Monatsbericht
August 2000 der
Menschenrechtsorganisation
KMDLNJ
/ CDHRF Prishtina
REPORT ON THE VIOLATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
IN KOSOVA
DURING AUGUST 2000
REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2000
Escalation of violence in all fields of life
After a month of relative calm, the situation
in August escalated. The number of killings, woundings, mine accidents,
kidnappings, lootings and other forms of crime increased. On the other
hand, the perpetrators of such crimes continue to act with impunity. The
trials of those who were arrested and accused for war crimes and genocide
continue to be dragged out.
During the month of August, 25 Kosovars were
killed. Out of the total number of the killed 15 were Albanians (one was
killed in a mine accident), 3 Serbs (one child), 3 Hashkali, 2 Roma and
2 persons whose identity could not be confirmed. There were 8 cases of
intra-ethnic killings (6 Albanians and Roma). 37 persons were wounded:
21 Albanians (9 in mine accidents, including 3 children), 13 Serbs (12
juveniles), 1 Turk and 2 soldiers of the UAE.
Inter-ethnic killings
The increase of the number of inter-ethnic killings
is very concerning. The members of the Hashkali community, who were recently
killed, were from the village of Hallaq i Vogël near Lipjan. The Hashkali
community was not involved in the crimes against the Albanians and has
coexisted with the Albanians in peace and harmony. The deaths of 2 elderly
Serbs and that of a Serbian child in the village of Skulan near Lipjan
(who were run over by an Albanian) and the incident in the village of Palaj
near Kastriot (in which 9 Serbs were injured by an Albanian), can be qualified
as crimes that affect the inter-ethnic relations in Kosova and are a grave
insult to the moral and the tradition of the Albanians.
Despite the fact that these crimes are being
perpetrated by individuals, they are attributed to the Albanian nation
as a whole, as the Albanians are a majority in Kosova and bear moral responsibility
for the situation in Kosova. These crimes shed a bad light on the Albanians,
who are a people that has suffered a lot during the centuries.
A 13-year-old Albanian girl and a 15-year-old
boy were shot dead. There are still many mine accidents in which children
are being killed and wounded. The killing of Gani Rexhepi and his son Artan,
which was committed by soldiers of the UAE, shocked the public opinion.
The two were shot (from behind) under the pretext that they were aggressive
towards the soldiers. The wounding of two UAE soldiers can be qualified
as a revenge attack.
During the month of August, there were several killings, the main motive of which was revenge.
“Intra-ethnic” killings and political speculations with regard to these crimes
The intra-ethnic killings in Kosova continue to
cause great concern and insecurity among the citizens. Apart from 4 killings,
2 attempted murders and 2 woundings in the village of Ujmir (Savrova) near
Theranda on July 31, there were 6 cases of intra-ethnic killings in August
(an Albanian girl was beaten to death in the municipality of Klina; an
Albanian lawyer, a distinguished activist of the LDK in Burim (Istog),
was killed; Xhemajl Buçolli from the village of Raush near Peja;
Marjan Martini from Dukat (Dugajeva) near Klina; Besim Muharrem Blakçori
from Letan near Besiana; Destan Beqë Bytyçi from Gurras (Studençan)
near Theranda; Besim Ylber Topërlaku from Prishtina and an 18-year-old
girl from Budaj (Budakova) near Theranda were killed).
The motives of these crimes remain unknown. A
very concerning fact is that the perpetrators are acting with impunity.
Therefore, there are many speculations (including political speculations)
that cause discord, fear and insecurity, especially in the days preceding
the local elections.
There are claims that the recent killings have
to do with organized political crime. We believe that these crimes are
ordinary crimes, which may be fostered by criminal forces that seek to
destabilize the situation in Kosova, to create anarchy and chaos in order
to compromise the international community as “incapable” of providing peace
and security in the territories under its administration, and that seek
the return of the Serbian police and military forces to Kosova.
Mass graves, the Albanian prisoners in Serbia and the issue of the missing
During the month of August, the identification
of mass graves, the exhumation of those who were killed during the war
in Kosova and the efforts for their identification continued. Yet, there
are still many open wounds that continue to burden the situation in Kosova.
Among these problems the gravest one is the issue of the missing persons.
In August, 3 Albanians went missing (1 juvenile, an elderly person and
a handicapped person). 2 Serbs went missing while on their way to buy fuel
in the village of Domoroc in the municipality of Dardana.
During the month of August, the protests for
the release of the Albanian prisoners and for information on the missing
continued. These issues continue to burden the situation in Kosova and
to keep it tense.
The trials of those accused for war crimes are being dragged out
The trials of those accused for war crimes and
genocide in Kosova continue to be dragged out. In the district court in
Mitrovica a Serb was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months of imprisonment
for the killing of 2 Albanian civilians. The district court in Gjilan dropped
the charges against 3 Serbs who were accused for the killing of one Albanian
and the wounding of another one in 1999. The district court in Gjilan released
2 Albanians who were being kept in pre-trial detention. The two were arrested
by the UNMIK police as suspects in the attack against three orthodox priests.
On the decision of dr. Bernard Kouchner, the UN head administrator in Kosova,
the pre-trial detention to Afrim Zeqiri was extended for 30 days (Afrim
was arrested and accused for the killing of 3 Serbs, including one child).
Previously, the very same court had dropped the charges against him. There
were protests from his fellow villagers who claim that Afrim is innocent
and that the Serbs know that he did not commit the crime.
