REPORT NO. 501
ON THE SITUATION OF
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
AND FREEDOMS IN KOSOVA
FROM JUNE 11
UNTIL JUNE 18, 2000
REPORT no. 501
on the situation of human rights and freedoms
in Kosova from June 11 until June 18, 2000
The killing of Xhafer Behrami and his son Baki,
as well as the wounding of Faruk Xhafer Behrami from the village of Kotorr
near Skënderaj brought back memories of the past and caused insecurity
among the Albanians in this region. According to Jetullah Behrami, a relative
of the killed (who happened to be with them while returning from the forest-where
they had gone to collect wood), the crime was perpetrated by a group of
Serbs from Zubin-Potok, who were led by Milan Gjuriq, a driver at the hospital
in Mitrovica, which is administered by Serbs.
The other killing, that in the village of Lepia
near Lypjan, in which Zlatko Deliq and Bojan Filipoviq were killed in a
mine explosion whereas, Borko Filipoviq was severely wounded – all 3 from
the village of Preoc near Prishtina, caused insecurity and showed that
criminals continue to act with impunity in Kosova and by doing so help
the forces that are against the stabilization of the situation and seek
chaos and anarchy.
The provocations and threats as were those of
the Russian soldiers in Kijeva near Malisheva “we will kill 101 Albanians
for each killed Russian soldier” remind us of the bitter and tragic events
from the past.
All this happened in the verge of the KFOR operation
of searching for weapons in the Drenica region, which can also bring back
bitter memories on the actions of the Yugoslav forces in the 50’s of the
20th century.
The seizure of weapons from the civilian population
is necessary to spare the people from tragedies similar to the ones, which
happened this week.
Yet, such actions, in only one part of Kosova
(exclusively inhabited by Albanians), in times when immediately in its
vicinity, in the northern part of Mitrovica and Kosova, armed Serbian civilians
and paramilitaries walk almost freely through towns and villages, remind
us not only of the past but also cause fear and insecurity, which can hinder
the stabilization of the situation in Kosova (as people may regard this
action as biased and cause doubts with regard to its objectives).
Otherwise, in the presence of KFOR and the international
community, which guarantee peace and security in Kosova for all its citizens,
the keeping of weapons is not only unnecessary but also represents a threat
to the citizens themselves. This can be proved by the numerous killings,
murder attempts, and woundings, which happened during this week – with
or without a political motivation.
During the week, one Albanian was killed and 2 were wounded. 2 Serbs were killed in a mine explosion. One Serb and one Albanian were wounded in mine accidents.
Killings
On June 15 - Halil Dreshaj was killed in his house in the village of Kelmend (Nabërgjan) near Peja. He was shot dead by 2 armed persons wearing masks. Halil’s father was wounded.
SKËNDERAJ: With regard to the killing of 2 Albanians from the village of Kotorr, in an ambush in the vicinity of their village, on June 11, 2000, family members and fellow villagers state that the Behrami family was attacked by a group of some 20 Serbs from the village of Kërligata near Zubin Potok. Among the assaulters was Milan Gjuriq, a driver at the Mitrovica Hospital. It is supposed that he participated in the massacres against the Albanian villagers in Drenica. Rondall Ostander, the commander of the UNMIK police in Skënderaj, stated that 2 different weapons were used. He also said that the national identity of the assaulters is unknown.
Mass graves
DRENAS: On June 10, Amërllah Hajrë Elshani from the village of Lugdren (Baica) identified a mass grave in which some 10 corpses are supposed to have been buried. The victims were killed by the Serbian police, military and paramilitary forces in 1999. KFOR soldiers were informed on this and went to the spot.
Mine accidents
LIPJAN:
On June 15, at about 11 a.m, Zlatko Deliq and Bojan Filipoviq were killed
in a mine explosion whereas, Borko Filipoviq was wounded. All 3 are from
the village of Preoc near Prishtina.
GJAKOVA:
On June 15, Korab Mulaj (18) was severely wounded in a mine explosion in
the village of Blinishta (Lipovec) on the border with Albania. Korab was
trying to de-activate a mine. He lost both his hands. Korab was immediately
taken to the Prishtina Hospital.
