I send since months to ALBANEWS and to alb-information.
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NEWS on 26/25/24/23 March 2002:
Serbia
RELEASED Albanian Prisoners
Don't forget: Milosevic trial before the United Nations' ICTY in Internet live every dayInformationen zu BLAUE / Rote Jugoslawische PAESSE - UNMIK-Papiere
The European Information Campaign for People in Need of International Protection is a joint initiative by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Commission (EC). Funded by the European Commission , the Campaign aims at raising the awareness of European public opinion toward people in need of international protection (refugees, asylum seekers and people with temporary protection status) and combating racism, discrimination and prejudices directed at this target group with a view to ease their eventual integration in their host societies. The campaign is implemented in 14 European Union member states (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom). source: http://www.iom.int/en/news/main_press_brief_notes.shtml
BELGRADE Assistance for Serbs and Roma from Kosovo more
| Serbia Released Albanian Prisoners
THE ALBANIAN PRISONERS ARE RELEASED NOW ! visit for a firework http://www.dbein.bndlg.de/APP/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Boll ma" - "Enough is enough" - "Mjaft është mjaft"
O HAPPY DAY ! :-) The Kosov@-Albanian prisoners of war
Let's praise our GOD with Psalm 126 A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion,
The LORD hath done great things for them.
Turn again our captivity , O LORD,
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious
seed,
THANKS to GOD And thanks to you all
If many little people ... May this all contribute a lot to reconciliation ! Let's pray May the Divine healing power flow freely through us.
AMEN. Sincerely yours Wolfgang # SRSG Michael Steiner Announces Return of Kosovo Albanian Detainees
» "I am extremely happy that after extremely intensive talks in Belgrade, all Kosovo Albanian prisoners were returned to Kosovo today," SRSG Michael Steiner said. « http://www.unmikonline.org/press/2002/pressr/pr709.htm UNMIK/PR/709
SRSG Michael Steiner Announces Return of Kosovo Albanian Detainees SRSG Michael Steiner announced today that all Kosovo Albanians remaining
in Serbian prisons who so wished have been returned to Kosovo.
A-PAL (ALBANIAN PRISONER ADVOCACY)
A-PAL STATEMENT HOME AT LAST! At long last, the remaining Albanian prisoners crossed the border into Kosova today, ending nearly three years of intensive international advocacy on their behalf. We can only imagine the relief the remaining families must feel at this moment to finally have contact with their loved ones again. We want to thank all the families for their extraordinary patience during this period. *** THANKS TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE WHO HELPED **** The European A-PAL email action campaign--run by Divi Beineke in Germany
and her team of translators- sent over 38,000 emails to world leaders on
the prisoners' behalf. Wolfgang Plarre compiled daily articles and reports
on human rights, missing and detained. In the USA, Naida Dukaj set up the
first A-PAL website and ran the mail list for two years. Mentor Cana set
up the mail administration. In Washington, Richard Lukaj and Ilir Zherka
met with State Department staff and Senate foreign affairs staff. In Ireland,
Valerie Hughes was our most resourceful campaigner, calling members of
EP and UK and Irish foreign offices and embassies. Brendan Moran of Ireland
Foreign Office assisted in raising the issue with other foreign offices.
Bernie Sullivan of UK followed the UK foreign office and NATO.
In NY, lawyers Lisa LaPlante and Marko Maglich worked on the Albanian Prisoner Advocacy Guide and wrote the comments of Flora Brovina's trial. Also, Ambassador Ryan of Ireland and the Ambassador of Bangladesh raised the issue in the UN Security Council. In DC, Senators Smith, Leahy, Helms and McConnell repeatedly raised the issue in Congress and coordinated the effort to condition aid if the prisoners were not transfered by March 31, 2002, as did Reps. Engel and Cardin. At the US office in Prishtina, Julie Winn, Karen Levine, Laurie Dundon,and John Menzies offered support along the way. At the UK office, Victoria Whitford coordinated efforts in Belgrade and Prishtina. US A-PAL advocates Jane Stevenson and Trish Porter wrote to prisoners in Sremska Mitrovica and assisted in advocating the release of Bedri Kukalaj. Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell of the US State Dept. supported our efforts at crucial moments. In Kosova, we want to thank Rizah Xhakali, Gani Krasniqi, Avni Klinaku, and Nexhmi Kelmendi of the APP office, and Ibrahim Makolli, Payazit Nushi, and Adem Demaci of the CDHRF office, as well as Shukrie Rexha who represented the prisoner issue on KTC. At UNMIK, Elizabeth Presse, John Christian Cady, and Clint Williamson were negotiators. Sarah Bascheti and Mary Elena Andreotti were helpful to families in need and to the Dubrava hunger strikers. Albin Kurti wrote letters to foreign governments and met with foreign office officials. Liburn Aliu helped ill prisoners who had returned home. Enver Dugolli met with UNMIK officials. The Gjakova Families petitioned internationally and did a lot to raise awareness. The Released Dubrava Prisoners insisted on the creation of an UNMIK department of Missing and Detained and the repair of the mass grave at Dubrava. Blerim Shala, Isuf Hajrizi and Halil Matoshi kept the prisoner issue alive and in the news. Over 75,000 Albanians signed the first petition we delivered to NATO. Thousands demonstrated in rain, heat, and snow. Six prisoners died in detention. But the other 2,000 plus have now returned home. Best wishes to this last group, Your A-PAL Coordinators- Alice Mead Mentor Cana Anders Wessman
***************************************** Agence France Presse March 26, 2002 Tuesday Belgrade turns over Kosovo prisoners, meeting US condition for aid DATELINE: NIS, Yugoslavia, March 26 Serbian authorities on Tuesday began a transfer of ethnic Albanian prisoners held in Serbian jails to Kosovo, meeting a key US demand for extending aid to Yugoslavia. A convoy of four buses, escorted by two UN vehicles and Serbian police cars, was seen leaving a prison in the southern Serbian town of Nis around 2:10 pm (1310 GMT). A total of 145 ethnic Albanian prisoners, 104 from Nis prison and 41 from Sremska Mitrovica, were to be transferred to Kosovo, the Beta news agency reported quoting the Serbian justice ministry. Seven ethnic Albanian prisoners wanted to serve their sentence in Serbia and not to be transferred to Kosovo, Bruno Vekaric of the ministry told Beta. The US Congress had made the transfer of ethnic Albanian prisoners to Kosovo from other parts of Serbia before March 31 a condition for receving 40 million dollars in aid to Belgrade. Washington is also demanding cooperation from Belgrade in arresting and turning over suspects wanted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The transfer was in accordance with an agreement reached last week by the Serbian government and the UN mission in Kosovo on an exchange of prisoners captured during the Kosovo war. Under the agreement ethnic Albanian prisoners held in Serbian prisons will continue to serve out their sentences in Kosovo, while Serb prisoners held in Kosovo will in return be sent to jails elsewhere in Serbia. The agreement was signed Friday by Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Kosovo Nebojsa Covic and Yugoslav Prime Minister Dragisa Pesic, and the UN administrator for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, signed the accord on behalf of the province. Over 2,100 detainees were sent to central Serbia during the June 1999 pullout of Yugoslav forces from the southern Serbian province of Kosovo. Most of the prisoners stand accused of terrorism and murder during the 1998-1999 war in which Yugoslav forces fought ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Kosovo. Some prisoners were released due to lack of evidence or after serving
some time and others were sentenced to prison for 10 years or more.
