REPORT NO. 422
         ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION
         AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED
           BY THE SERBIAN POLICE AND
           OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
           FROM  JULY 1  
           UNTIL  JULY  5, 1998

REPORT NO.422

ON THE WIDESPREAD REPRESSION AND HARASSMENT PERPETRATED BY
THE SERBIAN POLICE AND OTHER AUTHORITIES IN KOSOVA
FROM JUNE 1 UNTIL JUNE 5, 1998
[ FROM JULY 1 UNTIL JULY 5, 1998 ]

     Killings, violent deaths, wounding, arrests, torture, looting of houses and of wealth in Kosova have become a common phenomenon. However, this week we have a smaller number of killings compared to the previous one.
     On June 30, Jakup Agushi (35) from the village of Drenoc near Klina was killed by Serbian police and military forces. On June 2, Haxhi Sylë Ukaj (61) from the village of Cerovik near Klina, was buried. He died of wounds inflicted from a Serbian helicopter on June 25. On June 3, Kadri Sadri Kokollari (30) from Budakova near Suhareka was killed during the attack of Serbian police and military forces on Krushica e Poshtme. Serbian forces were accompanied by tanks, armoured cars and other weapons. On June 4, the corpse of Ali Miftar Hasani (75) from the village of Prejlep, was found in the outskirts of Hereç. He was shot by Serbian snipers. On June 5, Daut Islam Pllana (25) was killed whereas, Metë Pllana was wounded during the attack of Serbian police and military forces on the village of Bardh i Madh. In Hade, Serbian forces executed the paralyzed elderly Jahir Shala, who was not able to escape after the Serbian attack on June 29.
     Among the wounded is the 8-year old child Arjeton Mustafë Gashi. He was wounded during the shelling of the Buzhala quarter in Gryka e Llapushnikut.
 
THE COURSE OF EVENTS:

JULY 1:

     GJAKOVA: At the check-point in Ura e Tabakëve, Serbian forces, arrested Mehmet Bala from Korenica. He was physically ill-treated and ordered to report to the police the following day. By the evening, the archives of the Geodesic Directory were taken to an unknown direction by the Serbian police.
     Adem Nimani from Batusha, claims to have been forced by Yugoslav soldiers to give a statement for the Serbian Television under the threat of a knife on his neck.
     OBILIQ: Bardhi i Madh was shelled by military forces stationed in the forest in the vicinity of Pomozotin, in Kuzmin and in the military barracks in Gazimestan. Serbian forces stationed in Palaj and in Janja-Voda opened fire in the direction of Hade.
     Due to Serb snipers, no medical assistance can be offered to Bajram Thaçi from Sibovc, a person suffering from kidney disease. The corps of Ajet Dedinca (43) from the village of Lajthista, killed on June 19, cannot be buried due to fire from Serbian snipers.
     FUSHë-KOSOVA: Armed para-militaries are patrolling through the town and are threatening Albanians with fire-arms. Serbian snipers were stationed on top of the railway station, in the silo (silos) and in the vicinity of Lismir. In Fushë-Kosova, Serbian police broke into the flat of Imer Sfarça, secretary of the local LDK branch in Fushë-Kosova.
     VUSHTRRI: Serbian police and military forces stationed in the village of Frashër near Mitrovica shelled Pantina and Vushtrria. Military forces stationed in Brusnik shelled the villages of Çiçavica.
     KAMENICA: Serbian police searched for Faruk Qamil Sinani (1967) from Koperrnica. The pretext is unknown.
     PODUJEVA: Military planes flew over the town and the villages in the Llapi region. In the vicinity of the Metal Framework Factory, Serbian police stopped Valdet M. Sadiku and his father, from the village of Dumnica. Valdet was forced into a police car,  and taken near the Forest in Përpellac. He was severely ill- treated. Due to injuries suffered, Valdet had to seek for medical help.
     GJILAN: In Kmetoc, at the place called "Kroi i Hajdukut", six Serbian youngsters aged 16, attacked five Albanian children of the age 7-15, all of them from Kodra e Përlepnicës. The children with the exception of Agim Daku (15), managed to escape. Agim was brutally beaten and his clothes were torn.
     FERIZAJ: Nesret Ibrahimi (1965), owner of "Luboteni" butcher shop, was taken by 3 Serbian policemen. Jakup Kalanica (1943) from Manastirc, was taken to the police station in Nerodime and was physically ill-treated.
     In the vicinity of the Serb cemetery in the village of Tankosiq, Agim Xh. Hajrullahu (1973) was physically ill-treated by the Serbian police. He was taking his cattle home.
     MITROVICA: Weapons were distributed to the Serbs in Zveçan.
     PRISHTINA: Enver Topalli, was wounded in the vicinity of the District Court in Prishtina. He was hospitalized in the Prishtina hospital. Apart from guarding his room, police handcuffed him to a radiator.
     ISTOG: Armed Serbian civilians have posted guards and are causing anxiety among the Albanians in the village of Muzhevina. Military helicopters flew from the Dubrava prison.
     SHKUP: Macedonian authorities are giving only 6 day residence permits to the Albanians from Kosova.

