operate only" through the Serbian Red Cross, and where he brands the Kosova Red Cross an 'ill egal' organization of the 'nonexisting Republic of Kosova'! Mr. Bellon in this way reneges on his earlier promises over his commitment to find ways for a mutual cooperation with us: the Kosova Red Cross, Mr. Spahiu said. The KRC vice-chairman said Bellon's statements are unacceptable and that the Kosova Red Cross, founded in 1946, exists and operates regardless of different statements and stances. Mr. Spahiu called the position of the ICRC representative in Belgrade 'unfounded ', because "it is hard to speak of any kind of work on the part of his office in Prishtina if it exists only for 8-10% of the population, mainly the Serbian population". KRC vice-chairman said Mr. Bellon is well-acquainted with the grave social situation prevailing in Kosova, and that the ICRC official is acquainted with the activity of the Kosova Red Cross. "He knows we have the Presidency, the Assembly, the Statute, the Programme, the seat, municipal organizations and out members, and that our activities and operation are in full compliance with the basic principles of the Red Cross", Mr. Spahiu said. He further stated Mr. Bellon knows that follow ing the eviction of the Kosova Red Cross leadership from its headquarters by Serbian authorities, "Belgrade has set up a parallel Red Cross with installed Serbs, till very recently chaired by the notorious Serb extremist, Bogdan Kecman". Mr. Qerim Spahiu pointed out that the leadership of the Kosova Red Cross has so far made strenuous efforts, and will continue to do so, to establish and promote cooperation with humanitarian organizations in Kosova and around the world, particularly with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). ======================================================== Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 553 Prishtina, 15 February 1995 Forty-four Albanians to Face Charges in Prizren The Serbian installed authorities of the District Prosecutor Office in Prizren brought charges against 44 former Kosova police employees and the local officials of Rahovec, Suhareka and Dragash municipalities. The accused are former Kosova police and security members, and local municipal government officials in Rahovec, Suhareka and Dragash. Among the accused are Sezair Shaipi, chairman of the Turkish National Party and Arhimed Varolli, officer at a Municipal Matriculation office in Prizren. The accusation brought against them says that during the period of 1991 through 1994, the accused have associated in the attempt to overthrow the constitutional order of the so-called Yugoslavia by the use of force. One of the defending lawyers, Mr. Hazkr Susuri, told KIC: 'This is yet another staged political trial and there is no evidence to support the charges brought against them'. Serbian Police Expropriates Teachers' Salary Funds in Suhareka The Serbian police has stepped up violence against Albanian-language schools and educational activists in the municipality of Suhareka, LDK sources in Suhareka reported. A Serbian police expedition intervened yesterday afternoon at the premises of the "7 Marsi" elementary school in Suhareka. Rexhep Rama, accountant of the school, was arrested as he was found delivering the salaries to the teachers. The police reportedly seized DM 12.000 and the whole documentation of the school. At around 15:00 hrs, the Serbian police raided on the offices of the LDK branch in Suhareka, harassing several educational activists who happened to be there. Muhamet Bajraktari, chairman of the Municipal Council for Finances, was reported detained and interrogated for over an hour at the police station. He was then taken by the police to his home and had it thoroughly searched. Serb policemen reportedly confiscated DM 15.295, CHF 840, and 393 dinars, as well as the entire documentation of the Counci Rexhep Rama and Muhamet Bajraktari were reported released late last night after having been ill-treated and intimidated by the police for over five hours. 'Serbian Resistance Movement' Calls for 'Ethnic Balance' in Kosova The leaders of the so-called 'Serbian Resistance Movement' - Kosta Bulatovic, Momcilo Trajkovic, Miroslav Solevic, and Dusan Ristic -called yesterday on the Serbian regime to further their policy of oppression of Kosova Albanians. Speaking at a press conference in Belgrade yesterday, Momcilo Trajkovic said the "Serbian Parliament should discuss our destiny [Kosova Serbs, KIC] behind closed doors", alleging that 'Albanian separatism was endangering the vital interests of the Serbian people'. Serbian press, including Belgrade Tiker news agency, quotes Mr. Trajkovic as saying that while 'Serbian Resistance Movement (SRM) stood for a political solution to the Kosova problem [sic!], they feared Albanians would "resort to violence to realize their goals" [sic!]. The SRM launched last year (August-September) a petition in which it called on the Serbian government to crack down on the Albanian political movement in Kosova and their democratic institutions, so as to destroy what they branded the 'Albanian parallel state' in Kosova. The petition had been followed by a fierce Serbian regime's campaign of repression, violence and arrests of Albanian population and activists in autumn and winter of 1994, which has been sustained this year also. The crackdown, resul n several Albanians being shot dead or tortured to death by Serbian forces, as well as arrest of some 200 Albanians, personnel of the former Kosova police force, has been seen in direct connection with the SRM petition. Analysts have seen the crackdown as an attempt of the regime to appease Serb extremists in Kosova (who have been protigis and supporters of the Milosevic regime prior and after his rise to power in 1987) who has accused the regime of not having done enough i! n its anti-Albanian drive. The Serbian press quote Mr. Trajkovic of chiding the regime for not having been successful in settling 100.000 Serbs in the past five years, at a time when "250.000 Albanians have been born". Trajkovic, a high ranking SPS official in Kosova in the time when Kosova's status as a autonomous federal unit in the former Yugoslavia was forcibly suspended, is now dissatisfied with the regime' record, as SRS leaders apparently would like to see a 'final solution' to the Kosova problem, i.e. the impossibility of the Albanian majority ever being in the position of ruling Kosova. The Albanians could win if they participated in elections, Mr. Trajkovic said, calling for an 'ethnic balance' in Kosova re-requisite for cohabitation of Serbs and Albanians in Kosova, namely