Ethnic Albanian prisoners transferred to Kosovo prisons March 26, 2002 Nis - Belgrade, March 26, 2002 - A group of 145 ethnic Albanian prisoners
were transferred today in UN busses from the local prison in Nis to the
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo-Metohija, in line
with the Serbian government's decision on prisoner transfer, meeting one
of the conditions set by the US in order to continue its financial assistance
to Serbia, the Beta news agency reported.
Copyright © 2002 Office of Communication
B92 NEWS Last update: Mar 26, 2002 20:44 CET Prisoner transfer doesn't mean exchange, warns Covic 20:44 BELGRADE, Tuesday - The head of Belgrade's Coordination Centre
for Kosovo and South Serbia, Nebojsa Covic, today confirmed that 146 Albanian
prisoners had been transferred to Kosovo.
Albanian prisoners handed over to UNMIK 18:30 MERDARE, Tuesday - Buses carrying 145 Kosovo Albanians from Serbian
prisons crossed the administrative border into Kosovo this afternoon to
the cheers of thousands of Albanians, waving Albanian and US flags.
Free Serbia News 03/26/2002 18:17 GMT+2 -- President of Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova
President of Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova, said today, he was grateful to Belgrade
for the transfer of Albanian prisoners from prisons in Serbia proper to
Kosovo, but added there would be no exchange, and that no Serbs would be
released from prisons in the province.
03/26/2002 16:08 GMT+2 --
A group of 145 Albanians left Nis prison, today afternoon, in UN buses,
on their way to Kosovo where they will be transferred to Unmik. They were
serving their sentences in prisons in Nis and Sremska Mitrovica, and they
are being transferred according to the agreement between Belgrade authorities
and Unmik.
KOSOVA 26 March 2002 Steiner: Prisoners' return brings to closure a painful legacy of the war Special Representative of Secretary General Michael Steiner announced today that all Kosova Albanians remaining in Serbian prisons who so wished have been returned to Kosova. These were the last known Kosova Albanians held in Serbia, since Yugoslav forces in June 1999 moved approximately 2,000 prisoners from Kosova to other facilities in Serbia following the NATO air strikes. Securing the return of the prisoners has been a top priority for UNMIK since the mission began. Since then, most of the Kosova Albanian detainees had either been amnestied or released following the expiry of sentences or after charges were dropped. With the Common Document of 5 November 2001, Yugoslavia and Serbia committed to returning all remaining Kosova Albanian detainees. "I am extremely happy that after extremely intensive talks in Belgrade, all Kosova Albanian prisoners were returned to Kosova today," SRSG Michael Steiner said. Early this month, Belgrade officials gave case files of most of the detainees to the UNMIK Department of Justice, where international judges in Kosova reviewed each case. This review was done to determine whether the prisoners had committed recognized crimes and were convicted in legally sound trials. SRSG Michael Steiner explained that tomorrow, he will order the release of all those whom UNMIK justice officials have already determined to have legally invalid convictions. Those prisoners whom the international judges have determined to have committed recognised crimes and whose convictions were legally valid will serve out their sentences in Kosova. The review of the remaining cases has not yet been completed. This process will be carried out by international judges as expeditiously as possible and in accordance with the same standards applied to all the others. It has also been agreed that in the future, the principles of the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners will apply. Finally SRSG Michael Steiner said "The return of the detainees to Kosova brings to closure a painful legacy of the war." (26.03.2002) Thousands of people wait the return of 145 Albanian prisoners in Merdare Thousands of people waited this afternoon the return in Kosova of the 145 last Albanian prisoners who were suffering in Serb prisons. The prisoners, who were released by Belgrade authorities based on the agreement reached with United Nations Mission in Kosova (UNMIK), were handed to UN police at about 17:00, and later they will be sent to Dubrava prison. A part of the prisoners will suffer the rest of their sentence and the ones accused for political issues will be released. The news for a possible release, which circled in the late hours of the morning, made that of crowd of real friends and relatives be directed to the northern city of Podujeva, close to the administrative check point of Merdare between Kosova and Serbia. The police organized post blocks impeding the crowd of 4,000 persons to enter the city, but according to the ocular witnesses, such a number arrived on foot to the border line. The prisoners, who started from Nish prison (North Serbia) and Sremska Mitrovica Prison (north), traveled in 6 white buses with the initials of United Nations. After the identification procedures, the prisoners will be transferred to Dubrava prison, which is located in the western region of Istog, region under Italian KFOR control. (26.03.2002) After prisoners' return, Rugova: Most of them are hostages, not ordinary criminals Immediately after the release of Albanian prisoners, Kosova president, Ibrahim Rugova stated that most of them are war hostages and not ordinary criminals. "The case will be examined again since Belgrade told there are several convicts for ordinary crimes, but the truth is that most of them were war hostages and will gradually be released. We will consider this issue, since here they are in Kosova justice's hands and there will be no re-convictions," added Rugova. 142 Albanian prisoners arrived today in the check point of Merdara in Kosova. UNMIK police declared to send them in Dubrava prison to attend the further procedures. (26.03.2002) PM Rexhepi: Albanians release was a delayed justice but it was better late than never Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi welcomed on Tuesday the release of the
Albanian prisoners form Serb prisons. He said that their release was delayed
justice, but it was better late than never. "It is important for all Kosovars
to return from there and of course the political prisoners and the kidnapped
will be released immediately after one or two days, but if any has committed
a criminal offence it is a matter for the courts," Rexhepi said. According
to him, officially there was no exchange. "Both UNMIK and Mr. Steiner said
that there was no exchange. If somebody is allowed for humanitarian reasons
to be closer to their relatives, it is a matter of international law and
we will observe that. To enlighten the fate of the missing persons Kosova
should co-operate, to be in joint groups with UNMIK and members of the
Serb Government. We will do our best to enlighten the fate of the missing
persons," PM Rexhepi said. (26.03.2002)
Tuesday, 26 March, 2002, 17:58 GMT Serbia transfers Kosovo Albanian prisoners The Serbian authorities have begun transferring the last of the ethnic-Albanian
prisoners jailed during the Kosovo crisis back to the province.
The agreement also covers the transfer to Serbia of Serb prisoners held in Kosovo. From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
Wednesday March 27, 1:07 AM Serbia hands over Kosovo prisoners Serbia handed over 145 prisoners from the Kosovo war to UN authorities
in the province, meeting a key US demand for continuing aid to Yugoslavia.