JULY 2:

     FUSHë KOSOVA: The situation in F. Kosova is tense. Serb para- militaries are threatening Albanians to leave their houses. Dr. Adem Limani was stopped in front of his house, taken to the police station, physically ill-treated and ordered to report again.
     OBILIQ: At 3 a.m., 8 Serbian refugees from Croatia accompanied by armed locals attacked Albanian workers with the "Kosova A" Power Plant. Habib Muja (53) from Gradica near Gllogoc and Dervish ? (45) from Açareva near Skënderaj were stabbed. They were hospitalized in Prishtina. There is no information on the whereabouts of Agim Kluna (1950) from the village of Poklek i Vjetër near Gllogoc.
     GJAKOVA: During the last 2 days, fighting continued in the villages of Reka e Keqe and on the border zone with Albania, especially in Morina and Smolica. A military convoy armed with heavy weaponry headed for this region. After midnight, Serbian police and military forces distributed weapons to Serbian civilians.
     DEÇAN: During the last 2 days, Serbian military forces stationed in Suka e Biteshit shelled the villages of Gllogjan, Baballoç, Gramaçel and Shaptej. The houses of Zenel Kamer Beqiraj and Smajl and Bajram Cenë Sokolaj were damaged. Serbian forces stationed in Podi i Gështenjave and Ura e Bajram Hasanajt shelled the village of Prejlep. Many missiles were fired towards the border zone with Albania.
     GLLOGOC: Serbian police and military forces stationed at the check-point in Komoran shelled in the direction of the Llapushniku Gorge and the Buzhala quarter. Arjeton Mustafë Gashi (8) was wounded.
     KLINA: On July 2, Haxhi Sylë Ukaj (61) died and was buried in the village of Cerrovik. He was wounded from a helicopter on June 25, during an attack of the Serbian forces. On June 30, KLA units managed to break the siege of Drenoc. The Albanian population in this village was under the siege of the Serbian police for many days. Jakup Agushi (35) from Drenoc was killed. There is no information on what happened to Mon Rexhepi (90) and Gjyle Isufi (80) who stayed in the village. Since June 30, there is no information on the whereabouts of Afërdita Desku (25), her children Ervin (3) and Arbisona (1), and her mother-in-law Fatime Desku (53). They went to Drenoc to attend the funeral of Aferdita's father, Skënder Imer Ademi (51), killed on June 28.
     VUSHTRRI: Serbian forces stationed in the village of Brusnik shelled Çiçavica. 45 t of flour were seized by Serbian authorities and sent to the Agricultural Cooperative in Vushtrria.
     FERIZAJ: Imri Haziri (1976) from Pleshina e Poshtme was taken to the police station in Nerodima and interrogated on the KLA. He was physically ill-treated. There is still no information on the whereabouts of Jakup Qerimi (27) from Ferizaj. He was arrested on June 20, under the pretext of having had a fight with a member of the Serbian security. 2 inspectors of the fiscal police and 3 Serbian policemen seized 10 t of flour from Bafti Aliu, owner of the "Gazi" enterprise. Allegedly, his documentation was not in complete order.
     On June 28, Fadil Shabani (1956) from Gaçka, activist of the LDK, and Xhavit Zeqiri (1960) from Rahovica, member of the Financial District Council and activist of the LDK, were arrested for weapons. On July 2, they were released from the county jail in Gjilan. They were tortured in the police station and due to injuries suffered had to seek for medical help. Fadil claims to have been subjected to electro-shock.
     PEJA: At about midnight, there was a blast in the vicinity of the workshop of Avdyl Adem Daci (1961) from Vitomirica. Serbian police raided and demolished the house of Hasan Selman Berbati in the "Dardania" quarter in Peja. Apart from his 2 sons, Naser (33) and Ismet (29), police arrested Skënder Avdyl Berisha (26), Ylber Avdyl Berisha (29) Rexhep Tahir Shpati (30) and Agim Haxhë Hajdaraj (20).
     The Attorney's Office in Peja requested the beginning of the investigative proceedings against Hysen Haxhiu (31) from Gjakova, Haxhi Berisha (42) from Jabllanica, Zhujë Bajrami (43) and Shaban Ahmetgjekaj (45) from Isniq, Sokol Sylaj (42) and Bajram Abdyli (34) from Shishman, and Dinë Xhelaj (51) from Strellc i Poshtëm for "hostile activity and terrorism".
     MITROVICA: Serbs from Frashër i Madh shot towards Pantina near Vushtrri.
     At the check-point in Nedakoc near Vushtrri, police stopped and physically ill-treated Bedri Tahir Ferati (38) from Zhabar i Poshtëm, member of Sub-CDHRF in Mitrovica, and Veli Karaqa (45), chairman of the Emergency Council in Vushtrri.
     SUHAREKA: During the last two days, Serbian police intervened in the "Beli Commerce" shop, beat and threatened Blerim Berisha, a salesman and looted two crates of beer and 400 dinars from him. Police threatened him with a knife "we will kill you all, you are terrorists".
     VITI: Musa Misini (1955) from Gërmova, an electrical engineer, chairman of the Emergency Council and member of the Presidency of the local LDK branch in Viti, was summoned for "informative talks" on his activity.
     PRIZREN: At the place called "Bazhdarhane", police stopped, provoked, threatened and physically ill-treated the following youngsters: Kemajl Halit Rexhepi (1975), Qerim Kadri Salihu (1980) and Behxhet Isak Salihu (1973).
     PRISHTINA: Dukagjin Morina and Agim Dedaj, students from Gjakova, were stopped and physically ill-treated for two hours by three policemen at the place "Qafa".

