Tagesnachrichten 7. November 1998
     von dpa, from ALBANEWS and others
     News of the day - November 7, 1998
     Kosova Information Center : Daily Report No 1606

         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

bisher keine Meldungen eingegangen
 

2. Remarks - Hints - Special informations

 

ONE has to begin    to STOP  oecumenic Decade for Peace  from November 8 until 18, 1998  30 minutes prayer for PEACE  30 Minuten Gebet für den Frieden  am  9./ 10./ 11./ 12./ 13./ 14./ 16./ 17. November  jeweils um 19.45 Uhr  in der Bethlehemkirche Wertingen  Jeder, der kommen moechte  - unabhaengig von Konfession oder Religion,  ist herzlich eingeladen !

 

LINK zu:  Vorschlag für den Ablauf den Friedensgebetes
                  - auch als WinWord97-Datei erhaeltlich !

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 !

* Nichtamtliche Übersetzung
   UNHCR-Positionspapier über die Behandlung von Asylsuchenden aus
   dem Kosovo in Asylländern: Maßgebliche Überlegungen
   25.8.1998 mit Anhang Stand: 13.8.1998
                    http://www.unhcr.de/news/statemen/misc/kosbob.htm

* UNHCR-Eckpunkte zu Problemen des Flüchtlingsschutzes in Deutschland
   Oktober 1998
                    http://www.unhcr.de/news/statemen/misc/eckpkte.htm

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1606
Prishtina, 7 November 1998

President Rugova Receives U.S. Congress Staff Members

PRISHTINA, 7 November (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova received today in Prishtina staff members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States Congress, John Herzberg, Mark Kirk, and Maria Pica. Participating in the meeting was also Nicholas Hill, First Secretary in the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. President Rugova and the American delegation discussed at length about the current volatile situation in Kosova and efforts to de- escalate it so that an appropriate environment for a negotiated and political settlement is created.
Rugova thanked the U.S. Administration and Congress for their continued and comprehensive support for a just solution to the Kosova issue.

At least 172 Kosovar Albanians Killed in October, Human Rights Group Says

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - At least 172 Albanians were killed in Kosova during the last month alone (October), the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said.
In an account circulated today, the major Kosovar human rights group, CDHRF, said by it has registered 1.770 Albanians killed since the Serb forces crackdown in Kosova in early spring this year.
The report says many Albanians were massacred and summarily executed, many others were arrested, and persecuted in different fashions during October. The fate of hundreds of Albanians gone missing for months is unknown, it says, noting that many have been slain by Serb forces already.
Internally displaced Albanians and refugees returning to their villages have been finding bodies of their killed relatives and neighbors scattered in the fields or in the ruins of their houses shelled by Serbs during continued offensives last summer. The Council said some of the Albanians have been killed by land mines, mainly in border area, and booby-traps placed in their farmhouses by Serbs.
At least 55 Albanians were summarily executed, the human rights group said. The age of the victims ranges from several months to 90 years; 26 persons were buried as unidentified; the bodies of 23 were found virtually charred.
In October the CDHRF registered 343 cases of people taken hostage, missing or being held as war prisoners. At least 394 were arrested by the Serb regime forces during last month alone, most of them on terrorism-related charges.

Serb Military Forces Fire into Suhareka Villages

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - Early in the morning today (Saturday), Serb military forces posted at Qafë e Duhlës (Duhla gorge) opened fire in the direction of a number of Albanian villages in the municipality of Suhareka, LDK sources in Suhareka said. They failed to specify what kind of weaponry was used by the Serbs. Meanwhile, reports said Serb police and armed Serbs in plain clothes opened fire in the direction of the village of Mohlan.
Serb police patrolling the village of Leshan illtreated an Albanian from Samadraxha in the morning today, whereas at half past noon Serb police patrolling Reshtan illtreated Petrit Shabiqi (15), a high school student.

Serb Forces Kill Five Albanians in Suhareka Friday

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - The Serb police took Friday afternoon to the town morgue in Prizren the bodies of five Albanians killed earlier near Suhareka, 50 km south-west of Prishtina.
Sources in Suhareka said the five Albanians were killed yesterday at around midday somewhere between the villages of Opterusha and Samadraxha.
Sources in the Prizren morgue said the victims were dressed in uniforms of the Liberation Army of Kosova (UÇK). The KIC could not learn further details surrounding their death.
The chapter of the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms in Prizren said this afternoon it has learned the identity of all five Albanian killed yesterday near Suhareka, naming them as Xhelal Hajda (31) and Selajdin Mullaabazi (30), both residents of Rahovec; Bektesh Halili from Gllavatin village of Vushtrri, Hamdi Hajrizi from Strofc village (Vushtrri), and Nezir Ymeri, resident of Jezerc of Ferizaj. They were all members of the UÇK, the CDHRF said.

Serb Police Open Gunfire without Warning, Kill Two Albanians in Klina

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - Serb police killed Thursday two Albanians near the village of Jashanica in Klina. Local sources named one of the killed Albanians as Sejdi Shala (30), resident of Kopiliq i Ulët village of Skenderaj. The identity of the second man has not been yet established, but he is believed to be resident of Izbica village of Skenderaj (Srbica).
Eye-witnesses said the two Albanians were gunned down near a flour- mill in Jabllanica when Serb police opened fire in their direction without warning.
Many Albanians who had gone to mill the wheat into flour, as well as employees of the mill, were held as hostages in the mill for a couple of hours after the two Albanians were shot dead.
The bodies of the two victims are still in the hands of the Serb police, sources in Klina said.

Albanian Communities in Klina Come under Serb Gunfire Friday Night
Serbs attack LDK activists in front of his home

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - Serb forces garrisoned in Vuljaka bauxite mine near Klina opened fire against outlying Albanian communities overnight. The villages of Sferka, Volljaka, Përçeva and other hamlets in the area were sprayed with machine-gun fire on repeated occasions last night, sources in Klina said.
Residents of communities around the Vuljaka mines have told the LDK chapter in Klina that their homes have been fired onto almost every night. Increased movement of Serb troops and heavy machinery in the area during the night hours has been causing panic and fear amongst the population.
Meanwhile, the LDK Information Commission in Klina said today that two Serbs, one in plain clothes and the other in uniform, attacked on Friday an LDK activist in the town. Ndue Bala was beaten by the Serbs in front of his house in the town.

Serbs Open Fire in Llazicë Village on Friday

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - On Friday, Serbian forces opened fire from weapons of various calibers in the village of Llazicë, where they have been positioned for some time, the LDK chapter in Malisheva said.
On Friday afternoon, the body of Sherif Sahit Hoti (60) was found in the wooded area of Carrallukë village of Malisheva. A native of the village, he was killed by Serb forces in 28 July, LDK sources said.
Two local Malisheva Albanians, Fatmir Gashi (1961) from Vërmica, and Dr. Aziz Thaçi, a dentist from Balinc village, were illtreated by Serb police in Klina on Friday.