Copyright © 2002 AFP
Authorities transfer 145 Kosovo Albanian inmates from Serbian prisoners to Kosovo Tue Mar 26,10:10 AM ET
NIS, Yugoslavia - Serbia on Tuesday transported most of the ethnic Albanian
prisoners who were held here to the provincial border with Kosovo to hand
them over to NATO (news - web sites) troops.
(pvs/di/kk/sl) Copyright © 2002 The Associated Press
Tuesday March 26, 06:49 PM Belgrade hands over Kosovo Albanian prisoners By Shaban Buza and Edita Bucinca MERDARE/PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (Reuters) - Around 150 Kosovo Albanian
prisoners have been transferred from Serbia proper to jails in their homeland,
fulfilling a key condition for keeping U.S. financial aid flowing to Belgrade.
Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited.
Serbs frees Kosovo war prisoners March 26, 2002 Posted: 3:01 PM EST (2001 GMT) NIS, Yugoslavia -- Serbia has begun handing over to NATO some of the
270 ethnic Albanians it is holding prisoner ahead of a U.S. deadline.
Mladic loses guard Meanwhile, Gen. Ratko Mladic, the world's number two war crimes fugitive,
has been stripped of his military guards, The Associated Press reported.
© 2002 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
The Age Belgrade turns over Kosovo prisoners, meeting US condition for aid NIS, Yugoslavia, March 26 AFP|Published: Wednesday March 27, 12:45 AM Serbian authorities today began a transfer of ethnic Albanian prisoners
held in Serbian jails to Kosovo, meeting a key US demand for extending
aid to Yugoslavia.
Copyright © 2002 John Fairfax Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
washingtonpost.com Yugoslavia Transfers 145 Prisoners By Dragan Ilic
NIS, Yugoslavia -- Serbian authorities on Tuesday took most of the remaining
ethnic Albanian prisoners from Kosovo to the provincial border to hand
them over to NATO troops.
© 2002 The Associated Press
B92 NEWS Last update: Mar 25, 2002 21:12 CET Return MPs demand Parliament committee on missing Serbs 21:12 PRISTINA, Monday - Representatives of the Serbian Return coalition
in the Kosovo Parliament have demanded the establishment of a parliamentary
committee of enquiry into missing and abducted Serbs in the province.
Faced with U.S. deadline, more Serbs could be extradited to U.N. tribunal Tue Mar 26,10:15 AM ET
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia - Gen. Ratko Mladic, the world's No. 2 war crimes
fugitive, has been stripped of his military guards and other top suspects
are in hiding as Serbian authorities - faced with a deadline to cooperate
with the U.N. tribunal - prepare to make more arrests.
(ds/bk) Copyright © 2002 The Associated Press
ELECTRIC SHOCKS AND BEATING AT POLICE STATION The Humanitarian Law Center has strongly urged the Serbian police authorities
to identify and take steps against officers of the Smederevo Police Department
who subjected Darjan Adzic (20) and Igor Jocic (19) to torture to force
them to confess to stealing cars.
For more details please contact Tanja Pavlovic-Krizanic, HLC Belgrade
office, tel./fax: +381 11/444-3944 or 444-1487; e-mail: tanja@hlc.org.yu
THE ALBANIAN PRISONERS ARE RELEASED NOW ! http://www.dbein.bndlg.de/APP/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> READ & DISTRIBUTE FURTHER <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< *** Albanian Prisoner Advocacy List -- Prisoner Pals
***
*******************************************************************
+---------------------------------------------------+
Ein Zeichen setzen: @ ! KosovO
+ KosovA = Kosov@ !
______________________________________________________________________ # Kosovar prisoners might return from Serbia tomorrow_______________________________________________________________________ radio21 http://www.radio21.net/english/index.htm KOSOVA 25 March 2002 Kosovar prisoners might return from Serbia tomorrow Albanian prisoners, who are in Serb prisons, might definitely return
to their country. Unofficial sources reported the news, which highlighted
that all Albanian prisoners are gathered in Nis Prison waiting to return
home, in Kosova. Afterwards all the prisoners will be sent to Dubrava prison,
near Istog, and their files will be examined carefully. The sources report
that the political prisoners will be released immediately, whereas the
others convicted for ordinary crimes will continue to suffer their sentence.
(25.03.2002)
RFE/RL NEWSline 25 March 2002 SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE SERBIA TRANSFERS KOSOVAR ALBANIAN PRISONERS TO UN The Serbian government agreed on 22 March to transfer 165 ethnic Albanian
prisoners to prisons in Kosova administered by the UN, AP reported. The
move is considered a key part of Belgrade's cooperation in satisfying the
U.S. government if Yugoslavia wants to continue receiving aid from Washington
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 March 2002). Mojca Sivert, who works in Belgrade
for the Humanitarian Law Fund, said the transfer "will help [us] all deal
with the past." The prisoners are the last of a group of some 2,015 who
were taken from Kosova by Yugoslav forces as they retreated from the Serbian
province in 1999. Of the prisoners that will be transferred, 82 have been
convicted of armed mutiny and treason, while the rest have been found guilty
mostly of theft and smuggling. Sivert added that UN officials in Kosova
are likely to annul some of the convictions because some of those found
guilty "did not have fair trials." The Serbian government said it hopes
the UN will transfer several dozen Serbs imprisoned in Kosova to Belgrade.
PB
/25/2002
By Gazmend Syla - The family of Nait Hasani in Prizren are waiting
for his release from the Serb prison in Nis. The latest news they received
from their son was that Serb authorities in Nis prison were gathering Albanian
prisoners together to transfer them to Kosovo, just like the agreement
UNMIK reached with the Serb authorities this weekend. His father Xhemajl,
in a calm voice and with man-like restraint, did not hide his pleasure
at news that his son, together with many others from Kosovo, would be released
from the Serb jails. His mother, on the other hand, was quicker to criticise:
“Very little was done for the Albanian prisoners.. and the Serb regime
cannot be trusted. Now, I’m impatient. These days are longer than ever.”
3/25/2002
By Faik Hoti - The fate of more than 3,000 missing people remains
the greatest unsolved post-war enigma, almost three years after the war
in Kosovo. The place names of Batajnica, Petrovo Selo Bajina Bashta…have
become synonyms of Serb crimes and politics – where crimes committed in
Kosovo were hidden, and thus multiplied. Mass graves found in these places
in Serbia, uncovered last summer, brought to the surface the smell of Serb
crimes that reached Belgrade – the brain-centre where for years, a monstrous
policy was implemented to exterminate Albanians and other populations in
the Balkans. The Serb Interior Ministry did not want to give estimations
about the number of bodies, or how they were transported there from Kosovo
or when the exhumations will be over. But Serb forensic experts gave an
approximate deadline – the end of last autumn. What is known today is that
the victims, despite the fact that they were sent to Serbia from Kosovo,
are still in the hands of those who killed them. This time, they had become
the object of research by Serb forensic experts, who until only two years
ago, had served the policy that created thousands of victims and crimes.
