Monatsbericht April 2000 der
         Menschenrechtsorganisation
         KMDLNJ / CDHRF Prishtina
 

        REPORT ON THE VIOLATION
        OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS
         AND FREEDOMS
           IN KOSOVA
           DURING APRIL 2000
 
 

 
KËSHILLI PËR MBROJTJEN E TË DREJTAVE E TË LIRIVE TË NJERIUT
COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF  HUMAN  RIGHTS AND  FREEDOMS
Rr. Zdrini, 38000 Prishtinë-Kosovë; tel. 381 (0) 549006  fax: 381 (0) 38 549007
E-mail:kmdlnj@albanian.com      cdhrf@albanian.com     http://www.albanian.com/kmdlnj

REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA DURING APRIL 2000

Human rights in Kosova continued to be violated during the month of April. The victims are members of all national communities. The fact that most of the killings were committed under unknown circumstances is very concerning. The fundamental right, the right to life, continues to be violated. During the month of April, CDHRF registered 26 cases of killings (15 Albanians, 3 Serbs, 1 Roma, 7 unidentified). 4 Albanians were killed in the municipality of Bujanoc. Out of the total of 30, 26 were killed under unknown circumstances. Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms has appealed many times to the citizens of Kosova for self-restraint, pointing out that it is the duty of every citizen to contribute to the prevention of crimes.
A very concerning phenomenon is the violence against women in forms of kidnapping and kidnap attempts. During the very same period, CDHRF registered 2 cases of disappearance under unknown circumstances. Later on, the same persons were found dead. On 11 April, the corpse of Melihate Nisret Omuri (1982) from Greme (Ferizaj), a pupil with the “Kuvendi i Arbrit” Secondary School in Ferizaj, was found at the place called Ura e Fshejtë near Gjakova. She went missing on 23 March 2000. Hasan Riza Komoni (1978), “Dardania III” quarter in Peja, went missing on 22 March 2000.
The District Court in Nish (Serbia) continued the proceedings against 145 Albanians from the municipality of Gjakova. They all denied the charges stating that during the NATO campaign, they never moved out of their houses. The Serbian forces arrested them in their homes on 10 and 11 May allegedly for informative talks. Men were separated from women, children and elderly and were kept in the prisons of Kosova until the end of the war. Afterwards, they were transferred to the prisons of Serbia. There are two underaged and two ill persons among them.
In the meantime, a very small number of the Albanian prisoners was released.

Mass graves – the exhumation and the identification of the killed

The Commission of the Hague tribunal for War Crimes in Kosova has restarted its work in the identification of mass graves, which according to the CDHRF cover a number of over 350. CDHRF activists have cooperated with the Tribunal and helped in the identification of the corpses according to the statements of the families. During the month of April, a number of people, who were considered unaccounted for, were identified in mass graves. On 17 April, a common grave was identified at the place called “Përroi i Kabashit” between the villages of Smira and Kabash (Viti). It is believed that there are mass graves in Fushë Kosova (in the vicinity of the football pitch and the Elektrokosova premises), Klina (Tikveshi hill) and Shishman (Gjakova) (at the place called Llugat e Burecit).
On 3 April, in the vicinity of the Sitnica River in Mitrovica, Sejdi Zenë Jusufi (48) from Shupkoc found a corpse of the age of 26-27. The next day, at about 13.00, KFOR French soldiers and UNMIK police found the bones of two burned corpses. It is believed that there might be more corpses.
On 1 April in Klina, some villagers of Gremnik found a corpse while they were working in the vicinity of the Drini i Bardhë River. During the war, the Serbian forces were stationed at the very same place.

Mine accidents – a permanent danger

During the very same period, CDHRF has registered 1 killing in mine accidents and 9 cases of woundings. Most of the victims were children. According to a report issued by UNMIK, there were 487 mine accidents, in which 100 persons died and 387 got wounded. These figures cover the period from June last year until 30 April 2000. Most of the victims were from Gjakova, Prizren, Gllogoc, Viti, Mitrovica, Peja, Shtime, Deçan, Skënderaj, etc. A particular problem is Gërmia, where 22 booby traps and many other bombs were found. Some groups are working in Kosova to demine the area. According to UNMIK, an area of 2.500.000 square metres was demined during April.
On 3 April, the following were wounded in a mine accident in the village of Resnik: Halide, Gazmend, Muhamet and Albert Isuf Bajraktari; Liridon Ali Bajraktari and a girl from Izbica (Skënderaj).

Human rights situation in the municipalities of Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja

The situation in this region is very tense. According to the human rights activists in Bujanoc, mysterious killings and disappearances are very frequent. Destan Hetem Adili (1964) from Tërnoc is the tenth victim of killings under unknown circumstances. At the same time, provocations of the Serbian police, including ill-treatments, raids, lootings, threats, informative talks, etc., continue.
BUJANOC: On 21 April, in Gjergjec, in the buffer zone, Serbian police killed Sherif Faik Jonuzi (21) and Enver Bajrami (23) from Breznica, and arrested Ramadan Sadiku (65) from Muhoc, who had gone out to see the corpses. He was released on 23 April.
At about 13.30, at the place called Qeshmja e Nazmiut, 10 soldiers of the Yugoslav army ill-treated Ruzhdi Esat Rexhepi from Presheva, who was pasturing his cattle. He suffered injuries on his left eye. Then, he was handcuffed and taken to their checkpoint on foot. He was insulted on a national and family basis and threatened to be executed. Ruzhdi was released late in the evening.
At about midnight, Selami Ismaili (1977) from Bujanoc was wounded. He left towards Dobrosin, where the American soldiers offered him the first aid and afterwards took him to the Gjilani Hospital.

