REPORT NO. 478
ON THE SITUATION OF
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
AND FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA
FROM DECEMBER 26
UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 1999
Report 478
on the situation of the human rights and freedoms
in Kosova
from December 26 until December 31, 1999
Between December 26 and December 31, 3 citizens were killed (2 Roma and one person whose identity could not be confirmed); one Albanian died in the prison of Prokupla (Serbia). 10 Serbs were wounded (2 heavily) as well as 2 Russian soldiers (in a mine incident). One Albanian woman was reported missing.
Killings
On
December 28 – Muhamet Basha (66) from the village of Vraniq near
Suhareka died in the prison of Prokupla.
-at
about 10 a.m., the corpse of an unidentified person aged about 40 was found
at the place called Vojtesh on the road between Mitrovica and Skënderaj.
On
December 30 - the corpses of Vehet Demiri (22) from Shtimje and Shabi Guliqi
(27) from the village of Dubrava near Ferizaj, Roma, were found at the
place called Mali i Bylykbashëve in the village of Tërstenik
near Gllogoc.
Mine incidents
KAMENICA: On December 29, 2 Russian soldiers were wounded in a mine accident in the vicinity of Kamenica. Their vehicle hit a land mine.
Woundings:
VITI: On December 27, at about 4 p.m., 10 Serbs were wounded in a bomb blast in Vitia. The wounded (2 with heavy injuries) were taken to the American Camp Bondsteel in Sojeva near Ferizaj. Dobrivoje Kojiq, Slobodan Deniq, Sreqko Piriq, Trajan Baloçeviq and Predrag Miliçeviq were among the wounded.
Kidnappings and disappearances
MALISHEVA: On December 31, Zymrie Xhafer Samadraxha (39) from the village of Banja near Malisheva, mentally ill, went missing.
Ill-treatments, attacks and provocations
KLINA: On December 31, at about 11 p.m., unidentified persons opened automatic fire on the shop owned by Shefqet Gashi in the village of Sverka. The shop was damaged.
Looting
MITROVICA: On December 28, unidentified persons looted equipment from the Stantërg mine (Tuneli i Parë).
The prisoners
KAÇANIK:
On December 27, Ismajl Isa from Hani i Elezit was released from the prison
in Nish (Serbia). Ismajl stated that the following Albanians from Kaçanik
are still being kept under arrest in this prison: Valon Berisha, Sherif
Berisha, Shefket Topojani and Shaban Çupi.
SUHAREKA:
On December 28, the following Albanians from the municipality of Suhareka
were released from the prison in Nish: Mexhid Zenelaj, Nazim Zenelaj, Fatmir
Kokollari and Rexhep Aliaj – from Savrova; Azem Ndrecaj and Ukë Ndrecaj
from Maçiteva; Sherif Hamzaj from Mushtisht, Zaim Çatani
from Duhla and Lulzim Sylaj from Sllapuzhan.
PRISHTINA:
On December 29, the following were released from different prisons in Serbia:
Igballe Xhafaj (1979) from the village of Mirash near Ferizaj, who was
arrested on January and who gave birth to her son Altin in September (in
a Belgrade hospital); Sylejman Ajeti from Prishtina (released from the
prison in Nish); Skender Mehmeti from Gjakova and Mujë Morina from
Prizren (released from the prison in Leskovc); Ahmet Kastrati from Prizren
(released from the prison in Prokupla) and Bedri Zekaj from Mitrovica (released
from the prison in Mitrovica e Sremit).
Muhamet
Desku, who was recently released from the prison of “Zabela” in Pozharevac
brought a list with the names of the following 80 Albanians who are being
kept under arrest in this prison: Rrahman Elshani, Shaban Elshani, Muharrem
Elshani, Ejup Elshani, Rrahim Elshani, Gëzim Isufi, Gazmend Isufi,
Jeton Isufi, Skënder Isufi, Ismet Isufi, Avdi Gashi, Adem Gashi, Mentor
Berisha, Valon Berisha, Kadri Zuberi, Fadil Zuberi, Nexhdet Zuberi, Isë
Hasi, Raif Hasi, Ismail Hasi, Fekë Asllani, Përparim Asllani
and his brother, Muhamet Limani, Jakup Limani, Shefqet Mulliqi, Istref
Mulliqi, Bekim Topalli, Ismet Topalli, Imer Haziri, Bashkim Haziri, Enver
Baleci, Agim Baleci, Mahmut Qorri, Feriz Qorri, Halil Matoshi, Mevlud Korça,
Mustafë Rrahmani, Shukri Çitaku, Faruk Murati, Ramadan Sopjani,
Murat Dili, Naman Sulejmani, Ultrim Imeri, Muhamet Jetullahu, Shaip Rexhepi,
Mursel Hajdari, Qamil Kastrati, Hajrullah Peci, Sokol Demaku, Selim Veliu,
Burim Musliu, Agim Bajraktari, Bashkim Kabashi, Haki Ademi, Ejup Sejdiu,
Behxhet Zeneli, Isuf Zariqi, Jashar Kukiqi, Elmi Hoti, Florim Leku, Bajram
Rukolli, Naser Murtezi, Nexhat Ibrahimi, Sinan Tafili, Martin Zefi, Halil
Seferi, Fehmi Beçuku, Sali Patligjani, Jakup Tahiraj, Bashkim Bujupi,
Naim Istogu, Tal Rafuna, Zahir Shkodra, Sami Vitia, Ismet Lladrovci, Besnik
Heta, Shefqet Mala, Çaush Selca, Shaban Sopi and Ramadan Deliu.
