REPORT NO. 471
ON THE SITUATION OF
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
AND FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA
FROM NOVEMBER 7
UNTIL NOVEMBER 14, 1999
KËSHILLI PËR MBROJTJEN E TË DREJTAVE
E TË LIRIVE TË NJERIUT
COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN
RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Rr. Zdrini, 38000 Prishtinë-Kosovë;
tel. 381 (0) 549006 fax: 381 (0) 38 549007
E-mail:kmdlnj@albanian.com
cdhrf@albanian.com http://www.albanian.com/kmdlnj
REPORT NO. 471
On the situation of human rights
and freedoms in Kosova
from 7 until 14 November 1999
During the last week, according to the available data, 4 citizens were killed (one of them due to the mines) and the corpses of 5 other citizens killed in different periods of time were found. 5 Albanian citizens were wounded due to the mines. Whereas, 25 Albanian citizens killed by Serbian forces were reburied and 3 Albanian citizens killed by the Serbian forces in the prison of Dubrava (Istog) were identified.
CHRONICLE
Killings
8 November.
– At about 18.45, the corpse of an unidentified woman aged 75 was found
in a house in Gjakova. She is believed to be killed by thieves.
-
In Peja, at about midnight, a girl (13) got wounded while she and her brother
were playing with a revolver. She died in the Italian military hospital
in Peja.
9
November. –An unidentified corpse was found in Kllodernica (Skënderaj)
in the afternoon.
- At about 17.00, a Roma (40) was found stabbed
in his house 3 km east to Istog.
10
November. – In Çagllavica (Prishtina), an unidentified corpse was
found.
11
November. – At about 20.00, ten Serbian paramilitaries (among whom Zoran
Rademenkoviq, NN Zhiviq, Rasha Steviq etc.) intervened in the house of
Shefki Hasani (1935) in Leshtar, whom they killed. They beat and threatened
his wife and his daughter-in-law. The killer Rasha Steviq from Bolec (a
village inhabited by Serbs) had threatened Shefki before.
-
In Lupç i Poshtëm (Podujeva), the UNMIK police found two unidentified
corpses.
Mass graves – reburials, identifications
11
November. — In Vrella (Istog), Sylë Dreshaj (1912) and his wife Xufa
were reburied.
12
November. – In Jezerc (Ferizaj), Bajram Bega (37) from Ferizaj, killed
by Serbian forces in March, was reburied.
13
November. - In Arllat (Gllogoc) the following were reburied: Rasim, Latif,
Sefer, Mihane, Getoar and Emine Bujupi (a newly-born baby); Hamit and Shkëlzen
Gashi and Bajram and Dali Bytyçi. In Gllobar (Gllogoc) the following
were reburied: Beqir, Jakup, Bajram, Agron and Çerkin Krasniqi;
Shaban, Flamur and Mehmet Morina; Abdullah and Osman Elshani; Hajzer Hajdari
and Xheladin Tërdevci. All of them were killed by Serbian forces in
different parts of Drenica.
ISTOG: In the mass grave in Rakosh, the following corpses were identified: Hasan Beqir Shala (1979) and Shani Avdyl Shala (1979) from Vuçak (Gllogoc) and Petrit Halim Kiçina (20) from Bainca (Gllogoc), arrested in August last year and killed by the Serbian militaries and paramilitaries in the massacre of the Dubrava prison (Istog).
Killings and wounding due to the mines
GJAKOVA:
On 9 November, at about 11.00, on the border Kosova-Albania, an Albanian
citizen hit the mine and lost his leg. He was sent to the Gjakova Hospital.
KAÇANIK:
On 10 November, at about 15.00, 5 Albanians from Reçica e Madhe
(Tetova) walked into the mined field on the border Kosova-Macedonia, at
the place called Kodrali in Glloboçica, about 20 metres within the
territory of Kosova. Adnan Ismet Fejzullahu (1979) died.
Disappearances, kidnappings
SKËNDERAJ: There are no information on the whereabouts of Valdete Tafil Vojvoda (16) since 19 October, when she asked for medical help at the Mitrovica Hospital. Serbian doctors refused to offer her help and ever since she is missing.