Minorities

According to the CDHRF, 4 minority members (3 Serbs and 1 Roma) were killed. All killings took place under unknown circumstances. CDHRF has stood up against violence, defending human rights, regardless of nationality or religion. It has also demanded from the Albanians to restrain themselves from individual acts of revenge. The Hague Tribunal and local courts should and will deal with the perpetrators. CDHRF continues to monitor the situation of minorities.
RAHOVEC: On 12 April, 3 vacant houses were burned in the Serbian quarter.
VITI: On 26 April, at about 20.00, a strong blast caused damage to the house of Vesko Piriq, a former commander-in-chief of the MUP in Viti.
A hand grenade was thrown into the house of a Serb in Obiliq.

KFOR and UNMIK interventions

On 11 April, at about 4.00 am, Italian Carabinieri searched for weapons in the house of Zenel Asllan Preniqi (1925) and Izet Preniqi in Obiliq. Their behaviour was very rude. They demolished the furniture in this house. Children were terrified and traumatised.
On 8 April, at about 16.30, three drunk KFOR Russian soldiers opened fire towards three youngsters in Hogosht (Kamenica). As the youngsters escaped unhurt, the soldiers opened fire towards the house of Fazli Mustafë Kastrati. After 18.00, two soldiers went to the village and pointed their weapons to the villagers. The KFOR headquarters was informed on this. Even though other KFOR soldiers came to the spot, a Russian soldier continued to insult and threaten the villagers, who had blocked the village in order to prevent the Russian soldiers to leave until the case was solved.
On 8 April, at about 4.30 a.m., about 60 KFOR Russian soldiers broke into the house of Musli Berisha in Firiqeva. They raided the house under the pretext of searching for weapons. Musli handed in a hunting gun, which he possessed legally, and an automatic gun, which he possessed illegally. During the raid, the soldiers demolished doors, furniture and other things. Musli stated that soldiers looted 2500 DM, a watch estimated to 500 SFr, a pair of binoculars and KLA emblems. Musli was arrested and taken to Meshina, then to Tugjec, where he was kept for 3 days.
On 8 April, two KFOR Russian soldiers ill-treated the owners of some business premises in Malisheva. Hajrë Kastrati and Afrim Krasniqi’s workers were ill-treated. The inhabitants of Malisheva reported this case to UNMIK. UNMIK police intervened immediately and arrested both Russian soldiers.
CDHRF has registered many other cases of KFOR interventions, which unfortunately do not contribute to the stabilisation of the situation.

Attacks, ill-treatments, provocations

MITROVICA: On 2 April, at about 20.30, a group of 50 Serbs led by Lubinka Gjusiq, Dragan Dushko Shilikoviq, Ivan Slavko Mandiq, Dushko Shilikoviq and Zharko Kosovac gathered in front of three skyscrapers in the ‘7 Shtatori” quarter and insulted the Albanians on a national basis and threatened them to leave their homes within two hours. They remained there until 23.00. KFOR French soldiers put a cordon around these buildings in order to protect the Albanian inhabitants. In the buffer zone between Kosova and Serbia, on the north, Serbian police arrested two KFOR Danish soldiers. They were released the next day.
OBILIQ: On 12 April, at about 16.00, in Plemetin, about 250 Serbs attacked 50 Albanians, who had gathered for a meeting in the yard of the “Pandeli Sotiri” Primary School. They injured Gëzim Mehmeti, Gani Mehmeti and Sylejman Fazliu, who suffered injuries on his leg. Serbs chanted slogans “This is Plemetin, this is Serbia” and opposed the reconstruction of the Albanian houses in this village.
PRIZREN: On 18 April, a Serbian and an Albanian house were burned in Prizren. At midnight, there were fire shots in the Serbian quarter of the town. A Serb was interrogated about this.
At about 15.00, in the vicinity of the Orthodox Church in Mitrovica, Albanian children attacked with stones two buses full of Serbs, who provoked the children by raising three fingers. Two windows were broken. At the same time, a group of Serbs gathered in front of the court building and demolished it. Many windows were broken. The judges were forced to remain inside until 19.30, when they were transported to the southern part of the town in armoured cars of the KFOR Danish soldiers.
GJILAN: On 29 April, in Pasjan, Serbs attacked with stones a number of Albanian cars from Presheva. Some windows were broken and some passengers were injured. Afterwards, KFOR troops blocked this road until they searched the whole village and found the assaulters.
SHTËRPCA: On 29 April, in Popaj, a group of Serbs stopped, insulted on a national basis and beat some Albanians from Bitija e Epërme. They had been to the village to visit their destroyed houses. Serbs threatened the Albanians telling them never to come back, because they would suffer the same. None of the Albanians has returned to the villages of Bitija e Poshtme, Bitija e Epërme and Shushaj.
 

Prishtina, May 2000
Information Service

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