PRIZREN: A group of experts, who are de-mining the region along the road between Prizren and Zhur, identified a number of minefields in the Vërrini region, along the road towards the villages of Hoça e Qytetit and Gjeq (Jeshkova). The mines were identified in the vicinity of the water well in Rizan Krasniqi’s field, at the place called Lisat e Vakufit, etc.
Woundings
MITROVICA: On June 11, at about 8 p.m., a group of Serbs, not being able to evict Sylejman Atallahu (61) from his flat in the “Ibri” in the northern part of the town, opened fire at him and wounded him. Sylejman was taken to the French Hospital in Mitrovica.
Trials
- On June 14, the district court in Kraleva (Serbia) sentenced: Skënder Sadiku from the village of Gjyteti (Dubovc) near Vushtrri to 2 years and 4 months of imprisonment and Sejdi Lahu (67) from Galica near Vushtrri to 2 years.
Ill-treatments, attacks, provocations
MITROVICA:
Between June 4 and 11, a large number of Albanians and Bosniacs were evicted
from their flats in the northern part of Mitrovica. Valuables were looted
from them. Among those expelled are the following: Miradije Azemi (60),
Kurtesh Azemi (53), Fetije Berisha (65), Beshir Peci (65), Bellush Brahimi
(35), Fahri Hasan Mripa (60), Qazim Pllava (55), Bujar Kasapi (34), Avdi
Hakaj (50), Mustafa Mahmutoviq (70) and Shefqet Radonçiq (70).
On
June 10, French soldiers dismantled 6 doors and 10 windows from the house
of Zahir Mehmet Mehmeti (34) in the “Kodra e Minatorëve” quarter in
the northern part of Mitrovica. On being burned by the Serbian forces in
April 1999, it was reconstructed by ACTED. Once the doors and windows were
dismantled, Serbs set fire to its roof.
On
June 12, at about 1 p.m., a group of Serbs evicted the 4-member family
of Hajriz Zenun Hasani (65) from their flat in the “Ibri” quarter. Unidentified
persons, who spoke in Serbian phoned to Sejdi Selman Sylejmani (76), living
in the “Ibri” quarter, and threatened to kill him unless he left his flat.
Ramadan Ferizi from the village of Fushibri (Zhabar),
the director of the BPK, brought a decision to dismiss the following economists
from work: Behxhet Haliti, Ukshin Rreci, Hysen Topalli, Fetije Canhasi
and Imer Misiri. The very same were dismissed from work some 10 years ago
by the then compulsory director D. Prodanoviq. The new director did not
dismiss some workers who have completed only secondary education and who
continued to work during the war and NATO bombing.
FUSHË-KOSOVA: On June 11, a group of armed Serbs from the village of Prelluzha near Vushtrri opened fire at the train travelling between Fushë-Kosova and Mitrovica.
FERIZAJ: On June 12, an unidentified person pointed his gun at Adem Salihaj, chairman of the LDK branch in Ferizaj. The incident occurred in the Lagja e Re quarter in Ferizaj. According to eyewitnesses, Adem fired 3 bullets in self-defence. Terry Cook, the commander of the UNMIK police in Ferizaj, stated that the investigation was under way.
RAHOVEC: The night between June 12 and 13, mortar fire was opened towards a Serbian house in Rahovec. No one was injured.
SKËNDERAJ: On June 13, at about 1 a.m., there was a powerful blast in the vicinity of the gas station in the outskirts of Skënderaj. Automatic fire was heard as well. A hole (about half a meter wide) can be seen at the spot. There were no human casualties.
PRISHTINA: On June 18, at about 11 a.m., KFOR soldiers and UNMIK police blocked the roads in the vicinity of the Grand Hotel. They had received a phone call claiming that a car bomb was about to explode. KFOR conducted 2 controlled explosions destroying the car belonging to Afrim Fehmi Berisha (1969) from the village of Drenush (Drenoc) near Prishtina, an employee with the Grand Hotel. The back part of the car was damaged. Afrim stated to the CDHRF that he had reported the case to the UNMIK police and had asked for compensation. Yet, he was told to report to KFOR. On the other hand, KFOR officials told him that these things are in the domain of the police.
