Read the CSCE Helsinki Act (1 August 1975) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Saturday, 14 December 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Kosova Daily Report #1654, 99-01-05

Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1654
Prishtina, 5 January 1999


CONTENTS

  • [01] President Rugova Receives U.S. Envoy for Kosova
  • [02] Two Albanians Killed by Unknown Gunmen Monday Evening
  • [03] Heavy Serbian Police Forces Deployed in Mitrovica and Surrounding Villages
  • [04] Serbian Forces Maintain Heavy, Intimidating Presence in Podujeva Area
  • [05] Over 30 Young Albanians Arrested by Serb Police in Gjakova Monday
  • [06] Lez and Jeshkov& Villages Held under Siege
  • [07] Serb Police Continues Firing on Obiliq Villages

  • [01] President Rugova Receives U.S. Envoy for Kosova

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova received today (Tuesday) Ambassador Chris Hill, the U.S. envoy for Kosova, to discuss the current situation and the need for the speeding up of the political process in pursuit of a settlement to the Kosova issue.

    President Ibrahim Rugova said the situation in Kosova continues to be grave. He emphasized that efforts should be intensified to bring an end to the ongoing Serbian violence and stop the killings that have been occurring recently in different parts of Kosova.

    [02] Two Albanians Killed by Unknown Gunmen Monday Evening

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - Two Albanians, Bekim Sali Miftari (26) and Qerim Rrahmani (33), residents of two villages of Viti municipality, were killed late Monday evening by unknown gunmen near a gas station by the Viti- G&rlic& roadside, the local chapter in Viti of the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) reported.

    No other details have been made known. The gas station "Burimi" is owned by Zymber Miftari.

    Family members of the killed Albanians said they had no quarrel with anybody.

    Eight more people - six Albanians and two Serbs - were killed in the past six days in Kosova in yet unsolved circumstances.

    International monitors in Kosova have called these days 'calm'.

    [03] Heavy Serbian Police Forces Deployed in Mitrovica and Surrounding Villages

    Albanian households raided, family members abused and arrested

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - Heavy Serbian police forces have been stationed today in the town of Mitrovica, and have reportedly been engaged in a campaign of violence and intimidation of Albanian motorists and passers-bye.

    LDK and CDHRF sources said the police have set up random road blocks near the bus station and at the exit road from Mitrovica leading to Skenderaj.

    Serbian police backed up by mechanized units have been deployed in the Shipol suburbs of Mitrovica, in the outskirts leading to Zubin Potok, and in the villages of Zhabar i Posht&m and Zhabar i Ep&rm, source said.

    Many Albanian houses in the Ura e Gjakut and Shipol neighborhoods have been raided by huge Serb police forces today, allegedly in connection with arms searches. Albanians have been threatened with liquidation "this coming summer", the LDK and CDHRF said, offering details on the raids and names of Albanian families targeted.

    Some Albanians were taken for questioning, others arrested.

    The police ill-treated Lam Kurti's (60) children, Resmije (f, 14), Sebahate (f, 16) and Muharrem (18) during the raid. They were eventually arrested.

    Some 20 Serb policemen manning a checkpoint near the town waterworks in Mitrovica stopped a Lada car coming from Skenderaj at 14:00 hrs today. Two young persons were taken out and arrested, LDK sources said.

    Meanwhile, four Serb police stopped today morning Shefik Kurteshi (26) in Vushtrri and beat him up with truncheons for an hour on obscure charges of being an U^K member.

    [04] Serbian Forces Maintain Heavy, Intimidating Presence in Podujeva Area

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - A column of Serbian army tanks left the Dumosh airfield, southeast of the town of Podujeva, passed along the villages of Sve^&l and Ballofc and reached Podujeva today morning, LDK sources said.

    The Serb tanks turned near the "Besiana" motel and travelled the Podujeva- Prishtina road before proceeding to 'Tabet e Llapashtic&s' in south-west Podujeva, the area of fierce clashes between Serb military and the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) around Christmas.

    After spending some time there, the Serb tanks left the outskirts of Llapashtic& and returned back to Dumosh via Lluzhan village, a dozen km south of Podujeva on the Prishtina-Podujeva highway.

