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CHRONOLOGY
OF EVENTS IN KOSOVO
(Juny 12 - October 31, 1999)
Source - OSCE Report "As Seen As Told" Part 2
June 1999 Daily Reports Chronology
12th June
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KFOR entered Pristina/Prishtine.
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Five Kosovo Albanian men reportedly wearing civilian clothes with UCK badges
on their shirts, allegedly abducted a Roma man in Pristina/Prishtine.
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Five Kosovo Serb men were allegedly abducted by the UCK in separate but
related incidents in Pristina/Prishtine.
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Several hundred Serbs left Orahovac/Rrahovec (north of Prizren/Prizren),
fearing the consequences of a Yugoslav Army (VJ) and Police (MUP) withdrawal.
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A Roma was allegedly taken from his home in Orahovac/Rrahovec and has not
been seen again.
14 th June
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The first OSCE assessment team entered Kosovo/Kosova.
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KFOR entered Prizren/Prizren to a tumultuous welcome.
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KFOR entered Orahovac/Rrahovec. VJ and MUP personnel left. Thirteen members
of the UCK reportedly entered the town in uniform. The UCK took control
of the police station.
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Two hundred people from Zociste/Zozishte, Orahovac/Rrahovec municipality,
were allegedly forced to leave as 55 of their houses were burned. They
took refuge in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
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A Kosovo Serb from a village near Orahovac/Rrahovec was allegedly taken
by the UCK (see 27 th June).
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Between the 14th and 16th June about 600 Serbs from
the centre of Orahovac/Rrahovec fled their homes and moved to the Serbian
quarter of the town.
15 th June
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Five Kosovo Albanians were stopped at a UCK checkpoint in Jablanica/Jabllanice,
Djakovica/Gjakove municipality (south of Pec/Peje) between 16:00 hours
and 17:00 hours. Two of the Albanians were allegedly taken away and have
not been seen since.
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The Centre for Peace and Tolerance (CPT) opened an office in Pristina/Prishtine.
15 th to 30 th June
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It was reported that an estimated 5,000 Roma were forcibly expelled by
Kosovo Albanians from the Roma district in south Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
Most of their houses were said to have been looted and burned. Kosovo Albanians
also allegedly expelled Roma from Stari Trg/Stariterg (north of Kosovska
Mitrovica/Mitrovice) and from other areas in the south of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice
town. This occurred over a period up until 30th June. /
16 th June
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Five Kosovo Albanian males who were described as wearing green camouflage
uniforms with UCK insignia stopped a Kosovo Serb in Gnjilane/Gjilan. The
victim was released allegedly after he handed over 11,266 Dinar.
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KFOR resisted a UCK attempt to occupy the former VJ Headquarters in Urosevac/Ferizaj
(south of Pristina/Prishtine). However, UCK in the area occupied two buildings,
a school and two factories.
-
The Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) restarted
its activities in Pristina/Prishtine.
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The UCK appointed the former Deputy Spokesman for the UCK in Albania, as
the 'mayor' of Prizren/Prizren..
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Men in reportedly in UCK uniforms took four Kosovo Serb males from their
homes in Orahovac/Rrahovec. They were told that they were being taken for
questioning. One man escaped and said that he had received a severe beating
from the UCK soldiers and that he saw another of the men dead in the fire
station. None of the other two were seen alive again either. All were over
60-years-old.
17 th June
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KFOR entered Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
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Five thousand Kosovo Serb civilians left Urosevac/Ferizaj in a vehicle
convoy under an KFOR escort. Some 500 other Kosovo Serbs gathered at the
Urosevac/Ferizaj train station to await transportation out of the province.
18 th June
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500 Kosovo Serbs left Kosovo/Kosova from the Urosevac/Ferizaj train station
for other parts of Serbia.
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UNHCR reported that 50,000 refugees had returned to Kosovo/Kosova over
the previous three days. It was not known whether these were permanent
returns or temporary visits to assess the situation.
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ICRC reported that approximately 50-60,000 Kosovo Serb civilians had left
Kosovo/Kosova in the previous two weeks.
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The UCK in Urosevac/Ferizaj invited pre- 1990 employees of the municipal
post office to return to work.
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The acting director of Elektro Kosovo in Urosevac/Ferizaj reported that
260 Kosovo Serbs had left in the previous three days. Fifty Kosovo Albanian
workers remained to run the company.
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A Kosovo Serb was wounded in a drive-by shooting in Pristina/Prishtine.
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Serb forces finished their withdrawal from KFOR-designated Zone Two (west
and east of Pristina/Prishtine).
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KFOR soldiers entered the Prizren/Prizren police station. They relieved
the UCK of their weapons and took over the building. KFOR found and released
15 detainees. One 73-year-old man was found dead, handcuffed to a chair.
The UCK claimed that he died of a heart attack. Three of the released men
claimed to have been arrested by the UCK in their village, brought to police
station and severely beaten for 48 hours. They said that their family members
were also badly beaten, but that the UCK had released them. The whereabouts
of the family members were unknown.
