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Kosova reports 1998
Chronicle of the week 22-28 Nov.

Amnetsy for the Tanjug reporters and the LDK activists from Malisheve

Destroyed and damaged primary school buildingss (28 November)

The UCK (KLA) Headquarters declared amnesty for the TANJUG information agency reporters. Within this amnesty are included two LDK activists also. Amnesty is done on the occasion of the Albanian National Feast of the 28 November.

There was big pressure both from the Serbian side and the international side on UCK about the imprisonment of the two TANJUG reporters, Nebojsa Radovic and Vladimir Dobrisevic, who were counted as missing for more than a month now. As a sign of good will UCK released the two reporters, assessing in their Statement "We do not like prisons. We will be as transparent as possible, and we want a free, sovereign and democratic state". TANJUG reporters declared they were treated correctly by UCK.

Proof of the good will is shown also on the day of the National feast of the 28 November, when we had only few sporadic shooting in some of the areas.

UCK declared in the Statement also "We are doing this" speaking of the reporters release, "that we we do not like war that was imposed on us, and that we do not like prisons and having prisoners. We are for peace as mich as we are determined for the freedom and independence of our people and land", but meanwhile UCK calls international factors to pressure Belgrade to respect international conventions and comply fully with UN Security Council resolutions 1160 and 1199, as well as with Contact Group decisions for Kosova.

This call for compliance and the decisions of the Contact Group give a sign of hope that somehow Kosova problem problem could be solved without war anymore. Yet, there is another missing good will part, and that is Serbia that is still avoiding direct compliance and continuing with pressure.

UCK release also two LDK Albanian prisoners, but at the same time requests to have information on the fate of hundreds (1.400) of abducted and gone missing Albanians, assessing "We evaluate such an act as the first step of good will. We are prepared to do the first step" recalling at the release of the two Serb reporters' release.

Chronicle of the week

22 november, 1998

Heavy shooting is reported in the quarter "7 Korriku" of Mitrovice Many hamlets-quarters Tavnik, Ura e Gjakut, Shipol and some parts of the centre of this municipality are out of electricity. Villages of Vaganice e Eperme, Vaganice e Poshtme, Verrnice, Piriq, Zhabar i Poshtem, Zhabar i Eperm, Broboniq and Koprive faced shooting all over the night, and they are also out of electricity.

Big demonstrations are reported in Bern (Germany). Over 10.000 people protested peacefully in front of the German authorities demanding recognition of independence for Kosova.

23 november, 1998

Serb proposal and invitation for talks between the Serb President Milutinovic and the Kosova Albanians is rejected today. The invitation is unacceptable says LDK and UCK, because "The Serb side wants to present the Kosova issue as an internal matter of Serbia" they say.

Brutal campaign has mounted in Mitrovica area. A dozen of Albanians were beaten up brutally by police, especially youngsters that due to the war situation are endangered mostly. BURIM ISTREFI (17), AGRON SHALA (25), ZEKIRJA JONUZI (18) and XHEVDET ISLAMI (19) are suffering body injuries. Police plundered the citizens who happened to be in the hall of the central post office of Mitrovice. FLAMUR QERIMI (15) and HAMEZ BEQIRI were taken our of the office, beaten up severely and robbed; both of them suffer from grave body injuries. After cutting out the electricity, police organized several campaigns against the citizens and the villagers around during the night hours. Although the alleged pretext of Serbian side is a stolen car of the "Elektrokosova" power supply, citizens claim it is done on purpose, so the police is abled to use brutal violence against and no witness to be around.

UNHCR has reported that 180,000 Kosovar Albanians remain still displaced in Kosova, and that only 60,000 of them have returned to their homes. Statistics say that some 68,000 Kosovars have applied for asylum in Western and Central European countries since the beginning of the war in Kosova. As far as the reports of Kosova NGO groups are concerned, the number of IDPs is far more higher, it is at least double, and they consequently make remarks to the UNHCR for diminishing the number of IDPs and for minimizing the catastrophe.

24 november, 1998

After a partial and camouflaged withdrawal Serb military and police forces are returning to their crime scenes says LDK, the biggest political party, whose President is Rugova. Ldk complains that "With the return of these forces, the wave of shelling, burning and looting of Albanian settlements" as well as campaign of persecution, arrests and political trials continues. Meanwhile the Serb plan is utterly unacceptable and Hills plan has to be improved before becoming acceptable says the UCK representative Demaci.

