Tagesnachrichten 16. September 1998
     von dpa, from ALBANEWS and others
     News of the day - September 16, 1998
     Kosova Information Center : Daily Report No 1554

         Die Bibel sagt  -  The Bible says
 

If available you find on this page  -  Soweit verfügbar finden Sie auf dieser Seite     1. Meldungen von dpa    2. Remarks - Hints - Special informations    3. Reports about deportation and persons repatriated to Kosova  in deutsch und englisch     4. Daily Report from KIC  (Kosova Information Center)    5. news from ARTA  (Koha ditore)    6. news from RFE/RL NEWSLINE    7. news from Fr. Sava  (Decani Monastery)    8. Reports from Human Rights Organisations        especially CDHRF  (Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms, Prishtina)    9. news from ATA /ENTER  and so on  10. eventual additional press news  Link to Background-information  Link to earlier news - so far as room is given by my provider on the server  The Bible says  -  Die Bibel sagt

 

1. Meldungen von dpa

Meldung vom 16.09.1998 17:45  http://seite1.web.de/show/35FFDD47.NL1/

UNHCR: 50 000 Flüchtlinge im Kosovo unter freiem Himmel
     Belgrad (dpa) - Etwa 50 000 Flüchtlinge in der südserbischen Krisenprovinz Kosovo leben noch immer unter freiem Himmel. Diese Schätzung nannte am Mittwoch nach Angaben der Nachrichtenagentur Beta in Belgrad die Chefin des dortigen Büros des UNO-Flüchtlingswerks UNHCR, Margaret O'Keeffe.
     Die genaue Zahl der Obdachlosen sei schwer festzustellen, da die Lage sich von Tag zu Tag ändere. O'Keeffe warf der albanischen Untergrundarmee UCK vor, die Zivilisten sehr oft als Schutzschild zu benutzen. Deswegen gebe es unter den Zivilisten bei den Kämpfen zwischen UCK und den serbischen Kräften die größten Verluste.
     O'Keeffe kritisierte die Entscheidung der montenegrinischen Regierung vom vergangenen Wochenende, etwa drei tausend Kosovo-Flüchtlinge nach Albanien abzuschieben. «Die Kosovo-Albaner sind jugoslawische Staatsbürger und ihnen darf der notwendige Schutz nicht verweigert werden», erklärte sie.
     Auf Drängen des UNHCR hätten die Behörden in Montenegro versprochen, zukünftig keine Flüchtlinge mehr abzuschieben. In der kleineren jugoslawischen Bundesrepublik mit ihren etwa 600 000 Einwohnern gibt es etwa 44 000 Kosovo-Flüchtlinge.
© dpa

EU warnt vor humanitärer Katastrophe im Kosovo
     Straßburg (dpa) - Die EU hat angesichts des nahenden Winters vor einer humanitären Katastrophe im Kosovo-Konflikt gewarnt und verstärkte humanitären Hilfsleistungen in die serbische Provinz angekündigt.
     Die serbische Regierung von Slobodan Milosevic müsse davon überzeugt werden, daß dieser Konflikt militärisch nicht zu gewinnen sei, sagte die amtierende EU-Ratsvorsitzende, die österreichische Staatssekretärin Benita Ferrero-Waldner, am Mittwoch im Europaparlament in Straßburg.
     Sie bekräftigte, daß die EU eine weitreichende Selbstbestimmung des Kosovo unterstütze.
© dpa

Großbritannien beteiligt sich an EU-Landeverbot für JAT
     Belgrad/Pristina/Brüssel (dpa) - Großbritannien setzt von Mittwoch an das EU-Landeverbot für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT um. Das geht aus einer Erklärung des britischen Außenministeriums hervor, die in Brüssel veröffentlicht wurde.
     Bisher hat sich die Regierung in London unter Berufung auf ein Luftverkehrsabkommen geweigert, die Strafmaßnahme gegen Jugoslawien umzusetzen. Belgrad soll so gezwungen werden, das brutale Vorgehen im Kosovo-Konflikt einzustellen.
     Weil sich nicht alle EU-Mitgliedstaaten an das JAT-Landeverbot halten wollten, hat die Schweiz am Mittwoch beschlossen, sich der Strafmaßnahme doch nicht anzuschließen. Zunächst hatte die Regierung in Bern am 1. Juli erklärt, sie wolle die EU-Maßnahme mittragen. Die JAT fliegt täglich einmal von Belgrad nach Zürich.
     Angesichts der Krisen im Kosovo und im benachbarten Albanien berieten die Europäische Kommission in Straßburg und der NATO-Rat in Brüssel am Mittwoch über die zugespitzte Lage.
     Die EU-Kommission warnte auf ihrem Treffen am Sitz des Europaparlaments vor einer humanitären Katastrophe im Kosovo angesichts des nahenden Winters und kündigte verstärkte Hilfsleistungen für die südserbische Krisenprovinz an.
     Für den amerikanischen Kosovo-Sonderbeauftragten Christopher Hill liegt eine Friedensregelung im Kosovo noch in weiter Ferne. «Es handelt sich um einen äußerst schwierigen Verhandlungsprozeß, und wir haben eine gewaltige Anzahl von Problemen vor uns», sagte Hill in Brüssel.
     Der Diplomat führt Gespräche in Belgrad und der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina und unterrichtete am Mittwoch den NATO-Rat in Brüssel über seine Bemühungen.
     Am Dienstag abend waren im Nordosten Kosovos sechs Angehörige der albanischen Untergrundarmee UCK und ein serbischer Polizist getötet worden. Vier Polizisten seien verletzt worden, teilte das halboffizielle serbische Media-Zentrum aus der Kosovo-Provinzhauptstadt Pristina am Mittwoch mit. Die Kämpfe dauerten auch am Mittwoch an.
     Albanische Quellen hatten zuvor von einer großangelegten serbischen Offensive in dieser Region berichtet, die bisher von den Kämpfen verschont geblieben war.
     In den Wäldern des Kosovo sind nach UNO-Angaben bereits Kinder gestorben, deren Dörfer von serbischen Einheiten zerstört worden sind. «Fast 60 Prozent der 50 000 Flüchtlinge, die in den Bergen und Wäldern unter freiem Himmel leben, sind Kinder», sagte der UNO-Beauftragte für Kinder in bewaffneten Konflikten, Olara Otunnu, am Dienstag in Genf. Es fehlten Decken, sauberes Trinkwasser und Lebensmittel.
     Der deutsche Verteidigungsminister Volker Rühe schloß in einem Fernseh-Interview am Dienstag abend eine Militärintervention der NATO im Kosovo «in den nächsten drei bis fünf Wochen» nicht aus.
     Man könne nicht mehr von einer «inneren Angelegenheit» Jugoslawiens sprechen, wenn Zehntausende von ethnischen Albanern in die Nachbarländer flüchteten und diese destabilisierten.
© dpa

Großbritannien schließt sich EU-Landeverbot für JAT an
     London/Brüssel (dpa) - Großbritannien hat sich am Mittwoch dem von der Europäischen Union (EU) verhängten Landeverbot für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT angeschlossen.
     Wie Außenminister Robin Cook mitteilte, gilt das Verbot mit sofortiger Wirkung. London hatte sich zunächst unter Hinweis auf Kündigungsklauseln in einem mit Jugoslawien geschlossenen Luftfahrtabkommen geweigert, das Verbot gemeinsam mit den übrigen EU-Partnern sofort nach Beschluß vor neun Tagen umzusetzen.
     Cook teilte mit, er habe unmittelbar nach seiner Urlaubsrückkehr die Verträglichkeit der EU-Entscheidung mit dem bilateralen Luftfahrtabkommen überprüfen lassen.
     Angesichts der «fortgesetzten Unterdrückung» und der sich verschlechternden Lage für die Menschen im Kosovo sei er zu dem Schluß gekommen, daß Präsident Slobodan Milosevic sein vertragliches Recht auf Einhaltung von Klauseln «politisch und moralisch verwirkt hat», hieß es in der Erklärung Cooks.
     «Unter den veränderten Umständen» solle das Verbot nun auch in Großbritannien sofort wirksam werden. Darüberhinaus sei London entschlossen, weitere Sanktionen gegen Milosevic durchzusetzen. Dazu gehöre auch ein vom UNO-Sicherheitsrat verhängtes weltweites Flugverbot für die JAT.
     Das Einlenken Großbritanniens war zuvor bereits von der EU-Kommission in Brüssel mitgeteilt worden. Mitgliedsstaaten, die EU-Recht nicht umsetzen, riskieren damit eine Klage vor dem Europäischen Gerichtshof in Luxemburg.
     Offen war am Mittwoch noch, ob nun auch Griechenland dem Beispiel Londons folgen und seine Weigerung zur Verhängung eines JAT-Landevebots ebenfalls aufgeben wird.
© dpa

Schengen-Staaten gehen verstärkt gegen illegale Einwanderung vor
     Königswinter (dpa) - Die zum Vertrag von Schengen gehörenden Staaten wollen verstärkt gegen illegale Einwanderung und grenzüberschreitende Kriminalität vorgehen. Die Sicherheitsmaßnahmen an ihren Außengrenzen sollen verschärft werden.
     Das kündigte der deutsche Innenminister Manfred Kanther nach einer Konferenz der Schengener Vertragsstaaten am Mittwoch in Königswinter bei Bonn an.
     So ist geplant, illegal eingereiste Bürger aus Staaten, die dem Schengen-Verbund nicht angehören, «unverzüglich und konsequent» zurückzubringen. Außerdem sollen Fingerabdrücke aller illegaler Einwanderer genommen werden.
     Vorgesehen ist auch, den Fähr- und Schiffsverkehr verstärkt zu kontrollieren. Verkehrsunternehmen, die Passagiere ohne die erforderlichen Dokumente in einen Schengen-Staat befördern, müssen mit Sanktionen rechnen.
     Es solle verhindert werden, daß Mittel- und Westeuropa zum Zielgebiet eines Zustroms illegaler Migration und damit verbundener Kriminalität werde, sagte Kanther. «Es kommen viele unberechtigte Ausländer nach Europa, und dem muß jedes Land entgegenwirken».
     Zu den Schengen-Vertragsstaaten zählen Deutschland, Frankreich, die Benelux-Staaten, Spanien, Portugal, Italien und Österreich. Griechenland ist mit Einschränkungen beteiligt. Nach Angaben Kanthers soll eine Arbeitsgruppe in Kürze überprüfen, ob Griechenland alle Voraussetzungen erfüllt.
     Durch das Schengen-Abkommen wurden unter anderem die Personenkontrollen zwischen den beteiligten Staaten abgeschafft. Der Vertrag wurde auch bereits von Dänemark, Schweden und Finnland unterzeichnet, doch haben diese Staaten das Abkommen noch nicht verwirklicht. Norwegen und Island sind dem Abkommen assoziiert.
     Kanther erklärte, im Hinblick auf die schwierige Lage im Kosovo müsse alles getan werden, um einen Flüchtlingsstrom wie aus Bosnien zu vermeiden. «Die Verhinderung einer solchen Fluchtwelle ist wichtiger als die Abschiebung», sagte Kanther.
     Der deutsche Minister betonte, das Abkommen von Schengen schaffe nicht nur Freizügigkeit, sondern bedeute auch die Sicherung der Außengrenzen. Der Schengener Raum sei derzeit von einer steigenden illegalen Immigration betroffen.
     Allein in Deutschland wurden nach Angaben des Innenministeriums in Bonn im ersten Halbjahr 5 130 jugoslawische Staatsangehörige festgestellt, die unerlaubt eingereist waren.
     Die Konferenz beschloß außerdem, einen ständigen Ausschuß einzurichten, der überprüfen wird, ob jene Staaten, die der Europäischen Union (EU) beitreten wollen, die Bedingungen des Schengener Vertrages erfüllen.
     Ein weiteres Thema der Konferenz war das Verhältnis der Schweiz zu Schengen. Die Schweiz ist vollständig von Schengen-Staaten umschlossen, ohne selbst am Verbund teilzunehmen. Angestrebt werde eine bessere informelle Zusammenarbeit, hieß es am Rande der Konferenz.
© dpa