Serb Police Harass IDPs Returning to Their Villages in Mitrovica
Serbs crackdown on Albanian schoolchildren

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - Serb police brutalized scores of Albanians Friday at Shipol suburb of Mitrovica. Most of the Albanians ill- treated at the checkpoint were internally displaced persons (IDP) attempting to return to their villages, the LDK chapter in Mitrovica said.
Several IDPs were likewise harassed on Friday at two other Serb police checkpoints at Tërnafc and Klina e Epërme villages.
The LDK chapter also said that a group of over a dozen Serb policemen and civilians beat Friday evening several Albanian pupils in front of the "Ismail Qemali" primary school in the town. It named the following pupils who suffered body injuries: Argjend Veliqi, Liridonë Veliqi, Luljetë Mulaj, Abaz Mulaj, Azem Kajtazi, Liridonë Haxhiu and Kaltrinë Kutllovci.

Serb Police Reinforced in Orllan, Podujeva

PRISHTINA, Nov 7 (KIC) - The Serb forces have retreated from the notorious checkpoint in the entrance to the town of Podujeva, but have instead stepped up movement in other parts of the town and the municipality, the LDK chapter in Podujeva said today.
Additional Serb forces were deployed on Friday to the local police station in Orllan.
Besides uniformed policemen, armed Serb civilians have been accompanying the Serb police units patrolling the area. The Serbs have been intimidating and harassing people in the streets and shops in the town of Podujeva, during the evening hours in particular.
The LDK noted that there has been increased movement of Serb forces on the Prishtina-Nis roadway over the past days.

Police Seizes School Furniture in Vushtrri, Arrests Albanian Educators

PRISHTINA, Nov 5 (KIC) - Early in the afternoon today (Saturday), Serb police seized school furniture paid by the Soros Foundation for Albanian schools in the area, LDK sources in Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') said.
Serb police detained Qazim Azemi and Izet Morina, school principals with Albanian-run schools, Middle School "Marin Beçikemi" and Elementary School "A.Z. Çajupi" in Vushtrri, respectively. Two other Albanian workers were taken by police, too. The four Albanians were reported to be in police custody in Vushtrri.

Kosova Information Center
Last page!

KOSOVA (Serb repositioning – Malishevë)
Serb forces shell and shoot at Malishevë and Carallukë

Malishevë, 6 November (ARTA) 1500CET --
Following a relative several day tranquility in Malishevë, the Serb forces struck again, "KD" corespondent, Rexhep Krasniqi informs. According to his report, Thursday evening, at around 1800CET, the special Serb units stationed in the town of Malishevë, started shelling and shooting in the direction of the Malishevë outskirts and at the village of Carallukë. It is said that the attacks were conducted from mine launchers and APCs. The shooting lasted for about an hour and there is still no information about the eventual causalities.
According to sources from KIC (Kosova Information Center), nobody has yet returned to Malishevë. There is a small number of those who manage to get through during the day, but only to get things that were left in their houses and they go back to the forest immediately.

KOSOVA (clashes – Suharekë)
Shooting in the area between Samadraxhë and Opterushë

Suharekë, 6 November (ARTA) 1510CET --
Shooting was heard on Friday at around 1200CET, coming from the area between the villages of Samadraxhë and Opterushë, and witnesses claim that there is a number of killed and wounded, it is stated in a KIC report.
According to the same sources, on Thursday, the Serb police got stationed in the Luboc neighborhood in Grejçec. There, they took of the roof from one of the houses and sent the material away. The same police forces, at around 1700CET, shot in the direction of the village of Grejçec.
There are reports that Serb police forces are still stationed in the villages of Duhël, Grejçec, Mohlan and Reshtan, while the military forces remain at Qafa e Duhlës and in the forest of Biraç, over Suharekë, KIC informs further about the situation in Suharekë. On the other hand, Qerim Boka, from Grejçec, died in the village of Vraniq as a result of the bad living conditions, informed the LDK branch in Suharekë.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Vushtrri)
Serb forces stationed in Stanoc i Epërm

Vushtrri, 6 November (ARTA) 1520CET --
Two armored vehicles and one police car were seen in the village of Stanoc i Epërm, on Friday at around 1015CET, LDK information sources in Vushtrri inform.
There are reports that the Serb forces are still present in this village.

KOSOVA (Serb reinforcements – Skënderaj)
New Serb reinforcements headed to Skënderaj

Mitrovicë, 6 November (ARTA) 1530CET --
New Serb police forces, comprised of 3 terrain vehicles and a jeep, were headed to Skënderaj from Mitrovicë, on Friday at around 0850CET, "KD" corespondent, Musa Mustafa from Mitrovicë, informs.

KOSOVA (Serb repositioning – Fushë Kosovë)
Serb police movements continue

Fushë Kosovë, 6 November (ARTA) 1545CET --
12 trucks loaded with construction material, two of which were full of Serb policemen, headed in the direction of Drenica, on Friday at around 0700CET, informs KIC, based on the sources of LDK branch in Fushë Kosovë.
According to the same sources, on Friday at around 0800CET, three Serb police terrain vehicles drove down the Fushë Kosovë-Bardh i Madh road, in the direction of the Sllatinë airport.

KOSOVA (shootouts – Prishtina)
Shooting in Nëntë Jugoviq

Prishtina, 6 November (ARTA) 1600CET --
A couple of days ago, Serb civilians from the village of Nëntë Jugoviq, shot around during the day and in the evening, informs KIC, referring to LDK sources.

KOSOVA (repositioning – Klinë)
Serb force movements in the regions of Sverkë, Dollovë and Drenoc

Klinë, 6 November (ARTA) 1700CET --
Movements of the Serb forces, with their accompanying machinery, were witnessed on Friday in several areas of the Klinë region, particularly in the region of Sverkë, Dollovë and Drenoc informs the "KD" corespondent, Maxhun Smajli.
In the meantime, the Serb snipers shot at the villages of Sverkë, Grabanicë, and Gjurgjevik. When the international observers left the villages of Sverkë, Volljakë, Çupevë and Dush, these were shelled by the Serb forces positioned at the bauxite mine in Volljakë, at the places called Zabeli i Hoxhës, Pishat e Volljakës and Mrizat e Përçevës, it is stated in the report of the "KD" corespondent.
The corespondent from Klinë also informs that in his house his Serb neighbors, the Veshtic brothers, beat up Ndue Bala, from Klinë, the chairman of the Financial Council.
Ndue Bala and his family were threatened, shot at and raided several times before. corespondent.