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Municipal Council activities recommenced in Prizren/Prizren.
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Men described as wearing UCK uniforms took a 67-year-old Kosovo Serb male
and 35-year-old Kosovo Serb male to Orahovac/Rrahovec 'police' station.
The younger man was released after KFOR intervened. The 67 year old has
not been seen since.
18 th June to 2nd July
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Twenty-seven Kosovo Serb men were allegedly abducted by the UCK or disappeared
and were not seen again by their families.
19 th June
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Four or five UCK members reportedly detained a Kosovo Serb in Koretin/Koretin
(south of Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica). The victim was released on 22nd
June after having been ill-treated. Cuts to his face and broken teeth were
evident.
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Three Kosovo Albanians and two Kosovo Serbs were killed in an ambush in
Gnjilane/Gjilan. Reportedly, the two Kosovo Serb victims were being held
captive by the three Kosovo Albanian victims.
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A Kosovo Serb male was allegedly abducted from Gojbulja/Gojbuje, (south
east of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice).
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Three Kosovo Serbs were allegedly held and interviewed by UCK 'police.'
They were then handed to KFOR.
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In Belo Polje/Bellopoje, Pec/Peje municipality, three Kosovo Serb villagers
were shot dead, allegedly by the UCK. A fourth Serb was critically injured.
The Serb villagers were reportedly given 15 minutes to pack their belongings.
After several shots were heard nearby, all the villagers left with KFOR.
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A UCK Brigade Commander took over command of the UCK in the Orahovac/Rrahovec
'police' station.
20 th June
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In Belo Polje/Bellopoje, Pec/Peje municipality, three bodies were found.
They appeared to be lying where they had been killed, one on the street
and two in houses. Villagers had been evacuated to Montenegro on 19th
June leaving their houses intact. Many houses were now burned.
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Two males were reportedly taken from their homes in the Roma quarter of
Orahovac/Rrahovec by men claiming to be from the UCK. The two detainees
have not been seen since.
21st June
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A priest from the Pec/Peje Patriarchy went to Belo Polje/Bellopoje accompanied
by relatives to bury the bodies of the three dead villagers. KFOR provided
protection.
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The UCK in Pec/Peje market square stopped a truck carrying young FARK recruits
from Albania. The UCK commander insulted the FARK recruits saying that
they were cowards who betrayed their country and arrived too late to fight.
The UCK then reportedly proceeded to search the FARK recruits for weapons.
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Four elderly Kosovo Serb males were murdered near Slivovo/Slivove, Pristina/Prishtine
municipality. Three were stabbed and one was shot.
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A Roma man was abducted and assaulted by men in UCK uniform in Pristina/Prishtine.
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The Yugoslav Red Cross opened a centre for Kosovo Serb IDPs in Bresje,
Kosovo Polje/Fushe Kosove municipality .
22nd June
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A Kosovo Serb was detained by two Kosovo Albanian civilians and held in
the UCK Headquarters in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Two people in UCK uniforms reportedly
ill-treated the victim before an Albanian civilian ordered the perpetrators
to stop. The victim was taken to a KFOR base.
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One Kosovo Serb was reportedly abducted while on his way from Gnjilane/Gjilan
to nearby Gornje Kusce.
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Four Kosovo Serb males were reported missing in Pristina/Prishtine.
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A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Podujevo/Podujeve.
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Two Kosovo Serbs males, a 63-year-old and a 65-year-old went missing in
Orahovac/Rrahovec. They had gone to check on a house near local vineyards
but were last seen being dragged into the UCK 'police' station.
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Four bodies of Kosovo Serbs were found near Brnjaca, Orahovac/Rrahovec
municipality. Their hands had been tied with wire and they had been shot
at close range. One male victim was identified. He had allegedly detained
on 14 th June by the UCK. The other three bodies were not identified
at the time.
23rd to 24 th June
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Three western journalists spending the night in a Serb apartment in Pec/Peje
reportedly received a midnight visit from three UCK members who were armed.
Some hours later the journalists allegedly received a telephone call from
a woman speaking Serbo-Croat who claimed she was being harassed by the
UCK. She asked the journalists to go and inform KFOR. They declined for
fear that it might be a trap.
23rd June
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KFOR guarded 300 Kosovo Serbs in the Patriarchy in Pec/Peje. A number of
Kosovo Serbs had approached the OSCE asking for help to regain possession
of their homes.
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The first OSCE reconnaissance team arrived to Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
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Two Kosovo Serbs who went missing were allegedly detained by the UCK in
Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
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The OSCE established a Human Rights Contact Office in the Headquarters
building in Pristina/Prishtine.
24 th June
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In Gnjilane/Gjilan, two Kosovo Albanian civilians claiming to work for
the UCK allegedly threatened a Kosovo Serb with a pistol. The victim was
released after he handed over his own weapon, a handgun, and some ammunition.