Schweiz verhängt kein Landeverbot für jugoslawische JAT
     Bern (dpa) - Die Schweiz wird kein Flugverbot für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT aussprechen. Der Bundesrat entschied am Mittwoch, die Sanktion der Europäischen Union nicht mitzutragen, weil sich nich alle EU-Länder an diese hielten. Die Landekapazität der JAT in der Schweiz soll aber eingefroren werden. Die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft fliegt täglich einmal von Belgrad nach Zürich.
     Vizekanzler Achille Casanova erinnerte daran, daß die Regierung am 1. Juli beschlossen hatte, sich dem von der EU wegen des Kosovo-Konflikts verhängten Landeverbot für jugoslawische Gesellschaften anzuschließen, sofern diese Maßnahme von allen EU- Staaten vollzogen wird.
     Da Großbritannien, Griechenland und Spanien aber nicht mitmachten, bestehe für die Schweiz kein Grund, sich der Sanktion anzuschließen.
     In Brüssel erklärte die EU-Kommission am Mittwoch, daß Großbritannien im Streit um das Landeverbot inzwischen eingelenkt habe. Spanien hatte in der vorigen Woche gesagt, es werde sich der Maßnahme der EU anschließen. Dies sei nur eine Frage der Zeit. Ob die griechische Regierung dem Schritt Londons folgen werde, konnte ein Kommissionsprecher nicht sagen.
     Durch das Einfrieren der bisherigen Landekapazität der JAT in der Schweiz wolle der Bundesrat vermeiden, daß die EU-Maßnahmen - soweit bereits vollzogen - unterlaufen werden.
© dpa

EU-Kommission: Großbritannien lenkt beim JAT-Landeverbot ein
     Brüssel (dpa) - Großbritannien hat im Streit um ein Landeverbot für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT in der Europäischen Union eingelenkt. Das sagte ein Sprecher der EU-Kommission am Mittwoch in Brüssel. Bisher hat sich die Regierung in London unter Berufung auf ein Luftverkehrsabkommen geweigert, die Strafmaßnahme gegen Jugoslawien umzusetzen. Belgrad soll so gezwungen werden, das brutale Vorgehen im Kosovo-Konflikt einzustellen.
     Mit dem Landeverbot befaßte sich die EU-Kommission am Mittwoch bei ihrer Sitzung in Straßburg am Sitz des Europaparlaments. Die Strafmaßnahme ist seit neun Tagen für alle EU-Staaten rechtlich bindend. Mitgliedsstaaten, die EU-Recht nicht umsetzen, riskieren eine Klage vor dem Europäischen Gerichtshof in Luxemburg.
     Neben Großbritannien hat auch Griechenland nicht die Verordnung noch nicht in Kraft gesetzt. Ob die Regierung in Athen nun Großbritannien folgen wird, konnte der Kommissionssprecher nicht sagen.
© dpa

Sieben Tote bei neuen Kämpfen im Nordosten Kosovos
     Belgrad/Pristina (dpa) - Bei heftigen Kämpfen im Nordosten der südserbischen Provinz Kosovo sind sechs Angehörige der albanischen Untergrundarmee UCK und ein serbischer Polizist getötet worden. Wie das halboffizielle serbische Media-Zentrum aus der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina am Mittwoch berichtete, wurden am Vorabend außerdem vier Polizisten verletzt.
     Die Kämpfe bei Stari Trg, nahe Kosovska Mitrovica, wurden auch am Mittwoch fortgesetzt. Albanische Quellen berichteten zuvor von einer großangelegten serbischen Offensive in dieser Region, die bisher von den Kämpfen verschont geblieben war.
© dpa

Bonn unterstützt Kosovo-Resolution im UNO-Sicherheitsrat
     Bonn (dpa) - Die deutsche Regierung unterstützt den französischen Vorschlag zur raschen Verabschiedung einer Kosovo-Resolution des UNO-Sicherheitsrates, um den Druck auf die Konfliktparteien zu erhöhen. Das sagte Außenminister Klaus Kinkel am Mittwoch in Bonn.
     Kinkel stimmte ferner einem schnellen Zusammentritt der Sechs-Mächte- Kontaktgruppe (USA, Rußland, Großbritannien, Frankreich, Deutschland, Italien) am Rande der UN-Vollversammlung in New York zu.
     Die beiden Vorschläge waren am Vortag von Frankreichs Präsident Jacques Chirac gemacht worden. Der Außenminister betonte, sowohl Belgrad als auch die bewaffneten Kräfte der Kosovo-Albaner müßten weiter massiv unter Druck gesetzt werden.
     Ziel sei zunächst eine Waffenruhe, danach ein Dialog und schließlich eine international abgesicherte Autonomieregelung. Er gehe auch davon aus, daß sich Rußland seiner Verantwortung für die Stabilität auf dem Balkan nicht entziehen werde.
© dpa

Christopher sieht enorme Schwierigkeiten für Kosovo-Lösung
     Brüssel (dpa) - Eine Friedensregelung für die südserbische Provinz Kosovo liegt nach Angaben des amerikanischen Kosovo-Sonderbeauftragten Christopher Hill noch in weiter Ferne.
     Hill, der zwischen Belgrad und der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina hin und her reist, unterrichtete am Mittwoch den NATO-Rat in Brüssel über seine Bemühungen.
     «Es handelt sich um einen äußerst schwierigen Verhandlungsprozeß, und wir haben eine gewaltige Anzahl von Problemen vor uns», sagte Hill anschließend vor Journalisten.
     Der US-Unterhändler bedauerte, daß nicht alle am Kosovo-Konflikt Beteiligten, wie etwa die Kosovo-Befreiungsarmee UCK, am Verhandlungstisch sitzen. «Aber für sie ist die Tür weiter offen», fügte Hill hinzu.
     Er lobte ausdrücklich den russischen Beitrag für eine Friedenslösung. Die Einigkeit in der Kosovo-Kontaktgruppe sei größer als sie in der Bosnien-Frage gewesen sei, sagte Hill.
© dpa

«Gazeta Wyborcza»: Steht Belgrad hinter Krise in Albanien?
Warschau (dpa) - Die linksliberale polnische Zeitung «Gazeta Wyborcza» (Warschau) schreibt am Mittwoch zur möglichen Rolle Belgrads in der albanischen Krise:
«Den Preis für den Konflikt in Albanien werden vor allem die Kosovo-Albaner zahlen. Die Krise des albanischen Staates stellt eine viel größere Gefahr für den Westen dar als eine Fortsetzung der Massaker im Kosovo, an die sich inzwischen alle gewöhnt haben.
Der Oppositionsführer Sali Berisha, der über den Norden Albaniens regiert, wird sich jetzt weniger um das Schicksal seiner Landsleute auf der anderen Seite der Grenze kümmern. Er wird jedes Gewehr gegen die Regierung brauchen.
Die Regierung wird sich mehr um Berisha als um Milosevic den Kopf zerbrechen. Der Lauf der Ereignisse ist so günstig für Belgrad, daß sich die Frage aufdrängt, ob es nicht Serbien war, das auf Tiranas Straßen den Abzug gedrückt hat.»
© dpa

Rühe droht Milosevic mit Militärschlag - Entspannung in Albanien
Bonn/Belgrad/Tirana (dpa) - Angesichts der Krisen im Kosovo und im benachbarten Albanien beraten die Europäische Kommission in Straßburg und der Nato-Rat in Brüssel heute (Mittwoch) über die zugespitzte Lage. Bundesverteidigungsminister Volker Rühe drohte unterdessen dem jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic «in den nächsten drei bis fünf Wochen» einen Militärschlag der Nato an, wenn sich die Lage in der südserbischen Provinz nicht entspanne.
«Wenn die Angriffe auf die Zivilbevölkerung so weitergehen, dann wächst die Bereitschaft im Westen, dies auch militärisch zu stoppen in den nächsten drei bis fünf Wochen», sagte Rühe am Dienstag abend im ZDF. Bonn müsse in der Lage sein, zusammen mit den USA, Frankreich, Großbritannien oder Italien entsprechende Entscheidungen zu treffen. Man könne nicht mehr von einer «inneren Angelegenheit» Jugoslawiens sprechen, wenn Zehntausende von ethnischen Albanern in die Nachbarländer flüchteten und diese destabilisierten.
Indessen begannen starke serbische Kräfte am Dienstag eine großangelegte Offensive auf mehrere albanische Dörfer im Nordosten Kosovos. Wie das albanische Kosovo-Informationszentrum aus der Provinzhauptstadt Pristina mitteilte, seien in der Region um Podujevo, Kosovska Motrovica und Vucitrn auch gepanzerte Fahrzeuge, Panzer und Artillerie im Einsatz. Dieses Gebiet war seit Ausbruch der Kämpfe im Kosovo, vor fast sieben Monaten, weitgehend von den Gefechten verschont geblieben.
In den Wäldern Kosovos sind nach UN-Angaben bereits Kinder gestorben, deren Dörfer von serbischen Einheiten zerstört worden sind. «Fast 60 Prozent der 50 000 Flüchtlinge, die in den Bergen und Wäldern unter freiem Himmel leben, sind Kinder», sagte der UN- Beauftragte für Kinder in bewaffneten Konflikten, Olara Otunnu, am Dienstag in Genf. Es fehlten Decken, sauberes Trinkwasser und Lebensmittel.
Die Europäische Kommission befaßt sich heute (Mittwoch) mit der Weigerung Großbritanniens und Griechenlands, das Landeverbot für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT umzusetzen. Die Strafmaßnahme ist seit acht Tagen für alle EU-Staaten rechtlich bindend. Mit dem Landeverbot soll Serbien im Kosovo-Konflikt zum Einlenken gebracht werden.
Im Nachbarland Albanien entspannte sich die Situation im Verlauf des Abends. Gruppen Bewaffneter vor dem Hauptquartier der oppositionellen Demokratischen Partei (DP) in Tirana lösten sich auf. Zwei am Vortag erbeutete Panzer wurden der regulären Polizei übergeben. Die bewaffneten DP-Anhänger, die sich beim Parteigebäude verschanzt hatten, zogen sich ebenfalls zurück.
Die Regierung Albaniens beschuldigte Oppositionsführer Sali Berisha am Abend, mit den gewalttätigen Ausschreitungen seiner Anhänger am Montag in Tirana einen Staatsstreich versucht zu haben. Die Verantwortlichen für diesen Aufstand werden sich nach einem Regierungsbeschluß vor Gericht zu verantworten haben.
Bereits zuvor hatte Ministerpräsident Fatos Nano Berisha vorgeworfen, einen Umsturz geplant zu haben, der in Wirklichkeit nur die anti-albanische Politik des jugoslawischen Präsidenten Milosevic unterstützt hätte. Berisha hat für den heutigen Mittwoch zu neuen Demonstrationen gegen die sozialistische Regierung von Nano aufgerufen.
© dpa

