Kosova Daily Report #1610, 98-11-12

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1610
Prishtina, 12 November 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Civilians, in Collusion with Police, Abduct Tens of Albanians near Leposaviq

[02] President Rugova Receives Mexican Diplomat

[03] Kosova Delegation Meets with German Foreign Minister Fischer

[04] One Albanian Killed and Several Wounded in Serb Attack on Mle^an Village

[05] Three Villages in Klina Under Repeated Serb Fire in Night Hours

[06] Around 1,500 Albanians Holed Up for 29 Hours in Schoolhouse in Prizren Area

[07] Serb Police Intrude into Clinic, Harass Patients, in Barileva

[08] Fresh Serb Troops Enter Kosova on a Daily Basis

[09] Serb Police Dumps Tortured Albanian into Pavement Canal

[01] Serb Civilians, in Collusion with Police, Abduct Tens of Albanians near Leposaviq

At 17;00 hrs, a group of Serb civilians, accompanied by police, stopped Albanian passengers near Leposaviq, 33 km north of Mitrovica, and took them to a nearby village where some of them have been held as hostage ever since, threatened with execution unless two Serbs who went missing in Drenica early this week are not found and released.

Afrim Grantolli, resident of Ferizaj ('Urosevac'), one of the Albanians who was abducted by Serbs Wednesday evening, was allowed by them to telephone twice to report about this and ask for help to secure their release.

Mr. Grantolli said tens of Albanians who were travelling the road were stopped and abducted, including Shyqri Azemi (from Prizren), Ekrem Ibrahimi (from Ferizaj), Abdyl Murati (from Podujeva), Fetah Ajeti (from Ferizaj) and Sabit Hasani (from Mitrovica). Later in the night, Grantolli said the number of Albanians stopped and detained increasing. At one point, it exceeded 100 perhaps, he said. They were all being holed up in a dark house, surrounded by armed Serb civilians who threatened them constantly.

Today (Thursday) morning, Afrim Grantolli said in a telephone conversation most of the Albanians had been released overnight, adding that many were held still as hostages by Serbs.

The report on the abduction of tens of Albanians was confirmed by the LDK chapter in Mitrovica. The LDK said amongst those eventually released last night were Rrahim Hazir Kadriu (44), resident of Mitrovica, and Istref Ajet Sahiti (34), resident of Gushaci of Mitrovica, and Ismet Salih Haziri.

Rrahim Kadriu told the KIC by phone he was stopped at 17:00 hrs on Wednesday by Serb civilians in a parking space at a roadside. He was travelling with four other people to Belgrade. Serb civilians were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and other weapons. On the opposite side of the road were between 15 and 20 Serb policemen who were watching all this untroubled, Mr. Kadriu said. The number of those stopped and held up was growing by the hour. Passengers were being stopped in both directions, with those identified as Albanians detained there. A young Albanian girl with her still younger brother from Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') were amongst them.

Mr. Haziri said Serb civilians shot at and wounded a Serb who was driving his car and did no obey the orders to stop there.

"Serb civilians wanted us to secure the release of two Serbs who reportedly went missing at Polac village of Drenica", Mr. Haziri said. The Serb civilians drove the detained Albanians in the direction of the Crnac mines, some five km from the place they had been stopped.

There were hundreds of Serb civilians from the surrounding area, as well as policemen who were there. Serbs demanded the release of the two Serbs who had gone missing at Polac and threatened to kill the Albanians.

During the night, the Albanians were held inside the cellar of a house. Amongst those abducted was Dr. Nexhmi Zeqiri (40) and his wife Sebahate from Mitrovica, both physicians. The wife was released, whereas her husband not.

Mr. Haziri said he was himself freed at 22:00 hrs, on condition that he asked Albanian organizations to secure the release of the two Serbs. Some others were released at 2 am. today (Thursday).

Meanwhile, Rafet Maxhuni, resident of Ropica village of Vushtrri told the LDK chapter in Vushtrri armed Serb civilians had barricaded the Mitrovica- Belgrade roadway near Leposavic at 21:00 hrs Wednesday. They stopped 27 Albanian passengers and sent them to a private house. At 2 a.m. today, Serb police entered the house, checked the identity papers of the Albanians, freeing 20 of them.

Seven others remained there, Mr. Maxhuni said. One of those being held there was Pajazit Fetahu (39), resident of Vushtrri, proprietor of the "Galica Komerc" transport firm.

The Kosova Information Center (KIC) informed the media and the American Center in Prishtina about the reports that tens of Albanians had been abducted near Leposaviq.

[02] President Rugova Receives Mexican Diplomat

The current situation in Kosova as well as prospects for a negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue were discussed in the meeting.

The situation in Kosova is grave and volatile, the President said.