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A Kosovo Serb was alleged to have been seriously beaten by three members
of the UCK over a period of seven hours in Zegra/Zheger (south of Gnjilane/Gjilan).
The victim was later taken to Gnjilane/Gjilan Hospital by KFOR.
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In Gnjilane/Gjilan, a Kosovo Serb male interviewee reported that four men
in UCK uniform had expelled him and his family from their house. The interviewee
claimed that he was ill-treated, that his son was threatened with a hand
grenade and that their passports were destroyed. The family were too afraid
to return to their house.
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A member of the UCK allegedly abducted four Kosovo Serb males from a house
in Gojbulja/Gojbuje, Vucitrn/Vushtrri municipality (south of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice).
One of the four was later released.
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A Kosovo Serb male was shot dead while moving out of his apartment near
Pristina/Prishtine.
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A Kosovo Serb water engineer went missing on his way to work in the Obilic/Obiliq
area (north of Pristina). KFOR found his body near pipelines a week later.
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KFOR informed the OSCE that the public services were running in Prizren/Prizren
and that KFOR was paying the salaries as a short-term measure. KFOR expressed
concern over who would take on the payment responsibilities.
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In Prizren/Prizren, as of 24th June, KFOR had arrested 100 persons
who were suspected of being involved in robbery, looting, assault and rape.
The detained persons were kept in the Prizren/Prizren police station's
prison.
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OSCE met, the 'Protojerej' of the Orthodox Church in Prizren/Prizren. The
Church representative expressed deep concern about crimes against the Serbian
community mentioning killing, raping and the looting of Serbian property.
The representative said that the Serbs who had committed crimes had already
left and those who remained behind did not have 'dirty hands.' The 'Protojerej'
said that the Orthodox Church enjoyed good relations with the Catholic
Church but did have contact with the Muslim community.
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The OSCE met the Catholic Priest of Prizren/Prizren. He said that approximately
2,500 Catholics lived in the Prizren/Prizren area before the March 1999
fighting started. The Priest said the Catholic community had not been specifically
discriminated against before or since the war. He believed that relations
with other kosovo.netmunities would not be problematic since all the Catholics
are Kosovo Albanians.
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OSCE in Prizren/Prizren met the former local President of the Kosovo Albanian
Council for Human Rights and Freedom. During the period of OSCE-KVM he
had provided information concerning human rights violations and co-ordinated
humanitarian affairs for the self-styled municipal authority.
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Security remained the prime concern in Prizren/Prizren with 20 to 30 crimes
per day. There were daily evictions of Kosovo Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians
alleged to be collaborators. Their houses were then looted. Good co-operation
existed with the UCK appointed local authorities but KFOR urged the UCK
to acknowledge their responsibility for crimes committed in their name.
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Approximately 3,200 Kosovo Serbs were still living in Orahovac/Rrahovec;
201 of them from nearby Zociste. The Serbian mayor was still in the town.
The Albanian population was estimated to be 10,000 persons. The UCK had
taken over, re-appointing the former Albanian mayor. The UCK was the only
organisation fulfilling a political role in this area.
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In Orahovac/Rrahovec the public services such as water, electricity and
the hospital were all functioning relatively well.
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KFOR and UCK co-operation in Orahovac/Rrahovec was good. The relationship
between the Kosovo Serbs and the Kosovo Albanians however remained very
hostile.
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An estimated 60-70% of Suva Reka/Suhareke (north east of Prizren/Prizren)
was looted and burned. Approximately 5,000 Kosovo Albanians were living
in the town compared with a pre-war figure of 20,000. All the Kosovo Serbs,
previously 10-15% of the inhabitants had left. The UCK had taken control
in Suva Reka/Suhareke.
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The crime rate in Suva Reka/Suhareke was high with reports of numerous
revenge actions, allegedly being committed by the UCK.
25 th June
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UCK-uniformed men allegedly abducted a Kosovo Serb male in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
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One Kosovo Serb was reportedly detained and ill-treated by UCK members
at the UCK Headquarters in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
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A Kosovo Serb claimed to have been taken by the UCK to their Headquarters
in Gnjilane/Gjilan and forced to hand over his weapon. The victim was also
reportedly forced to hand over his vehicle.
-
A Kosovo Serb was reportedly detained for one hour and ill-treated at the
UCK HQ in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
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A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Podujevo/Podujeve (north of Pristina/Prishtine).
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There were approximately 85 persons temporarily housed in the Bogoslovija
Seminary school in Prizren/Prizren. Of these, 63 were Kosovo Serbs, 20
Kosovo Albanians and two Roma. KFOR provided protection because these persons
expressed fear of being attacked by Kosovo Albanians and some of them showed
signs of having been subjected to torture. All of them were afraid of the
UCK. The average age of those in the school was 55-60 years. Several persons
did not know the fate of their families.
