Monatsbericht April 1998 der
         Menschenrechtsorganisation
         KMDLNJ / CDHRF Prishtina
 

        REPORT ON THE VIOLATION
        OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
         FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
           IN KOSOVA
           DURING APRIL 1998
 
 

REPORT ON THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA DURING APRIL 1998

 After the killings, extra judiciary executions, massacres, ruining and burnings in the
Drenica region, another killings and ruining in Gllogjan, district of Deçan, Serbian police,
military and paramilitary forces, armed with different kinds of weapons, moved the "front"
to an area from where they endanger the peace in the entire region - to the border with
Albania. On 23 April 1998, the following were summarily executed or massacred: Shefqet
Selim Aliaj (1969), Bekim Sali Aliaj, Hasan Bajram Tahiraj, Skënder Qazim Hajdari (1969),
Gazmend Hasan Ramaj (1972), Ukë Misin Shabani (1970), Sadik Lush Alijaj (1961),
Hajdar Ramadan Thaçi (1972), Vehbi Asllan Hasanaj (1967) from the village of Hereç, the
district of Gjakova; Veli Noci from Dujaka of Gjakova, Astrit Xhafer Hadërgjonaj (1977),
Beqë Binak Lokaj (1968), Imer Isuf Lokaj (1970), Bekë Sefer Hadërgjonaj (1975), Tahir
Abaz Mazrekaj (1962), Bekim Shefqet Mazrekaj (1976), Selman B. Lokaj (1950), Hajdar
Lokaj (1975) and Xhemajl Mazrekaj (1969) - from the village of Sllup, the district of Deçan.
According to the statement given to the Sub-CDHRF in Deçan, by a witness, who survived
the massacre, the Serbian army summarily executed the above mentioned Albanians in
the village of Zhara near Batusha, 4 km within the territory of Kosova.
 Belgrade daily "Dnevni Telegraf" informs that the investigation against Gazmend
Tahiri (28), a teacher of English, and Ibër Metaj (36), an agricultural technician, both
arrested during the action in Koshare, began.
 On 28 April 1998, at about 12.20 p.m., the corpses of Haxhë Mustafë Tolaj (1960),
Sadri Azem Latifaj (1963) and Edmond Hysni Dabiçaj (1976) were brought from Gjakova
to the village of Prejlep near Deçan. The three were killed by the Serbian police and
military forces at the place called "Stërgun" in the vicinity of the village of Voksh, the district
of Deçan. According to Serbian media, which refer to the sources from the Yugoslav army,
Hysen S. Latifaj (1964), Armend Fetah Mazrekaj (1980), Fadil Z. Dabiçaj and Bedri Musë
Kukalaj (1977), all from Prejlep of Deçan, were wounded during the very same incident.
 On 29 april 1998, at about 1.40 p.m., police stopped Bilall Idriz Mazrekaj (1972),
who, accompanied by a group of women, was returning from the funeral of the three
above mentioned killed Albanians. Ordering the women to lie on the ground, police
summarily executed Bilall. At the very same day, police ill-treated many Albanians that had
taken part in the funeral in Drenoc.
 On 24 April 1998, in the village of Kliqina, the district of Peja, Çelë Shaban Desku
(41), a father of 5, was seriously wounded. Later on, he died as an aftermath of wounds
inflicted. Serbian media state that the deceased was a "loyal citizen of Serbia". Such
statements were denied by his fellow-villagers, who claim that he was killed by the police.
 On 6 April 1998, the dead bodies of 6 Albanians were found in the vicinity of
Rahovec. The following were killed: Ibrahim Zogaj (1940) from the village of Rixheva and
his two sons Fadil and Ramadan Zogaj; Bajram Avdyl Berisha and his brother Salih
Berisha (1948) from the village of Zabërgja near Klina, as well as Brahim Selim Salihaj.
The perpetrators of these killings are unknown. Serbian media qualified the killed "as loyal
to the Serbian regime" and as "victims of Albanian terrorists". An eye witness from the
village of Drenoc, stated to the Sub-CDHRF in Rahovec that he had seen a group of some
20 or 30 persons in the vicinity of the place where the corpses were found. Police did not
give access to the associates of the Sub-CDHRF. The bodies of the deceased were
loaded on a lorry and taken to the city morgue in Prizren.

 During the month of April, the situation in the Drenica region continues to be very
grave and is showing no signs of improvement whatsoever. Re-enforcement of military
and police forces were brought equipped with sophisticated weaponry. Large police forces
heading towards different directions are noticed. Sporadic shots from police check-points
and the Ammunition Plant in Skënderaj present permanent danger for the inhabitants of
this region. At check-points, police are brutally ill-treating almost every Albanian passer-by.
The schools were closed again due to the danger of police shots threatening the pupils
and teachers. On 6 April, from 9.00 a.m., until 6.00 p.m., Serbian heavy artillery shelled the
village of Kopiliq, due to what two villagers were wounded and many houses were ruined.
Zeliha Shala (16) got wounded, too. Electric transmition lines were damaged and a large
area of forests was burned.
 On 8 April, at about 11.00 a.m., shooting from all kinds of weapons was heard. The
villages of Kopiliq i Poshtëm, Vojnika, Turiqec and Llausha were shelled. The gravest
situation was in the village of Kopiliq i Poshtëm where several houses were hit. From 4.00
until 5.00 p.m., the villages of Kopiliq and Broja were shelled by heavy artillery. On 20 April,
at about 8.00 a.m., Serbian police started looting the houses in Broja, as well as
slaughtering the cattle.