In an even greater irony, forensic experts from Kosovo were not even invited
to the process of exhumation and identification of the Albanian bodies
buried in Serbia. For nine months, Serb experts managed to identify only
three victims. They are the brothers Ylli, Agron and Mehmet Bytyci - US
citizens.
Headlines - 2403.doc 6. Quoting reliable sources, Bota Sot reports that 186 Albanian prisoners
kept in Serbian prisoners will be transferred to Kosovo on Monday.
After the news of their return was confirmed, family members of the relatives
showed up at the boundary with Serbia to wait for their most loved ones.
Renowned Kosovar Albania lawyers Teki Bokshi told Bota Sot, “The Serb regime
will not release all Albanian prisoners until Monday. We are prepared to
welcome them and transfer them to their homes.”
B92 NEWS Last update: Mar 23, 2002 13:36 CET Tit without tat in Kosovo prisoner transfer 13:35 PRISTINA, Saturday – Only a small number of Serbs in prison in
Kosovo are to be transferred to Serbia proper, Pristina daily Koha Dittore
writes today.
Free Serbia News 03/23/2002 16:33 GMT+2 -- Unmik spokeswoman Susan Manuel
Unmik spokeswoman Susan Manuel said only a small number of Serbs incarcerated
in jails in Kosovo would be transferred to Serbia proper, writes Pristina
Albanian daily “Koha ditore” today.
7. All dailies carry reports on the expected release of Kosovar Albanian prisoners from Serbian prisons. The Serbian Government approved on Friday night an agreement that is expected to enable the return of K-Albanian prisoners from Serbia to Kosovo. Belgrade-based media reported that the Serbian Government had approved the agreement, while UNMIK officials claim they haven’t received official confirmation, reports Koha Ditore Zëri quotes Serbian media as saying that the Serbian Government
has verified the text of the agreement between FRY and UNMIK for the “exchange”
of prisoners. No deadline has been determined for the implementation of
the agreement, which, Serb officials say, could start early next week.
Vladimir Bozovic, member of the Coordination Center for Kosovo, said that
the agreement includes Albanians from Kosovo, but not from Presevo Valley.
Bozovic said 152 Albanians are still being held in Serbian prisons. Zëri
repeats that UNMIK officials already said that there could be no exchange
of prisoners.
March 23. 2002
Agreement about transfer of prisoners signed Belgrade - Serbian Government accepted yesterday agreement between Yugoslavia
and UNMIK about transfer of Albanian prisoners into prisons in Kosovo and
Serbian prisoners from prisons in Kosovo into prisons in Serbia.
Blic-online
Serbia to Release Albanian Prisoners VOA News
The Yugoslav republic of Serbia has agreed to transfer about 150 Kosavar-Albanian
prisoners to authorities in Kosovo province following U.S. threats to freeze
monetary aid to Belgrade.
SERBIAN GOVT APPROVES AGREEMENT ON PRISONER TRANSFER TO, FROM KOSOVO BELGRADE - The Serbian government on Friday approved a Yugoslav-UNMIK
agreement on the transfer of prisoners to and from Kosovo.
Government adopts Agreement on transfer of prisoners March 22, 2002 Belgrade, March 22, 2002 - The Serbian government adopted an agreement
between Yugoslavia and UNMIK on transfer of prisoners at today's session
presided over by Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. The agreement will
allow prisoners on the territory of Kosovo-Metohija to serve their sentence
on the territory of central Serbia and vice versa.
Copyright © 2002 Office of Communication
KOSOVA 22 March 2002 Belgrade adopts deal; Albanian prisoners to be transferred from Serbia to Kosova The Serbian government has adopted an agreement on transferring Kosova
Albanian prisoners in Serbia to prisons in Kosova. Under the agreement
reached between UNMIK and Belgrade, Serb prisoners in Kosova will be transferred
to Serbia proper. Congress in the US had listed the return of Kosova Albanian
prisoners as one of three conditions for the resumption of aid to Yugoslavia.
The Yugoslav authorities are yet to announce the deadline for implementing
the agreement. Belgrade's Coordination Centre for Kosova said the deal
applies to Albanians from Kosova, not Presheva Valley. Vladimir Bozovic
said there are 152 Albanians in Serbian prisons and 37 Serbs imprisoned
in Kosova. Belgrade's Humanitarian Law Centre urged that the exchange begin
soon. "I hope the process will begin next week and that it will be quick,"
said Mojca Sivert. (22.03.2002)
Kosovo premier: Imprisoned Serbs not be transferred to Serbia BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 22, 2002
Pristina, 22 March: Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi told FoNet
today that he was hoping that all [ethnic] Albanian prisoners would be
transferred to Kosovo prisons from prisons in Serbia proper by 31 March.
Belgrade agrees to transfer prisoners to Kosovo BELGRADE, March 22 — Serbia agreed on Friday to transfer 152 Kosovo
Albanian prisoners to jails in the province, after the United States threatened
to freeze aid to Belgrade.
Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited
FLASH NEWS 18:15 SERBIA-KOSOVO-PRISONERS
B92 NEWS Last update: Mar 22, 2002 18:54 CET Serbia adopts deal on returning Kosovo Albanian prisoners 18:28 BELGRADE, Friday – The Serbian government has adopted an agreement
on transferring Kosovo Albanian prisoners in Serbia to prisons in the UN-administered
province.
Free Serbia News 03/22/2002 18:35 GMT+2 -- Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic announces
Serbian Justice Minister Batic said that the Serbian government will
today ratify the agreement on transferring Albanian prisoners to prisons
in Kosovo. The agreement was ratified by the federal government yesterday.
Yugoslav Government Agrees on Transfer of Prisoners to Kosovo Mar 22, 2002 -- (BBC Monitoring) Text of report in English by Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug. Belgrade, 21 March: A Yugoslav government session, chaired by federal
Prime Minister Dragisa Pesic, on Thursday [21 March] adopted the text of
an agreement between Yugoslavia and UNMIK [UN Mission in Kosovo] on the
transfer of convicted persons, the government said.
Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1533 GMT 21 Mar 02 (C) 2002 BBC Monitoring |
ODMAH OSLOBODITE ALBANSKE ZATVORENIKE! |
a good summary of many of nowadays problems in Kosov@.Not to forget the economic problems:
If everyone had a chance to survive and live,
some more now refugees would (like to) go back to their home-country.On the other side:
home is, where you are accommodated, where you have friends -
Many's refugees has become home the nations they are living now.Those Kosov@rs I learned to be friend in Germany I like very much,
and some of those being expelled I miss !Sincerly
Wolfgang PlarreAND: Don't forget the problem of imprisoned Albanians in Serbia
and Missing Persons of ALL ethnicities !part of IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 314, February 1, 2001 COMMENT: RECONCILING KOSOVO
The international community must realise that any solution to Kosovo which hands absolute victory to one side will not secure stability for the region.
