Kosova Daily Report #1471, 98-06-25
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1471
Prishtina, 25 June 1998
CONTENTS
[01] President Rugova Discusses Kosova with Kinkel, to Meet German
Chancellor Kohl
[02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Border Villages in Gjakova District
[03] Bodies of Two Killed Albanian Take to the Gjakova Morgue
[04] Serbian Forces Shell Bllac& Village of Suhareka
[05] Albanians Forced to Leave Homes, Two Wounded, in Vushtrri District
[06] Serb Forces Drive Albanians Out of Their Homes in Mitrovica Villages
[07] Serb Air Jet Flies over Drenica, Heavy Blast Heard
[08] Kosova MP, Ruzhdi Berisha, Reported Missing
[09] LDK Activists Arrested at Greme Village of Ferizaj
[10] Albanian Houses Shot by Serbs in Gjurakovc and ^est&
[01] President Rugova Discusses Kosova with Kinkel, to Meet German
Chancellor Kohl
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova met today in Bonn with Dr. Klaus Kinkel, the Foreign Minister of
Germany.
Accompanying Rugova was also Bujar Bukoshi, the Prime Minister of the
Republic of Kosova.
The current developments in Kosova, the modalities for concrete political
action to prevent a further escalation of the conflict, as well as modes
for a negotiated resolution in Kosova, were discussed in the meeting.
President Rugova said the situation in Kosova continues to escalate amidst
unfolding Serbian military and police brutal attacks against the Albanian
population. An urgent intervention by the international community is needed
to prevent fresh Serb massacres and an ethnic cleansing in Kosova, he
stressed.
Ibrahim Rugova reconfirmed the Kosova leadership's commitment to
negotiations as a means towards resolution in Kosova. The resumption of
dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade will be made possible after
Belgrade's full compliance with all the Contact Group demands, he added.
President Ibrahim Rugova emphasized that an independent and neutral Kosova,
with all guarantees for the local Serb community, is the solution that
would stabilize the entire region. He recalled that the Kosova leadership
has pressed for an international protectorate, as an interim stage, which
would create the kind of situation and normality conducive to the search of
a lasting solution for Kosova.
The German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel expressed his government's deep
concern over the escalating conflict in Kosova.
Germany stands for a negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue, Mr. Kinkel
said, adding that his government is working with the Contact Group and
within other international institutions for a resumption of serious talks
between Prishtina and Belgrade.
After the meeting, President Rugova and Foreign Minister Kinkel spoke to
the press.
In the morning today, the Kosova leaders Rugova and Bukoshi had a meeting
with members of the Foreign Relations Committee of the German Bundestag.
Later in the day today, the President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova will meet with the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the first ever
meeting of the two leaders.
[02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Border Villages in Gjakova District
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - While U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke toured the
border village of Junik and the town of Gjakova yesterday (Wednesday), only
a few kilometres away, especially in the Reka e Keqe region, heavy fighting
between Serbian ('Yugoslav') army and the local Albanian resistance forces,
including the U^K, was taking place, local sources from Gjakova said.
The center stage of this confrontation was the village of Nec.
Serbs were said to have suffered material damage and casualties.
Albanian forces were feared to have suffered a number of wounded.
Meanwhile, reports said Serbian forces resumed today morning pounding the
Reka e Keqe villages with heavy artillery.
Serb military and police forces have been heading today to the Reka e Keqe
region and the De^an villages under Serbian attacks for many weeks now.
In the past three days, the town of Gjakova has been facing new Albanian
arrivals, mostly women, children and elderly people displaced from their
villages in the region of Has of Gjakova.
The LDK Information Commission said the citizens of Gjakova have shown a
remarkable solidarity with the arrivals.
[03] Bodies of Two Killed Albanian Take to the Gjakova Morgue
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Local sources said the body of a killed Albanian
was taken by the Serb military to the Gjakova town morgue at noon today
(Thursday).
Another killed Albanian was taken to the same morgue early afternoon.
LDK sources from Gjakova said the two Albanians, one in his mid twenties,
the other in his mid-forties, were originating from the Reka e Keqe region,
which has been attacked by Serbian forces with heavy weaponry in the past
several weeks.
[04] Serbian Forces Shell Bllac& Village of Suhareka
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Serbian forces started today (Thursday), at 9:30
in the morning, shelling the village of Bllac& in the municipality of
Suhareka.
Serbian police positioned at Duh&l and 'Yugoslav' army position at the
Duh&l Gorge (Qaf& e Duhl&s) have been attacking with mortars and heavy
artillery, sources said.
[05] Albanians Forced to Leave Homes, Two Wounded, in Vushtrri District
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Armed Serb civilians wounded last night, around
23:00 hrs on Wednesday, Xhevat Mehmeti (62) and Xhemajl Mehmeti (50), in
their native village of Pantin& in the municipality of Vushtrri
('Vucitern'), local LDK sources said.
The report said a local Serb, Ratko Zivkovic, first set fire on his
haystack, then opened fire.
All residents of the villages of Pantin& and Okrashtic& have abandoned
homes, whereas part of the population of the village of Shtitaric& have
left, too.
A local woman of the Okrashtic& told the LDK offices in Vushtrri the Serb
police had ordered the Pantin& and Okrashtic&s residents desert their
homes.
Gunfire was reported in the village of Pantin& today (Thursday) at 9:10 in
the morning.