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The situation between the Muslim Slavs (Gora/Dragashi) and the Kosovo Albanians
in Dragas/Dragash, was very tense. At a meeting with the first self-appointed
Gora/Dragashi 'mayor', he said that the Muslim Slav directors of private
and public enterprises had been thrown out of their posts and replaced
by Kosovo Albanians. He claimed that 10-15% of the Muslim Slav population
had left for other parts of Serbia, Montenegro or the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia. He said this would continue to happen if the security conditions
did not improve.
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The UCK issued an order that all Serbian shop signs should be removed or
their windows would be broken. Despite KFOR efforts to prevent this from
happening windows were broken. The UCK order also prohibited the playing
of Serbian music.
Around 25 th June
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Returning Kosovo Albanian refugees shot and killed four Kosovo Serbs from
Rudice, Klina/Kline municipality (east of Pec/Peje).
26 th June
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Three unknown men abducted two Roma men from Zac, Istok/Istog municipality
(north east of Pec/Peje). Family members could identify two of the perpetrators.
One of them was arrested by KFOR.
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In Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice a large crowd of Kosovo Serbs gathered
on the northern side of the bridge in order to prevent KFOR-negotiated,
Kosovo Albanian access to the Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice Hospital. KFOR
blocked the bridge to prevent any confrontation.
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OSCE went to Mamusa/Mamushe in Prizren/Prizren municipality. Mamusa/Mamushe
is a mixed village with approximately 6,000 Turks, 1,000 Kosovo Albanians
and a few Roma families. Out of a total of 450 houses, 20 owned by Kosovo
Albanians were destroyed. The Mayor of Mamusa/Mamushe said that there were
no problems between the two communities. In the centre of the village,
the Albanian and Turkish flags were flying together. A few UCK-uniformed
personnel were seen in the village.
27 th June
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KFOR were providing protection for the isolated community of 3,200 Kosovo
Serbs who were gathered in crowded conditions in the Serbian quarter of
Orahovac/Rrahovec. IDPs from nearby Zociste were reported to have finished
a hunger strike aimed at forcing their evacuation from Orahovac/Rrahovec.
The house of a Roma was burned in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
28 th June
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In Gnjilane/Gjilan, a Kosovo Serb was allegedly ill-treated by UCK members.
The Serb's shop was looted, occupied and a UCK insignia was placed above
the door to the premises.
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A Kosovo Albanian on his way to work at the Gnjilane/Gjilan PTT (Post and
Telecom) was harassed and ill-treated by two alleged UCK members.
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A Kosovo Serb male claimed that he was ambushed, beaten, interrogated and
then released near Gnjilane/Gjilan by two men in UCK uniforms.
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Kosovo Serbs, former managers of the Trepca Mining Company, unsuccessfully
tried to gain access to the Trepce-owned mines south of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
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A Muslim Slav from Kovrage, Istok/Istog municipality, disappeared. He was
last seen on his way to Djurakovac (north east of Pec/Peje).
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In Pec/Peje a Kosovo Albanian man was shot and wounded in the shoulder.
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An estimated 200 Kosovo Albanians entered the Radio and Television (RTV)
broadcasting building in Pristina/Prishtine and attempted to evict the
Kosovo Serb employees.
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A shooting incident occurred in Orahovac/Rrahovec. A pregnant Kosovo Serb
woman was transported from Velika Hoca/Hoce e Madhe to Orahovac/Rrahovec
for treatment. Four Kosovo Serb males accompanied her. One of these opened
fire at three men in UCK uniform, wounding all of them, one seriously.
The Kosovo Serb gunman was detained by KFOR and remained in detention in
Prizren/Prizren awaiting trial.
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In Orahovac/Rrahovec, a Roma was taken from his home by men claiming to
be UCK. He was not seen again.
29th June
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A Kosovo Albanian appointed by the Gnjilane/Gjilan Hospital Board on 21st
June was replaced, reportedly by a relative of the Director.
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The remains of an elderly Roma leader were found by KFOR in his burned
house.
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In Pristina/Prishtine, the Kosovo Information Centre, a Kosovo Albanian
news agency, resumed its activities.
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In Prizren/Prizren, four representatives of the Muslim Slavs went to the
OSCE office. They said that there were some 20,500 Muslim Slavs in the
town and approximately 14,700 in the Gora/Dragashi region. According to
the representatives, there were 78,700 Muslim Slavs in the Prizren/Prizren
region at the last FRY census.
30 th June
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18 Krajina Serb IDPs claimed that they were forcibly evicted from their
accommodation in Novo Brodo/Novo Berde (north of Gnjilane/Gjilan) by the
UCK. One Krajina Serb was killed and another had his leg broken during
the same incident.
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The bodies were found of 19 members of one family, the Imeraj family in
Rakos, Istok/Istog municipality . The family was killed on 26 March.
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A mass grave with approximately 96 unidentified bodies was found in Istok/Istog.
End of June
-
A Kosovo Albanian from Sinaje, Istok/Istog municipality, was reportedly
abducted by the UCK. He was a member of FARK.
