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Kosova Daily Report #1451, 98-06-05

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 #1451
Prishtina, 5 June 1998

First Edition: 12:00 CET
Second Edition: 16:15 CET

CONTENTS

  • [01] In a Week, 52 Albanians Killed, 200 Missing, 150 Held Captive, Around 30.000 Driven from their Homes in De^an
  • [02] President Rugova's Aides Call for Urgent Action in the Face of Serbian Aggression in Kosova
  • [03] Serbian Offensive Deals Serious Blow to Fledgling Talks Process on Kosova, G-15 Spokesman Says
  • [04] It Is Important that NATO Reaches Its Decision on Kosova Very Quickly, Kinkel Says
  • [05] At Least One Albanian Killed, Two Wounded, in Serb Attack in Rahovec Overnight
  • [06] Border Zone Villages Come Under Renewed Serb Fire Friday Morning
  • [07] Serb Forces Shell Indiscriminately Albanian Villages in Malisheva

  • [01] In a Week, 52 Albanians Killed, 200 Missing, 150 Held Captive, Around 30.000 Driven from their Homes in De^an

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - In a week, since 29 May, 52 Albanians have been killed by Serb forces during a large-scale Serbian attack against De^an and its villages, the head of the LDK Information Commission in De^an, Osman Cacaj, said.

    Mr. Cacaj, who managed to come up with new details after a week, told the KIC some 200 people are held as missing. Serbian forces have been holding captive another 150 Albanians.

    The villages of Lubeniq, Llo^an, Pograxh& and Hulaj have been razed almost completely, whereas the villages of Carrabreg i Ep&rm, Carrabreg i Ul&t, Isniq, Drenoc, Sllup, Voksh and Drenoc have been partly burned down and/or destroyed by Serbian shelling and forces.

    The entire population has been driven out or fled the town of De^an and the villages of Lubeniq, Strellc i Ep&rm, Carrabreg i Ep&rm, Carrabreg i Ul&t, L&bush&, Llo^an, Hulaj, Pograxh&, Voksh, Sllup, Drenoc, Junik, Jasiq, Gjocaj, Prejlep and Lluk& e Ep&rme.

    The LDK Information Commission's head in De^an, Osman Cacaj, described the situation in De^an and surrounding area as grave and critical.

    Between 15,000 and 20,000 have been streaming towards Albania, whereas some 15,000 towards Montenegro, Cacaj assessed.

    In the deserted villages, the bodies of 45 killed people lye unburied in the heat. Fearing Serb sniper fire, nobody dares go out, pick up and bury the dead, Cacaj said.

    In addition, there are many killed cattle in the fields, a source of potential outbreak of epidemics.

    Some villages have electricity.

    Mr. Cacaj said last night Serbian forces prompted two incidents during their raids and looting sweeps in the villages.

    At the village of Strellc, an old man who stayed behind to look after his farmstead, in an attempt to protect his property, killed three Serb policemen with a hand grenade.

    Reports said three other Serb policemen were killed at the village of Prejlep.

    Two Albanians were wounded in last night's incidents.

    The LDK Information Commission's head called on the international community to intervene urgently to save the population that is still in the villages of the De^an municipality.

    Mr. Cacaj called for international humanitarian organizations, first and foremost the International Red Cross and medical organizations, to help urgently with collecting and burying the killed Albanians.

    The is desperate need for medical and food supplies in the municipality of De^an, the LDK activist stressed.

    [02] President Rugova's Aides Call for Urgent Action in the Face of Serbian Aggression in Kosova

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova has canceled his planned meetings in Rome and other European capitals and cut short his trip because of the dramatically deteriorating situation in Kosova amidst an outright aggression by Serbian forces, Mr. Xhemail Mustafa, Rugova's press advisor, told the press in Prishtina today (Friday).

    Describing the situation in De^an, Gjakova and Peja, an in the border area with Albania, Mustafa said Serb forces have left scores of Albanians dead, many others wounded, and entire villages burned or set ablaze.