Reports indicate Serb forces have been coming from the village of Frash&r
('Svinjare'), where Albanian houses have been burned in the past three days
by local Serbs, and a depot of the Yugoslav army is based.
The village of Pantin& has some 200 households, 95 of whom are Albanian,
and borders on Frash&r. The village of Okrashtic& is adjacent to Pantin&,
which is close to the town of Vushtrri.
Okrashtic& is a 100 percent ethnic Albanian village.
Meanwhile, reports said in the area near the Serb Church in Vushtrri
members of Serb paramilitary bands have been seen milling.
The Serb inhabitants of the neighborhood have set Friday midday as the
deadline for Albanians to leave. If they fail to do so, they will be
liquidated, Serbs threatened.
There was shooting last night from the Serb-inhabited village of Prilluzh&
towards the Albanian villages of: Gllavotin, Bivolak, and Strofc, local
sources said.
[06] Serb Forces Drive Albanians Out of Their Homes in Mitrovica Villages
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Mitrovica
reported that the burning of Albanian houses in the village of Frash&r i
Madh has been the work of local Serbs.
The Commission named at least 16 family heads whose houses have been
burned.
Other property, haystacks, garners, etc., have been set on fire, whereas 25
houses in the village have been fired upon with automatic arms, LDK sources
said.
The Albanian population has fled the village after threats by Serb
paramilitaries, which control it now.
The LDK said three more abandoned Albanian houses were set ablaze today
(Thursday) at Frash&r i Madh.
Meanwhile, sources said a convoy of Serb army with combat equipment went to
the village of Frash&r i Vog&l Wednesday morning.
A Serb army colonel threatened the 17 Albanian households in the village
would be burned, "if only a bullet is shot".
The village of Frash&r i Vog&l is near the Serbian military barracks in
Mitrovica.
Meanwhile, LDK sources in Mitrovica said three Serb policemen raided the
houses of Zenel Peci (60) and Zymer Peci (70) in the village of Boletin on
22 June, allegedly in search of hidden weapons.
The two denied being in possession of any arms. The police ordered Zenel
and his 25-year-old son Bekim to report to the police at Zve^an the
following day.
Fearful of what lay in store for them in Serb police custody, they did not
show up.
On 23 June, the police re-appeared in Boletin and gave the residents of the
village an ultimatum to leave their homes.
All Albanian residents of the village fled, fearing a Serb massacre in case
of failure to abide by their ultimatum, LDK sources said.
'Yugoslav' Army Sets Up Barricades Near Sllatin&
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The Serbian ('Yugoslav') army has set up today
barricades on both sides of the village of Bellaqevc i Vog&l and in
Pomozetin, near the village of Sllatin&, in the municipality of Fush&
Kosov& ('Kosovo Polje'), a dozen km south-west of Prishtina.
The one-meter high barbed-wire barricades have been placed on the Sllatin& -
Bellaqevc roadway.
Up in the pine woods of the village of Sllatin&, where Serb military
barracks is, Serb forces have reinforced, reports said.
[07] Serb Air Jet Flies over Drenica, Heavy Blast Heard
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - In the early hours of today (Thursday), a
Serbian air jet on a reconnaissance mission flew over the Drenica region,
local sources said.
At 10:20 hrs, a heavy blast was heard, they added, without offering details
on its nature or precise location.
Serb snipers opened fire at 9:30 from their position near the post office
in the town of Gllogovc.
Serb security, backed up by two armoured vehicles positioned themselves in
the Gllogovc crossroads in the morning today.
[08] Kosova MP, Ruzhdi Berisha, Reported Missing
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The member of the Parliament of Kosova from the
municipality of Dragash, Ruzhdi Berisha, has been missing since 23 June,
members of his family said.
Mr. Berisha, a high school principal, left his car in Prizren and boarded a
bus there to travel to Prishtina.
His family said they had information that the bus Ruzhdi was travelling
with had been stopped by the Serb police in Shtime for half an hour, before
being allowed to proceed to Prishtina.
The Kosova MP actually arrived in the Kosova capital, and telephoned his
family from there.
His fate and whereabouts remain unknown ever since, his family said.
Police had detained him last week for a short time, and seized the seals of
his school.
[09] LDK Activists Arrested at Greme Village of Ferizaj
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Heavy Serb police forces, backed up by four
armoured vehicles, raided the house of Enver Topalli, former member of the
LDK leadership in Ferizaj, and former Kosova MP.
He and Ylber Topalli, chairman of the LDK sub-branch at the village of
Greme, were eventually arrested at Greme.
During the raid of Enver Topalli's house at Greme, the police ill- treated
him and his brother Naim till they lost consciousness in the presence of
family, local sources said.
In Ylber's house, the police ill-treated his father, Islam Topalli.
There has been no immediate report about where the arrested Albanian were
taken to.
Serb Police Arms Local Serbs and Gypsies
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - On Tuesday evening, Serbian police headed by
Zoran Stojkovic, a security officer, provided local Serbs and Gypsies with
weapons in the village of Plemetin, in the municipality of Obiliq, LDK
sources said.
[10] Albanian Houses Shot by Serbs in Gjurakovc and ^est&
PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Three Serb policemen opened fire from their
passing car on the house of Beqir Kabashi in the village of Gjurakovc in
Istog, northwestern Kosova, on Wednesday afternoon, local sources said.
Meanwhile, sources said the farmhouse of Mehmet Mehmeti from ^est& e
Re^akut village of Shtime was fired upon by Serb forces on Wednesday
evening.
Kosova Information Center
|