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Four elderly Serbs reportedly disappeared from Stupelj, Klina/Kline municipality.
They have never been seen since.
-
Several hundred Roma sought shelter at an elementary school in Kosovo Polje/Fushe
Kosove. This precipitated the arrival of hundreds of Roma from all over
Kosovo/Kosova, particularly from Pristina/Prishtine where the intimidation
and harassment against Roma was reported to be especially serious. The
population of the make-shift Roma IDP camp reached upwards of 5,000 people
in mid-July.
July 1999 Daily Reports Chronology
1st July
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan three Kosovo Albanians claiming to be UCK members abducted
two Kosovo Serb males loading goods on a truck. They were reportedly interrogated
in the former VJ club about their whereabouts during the conflict. One
victim was said to have been severely beaten with a stick.
-
KFOR troops in Zitinje and Trpeza, Vitina/Viti municipality reported that
houses were being burned during the night. In Gnjilane/Gjilan the situation
of lawlessness had not changed with several criminal gangs looting Kosovo
Serb flats and expelling Serb families from their homes. The Kosovo Albanian
population also reported feeling unsafe. An increased KFOR presence in
residential areas was requested.
-
Several reports have been received from Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs
that the VJ and MUP tried to keep the paramilitaries out of Gnjilane/Gjilan
during the conflict. This might partly explain the relatively small number
of IDPs in Gnjilane/Gjilan town.
-
In Zegra/Zheger, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality, the LDK leader admitted
that the current lawlessness was motivated by revenge. He said that the
Albanian population had started to burn and loot Serbian houses when they
returned to the area and saw the state of their own homes. A quickly established
UN local administration was, according the LDK leader, the only factor
that could prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
-
Two Kosovo Serb males were abducted on the outskirts of Gnjilane/Gjilan.
KFOR and OSCE intervened by speaking with local UCK leadership and both
men were released.
-
Tension was reported to be rising in Zitinje, in Vitina/Viti municipality
(south of Gnjilane/Gjilan). Zitinje was a mixed village with a 50% Kosovo
Serb and 50% Kosovo Albanian population. The house of the Kosovo Serb leader
in the village was set on fire. According to KFOR the perpetrators were
two local Kosovo Albanians.
-
Four persons claiming to be UCK took possession of a Roma male's vehicle
and tractor in Klina/Kline.
-
According to KFOR all the Kosovo Serbs had left Suva Reka/Suhareke (north
east of Prizren/Prizren) and the surrounding villages of Ljubizhda, Mohlorn,
Reqan, Dvoran, Mushtishte and Sopia.
-
A KFOR Officer said that approximately 50 Roma left the village Leshane,
Suva Reka/Suhareke municipality, and went to KFOR location to look for
protection from the Kosovo Albanians. After discussions with the Kosovo
Albanian villagers, KFOR troops managed to calm the situation and the Roma
were brought back to Leshane.
-
The same KFOR Officer said that there were not many reports about present
human rights violations but people were still reporting human rights violations
that took place during the bombing.
2nd July
-
Houses were burning in Rogotovo, Zegra/Zheger and Prilepnica/Perlepnice,
in the Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality. Three families were expelled from
Prilepnica/Perlepnice to Kusce and two houses were burned.
-
The situation in the town of Gnjilane/Gjilan was still tense. Kosovo Serb
houses were again looted and the owners reportedly expelled by gangs.
-
OSCE staff tried without success to make contact with the Serbian population
in Zitinje, Vitina/Viti municipality. Reports had been received that the
Kosovo Serbs were going to leave the village. OSCE did visit the Kosovo
Serb leader whose barn was burned on 1st July to try and convince
him that the people should stay.
-
In Urosevac/Ferizaj two Serb families alleged harassment and looting by
Albanian gangs coming from outside the town. The apartment of an old lady
had apparently been looted a short time before the arrival of the OSCE
Human Rights team.
-
Three Kosovo Albanians were taken into custody in Djakovica/Gjakove apparently
by the UCK and brought to Rogova (south of Djakovica/Gjakove) where they
were forced to spend the night. Two of the detainees were released but
the third has not been seen since.
-
Four Kosovo Serbs were killed in their house in Istok/Istog. Two of the
victims had been shot, one of whom appeared to have been tortured first.
The other two victims were killed by blows to the head. The house was set
on fire with the four bodies inside. One of the victims had been identified.
-
A Kosovo Serb electrician was reportedly abducted from his workplace at
the Pristina/Prishtine power station.
-
In Pristina/Prishtine, UNMIK appointed judges start reviewing cases of
persons detained by KFOR.
-
UNHCR in Pristina/Prishtine reported that 523,900 refugees had returned
to Kosovo/Kosova.
-
'Kosovo Day', commemorating the declaration of Kosovo independence by the
Kosovo Albanian opposition nine years ago, was celebrated in the region.
Several thousand Kosovo Albanians gathered in the centre of Pristina/Prishtine.