Serb civilians assault Albanians in Fushe Kosove attacking secondary school student ARMEND BAJCINCA (15) from Bardh i Madh village; he was attacked while waiting for the bus, without provoking the Serbs at all. The same group of attackers in Fushe Kosove proper beat brutally ISE TERBUJA (57) from Sllatina e Madhe village; according to the statement of the last, he was beaten for no reason at all, "simply for having looked them while walking in the street" he states.

Police has set up a roadblock near Zhabar i Poshtem village of Mitrovice, harassing and plundering randoms passengers; scores of Albanians are being ill-treated.

Villages of Plemetin, Lajthishte, Sibovc, Hamidi, Grabovc i Eperm, Grabovc i Poshtem and Shipitulle of the municipality of Obiliq are being pounded reportedly last days. Meanwhile Serb police patrol is harassing the passengers and provoking them; young men and students are in particular in police eyes.

25 november, 1998

Mortar fire os reported opened towards the village of Kralan of the municipality of Gjakove. Region of Dushkaje, where this village is located has never been stopped being fired at ever since the "break" of the Serb offensive against the Kosova population. Kralan village is completely destroyed.

Kijeva region is being held under tight grip with outposts and checkpoints in Malisheva and around. Police posted at Smonica location near Terpeza village opened fire from machine guns towards Albanian farmhouses in the village. Terpeze and other villages around are being reportedly fired during night hours when neither the KADOM nor the OSCE verifiers are not present. MURAT KRYEZIU (55) and BAJRAM KRYEZIU were found killed in their homes in Bubavec village; their bodies are mutilated; it is supposed that these two Albanians have been killed two months ago.

Serb fresh forces are being deployed in Kosova on daily basis entering through the Northern part, through Podujeva area. Three busloads of policemen, half a dozen trucks trailing heavy artillery and anti- aircraft pieces entered Kosova today morning at around 10.30. The forces are being deployed in the municipalities mostly where war was going on during these last months of the year, in Gllogovc, in Vushtrri, in Peja, etc.

AGIM IBRAJ (31), JETON IBRAJ (30), MUJE IBRAJ (25) and SADIK IBRAJ (85) from Ibraj hamlet of Rugove Valley of Peje were arrested at the checkpoint on the Peja-Rugova road; they are reported still in custody. Police arrested LDK activists of Gjilan ELEZ MUJI, VENHAR HAZIRI, XHEVAT MUJI and SKENDER HAZIRI without any warrant or explanation at their homes.

26 november, 1998

Diplomatic efforts continue to alleviate the situation of the displaced population through coordinated humanitarian programmes, but hunger and homelessnes continues. Every sixth displaced family is getting one sack of flour (50 kg.). Average of an Albanian family is 7 members, and due to the research work on how well are met the needs of the population, we have come to an estimation that 42 people gat 50 kilograms of flour, and it is not sufficient.

Fresh Serb forces are deployed at the Suhareka region; population is being harassed. Their huge presence is provoking the population in the area and at the same time preventing IDPs from returning to their villages. Fire is repeatedly being opened on the direction of villages during the night hours.

NASER VUCITERNA, AGIM DERGUTI, QANI MULLAABAZI and BUJAR ZIKA all from Rahovec, were arrested on 18 November in the "Ambassador" hotel in Nis town of Serbia. They are transferred now to the Prizren jail and are summarily sentenced to one month investigation detention under charges of being associated with UCK. SHEFQET GASHI (50) from Zoqishte village was arrested also on 18 November while travelling to Krushe e Madhe village, and three days later was released after been beaten up brutally. AHMET AHMETI, head of the Municipal Bureau of Education in Shtimje is sentenced to 1 year in prison by the District Court in Prishtine; his conviction is seen as fraud, and the purpose is to intimidate the activists.

Situation is uncertain for the 50 Rahovec Albanian workers at the "17 Nentori" Enterprise. Serb management said to them they would loose their jobs on grounds that they had not gone to work from 3 to 8 August. In the aftermath of the Serb military crackdown in Rahovec in July, Albanians had to report to the police station in town to obtain certificates to go to their work places. Those who indeed went to the police station were brutally beaten up, those who failed to go and had to send their families to safer area, are facing troubles now and threatened to be dismissed.

27 november, 1998

NEBOJSA RADOSEVIC and VLADIMIR DOBRICIC, the TANJUG reporters, who were held captive by UCK on charges of infringment are released today. LDK officials JAKUP KASTRATI and CEN DESKU from Malisheve, arrested on 30 October also by UCK, are released too.

