Monatsbericht
November 2000 der
Menschenrechtsorganisation
KMDLNJ
/ CDHRF Prishtina
REPORT ON THE VIOLATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
IN KOSOVA
DURING NOVEMBER 2000
REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2000
After a period of relative calm, the number of
violent deaths increased during the month of November. The escalation of
violence is very concerning (as there are doubts that it is being organized
and directed by certain centers and the fact that the crimes are gaining
a political and inter-ethnic dimension).
The killing of Xhemail Mustafa, the media advisor
of Ibrahim Rugova, the chairman of the LDK, was a serious blow to the efforts
for the stabilization of the situation in Kosova. The people of Kosova
demand the prevention of such violence. The people of Kosova have proved
their love of peace during the past 2 months and the pre-electoral campaign.
The perpetrators of the killings in Kosova are not ordinary people, who have suffered in the past
During the month of November, 28 violent deaths
were reported in Kosova. An Albanian committed suicide in the Peja prison
(the day when he was to be released as innocent). 24 Albanians, 2 Serbs
and 1 person whose identity could not be confirmed were wounded.
Other crimes, which are most probably politically
motivated, are the attacks on Ejup Visoka, member of the board of the LDK
branch in Besiana, and Shkëlzen Hyseni, an LDK councilor in the municipal
assembly in Peja (the two were wounded). 5 members of the Hashkali community,
2 Serbs and one Bosniac were killed. Despite the fact that the perpetrators
were not caught, these crimes were attributed to the Albanians (the only
aim of such unconfirmed accusations is to deepen the inter-ethnic gap between
the communities and to present the Albanians as people who seek “revenge”,
people who “kill” children and the elderly). According to a Serbian human
rights organization the killing of the members of the Hashkali community
in the village of Dashec near Skënderaj was not politically motivated.
Suicide in the Peja prison
Musë Bobanaj (19) from the village of Baballoç
near Deçan, a former member of the KLA, committed suicide in the
Peja prison. Musa killed himself the day when he was to be released from
prison as innocent. Musa was kept in prison for several months. This case
proves the inefficiency of the judicial organs in Kosova.
Tefik S. Merovci (58) and his son Fahri (22)
were killed in the village of Lluka near Vushtrri. Their neighbour is thought
to have committed the crime. Bernard Shala was robbed and shot dead in
the center of Gjakova. Zehria Karoliq (40), a Bosniac from the village
of Arbënesh (Vitomirica) near Peja, was killed while trying to help
her son, who was having a fight with a group of unknown persons. Nurie
Kçiku and her husband Shaip were killed in Gjilan. Hetem Ismaili
(60) was killed, whereas his daughter Naile Ismaili (23) was wounded in
the village of Lkenas (Peran) near Besiana. Pashk Dreni and his son Luka
were killed in the village of Bardhosan near Gjakova. 3 members of the
Dreni family were wounded. Frashër Imer Syla from the village of Hereç
was killed in the center of Gjakova. Only some of the perpetrators were
identified and arrested by the UNMIK police, KFOR or the KPS.
These killings continue to burden the already
tense situation in Kosova.
The authorities bear great responsibility for the security of the ordinary people in Kosova
A few weeks ago, UNMIK announced that it was going to undertake measures to provide greater security for certain political personalities. Yet, the ordinary people in Kosova have the right to greater security and unhindered freedom of movement, too. KFOR and UNMIK in cooperation with the local population can prevent the crimes in Kosova. The KPS should get higher authorizations for the prosecution of criminals.
More victims of the Serbian terror in Kosova continue to be found
More victims of the Serbian terror in Kosova continue
to be found. Yet, their numbers are smaller, due to the fact that the teams
of the Hague Tribunal have stopped their work due to the bad weather conditions.
5 unidentified corpses were found. There are still no information on the
fate of more than 3000 Albanians and 450 Serbs and members of other communities
who went missing. There are still no new developments on the issue of the
Albanian prisoners. The riots of the Serbian prisoners gave new reason
for concern.
Thanks to the intervention of the ICRC and other
humanitarian and human rights organizations as well as that of the new
Yugoslav authorities, the Albanian prisoners were transferred to “safer”
prisons and isolated from the other prisoners.
The concerns on the fate of the Albanian prisoners
resulted in mass protests and strikes. Hundreds and thousands of people
protested in front of the National Theater in Prishtina for 13 days in
a row. The families of the Albanian prisoners and of the missing demand
information on the fate of their beloved. The protestors decided to disperse
only on being promised that UNMIK would do its utmost and would put pressure
on the new regime in Belgrade for the unconditional release of the Albanian
prisoners and for information on the fate of the missing.
The trials of those who committed war crimes continue to be dragged out
During the month of November, 21 Albanian prisoners
were released from jail. The above mentioned were arrested by the Serbian
police, military and paramilitary forces in the course of 1998 and 1999.
The trials of those who committed war crimes continue to be dragged out.
A Serb, who was accused for war crimes, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment
by the district court in Mitrovica (in absentia). Several months ago, the
latter had managed to escape from the prison in the northern part of Mitrovica.
Another Serb, who was accused for the killing of a high syndicate official
and his son, was acquitted due to the “lack of evidence”. He was given
a suspended sentence of 2 years of imprisonment for “illegal arms possession”.