KOSOVA (bogus trials – Prizren)
A court session against the CDHRF activists Ferid Tapallari and Enver Berisha postponed for 11 November

Prizren, 6 November (ARTA) 1800CET --
The Municipal Court in Prizren, held a session on Friday, against the accused Ferid Tapallari, member of the CDHRF steering board and against Enver Berisha, a CDHRF activist from Prizren, who were arrested by the police on 16 August. They were held in detention ever since. Despite the objection of the defense and the proofs that demanded their release, the prosecutor’s office requested new facts from the body of internal affairs and postponed this session for 11 November.
These two human rights activists were transferred from the Municipal prison in Prizren to the Lipjan prison, a month ago. According to the Serb run court, they are charged with "association for hostile activity" and "terrorism", according to the article 136, in conjunction with article 125 of the "FRY" Criminal Code, despite the fact that their activity was entirely humanitarian.
The human rights activists were beaten at the police station.
On the other hand, on Friday, the Serb installed Court in Prizren, after the court hearing, released from detention 10 minors, arrested during the war offensive in Kosova. Thus Burim Berisha, Sali Berisha from Lez, Bujar Hasanaj, Xhevat Kabashi, Safet Lushaj, Xhavit Loshi, Haki Mustafaj and Ylber Kuqi from Suharekë and Dëfrim Mullaliu and Bekim Kasapi from Rahovec, were bailed.

KOSOVA (CDHRF monthly report)
CDHRF: During October -172 killed, among which 11 children and 16 women

Prishtina, 6 November (ARTA) 1800CET --
The dramatic events in Kosova during the month of October resulted with a great number of killed, massacred, executed without being tried, looting of Albanian property, beating, arrests etc.
Many Albanians are considered missing, and nothing is known about them. The CDHRF activists on the ground continuously discover the corpses of Albanians killed before by the Serb police, army, or paramilitary. The mines planted by the Serb forces are presently a particular threat. During the month of October, there is no category of human rights that has not been violated by the officials of the Serb regime. Even the categories of the population that are under a special protection were not spared from these crimes.
Here is the report of some of the more characteristic cases of which CDHRF has special files.
On 1 October, an ICRC vehicle ran into a mine, in which case Shpëtim Robaj, a humanitarian activist was killed and two other aid workers were wounded.

SUHAREKË: Serb police\military forces separated from the besieged population in Vraniq, Burim Elshani, from Suharekë, executed him and dressed him in the KLA uniform placing his corpse in the forest, in order of presenting him as a KLA soldier. They killed and massacred Milaim Bugari (29) from Suharekë, Hafir Elshani (35) Afrim Sllapuzhan, Rasim Kolgeci (15) from Vraniq and Hazir Bajraktari from Budakovë. In Grejçec, the Serb forces massacred Bajram Bungu (75), in front of his own house.

GLLOGOC: 3 corpses that are constantly being guarded by the police are placed in front of the building of the local administration. Yesterday afternoon, the Serb police sent to Tërstenik, the  corpse of a killed unidentified Albanian, placed a weapon near him took  pictures of him and sent him to an unknown direction.

KLINË: Near the tunnels of Murgu (Skënderaj), the Serb forces separated from the fleeing population, a father and a son, Smajl (72) and Sefer Millaku and executed them on the spot. In Golluboc (Gllogoc), the following were executed: Agron Hasani (25), Hysen Pantina (30), Shaip Manaj (19), from Gllarevë, Remzi Veselaj (35) and Zeqir Berisha (40) from Gjurgjevik i Madh and the brothers Rasim (39) and Halim Maloku (37), both teachers from Cerrovik.

BELGRADE: The Minister of Justice in the Government of Serbia, Dragoljub Jankovic, stated that investigations are being conducted against 1,242 Albanians in Kosova, accused for "terrorism" and "hostile activities".

GLLOGOC: The massacred and raped bodies of Antigona Deliu (14) and Mihane Deliu (16) were found in Obri e Epërme.

VUSHTRRI: A police patrol stopped on the street Ragip Mulakë, a science worker at the Albanologic Institute in Prishtina, provoked, offended and maltreated him, in front of his wife and his 7-year-old son.

PRISHTINA: The cameraman of several foreign agencies, Sylejman Kllokoqi, from Prishtina, was taken at the police station for interrogation where he was severely beaten.

PRISHITNA: Three Serb civilians, without of authorization or official document, usurped the furnished apartment of Qazim Berisha (1947).

SUHAREKË: The half-burned body of Mursel Buçaj (64) was found in Budakovë near the burned haystack.

GLLOGOC: The day the Serb police\military and paramilitary forces massacred the members of the Deliu family, the Serb policemen, brought four children of the Deliu family, aged from 1 to 3 years old, in the house of Shaban Hysenaj and handed them over to the old lady Sheide Hysenaj. The children had their legs covered in blood as the Serb criminals carved the 4C sign on them.

GJAKOVË: In Prush, the Serb forces killed Blerim Berisha (15), who went to the forest to get woods, along with his father and brother.

FUSHË KOSOVË: The Serb forces in Sllatinë, stationed in the houses of the Albanians.

KAMENICË: The Serb installed Court, filed the court procedure against Refik Kryeziu (1957), member of the commission for the economy of the LDK branch in Kamenicë and against Fahredin Kryeziu a member of the LDK branch steering board, who were arrested in August, in which case they were raided the houses and confiscated a large quantity of medicaments.

GJILAN: Xhevat Nevzati, Hetem Arifi, and Nazmi Rrapuca - all three CHO "Mother Theresa" aid workers, were arrested with the pretext that they distributed humanitarian aid, in which case they were severely beaten.

LIPJAN: Donika Morina (9 months old), from Shala e Lipjanit, died due to the lack of medical treatment.

MITROVICË: In Reshtan, Rifat Smakolli (18), and Driton Smakolli (20), stepped into a mine and died on the spot. A Serb policeman, kidnapped an Albanian girl, he pushed her at the bus station, where he forcefully kissed her in front of the passengers, then took her to the rest room, from where he sent her in the bus with register plates KM-154-74.

GLLOGOC: At the police checkpoint in Gllogoc, the police maltreated and beat Nazmi Kurti (1967) from Obri e Epërme, member of the League of the blind in Kosova, who was coming back from Prishtina, where he went to visit the doctor.

DEÇAN: Serb soldiers attacked a group of Albanians that were picking chestnuts in the forest of Lëbushë. They severely beat Jeton Zeqiraj (16), who is still in coma. They also severely beat Mërgim Zeqiraj and they stole the golden jewelry to Time Zeqiraj. The Serb soldiers also forcefully kidnapped the minor Saranda Zeqiraj.

SKËNDERAJ: A common grave was found in Llaushë, in which the following were buried: Fatime (75) and Mevlude Geci (45), handicapped, from Llaushë and Hamide Taraku (51), a mother of 8, from Vitak, as well as the carbonized body of an unidentified male.

DEÇAN: In Junik, the Serb forces dug out the corpses of 9 Albanians that  they had killed themselves and sent them to an unknown direction.