Rühe droht mit Nato-Intervention «in drei bis fünf Wochen»
Bonn (dpa) - Verteidigungsminister Volker Rühe hat dem jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic «in den nächsten drei bis fünf Wochen» einen Militärschlag der Nato angedroht, wenn sich die Lage im Kosovo nicht entspannt. «Wenn die Angriffe auf die Zivilbevölkerung so weitergehen, dann wächst die Bereitschaft im Westen, dies auch militärisch zu stoppen in den nächsten drei bis fünf Wochen», sagte Rühe am Dienstag abend im ZDF. «Und dann möchte ich nicht, daß Deutschland wieder einen Sonderweg geht und ausschert», betonte der Minister, der der Nato bereits 14 deutsche «Tornado»-Flugzeuge für einen eventuellen Luftangriff angeboten hat.
Rühe sagte in dem ZDF-Wahlhearing zur Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, an dem prominente Politiker aller Parteien teilnahmen, Deutschland brauche deswegen eine handlungsfähige Regierung. Bonn müsse in der Lage sein zusammen mit den USA, Frankreich, Großbritannien oder Italien entsprechende Entscheidungen zu treffen. Man könne nicht mehr von einer «inneren Angelegenheit» Jugoslawiens sprechen, wenn Zehntausende von ethnischen Albanern in die Nachbarländer flüchteten und diese destabilisierten.
«Niemand hat das Recht, seine Zivilbevölkerung mit Panzern und Artillerie zu beschießen», unterstrich Rühe, nach dessen Worten eine «ausreichende rechtliche internationale Grundlage und ein Beschluß des Bundestages Voraussetzung für eine Beteiligung der Bundeswehr sind. Außenminister Klaus Kinkel, der früher stets ein Mandat des UN- Sicherheitsrates für eine Nato-Aktion gefordert hatte, sah in der Bundesregierung «keinen Dissens» in dieser Frage.
SPD-Fraktionschef Rudolf Scharping meinte, die Staatengemeinschaft dürfe nicht tatenlos zusehen, wenn Zehn- oder Hunderttausende von Menschen an Leib und Leben bedroht seien. Grünen-Fraktionschef Joschka Fischer warnte, daß andere Mächte - wie etwa Rußland im Baltikum - ein eigenmächtiges Vorgehen der Nato als Präzedensfall betrachten könnten. Der Vorsitzende der Bonner CSU-Landesgruppe, Michael Glos, erklärte, notfalls müsse die Nato auch ohne Zustimmung der UN intervenieren. Das lehnte der PDS-Politiker Gregor Gysi strikt ab.
© dpa

........

   Three months ago:

Contact Group Statement on Kosova, London/12 June 1998
   8.  The Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States confirmed their decision to implement the ban on new investment in Serbia and to freeze funds held abroad by the FRY and Serbian governments, and agreed to take steps to ban flights by Yugoslav carriers between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and their countries. Japan supported this approach and agreed to consider similar action. The Russian Federation does not associate itself with these measures.

Still there is no Stop of deportations ! - Immer noch kein Abschiebe-Stop !

Meldung vom 11.09.1998 19:07  http://seite1.web.de/show/35F958DA.NL1/

Flüchtlingsbeauftragter: Rückführung auf dem Landweg

Frankfurt am Main - Der Flüchtlingsbeauftragte der deutschen Regierung, Dietmar Schlee, hat darauf hingewiesen, daß nach dem JAT-Embargo eine Abschiebung der Kosovo-Flüchtlinge auch auf dem Landweg möglich sei.
Dabei vertraue die Regierung auf die Solidarität von Staaten wie Österreich und Ungarn, sagte Schlee im Hessischen Rundfunk.
Auch die noch bestehenden Flugverbindungen über London oder Athen seien nutzbar. Schlee bedauerte, daß sich Griechenland und Großbritannien nicht am EU-weiten Landeverbot beteiligten.
Aber wenn diese Länder meinten, rechtlich nicht anders zu können, «dann muß es doch eine Möglichkeit geben, über diese Flughäfen abzuschieben.
© dpa

......... 

Kennen Sie Fälle von Abschiebungen nach Kosova ? - Bitte senden Sie mir Ihren Bericht !
Do you know cases of deportations to Kosova ? - Please send me your report !

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1554-B
Prishtina, 16 September 1998

Second Edition: 17:30 CET

President Rugova Receives Japanese Ambassador

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr Ibrahim Rugova received today in Prishtina Mr. Norioki Owada, the Japanese Ambassador to Belgrade.
The situation in Kosova and the prospects for a political resolution were discussed in the meeting.
The continued Serb offensive operations, especially its extensions to other parts of Kosova such as Mitrovica and Podujeva, adds further to the extremely dramatic situation in Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova said. He called for an urgent international intervention to stop the Serbian offensive and the creation of the preconditions for a political resolution to the Kosova issue.
The Ambassador of Japan, Norioki Owada, said his country was following the developments in Kosova with concern, adding that Japan is supportive of a negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue. Mr. Owada said the Japanese government, besides the aid it has given so far, plans to take part in projects for reconstruction of damaged and ruined buildings/houses and other medium-term infrastructure projects in Kosova.

House Joins Senate in Resolution Calling for Indictment of Milosevic for War Crimes

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) -  The United States should press The Hague Tribunal to consider indicting and trying 'FRY' President Slobodan Milosevic for crimes against humanity and genocide, the House of Representatives said Monday in a non-binding resolution.
The measure calls for the United States to publicly declare that there is reason to believe that Milosevic has committed war crimes and collect information that can be supplied to the tribunal, the Associated Press reported.
By voice vote, the House passed the same resolution the Senate passed in July.
"For most of this year, we've witnessed a repeat of the carnage and havoc that the world experienced during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia at the beginning of the decade," Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., said from the House floor. "Now once again we're faced with the tragic spectacle of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians made homeless, towns and villages in ruins, unknown numbers of persons dead or missing in Kosovo," Bereuter said. "The architect of this misery is Slobodan Milosevic."
Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., was quoted as saying: "Slobodan Milosevic's ruthless, reckless, irresponsible behavior brought us to the point of a bloodbath in Bosnia and now a bloodbath in Kosovo."
"Today Congress can go on record. Slobodan Milosevic must be held accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide," Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said.
Before approving the Senate resolution, the House also passed its own version of the resolution 369-1. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was the only House member to vote against the measure, AP reported.

SERBS CONTINUE ATTACKS ON SHALë E BAJGORëS REGION

Early in the morning today (Wednesday), heavy Serb forces resumed the shelling of the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës region, which is situated in a triangle between Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva. A number of houses have been destroyed, killed and wounded reported, and over 20,000 Albanians have fled their homes

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) 16:00 - Reports from Mitrovica said Serb forces resumed today morning the shelling of: Zabërxhë, Melenicë, the "Trepça" neihgbourhood, Stari Tërg, Vidishiq, Rashan, Mazhiq, Pasomë, Tërstenë, Kaçanoll, Bare and Kutllovc. Serb forces have been shelling from their positions at Kisha e Boletinit (the Boletin church), Zherovnica, and Kutllovc. Overnight, Serb military fired from its base at Frashër ('Svinjare') village.

Three Albanians killed, many wounded

Six Albanian houses and a shop have been reported burnt in Stari Tërg, whereas in the village of Melenicë four houses. There have been reports on killed and wounded. Tuesday, Serb forces killed three Albanians at Stari Tërg, Halim Ferizi (60), his son Enver Ferizi (38), and their family guest Rizah Tahiri (55), resident of the village of Selac. They were all killed in Halim Ferizi's courtyard. His two sons, Fadil (35) and Adil (32) were arrested, held in custody for eight hours, and beaten up severely, LDK sources in Mitrovica said.
Members of Serb forces with camouflaged faces have entered a number of Shalë e Bajgorës villages. They have looted and burnt houses in Stari Tërg, Mazhiq and Rahovë.
Rifat Zeneli (80) has remained behind in his native village of Mazhiq, and his fate is unknown.
After 14:00 hrs today, 8 Serb military lorries trailing heavy guns left Mitrovica for Stari Tërg, reports said.
Four Albanians - Besnik Z. Peci (27), Kujtim Xh. Peci (16), Smajl Peci (23) and Afrim Xh. Peci (20), from Boletin and Rahova villages - were arrested in the entrance to Mitrovica Tuesday afternoon. They were held for fours in custody and beaten up severely.

19,000 New Refugees in Mitrovica

The Shalë e Bajgorës region has a population of 19,000 Albanians, all of whom have now fled their homes. Most of them spent the night in the Lisica mountains, because Serb police thwarted their bid to proceed to Mitrovica.
In the past few month as many as 40,000 Albanians driven from their homes in central Kosova found refuge in Mitrovica area.

Reports from Podujeva said there was sporadic gunfire overnight. In the morning today, Serb forces deployed in the area between the villages of Bajçinë, Dobratin and Bradash (less than 10 km north of Podujeva) were shelling the Shalë region with heavy guns. The shelling was heavy after 9:00., and then after 14:00 hrs.