By Rada Trajkovic in Gracanica, Kosovo
The only way out of the present crisis in Kosovo and Metohija, KiM, is to freeze the debate over its final status. This question preoccupies both the Albanian and Serb communities and is generating even more conflict. Time must pass before some sort of compromise can be reached under the auspices of the international community.
Discussions about KiM's future should be frozen for at least three elections until a new generation capable of a more rational approach comes of age. Now, for the first time in our history the international community is on the ground in Kosovo - a neutral presence capable of rising above the extremism in both communities and facilitating a fair and mutually acceptable solution. The internationals are well aware that any solution which hands absolute victory to one side will not secure stability for the region.
While placing the status of Kosovo on the back-burner, the international community should also work with local leaders to demilitarise society and strengthen civil institutions in the province. Decisive steps must be taken to revive Kosovo's war-ravaged economy. Economically, the region cannot survive on its own; the West is well aware of that and reluctant to bankroll an artificial existence.
Priority should be given to achieving peace, stability and a safe return for those who fled their homes. After all, the establishment of peace, human rights and the fostering of democratic institutions has been the international community's political aim ever since its arrival in the aftermath of the NATO bombing of Kosovo.
The current blockade on communication between Pristina and Belgrade needs to be overcome. Better contact, not only between politicians but also between victims of the conflict, should be encouraged. Those who suffered during the years of the Kosovo conflict should be given the chance to air their grievances. To achieve reconciliation, Belgrade must acknowledge Albanian suffering.
At the moment, a gulf divides the two communities. Advocating anything less than independence for Kosovo is political suicide for an Albanian politician, while for a Serb to endorse the idea would also spell political oblivion.
The essence of the Kosovo problem lies in the irreconcilable demands of Kosovo's Albanian and Serb communities: Albanians want an independent Kosovo based on the fact that they are the majority; Serbs want Kosovo to remain part of the Yugoslav state because of its historic and cultural links with the territory.
The Albanian community in the province refuses any official contact with Belgrade, while the Serbian community refuses to consider life there without a link to Serbia.
Kosovo's history has been marked by the struggle of these opposing visions, with both Albanian and Serbs prevailing at different times. The pattern never changed: whichever community was on top always rode roughshod over the rights of the other.
Bad experiences under the Serbian authorities have left Kosovar Albanians justifiably suspicious of the Serbian state, while their own recent experience has left the Serbs fearful of their fate in an Albanian-led state. In fact, no one is innocent, there are victims and executioners on both sides.
The question of Albanian and Serb relations went unresolved throughout the 20th century.Various solutions were tried: liberal, conservative and economic. Not one brought peace.
>From 1961 to1981, when Kosovar Albanians enjoyed the political upper hand, around 92, 000 non-Albanians - Croats and Montenegrins as well as Serbs - felt pressured into leaving the province. Between 1981 and 1990, a further 50, 000 left their homes.
With the arrival of Slobodan Milosevic in 1987 and his famous pledge to Kosovar Serbs that "No one should be allowed to beat you", came a change of policy giving Serbs the upper hand. Now the pressure was on Albanians. Euphoric over their new status under Milosevic, the Serbs did not recognise the rights of Albanian community.
Milosevic's policy culminated in huge crimes against Albanians. The consequences however, were disastrous for the Serbs. The international community punished Milosevic by bombing Yugoslavia. After the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops from Kosovo in June 1999, Serbian institutions also disappeared from the territory.
Now it is the Albanian side which is blind to Serb needs. The Albanian political leadership does not recognise Serbs or Serbian state institutions as relevant to Kosovo.
Over the last two and a half years, Milosevic's ethnic cleansing has given way to Albanian expulsion of Kosovar Serbs. Around two-thirds of KiM territory is now devoid of Serbs. About 1,300 of them have been killed, the same number have been kidnapped, and around 250, 000 forced to flee.
This process has involved a spiritual devastation: more than 110 monasteries and churches and tens of thousands of Serb monuments have been destroyed; and more than 30 cities have had their names changed. Albanian symbols now dominate everywhere. Serbs in Kosovo now live in totally segregated enclaves, with no freedom of movement. Democratically-minded Albanians are equally frightened to speak up.
For the first time, an international presence on the ground gives Kosovo's polarised communities a chance to work together to create a fair and democratic society where the majority will not ride roughshod over the rights of others, where both communities can fulfil their potential.Rada Trajkovic is the leader of Kosovo Serb coalition Povratak (Return).
http://www.thelancet.com/journal/journal.isa The Lancet
Volume 359, Number 9305 09 February 2002BELGRADE Assistance for Serbs and Roma from Kosovo
On Feb 12 Slobodan Milosevic goes on trial at The Hague, on charges relating to the Kosovan, Bosnian, and Croatian wars. While these crimes have rightly attracted much international attention, other suffering has received less attention.
In Kosovo, after the 1999 NATO action, many Serbs and Roma sought safety elsewhere in Serbia. Today they live in harsh conditions with little possibility of return. Their physical and mental health are one of many challenges for a weakened Serbian health and welfare system.
During the 1990s Serbs in Kosovo had superior access to jobs, education, and housing, supported by ever-more violent oppression. When Kosovo came under UN administration in June, 1999, Serbs and Roma fled, fearing violence from Albanians. Those remaining in Kosovo today are largely trapped in "enclaves" guarded by troops of the Kosovo Force (KFOR, the NATO intervention force). Many have had their property destroyed or occupied, and have no work. Those who have left have little hope of a safe or dignified return.
More than 187 000 people moved from Kosovo, becoming internally displaced people (IDPs) in another part of their home country, Serbia. Some 8% of Serbia's 10·6 million population are IDPs or refugees--the highest proportion of any European state. The Serbian economy and infrastructure has been crippled following the disastrous decade of Milosevic's authoritarian regime, economic sanctions, international debt, and damage from NATO bombing. Unemployment is 30% and the average monthly wage is less than US$75. With social security barely functioning, 13% are dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival.
Last summer, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) noted that "there is a chronic shortage of essential drugs, more than 60% of the medical equipment is not working, while the remaining equipment is mostly obsolete. Basic services such as water and heating need to be repaired in many places."
Roma were targeted in Kosovo because they were regarded as Belgrade allies: the ICRC estimate that 20 000 fled to Serbia. There they face widespread discrimination. A recent Oxfam survey of Roma in Serbia found 66% unemployed, 45% of children were malnourished, only 1·4% living beyond the age of 60, 90% unable to cover food costs, and 97% without money for health care. There are many unofficial complaints of discrimination in access to health care.