The prisoners
DRENAS:
On June 9, the following were released from the prison in Pozharevc (Serbia):
Hamit Xhemajli from Abria e Epërme, Bekim Uka from Dodona (Gradica),
Brahim Xhekaj from Grykas (Tërdec), Qamil Kastrati from Polluzha and
Bujar Kukaj from Qëndresa (Tërstenik).
FERIZAJ: On June 13, the following were released
from the prison in Pozharevc: Ibrahim Maloku (45), Sami Haziri (35) and
Shefki Muhadini (48) – from Dramjak; Ruzhdi Selmani (37) from Ujnishta
(Lloshkobarja) and Musli Haxha from Micsokol (Slivova). All the above mentioned
were arrested by the Serbian forces during the NATO air campaign.
BESIANA
(PODUJEVA): On June 13, the following were released from the prisons in
Serbia: Ismet Ibrahimi from Besiana, Selim Veliu from Bardhash (Bradash),
Bajram Zebica from Letan and Basri Zhitia from Lugaja (Lluga).
KAÇANIK:
On June 13, Selim Pajazit Loku (1953) from Hani i Elezit, who was arrested
by VJ soldiers in March 1999, was released from the prison in Pozharevc.
Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja
BUJANOC:
On June 11, Nexhmedin Fejzullahu (34) from the village of Tërnoc was
stopped by a traffic police patrol in the vicinity of the village of Banja
near Vranja. He was in his truck on his way back from Leskovc. He was physically
ill-treated and suffered body injuries.
On
June 13, Rushit Rushiti (42) and Ali Mehmeti from the village of Tërnoc
were arrested on the road between the villages of Tërnoc and Hodonoc.
Ali was taken to the police station in Bujanoc. There are no information
on the whereabouts of the former.
PRESHEVA:
Serbian policemen were stationed in an Albanian house in the village of
Buhiq. Buhiq is a village on the road between Presheva and Gjilan. On April
5, 1999, the Serbian forces burned a number of Albanian houses and expelled
the Albanian population. The latter have tried to return to their homes
but were prevented by the Serbian police from doing so.
KFOR interventions
MALISHEVA: On June 12, in the evening hours, Russian soldiers provoked Albanian citizens in Kijeva and Malisheva. At about 10.35 p.m., a Russian armoured car stopped in front of the shop of Hysni Gashi in Kijeva. A Russian soldier insulted and threatened those present stating, “we will kill 101 Albanians for each killed Russian soldier ”.
PRISHTINA: On June 15, several hundred KFOR soldiers began the largest operation up to now of searching for weapons in the Drenica region. In the vicinity of the village of Altar (Kleçka), municipality of Lypjan, they discovered 4 caches, 3 of which were full of weapons and ammunition. The weapons were seized and will be destroyed.
FUSHË-KOSOVA: On June 18, at about 4 p.m., Norwegian soldiers stopped a group of wedding guests from the village of Qëndresa (Gllareva) near Klina. The latter were on their way back from Prishtina. The Albanian national flag was seized from them. The wedding guests stopped their cars and blocked the road for more than an hour. On the intervention of British soldiers the flag was returned to them. Afterwards, the wedding guests continued their way home.
Delayed information:
MITROVICA:
On June 1, Serbs from the northern part of Mitrovica razed to the ground
the shop of Kemajl Hajrullah Runiku (61), which was located in the “Ibri”
quarter. During the war, the shop has been burned. Several kiosks were
erected instead.
On
June 7, at about 11 p.m., unidentified persons set fire to the “Bedri Gjina”
Primary School in the “Qendra” quarter in Mitrovica.
PRISHTINA:
On June 9, armed persons who were wearing masks stole some money and a
transport vehicle of the “Fazita” Wallpaper Factory in Prishtina.
Prishtina, June 19, 2000
Information Service