Some 20,000 have fled their villages in Podujeva area

Some local residents of the village of Dobratin have been holed up in the elementary school building, whereas Serb forces have been stationed in the school yard, sources said. The shelling from that position was heavier after 14:00 hrs today. Houses in the village of Dobratin were in flames and smoke.
A convoy of Serb forces is said to have reached the peak of the mountain, and clashes with local Albanian resistance forces to have taken place, with killed and wounded.
A large portion of the population of the Podujeva villages straddling the Podujeva - Kërpimeh roadway - such as Peran, Bajçinë, Dobërdol, Zakut, Kërpimeh, Pakashticë, Revuç, Dobratin and Bradash - has fled their homes in fear of Serb crackdown against the Albanian civilian population seen elsewhere in Kosova. The huge Serb military buildup only added to a psychosis of an imminent Serb action.
On Tuesday, LDK activists on the ground worked to persuade the panic-stricken population not to flee the area altogether, but rather stay in the villages with a relative safety in the Podujeva area.
In the afternoon hours Tuesday, most of the people fleeing their home villages found refuge in the town of Podujeva.
Panic and fear spread to the villages straddling the Podujeva - Prishtinë roadway, too. Part of the Albanian population of these villages, which in peace time amounts to 20,000, was moving Tuesday in the direction of Prishtina.
A heavy Serb forces' buildup has been reported in the town of Podujeva today, and police stationed in several key positions in town which routinely harassed citizens.
The local Albanian doctor, Fadil Dabinoci, was reported arrested today, whereas the Serb medical staff withdrew from the local medical center and sent to a make-shift hospital near the Serb police checkpoint at former "Besiana" motel in Podujeva.
Sources in Podujeva said at 11 a.m. today a convoy of Serb forces consisting of 40 vehicles, coming from Serbia, passed along Podujeva in the direction of Prishtina.
Traffic in the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway has been heavier today compared to yesterday. In the entrance to capital Prishtina, police has been stopping cars and people for routine checks.
Foreign observers were not allowed to go to villages where Serb actions were being conducted, reports from Podujeva said.

Grave situation in Vushtrri

Reports from Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') said Serb forces started just after seven o'clock in the morning today (Wednesday) shelling the village of Pasomë and the outlying villages which make part of the geographic whole known as Shalë e Bajgorës. The explosion were very heavy, sources in the town of Vushtrri said, adding that their echo can be heard in town and the flames and smoke billowing from them can be seen there too.
Because of Serb attacks, the residents of the villages of Pasomë, Tërllabuç, Bajskë, Sllatinë and Smrekonicë have fled their homes. Tens of thousands of Albanians driven from their homes in central Kosova earlier this year have found refuge in Vushtrri and Mitrovica municipalities.
In Vushtrri smoke could be seen billowing from the villages of Mazhiq, Melenicë, Stari Tërg and Bare of Shalë e Bajgorës. In the past few days the population has been deserting their home villages - Pasomës (1000), Bajskë (550), Smrekonicë (1500), Tërllabuq (200), Sllatinë (300), Ceceli (550) - of the municipality of Vushtrri, whereas part of the population has fled also Studime e Epërme.
Damaged houses have been reported in Pasomë and Bajskë. Three has been word on several wounded Albanians, among whom a woman from Tërllabuq, who was reportedly hit while fleeing her village.

Serbs Execute Old Man and His Nephew in Malisheva

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - A 70-year-old Albanian, Osman Paçarizi (70), and his nephew, Fehmi Paçarizi, were reported executed by Serb forces in their village of Dragobil in Malisheva on Tuesday. Local sources said the two Albanians were pasturing cattle in the fields just outside their village, where they were killed by Serbs.
The bodies of Fehmi Paçarizi and his grandfather Osman were found today in a forest not far from the village. The head of the chapter of human rights Council in Malisheva said the two men were apprehended by Serb police and were executed later near Malisheva.
Besides manning an outpost of Serb police near Dragobil, Serb troops have been dug in in several other places in the vicinity of the village and surrounding hamlets, the LDK chapter in Malisheva said.

Serbs Terrorize Refugees Returning to Their Villages

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Malisheva said today the local population which has been camping out in the fields or was sheltered in safer places have met with Serb terror if they decided to return to their half-razed villages. Many have been reported beaten by Serb troops once they reached their places of residence, and had no choice but to flee again, the Commission said. It named some of the persons who were subjected to Serb forces terror and intimidation recently, including Bedri Paçarizi (20) and his uncle Jetullah Paçarizi from Dragobil. The two men were beaten brutally when they went to their village yesterday to see if their houses had survived the Serb shelling earlier. They were beaten because they witnessed Serbs looting the property of their fellow villagers.
The head of the Malisheva LDK Information Commission told the KIC today that Serbs have resumed pillaging property of Albanians in many villages in the area, such as in Ostrazub, Dragobil, Banjë, Bubavec, Carrallukë, Tërpezë e Ulët. After pillaging houses, they commonly set them ablaze, he said.

Three Babies Die Shortly after Being Born in Outdoor Refugee Camp

PRISHTINA, Sept 3 (KIC) - Three babies died shortly after birth in the past few days in Lladroc village of Malisheva, because of lack of proper medical treatment.
Local sources said 12 other pregnant women are expected to give birth soon in an outdoor refugee camp in Lladrovc. The women have been living under plastic makeshift tents around the village for weeks.
Several thousand internally displaced persons have been camping out in two valleys near the village of Lladrovc of Malisheva. Scarce humanitarian aid has reached the village so far, as the area has been tightly sealed off by Serb forces.

Bodies of Killed Albanians Found in Suhareka and Klina

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The bodies of two Albanians, killed earlier in their places of residence, were found by their returning families in Klina and Suhareka.
Members of the Krasniqi family in Samadrexhë village of Suhareke returned to their home yesterday to find the corpse of their member, Sylejman Krasniqi (56). The late Krasniqi was reportedly shot dead on 23 August.
Meanwhile, the body of a 75-year-old woman, Gjyle Hajdari (75), was found in her village of Drenoc in Klina. As her body was spotted by the Serbs, the Serb press alleged today that she was killed by the Albanian guerrillas ('terrorists').

Over 30 Activists Detained by Serb Police in Gjilan

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - At least 30 activists with local chapters of Albanian political parties and human rights groups in Gjilan were detained and interrogated by Serb police during the past few days.
The LDK chapter in Gjilan named today over a dozen of activists who were held for hours in the Serb police custody. They were questioned about activities of their parties and human and humanitarian groups in the area. All of them forced to tell everything they knew about the Liberation Army of Kosova (UÇK).

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1554-A
Prishtina, 16 September 1998

First Edition: 12:30 hrs

Serb Forces Resume Attacks against a Dozen Villages of Shala e Bajgorës Region
Three Albanians killed at Stari Tërg Tuesday; population on the move from scores of villages in northern Kosova

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC); 10:00 hrs - At 6 o'clock in the morning today (Wednesday), Serbian military and paramilitary police troops resumed shelling the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës region, which lies in a triangle straddling the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva, sources said.
Reports from Mitrovica said at 7 o'clock the shelling of these villages in Shalë e Bajgorës was continuing: Zabërxhë, Melenicë, the "Trepça" suburbs, Stari Tërg, Vidishiq, Rashan, Mazhiq, Pasomë, Tërstenë, Kaçanoll, Bare and Kutllovc. Serb forces have been shelling from their positions at Kisha e Boletinit, Zherovnica, and Kutllovc, whereas overnight Serb military opened artillery and mortar fire from its base at Frashër ('Fresher') village of Mitrovica.
An LDK activist said today's explosions were very heavy. Houses in Melenicë, Stari Tërgu and Mazhiqi were in flames and smoke, he added.
Tuesday, three Albanians were killed at Stari Tërg. Halim Ferizi (60), his son Enver Ferizi (38), and a family guest, Rizah Tahiri (55), resident of Selac village, were killed in the courtyard of Halim Ferizi's house. Halim's sons, Fadil Ferizi (35) amd Adil Ferizi (32) were arrested and held for eight hours in custody, during which time they were ill-treated, LDK sources in Mitrovica said Wednesday.
The population of the attacked villages has fled their homes, but most of them spent the night in the Lisica mountains, as Serb police has not allowed them to proceed to Mitrovica.
As many as 40,000 Albanians driven from their homes have found refuge in the municipality of Mitrovica in the past several months.
In Zhabar of Mitrovica foreign observers have been stationed, but it is not known whether they were able to see the Serb attack of the past few days in Shalë villages.
Meanwhile, reports from Podujeva there was sporadic shooting overnight. At 6 a.m. today, Serb forces started firing heavy guns.
Serb forces which were deployed Tuesday in an area between the villages of Bajçinë, Dobratin and Bradash, half a dozen km north of Podujeva, have been pounding the Shalë e Bajgorës villages with heavy artillery. The shelling was especially fierce after nine o'clock in the morning, local sources said.
Foreign observers were seen travelling the Podujeva - Kërpimeh roadway today.
A large portion of the population of the Podujeva villages straddling the Podujeva - Kërpimeh roadawy - such as Peran, Bajçinë, Dobërdol, Zakut, Kërpimeh, Pakashticë, Revuç, Dobratin and Bradash - has fled their homes in fear of Serb crackdown against the Albanian civilian population seen elsewhere in Kosova. The huge Serb military buildup only added to a psychosis of an imminent Serb action.
On Tuesday, LDK activists on the ground worked to persuade the panic-stricken population not to flee the area altogether, but rather stay in the villages with a relative safety in the Podujeva area.
In the afternoon hours Tuesday, most of the people fleeing their home villages found refuge in the town of Podujeva.
Panic and fear spread to the villages straddling the Podujeva - Prishtinë roadway, too. Part of the Albanian population was moving Tuesday in the direction of Prishtina.
Reports from Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') said Serb forces started just after seven o'clock in the morning shelling the village of Pasomë and the outlying villages which make part of the geographic whole known as Shalë e Bajgorës.
The explosion were very heavy, sources in the town of Vushtrri said, adding that their echo can be heard in town and the flames and smoke billowing from them can be seen there too.
Because of Serb attacks, the residents of the villages of Pasomë, Tërllabuç, Bajskë, Sllatinë and Smrekonicë have fled their homes.
Tens of thousands of Albanians driven from their homes in central Kosova earlier this year have found refuge in Vushtrri and Mitrovica municipalities.