Most IDPs from Kosovo live in private accommodation, usually struggling to finance the rent. 6·9% live in "collective centres". Official collective centres are usually disused and run-down hotels, resorts, and barracks. Unemployment is heightened by collective centres being out of town, and by the stigma of being from Kosovo. Scabies and lice infestations are the norm. A collective centres in Salaë is typical in squeezing six people into each room of about 16 m2. Not one person has work. Families receive the same basic food each day, and have not had meat or fruit for months.
Unofficial collective centres are sites that IDPs have taken over themselves, such as workers' huts and prefabricated buildings. Hazards include faulty electricity supplies, inadequate sewage facilities, and the risk of being moved on from the site. One centre, Kluz barracks in Grocka, receives a delivery of water just once a week. Some Roma are in shanty towns, such as Mali Leskovac, a settlement of 146 dwellings on the outskirts of Belgrade. Homes are constructed from any available material, such as boarding, sheeting, and card. Water is carried from unreliable sources, and there is no sewage system. Some residents live by searching through garbage for food and recycleable items.
A disproportionately high morbidity rate in collective centres was found by Swiss Disaster Relief. The main causes were cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, and tuberculosis. The Institute of Public Health of Serbia found that 95% of IDPs sampled from collective centres, and 67% of IDPs in private accommodation, cannot cover basic health costs. UNHCR receives thousands of assistance requests for medication and basic surgical materials. The ICRC has been distributing essential drugs to 7000 IDPs a month.
International humanitarian assistance is reducing as responsibility passes to the Serbian authorities. Short-term relief-based programmes are being replaced by long-term reconstruction and development projects. However, reforms can burden the most vulnerable, who are left without a safety net. The Serbian government is requesting assistance for the transition.
IDPs must manage their harsh living conditions. It is understandable that the ICRC, among others, has found that "mental disorders are frequent and on the rise, especially in collective centres". A Serbian organisation, International Aid Network (IAN), found that 24% of IDPs have started taking tranquillisers since leaving Kosovo.
One innovative project by IAN is a video link to Strpce (a Serbian community in southern Kosovo). IDPs can see and learn about their homes, and communicate directly with those who remained. Mental health workers assist the group in developing mutual support and in dealing with their distress, grief, frustration, and anger.
Other voluntary organisations are also concentrating on community projects that emphasise sustainable mutual support, developing people's skills, and mixing with the local community. This avoids individuals being pathologised, and supports those who would not otherwise come forward. For example the Red Cross is developing income-generating projects for self-sustainability. One IDP in Varajevo commented on a community project, run by the Japanese agency JEN: "when I came here I had depression at having to leave everything behind, this weaving is what really helped. I've been doing it since I was a child. The hardest thing is being alone, and here you meet people, it's the only place we're together."
The international community needs to support Serbia's general development, but also assistance to vulnerable groups, such as the Kosovo IDPs, remains vital. While the world's attention may turn to Milosevic's trial, the people he claimed as his own, displaced and destitute in their own country, are among the many paying the price for his ambitions.Hannah Roberts
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Domovina Net is grateful to its sponsors for enabling it to bring the Milosevic trial before the United Nations' ICTY to the Internet live every day in streaming RealAudio format. From February 12th the proceedings in The Hague can be folllowed via Domovina Net at http://domovina.xs4all.nl, FreeSerbia at http://www.freeserbia.com and the UN's Tribunal website at http://www.un.org/icty. The webpages which are presently available in the English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian languages will be extended with Albanian- and French-language pages - and audio. People who want to tune in on and after February 12th should download a (free) RealOne or RealPlayer program from http://www.real.com if they do not already have it, and test their PC-setup with one of the audio streams in any of the other languages which Domovina Net webcasts every day from the Tribunal courtrooms. Domovina Net Team
Tribunali Penal Ndërkombëtar për ish-Jugosllavinë Domovina Net u është mirënjohëse sponzorëve që e mundësojnë transmetimin e gjykimit të Millosheviqit për Kosovën para ICTY të Kombeve të Bashkuara. Transmetimi do te jetë ne kohë reale në internet në format të rrjedhshëm Real Audio. Duke filluar që nga 12 Shkurti procesi ne Hagë mund të percillet nepermjet Domovina Net http://domovina.xs4all.nl dhe website te KB te tribunës http://www.un.org/icty. Momentalisht gjykimi transmetohet ne gjuhët Angleze, Boshnjake, Kroate dhe Sërbe. Duke filluar nga 12 Shkurti transmetimi do te jetë edhe ne gjuhën Shqipe. Te interesuarit që kanë deshirë të degjojnë transmetimin në gjuhen shqipe qe nga 12 shkurti ose më vone duhet te kenë ose (download) programet RealOne ose RealPalyer nga Web http://www.real.com. Të dy programet jane gratis (pa pagesë). Këshilloheni te provoni (testoni) ne PC tuaj programet duke desgjuar një nga proceset ne gjuhet ekzistuese te permendura më lartë që transmetohen çdo ditë nga gjykata e Tribunes. Domovina Net Team |
| http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/article/0,,9004-2002067214,00.html
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 10 2002 Milosevic faces survivors of atrocity as justice day dawns MARIE COLVIN, BELA CRKVA, KOSOVO A DIFFERENT kind of hero will appear at the Hague
when the war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic begins this Tuesday.
The charges Kosovo: Crimes against humanity and mass deportations from 13 sites across Kosovo, including Bela Crkva, between January and June 1999 Croatia: Crimes against humanity, extermination, murder, torture and imprisonment in Western Slavonia and Krajina regions between August 1991 and June 1992 Bosnia: Genocide and complicity in genocide, extermination, mass killings, deportation and torture between March 1992 and December 1995 Copyright 2002 Times Newspapers Ltd. |
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LORD
MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF THY PEACE Where there is hate I may bring
love,
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. |
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"Religionstreffen in Assisi" Beten für eine friedlichere Welt Am 24. Januar versammeln sich 200 hochrangige
Vertreter aller Religionen zum Friedensgebet in Assisi. Neben führenden
Lutheranern folgen auch Muslime, Juden und Hindus einem Aufruf des Papstes.
fra/KNA |
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Where - par example - no peace is |
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| http://www.aimpress.org/dyn/trae/archive/
data/200201/20119-001-trae-sko.htm SAT, 19 JAN 2002 00:27:44 GMT Christmas Messages Along with the usual Christmas messages of the dignitaries of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, there were those that, in the general opinion, had more than ever before a political connotation. AIM Skoplje, January 7, 2002 Despite the crisis, it seems that in the last fifteen days the political
life in Macedonia has come to a total standstill: politicians have scattered
every which way, and in the absence of their favourite political figures,
the media are finding it increasingly hard to somehow fill the information
space. True, heavy snow was of some help. However, the Orthodox Christmas
improved things significantly. As if by prearrangement, the dailies have
divided among themselves the dignitaries the Holy Synod of the Macedonian
Orthodox Church (MPC) to be interviewed. And, everyone was happy because
there are more bishops than newspapers. Among the usual Christmas pastoral
letters, the Bishops' messages with political connotation attracted the
analysts' attention.
