Kosova Daily Report #1419-B, 98-05-04

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

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1419-B

Prishtina, 4 May 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Kosovar Village of Ponoshevc under Continued Serb Siege, A Woman and a Child Wounded Today

[02] Two Albanian Teachers Beaten Severely by Serbian Police in Peja

[03] Two Albanians in Serbian Detention in Peja for Days

[04] Albanian Worker Beaten by Serbian Director

[05] Foreign Journalist Prevented from Reaching Crisis Area

[06] Shooting Reported at Serb Checkpoint in Podujeva Sunday Evening

[01] Kosovar Village of Ponoshevc under Continued Serb Siege, A Woman and a Child Wounded Today

The sealed-off villages have been reported shelled by Serb artillery. A woman and a child were reported wounded today (Monday) during the Serb fire which lasted from 9 through 11 in the morning.

Eye-witnesses from neighboring villages said many Albanian houses had been hit and damaged.

The Serbian military has enforced a "ring of steel" around Ponoshec and Morin&.

Serb military and police troops have been stationed in the local school at Ponoshevc as well as in the houses abandoned by Albanians.

In the past few weeks, especially several days back, heavy Serb forces, including paramilitary units, have been building up in the area. Reports said fresh Serb forces were advancing there earlier today.

The LDK branch in Gjakova said earlier today there were many wounded people in the sealed-off area, which has been under Serb fire since yesterday (Sunday) morning. Although the lives of the wounded and injured, including women and children, are in danger, Serbian forces have sealed off the area and have not allowed people in or out of the village. No medical assistance could have been offered to those in desperate need.

Foreign reporters and media crews have been turned back from the area today, as well as humanitarian and political activists.

Although Serb military and police do not allow them access to the area on grounds of security concerns - and even laying the blame on Albanians for this - it is crystal clear that the Serbian military wants to keep its crimes out of the eyes of the world.

There is fear Serb forces will embark on onslaughts on the sealed- off villages, killing and executing Albanians who have found themselves locked up there and with little hope to challenge Serb aggression. Villagers have been left but with the choice of holding out in self-defense with whatever is at their disposal.

There is fear Ponoshevc and Morina will not fare better than Prekaz i Posht&m village of Skenderaj ('Srbica') two months ago.

On 5 March, several extended families were attacked by Serb forces and around 20 Albanians, including women and children slain in their homesteads. On 28 February, ten members of the Ahmeti family were rounded up and executed by Serb forces at Likoshan.

A similar attack was carried by Serb forces last Friday evening, when three members of the Gashi family were killed and three others wounded when a Serb grenade hit their home.

The Serbian massacres, raids on Albanian families and execution of people, are part of the fiendish Serbian state-sponsored schemes of ethnically cleansing Kosova.

[02] Two Albanian Teachers Beaten Severely by Serbian Police in Peja

They were beaten severely in front of their family members and other residents, LDK sources said.

[03] Two Albanians in Serbian Detention in Peja for Days

The two Albanians were arrested at the Serb checkpoint near Morin& village, LDK sources said.

[04] Albanian Worker Beaten by Serbian Director

LDK sources in Lipjan said they could not find out why the Serbian director has attacked the Albanian employee.

Mr. Terpeza, who has been working in this firm for 20 years, was on leave for medical reasons for some time and he went back to work today (Monday).

[05] Foreign Journalist Prevented from Reaching Crisis Area

Several TV crews and foreign media journalists were turned back in the vicinity of De^an.

In the wake of a huge buildup of forces, and a notorious collusion of the military and police in what the world calls 'internal repression', the Serbian regime is naturally enough keen on keeping the outside world out, so as not to see what is happening in that part of Kosova.

[06] Shooting Reported at Serb Checkpoint in Podujeva Sunday Evening

For years now, Serb forces have been stationed in the Besiana motel, which is close to the police checkpoint.

Meanwhile, Serbian police arrested four Albanians in the municipality of Podujeva today, LDK sources said.

Almi Avdiu and Ahmet Latifi were arrested in their homes at Dobratin village, whereas in the town of Podujeva itself Selam Mehana was arrested after having had his home raided.

The police arrested Shasivar Jashari at Velikoreka today, after having raided his house.

Kosova Information Center

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