    It was the return of Serbian military and police troops, withdrawn partially and temporarily in the aftermath of the Holbrooke- Milosevic agreements last October, that preceded the actual Serbian attack of 24 December, lasting for four days, which left at least 17 Albanians killed, a dozen of whom civilians.

    The LDK chapter in Podujeva said seven Serb police armoured troop carriers and an armoured vehicle left Podujeva for K&rpimeh, 10 km north of the town, where there is a Serb police station, and then returned to Podujeva, patrolling the town streets.

    An eye-witness said 2 lorryloads and 2 busloads of Serbian soldiers backed up by an armoured vehicle were seen at Besi - Milloshev& crossroads heading for the Podujeva region today.

    Meanwhile, sources from Podujeva said Rexhep Idriz Demiri (36), resident of Obran^& village of Podujeva, has been missing since 24 December 1998, the day of the Serbian offensive in the area.

    Thousands of Albanian villagers fled their homes around Christmas, many of whom have not yet returned out of fear from renewed Serb offensive operations in the heavily militarized area.

    [05] Over 30 Young Albanians Arrested by Serb Police in Gjakova Monday

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - The Serbian police Monday evening cracked down on young Albanians in the town of Gjakova, south-west of Kosova, arresting more than 30 young Albanians during a sweep on the town pubs, the LDK chapter in Gjakova said.

    The Albanians were taken to the police station and held for hours in custody, during which time they were reported ill-treated. Some of them have not been released yet, the LDK sources said.

    The Serb police alleged it was tracking down 'terrorists', the usual term for Albanians the Serb regime picks up to terrorize itself.

    Meanwhile, the Serb regime has set up a paramilitary force - a self-styled local 'police' composed of ethnic Albanian collaborators - to crack down on Albanians in the Gjakova area.

    Muharrem Jakupi, resident of Osek-Hyl& village, a notorious collaborator and member of the Serb militia, has abused physically even his brother, Haziz Jakupi.

    The LDK sources said 15 Serb policemen were led by another militiamen, Marjan Abazi, raided the home of Ram& Reka, Haziz's family friend, with whom Haziz and his family have been staying for months.

    After the raid, the Serb police and their Albanian collaborators arrested Ram&'s son, Lulzim Reka, and Haziz Jakupi. Lulzim is still in Serb custody.

    Muharrem Jakupi ill-treated his brother Haziz for refusing to collaborate with the Serbian occupier, the LDK chapter in Gjakova said.

    [06] Lez and Jeshkov& Villages Held under Siege

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - Amidst a heavy presence of Serbian military and police forces, the situation in the border villages in Prizren municipality has continued to be grave, LDK sources in Prizren said. The municipality borders on Albania.

    The Albanian population in the villages of Lez and Jeshkov& is being held under a complete siege by Serbian forces, LDK sources claimed.

    Meanwhile, the LDK chapter said Xhemail Sallauka (32) was reported arrested on 31 December. A resident of Budakova village of Suhareka, the Albanian was taken by police while returning from the Prizren hospital together with his sick mother.

    Mr. Sallauka, who has been sheltered for months in the town of Prizren, is still reported in custody. The motive for his arrest and continued custody has not been made known.

    [07] Serb Police Continues Firing on Obiliq Villages

    PRISHTINA, Jan 5 (KIC) - There was a stepped up movement of Serbian police forces in the small town of Obiliq today. Serb police backed up by two armoured vehicles passed today morning through Plemetin and reached Hamidi, the local chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in Obiliq said.

    At the Bakshi-Raskov&-Besi crossroads, Serb police checked Albanian motorists and passengers and robbed them of their money, the CDHRF added.

    Serbian police forces, which have been dug in "K&rshat e Grabovcit", have been firing on outlying Albanian villages on a daily basis, local sources said.

    The so-called 'industrial police' (a privately-hired Serb militia) of the Kosova Electric Power company has been ill-treating Albanians at the village of Dardhisht& ('Krusevac'), sources said, denying reports that this Serb self-styled police and local Albanians are getting along well.

    Kosova Information Center

    Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    ksv2html v1.02 run on Tuesday, 5 January 1999 - 18:16:16 UTC