During the month of October there are:

- 172 Albanians killed, out of which: 42 of the age between 55-90, 11 children aged from 10 months old to 15 years and 16 females.

- 55 persons executed without being tried. Their structure is the following:
14 of the age between 55-82, 6 females and 5 children between the ages 13-16.

- 12 persons died from the mines, among whom one aid worker and a 17 year old.

- 26 of the killed remain unidentified.

- 23 burned corpses were burned; 7 males between the age of 63-87 and a female of the age 65.

- 31 people died as a result of the lack of medical treatment, hunger and cold, starting from new born babies to 80 years old women, 7 females, 10 infants and 4 children of the age between 2-4.

- 94 people are severely wounded

- 394 individuals are arrested, of whom 10 political activists, 4 aid workers, 3 education workers and 1 medical worker.

- 36 cases of assassination attempts.

- 659 houses and stores were entirely looted and burned.

- 138 Albanian employees expelled from work.

- 584 persons were maltreated and suffered minor body injuries.

- 533 people are in detention, are filed investigation or charged for the crime of "terrorism".

- 1,242 people are prosecuted, according to the Serb media.

- 2 foreign TV teams and were prevented from doing their job.

- 5 cases of intervention in school.

- 5 cases of Albanians thrown out of their apartments.

- The Serb police threatened 90 individuals.

- 34 people were sentenced for crime acts.

- 343 persons are considered as missing, taken hostage or POWs.
 

KOSOVA (Hill – KLA)
KLA: The meeting is a proof of recognition - The Americans: The meeting is an expansion of the political process
Bardh Rugova

Dragobil, 6 November (ARTA) 1850CET --
Upon his own request, as it was confirmed by the attendants of the meeting, the American mediator for Kosova, Christopher Hill met on Friday with the representatives of the KLA Central Headquarters, Hashim Thaçi and Ramë Buja, the representatives of the directory for political issues of KLA and also with the KLA spokesman Jakup Krasniqi.
The three-hour meeting was held in a house in Dragobil, which is said to have been borrowed for use by the OSCE Observing mission in Kosova.
"It was a long and fruitful discussion - I believe of great interest. However, the American side, which is a factor with a lot of influence not only in the course of events in Kosova, recognizes the KLA factor... The discussions will continue", said the spokesman, Jakup Krasniqi, after the meeting was over for all the journalists.
The issues that were contemplated were the creation of a credible, political body for all the Albanians of Kosova and the accepting of the "draft", the American document about the realization of the framework for the status of Kosova within the Interim settlement.
"We have the document, and after having read it, we will most surely come out without notes", said the members of the KLA delegation.
According to what has been said after the declaration of Krasniqi, an impression was given that new meetings will be taking place between the American mediator and the KLA Central Headquarter.
"As for us, today's meeting is of great importance, since it confirms our stands that there cannot be a solid and a politically accepted solution, without the participation of the KLA", stated at the end the representative of the political directory of KLA, Hashim Thaçi.

KOSOVA (Rugova – press conference)
Rugova "We have began work on the constitution of the police forces of Kosova"

Prishtina, 6 November, (ARTA) 1900CET--
The President of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova informed today that, the re-establishing of the Government of Kosova is being aspired by all means, although according to him some of them have not accepted it yet.
"We are working on it and we hope that on grounds of the Constitution and  Democratic order we have established, we will manage to rebuild and constitute the Government", said Rugova at his Friday press conference.
Although much has been said in recent days on a meeting between Rugova and the political representative of the KLA, Adem Demaçi, the President said that no such meeting shall take place.
"Whenever he wants. Ha wanted today, but not today!", said he.
Rugova also spoke on the constitution of the local police forces, saying that this issue is "being worked upon".
"We have began work on the constitution of the police forces of Kosova, which will of course reflect the ethnical structure of the country, with an Albanian majority and the rest comprised of Serbs and others", said he.
As for the return of the population to the villages and properties, Rugova said that he had the opportunity of witnessing this during his visit to Central and Southwest Kosova, few days ago.
"It is important that the return commences and consolidates", said he and added: "there will be continuous concern given to this from our side and from the international community".
"It is ver important that people return before the winter sets in, and of course work, according to conditions, on rebuilding their houses".
"The people of Kosova is strong and hard-working".

KOSOVA (Albanian political parties – Prishtina)
Who’s To Blame for a Ghost Meeting?
Demaçi - meets the Americans
The Parliament: "We were ready, but LBD did not show up"
LBD: "We are waiting to be invited"
Rugova: "We can't meet today"
Arbana Islami

Prishtina, 6 November (ARTA) 1900CET --
Despite the "serious" inter-party consultations for the creation of the new Government of Kosova, today's meeting between the President of the Republic of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, the leaders of the LBD and the KLA General political representative, Adem Demaçi, was postponed with the request of the latter, because of, as he said "technical" reasons. This is what LBD claims. However, diplomatic sources inform that this postponement was a result of the today's visit of the American Ambassador in Macedonia, Christopher Hill, to the village of Dragobil, municipality of Malishevë, to meet with the KLA, which was handed over with the American plan for the interim solution of the Kosova issue.
The President of the Republic, Ibrahim Rugova, said in today's meeting that he is ready to meet with Demaçi, whenever he wants, but today!
However, the pronouncing of the President itself, is in opposition with the parties that are a part of the Parliament, since the latter stated that they were ready today to attend the announced meeting, as they stated that they have "wasted time", by waiting for the LBD. In a joint statement for the public, the representatives of these parties claim that "within the framework of the continuous attempts to for the Government of the Republic of Kosova, composed of the wide political, national and military spectrum, several joined meetings were held between the steering board of Parliament of Kosova and its political bodies, including the KLA General political representative, Adem Demaçi and the representatives of LBD, headed by Rexhep Qosja. In the meeting of 5 November (based on the proposal of LBD), a decision was reached for a joint meeting to be held between the representatives of the Parliamentarian parties and the representatives of LBD and the KLA political representative. At that same day they also scheduled the date the meeting was to be held, on 06.11.1998 on 1200CET", it is stated among others in the joint statement of the parliamentarian parties. Further, the persons who signed the statement, notify that "the representatives of the Parliamentarian parties (LDK, PSHDK, PSDK and PLK), were present on the meeting that planned to continue with the discussions about the forming of the new Government of the Republic of Kosova, but strangely enough, this meeting was not attended by those that had proposed  and scheduled this very meeting themselves: by the LBD representatives".
This statement was issued by the Parliamentarian parties because of the fact that "this meeting was announced by the media, and they felt that they owed this to the public opinion to pronounce".
The General KLA political representative seems to have been caught in a meeting with the American diplomat and was not able to give any reply concerning the fact that the meeting was not held.
Otherwise, the political and military subjects in Kosova are constantly having consultations about the forming of an executive body in Kosova, as no particular changes have been marked amongst them.
The LBD chairman, Rexhep Qosja, and his collaborators have called for the creation of a joint body, which would include all the relevant political and military bodies of Kosova. According to them, "the Government would be composed of three major factors of the political scene of Kosova, of KLA, LDK and LBD, as they would completely exclude the Parliament of Kosova".
About the last, LBD claims that "a body that finally legitimized the secession of the political subject in Kosova, cannot become a body of the union". However, the party that is presently in power, LDK and the other parliamentarian parties, say, "this is denying the legitimacy of the institutions of the republic".
Nevertheless, the "serious" consultations between the relevant factors are expected to continue, after clarifying who is guilty that the meeting was postponed, which, as it is stated is an essential issue for the further institutionalization of the political life in Kosova.

