QUARTERLY REPORT
         ON THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN
         RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL
         FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA
         IN THE COURSE
         OF JULY-SEPTEMBER l998
 

KËSHILLI PËR MBROJTJEN E TË DREJTAVE DHE TË LIRIVE TË NJERIUT
COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Rr. Vellusha 46, 38000 Prishtinë - Kosovë; tel&fax: 381 (0) 38 36 965
http:www.albanian.com/kmdlnj    e-mail: kmdlnj@albanian.com

QUARTERLY REPORT ON THE VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA IN THE COURSE OF JULY-SEPTEMBER 1998

Many villages and other settlements have ceased existing

Some 450.000 Albanians were displaced from their homes
The names of 895 Albanians included in the list of those killed, massacred and burned beyond recognition
Thousands of people were reported missing, ill-treated and arrested,
5 died as an aftermath of torture while in police custody
 

During the recent offensives of the Serbian police, military and paramilitary forces, the mere existence of the Albanians was seriously jeopardized. The mass killings of civilians, regardless of their sex and age, have become a widespread phenomenon. Humanitarian Law and the Law of War are not given a due respected. CDHRF has compiled a list with the names of 1670 Albanians, killed, mutilated and burned beyond recognition, of whom 1260 were identified, 410 unidentified, 161 children, 190 women and 339 over the age of 55. During the last 3 months, 895 Albanians were killed. It is supposed that the number of the killed is much higher, as many corpses still lie unburied. There are cases when the corpses of those who were killed long ago are found. Such cases make us believe that the Serbian police execute those who were kidnapped or were reported as missing (1440), in order to hide the traces of their crimes.

The recent offensives of the Serbian police and military forces resulted with a high number of Albanians killed, wounded, kidnapped, taken hostage or reported missing, arrested and brutally ill-treated. Many houses and many villages were shelled and burned. Many livestock were killed. The wealth of many Albanians was looted. All these aim the expulsion of the Albanians from their houses. The shelling, burning and looting of the Albanian houses is aimed at preventing the displaced people from returning to their houses. The final strategic target of Serb chauvinist regime is the ethnic cleansing of Kosova.

Due to the state terror, some 450.000 Albanians, mainly women, children and elderly were displaced. Many sought shelter in the open, in mountains and valleys. Due to the very difficult conditions, many newborn babies have died. The very same has happened to pregnant women and to the elderly. The displaced are facing the famine and the cold. They are threatened by different epidemics. A small number of displaced people managed to flee to Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. A considerable number of Albanians have sought shelter in Western-European countries.

Since January, Serbian punitive units have committed many atrocities, not sparing the women and the children, the elderly and the ill. The crimes of Serbian military, police and paramilitary forces in Likoshan, Qirez, Prekaz i Poshtëm, Poklek i Ri, Deçan, Lubeniq, Rahovec, Dobratin, Shala e Bajgorës and Qyqavica Mountain were terrifying. In addition, we will briefly describe some of the cases, which have occurred in the course of July-September 1998.

On July 18, 1998, Serbian police and military forces perpetrated a massacre on the border zone with Albania. Women and children, who were trying to return to their homes, were killed. Most of the killed were from the District of Deçan. The attack started at 2.30 a.m., when a line of 120 people crossed the border at the place called Padesh, at the C-2 pyramid. First, 2 mines exploded and after a minute, shelling and incessant fire was opened. Dum-dum bullets were used. This happened at the place called Rrasa e Zogut in the vicinity of the mountain huts near Junik. It is believed that 60 Albanians, mainly women and children were killed. The number of the wounded is much higher. The corpses of the killed were never given to the families.

On July 19, Rahovec was all in smoke and fire. The premeditated attack of the Serbian forces resulted with many killed and wounded. Many women, children and elderly, who had sought shelter in Sheh Myhedini's masjid, were brutally massacred. Many corpses were seen in the streets of the town. The corpses of Haxhi Sharku and Ali Perca, as well as those of 6 Albanians, burned beyond recognition, were seen at the place called "Tuba". CDHRF has compiled a list with the names of 101 Albanians killed in Rahovec. It is supposed that the number of the killed is much higher. There are indications that many corpses were buried in mass graves. Many eyewitnesses claim that the Serbian police, military and paramilitary forces committed notorious crimes on the Albanian population. Many Albanians disappeared, were taken hostage or were arrested during this offensive. On July 22, Serbian authorities used an escalator to open 2 graves in the cemetery in Prizren. According to eyewitnesses the corpses of many Albanians, who were killed in Rahovec, were buried there. 6 names were written over this grave. 4 other graves were marked with numbers. It is believed that many unidentified corpses were buried in these graves, as, according to eye-witnesses 2 tractors loaded with corpses were brought here. The corpses of the identified were buried in coffins.