    "This is ethnic cleansing", Rugova's aide said, adding that a dozen thousand Kosovars - mostly women, children and elderly - have been forced out of their homes into neighboring Albania.

    The Serbian regime has been engaging the Albanian people of Kosova in an undeclared war, Xhemail Mustafa said, adding that the local people have been organizing in self-defense, to "protect their personal integrity, the integrity of their families and community".

    The people of Kosova wish to see more action than words on the part of the international community to bring about an end to Serbian aggression in Kosova, he said.

    Mr. Mustafa said NATO should commit troops in Kosova, and added that thousands of Albanian protesters called for urgent NATO intervention in Kosova during a rally in Prishtina yesterday.

    The people of Kosova and its leadership stand firmly in their position for an independent Kosova pursued by peaceful and political means, Rugova's spokesman said.

    The Serbian regime has been preventing access to the areas under attack in De^an, Peja, and Gjakova, blocking food and medical supplies, in a bid to subject the people.

    "A humanitarian corridor, under international monitoring, should be established" to help the suffering people, Mr. Xhemail Mustafa said.

    The people of Kosova have been for years engaged in a peaceful struggle to prevent Serbian ethnic cleansing schemes; now they have found themselves with the choice of self-organizing in attacked areas to try and prevent that, Mustafa said, in reply to a question.

    "The Kosova negotiating teams is not boycotting talks, but rather has called for this round of discussions to be put off because of the unfolding Serb offensive against entire villages in Peja, De^an and Gjakova", Xhemail Mustafa said. "A condition for resumption of talks will be putting an end to the offensive and the unblocking of the sealed-off area".

    The aim of the Serbian military campaign to ethnically cleanse a swathe of territory along the border with Albania by destroying or razing villages is to "break up the territorial and ethnic Albanian continuity" in the region, Mustafa said.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Alush Gashi, Rugova's advisor for humanitarian issues, told the press today in the same conference the Kosovar institutions have been in contact with international NGOs operating in Kosova trying to join efforts to help people in the areas under Serb attack.

    The humanitarian organizations have been turned back at the first Serb check-point, Dr. Gashi said, recalling that Serb forces have even seized humanitarian shipments, although they had all due documentation, including police permits.

    [03] Serbian Offensive Deals Serious Blow to Fledgling Talks Process on Kosova, G-15 Spokesman Says

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - The Serbian military and police operations in the past week against the villages in the Dukagjin region, especially in De^an, which resulted in huge loss of life amongst civilians, thousands of refugees, and entire destroyed or burned villages, have seriously damaged the negotiating process on Kosova, Blerim Shala, spokesperson for President Rugova's G-15 (Advisory Group) said today after the meeting of the Kosovar negotiating team in Prishtina.

    The recent developments in Kosova demonstrate that the level of international involvement in the Kosova crisis has been inadequate, Mr. Shala said.

    The situation here can be defined as the first stage of a war, he added.

    The Kosova negotiating team considers that the current situation in Kosova requires that the Contact Group, NATO, and the UN security Council address it urgently and adopt immediate measures to de- escalate the situation and create the conditions for the resumption of the negotiation process to resolve the Kosova issue, Blerim Shala concluded.

    Meanwhile, the head of 'FRY' President Milosevic's delegation for talks with Prishtina, Ratko Markovic, said in a statement today "the delegation of Albanians did not show up today, and have not offered any explanation for this".

    Dr. Fehmi Agani, coordinator of the six-member Kosovar negotiating team designated by President Ibrahim Rugova of Kosova, explained the reasons yesterday.

    [04] It Is Important that NATO Reaches Its Decision on Kosova Very Quickly, Kinkel Says

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - The British Foreign Minister Robin Cook was quoted as saying that five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - United States, Britain, China, Russia and France - would meet next week to examine the recent developments in Kosova.

    Tens of people were killed and wounded, thousands compelled to flee homes and seek shelter throughout Kosova and the neighboring Albania amidst the unfolding Serb offensive in western and south- western Kosova.