Shelling of Shalë from Podujeva Area Continues, the Town Virtually Sealed Off

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) 12:00 hrs- Serb forces which have been deployed in the village of Dobratin of Podujeva have been continuing shelling the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës region in the triangle between Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva, sources said around midday today (Tuesday).
LDK sources in Podujeva said a number of families of the Ahmeti family compound have not been able to evacuate.
A heavy Serb forces' buildup is reported in the town of Podujeva.
Forces have been stationed in several key positions in town.
Citizens are being strictly and routinely checked in the center of the town, in the vicinity of the post office, near the Brick Factory, near the Steel Factory on the road leading to the northern village of Dumnicë, as well as in the outskirts of Podujeva on the road to Shajkovc.
Sources in Podujeva said at 11 a.m. a convoy of Serb forces consisting of 40 vehicles, coming from Serbia, passed along Podujeva in the direction of Prishtina.
Traffic in the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway has been heavier today compared to yesterday. In the entrance to capital Prishtina, police has been stopping cars and people for routine checks.

Population Holed Up in Three Klina Villages Held inside Serb Siege

PRISHTINA, Sept 16 (KIC) - The village Sferkë e Gashit in the municipality of Klina, in central Kosova, has been under siege by Serb forces, local sources reported Wednesday morning.
The LDK chapter in Klina said Serb troops have set a five-day deadline to the residents of Sverka to surrender the weapons they allegedly possess or else face a harsh crackdown.
Part of the local population succeeded in fleeing the village, but the majority are holed up fearing imminent Serb onslaughts.
The population of a couple of neighboring villages, Çupevë and Volljakë, have likewise found themselves trapped in the area encircled by Serb troops.
Witnesses told the KIC Serb troops entered the Dush village two days ago, torching the few farmhouses which had survived an earlier attack.

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KOSOVA (shelling - Shalë e Bajgorës)
Shelling of the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës continues

Prishtina, 15 September (ARTA) 2120CET --
Albanian sources from the ground notify that Serb forces stationed in Stantërg and in the military base in the village of Kutlloc, municipality of Mitrovicë, shelled the villages of Mazhiq, Melenicë and Bare, in the region of Shalë e Bajgorës this afternoon.
The same sources inform about enormous material damages caused to several villages, particularly to the village of Mazhiq.
On the other hand, Serb forces, using machine guns fired in the direction of the village of Mazhiq, from their military barrack in Kutlloc. Fortunately, there were no victims.
The shelling in Shalë e Bajgorës is still taking place today, sources from the ground, particularly the LDK ones inform.

KOSOVA (onslaught - Shalë e Bajgorës)
The villages of Kutlloc, Mazhiq, Melenicë, Rahovë, Rashan, Tërsten, Bare, Zjaçë attacked with tanks

Mitrovicë, 15 September (ARTA) 1800CET --
More than 150 military vehicles, equipped with heavy artillery, arrived in Rashkë this morning, from the military barrack in Mitrovicë, "KOHA Ditore" sources notified on Monday.
These reinforcements took their positions in Stantërg and in the Serb military base in the village of Kutlloc. There are reports that the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës had been shelled last night from the military forces in the above-mentioned positions.
The following villages were reported shelled: Mazhiq, Melenicë, Rahovë, Rashan, Tërsten, Bare, and Zjaçë.
There are also claims that the Serb infantry made several attempts to enter the village of Mazhiq from their military base in Kutlloc.
On the other hand, sources from the ground said that large military\police forces headed from Vushtrri and Mitrovicë, in the direction of the village of Sumë, a village in the southern part of the Shalë e Bajgorës region, on Monday morning.
These military forces, equipped with tanks, APCs, cannons and radio-links, cruised through the village of Banjskë, municipality of Vushtrri, resided by mixed Albanian and Serb population, and settled on top of a hill nearby, at the places called Baliq and Shpati, from where they are shelling the village of Sumë.
One grenade fell in the northern part of the village of Smrekovnicë and another in the village of Kçiç i Madh.
There are still no reports on eventual victims, as entrance in these villages is virtually impossible.
There are reports that the residents of the villages of Smrekovnicë, Sumë, Banjskë, and Sllatinë, have been partially evacuated.
Sources say that large military forces headed from Vushtrri in the direction of the eastern part of Shalë e Bajgorës. They then settled in the village of Sllatinë, inhabited by Serbs.
Some of the residents of these villages have been evacuated to Vushtrri and other less threatened villages. There were detonations in this region the whole night through.
A great number of war escapees arrived in the town of Mitrovicë, as the humanitarian situation in the town is nearing a catastrophe.

KOSOVA (clashes - Llap)
Clashes in the regions between Llap and Shalë e Bajgorës

Podujevë, 15 September (ARTA) 2100CET --
LDK and CDHRF sources notify that the Serb police\military forces that went to Dobratin at around 1030CET began another large-scale operation against the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës. However, they ran into KLA units, which prevented them from entering. In the end, the Serb police\military forces, many times larger in number and fighting technique were trapped in their fighting position, from where they are shelling the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës. There are reports that the detonations were very powerful and that they could be heard as far as the town of Podujevë.
There are reports that the Serb infantry made its way to the village of Dobratin, from where all the residents are evacuated. Locals say that they saw smoke and fire coming from the region of Shalë e Bajgorës. So far, there is no information confirming the number of killed, or wounded people, or the material damages from either of the sides. In the meantime, the residents of several localities have started to flee in the direction of Podujevë and Prishtina.
There are claims that the police is preventing the people from getting from Luzhan to Prishtina.
LDK leaders appealed to the people, not to panic, and not to leave the homes if they are not endangered by these operations. In the meantime, the Emergency Council, in cooperation with all political subjects, is giving great effort to systemize the escapees that are arriving in Podujevë.
The majority of the stores were closed down, this afternoon. There are very few people in the streets. There are reports that Serb police forces mistreated unidentified persons on the road to Shajkoc.
There is also information that a number of people were arrested in Dobratin, although their identities are unconfirmed.
The situation remains very tense, particularly in the villages that border the municipality of Mitrovicë, such as Dobratin, Revuç, Bradash, Bajçincë, Llapashticë etc.

KOSOVA (shelling - Shalë e Bajgorës)
Shalë e Bajgorës shelled from Bajçincë

Prishtina, 15 September (ARTA) 2130CET --
Serb forces, previously stationed in the hill close to the village of Bajçincë, started a large-scale operation against the villages of Shalë e Bajgorës, LDK sources from the ground inform.
At 1230CET, the same sources claimed that the shelling was still under way, adding that smoke and fire could be seen coming from the neighborhood of Vrellakë, in the village of Dobratin.
The same sources confirmed that large Serb forces arrived in the region of Llap today. In the meantime, there are reports there was a traffic accident today, near the military barrack in the village of Vranidol, thus the road seems to be blocked.
On the other hand, the local population of the villages of Bradash, Bajçincë, Dobratin, Dobërdol, is fleeing in the direction of Podujevë.
Sources confirm that, the Serb police is controlling every passenger that comes from the direction of Podujevë, at the entrance to Prishtina, in Kodra e Trimave.

KOSOVA (tension mounts – Llap)
Tense situation in the municipality of Podujevë

Podujevë, 15 September (ARTA) 1630CET --
Serb forces, which were previously settled in the military field base in Obranqë, headed in the direction of Kërpimeh in the early morning hours, CDHRF sources in Podujevë inform. The same sources notify that they then settled in a place called Pishat e Dobartinit, situated between the villages of Dobratin, Revuç, and Bajçincë e Zakut.
On the other hand, a combined police\military convoy, composed of about 220 vehicles, trucks, APCs, terrain vehicles and different armored vehicles, with different license plates, such as from Shabac, Mitrovicë, Gjilan and Ferizaj, came from the direction of Prishtina, at around 0530CET. They all headed in the direction of the Podujevë-Kërpimeh road, where they joined the military forces and settled on the Dobratin Revuqë line.
Sources inform that large police\military forces settled at the police checkpoint near the "Besiana" Motel, where two military helicopters are stationed. Ten vehicles, loaded with police and military forces, stopped off in the local brick factory. Such forces also settled near the driving school and by the police checkpoint at the "Besiana" Motel.
The LDK and CDHRF premises were blocked, and so was the post office nearby where large police forces are posted. There are reports that the Podujevë-Kërpimeh, and Podujevë-Dumnicë roads, are completely blocked, and that the Serb forces have now carrying out more thorough controls. Detonations coming from Shalë e Bajgorës could be heard as far as the town of Podujevë. There is still no information on eventual victims, or material damage.
In the meantime, it has been reported that helicopters have been flying over the town throughout the whole day, as a highly intensified atmosphere has taken over the region.

KOSOVA (Albania – turmoil)
LPK: "The current situation - a scenario prepared by Belgrade"

Prishtina, 15 September (ARTA) 1630CET --
The branch of the People's Movement of Kosova branch abroad, issued a communiqué, saying that this party is following with great distress the events taking place in Albania.
"The current situation, following the political assassination of Azem Hajdari, as well as the present developments, prove that we are dealing with a scenario, carefully prepared by Belgrade", evaluates LPK.
All this turmoil in Albania is a stab on the back for the unsolved issue of Kosova, stated the communiqué.
"We categorically oppose any pronunciation that splits and leaves Kosova under Serbia or `Yugoslavia', as we also oppose the attempt to destroy Albanian State institutions, by Albanians themselves. We categorically oppose any attempt to divide Albanians and thus condemn the Albanian people once again", claimed LPK.
"For anybody with a clear head, it is evident that Albania is now in the brink of a `coup d'état', which was very carefully prepared, but which is most surely bound to fail", LPK evaluated. This is not aimed at the destruction of state institutions only, but also at suffocating Kosova’s liberation movement, stated LPK.
"Those dark Albanian forces, which claimed authority in 1992, by shedding innocent blood, ran away after burning and destroying Albania. Those forces that a year ago, tried to start a war between the North and South, are making one more attempt to shed more blood in Albania and defeat Kosova, however we are sure they will fail", said the LPK statement.
The People's Movement of Kosova, repudiates irresponsible statements of the legal political parties of Kosova, which are only pouring gasoline to the flame in Albania, adds the communiqué.
LPK strongly supports the institutions in Albania and their efforts to bring back peace and order in the state.
LPK appeals to the Albania Government "to learn from their mistakes and fulfill the promise made to the people".
"We appeal for strong support to the national issue and rejection of irresponsible statements; we call them to use the will of the Albanian people in Kosova, as a guiding star, to live in peace and independence".