JULY 3:

     PRISHTINA: At 6.00 a.m., in "Dardania" quarter, a loud blast caused material damage at a supermarket and some cars parked around. There were no victims.
     In "Aca Mërdakoviq" st., police raided the house of Hamëz Gashi, and searched for his son Ejup Hamëz Gashi, a student with the secondary school.
     Prisoners Nahit Hasani, Hasan Zeneli, Isak Shabani, Agim Makolli, Besim Rama and two others, sentenced to 20-year imprisonment, were sent to the prison of Mitrovica e Sremit
     KLINA: Large Serbian police and military forces, stationed in Dollc, Klina and Kijeva, with heavy artillery, "Kaqusha" rockets and tanks, undertook an attack on the Albanian villages in the region of Kijeva, which are defended by villagers and KLA units. The following villages were shelled: Bubavec, Mleçan, and Stopanica in the district of Malisheva; Dollc, Gllareva, Stapanica, Rigjeva, Qabiq, Llozica, Mleçan, Ujmirë, Cerovik, Siqeva, Jashanica and Jellovc in the district of Klina. Serbian forces used 15 tanks, 50 armoured cars, 12 lorries and a large number of other military vehicles, helicopters and military planes. Serbian forces also shelled the villages of Gremnik, Këpuz and Dollova. Due to this attack, Mujë Gashi and Nezir Berisha from Volljaka were wounded.
     GLLOGOC: Military-police forces from Komoran started shelling towards Llapushniku Gorge in order to prevent Albanian forces from gathering to fight in the region of Kijeva. Planes flew over this region. Snipers shot from the post office in Gllogoc. Serbian police in Fushë-Kosova stopped, beat and looted Sylë Bardiqi (22), a student from Gradica,, who was on his way home. The villages of Gradica, Godanc, Dobrashec, Likoshan, Krasmiroc, Qirez, etc., where people from Hade, Bivolak, Bardh, Hamidia, Lajthishta, etc., had taken shelter, are in a very grave condition due to the lack of food and medicines.
     SKëNDERAJ: Members of military-police forces, stationed on the hills of Skënderaj, went into some houses in the vicinity of Gllavica mountain, demolished them, wrote anti-Albanian slogans and damaged the houses of brothers Shaqiri and Thaçi and that of Enver Veliqi.
     SUHAREKA: Military-police forces and Serb natives attacked Krushica e Poshtme. 4 Albanian houses were completely burned, whereas 24 others were partially burned. Some suplementary facilities were burned and cattle were killed. Kadri Sadri Kokollari (30) from Budakova was killed. While Krushica was on fire, Serb inhabitants of Reçan fired automatic guns and cheered. Skënder Gashi (1973), an agricultural technician from Mohlan, and Shaip Trolli, arrested by Serbian police in Suhareka on June 26, are still in pre-trial detention in Prizreni prison under the charges of allegedly being KLA "members".
     DEÇAN: Serbian forces from Suka e Biteshit shelled Gramaçel, Shaptej, Baballoç and border zone with Albania. Forces from Podi i Gështenjave shelled Voksh, whereas snipers shot towards Lluka e Epërme, Isniq and strellc i Epërm.