e big turnover in ethnic composition of Kosova in favour of Serbs, who compose now around half a dozen per cent of Kosova's population. The SRS leaders said yesterday preparations were under way for a big rally in Prishtina, in which they would call on the Serbian state to 'begin solving the Kosova problem", Tiker news agency said in a report. Such 'big rallies' of Serbs in Kosova were the stepping stones for Milosevic's rise to power in the 1980s. ========================================= Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 555 Prishtina, 17 February 1995 Total Insecurity of Kosova Population amid Serb-Commissioned 'Accidental Incidents' The residents of Prishtina, capital of Kosova, were shocked by the terrorist act of the Serbian security officer, Slavisa Stankovic. The Serbian officer, in plain clothes, killed on Wednesday evening Ali Obria (65) and wounded five other citizens in Prishtina: Nexhmedin Govori, Nusret Latifi, Artan Rexhepi, Gradimir Brankovic, and Jelena Cvorovic, and terrorized coldblooded and unhampered citizens and children in the streets and shops. Eye-witnesses said the 25-year-old Serb security officer shot at people and terrorized them with the placidity of a professional criminal. The terrorist act was committed in the city center, where one can always see a build-up of Serbian uniformed policemen, naturally enough besides the Serbian secrete police. Therefore, it is hard to believe the statements of the Serbian police and media that the perpetrator was a drunken policeman. The statement that it was an 'incident' bespeaks their intention of playing down the real dimension of the terrorist act. This latest criminal act of the Serbian police comes after the rape, several days ago, of an Albanian young woman by a Serb policemen in Gjilan. Analysts of the Kosova reality may well remember last summer's "accidental incidents" in which Serb forces were involved: in Ferizaj (the killing of a 6-year-Albanian child Fidan Brestovci), in Degan (the killing of 23-year-old Albanian mother, Violeta Dervishaj), then the wounding of an Albanian taxi-driver in Prishtina by a Serb 'drunken' policeman. Those killings and incidents were assessed as incidents commissioned by the Serbian regime. The noteworthy fact is that the Serb policemen who carried out the crimes were promoted in their posts instead of being held responsible! The policemen, Boban Krstic, who killed Fidan Brestovci was promoted as deputy head of the Serbian police department in Kaganik. He is directly responsible for the torturing to death of Ismail Raka from Kaganik late last November. The rape of the Albanian newly married woman and the Wednesday's terrorist act are further evidence to the total insecurity of the people in their homes and shops, as well as in the streets. This total insecurity comes amidst the expeditions of the Serbian forces to collect the negligible amount of weapons the Albanians have been in possession of for personal protection. It has been maintained that one of the goals of the so-called 'arms collection' expeditions has been paving the way for unchecked actions of the Serbian forces against the Albanians, like the recent ones. Serb forces got perhaps such a message from the recent statements of senior Serb officials, Borislav Jovic, Radmilo Bogdanovic, and Zorna Andjelkovic, who have kept saying of late that the situation in Kosova is very calm, and more stable than in Serbia proper! In the aftermath of the recent Serb actions, the citizens of Kosova find themselves to be totally unprotected. They see that they are in the mercy of criminals, including those 'insane' bearing weapons, who are not hampered by anybody in their criminal and terrorist drives. ============================================== Kosova Information Center KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 559 Prishtina, 23 February 1995 Peace is Impossible Without a Settlement of Kosova Issue, Albanian Foreign Minister Says "No substantial and long-lasting agreement can ever be reached unless the Kosova issue is included into the agenda of the peace plan on former Yugoslavia ", the Albanian Foreign Minister, Alfred Serreqi, stated during a visit to Italy, today's Prishtina-based Bujku reported. In Kosova, where Albanians make up an absolute majority, and without an OSCE presence there, people feel abandoned amid an ever increasing tension. Therefore , if the Kosova problem is not put into the peace plan agenda, one can never expect a lasting settlement of conflicts, said Mr.Serreqi. Russia Blocks Aid to Kosova Periodicals The British 'The Independent' writes today that "Russia has withdrawn objections to European support for an outspoken independent Belgrade newspaper but is blocking three other European Union projects to promote democracy and human rights in Serbia." The EU announced yesterday at least ecus (approximately GBP 2.4 m) of aid to Nasa Borba. The cash is to buy newsprint for the paper, says The Independent. The British newspaper goes on to say that EU has another 3m ecus for this year. Russia, however, continues to block two projects to help periodicals in Kosova, the newspaper says. The Albanian-language outlets have found themselves in dire situation following the crackdown of Milosevic's regime on Kosova and the Albanian printing and electronic media in general. Radio an television of Prishtina, broadcasting in Albanian, was forcibly taken over in a clear-cut police putsch early July 1990, whereas the Rilindja daily newspaper was banned by Serbia early in August. There is a make-shift daily, Bujku, which has been trying to make up for the daily information in Albanian in Kosova. Bujku as well as other Albanian outlets have been double hit by both Serbian and international sanctions. The Kosova Albanian outlets have been outrageously neglected by international media organizations, too. Secondary School Students in Kumanova Protest over Persecution of Albanian Intellectuals in FYROM Students of the "Goce Delcev" grammar school in the town of Kumanova, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, rallied yesterday afternoon in front of their school building giving their resolute support to the opening of the Albanian-language University of Tetova, a private radio "Zeri i Kumanoves" [The Voice of Kumanova] reported today. In a letter of protest, addressed to the FYROM authorities, the Albanian students underscored that the attacks against the University pose a direct attack against peace and stability in the Republic. They demanded an immediate release of the Rector of the Tetova University, Fadil Sylejmani, and other Albanian intellectuals.