ALBANIA (turmoil – MP assassination)
Spahia: "There were Greek vehicles, carrying disguised persons who spoke the Albanian southern dialect"

Tirana, 15 September (ARTA) 2000CET --
In a press conference held in the Democratic Party’s headquarters, PD leadership member, Pjetër Arbnori, the chairperson of the Party for the Movement of Legality, Ekrem Spahia, as well as the vice-chairman of this party, Murat Basha denounced "receiving threats from the police two days ago".
"Beside the killings and the violence which was exercised against the protesters some days ago, the ordinary and secret police blackmailed and used means of violence against the leaderships of opposition parties", claimed Pjetër Arbnori.
The former speaker in parliament told journalists that "a police vehicle stopped a group of representatives of some political parties as they were on their way to the presidential palace to give a declaration signed by 12 political parties to the President". The police officers asked to get off the car and threatened them: "We will eliminate all of you who want to get power".
The members of the delegation were Fatmir Mediu, Yll Vejsiu, Teodor Laço, and Pjetër Arbnori.
In addition, the police, driving in three vehicles, stopped the chair of the Legality Party, Ekrem Spahia, under the pretext that they were looking for a stolen vehicle. Ekrem Spahia claimed that "the vehicles were Greek and they were driven by disguised persons who spoke in the South Albanian dialect".

KOSOVA (KLA political representative - briefing)
Demaçi: "The race for power, must not affect national interests"

Prishtina, 15 September (ARTA) 1500CET --
"The competition for governing, is understandable until it doesn't affect national interests", said the KLA political representative, Adem Demaçi at the beginning of his regular press conference. Speaking about the last events in Albania, Demaçi said that these days are decisive for the Albanian President Rexhep Meidani.
"President Meidani must ask for the help of the Albanian Assembly, and decide...to create a national Army, a national police as well as the Law Court and the Public Prosecutors Office which does not belong to any ideology", he claimed.
Furthermore, Demaçi proposed the Albanian president to establish a transitory Government comprised by personalities who are distinguished patriots and professionals.
"Albania has many such personalities, but they need the support of the people", he evaluated adding further that, it is very easy to propose, but difficult to realize such goals.
Demaçi also expressed his condolences for the death of Azem Hajdari, and stressed that efforts for getting power must not go beyond certain limits, because they will not be tolerated.
Asked about the eventual involvement of the KLA in the present turmoil in Albania, Demaçi replied that the KLA is not involved.
"But, the Republic of Albania, which is weak because of such a crisis, is not the backing Albanians expect it to be. We are against every form of crisis, because a state of crisis does not lead forward", he claimed.
Asked whether the crisis in Albania will draw the international attention from Kosova, Adem Demaçi responded: "Yes partly, but I think that things will settle down there very soon".
Asked to explain one of his previous statements that "his political fate relates to the one of Sali Berisha ", Demaçi emphasized that he proposed to Berisha to resign "because six years are enough for one to show his political abilities".
"I changed my mind in time. I am very adaptable to the conditions and circumstances", stated Adem Demaçi.
Concerning the issue of Fatos Nano's resignation, Demaçi said that he ought not to be dismissed. The KLA political representative also talked about the situation in Kosova.
He clearly opposed sending humanitarian aids through Serb channels.
"We have our humanitarian organizations, and assistance can be sent and distributed through them", claimed Demaçi.
He claimed that in the upcoming months, the Serb regime would try to neutralize every effort of the Albanians, in order to force them "to accept a cultural autonomy" in the future.
Demaçi claimed that the KLA is being restructured even during the Serb offensive. "Serbs are trying to prevent the KLA from consolidating by conducting offensives one after another", he claimed.
Concerning the KLA political statement that: "We will win or Kosova will be burnt to ashes", Demaçi claimed that this is just a rhetoric which express the determination of a soldier to achieve his goal.
Asked about his opinion concerning handing in weapons, Demaçi answered that only those who were unsure when they took weapons in the first place could hand them in. Those who took the weapons in their hands with full consciousness are aware that they cannot be given in as long as they are alive. "This will go on until one side is fed up", claimed Demaçi estimating that, the Serb side will be fed up fist because Albanians need freedom.
"In principle, I support the talks, but first the Serbs have to offer the necessary arguments before they take place", he claimed adding further that, the problem could be solved with military intervention from abroad.
"...The foreign forces ought to intervene.... attack some of the Serb military bases...", estimated KLA political representative Adem Demaçi.

KOSOVA (US Ambassador to Macedonia)
Rugova: "The American document of 3 September is not acceptable for Albanians"

Prishtina, 15 September (ARTA) 1700CET --
The American Envoy for the issue of Kosova, and the US Ambassador to Macedonia, Christopher Hill, returned to Prishtina, on Tuesday, after spending two weeks in Vienna and the USA.
The American mediator held a meeting with the President of the Republic of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, with whom he discussed, as he stated, the crisis in Kosova.
"We discussed the situation in Kosova, the humanitarian issues and the negotiating process", stated Hill, as he came out from the President's residency.
Sources close to the presidency, stated that during the meeting, Ambassador Hill and Rugova discussed the American project of 3 September, which was offered to the Albanian and Serb side.
There are claims that Rugova supported the American engagement in Kosova, but he did not support the American approach and the document of 3 September, which as it is stated, opposes the Contact Group decisions. They also talked about the letter the Albanian side addressed to Ambassador Hill, and about the objections that the Albanian negotiating team had toward the American project concerning the status of Kosova.
Sources from the presidency claim that they had higher expectations from Ambassador Hill and the American side for the just contemplation of the future of the Kosova issue.
During his stay in the USA, Hill harshly criticized other US partners in the Contact Group for "Yugoslavia", particularly EU member countries, for what he calls "turning their back to the Balkans"
Europeans replied by announcing the appointment of the EU Envoy to Kosova, which should take place these next three weeks.
Now, Hill is back in the region again, to work on as he said the "negotiating process" and on the temporary solution, as he announced before going to Vienna.
Concerning the most recent turmoil in Albania, caused by the death of the MP, Azem Hajdari, Hill stated that, he did not discuss this with Rugova, and he had no comment in this regard.
"I would rather not comment the events in Albania", stated Hill, before leaving to Brussels, on Tuesday, where he is supposed to meet with the NATO Council.

KOSOVA (NATO Council - meeting)
NATO Council discusses the status of Kosova and the situation in Albania

Brussels, 15 September (ARTA) 1730CET --
A NATO high ranking official confirmed on Tuesday that, the American Ambassador to Macedonia and the mediator between Prishtina and Belgrade, Christopher Hill, will report to the NATO Council on the course of his field activity.
NATO sources also confirmed that, besides Ambassador Hill, the US Assistant Secretary for Security Issues, Strobe Talbot, would also be the guest of that session.
The NATO official also said that, Hill is expected to inform the Ambassadors with some of the details of the American project for Kosova. NATO Council is also expected to discuss the newest developments in Albania. Asked whether the situation in Albania could affect NATO's military plans for Kosova (since one of the items of these plans implies deploying NATO peacekeeping troops at the border), the diplomat responded that, "it is still early to say". He repeated NATO’s appeal for restraint addressed to all parties in Albania. If one wants to change the Government, the only way to achieve it is through democratic means, namely through elections, he claimed.
The Albanian people as elsewhere in the world, have the right to express their political determination through protests, but those protests have to be peaceful and not endanger public order, the NATO official told Albanian daily "Koha Ditore". At the end, he claimed that NATO has welcomed the last information from Tirana, which indicates that the situation there is calmer, and tensions have shown a positive scope of decrement.

                            KOSOVO/A ON-LINE
                                       Topic:
                           Religion and Kosovo
                                     Authors:
                          Hieromonk Sava Janjic

    As opposed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where abuse of religion directly or indirectly caused the escalation of inter-ethnic conflicts, the religious communities in Kosovo and Metohija can play a much more constructive role in achieving peace and making possible coexistence, and thus preventing the existing conflict from acquiring religious characteristics.

People of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Islamic faiths have been living in Kosovo and Metohija for several centuries, sharing the tumultuous historic experiences that took place in this part of the Balkans. These communities have played a very important role in building and preserving the national and cultural identity of the region's ethnic groups. Thus, for instance, the Serbian Orthodox Church created and maintained the spiritual identity of the Serb nation, especially during the hardships of Ottoman rule. Furthermore, in Kosovo and Metohija there are over 1,300 Serb Orthodox churches and monasteries of the greatest importance, along with other cultural and historic monuments of extreme significance not only to the Serbs, but also to the other peoples that live here, and to the world as a whole.

Unlike the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serb-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija is primarily a clash between two national ideologies, and not a clash of two peoples or religions. Religion played a secondary role in the formation of contemporary national consciousness, especially in the case of the Albanians, among whom are members of all three major denominations. On the other hand, the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church has never incited national intolerance, but primarily limited itself to protecting Serb spiritual tradition and culture. The Albanian and Serb Christians frequently rebelled together against the Ottoman occupiers. Because of this and despite all the antagonism and occasional exceptions, there has been a relatively high degree of religious tolerance in the region.

Until recently, the Albanians, both Muslim and Roman Catholic, frequently visited Orthodox holy places and large gatherings and fairs. In addition, many Serbs and Albanians established strong personal ties and visited each other on religious holidays. Unfortunately, owing to increased ethnic tensions in the past several years, all contacts have been reduced to a minimum. However, despite the present grave conditions, representatives of religious communities can now play a very important part in resolving the Kosovo problem and establishing peace.

Activities of religious communities towards establishing peace and advancing coexistence could develop in the following directions:

1. Despite all their religious differences, religious communities ought to clearly demonstrate readiness to pursue a lasting peace based on truth, justice, and respect of human rights. This goal can be achieved only by developing cooperation, personal contacts, and organizing symposiums and debates in the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect for tradition and customs. Religious communities could make an active and sincere contribution to building trust and furthering coexistence.

2. Parallel with the official negotiating process, members of religious communities, academicians, scientists, humanitarian activists, crisis-solving experts, could, by way of unofficial meetings, assist the negotiating process by proposing solutions as well as contribute to the implementation of the agreements reached. Religious communities should distance themselves from all forms of ethnic extremism and religious intolerance, which requires refraining from unbalanced statements, unfounded charges and referring to members of other ethnic groups in a derogatory manner, as well as reducing ethnic animosities by promoting peace and respect for one's fellow men.

3. It is essential to establish cooperation in the area of humanitarian work, especially by creating conditions for the return of refugees and other displaced people. The work of humanitarian organizations and their free access to endangered areas should be openly supported and direct cooperation with them established.

4. In no way should religious communities directly or indirectly incite or justify any use of violence against innocent people, and they should condemn every abuse or violation of basic human rights. In doing so, appeals, official announcements of certain events, and active efforts within their respective communities in fighting violence would be of great assistance. It should be particularly stressed that human life is the greatest gift of God, and that human beings and their dignity should be respected as required by both earthly and divine laws.