     VUSHTRRI: Military forces, stationed in Brusnik, shelled the villages of Brusnik, Kolla and Shallc near Çiçavica, targeting water springs, which supply natives with portable water.
     OBILIQ: Village of Hade is under control of Serbian forces, whereas Bardh i Madh (Bellaqevc) is under control of the KLA units. Snipers are stationed at flash points and are opening fire towards everything that moves. There are no information on the whereabouts of Hajdar Preniqi (76) and Selim and Jetullah Preniqi. On July 1, the three went to Hade. In the very same village, Serbian police executed the elderly Jahir Shala, paralysed, who was not able to flee the village during the attack of Serbian forces on June 29. Unidentified persons opened fire at the house of Fehmi Namani from Millosheva near Fushë-Kosova.
     FUSHë-KOSOVA: In the vicinity of "Mihal Grameno" Primary School, fire was set to the house of Hashim Morina, which was deserted.
     LIPJAN: At the check-point in Magura, Serbian police severely ill-treated Jakup Kastrati, chairman of the LDK branch in Malisheva; Sadri Robaj, vice-chairman, and Teuta Desku, a medical student from Malisheva.
     KAMENICA: Adil Rrudhani (1952), a teacher with "Metush Krasniqi" Primary School in Rogaçica, was summoned for informative talks at the Security Centre and was asked to collaborate with the very same.
     PODUJEVA: There were frequent movements of police and military forces, flights of war planes and helicopters towards Prishtina and the affected regions. The very same forces paraded through the town.
     MITROVICA: On market days, Serbian inhabitants of Zubin Potok are selling cattle, looted in the regions affected with war, such as: Drenica, Dukagjini, etc. Police looted 68 calves from Adem Sejdi Ala (45) from Broboniq. He bred them in Suhogërlla near Skënderaj. At the check-point in Nedakoc near Vushtrri, police stopped, checked and beat Hamzë Mujë Beqiri (19), "Tavnik" quarter in Mitrovica.
     SHTëRPCA: Police are distributing weapons to Serbian civilians in front of the Municipality Hall. Military-police forces are provoking villagers by pointing weapons at them.
     PRIZREN: In Malësia e Re, police, passing by on the road Suhareka-Prizren, opened fire and damaged the electricity transmitter, the house of Ramadan Kukaj and the shop of Kadri Zeneli.
     PEJA: Shaban Uçaj (65) from Lluka e Epërme near Deçan was found unconciousness in the vicinity of the water spring of Uji i Zi. The same had been severely beaten and was taken to the hospital of Peja. In Kapeshnica and Sahat-Kulla quarters, inhabited mainly by Albanians, policemen opened fire in order to provoke Albanians. At the green market, policemen arrested Muharrem Sejdi Morina from Tërstenik, who had come to sell potatoes.