The heavy presence of Serbian military and police in Kosova is an obstacle in the process of the return of the Albanian population driven from its homes during the Serb offensives this year. The OSCE and NATO verification missions may help in creating the necessary environment for the return of Albanians to their homes in safety, Rugova said.

The people of Kosova have opted in referendum for independence, President Rugova said, emphasizing that this would stabilize the entire region. In pursuit of a resolution, it is necessary that a negotiating process between Prishtina and Belgrade is established, he added.

The Mexican diplomat Javier Vimer took an interest in different aspects of the economic and social life in Kosova, as well as ways to help Kosova in this regard.

[03] Kosova Delegation Meets with German Foreign Minister Fischer

Dr. Alush Gashi told the KIC the current situation in Kosova was discussed in the meeting. The German minister expressed his admiration for Dr. Rugova's peaceful policies, he said.

Germany is supportive of an interim accord for the Kosova issue.

Mr. Fischer said he would be the first German foreign minister to visit Kosova, Dr. Alush Gashi said.

The Kosova delegation met also with Wolfgang Ischinger, Political Director in the German Foreign Ministry.

The Kosova representatives described the situation in Kosova and pressed for a stepped up international engagement in pursuit of a political resolution.

[04] One Albanian Killed and Several Wounded in Serb Attack on Mle^an Village

A local LDK activist in the village of V&rmic&, D. Gashi, told the KIC at 12:30 hrs a convoy of Serb military and police entered the village of Mle^an and started shooting in the direction of the civilian populations immediately. The Albanians had returned in the past few days to their homes shattered in Serb offensives.

One Albanian is known to have been killed, supposedly Xhafer Gashi, an invalid, resident of this village. Other Albanians have been wounded, the LDK activists said, failing to specify how many.

The Serb forces have not withdrawn from the village in the afternoon. They continued firing there. Serb forces have been firing also from their position in Llazica, a village neighbouring on Mle^an.

The population of Mle^an and Llazica fled their homes again in the face of further Serbian attacks, the LDK activist said.

[05] Three Villages in Klina Under Repeated Serb Fire in Night Hours

The three Albanian settlements were attacked for about one hour from two Serb bases near the bauxite mines in Volljak&, from 20:30 through 21:30.

Llap^eva, Panorc and Sferka and other communities in Klina municipality have been attacked almost every night from Serb posts in the area, the LDK said.

Sources in Klina said that another village in the region, Jashanica, came under heavy artillery fire on Tuesday night.

[06] Around 1,500 Albanians Holed Up for 29 Hours in Schoolhouse in Prizren Area

The villagers of Lugishta were ordered by Serb police to hand over by midday on Tuesday all the weapons they allegedly possessed, or else risk reprisals. The Albanians, fearful of Serb police brutalities, gathered in the local school unable to move out of the village.

Several Albanians who were themselves holed up in the schoolhouse in Lugishta told the LDK chapter in Prizren they were harassed and continuously intimidated by Serb forces who held the school at gunpoint. The Serb police separated the menfolks from the rest of the families, threatening to kill them.

The witnesses, who demanded not to be named, said 16 men were taken to the army barracks in Prizren where they were interrogated and harassed for several hours. They were also held for a couple of hours in the police station in town before being brought back to the schoolhouse to join the rest of the villagers until Wednesday afternoon.

[07] Serb Police Intrude into Clinic, Harass Patients, in Barileva

Local sources in Barileva village said the Serb police were excessively brutal. They broke cabinets and drawers open and ordered the personnel to provide all data about patients being treated there.

The Serbian police were deployed later near the local school in Barileva demonstrating force in the face of fearful villagers, the sources said.

[08] Fresh Serb Troops Enter Kosova on a Daily Basis

The LDK chapter in Podujeva said that 10 busloads of Serb policemen entered Kosova at around 6:30 in the morning today.

Another convoy of Serb forces consisting of 5 buses, 4 trucks, and two vans with Serb troops on board came from Serbia to Kosova at around 8 a.m. About two hours later, another four busloads of Serb police passed along Podujeva in the direction of Prishtina.

Heavy Serb forces have been sent from Serbia into Kosova over the past few days.

13 busloads of Serb policemen crossed the Serbia-Kosova border in one instance only on Tuesday morning, at around 7:30, local LDK sources said.

[09] Serb Police Dumps Tortured Albanian into Pavement Canal

Two Serb policemen, one of them named as Aca Komirovic and another one known as "Zoki", attacked today at around 10:30 a local Albanian, Sylejman Lahu. After beating the Albanian unconscious, the two Serbs dumped him into a pavement canal.

Another Albanian, Ramadan M. Ahmeti, suffered severe body injuries when beaten up by Serb police in Vushtrri, the LDK said.

Heavily armed Serb police patrols have been roaming the streets of Vushtrri since morning hours, provoking and harassing the passersby, sources told the KIC.

Kosova Information Center

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