5. There should be intense activity against discrimination along ethnic or religious lines. This could be achieved by increasing humanitarian activities and making aid available to all in need of it, regardless of nationality or faith, as well as by protecting ethnic groups which are minorities in certain areas or are otherwise endangered.

6. Special, strong appeals should be made against the destruction and desecration of sacred places (mosques, churches and cemeteries) and cultural monuments. To destroy that which has been preserved for centuries is an act of ultimate barbarism. On the other hand, such places should under no circumstances be used for military purposes.

7. In the area of humanitarian activities, acts of personal vengeance and retaliation, together with the abduction of people and other forms of illegal detention, should be particularly condemned. Strong appeals should be launched against the unnecessary and deliberate destruction of private property: the torching of houses and crops, and slaughter of livestock, and at the same time all assistance available should be offered for the renewal of areas ravaged by the clashes.

8. Religious communities should appeal to news media to prevent provocative and biased reporting on the activities of religious communities, as such reporting often fans the flames of inter-ethnic hate and intolerance. Educational programs on electronic media should not promote quasi-historic theories denying religious and cultural identity to any ethnic group. Abusing and forging history for the sake of political objectives is an injustice which seriously undermines inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations.

9. Religious communities should demand normal contact with their congregations. All attempts to jeopardize religious freedom should be openly condemned and unobstructed activity of spiritual leaders and institutions secured, as well as free access for believers to their places of worship.   We, the representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, are ready and willing to do everything possible to ensure that these principles are respected and implemented in the spirit of peace and tolerance, and thus create conditions for the restoration of trust. For example, the fraternity of the Visoki Decani Monastery has appealed for peace and a cessation of hostilities on a number of occasions. In addition, the Monastery organized humanitarian aid not only for Serb refugees, but for the Albanian population as well. This could help the monastery bridge the gap between the Serbs and Albanians in the Decani region. We are planning a more ambitious humanitarian project with the IOCC and other humanitarian organizations, both at home and abroad, to assist a greater number of displaced people on both sides.

With a rational and sober attitude, our Church -- and we hope this applies to all other religious communities -- might become a key factor in finding a peaceful resolution and establishing a modern, democratic society in this region. Though deeply bound to their tradition, religious communities must encourage all citizens of Kosovo and Metohija to seek their common interest in the future and in the integration of this part of the Balkans with Europe and the world. Throughout this period, our bishop, Artemije, on many occasions has pleaded with the government to start negotiations as soon as possible, while representatives of our Church presented our peaceful platform in many places, from Washington, to London, to Paris, having been met everywhere with support for our peaceful and non-violent position. It is our deep conviction that the problem of Kosovo and Metohija should be perceived within the context of the wider problem of democratization and human rights in the Balkans, instead of as a local, territorial problem that should be resolved by force. Therefore it is necessary that all citizens of the province actively contribute to finding a solution, acceptable to all the people who live here. This solution should also be in accordance with international charters and law.

The Holy Scripture teaches us that one cannot love God without first loving one's neighbor, and that we should treat other people in the same way that we would like them to treat us. Guided by these basic Christian principles, the Serbian Orthodox Church sincerely believes that all people of good will in this region will find enough strength and will to emerge from this nightmare of war and intolerance, and seek to give an active contribution to democratization and the improvement of everyday life, taking care to preserve their spiritual tradition and cultural and historic heritage.

Or, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: "It is not enough to talk about the peace. One must believe in it. And it is not enough to believe in it. One must work at it."

(The author is a hieromonk in the Serb Orthodox Monastery of Visoki Decani. )

             Rights Group Criticizes Closure of Kosovo Montenegro Boundary
                         Calls on International Community to Increase Aid

(New York, September 16, 1998)  - Human Rights Watch today criticized the decision of the Montenegrin government to deny those fleeing the fighting in Kosovo entry into Montenegro. The organization called upon the government of Montenegro to provide refuge to persons displaced by the Kosovo conflict and urged the international community to increase and expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.

"While we acknowledge the burdens faced by the Montenegrin government in responding to this crisis, closing the border effectively traps people who are fleeing continued fighting and wide spread atrocities by Yugoslav government forces," said Holly Cartner, Executive Director of the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch.

On September 11, 1998, in a late evening session the Montenegrin government decided to close the internal boundary between Montenegro and Kosovo to all persons seeking refuge from the armed conflict.  The government justified its decision based on the economic strain posed by the incoming displaced persons and ist fear that new arrivals would increase ethnic tensions and possibly destabilize the country.

At the time of the decision, approximately 40,000 ethnic Albanians from Kosovo had taken refuge in Montenegro. Combined with an additional 30,000 refugees who had fled the war in Bosnia and Croatia, refugees and displaced persons in Montenegro comprise 11.6 percent of the total Montenegrin population, according to the government. As a result of the swelling refugee population in Montenegro, xenophobia and ethnic tension are on the rise.

On September 13, a group of 3,200 ethnic Albanians from Kosovo were expelled to Albania by the Montenegrin authorities.  Two-thirds of those expelled were women, children, and the elderly, according to humanitarian sources.  They arrived in Montenegro on September 11, and were kept on the outskirts of the town of Plav until their expulsion on September 13.  The government of Montenegro has pledged to provide safe harbor to the refugees and internally displaced persons who arrived on its territory prior to the September 11 decision.Since March 1998, the Yugoslav government offensive in Kosovo, accompanied by systematic atrocities and human rights violations, has forced at least 300,000 people to flee their homes.  Many are currently in exposed conditions inside Kosovo facing ongoing attacks.  An estimated 80,000 people have fled Kosovo for neighboring republic of Montenegro, and the neighboring countries of Albania and Macedonia.  Human Rights Watch is concerned that these territories, if forced to rely only on their own resources, will not have adequate  means to receive refugees and displaced persons in conditions that ensure their health and well-being.

Despite many promises, western governments have not provided sufficient aid to Montenegro in responding to its refugee crisis.  "To date, the international community has not mustered the resolve to force an end to the fighting in Kosovo, fighting that on a daily basis produces new waves of displacement and suffering.  Civilians are by far the primary victims of this conflict." said Ms. Cartner.  "As winter approaches, the failure to fund relief efforts will only further contribute to the humanitarian disaster."

For further information, contact:
Holly Cartner (212) 216-1277
Elizabeth Andersen (212) 216-1265

CONTRARY TO NANO'S CALLS TO HOLD POWER THROUGH VIOLENT MEANS, ALBANIAN OPPOSITION IN FAVOR OF POLITICAL SOLUTIONS FOR PULLING THE COUNTRY OUT OF DEEP CRISIS

Tirana, September 16, 1998

On September 1998, Azem HAJDARI, MP, the leader of the December 1990 anti-communist students' movement, the chairman of the first opposition party in Albania (Democratic Party), Member of Parliament in four legislations, chairman of the Defense -Public Order and National Intelligence Parliamentary Commission was shot to death in front of the Democratic Party headquarters. Azem HAJDARI was member of the Steering Committee of the Democratic Party of Albania and Chief of the Department on the Security Policies at the DP.

Besides, Mr. HAJDARI, there were previously killed other leaders of the Democratic Party, namely Abdyl MATOSHI, Gjin KOLBUCAJ, Naim DIZDARI in Tropoja, Bashkim SHKURTI in Lushnja, Fredi SHEHU in Gjirokastra, Edmond ZISI in Saranda, Halim GJUZI in Kavaja. Many others have been arrested, wounded, maltreated by the police.

Despite this state-organized terror against the Democratic Party, its National Council decided to take part in the constitutional process and to summon the Parties round table on August 31, 1998. But just two days before the table was to take place, on the order of Fatos Nano and contrary to any kind of procedure and on groundless charges, there were arrested six former high ranking officials of the Democratic Party. They are still under unlawful arrest.

The Steering Committee of the Democratic Party and its chairman Berisha has continuously called for moderation. He demanded Nano's resignation within 24 hours in order to avoid the situation sliding to violent acts that could get out of reach and control by emphasizing that the Democratic Party is for a political solution and that the Democratic Party is against coming to power through violence. His appeal was joined by 18 other parties of all the centre right-wing spectrum, which signed a joint declaration demanding the resignation of Fatos Nano, demanding the creation of a technical government whose mission would be the establishment of order and public security, to provide for the adoption of the Constitution, the preparation and the organization of the political elections, and to bring to justice the responsible of the murder of Azem HAJDARI.

Monday, September 14, 1998, was the day of the funeral of the three victims of the state terrorism, Azem HAJDARI, Skender KALENJA, and Besim CERRA. In his speech, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr. Berisha asked the enormous crowd for self-restraining. "This day should be the day of peace", he said. Calls to calm, non-violence and self-restraint were repeated by Mr. Berisha and the other leaders.

The coffins were taken spontaneously by the numerous friends of HAJDARI in front of the prime ministry building. When the coffins were placed at the footsteps of that building, from inside there came shooting on the people, by causing many wounded and activating the anti-governmental outrage. Then there was exchange of fire which caused tens of wounded and some killed, among whom also a leader of the trade unions.

In this situation, the police took out in the streets tanks against the peaceful protesters, who managed to get hold of them without the slightest resistance. Since the TV station building and many other state institution buildings were left in the mercy of the fate, Democratic Party supporters protected these institutions in order to hand it over to the police four hours later. The building was handed over undamaged, even a single glass was not broken. Midday, the DP Chairman. Mr. Berisha launched a message to the people for moderation and stressed that the Democratic Party was for a political solution and he was in constant contacts to reach such a solution.

During afternoon of Monday, September 14, 1998, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Liberal Union, the Christian-Democratic party, the Legality Movement Party, the Agrarian Party, the People's League Party, etc., demanded President Meidani to get hold of heading the government in accordance with the Constitutional Provisions of Albania, until the all-round table of parties decided for a new political solution. But he did not do that.

In a public statement on September 19, 1998, Fatos Nano reinforced his minister Teta and launched an open call for civil war. He attacked the opposition and the leaders of the Democratic Party by threatening them with chains and jails, violence and terror by excluding any possibility for political solution. The Democratic Party called for separation from this declaration of the prime minister.

