Kosova Daily Report #1613, 98-11-16

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1613
Prishtina, 16 November 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Rugova's Aide Calls Offer on Dialogue 'Serb Regime Publicity Stunt'

[02] Gunfire Incident, Albanian Woman Wounded in Hear Family Courtyard near Podujeva

[03] Serb Police Embarks on Huge Repression Campaign in Mitrovica

[04] Serb Forces Open Fire near T&rpez& Village of Malisheva

[05] Albanians Shot at While Returning to their Village in Klina Area

[06] Mutilated Bodies of Albanians Found in Skenderaj and De^an Areas

[07] Serb-installed Managing Director Fires 70 Albanians from Work

[01] Rugova's Aide Calls Offer on Dialogue 'Serb Regime Publicity Stunt'

"The Kosova leadership stands for meaningful and well-prepared Albanian- Serbian negotiations under an effective mediation by American Ambassador Christopher Hill and his European colleague, Wolfgang Petritsch", Mustafa said, adding that any serious offer for negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade should take this into account, and the initiative should be put in place in "cooperation and with the help of the mediators".

The Serbian President invited Hill and Petritsch as guests, Rugova's aide notes, "and not as mediators commissioned by the U.S. Administration, the European Union and the Contact Group." This fact shows that Belgrade wants "to exclude them and the institutions they represent" from the negotiating process on the resolution of the Kosova issue, and that "it (Belgrade) cherishes illusions that Kosova can be treated as an alleged internal matter of Serbia and its leadership", Xhemail Mustafa said.

The aide to the President of the Republic of Kosova said "all efforts on negotiations on Kosova which do not take into account the current political and military realities in Kosova and ignore the fact that the people of Kosova have opted for independence in referendum are doomed to failure".

The Belgrade regime has found itself under stepped up international pressure to engage in serious negotiations with Prishtina, President Rugova's aide said, adding that Sunday's offer seems to have been designed to ease this pressure. "Belgrade has judged it wrong this time around, too, because the Albanian side has been all along keen on engaging in a substantial negotiating process, and this is a well-known fact to the international community", Mr. Xhemail Mustafa concluded.

[02] Gunfire Incident, Albanian Woman Wounded in Hear Family Courtyard near Podujeva

LDK sources in Podujeva said some 20 Serb policemen on board an APC and a jeep headed for the village of Llapashtic& at around 11:20 today. They got stationed at Tabet e Llapashtic&s and started stopping cars and passengers. The passengers of a car walked away from their vehicle, and police started chasing them, sources said, adding that two explosions were heard soon and gunfire started, which lasted for 20 minutes.

Police forces got back to the town of Podujeva. A car of the Lada type remained damaged in the scene of the incident.

The KIC has learned that Shukrie Gashi (38), mother of five, was wounded in her family courtyard. She was hit with a bullet on her left leg. The wounded woman was taken to the Prishtina hospital, local LDK sources said.

A Serb police expedition involving some two dozen policemen has been roaming in provocative stature the streets of Albanian villages in the municipality of Podujeva, a region north-east of Kosova bordering on Serbia, in the past several days.

[03] Serb Police Embarks on Huge Repression Campaign in Mitrovica

Eight Serb policemen stopped in the Shipol suburbs of Mitrovica a 'Kosovatrans' bus commuting to Skenderaj ('Srbica'). All the passengers had their identity checked, whereas the young Albanians were forced off the bus, searched and beaten up.

Besim (Ahmet) Geci, resident of Llaush& village of Skenderaj, was beaten up with truncheons for a couple of hours in a nearby building, and eventually robbed of his money. When he was told he was free and began walking away, police opened fire in his direction, the LDK chapter in Mitrovica said.

Besim Geci has reportedly received body injuries.

Early evening on Saturday, a dozen policemen illtreated scores of Albanians getting in and out of the marketplace in Mitrovica.

Serb police vehicles were reported making provocative movements in the "Ura e Gjakut" and "Tavnik" neighbourhhod Sunday morning.

Police beat up and robbed Faik H. Hoti (25), a university student, in Shipol neighbourhood today (Monday), presumably because he was originating from a Drenica village.

LDK sources said unidentified persons, presumably Serbs, smashed the windows of the "Aziz Sylejmani" elementary school in Mitrovica on Sunday evening.

Inside the school walls, graffiti reading "Srbija do Tokija" (Serbia as far as Tokio) and "Zivot damo, Kosovo ne damo" (We give our life, but not Kosova) were scribbled.

Automatic arms fire was heard overnight near the "Mokra gora" forestry firm in Mitrovica, LDK sources said.

[04] Serb Forces Open Fire near T&rpez& Village of Malisheva

The Serb forces concentration in the area is the reason why the local elementary school in T&rpeza has not yet opened.

The villages of central Kosova have been effectively sealed off amidst an increased build-up and movement of the Serbian military and police forces along the Malisheva-Orllat roadway, LDK sources in Malisheva said.

Meanwhile, sources in Vushtrri said the Albanian population living the countryside are living in fear of the Serb forces movements. On Saturday, some 40 Serb policemen in four armoured vehicles went to the T&rllabuq village to make their presence felt.

Threatening police movements in the town of Vushtrri are a common occurrence, sources said.

Two Albanians were arrested on 13 and 15 November, at Nevolan and Balinc villages, respectively, LDK sources said, naming them as Sabedin I. Ymeri (21) and Nexhat Beqiri, both residents of Balinc.

They continue to be in Serb custody, and the motive is still unknown.

[05] Albanians Shot at While Returning to their Village in Klina Area

The three Albanians, currently sheltered in Mitrovica, had gone back to their village, which suffered damages during Serb military and police offensive in the summer, to see whether thy could actually return. The Serb police fire pressed the message home that the Albanians should not do this.

[06] Mutilated Bodies of Albanians Found in Skenderaj and De^an Areas

The deceased Albanian, Ramadan Tahiri, had gone missing on 23 July, in the peak of the Serb crackdown there.

Meanwhile, U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) sources said the mutilated body of a local Albanian was found thrown by Serb forces into a well in Dashinovc village.

Mr. Sokol Dobruna, head of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms in Gjakova, said it is supposed that this is the body of Sadri Zukaj, resident of Beleg village of De^an.

[07] Serb-installed Managing Director Fires 70 Albanians from Work

The Albanian workers put together a delegation to contact the Serb managing direction. He refused to meet them. At 11:00 o'clock today (Monday), the Serb police showed up there to tell Albanians they should leave the factory premises in five minutes.

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