• B92 NEWS, November 6, 1998
• Serbia Info News: Fire Set to 27 Serbian Houses
• Photograph - Demaci & Father Sava at Monastery of Decani

          Open Yugoslavia, News November 6, 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY NEWS
 
US alleges non-compliance

WASHINGTON, Friday -- The UN Security Council is to discuss Yugoslavia's non-compliance with UN Resolution 1203 which backs up last month Milosevic Holbrooke agreement on Kosovo. The US State Department is to raise the matter in the Security Council after Yugoslavia's refusal to grant a full visa to Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour. State Department spokesman James Rubin told media yesterday that the USA did not accept the Yugoslav view that the tribunal had no jurisdiction over Kosovo.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said this morning that Yugoslavia had failed to fully comply with USN demands. Albright added that the international community still faced significant obstacles in its efforts to find political solutions which would guarantee the rights of Kosovo Albanians.
Rubin also commented on breaches of the agreement on both sides although, he said, the situation had generally calmed down. He condemned the increased presence of the UCK in several parts of Kosovo, saying that it had only increased the tension in the province. He also noted that Serb police had established a checkpoint in Glogovac, which was not in accordance with the Milosevic-Holbrooke agreement.
 
KDOM reports increased tension

PRISTINA, Friday -- The Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission this morning also reported increased tension between police and UCK in several areas of Kosovo.
The US members of KDOM, in their most recent report, noted an increase in the number of potential conflict points. However, they said, the majority of the Kosovo population was now protected from winter conditions and life in the towns and villages was returning to normal.
The diplomats also noted that the UCK was continuing to prevent free movement of international observers in some areas, despite an official protest to UCK spokesman Adem Demaqi. The UCK was also recruiting new members and had killed three Albanians accused of collaborating with Serb authorities. The US monitors also warned about the deployment of Serbian police units.
The overall conclusion of the report was that, despite sporadic incidents, the civilian population was in a much better population than they had been a week ago.

Police kill Albanian

PRISTINA, Thursday -- State-run Radio Pristina reported late yesterday that an unidentified Albanian had been killed on the Klina-Srbica road. The report said that eight Albanians had fired eight shots at a police car passing along the road. The police replied to the fire, killing one of the attackers, who was wearing UCK insignia.
Albanian sources confirmed that a 34-year-old man had been killed in an incident on the road. They denied, however, that the man was a terrorist, saying that he had been a farmer and was on his way to Josanica when the police attacked a group of Albanians without provocation.

Policeman abduction denied

PRISTINA, Thursday -- The Pristina Media Centre last night denied reports of a policeman having been abducted in Kosovo. Radio B92 learned that the source of the misinformation was the soldier who had reported the alleged abduction to the police early yesterday.

Nikolic: Serbia has complied

BELGRADE, Thursday -- Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Tomislav Nikolic said last night that the Serbian Government had met all conditions of the Milosevic-Holbrooke agreement... However, said Nikolic, who is also the vice-president of the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party, the international community had not met its obligations under the same agreement. Nikolic said that the international community had guaranteed that the situation in Kosovo would not deteriorate, but had allowed terrorists to roam freely. He added that no one would prevent the Serbian Government from carrying out its duty to fight terrorists in the province.

Djukanovic in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Friday -- Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic is today in Brussels for a meeting with the European Commission's commissioner for international relations, Hans van der Broek. The agenda includes the general political situation in Yugoslavia as well as European Union aid to Montenegro.

Dnevni Telegraf blocked

BELGRADE, Friday -- Police and other government officers last night prevented the printing of Dnevni Telegraf, according to the Belgrade daily's proprietor, Slavko Curuvija. It had been announced that the daily would reappear today for the first time since being banned almost four weeks ago under the Serbian Government's emergency decree on media, which preceded the hasty passing of the new Public Information Act.
Curuvija told media that he had information that the Serbian Government would meet today to decide further measures concerning Dnevni Telegraf and his fortnightly news magazine Evropljanin. Both publications are now registered in Montenegro. Curuvija added that tomorrow's edition of Dnevni Telegraf was in preparation.

Federal Information Act ready

BELGRADE, Friday -- The Yugoslav Secretary for Information, Goran Matic said yesterday that the new Federal Information Act had been drafted as that it was up to the Yugoslav Parliament when it was adopted. Matic said that the new act would be in line with European legislation in the filed and that it would permit the existence of private television stations and other private media. He emphasised that democratic countries did not permit such media on their own territories.

IFJ demands release of journalists

PARIS, Thursday -- The International Federation of Journalists has called on UCK spokesman Adem Demaqi to secure the immediate release of two journalists from the Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug who were abducted in Kosovo two weeks ago and sentenced by the UCK to two months' detention.
The IFJ in its letter claimed tot represent 420,000 journalists from around the world and said that the media and the public were very disturbed by the abduction and conviction of the two journalists. The letter added that such occurrences in Kosovo undermined attempts to re-establish the rule of law and the free flow of information in the province.

Serb police kill five armed Albanians

PRISTINA, Friday -- Another five Kosovo Albanians were killed by Serb police this morning. The incident occurred when a group of armed men opened fire on a regular police patrol, according to the Pristina Media Centre. All five of the dead men were carrying machine guns, and one a mortar. All wore UCK insignia. There were no police casualties.
Another incident occurred when officials of the Prizren court were fired on while investigating the earlier deaths. There were no casualties.

UCK plans administrative bodies

PRISTINA, Friday -- The UCK in a press statement today claimed to have begun organising civil administrative structures on territories under its control. The statement said that the Kosovo Liberation Army had established a management unit for public relations and civil administration which would be a solid basis for both local and centralised civil government. This was the first time the UCK has made any statement related to the establishment of a government in Kosovo.