JULY 4:

     DEÇAN: The dead body of Ali Miftar Hasani (75) from Prejlep was found in the outskirts of Hereç. The very same was killed several days before by Serbian snipers, stationed at Suka e Baballoçit. There were fierce clashes between the Albanian defending units and police-military forces in Prejlep. Serbian forces have set up barricades of sand, different cars, timber and demolished doors in the outskirts of the town. Serbian forces are looting goods and houses in Deçan and abandoned villages. Romas and Serbs from the district of Peja have joined Serbian forces in looting.
     GJAKOVA: Serbian forces started the shelling of the following villages of the border zone Kosova-Albania: Shishman, Smolica, Morina, etc.
     GLLOGOC: Serbian forces opened fire towards Llapushniku Gorge. War planes flew over Gllogoc and snipers from the post office are shooting.
     SUHAREKA: Military-police forces are incessantly shelling Krushica e Poshtme, Reçan and Muhlan. Serbian inhabitants of Muhlan are fighting against the KLA units. A war helicopter with the Red Cross sign flew over Suhareka. In Shiroka, police kidnapped Eshref Mazreku (30) and Haziz Liman Kryeziu (25). According to some information, both are under medical treatment at the hospital in Prizren. Ekrem Veselaj from Reçan was kidnapped, too.
     KLINA: After Serbian attacks against the Albanian villages in the district of Klina, the following are still kept encircled in Dugajeva: Nikollë (42), Elvin (14), Ukë (42), Ali (59), Viktor (32), Veton (24), Martin (52), Marjan (65) and Faton Gojani (37); Pren (95) and Pjetër Berisha (60), Ndue Gjoka (45) and other Albanian inhabitants. The situation in Kijeva and its surrounding is escalating.
     PRIZREN: In the outskirts of Prizren, police stopped the bus of "Victor tours" agency and arrested 12 passengers from the districts of Malisheva, Suhareka, Gllogoc and Gjakova, without any pretext. We could manage to learn only the name of Afrim Islam Hoxha from Maralia near Malisheva.
     VUSHTRRI: Police forces, led by Vucina Janicijevic and free reign army (basibozuk), were stationed in the vilage of Bukosh, on the crossroad Duboc-Druar.
     MITROVICA: Policemen stationed in Zhabar i Epërm beat up many passers-by, among whom Vesel (51), Rrustem (41) and Astrit Hyseni (18) from Kastriot near Skënderaj.

JUNE 5:

     OBILIQ: Military-police forces shelled Bardh i Madh. Due to shelling, Daut Islam Pllana (25) was killed, whereas Metë Pllana was wounded. Hade was shelled by Serbian forces, stationed in Sllatina. Police are looting goods and houses of the Albanians.
     GJAKOVA: Military-police forces from Kodra e Pllanikut, Shishmani i Rrafshit, Kodra e Zhdrellës and Suka e Biteshit shelled the villages of Shishman, Smolica and Morina in the border zone with Albania, as well as Gllogjan, Baballoç, Shaptej and Gramaçel in the district of Deçan. In Gjakova itself, police raided the families Lipoveci, Pulani and Buza.
     FUSHë-KOSOVA: There were attacks and looting of the Albanian houses last night. A bomb was thrown at the shop, owned by Halil Ismajli in "Karagjorgji" st.35. The house of the elderly Minire Fetahu in "Bata Obradovic" st.22 was damaged and looted. Serbs hooligans broke the windows of Afrim Berisha's shop in "Vëllezërit Jerkovic" st. Serbian civilians are patrolling on the streets and shooting in order to frighten the Albanians to flee their homes. Aiming the same, different persons are spreading different ruomors.
     SUHAREKA: About 8 plainclothed policemen kidnapped Halim Mahmut Bytyçi (39), a pedagogue with "Bajram Curri" Primary School in Nishor. There were fierce clashes between military-police forces and the KLA units in Lubovci quarter, in the vicinity of the village of Grejçevc. Serbian army shelled the village with heavy artillery. Flamur Hazir Perteshi (1978), Nazmi Ramë Çarri (1968) and Artan Sabit Çatani.
     VUSHTRRI: Serbian civilians opened fire towards Selim Curri and Sami Durmishi in Stanoc i Poshtëm, while they were working on their fields. In the outskirts of Vushtrri, a police squad severely ill-treated Besim Morina from Okrashtica. At the check-point in Nedakoc, police are incessantly ill-treating and looting Albanian passers-by.
     LIPJAN: Unknown persons opened fire towards the house of Hashim Vllahiu in the village of Lepina. Damage was caused, but no victims were reported. Only two Albanian families live in this village, whereas all the others are Serbian.