In the meantime, Nexhdet Zuberi, Sinan Tafili and Martin Zefi were transferred
to the prison of Mitrovica e Sremit, whereas, Zahir Shkodra and Sami Vitia
to the prison in Nish.
MALISHEVA:
On December 27, Istref Asllan Mazrreku (20) from Malisheva, was arrested
by the Serbian police in Presheva. Istref and 2 friends of his were returning
from Sllovenia.
PRISHTINA:
On December 27, UNMIK released the information that of December 22, a person
aged 27 was arrested in connection to the killing of Dragosllav Bashiq
on November 28 in Prishtina.
RAHOVEC:
On December 28, a Serb indicted for war crimes was arrested in Rahovec.
KFOR and UNMIK sources did not communicate the name of the accused. Yet,
Vidosava Matiq stated that the accused is her husband Sava Matiq (41),
a teacher. He was taken to the prison in Prizren.
Eastern Kosova (Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja)
BUJANOC: A police checkpoint was set up in the building of the “Svetlost” shop in the vicinity of the village of Tërnoc. Thus, the roads leading to Malësia were blocked. Due to this, the pupils from the village of Maltërnoc did not attend school for the last 2 days.
KFOR interventions
KLINA:
On December 29, under the pretext of searching for weapons, Portuguese
soldiers and the UNMIK police intervened in the premises of the public
order police and a number of private houses in Klina. Large military forces
surrounded the houses that were being searched. During the search in the
premises of the public order police, KFOR soldiers demolished the building.
Those present were asked, “whether they were members of the PPDK and told
to step aside ”.
SKËNDERAJ:
On December 31, Russian soldiers in the village of Marina stopped Gani
Koci, a member of the sub-CDHRF in Skënderaj, dealing with the issue
of missing persons as well as those in the prisons of Serbia. Gani and
his co-passenger were stopped for more than 2 hours and told to hand in
certain items with the UCK sign, what they refused to do. The assistant
of the municipal administrator in Skënderaj (Mr.Xhasper), the UNMIK
police and the TMK helped in calming the situation.
Evidence on war criminals
VITI:
A list was found with the names of the following Serbs, employees of the
Forest Economy in Vitia, involved in the activities of the police, military
and paramilitary forces: Dragan Markoviq, Novica Markoviq, Nenad Kovaçeviq,
Dragan Joviq, Branislav Simiq, Nebojsha Stoliq, Marko Radenoviq and Zhivojin
Mitroviq.
PRISHTINA:
A notebook was found with the names of the following paramilitaries in
the house of the Berisha brothers in the village of Drenoc: Sasha Trajkoviq
– commander, Obrad Milaniq, Dejan Zhiviq, Nikolla Stoliq, Jovica Mihajloviq,
Boris Ahmetoviq, Dalibor Angjelkoviq, Milosh Adamoviq and Ivan Stankoviq.
Apart from the commander, who is from the municipality of Lipjan and used
to work in the Prishtina Hospital, there are no information on the other
paramilitaries.
10
Albanian families living in the “Ulpiana” quarter in Prishtina (D-2/, hyrja
IV A) gave a joint statement claiming that their neighbour, Momçillo
Momo Miliçeviq (1968), from the village of Banja near Kurshumlia
(Serbia), a worker with the “Beopetrol” Gas Station in Prishtina, had put
pressure on them to leave their homes during the campaign for the expulsion
of the Albanians. According to many eyewitnesses, the above mentioned in
co-operation with: Radenka Beba Buha, Lilana Iniq and Lubinka Baniçeviq
(together with her sister-in-law Zorica Baniçeviq) have demolished
and looted the flats of their Albanian neighbours. Most of the looted goods
were taken to Serbia.
Delayed information:
DRAGASH:
On December 24, at about 9 p.m., unidentified persons broke into the warehouse
of the “Handikos” Association in Dragash and looted a considerable amount
of humanitarian aid.
PEJA:
The night between December 24-25, Bajram Jonuz Kastrati (19) from the village
of Arbana (Dushanova) near Prizren, was caught by the public order police
in Peja, while trying to steal a “Golf 2” car. Bajram confessed of having
a number of associates. Later on, he was handed to the UNMIK police.
Prishtina, December 31, 1999 Information Service