Ill-treatment, attacks, provocations
MITROVICA:
On 7 November, in “Ibri” quarter, in the northern part of the town, a group
of Serbs, led by Dragan Shilikoviq, burned the shop owned by Muradije Bajram
Krasniqi (40). She is sheltered in “Qendra” quarter as her house was burned
in May this year. These days, Rasha Llaziq from Vushtrri went into the
flat of Nehat Mexhit Bajrami in the northern part of Mitrovica. A group
of Serbs threw stones to the car of Bashkim Skender Rushiti (22), in which
were his aunt Selvete Latifi with her children Albin (5) and Albert (10).
All of them suffered injuries.
PODUJEVA:
On 8 November, unknown persons set fire to the Orthodox Church in Zakut
i Epërm, which got burned.
GJAKOVA:
On 9 November, while travelling on the road Gjakova-Ponoshec, near the
village of Duzhnje, Ahmet Ibishi from Smolica was stopped by armed unknown
persons who took his car and left towards unknown direction.
LIPJAN:
On 10 November, at about 18.30, local Serbs in Dobratin attacked the bus
with Albanian pupils, who were on their back from Lipjan. The windows of
the bus were broken.
FUSHË-KOSOVA:
On 10 November, in the evening, in the vicinity of the railway station,
unknown persons blew up the kiosk owned by Hajdar Berisha.
The prisoners and prisons
PRIZREN:
According to some sources, Sub-CDHRF in Prizren informs that in a private
prison in Prokuple (Serbia) the following Albanians from the district of
Suhareka are kept: Naser Jahaj (13) from Sllapuzhan, Burim Gollopeni (14)
and Nuhi Gollopeni (17) from Dobërdolan and Besnik Gega (20) and Nebi
Buçaj (33) from Studençan.
In
the meantime, during the last week, some tens of Albanians were released
from the prisons of Serbia, Vojvodina and Montenegro. On 8 November, the
following were released from the prison of Mitrovica e Sremit (Vojvodina):
Besnik Sahit Ismajli (1979) from Tugjec (Kamenica), Lulzim Osmani from
Gjilan and Esat Jaha (1940) from Rahovec, who declared that the following
people are in the same prison: Besim Zymberi and Sylejman Bytyçi
from Ferizaj; Ahmet Demiri and Ejup Selimi from Gjilan; Xhevat Haziri and
Visar Demiri from Vitia; Ylber Topalli from Greme (Ferizaj), Shpëtim
Krasniqi from Kamenica etc.
On
10 November, the following were released from the prison of Spuzh near
Podgorica (Montenegro): Ali Gashi (1959) from Nabërgjan (Peja), Sadri
Rexhaj (1959) from Jabllanica e Vogël (Peja), Avni Avdylaj (1983)
from Radavc (Peja) and Amedin Çollakoviq (1950), a Bosniac from
Prigoda (Istog).
The
following were released from the prison of Leskovc (Serbia): Riza Ibish
Ukaj, Flakron Hajdar Mekaj, Blerim Bajram Beqiraj, Zenel Sylë Ibërdemaj
and Mehdi Mehmet Zeqaj – Peja; Qerim Bajram Elshani, Hasan Rifat Morina
and Shaban Osman Gashi – Ozrim; Agim Miftar Avdullahu – Leshan, Adem Sheremet
Berisha – Ramun, Arif Demë Neziraj – Tërstenik, Arif Smajl Gashi
– Turjaka, Ilir Shefki Seniku – Jabllanica, Izet Nezir Kuçi – Zahaq
and Riza Ramë Çeku – Qyshk (Peja); Milazim Sadik Blakaj, Çelë
Shaban Shala, Musë Tahir Blakaj, Valdet Beqir Bajraktari and Selman
Hysen Osmanaj – Trubuhoc; Gëzim Ramë Kabashi, Isa Ali Kabashi,
Nexhdet Isuf Bajrami and Mustafë Daut Bajramaj – Gurakoc and Sali
Musë Balaj, Naim Dervish Balaj and Avni Zenel Balaj – Zabllaq (Istog).
The
following were released from the prison of Zajeçar (Serbia): twins
Aziz and Mexhid Mehmet Zeqaj (1973), Ymer Sherif Kelmendi (1959) – Peja;
Bajram Rexhep Kelmendi (1955) and Isa Rexhep Kelmendi (1952) – Lutogllava;
Afrim Bilall Shabani (1965) and Xhavit Idriz Berisha (1973) – Tërstenik;
Isa Ismajl Hysenaj (1957) – Shkrel, Naim Haki Vranezi (1974) – Ramun, Hasan
Adem Cacaj (1968) – Raushiq and Bajram Ramë Kelmendi (1943) – Llabjan
(Peja); Hamdi Elez Mavraj (1970), Nexhmedin Tahir Mavraj (1975) and Deli
Mustafë Mavraj (1978) – Saradran; Hamdi Ymer Shoshaj (1974) and Isat
Ramadan Shoshaj (1980) – Kashica; Haxhi Dush Mehmetaj (1954) and Himo Misin
Balaj (1957) – Zabllaq (Istog); Zeqë Adem Hasaj (1953), Afrim Smajl
Hasaj (1954) and Armend Shpend Hasaj (1980) – Kodrali and Ismet Misin Çelaj
- Maznik (Deçan).