DELAYED INFORMATION:

     HANI I ELEZIT: Serbian police raided the houses of: Selman Curri, Nesim Curri and Sherif Berisha from Hani i Elezit; Rexhep Shkreta and Naip Shkreta from Seqishta and Bajrush Curri from Dërmjak, who was arrested and released later on (June 21); Hamit Berisha and Fadil Berisha from Goranca (June 22); Shaban Isuf Curri from Dermjak (June 24). Shaban was taken to the police station and released later on. The very same day, Qemajl Ukë Beqa from Laç was physically ill-treated at the police station and ordered to report again. On June 30, Muhamet S. Dernjani from Paldenica was sent to serve his prison term of 30 days for the weapon, which was seized two years ago.
     VUSHTRRI: Serbian police seized: 25 tons of flour belonging to "Uka Commerce" Enterprise on June 22; 27 tons of flour belonging to "Pantina Commerce" Enterprise on June 23; and 30 tons of flour belonging to "Besarti" Enterprise on June 26. On June 24, unidentified persons arrested spouses Ratomir (1941), a worker, and Cedomirka Milkovic (1945), a housewife from Pantina. Both were taken to an unknown direction. The motive is unknown.
     FERIZAJ: On June 28, Serbian police raided the house of Elmi Reçica (1961), member of the CDHRF and chairman of the branch of the Association of Political Prisoners in Ferizaj. On June 29, Serbian police in Greme arrested Naser Sylejmani (1976) from Brod near Shtërpca. At the Security Centre in Ferizaj, he was severely beaten under the pretext of being a member of the KLA. The next day, he was released.
     KAMENICA: On June 28, Serbian police from Kamenica and Medvegja opened fire at the place called Kapi on the border Kosova- Serbia.
     RAHOVEC: On June 29, Serbian police interrogated Zaim Ceka and searched for weapons at his house. On June 30, in the vicinity of "Ura e Files", in the outskirts of Rahovec, Serbian police stopped all traffic and prevented farmers from going to work. Fehmi Cana, a physician, was stopped, checked and prevented from going to the office of "Mother Theresa" Humanitarian ë Charitable Association. The very same day, in the vicinity of the police station in Rahovec four policemen, accompanied by an armoured car, hit and damaged the lorry of Destan Jupa.
     MITROVICA: On June 30, unidentified persons set fire to a cattle fodder, owned by Osman Rifat Pllana (72) from Frashër i Vogël. Serbian police, stationed in Stantërg, hit the house of Hysni Bangjuku (30).
     PRIZREN: On June 30, in the vicinity of the bus station, Serbian police arrested Sylë Hoxha (1955), a jurist and secretary of the LDK branch in Prizren. He was taken to the police station, interrogated on his activity and threatened.
     FUSHë-KOSOVA: On June 30, in Miradia e Poshtme, Serbian police physically ill-treated Naim Breznica, a member of the Board of the local Sub-CDHRF. Police broke into the house of Islam Kelmendi and opened fire in it and in other houses. Islam's house was damaged, as well as the wall of Murat Kelmendi's house. Groups of women and children who had fled the surrounding villages were passing by at the moment.
     PODUJEVA: On June 30, a police patrol went to the mill of Lutfi Muçolli in Bajçina and left him a summon to report to the police station.
     PRISHTINA: On June 30, two Serbian civilians beat Ibush Shasivari (1954) with iron bars.
     PEJA: On June 30, the villagers of Dugajeva fled in fear of a massacre by Serbian police and military forces. 9 members of Gojani family and several others remained in the village: Nikolla (45), and his son Elvin (19), Uka (42), Ali (59), Viktor (32), Anton (24), Martin (52), Marjan (65) and Faton (37), as well as Pren Ukë Berisha (95), Pjetër Prend Berisha (60), Ndue Zef Gjoka (45). They are under the siege of armed Serbian fellow-villagers and Serbian police-military forces.

Prishtina, July 5, 1998                 Information Service