Some Albanians burned Yugoslav flags, tore down Serbian signs and toppled
a marble statue of a 19 Century Serb Nationalist hero. A vehicle carrying
eight passengers drove past the Serb Civil Administration Building in the
city and one of the passengers fired an automatic weapon. In response a
KFOR patrol fired shots at the vehicle, killing one person and seriously
wounding three others.
-
A Roma male was taken from his home in the Roma quarter of Orahovac/Rrahovec
by men claiming to be from the UCK.
3rd July
-
A visit to Prilepnica/Perlepnice, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality, revealed
that all Serbian houses were untouched but the population had left the
village. Kosovo Albanian residents informed the OSCE that sons of one Kosovo
Serb family had served as paramilitaries in the Croatian and Bosnian conflicts.
The Kosovo Albanians claimed that the Kosovo Serbs had tried to set their
own houses on fire.
-
KFOR reported the expulsion of 40 Roma families from Vucitrn/Vushtrri .
The remaining Roma community of approximately 20 persons requested KFOR
protection.
-
In Klina/Kline an Albanian speaking group claiming to be the UCK reportedly
threatened a Roma family and attempted to force their way into their house.
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The situation in Prizren/Prizren was described as very calm.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren was requested by the UNMIK
Interim Civil Administration to conduct interviews of candidates for the
Judiciary. The OSCE interviewed nine persons.
-
A mine exploded in southern Prizren/Prizren killing a Kosovo Albanian and
injuring two others. A KFOR soldier was also injured. The circumstances
surrounding the incident were not clear.
-
Around midnight a major explosion was heard in Prizren/Prizren town. A
bronze statue of Tsar Dusan had been blown up. One person had been arrested.
4 th July
-
A 47-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Bostane was reportedly executed by
Kosovo Albanians, allegedly UCK, in Klobukar, Novo Brodo/Novo Berde municipality.
-
A 31-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Silovo disappeared on his way from
the village to nearby Gnjilane/Gjilan. He was last seen by KFOR at the
crossroads to Malisevo.
-
Three Kosovo Serb males, aged 35, 49 and 54, (two from Klokot and one from
Vitina/Viti) were allegedly abducted by unknown persons in Donje Livoc
(south of Gnjilane/Gjilan). The victims were coming back into Kosovo from
southern Serbia with a tractor.
-
The first elements of the KFOR contingent arrived in Prizren/Prizren to
a very warm welcome. They continued to Dragas/Dragash where they were to
be based.
-
An 18-year-old Kosovo Serb and two elderly Kosovo Serbs were injured when
unknown gunmen fired several rounds at a vehicle driving from Pasanje to
Donja Budriga, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality. The 18-year-old survived the
initial encounter but died later in a KFOR hospital. KFOR began investigations
into the matter.
-
IDPs from Bujanovac and Presevo (east of Gnjilane/Gjilan, across the Kosovo/Kosova
boundary) started arriving in Gnjilane/Gjilan. An Albanian male from Cuker,
Bujanovac municipality, alleged that on 26th June he was ill-treated
by men wearing green camouflage uniforms, short hair and earrings. The
victim was maltreated with a knife and rope and then beaten with the butt
of a machine gun. He said that he was asked about several residents of
the village.
-
Several houses were burned in the Roma quarter of Gnjilane/Gjilan allegedly
by Kosovo Albanians. It was unclear whether the Roma had left Gnjilane/Gjilan
or were in hiding as OSCE Officers could not manage to identify any Roma
to take a statement. Two Roma did however approach KFOR.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers visited Letnica the only village in the Gnjilane/Gjilan
region with an exclusively ethnic Croat population. The mood in the village
was reported to be one of despair and resignation. The population said
they felt trapped between Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians and that they
lacked representatives in higher authorities. The Croat community had been
living in Letnica for approximately 400 years having historically been
displaced from the Dalmatian coast. The remaining community of 450 were
considering going to Croatia.
5 th July
-
Unknown perpetrators in Gnjilane/Gjilan reportedly abducted a 35-year-old
Kosovo Serb male. An unknown person from a vehicle parked in a side street
approached the Serb. When the Serb left his own vehicle he was forced into
the perpetrator's car and driven away.
-
A convoy of 13 Kosovo Serb vehicles from Zegra/Zheger, Gnjilane/Gjilan
municipality, escorted by KFOR, headed towards the Kosovo boundary destined
for Presevo in southern Serbia.
-
UNHCR informed the OSCE that 15 Krajina Serbs, refugees from Croatia had
been escorted to Bujanovac over the Kosovo boundary. The Serbs said that
they did not want to wait until the UNHCR or IOM could organise their transfer
to Croatia.
-
KFOR found the body of a Kosovo Serb male in a mixed residential area of
Gnjilane/Gjilan. Neighbours reported a smell coming from an apartment and
alerted KFOR. When the door was forced the man was found tied to a chair
with his throat cut. A bloodstained knife, the deceased's ID and a military
booklet belonging to his son were found. No one in the building admitted
to hearing or seeing anything.