Agim
Prokshi (1959) from Runik (Skënderaj) was released from the prison
of Novi Pazar (Serbia). He was arrested on 9 November 1998.
Eastern Kosova – (Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja)
PRESHEVA:
On 11 November, the District Court in Presheva started the trial against
Riza Halimi, mayor of Presheva and chairman of the Party for Democratic
Action, who is tried for the seventh time under the charges that during
the protests of 8 March 1998 against the violence in Drenica he had inhibited
the official people to carry out their duties”. The defendant dropped the
charges. The process was monitored by the lawyer Igor Olujiq, a representative
of the Humanitarian Law Fund in Belgrade.
BUJANOC:
On 11 November, the District Court in Bujanoc for the 20th time continued
the trial against Sevdail Hyseni, author of the satirical book “Kur qesh
fati” (“When the fate is on your side”). He was accused for “insulting
the Serbian people, as well as Yugoslav nationalities” in a poem.
On
14 November, in the afternoon, Serbian police undertook an action in the
village of Dobrosin. Due to the fear, women and children fled towards Pogragja
and Stublina (Gjilan). During the action, there were clashes between Serbian
police forces and Albanian civilians. There were no casualties.
KFOR intervention
KAMENICA:
By the verdict 187/A/99, District Council provided the sub-CDHRF in Kamenica
with an office in the premises of Cultural Palace in Kamenica. But, the
UNMIK representative Mr. Fransua informed the chairman of the Sub-Council
that they couldn’t operate in these premises. In the meantime, on 10 October,
the logo of the UNHCR was put in the office of the sub-CDHRF.
VITI:
On 9 November, at about 10.00, KFOR forces intervened in the Rehabilitation
Centre in Banja e Kllokotit, after a Serbian old woman declared that she
had been insulted by the patients of the Centre. The following were arrested:
Hetem Ismajli, Ruzhdi Kryeziu, Xheladin Gashi, Ibrahim Shabani, Bashkim
Himaj, Nexhmedin Bruti and Rexhep Berisha. The latter and Arben Morina
were beaten. The arrested were released after 13 hours.
FERIZAJ:
On 10 November, in a suburb, KFOR military police arrested Shemsi Heta,
vice-chairman of the District Council for Protection of Social and Private
Wealth, and Naser Reçica and Adem Sokoli, members of this commission.
They were arrested while they were working in the field. The next day,
on 11 November, KFOR members raided the premises of BANKOS, where the District
Council of Ferizaj had been working. There were demolishing and documentation
confiscation. They also raided the premises of the Party for Democratic
Prosperity of Kosova in Ferizaj, which are in the same building. After
the raid, the following were arrested: Sabri Çerkini, director of
Directory for Economy and Finance, Ismajl Xhemajli, member and Enver Rexha,
worker with the Commission.
Facts on the war criminals
VUSHTRRI: The list with 12 names of the Serbian paramilitaries, former workers with the PTT in Vushtrri. They were led by Momçillo Stefan Stefanoviq. The other names in this list are as follows: Slavolub Milunko Mitiq (Momçilo’s assistant), Nebojsha Stefan Stefanoviq (Momçilo’s brother), Miodrag Milosh Anxheliq, Dragolub Miodrag Radenkoviq, Mladen Tihomir Periq, Slobodan Çedomir Mileniq, Dejan Përvoslav Miliq, Bratislav Milisav Parliq, Gorolub Slavujko Paunoviq and Sretko Bozho Trajkoviq.
Delayed information:
KAMENICA:
On 31 October, at about 21.00, in the vicinity of the gas station in Kamenica,
KFOR Russian soldiers stopped and beat Shukri Aliu. They took him to their
station and beat him again. The pretext is unknown. The same evening, Russian
soldiers beat Fehmi Berisha, Musa Llapashtica – a taxi driver, etc.
Prishtina, 14 November 1999 Information Service