Rugova: encouraging signs

PRISTINA, Friday -- Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova today told media that there were encouraging signs that normal life was being re-established in Kosovo as people returned to their homes. Rugova said that the situation in the province was still sensitive because of the presence of Serbian forces. He called on the Serbian authorities to drop political trials against Albanians and demanded the release of Albanian political activists who are held in detention.
Rugova declined to comment on the draft Serb-Albanian agreement proposed by the US, other than to say that the best solution for the province was an independent Kosovo with guarantees for Kosovo Serbs. He added that plans were under way for the establishment of a Kosovo police force which reflected the ethnic structure of the population. Rugova emphasised that this should be a modern police force which would defend the citizens, not just the state.

Census for Kosovo

BELGRADE, Friday -- The Serbian minister for local self-management, Gordana Pop-Lazarevic said today that no new legislation was needed local elections in Kosovo. She emphasised however that it would first be necessary to take a census of the population. After that elections would be held on all levels so that Kosovo Albanians could be represented in the government. Pop-Lazarevic also announced that her department had drafted a new law on self-management and wanted to canvass the opinions of those organisations which would implement it.

Solana backs Arbour

BRUSSELS, Friday -- NATO Secretary General Javier Solana today announced that he strongly supported the demand of Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour to launch a war crimes investigation in Kosovo. Solana called on Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to cooperate fully with the tribunal and to comply with Yugoslavia's obligations as defined by UN Resolution 1203.
Hague Tribunal spokesman Christian Chartier told Radio B92 this afternoon that the refusal to grant visas to members of the tribunal's prosecution team was shameless proof that Belgrade did not accept the tribunal's jurisdiction. He said that he expected there would be a strong response from the international community but that it was up to the UN Security Council to decide what action would be taken.
US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke told media today that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic had clearly agreed to allow access to UN investigators in last month's agreement. He added that Belgrade had signed an OSCE document pledging compliance with UN resolution 1199. That resolution includes access to Kosovo for the war crimes tribunal, said Holbrooke.

Faculty on strike

BELGRADE, Friday -- Students and teaching staff of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering today continued their daily one-hour stop-work. The striking students and staff are demanding the readmission to the faculty of all twelve staff who refused to sign employment contracts and the removal of hired security guards from the hallways of the faculty building.
The daily stop-work began four days ago and student and staff representatives say it will continue for at least ten days. If demands have not been met by then, they say, there will be a general strike throughout the faculty. Student representatives today told media that the protest was not political, but focused on the struggle for better teaching, because the dismissed teaching staff were internationally acclaimed experts in their fields.

Translated by: Goran Dimitrijevic
Edited by: Steve Agnew
Editorial Board: b92eng@opennet.org

Fire Set to 27 Serbian Houses
November 06, 1998
http://www.serbia-info.com/news/1998-11/06/6407.html

In last months Albanian terrorists set on fire and destroyed 27 Serbian houses in the region of the Srbica municipality, local authorities state.
     The largest number of the houses destroyed by terrorists are in the villages of Leocin, Rudnik, Kotore, Radisevo and Kostrc. Up to this summer, only nine out of 57 villages of the Srbica municipality had Serbian population.
     This summer, however, Albanian terrorists have expelled all Serbs from the villages of Leocin, Kostrc, Radisevo, Tomislav and Kotore, those with the largest number of burned down houses.
     Today Serbian population can still be found in the villages of Suvo Grlo, Banje, Rudnik and Kucica.
     Two Serb families, those of Dragisa Devedzic and of Milan Stevic, started building new houses in Rudnik, some five kilometres from Radisevo, where they had lived before.
     For the construction of their houses they are using the building material supplied as humanitarian aid to Srbica a month ago.
     Authorities of the Srbica municipality, where Serbs make up one per cent of the local population, plan to help all families whose houses were destroyed by terrorists, to build the new ones.
-end-

http://www.srpska-mreza.com/forums/news/messages/8086.html

Photograph - Demaci & Father Sava at Monastery od Decani

Posted by Antonio on November 06, 1998 at 09:20:17:

http://us.yimg.com/p/ap/19981030/capt.yugoslavia_kosovo_74y.jpg

Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) official Adem Demaci, center, walks with Father Sava, right, during a visit to the Orthodox Monastery of Decani in southern Kosovo some 80 km (50 miles) soutwest of Pristina, Kosovo, Yugoslavia Friday, Oct. 30, 1998. In a gesture of reconciliation, Demaci visited this monastery, the most sacred in Kosovo, to assure father Sava that the Kosovo Serb population (10 percent of Kosovo) has nothing to fear from the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army. The remaining 90 percent consists of ethnic Albanians. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

KËSHILLI PËR MBROJTJEN E TË DREJTAVE DHE TË LIRIVE TË NJERIUT
COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
 
Rr. Vellusha 46, 38000 Prishtinë - Kosovë; tel. 381 (0) 38 530 409 fax: 381 (0) 38 36 965
                 http:www.albanian.com/kmdlnj e-mail: kmdlnj@albanian.com

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

The dramatic developments in Kosova, during the month of October, resulted with many Albanians killed, mutilated, summarily executed, ill-treated and imprisoned. Many Albanians are reported missing and their whereabouts are unknown. Each day, the field associates of the CDHRF find the corpses of those who were killed by the Serbian police, military and paramilitary forces. The mines which were laid by the Serb forces represent a great danger. There is no category of human rights which was not violated by the Serb authorities. Even the categories of people who enjoy special protection such as women, children and elderly as well as humanitarian workers are not spared from such crimes. In continuation, we will list the most peculiar cases reported to the CDHRF.

On October 1, in the vicinity of Likoc, a vehicle of the ICRC hit on a mine. Dr. Shpetim Robaj was killed and 2 other humanitarian workers were wounded.

SUHAREKA: Burim Hamdi Elshani from Suhareka was separated from a group of displaced persons in the village of Vraniq and executed. His corpse was dressed in a KLA uniform and taken to a forest. The following were killed and mutilated: Milaim Bajram Bugari (29) from Suhareka, Hafir Elshani (35) from Sllapuzhan, Rasim K. Kolgeci (15) from Vraniq and Hazir Bajraktari from Budakova. Bajram Zeqir Bungu (75) was killed and mutilated with a blunt weapon in front of his house in Grejçec.

GLLOGOC: 3 corpses were brought in front of the local administration building. The corpses are guarded by the police. Yesterday, the corpse of an unidentified Albanian was taken to Tërstenik, a weapon was placed in his vicinity and photos were taken. Later on, the corpse was taken to an unknown direction.

KLINA: In the vicinity of Murga (Skënderaj), Serbian police and military forces executed Smail Millaku (72) and his son Sefer Millaku ((49) from Ujmir. The killed were previously separated from the other villagers. The following were executed in Gollubovc (Gllogoc): Agron Miftar Hasani (25), Hysen Rifat Pantina (20) and Shaip Sali Manaj (19) from Gllareva; Remzi Veselaj (35) and Zeqir Berisha from Gjurgjevik i Madh; and brothers Rasim (39) and Halim Maloku (37), teachers from Cerovik.