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Betreff:
[AL-AWDA-News] Urgent Call for Prayer: The Arab Evangelical School, Ramallah
Datum: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 17:28:33 -0500 Von: "Rima Anabtawi" <guava@vgernet.net> Urgent Call for Prayer: The Arab Evangelical School, Ramallah January 18, 2002 Early this morning the Israeli military broke
through the doors from the playground to the school and forced their way
into the Arab Evangelical School in Ramallah, one of the service institutions
of the Diocese of Jerusalem. The School building was entered under threat
of harm by the soldiers, and each classroom and office searched. Samira
Nasser, the School's director arrived and was told by the Israel soldiers
to return to her home, and that if she stayed she would be in danger.
Nancy Dinsmore
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| "Burying the Hatchet of Discord!". As it was
to be expected, Bishop Kiril was most concerned with the state in his eparchy
that includes the crisis areas - Tetovo and Kumanovo regions. According
to him, "young people indoctrinated by Islamic fundamentalism" have set
monasteries in the Tetovo villages Lesok and Mala Recica on fire. In the
words of the Bishop of Kumanovo-Polog "the war for the destruction of everything
Christian is on, and the Islamic-terrorist conquests have but one objective:
to carry out the complete Islamisation and Albanisation of these parts".
Most of the messages of Petar, the Bishop of Australia-New Zealand and Administrator of Prespa-Bitolj, could be called "political". In his interview for the Christmas issue of the Skoplje "Daily" he said that "the war in Macedonia was staged by the international factor, members of the Protestant sects, as well as Western emissaries with the objective of harming the Orthodoxy in Macedonia and beyond". The Bishop was of the opinion that "the Albanians, who agreed to play this game, were used to this end. Macedonia would have been able to resolve the problem with Albanian terrorists on its own had not the international community forced itself upon Macedonia" underlined the Bishop. The Metropolitan Bishop had his interpretation of the burning down of Orthodox Churches and monasteries: "If there were no Kosovo Mujaheddins and Albanians in Macedonia, then it was done by Islamic fundamentalists from Macedonia, which is even worse and more appalling if we want to establish mutual confidence". It seemed that Bishop Petar was equally worried about something else. In connection with the constitutional amendments and, more specifically, changes of Article 19 whereby the exclusivity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church was relativised by the mention being made of four other religious communities, Kir Petar reiterated that the official stand of the Church was unanimous: "amendments of this Article will create intolerance and religious hatred between the MPC and other religious communities" said the MPC dignitary prophetically. That was not the end of his warning. "In Bitolj and its surroundings, Orthodoxy is not threatened by Islam, nor is Islam in any danger from Orthodoxy". Recently, that same MPC dignitary accused none other than President of the Republic Boris Trajkovski for supporting sects and sent him a message that he should be "the President of all citizens, and not a Methodist preacher(which the chief of state really is) invoking God". On that occasion Metropolitan Bishop Petar also said: "Macedonia is attacked not only by Albanian terrorists, but also by numerous sects which, with the President's blessing, have penetrated schools, mail-boxes and our homes, and even army ranks. If this is not stopped, we, the Macedonians (90 percent of us being Orthodox believers) will very soon be torn between our church and sects and thus forever lose our nation and culture. Islam is not so dangerous because it is fundamentally different. Christian sects are a greater danger to us." On that occasion, the Bishop called Trajkovski to prevent this because, if not, "The Macedonian Orthodox Church will raise its voice". In his address, the Metropolitan Bishop corroborated his claims with material evidence - showing brochures of various sects who have already "penetrated the schools"; some five thousand leaflets were sent to homes of Bitolj denizens and the last week Macedonian Army Center organised lectures on sects. Thus, messages have been sent. It should be assumed that they have reached the ears and hearts of those they were intended for. ZELJKO BAJIC
Copyright: All those wishing to use or publish AIM texts
are welcome to do so, provided that they indicate the source and inform
the AIM office in Paris which is interested to receive comments and reactions
on the information it provides.
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| KosovaLive Weekly review
http://kosovalive.com/en/weekly_review.htm Ethnically Mixed Police With UCPMB Youths Not Fulfilled, Says Musliu PRISHTINA (KosovaLive) - The former Commander of the voluntarily disbanded
Army for Liberation of Presevo, Medvedje and Bujanovac (UCPMB) Shefket
Musliu accused Serbians of discrimination of guerilla members and threatened
a general block of the process if this continued. "From 86 young Albanians
applying to the third class of the ethnically mixed police in the three
municipalities of Presevo valley, 46 were called for tests, while only
12 have been accepted," Musliu told KosovaLive.
Presence of International Community Would Prevent Armed Conflict in Presevo Region, says Halimi PRESEVO (KosovaLive) - The population of the three municipalities in
Presevo Valley is interested in positive developments regarding the political
process in the region, and the continued presence of the international
community guarantees that no armed conflict will arise in the region, Albanian
politicians have stated. Meanwhile, the situation in the region is being
intensified by the premature local elections that were planned for April.
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| Betreff: HLC - PRESS - VIOLENCE AGAINST SMALL
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES GOES UNPUNISHED
Datum: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 13:59:07 -0800 Von: humanitarian law center <office@hlc.org.yu> VIOLENCE AGAINST SMALL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES GOES UNPUNISHED The Humanitarian Law Center is concerned by the continuing attacks on
small religious communities in the Vojvodina town of Backa Palanka. None
of the assailants have been charged so far although a 70-year-old man was
seriously injured in one such incident. The most frequent targets
are the clergy, faithful and buildings of the local Adventist, Evangelical
and Baptist Churches and the Christian Center.