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan, a crowd claiming allegiance to the self-proclaimed
UCK civilian administration tried to occupy the office of the Yugoslav
Red Cross. Representatives of the Mother Teresa Society mediated and the
crowd dispersed.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer took the statement of an eyewitness and one
indirect witness to the alleged kidnapping of a Kosovo Serb in the Gnjilane/Gjilan
town centre on the afternoon of 25 th June.
-
In Stupelj, Klina/Kline municipality a group of Kosovo Albanians claiming
to be UCK entered the compound of a family and confiscated their tractor.
The head of the family and son is said to have been threatened at gunpoint.
-
In Pec/Peje, a former OSCE local employee reported that she was sitting
with other Kosovo Albanian friends at an ice cream parlour owned by a Muslim
Slav (Gora/Dragashi) when an UCK member passed by and told them they could
not give money to the Gora/Dragashis 'who were their enemies.' The customers
all had to leave. The ice-cream parlour was closed on 6th July
but re-opened a few days later.
-
Two Roma males were reportedly kidnapped in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
A Muslim Slav television engineer from Orcusa, Gora/Dragashi municipality
, was killed in Lipljan/Lipjan.Hewas in the market with two Serbian friends
when he was attacked. His throat was slashed and he was stabbed five times
in the chest. He was a native of Lipljan/Lipjan and was buried in the village.
-
A Muslim Slav (Gora/Dragashi) representative, met KFOR. He said that the
Muslim Slav community in Prizren/Prizren faced harassment through threatening
phone calls, looting and occupation of houses. He was particularly concerned
about the dismissal of Muslim Slav health personnel from the Prizren/Prizren
Hospital and their replacement by Kosovo Albanians. The Director of the
hospital and a dentist had received threats. The dentist's house was occupied
but KFOR successfully intervened to stop the same happening to the Director's
house.
-
In Dragas/Dragash, Gora/Dragashi municipality, the Muslim Slav acting director
of the textile factory, was replaced by the Kosovo Albanian ex-director.
The Kosovo Albanian ex-employees from 1991 have also replaced other workers.
However, the factory had not been producing material for some time.
6th July
-
Kosovo Serbs reported recent incidents to the OSCE and Kosovo Albanians
passed information about events that happened during the conflict but otherwise,
in Gnjilane/Gjilan the overall situation seemed calmer. A rotation of KFOR
troops took place with US Marines handing over to the US KFOR Army.
-
Three Kosovo Albanian men in black uniforms abducted a 51-year-old Kosovo
Serb male from his flat in Gnjilane/Gjilan. The men, wearing UCK insignia,
had earlier allegedly beaten the victim when they had entered his flat
asking for weapons.
-
The Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice UN Regional Administrator arrived in the
town. A long series of negotiations began on the freedom of movement within
Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
-
An explosion damaged two high-voltage power line pylons and caused a power
failure in the Strpce/Shterpce area (a predominantly Serb enclave, east
of Prizren/Prizren). The lines served electricity to a Serbian community
and deliberate sabotage was suspected. Power was restored on 24 th
July.
-
Twelve cases of arson were reported in the Pristina/Prishtine municipality.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was reported missing in the Pristina/Prishtine area.
-
Ten Kosovo Serb doctors and nurses at the Lipljan/Lipjan Medical Centre
(south of Pristina/Prishtine) were assaulted by four Kosovo Albanians.
-
The situation in Orahovac/Rrahovec was described as tense.
6th to 11th July:
-
Serb and Roma houses continued to be burned in Pec/Peje at a rate of two
or three a day although according to KFOR the daily average had declined
from the 10 houses recorded two weeks earlier.
7th July
-
Several Roma and Kosovo Serb houses were burned in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan, a Kosovo Serb female was harassed by five unknown perpetrators
some of whom were reported to be wearing uniforms with UCK badges. They
entered her flat and asked for her husband's weapons. They are said to
have intimidated the victim by playing with a hand grenade and a gun.
-
The situation in Cernica and Gornji Livoc (south of Gnjilane/Gjilan) was
still tense with shooting reported every night. In Gornji Livoc one Kosovo
Albanian was killed as a result of the shooting.
-
A peaceful demonstration of 5,000 Kosovo Albanians walked through the north
of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice town, a part dominated by the Kosovo Serbs.
The demonstration had previously been negotiated with the Kosovo Serb leadership
and the international community.
-
OSCE reported that in Bostane, (west of Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica) and
nearby Klobukar many houses were burned. A Human Rights Officer visited
and interviewed nine Krajina Serbs (Serb refugees from Croatia) who had
been evicted from Novo Brodo/Novo Berde on 30th June allegedly
by the UCK. They moved to Bostane. During the eviction, one 50-year-old
Kosovo Serb male was killed and another aged 70 was reportedly injured.