3 Serbs, who were accused for war crimes and
genocide, escaped from the hospital of the prison in Mitrovica. A similar
thing happened a few months ago, when 4 prisoners (including one Albanian)
escaped from the prison in Mitrovica.
In Mitrovica, the trial against a young Serb,
who was accused for several crimes, was postponed. After protests from
the local Serbs, he was released to defend himself while on bail.
27 Albanians, who were arrested by the Serbian
forces in 1998 and 1999, were released from prison (including 12 Albanians
from the village of Vraniq near Theranda, who were arrested in 1998). There
are claims that the families of the above mentioned and the villagers of
Vraniq had to pay DM 800.000 for their release.
Threats and attacks against certain political leaders
The blast in the building of the political parties in Prishtina, at the offices of the LDK in Malisheva, the killing of an LDK activist in Burim, the wounding of an LDK activist in Skënderaj as well as the attacks against former members of the KLA have caused insecurity among a certain number of political leaders in Kosova. These acts may result in an atmosphere of insecurity especially in the wake of the local elections in Kosova. Therefore, UNMIK and the OSCE have promised to provide protection to a certain number of political leaders in Kosova.
Provocations of the Belgrade regime
During the month of August there were numerous provocations by the Belgrade regime. 4 Dutch, 2 British and 2 Canadian citizens, working with the international institutions in Kosova, were arrested and accused of espionage and of preparing the assassination of Slobodan Milosheviq. In August, a delegation of the SPS paid a visit to the Serbian “enclave” in Graçanica (the seat of the SNC). During a meeting with the local Serbs, slogans in support of Slobodan Milosheviq, the president of the “FRY”, were chanted. The general secretary of the SPS announced the visit of Slobodan Milosheviq to Kosova. These actions of the Belgrade regime can be regarded as a provocation to the international community and the people of Kosova. The general command of the VJ threatened the people of Kosova stating that it was ready to return to Kosova in order to “establish peace and security”. Moderate Serbs were threatened with liquidation.
The right to life continues to be threatened in the one-national “enclaves” in Kosova
The right to life continues to be threatened in
the one-national “enclaves” in Kosova. The Serbs and the Roma, the Hashkali
and the Egyptians continue to live in enclaves and so do the Albanians
in the northern part of Mitrovica. These people continue to live in fear
despite the large presence of international forces - KFOR, the UNMIK police,
the OSCE and numerous humanitarian and human rights organizations. Representatives
of the CDHRF visited the Serbs in Rahovec, the Roma in Obiliq and Fushë
Kosova and the Egyptians in the municipality of Peja. These people face
great difficulties due to the fact that their freedom of movement is very
limited.
The persecution of the Albanian population in
the northern part of Mitrovica continues. During the month of August, 47
incidents were reported in this part of town, mainly evictions from flats
and their usurpation by Serbian policemen, paramilitaries and armed Serbian
civilians. The following were evicted from their flats: Vehbi Ali Hoti
(58) with 2 members of his family and Enver Ibrahim Dushi (54) with 7 members
of his family from the Ibri quarter as well as Hysen Izet Murtezi (47)
with 9 members of his family and Shyqeri Shaban Hajdari (37) with 5 members
of his family from the village of Suhadoll i Poshtëm. French soldiers
occupied the flat of the 6-member family of Asllan Isuf Smakiqi. The house
of Nysret Brahim Cerani (24) in the “Kodra e Minatorëve” quarter and
those of Murteza Popova (45) and Fuad Rexhepagiq in the Ibri quarter were
burned.
The freedom of movement continues to be limited
for the Albanians in the northern part of Mitrovica.
Despite the fact that all the Albanian families
have fled the municipality of Zveçan, the Serbs continue to protest
stating that they will not allow any Albanians to return to work in “Trepça”
or the smeltery in Zveçan.
The “Doctors without borders” and other humanitarian organizations stop with their activities in the one-national enclaves
The situation in the one-national enclaves in
the northern part of Kosova forced the “Doctors without borders” humanitarian
organization to halt its activities in certain parts of Kosova. The association
of the Evangelist Churches of Austria announced that it would stop its
work in the rebuilding of the destroyed houses in the village of Magura
“due to the security situation”.
Only we, the Kosovars, together with the help
of the international community, can surpass the present crises, and show
that we are for the respect of the human rights and freedoms of all the
ethnic groups in Kosova.
Different issues that cause concern in Kosova
Many cases of ordinary crime were reported during
the month of August: theft, arson, evictions, usurpations of flats, etc.
A number of international humanitarian organizations were looted (drugs,
computers, etc). The charges against a Kenyan and two Albanians, who were
employed with “CARE” and suspected of robbing DM 650.000, were dropped
due to the “lack of evidence”. The final outcome of this case is that DM
650.000 that were dedicated for the people of Kosova “disappeared”.
Apart from such crimes, the other problems that
cause concern among the citizens of Kosova are environmental problems,
pollution, illegal constructions, etc.
Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja
During the war, the situation in this region,
where the majority of the population is Albanian, was similar to the one
in Kosova. Many houses, schools and mosques were looted, burned and destroyed;
many Albanians were ill-treated and killed; some 25.000 people were forced
to flee this region.
After the end of the war in Kosova, large police
and military units were deployed in this region. The Albanian population
in this region is still subjected to repression. Some 20.000 people were
forced to flee towards Kosova. The Serbian regime seeks the ethnic cleansing
of these territories.
Prishtina, September 7, 2000