For more information please contact Olivera Franjicevic, HLC Novi Sad office, tel./fax: +381 21 28755 e- mail:hlcolja@Eunet.yu |
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| Betreff: [balkanhr]
IFEX Auto List - Israel/Palestine (WPFC condemns IDF action against PBC) Datum: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 21:54:33 +0100 Von: "IFEX Action Alert Network" <office@greekhelsinki.gr> (by way of Greek Helsinki Monitor <office@greekhelsinki.gr>) Rückantwort: balkanhr-owner@yahoogroups.com **We apologise for any cross-posting** To: IFEX Auto List (other news of interest)
22 January 2002 Fax Letter to: (9722) 513-950
Fax Letter to: (9722) 670-1909
Your Excellency, The World Press Freedom Committee, which includes 44 journalistic organizations around the globe, joins in condemning the action of the Israeli Defense Forces on Saturday, Jan. 19, in destroying the main offices of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corp. in Ramallah. That attempt to silence a broadcasting facility is an unacceptable act of censorship in contradiction with Israel's commitment to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The action also violates the Government of Israel's obligations to uphold freedom of speech and of the press under other international human rights instruments and to refrain from interfering with legally established broadcasting facilities under the World Administrative Radio Conference agreements. As a practical matter, the IDF's action undermines the Israeli government's own demands that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat should appeal to the Palestinian population to refrain from violence against Israelis. If he is deprived of the means of communicating with the Palestinian public, he cannot issue such appeals in an effective way. Any claims that PBC television or the Voice of Palestine radio have engaged in incitement to violence with the likelihood of this having effect should be publicly documented by the Israeli authorities. If there have been such instances, the normal remedy would be documented official protests, followed by legal steps if such protests were unheeded. Further, we call your attention to and request your serious consideration of a resolution adopted May 6, 2001 by member groups of the Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations against the targeting of broadcasting stations in conflicts. Noting that such attacks violate Article 52 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Convention adopted in 1949, the Resolution of the Coordinating Committee adds: "The broadcast of 'propaganda' does not constitute a military function. This is a highly subjective term that should never be used to justify a military attack." We append the full text of that Resolution. The proper moral and legal response to any broadcasts that the Government of Israel may disagree with or find offensive would be public statements of its own to establish contested facts and to meet arguments with arguments. The violent silencing of adversaries has the effect of suggesting a lack of convincing replies to their messages. We also protest the failure by your administration to renew accreditations of Palestinian journalists. This seems to be part of an attempt to delegitimize Palestinian news outlets and to prevent them from doing their journalistic work. Such a refusal to accredit journalists smacks of the licensing of journalists, a practice that has been consistently rejected by international human rights courts as a violation of freedom of expression and of press freedom. The Government of Israel rightly points with pride to the freedom enjoyed by the Israeli press. But for that freedom to be credible to outsiders, the Government of Israel must also show that it respects the freedom of speech and of the press of others subject to its reach and authority. In future, the Government of Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces should refrain from targeting journalists or journalistic facilities and should, on the contrary, aid them in their difficult job of reporting on a tense conflict situation. We look forward to your reply on this very important matter. Respectfully yours,
James H. Ottaway, Jr.
Ronald Koven
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS
Resolution on Targeting of Broadcast Stations in Conflicts Members of the Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations, meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, on May 6, 2001, resolve that governments should not target broadcast facilities during war and conflict. Broadcast facilities are presumed to be civilian objects because they do not meet the customary definition of a military objective under international humanitarian law. Article 52 of Protocol (1) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 states, "Military objectives are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, or use make an effective contribution to military action nd whose total or partial destruction, capture or neutralization, in ircumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage." This rule is part of customary international law and is binding on states hat have not ratified the Protocol. Broadcast facilities can only lose this civilian immunity if they are used for significant military purposes, such as military communication. The broadcast of "propaganda" does not constitute a military function. This is a highly subjective term that should never be used to justify a military attack. In the last several years, military attacks have been launched against
broadcast facilities in Serbia, Dagestan, and the West Bank. Such attacks
violate international humanitarian law and place all journalists covering
conflicts at risk.
Balkan Human Rights List
Home:
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| http://www.balkanweb.com/new/news6.htm
Kosovo: UNMIK, Manuel: MP Hajdaraj murder, maybe a political act
Kosovo: EC Secretary, Shvimer: Violence returns when Parliament increased
hopes to kosovians
Kosovo, Hajdaraj's murder: MPs commemorate their colleague
Kosovo, UNMIK police to citizens: Help us to shed light on Hajdaraj
murder
January 17 , 2002 Trajkovic Unsure Whether Povratak Representatives Will Vote PRISHTINA (KosovaLive) - The Head of the Serb Povratak Coalition Rada
Trajkovic told KosovaLive that at a meeting she attended at the United
States Office in Prishtina on Thursday with Ambassador Menzies, issues
on forming Kosova's institutions and the role of Povratak were discussed.
Trajkovic said that it was not yet certain whether Povratak representatives
would vote for the President of Kosova, adding that nobody had said that
they would not vote, but this issue would be examined further, as "This
coalition never closes the door on anything."
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I got news from Valerie Hughes, Ireland, Besim Zymberi will be released
tonight.
This mail forwarded Divi Beineke to me: > A letter taken from Kosovapresss(Jan. 17,2002) |
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| Borba: UNMIK’s Deputy Head Tom Koenings visited Saric
in the Gnjilane jail
Deputy Head of UNMIK Tom Koenings visited Serb author Petar Saric in
the Gnjilane jail on Monday, Borba reported. Saric was sentenced to one
month in custody because of an alleged attack on UNMIK police. According
to unnamed sources in the Court administration in Gnjilane, Koenings' visit
was linked to Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's demand for Saric's
release. Kostunica offered his personal guarantees that Saric would appear
at a trial. Saric, a prominent Kosovo author who was beaten in an incident
in front of his house in Brezovica on January 5, has been in custody for
the past week.
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Möge die göttliche heilende Kraft durch uns fließen, in Serbo-Kroatian:Nek bozanska moc isceljenja slobodno tece kroz nas.
I know, for God the language of prayer is not the question. |
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Wer meint: Beten löst die Probleme nicht, dem gebe ich recht, aber: Beten gibt Hören und Kraft bei der Lösung der Probleme mithelfen zu können :-) Who has the opinion Prayer solves no problems, I will say him (her) to be right, but: Prayer will give To Hear and Power to be coworker to help solving the problems
Man little people at many little places doing many little steps will change this world |
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Eigene Erfahrungen prägten das Volk Gottes im Umgang mit Flüchtlingen Der Exodus Israels aus Ägypten gilt als grundlegende Erfahrung des Volkes Gottes. Weil diese Fluchterfahrung immer wieder in Erinnerung gerufen wird, genießen Fremde im Alten Testament Schutz und sind der einheimischen Bevölkerung weitgehend gleichgestellt. Auch im Neuen Testament spielt die Zuwendung zu Fremden eine wichtige Rolle. Die Bibel erzählt viel von Menschen, die
einmal die Flucht ergriffen. Schon das 1. Buch Mose schildert mehrere Wanderungs-
und Fluchtgeschichten. Viele biblische Gestalten sind vor Krieg und Unterdrückung
geflohen oder haben ihre Heimat aus wirtschaftlichen und religiösen
Gründen verlassen. Vor allem die Flucht der Israeliten aus Ägypten
unter Führung von Mose hat maßgebliche Bedeutung für den
jüdischen Glauben.
Sabine Ost
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Ein Zeichen setzen: @ ! KosovO + KosovA = Kosov@ !
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Bible says: And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
And they were scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek [after them].
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
[As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because [there was] no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, [even] I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep [that are] scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and [in] a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up [that which was] broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, [are] men, [and] I [am] your God, saith the Lord GOD.Hes 34, 1-31
Authorized Version 1769 (KJV)
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Wolfgang
Plarre
Dillinger Straße 41 ' 86637 Wertingen ' Telefon 08272 - 98974 ' Fax 08272 - 98975 ' E-mail wplarre@bndlg.de |
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