Climate in Albania is most tense, because the opposition options for political solution of the crisis have received negative answers by Fatos Nano, who has declared himself for staying in power through violence.
--
Democratic Party of Albania     http://www.albania.co.uk/dp     e-mail. dpa@albania.co.uk

BC-ALBANIA-NANO-STATEMENT
Nano says Government cannot accept ultimatums from terrorist group

      TIRANA, Sept 15 (ATA)-The government met today under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Fatos Nano.
      At this meeting Nano, addressing the whole Albanian people, said that "the day of yesterday will remain as a day which violated not only our fragile democratic culture but also our tradition of respect for the dead."
      Carrying the coffin of the late, Azem Hajdari, the armed crowd of Sali Berisha aimed and sought to finally mar life to put a tomb stone on the Albanian new democracy. However, what is fundamental for the future of Albania is the fact that the armed wing of the DP, headed by Sali Berisha, failed completely.
      Further on, Nano thanked all those who averted the atrocious rebellion yesterday with will and wisdom, thanked the public order forces, cabinet members, all those responsible political forces which were not overwhelmed by panic and the international partners, who have been close to Albania and the Albanian government in this extremely difficult moment.
      Nano especially thanked the President of the Republic, Rexhep Meidani for his civil determination, political courage in defending the constitutional order.
      Later, explaining the current position of the government, Nano said: First of all no government elected by the free vote of the people can accept ultimatum from a group of armed terrorists, regardless of the fact that this group acts in the name of a parliamentary party and is headed by people clothed in political immunity.
      "We refused and will continue to refuse with contempt and patriotism any request to resign under such conditions," said Nano.
     Second, said Nano, "until the moment when all the fanatics gathered around their chief at the DP headquarters do not hand over their military arsenal, no negotiation can be imagined to facilitate the difficult position the chiefs of this party are finding themselves in.
      Nano called on the heads of several small right wing parties to distance themselves from the absurd appeals, headed by the organiser of the coup d'etat, Sali Berisha.
      Third, Nano said that "neither Berisha nor anyone else should think that we shall wait endlessly for all the weapons to come out of the Democratic Party headquarters. Time is short. Normality should urgently be returned to the Albanians and the government should resume work as normal to recover the country.
      On behalf of his government Nano solemnly guaranteed to Sali Berisha and the others around him that upon their handing over of weapons and the return to normality, their physical integrity will be safeguarded.
     In conclusion Nano stressed that the state will not spare the life of any criminal or violator who again attacks the the state or citizen with the force of weapons. /das/lm/

BC-ALBANIA-TANKS-REMOVED
Tanks removed from DP headquarters

      TIRANA, Sept 15 (ATA)-By U. Bajrami,
      The tanks stationed since early in the morning near the Democratic Party headquarters have now been removed.
      The territory across from the DP headquarters has been "cleansed" of the two tanks and the gunmen on the armoured vehicles have left together with the tanks.
      The tanks' removal has been realised after negotiations of the police chiefs with the armed men.
      The two tanks, which were seized from the army yesterday and stationed near the DP headquarters this morning have now been returned to the Guard of the Republic. /dast/lm/

BC-ALBANIA-PARLIAMENT-AZEM
Parliament pays respect to deputy Azem Hajdari

      TIRANA, Sept 15 (ATA)-By Y. Pata,
      The Albanian Parliament met in a plenary session today and started proceedings with a minute of silence for deputy Azem Hajdari, who was killed in a macabre way on the night of September 12.
      Since the beginning of the proceedings, by proposal of speaker of Parliament Skender Gjinushi, the deputies stayed in silence for a minute in respect for deputy Azem Hajdari, who was also chairman of the parliamentary Defence commission.
      The People's Assembly called on the Government to urgently find out the authors of Hajdari's murder and bring them to justice. /dast/lm/

A Massacre Without Knives
Wednesday, September 16, 1998; Page A16

WHEN STARVATION and exposure begin to claim the lives of thousands of women and children in Kosovo a few weeks from now, no one will be able to claim ignorance as an excuse for inaction. "Massive war crimes have been committed here," John Shattuck, assistant secretary of state for human rights, said during a recent visit to the Serbian province. "They're starving their people," said Julia Taft, also an assistant secretary of state. "The disproportionate use of force by Serbian police and military units," said U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, has led to "mass displacement of the civilian population." Agreed the U.N. Security Council: "We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe in Kosovo."
     Serbian troops led by Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic are systematically uprooting Kosovo's ethnic Albanian population. Village by village, houses are burned, livestock slaughtered, crops destroyed and people shot or sent fleeing into the mountains. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes. Mr. Milosevic promised to establish 11 centers for displaced people; his troops already have shelled three of them. Even those not forced to flee are threatened by a Serb blockade of food and medicine.
     This humanitarian disaster cannot be ended without a political solution, and a political solution is impossible without a U.S. resolve to use force, if necessary, against Mr. Milosevic's marauding soldiers. President Clinton and his team have promised again and again to show such resolve, but their threats have proved empty. Instead, Mr. Clinton sends his emissaries, again and again, to plead with the war criminal to stop his crimes. Mr. Milosevic has learned he can defy them at no cost.
     What is unfolding is genocide at one remove. "A massacre is not necessarily committed only with knives," one displaced woman said. Analogously, Mr. Milosevic is managing to destabilize moderate governments throughout the region without waging war against them, simply by overwhelming them with refugees. NATO, blustering about its contingency plans, becomes a laughingstock. The longer Mr. Clinton dithers the greater the costs will be.

© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
_______________________________________________________________________
Betreff:         [ALBANEWS] News: Refugees flee to last rebel stronghold in Kosovo
Datum:         Tue, 15 Sep 1998 18:57:33 -0400
    Von:         Nick <albania@erols.com>

Refugees flee to last rebel stronghold in Kosovo

Copyright © 1998 Nando.net
Copyright © 1998 The Associated Press

  A map of Albania and its neighbors, including Kosovo.

CIREZ, Yugoslavia (September 15, 1998 5:31 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) -- Refugees streamed Tuesday into this cramped Kosovo village, where ethnic Albanian rebels were preparing to defend their last stronghold from a Serbian onslaught.
     Serb and Yugoslav security forces ousted the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) rebels from villages in western Kosovo in fighting late Monday and early Tuesday. A fighter near Cirez said four guerrillas were killed. No reports of Serb casualties were immediately available.
     Cirez is in the Drenica region, the KLA's last major holdout in Kosovo about 18 miles west of the regional capital Pristina.
     Kosovo is a province in Serbia, the dominant republic in what is left of the nation of Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanians make up 90 percent of the population in Kosovo and many favor independence from Serbia.
     Tuesday's fighting sent hundreds of Albanian refugees fleeing east to Cirez, where 10,000 to 15,000 people have been taking refuge for more than a month.
     With food and medical supplies running short, humanitarian agencies worried the tens of thousands of people forced to flee the fighting in Kosovo won't make it through the harsh winter.
     Most of the refugees who arrived in Cirez have survived for weeks on a meager diet of bread and milk from area cows. They were met Tuesday by a humanitarian aid convoy loaded with wheat flour, cooking oil, beans and nonfood items.
     But according to Anthea Webb, spokeswoman for the World Food Program, which helped organize the convoy, the supplies are only enough for a few days.
     About 60 people, mostly ill women carrying babies, were lined up Tuesday afternoon outside a makeshift clinic on Cirez's single main street.
     "We do all we can, but people still die," said Dr. Osman Veligi, one of two doctors in Cirez who together see 200 to 400 patients per day. "We have no way to treat injuries. All we can give is rehydration serum for diarrhea."
     He said at least 10 people have died in Cirez in the last week from treatable illnesses, such as severe diarrhea and circulatory ailments.
     Many of the refugees fear Serb police will push through the KLA lines in the coming days, forcing them to move again.
     The U.N. refugee agency estimates about 190,000 people are displaced within Kosovo itself and 60,000 others have fled to neighboring Albania, or the Yugoslavian republic of Montenegro.
     The U.S.-based aid agency Mercy Corps International estimates the fighting has driven 400,000 refugees, or 20 percent of the province's 2 million people, from their homes.
     Because most refugees are living in crude camps without shelter, officials winter will bring a humanitarian disaster.
     Since July, the Serbs have reduced the KLA's territory from 40 percent, to all but a few patches, mostly in the mountains.
     "If the police start to come, we will all go to the hills," said Hoti Skander, a 20-year-old student who fled nearby fighting to Cirez. "We just keep retreating."

By ADAM BROWN, Associated Press Writer

Refugees flee to last rebel stronghold in Kosovo

Copyright © 1998 Nando.net
Copyright © 1998 The Associated Press

  A map of Albania and its neighbors, including Kosovo.

CIREZ, Yugoslavia (September 15, 1998 5:31 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) -- Refugees streamed Tuesday into this cramped Kosovo village, where ethnic Albanian rebels were preparing to defend their last stronghold from a Serbian onslaught.
     Serb and Yugoslav security forces ousted the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) rebels from villages in western Kosovo in fighting late Monday and early Tuesday. A fighter near Cirez said four guerrillas were killed. No reports of Serb casualties were immediately available.
     Cirez is in the Drenica region, the KLA's last major holdout in Kosovo about 18 miles west of the regional capital Pristina.
     Kosovo is a province in Serbia, the dominant republic in what is left of the nation of Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanians make up 90 percent of the population in Kosovo and many favor independence from Serbia.
     Tuesday's fighting sent hundreds of Albanian refugees fleeing east to Cirez, where 10,000 to 15,000 people have been taking refuge for more than a month.
     With food and medical supplies running short, humanitarian agencies worried the tens of thousands of people forced to flee the fighting in Kosovo won't make it through the harsh winter.
     Most of the refugees who arrived in Cirez have survived for weeks on a meager diet of bread and milk from area cows. They were met Tuesday by a humanitarian aid convoy loaded with wheat flour, cooking oil, beans and nonfood items.
     But according to Anthea Webb, spokeswoman for the World Food Program, which helped organize the convoy, the supplies are only enough for a few days.
     About 60 people, mostly ill women carrying babies, were lined up Tuesday afternoon outside a makeshift clinic on Cirez's single main street.
     "We do all we can, but people still die," said Dr. Osman Veligi, one of two doctors in Cirez who together see 200 to 400 patients per day. "We have no way to treat injuries. All we can give is rehydration serum for diarrhea."
     He said at least 10 people have died in Cirez in the last week from treatable illnesses, such as severe diarrhea and circulatory ailments.
     Many of the refugees fear Serb police will push through the KLA lines in the coming days, forcing them to move again.
     The U.N. refugee agency estimates about 190,000 people are displaced within Kosovo itself and 60,000 others have fled to neighboring Albania, or the Yugoslavian republic of Montenegro.
     The U.S.-based aid agency Mercy Corps International estimates the fighting has driven 400,000 refugees, or 20 percent of the province's 2 million people, from their homes.
     Because most refugees are living in crude camps without shelter, officials winter will bring a humanitarian disaster.
     Since July, the Serbs have reduced the KLA's territory from 40 percent, to all but a few patches, mostly in the mountains.
     "If the police start to come, we will all go to the hills," said Hoti Skander, a 20-year-old student who fled nearby fighting to Cirez. "We just keep retreating."

By ADAM BROWN, Associated Press Writer

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