The trials against 3 Serbs, who are accused for war crimes, have begun
at the district courts in Mitrovica and Gjilan. The trial against a VJ
officer and 2 reservists has begun at the district court in Nish. The above-mentioned
are accused for the killing of an Albanian couple. 3 Serbs were arrested
by the international police in the municipality of Lipjan (they are suspected
to have committed war crimes against the Albanian population).
During the month of November, many persons were
arrested for “minor crimes”. In the meantime, the perpetrators of serious
crimes continue to act with impunity.
Minor crimes
While the perpetrators of very serious crimes
continue to act with impunity, many people were arrested for minor criminal
offences. According to KFOR and the UNMIK police, during the last few days,
324 persons were detained, 25 were arrested, there were 14 cases of public
disorder, 9 cases of robbery, 15 cases of car theft, 15 car accidents,
as well as numerous cases of illegal arms possession. A number of people
who were involved in “trafficking” were arrested. 12 prostitutes were arrested
as well. On being interrogated, they were released and helped to return
to their countries.
There were also a number of cases when former
members of the KLA, who are at present active members of the KPC, were
arrested. There is an impression that these arrests were made to discredit
these two organizations. A high commander of the KPC was arrested. The
motives for his arrest remain unknown. A former commander of the KLA military
police, at present working as administrator in the municipal court, was
arrested (under the pretext that 7 bullets were found in his house).
Due to such incidents, the KPC issued a statement
criticizing the behavior against the members of the KPC.
Explosions, inter-ethnic incidents, protests…..
A 15-year-old boy was killed in a bomb blast in
Ferizaj. A bomb was thrown at the building of the Municipal Council in
Klina. A bomb exploded at the office of the “FRY” representative in Prishtina.
One person was killed and one was seriously wounded in this incident. The
building was considerably damaged. 2 vehicles were destroyed in a powerful
blast at the base of the Danish soldiers in Zveçan. Toxic gas was
thrown inside the culture center in Skënderaj.
37 cases of violence were reported in the town
of Mitrovica. 10 Albanians were ill-treated in the northern part of Mitrovica
(Remzije and Ferit Zahiti, Ibrahim Zatriqi, Ajete Vatovci, Hakif Mustafa,
Driton Peci, Mentor NN, Mensur Bajrami, Esat Aliu and Mushka Mehmeti).
The latter was stabbed by 2 Serbs. DM 2000 were looted from her. In the
village of Kllokot near Vitia, 2 Serbian houses were destroyed. Adnan Podrimçaku,
a secondary school pupil from the village of Çallapek, was abducted
in Lipjan. He was rescued by KFOR soldiers. 2 Serbian policemen crossed
the border between Kosova and Serbia and beat an Albanian from the village
of Merdar. Serbs from the village of Çagllavica blocked the road
between Prishtina and Shkup (under the pretext that they do not want any
Albanians in their village). In the vicinity of the village of Debëllde
near Vitia, a border patrol of the Macedonian army abducted 3 Albanians.
These are problems that continue to affect the
people of Kosova.
A 7-member family protested in the building of
the municipal assembly in Vushtrri stating that they would not leave this
place as long as some shelter is not provided to them (this family, with
5 children aged between 1 and 7, still lives in a tent). In the village
of Krajkova near Drenas a number of families went on strike due to the
fact that they were not included in the program for the reconstruction
of houses and due to the difficult living conditions, insufficient food,
etc.
Attacks against humanitarian organizations and private property
During the month of November several attacks against humanitarian organizations and private property were reported. In Prizren, an attack with fire weapons on the vehicle of the “HELP” humanitarian organization from Germany was reported. This attack made the representatives of this organization to threaten to leave. The organization was active in de-mining, in the reconstruction of the burned houses, schools and other forms of assistance to the local population. A number of railroad tracks were damaged. The offices of the Red Cross in Klina were looted. A 4-wheel drive belonging to the UNHCR (in the use of the CDHRF) was stolen. In Theranda, a 200 kg safe deposit box with DM 17.000 was stolen. The offices of the PDK branch in Mitrovica were looted. In Skënderaj, the 400 kg safe deposit box of the “18 Qershori” enterprise with DM 5000 was looted. In Klina, goods estimated to DM 3000 were looted from the “Prekomerc” shop.
Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja
During the month of November, the situation in
Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja escalated. The Albanian population fled
their homes and sought shelter in Kosova and the territories inhabited
by Albanians in Macedonia. Between November 26 and 27, some 2400 refugees
came to Kosova from the direction of the village of Konçul. Similar
was the situation on November 28. According to the representative of the
UNHCR in Gjilan, some 3400 refugees from the Presheva Valley were sheltered
in the Anamorava region (Gjilan and Kamenica). Yet, there are a number
of families that have sought shelter in Prishtina.
While fleeing towards Kosova, the population
was harassed by the Serbian police, military and paramilitary forces. 3
members of an Albanian family from the village of Tërrnoc near Bujanoc
were killed and 5 were wounded when their tractor hit a land mine. Among
the wounded, 4 were children aged 3, 5, 8 and 15. By the end of the month,
the tensions began to lessen. There is hope that an agreement will be reached,
which will be in the benefit of all the people in this region.
Prishtina, December 10, 2000
Information Service