BELGRADE: According to Dragolub Jankoviq, the Serbian Minister of Justice, the investigative proceedings were initiated against 1242 Albanians indicted for "hostile activity" and "terrorism".

GLLOGOC: The mutilated corpses of Antigona Hysen Deliu (14) and Mihane Hysen Deliu (16) were found in Abria e Epërme. The victims had been raped.

VUSHTRRI: A police patrol stopped Ragip Mulaku, a researcher with the Albanological Institute in Prishtina. He was provoked, insulted and ill-treated in the presence of his wife and their 7-year-old son.

PRISHTINA: Sylejman Kllokoqi, a cameraman with foreign TV crews, was taken for informative talks and physically ill-treated at the premises of the Security Center in Prishtina. 3 Serb civilians usurped the flat owned by Qazim Berisha (1947), an economist, living in "Gjura Jakshiq" st. 1/7.

SUHAREKA: The mutilated and carbonized corpse of Mursel Hajrullah Buçaj (64) was found in Budakova.

KLINA: Zemrije Bacaliu (48) from Kijeva, a mother of 6, died due to the cold. She had left her village fleeing from the Serb terror.

GLLOGOC: The day the Serb forces massacred the Deliu family, 4 children from this family, aged between 1-3, were brought to the house of Shaban Hysenaj. Police handed the children to Shehide Hysenaj. The feet of the children were bleeding as the Serb forces had used knives to draw crosses on them.

GJAKOVA: In the vicinity of the village of Prush, Serb forces killed Blerim Haxhi Berisha (15) from Gjakova. Blerim, his father and his brother went there to collect firewood.

FUSHË KOSOVA: In Sllatina, Serb forces were stationed in Albanian houses.

KAMENICA: The Serbia run District Court initiated proceedings against M.A. Refik N. Kryeziu, member of the Economic Commission of the LDK branch in Kamenica and dr. Fahredin Kryeziu, member of the board of the LDK branch in Rogoçica. The two were arrested in August. Their houses were raided and large amounts of medicine were seized.

GJILAN: Xhevat Nevzati, Hetem Arifi and Nazmi Rrapuca, activists with the "Mother Theresa" Humanitarian & Charitable Association, were arrested under the pretext that they had distributed humanitarian aid in the Drenica region and were severely ill-treated.

LIPJAN: Donika Morina (9 months) from Shala near Lipjan died in Tërpeza due to the lack of medical assistance.

MITROVICA: In Rashan, youngsters Rifat Faik Smakolli (18) and Driton Abit Smakolli (20) were killed by a mine. A Serb policeman stopped an Albanian girl, forced her into the bus station and kissed her. Later on, he forced the crying girl into the water closet and on the bus travelling to Zveçan.

GLLOGOC: At the check-point in Gllogoc, Nazim Basri Kurti (1967), a blind person, from Abrie e Epërme was stopped and physically ill-treated by the police. He had been to the Prishtina Hospital for a medical check-up.

DEÇAN: Serb soldiers attacked a group of Albanian villagers who were collecting chestnuts in the forests of Lebusha. Jeton Zeqiraj (16) was brutally beaten and lapsed into a coma. Mërgim (16) and Time Zeqiraj (40) were beaten too. The golden jewelry belonging to the latter was looted. Saranda Zeqiraj (17) was taken by the soldiers and there are still no information on her whereabouts.

SKËNDERAJ: The corpses of the following were found in a mass grave in the village of Llausha: Fatime (75) and Mevlude Geci (45), handicapped, from Llausha, Hamide Taraku (51) from Vitak, a mother of 8, and the carbonized corpse of an unidentified male person.

DEÇAN: In Junik, Serb forces unburied 9 corpses and took them to an unknown direction.

During the month of October 1998:

172 Albanians were killed of whom 11 children, 16 women and 42 over the age of 55.*

55 Albanians were extrajudicially executed of whom 5 children, 6 women and 14 over the age of 55.

12 were killed by land mines, including one child and one humanitarian worker.

26 of the killed are unidentified.

23 corpses were burned

31 Albanians died due to the cold, lack of food and medical assistance.

94 were severely wounded.

394 Albanians were arrested, including 10 political, 4 humanitarian and 3 educational activists.

36 murder attempts.

659 houses were looted and burned.

138 Albanian workers were dismissed from their jobs.

584 Albanians were ill-treated and suffered body injuries.

533 are in pre-trial detention, under investigation or charged for "terrorism".

1242 are being penally prosecuted (according to Serb media).

2 foreign TV crews and a local one were obstructed in doing their jobs.

5 cases of police intervention in educational institutions.

90 Albanians were threatened by the Serbian police.

34 Albanians were sentenced on penal charges.

343 Albanians are reported missing, kidnapped or are being kept as war prisoners.

Prishtina, November 6, 1998 Information Service

*Since January 14, 1998, 1770 Albanians were killed by the Serbian forces of whom 1341 are identified and 429 unidentified, 203 are women and 193 are children. 86 Albanians died due to the cold, lack of food and medical assistance.

• Info: Kosova delegation in the Netherlands and Belgiu
• The New York Times

PRESS NOW / p.a. De Balie / Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10 /
1017 RR  Amsterdam / The Netherlands /
Tel +31.20.5535165 / 5535151 / Fax +31.20.5535155 /
Internet http://www.dds.nl/~pressnow /
E-mail pressnow@xs4all.nl / Postbank 7676

Amsterdam, 5 November 1998

        PRESS RELEASE

Press Now has invited the following personalities from Kosova to visit the  Netherlands and Belgium:

Prof. Dr. Fehmi Agani, Democratic League of Kosova (LDK),  Member of Kosova Parliament, Chief of Kosova Negotiating Team
Adem Demaci, Political representative of the Kosova Liberation Army (UCK)
Prof. Dr. Alush Gashi, Foreign Affairs Secretary of the Democratic League of Kosova,  Member of Parliament, health advisor in Kosova Government.
Hydajet Hyseni, Secretary of the United Albanian Democratic  Movement coalition
Veton Surroi, Editor-in-chief of the independent Albanian daily  "Koha" in Prishtina
Edita Tahiri, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee of Kosova  Parliament, Member of Negotiating Team, special envoy of President  Rugova.

On this occasion, Press Now will organise the following activities:

Press Conferences:

At the International Press Centre, Brussels: Tuesday, 10 November, 16.30- 17.30 hrs

At Nieuwspoort, the Hague: Wednesday, 11 November, 16.30 to 17.30  hrs
 
Public debate: "Kosova: views from within" (Language English)

At de Balie, Amsterdam : Wednesday, 11 November, 19.30 - 22.00 hrs
Live real audio of the debate will be on internet at
<http://www.domovina.net/pressnow>

For individual interviews with the delegation you can contact Albana Shala  or Anique ter Velle at Press Now office.