Only today, with a delay of two days, we learn that JUSUF OLLURI from Rakovina village is being kept in the town morgue of Gjakove. Jusuf was shot dead by Serb forces on 25 November, allegedly accused he was wearing UCK uniforms. Olluri family claims he was not member of UCK, neither wearing the uniform, or armed on the day he was killed.

CHILDREN ARE ARRESTED IN THE WAKE OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE UN DECLARATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. ISMAJL MJEKIQI (10) AND SKYFTER MJEKIQI (10) WERE ARRESTED ON THE STREET OF PRISHTINA YESTERDAY. THEY WERE BEATEN UP BRUTALLY. These children come from Shipitulle village of Obiliq, and as IDPs are attending school in Prishtine. The boys told their teacher they were halted by police at a checkpoint near the Brick factory while returning from school. Police initially took them at a near by hut, and then to another place where they were held for two hours. Children do not know where they were sent, but they say at the place there was a huge iron gate. After beating them up, police tore off their books and bags with a knife. BEQIR DEMOLLI (16), secondary school student in Kamenice was beaten up unconsciously by police; he was halted on the street, beaten up brutally, and when he came to his senses, he saw himself lying down near a river outside town.

SKENDER BISLIMI was arrested near the Prishtina hospital by two policemen. According to his testimony "Meantime came other policemen and Serbs in plain clothes, forced me into a car, and took me to the Badovc water supplies, beat me brutally and seized me DM 4,500, my golden ring, wrist watch and my ID". Bislimi was on his way to Ajvalia village to deliver the money to his sister, whose husband is working abroad and sent her money.

Over 30 policemen broke into the farmhouses of the extended SHISHMANI family in Boke village of Gjakove, at the border with Albania. Police ill- treated and brutally beat family members and meanwhile arrested brothers BAJRAM ISUFI (15), ISAN ISUFI (18) and FLAMUR ISUFI (21), and their mother NUSHE ISUFI (48) taking them to the police station in Gjakove. No information of any possible release so far.

Lawsuit is filed against the former "Bujku" journal in Albanian Editor in Chief, Mr. Avni Spahiu on charges of "violation of legal provisions of the Serbian Law on Information".

28 november, 1998

After several Task Force meetings at UNHCR, Centre for Protection of Women and Children undertook an action of research on the destroyed and the damaged primary schools during the Serb offensive. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF who did the assessment after the gathered reports from the field, CPWC concludes that 160 primary schools have been destroyed and damaged during the offensive. Areas affected by war can be resumed as: Decan municipality with 20 burnt, destroyed, shelled, demolished and damaged schools, mines found in Gramacel village elementary school "Drita" and Carrabreg demolished school has mines around;

Skenderaj municipality has 13 schools, burnt, destroyed, shelled and damaged; Suhareke municipality has 17 schools destroyed, damaged, demolished and looted; Gjakove municipality has 18 schools destroyed, shelled, damaged and demolished; army is present 4 elementary school is Ponoshec, Sheremet, Molliq and Demjan villages; Gllogovc municipality has 14 schools destroyed, burnt, shelled and demolished; Obiliq municipality has 3 damaged and destroyed schools; Rahovec has 14 elementary schools burnt, shelled, destroyed and damaged; Kline municipality has 9 schools destroyed, shelled and burnt; Prizren municipality has 3 schools completely destroyed and 1 damaged; Shtimje municipality has 8 schools destroyed, shelled and demolished; Vushtrri municipality has 7 burnt, destroyed and shelled schools; Mitrovice municipality has 12 burnt, destroyed and damaged schools; Ferizaj municipality has 2 destroyed and shelled schools; Podujeve municipality has 1 school burnt and destroyed in Dobratin village; Malisheve municipality has 11 shelled, destroyed, burnt and demolished schools; Peje municipality has 6 destroyed, burnt and damaged schools.

Due to the assessment of the UNICEF, CPWC, SCF, 6 elementary schools of the villages of Zoqishte (Rahovec), Junik (Decan) and Ponoshec, Molliq, Sheremet and Damjan (Gjakove) are occupied by VJ armed forces.

In Junik, the secondary school- Medical High School is occupied by the VJ and in Kijeve the secondary school is occupied by MUP - police forces.

Reported by, Sevdie Ahmeti

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