    Robin Cook confirmed that there will also be a meeting of the six- nation Contact Group next week to discuses the next steps in addressing the Kosova crisis.

    Political directors of the Contact Group countries are expected to meet in advance of the ministerial meting, set for next Friday.

    The British Foreign Minister has repeatedly declined to say what might be expected to come out of the Contact Group talks next week.

    Meanwhile, news agencies have quoted the German Foreign Minister as saying that West will not allow another the repeat of Bosnia in Kosova.

    Reuters quoted Klaus Kinkel as saying that "NATO will be there to intervene this time if necessary".

    It is important that NATO reach its decision very quickly, Kinkel said, adding that no option was ruled out.

    Kinkel has warned that "Milosevic should know that once NATO troops are stationed there, if it then should come to an absolutely chaotic situation, ways must be sought of intervening in Kosovo itself."

    [05] At Least One Albanian Killed, Two Wounded, in Serb Attack in Rahovec Overnight

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - At least one Albanian was killed and three others wounded in Serb forces attack against the Albanian 2settlements in Rahovec ('Orahovac') overnight.

    The LDK Information Commission in Rahovec said the villages of Gexh&, Mal&si e Vog&l, Ratkoc and Gradish came under repeated Serb fire during the whole course of last evening and night. Albanian dwellings were pounded with grenades and artillery.

    People in the LDK Commission in Rahovec said huge damage was caused in the three villages and they feared the number of casualties amongst the local population could be even higher.

    They could identify one Albanian killed in the shelling, naming him as Naser Krasniqi (24), resident of Ratkoc village. Xhem& Morina and Ajet Hoti, of the same village, were wounded.

    Meanwhile, sources in Rahovec said Serb forces resumed attacking the three villages this morning.

    No word about possible casualties yet.

    [06] Border Zone Villages Come Under Renewed Serb Fire Friday Morning

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - Albanian villages of Gjakova and De^an municipalities, on the border zone with Albania, came under a renewed Serb fire today morning, sources said.

    The LDK chapter in Gjakova said the sound of artillery coming from the border zone villages could be heard in the town itself today.

    A wide area in west and south-west of Kosova has been targeted by Serb forces for a couple of months now, while since last week the Serb army, police and paramilitary forces have mounted a large- scale attack.

    At least 52 Albanians have been killed by Serb forces in the last week alone in De^an and surrounding villages, 200 people are held as missing, 150 Albanians are being held by Serbs, the head of the LDK Information Commission in De^an, Osman Cacaj, said today.

    The LDK chapter in Gjakova and De^an could not say whether there were additional casualties in the Serb attacks today.

    The LDK Information Commission in De^an told the KIC today dozens of villages in the area have been razed completely during the several- day- long shelling by Serb forces, who also set entire neighborhoods ablaze.

    Between 15,000 and 20,000 have been streaming towards Albania, whereas some 15,000 towards Montenegro. In the deserted villages, the bodies of 45 killed people lye unburied in the heat. Fearing Serb sniper fire, nobody dares go out, pick up and bury the dead, Cacaj said.

    [07] Serb Forces Shell Indiscriminately Albanian Villages in Malisheva

    PRISHTINA, June 5 (KIC) - Several Albanian villages of Malisheva - Bubavec, Drenoc, Mle^an and Llazica - were shelled for about a quarter of an hour by Serb forces Thursday evening, sources said.

    The LDK chapter in Malisheva said the Serb forces garrisoned in a huge check-point at Kijev&, on the Prishtina-Peja roadway, shelled indiscriminately the area where the four villages lie.

    The LDK Information Commission could not learn about possible casualties or the extent of damage caused in the villages.

    Virtually the entire Albanian population has moved out of the huge village of Kijeva amidst unremitting and threatening movements of Serb forces in the area.

    The local Serb population has also been actively involved in campaigns of intimidation and persecution of their Albanian neighbors, LDK sources said.

    Kosova Information Center

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