We would very much appreciate if this information could also be included at  your weekly overviews for your subscribers.

Albana Shala,
Press Now

                                    PRESS NOW
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Far From Kosovo, Anguished Vigils And Mourning
Concern for Family Members Reshapes Immigrants' Lives

By BARBARA STEWART (The New York Times)

  Nearly every week, all summer long, Ismer Mjeku, a Bronx entrepreneur from Kosovo, attended at least one wake, as one Albanian compatriot after another learned of relatives back home killed by Serbian soldiers. By late August, it was practically routine. He would meet his uncle and cousins at one of the small, dim clubhouses where Albanian men sit, smoking cigarettes and drinking tiny cups of sweet Turkish coffee and where traditionally, they have also held wakes.
       For the last few months, these spaces have been rented time and again by immigrant Albanian men, who would spend a day or two of mourning there. While the women remained home, receiving the condolences of their female friends, the men would spend the day at the club in a ritual called pame, "to see," or ngushellime, "condolences."
       By Labor Day, Mjeku, 38, had attended 10 or 11 pamet within 9 weeks. Like the others in his group, he shook the hands or hugged the shoulders of each grieving man, sat and drank a single cup of coffee and smoked one cigarette, rose and offered his condolences to each man again, and then left, making room for the next group.
       But a few weeks ago, after the older cousin who had been a second father to him was shot and killed in his home village, Mjeku refused to hold a pame. "We cannot keep doing these one by one," he said in his small walk-up office on Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx, where he produces an Albanian business directory. "So many people died in Kosovo the last three months. It's not special, each death. It's not -- wow. It's war."
       For many of the approximately 200,000 Albanians in and around New York and New Jersey -- 70 percent of whom come from Kosovo, a Serbian province of Yugoslavia in which 90 percent of the population are ethnic Albanians -- death is no longer special. After eight months of Serbian attacks on their relatives in Kosovo, even the deaths of children have become numbingly routine.
       Yet the deaths back home have reshaped the lives of immigrants here, making them less festive, less social: gone are the big weddings, the nights of folk dancing, the gay music.
       "When I hear Albanian music, it hurts me," said Al Haxhaj, an Albanian who is a co-owner of the Mona Lisa, a restaurant in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan that was formerly called the Piazza Bella. "It reminds me."
       Since the first Serbian attacks were reported in February, Albanians around the world have watched events back home with anguish: the looted and torched villages, the murdered civilians, the hundreds of thousands of people forced to take refuge in the surrounding mountains. The violence peaked in the summer, with 500,000 Albanians living as refugees, according to international relief agencies. These agencies also say that 1,000 to 2,000 ethnic Albanians have been killed, though many agency representatives say they believe that figure is low.
       Reports last week that Yugoslav soldiers were withdrawing from ethnic Albanian villages because of NATO bombing threats offered scant comfort. Local immigrants say they do not believe that the Serbians, their ancient enemies, will stop their attacks.
       All along Arthur Avenue and Pelham Parkway in the Bronx, in New Jersey cities like Paterson and Garfield and in neighborhoods throughout Manhattan, ethnic Albanians are trying to deal with their personal tragedies in the midst of this international drama.
       Weddings and other celebrations are being canceled. When their world is right, Albanians frequently celebrate with huge parties, hiring Albanian musicians so that hundreds of guests can do traditional folk dancing until morning. But nobody has the heart now for celebrating.
       Last fall, the Piazza Bella hired an Albanian band to play traditional music, attracting expatriates from miles around. In February, after the first massacres were reported, Haxhaj and Bilbil Ahmetaj, the co-owners, stopped the music.
       "We can't be over here dancing and getting drunk when little kids are being killed and villages are being trashed," said Fekrim Haxhaj, the owner's 18-year-old son.
       In normal times, the vast majority of the big wedding parties at Il Galletto, a banquet hall in North Bergen, N.J., are held by Albanian parents, said Vymer Bruncaj, who is a part owner. But lately, he said: "The wedding invitation for Albanians is zero -- no invitations. The last five, six months, you cannot find one."
       Young couples are postponing their weddings or marrying quietly, with fewer guests and afternoon parties without music.
       Last spring, Alta Haxhaj, Fekrim's cousin, canceled the elaborate wedding for 1,000 guests that she had been planning for a year. Instead, she and her fiance married quietly, in street clothes. "No big pouf," she said. "No tail behind me, no white pearls."
       When ethnic Albanians get together these days, it is probably for a candlelight vigil outside the United Nations or the White House. Conversation never strays far from their worries. At home and in offices, the computer stays on; the Web site www.kosova.com carries updates on news from the region in Albanian and lists the most recent victims. (Kosova is the ethnic Albanians' preferred spelling.)
       Mjeku, the Bronx businessman, checks the Internet when he gets to work. On Sept. 30, he spotted his cousin's name on the list of casualties. "I closed the office," he said. "I told my uncle in Riverdale. He started to cry. I felt very bad."
       Now, a month later, Mjeku said he is having a hard time focusing on his work. His mind is occupied by memories of his cousin.
       While the Internet brings daily updates, many Albanian-Americans have been able to reach family members in Kosovo through satellite cell phones that allow them to connect even with refugees in the mountains.
       The conversations have often been eerie. A few months ago, Dervish Ukehaxhaj was summoned from the kitchen of the Madonia Brothers Bakery in the Bronx, which he manages, to the office downstairs, where Peter Madonia, the owner, handed him a phone.
       "It was his brother in Kosova, and he was in the middle of shooting," Madonia said. "He's sitting here in this office, talking to his brother who is in the front lines, in the middle of a war."
       In July, there were other calls. One brother and two cousins had been fatally shot.
       The Kosovan Liberation Army, with the help of European expatriates, obtained dozens of powerful cell phones and distributed them to the villages, according to Isuf Hajrizi, managing editor of Illyria, an Albanian newspaper based in the Bronx. When Hajrizi's parents, along with about 40 other relatives in the village, climbed high into the mountains above the village to escape Serbian soldiers, they carried the cell phone with them. "They had no food," he said. "But they had that phone -- their only link to life."
       But with only one cell phone for at least 1,000 refugees, it can take hours, or even days, to get through. Hajrizi last reached his family after spending 10 straight hours dialing, and then persuading the person who answered to hike over to his parents' campsite to deliver the phone.
       When he finally heard his 74-year-old mother's voice, she told him that their home and their village had been looted and burned. They had no food or shelter. She begged for help. "Why is it like this?" she asked, as her son listened helplessly.
       That was two weeks ago. Since then, he has not been able to get through despite trying every day. They must have returned to the village and are trying to cobble together shelter there, he tells himself.
       "I check the Internet constantly," he said. "I haven't seen their names on the lists. As long as they don't show up on the lists, they probably are O.K."

Friday, November 6, 1998Copyright 1998 The New York Times

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