On August 26, while fleeing in a tractor, the following 11 members of the Asllani family from the village of Ranca were killed by a Serbian tank: Jalldyze (65), Halide (37), Ajshe (27), Burim (13), Lumni (11), Ejup (9), Luljeta (7), Shpend (5), Xhafer (3), Antigona (1) and Albiona (6 months). Three brothers Isak, Musa and Ekrem were severely wounded.

On September 16, on returning to their houses in the village of Dragobil, Osman Metë Paçarizi (60) and Fatmir Miftar Paçarizi (45) were kidnapped by the Serbian forces, taken to Malisheva and summerly executed.

On September 25, Serbian forces overran the village of Galica in the district of Vushtrria and executed 14 men, mainly juveniles, and a woman.

On September 26, in the vicinity of the Magura tunnel near Klina, Smail Millaku (72) and his son Sefer Millaku (49) from Ujmir were separated from a group of displaced people and executed by the Serbian forces. The very same day, 8 Albanian juveniles were executed in Gollubovc.

On September 27, on the withdrawal of the Serbian forces from Abria e Epërme, a team of the Sub-Council in Gllogoc found the traces of a notorious crime perpetrated on the members of the Deliu family. The corpses of the following were found in the vicinity of the Deliu quarter: Adem Sali Deliu (33), Hava Imer Deliu (65), Jeton Imer Deliu (10), Hamide Sali Deliu (60), Valmir Adem Deliu (18 months), Luljeta Imer Deliu (25), pregnant, Lumnije Imer Deliu (30), Mihane Imer Deliu (25), Donjeta Hajriz Deliu (4), Gentiana Hajriz Deliu (7), Zahide Hajriz Deliu (27), Fazli Deliu (90), burned in his house, Ali Deli Deliu (63), was cut on his throat, Pajazit Rrustem Deliu (65) and Zeqir Jonuz Deliu (44). Diturie Imer Deliu, a new-born-baby (6 weeks), was found alive. The next day, 3 old men of the Deliu family were found dead. On October 4, the raped and mutilated corpses of Antigona Hysen Deliu (14) and Mihane Hysen Deliu (16) were found.

During this period, the CDHRF registered the names of 586 persons, who were kidnapped, taken hostage or reported missing. Since January, the number of such persons has reached a total of 1440. CDHRF believes that the list is incomplete due to the fact that it receives many new cases on a daily basis. Among the kidnapped are Xhavit Haziri (38), a former political prisoner and a staff member of the CDHRF . Since September 17, neither his lawyer nor his family managed to learn anything on his whereabouts. CDHRF is deeply concerned with the fact that activists are kidnapped and that nothing can be done to find out their whereabouts. Such was the case of dr. Hafir Shala, who was kidnapped 6 months ago by the Law enforcement authorities.

During the last 3 months, many Albanians had to flee their homes due to the Serb aggression. The number of the displaced is roughly estimated to 450.000, of whom 150.000 had sought shelter in the open. This humanitarian disaster has resulted with the deaths of many children, pregnant women; elderly, of the ill, wounded and ill-treated. The freedom of movement is impeded. Serb snipers were stationed in strategic positions. At least 45.000 houses were destroyed. Many villages and other settlements have ceased existing. At least 15 villages in the district of Skënderaj were abandoned. Similar is the situation in many villages in the affected area.

During this period, hundreds of Albanians were arrested. 5 Albanians died due to torture, while in police custody. The investigative proceedings were pressed against 488 Albanians indicted for "hostile activity", "terrorism" and cooperation with the KLA.

Police are distributing weapons and paramilitary uniforms to the Serbian civilians, who walk freely in the settlements and provoke Albanians.

Some warehouses, plants, mines, schools and monasteries were transformed into "investigative prisons" and concentration camps, where the Albanians are subjected to inhuman torture and degrading treatment. During the very same period, 2.197 Albanians were arbitrarily arrested.

CDHRF considers hereby that these data do not cover all human rights abuses in Kosova. During the very same period:

-895 Albanians were killed, extrajudiciary executed, mutilated, burned beyond recognition;
-2 underage girls were raped and mutilated;
-512 Albanians were wounded;
-586 Albanians were taken hostage kidnapped or reported missing;
-450.000 Albanians fled their homes;
-5.171 Albanians were subjected to ill treatment;
-2.197 Albanians were arbitrarily arrested;
-26 Albanians were sentenced for petty-offences;
-18 Albanians were penally sentenced;
-8 32 Albanians were severely beaten;
-Many villages were ruined and burned;
-157 houses were raided, demolished and looted (in safer regions);
-583 houses were ruined, looted and burned (*);
-42 mosques and other religious institutions were completely ruined or partly damaged;
-197 Albanians were summoned searched for and stopped by the police;
-195 children were subjected to ill treatment;
-365 women were subjected to ill-treatment;
-138 educational, political and humanitarian activists (25 of them are with CDHRF), were killed, arrested, sentenced, kidnapped and ill treated in different ways.

Prishtina, October 14 1998

Information Service

*)N.B. CDHRF feels that this number is much higher. However, the exact figures cannot be taken due to the difficulties in collecting and confirming them.