 The situation continues to be very grave in the district of Deçan. Some people
have started to return to their houses in Gllogjan. Yet, more than half of houses are
deserted, as an aftermath of shelling, ruining, burnings, demolitions by Serbian military-
police forces from 24 March onwards. The situation is very tense. Police have occupied all
cross-roads, stopped all vehicles and passers-by, who are subjected to ill-treatment in
order to hamper the free movement of citizens. The snipers continue to remain in their
positions. During the very same period, the phone lines with Sub-CDHRFs in Skënderaj
and Deçan were disconnected from time to time. Even in times when these lines were
functional, there were cases when unknown persons interrupted the conversation with
threats and insults such as: quote "This is Serbia", "Stop speaking Albanian", etc.

 The situation continues to be very dramatic in Gjakova due to war operations of
Serbian forces in Albanian settlements. Loud blasts have been heard from the Dushkaja
region. Suka e Cërmjanit has been shelled time and again. The water supply system and
the dam at the Radoniqi lake have been endangered by shelling. Large re-enforcement
from Prizren arrive in Gjakova and military and police helicopters fly over the town of
Gjakova. A very grave situation is prevailing, particularly in border zone with Albania in
Reka e Keqe, mainly in the villages Ponoshec, Morina, Batusha, Koshare, Babaj i Bokës
and Deva. Serbian re-enforcement were brought all along the road connecting Gjakova
with Rahovec and Prizren.
 On 28 April, at about 9.00 p.m. in Gjakova, in "Mulla Isufi" quarter, Rozafat M.
Kamberi (14) was shot by fire weapon.

 During the month of April, the situation in Gllogoc was very grave. At the check-
point in Komoran, police have been physically ill-treating and arresting innocent Albanian
citizens. Every day, large police and military forces parade on Prishtina-Peja road.
 On 10 April, Shaban Neziri (1949), an accountant from Krajkova and activist of the
Sub-CDHRF in Gllogoc; Hafir Shala (1960), a physician from Krajkova, chairman of the
Association of Former Political Prisoners and member of the Presidency of the LDK
branch in Gllogoc and Hetem Sinani, a medical technician and activist of the "Mother
Theresa" Charitable ë Humanitarian Association in Gllogoc, were arrested in Sllatina and
sent to the police station in Prishtina. They were interrogated on their political activity,
especially that of Jakup Krasniqi, chairman of the LDK in Gllogoc, and Shaban Shala, vice-
chairman of the CDHRF in Prishtina. All efforts of Isuf Shala, Hafir's father, and Destan
Rukiqi, the lawyer, to contact Hafir or get any information about him, failed, which are in
opposition to the legal provisions on investigative procedure, which stipulates a legal dead-
line within which the family and the lawyer of the defendant should be informed or to be
brought before the investigative judge. The CDHRF based in Prishtina, concerned about
the fate of Hafir Shala and other people missing, has informed the ICRC and other
international humanitarian organizations. CDHRF is deeply concerned and condemns
non-legal and arbitrary behaviour of police.

 Large re-enforcement armed with heavy weaponry, tanks and helicopters were
noticed in the Hasi region. Villages of Gjonaj, Mazrek, Planej, Gorozhup and Zym are
under siege for a while. Due to police and military terror, many inhabitants of this region left
towards less endangered villages. There are no available data on the victims.

 The district of Klina is under iron siege. At the check-point of Kijeva, police continue
to brutally ill-treat Albanian citizens.
 On 27 April, Xhemajl Bislim Krasniqi (58) from the village of Çabiq near Klina, living
in Klinavc, was found dead in Gllobar, near-by Skënderaj-Gllogoc road. He was said to be
"a collaborator with Serbian State Security".

 Grave situation is also prevailing in Obiliq, where re-enforcement and movement of
police-military forces were noticed. The villages of Siboc, Hade and Graboc i Epërm were
screened.

 According to the information by the Sub-Councils, the prevailing situation tends to
escalate further. People of Kosova, especially those of endangered regions are facing
fear. In the very same regions, there is a shortage of food and medicinal supply.
 During the month of April 1998, pan-national protests continued in some towns of
Kosova. Police dispersed people by using force.
 CDHRF hereby confirms that the below content showing the violation of human
rights during the month of April 1998 is far from being complete, thus:

 - 793 Albanians were subjected to ill-treatment;
 - 31 were killed and massacred;
 - 21 were wounded;
 - 155 were arrested;
 - 48 were summoned for informative talks;
 - 7 were sentenced for petty-offences;
 - 52 were searched for by the police;
 - 67 Albanian families were raided;
 - 314 Albanians were physically ill-treated;
 - 42 suffered severe body injuries;
 - 19 were dismissed from their jobs;
 - 1 was kidnapped;
 - 2 were taken hostage;
 - 4 passports were seized;
 - 26 cases of looting;
 - 44 houses were shelled and burnt up;
 - 23 women were ill-treated;
 - 9 children were ill-treated;
 - 3 journalists were ill-treated.

Prishtina, 13 May 1998
Information Service

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