Kosova Daily Report #1649, 98-12-28

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1649
Prishtina, 28 December 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Grave Situation Reported in Podujeva in Aftermath of Four-Day Serb Offensive

[02] President Rugova Denounces Serb Offensive in Llapi Region

[03] 'Criminal and Victim Cannot Be Declared Equally to Blame, as Accomplices', the U^K Says

[01] Grave Situation Reported in Podujeva in Aftermath of Four-Day Serb Offensive

On Saturday afternoon, the bodies of two U^K fighters, Lulzim Jashari and Sk&nder Zejnullahu, killed on 24 December, were found in Obran^&

PRISHTINA, Dec 28 (KIC) - While there have been no fresh Serb attacks today (Monday), a grave situation has been reported in Podujeva area, 30 km north of Prishtina, in the wake of the four- day combined Serb military and police offensive against Albanian villages in northern Kosova.

During the Serb attack on Sunday, Jetullah Kastrati was killed in his native Obran^& village. Today (Monday) morning, his fellow villager, schoolteacher Remzi Demolli, died of fatal wounds he had sustained yesterday when a shell hit him.

On Saturday afternoon, the bodies of two U^K fighters, Lulzim Jashari and Sk&nder Zejnullahu, killed on 24 December, were found in Obran^&.

At least 16 Albanians - 13 of whom civilians, 3 U^K fighters - are known to have died since Thursday, although the casualty toll is feared higher, as the consequences of the fierce Serbian attack on Sunday are by and large unknown yet. There is a huge Serbian police intimidating presence in the town and its outskirts leading to Obran^& and Llapashtic&, the villages targeted most by the Serb offensive.

LDK sources in Podujeva said shooting was heard overnight in the town of Podujeva, from midnight to 3 a.m. today (Monday). Serbian armoured vehicles travelled the road from town to Obran^& village, an eye-witness said.

Serbian police have been patrolling the town streets today.

Townsfolk went out today, be it in very limited fashion, after two to three days of virtual standstill in the lives of the Podujevans.

Reports said two Albanians, Sabit Rrahimi (44) and his 16-year-old son Avni were wounded yesterday in their home near the Besiana motel in Podujeva during Serb shooting. The houses of Hashim Haziri, Ahmet Mu^olli, Sabit Rrahimi and Ahmet Hoxha in Podujeva were shelled yesterday, local sources said.

LDK sources in Podujeva said over 15,000 Albanians have been forced from their homes since Thursday, on the Christmas Eve, in the Podujeva area. Under subfreezing temperatures, they trekked towards relative safety in outlying villages outside. They have been reported in desperate situation - in urgent need of food and medication.

The LDK chapter in Podujeva said a convoy of Serb vehicles, including 2 armoured vehicles and five Land Rovers, left Podujeva for the northern K&rpimeh village at 14:30 hrs today.

U^K positions have been reported sniped today from the house of Milovan Radojevic, who was killed Saturday in his native Obran^& village.

Early in the afternoon today, local Serbs and Montenegrins were distributed weapons in Livadic& village, a few km northeast of Podujeva, local sources said.

[02] President Rugova Denounces Serb Offensive in Llapi Region

President Rugova, also leader of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK), met today local LDK leaders to discuss the current situation in Kosova and ways to help the population in the wake of the Serbian crackdown.

Rugova said the "civilian Albanian population is threatened" by the Serbian military and police presence and operations. A stepped up international, including NATO, engagement is needed to force Belgrade end its aggressive policy of ethnic cleansing, he added.

The Kosovar institutions and the Albanian people as a whole have been cooperating with the OSCE Kosova Verification Mission (KVM), President Ibrahim Rugova said, adding that the KVM is operating under "very difficult circumstances". The Mission will hopefully help calm the situation and create the conditions for a political resolution to the Kosova issue, he said.

On 23 December, the LDK marked the 9th anniversary of its foundation. [23 December 1989] is an important date in the modern history of Kosova, the LDK leaders said. "With its independence bid, the party has assembled a huge number of members, and the LDK continues to be a strong political force", the party said in a statement from the meeting held today in Prishtina.

Local LDK leader congratulated the Kosova President and their party leader on the Sakharov Prize and other international awards Ibrahim Rugova received this month.

[03] 'Criminal and Victim Cannot Be Declared Equally to Blame, as Accomplices', the U^K Says

Having been defeated by the U^K forces in Llapi region on 24 December, the Serbian occupation forces acted in retribution against the Albanian civilian population and threatened OSCE observers and international media representatives, the U^K General Staff said. "In these exacerbated circumstances, the OSCE observers face huge difficulties and obstruction by the occupying [Serb] forces", the U^K said, adding that international institutions, governmental and non-governmental, as well as media representatives, will in no way be facing obstructions by the Albanian people and the U^K. "They will in no way be harmed by us", but rather welcomed.

The U^K General Staff called on the international representatives to inform in an "objective manner" about the situation in Kosova.

"We call on the international community to inform in an impartial way about the situation in Kosova, because criminal and victim cannot be declared equally to blame, as accomplices".

We are confident you have not sent your representatives to approve of the Belgrade regime's crimes", the U^K General Staff said in the statement.

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