One local Serb from Bostane was allegedly executed in Ceranovica on 4th
July. Two eyewitnesses had disappeared but were believed to be hiding in
the mountains. Personal security was one of the main issues for the Krajina
refugees along with a lack of freedom of movement, food and shelter. OSCE
Human Rights Officers conveyed the information KFOR who undertook to patrol
the area more frequently.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer interviewed an eyewitness to an alleged abduction
by two civilians of a Kosovo Serb, a former OSCE employee, in the centre
of Gnjilane/Gjilan on 5 th July. (See above GN 31)
-
The OSCE Human Rights Division received information from KFOR about the
abduction of two Kosovo Albanian males between Gornje Kusce and Prilepnica/Perlepnice
(north of Gnjilane/Gjilan). According to local sources, the two men were
being held for exchange with Kosovo Serbs held by Albanians.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan intervened with the 'civilian
wing' of the UCK regarding three abducted Kosovo Serbs.
-
The President of the Executive Council of Presevo (south east of Gnjilane/Gjilan),
a member of the PDSh (an Albanian political party) enquired into the possibilities
of protecting the Albanian minority outside of Kosovo in southern Serbia.
The OSCE Human Rights Officer explained the limits of the UNMIK mandate
but proposed to transmit the information to the ICRC.
-
Unknown men reportedly beat an elderly Kosovo Serb woman in Istok/Istog
. The men fled when KFOR approached.
-
Five cases of arson were reported in the Pristina/Prishtine municipality.
-
Two Kosovo Serb males were murdered in separate attacks in the Pristina/Prishtine
municipality.
-
Two Kosovo Albanians were reportedly abducted by the UCK in Pristina/Prishtine
in separate, but related incidents. Both had previously worked for the
Serb municipal authority.
-
A Kosovo Serb house was set on fire in Prizren/Prizren around midnight.
During the day another three houses were looted and burned. Unconfirmed
reports were received claiming that children were being used to start the
fires thereby reducing KFOR's response options.
-
Approximately 500 Kosovo Albanians demonstrated against the proposed Russian
KFOR deployment in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
8th July
-
A 26-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Vrbovac disappeared in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
He was last seen by a neighbour.
-
The tension in Gnjilane/Gjilan and in the nearby mixed villages of Cernica
and Gornje Livoc remains high. In the previous 24 hours several houses
were burned, three of them in the Roma part of the town. A grenade was
thrown into a private house in a mixed part of Gnjilane/Gjilan and three
Kosovo Serb females were wounded.
-
The security situation deteriorated in the mixed village of Cernica (south
of Gnjilane/Gjilan). Despite the presence of KFOR, uniformed UCK were still
visible in the streets and gunfire could be heard daily. A 36-year-old
Kosovo Serb claimed that he was arrested by the UCK in Gnjilane/Gjilan
on 1st July, taken to their Headquarters and interrogated for
three hours regarding his whereabouts during the conflict. He claimed he
was made to sign a statement in Albanian and then ill-treated.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers reported that in the Gnjilane/Gjilan area Kosovo
Serbs did not enjoy freedom of movement or unimpeded access to food supplies
or jobs. The Serbs said that they felt unprotected and perceived that KFOR
was not impartial. In turn, Kosovo Albanians said they were not working
the land as they feared that the Kosovo Serbs were heavily armed.
-
UNHCR informed the Human Rights Department that so far 2,100 Albanian IDPs
had crossed the boundary into Kosovo and settled in the Gnjilane/Gjilan
region. Approximately 100 persons were arriving every day. UNHCR also said
that the Krajina Serbs would either be repatriated to Croatia or transferred
across the Kosovo boundary. It appeared that only a small number were ready
to return to Croatia. The problem of the isolated Serbian population was
discussed. The restrictions of freedom of movement due to the security
situation confined the Serbian population to their villages where often
there were no shops.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer, enquiring into the abduction of Kosovo Serbs
on 6th July in Gnjilane/Gjilan, took a statement from an eyewitness
and next of kin and an individual claiming co-detention with the Serbs.
-
Three Kosovo Serb males were murdered in separate attacks in the Pristina/Prishtine
municipality.
-
A Kosovo Serb couple, both aged 70, were murdered in Stimlje/Shtime (north
west of Urosevac/Ferizaj).
-
Two Kosovo Serb males were reported missing in the Lipljan/Lipjan area
.
-
Threats were made at the Prizren/Prizren round-table meeting by the 'mayor'
of Orahovac/Rrahovec (north of Prizren/Prizren) that if Russian KFOR deployed
to Orahovac/Rrahovec the population would go to Albania. A further demonstration
was held against the Russian KFOR deployment. The burning of Kosovo Serb
houses in Orahovac/Rrahovec continued.
9th July
-
An incident of harassment was reported in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Several times
five men visited the flat of a mixed Kosovo Serb/Bulgarian couple asking
for weapons. A Kosovo Albanian in Gnjilane/Gjilan unlawfully detained a
37-year-old Kosovo Serb male from nearby Silovo. He was allegedly taken
into a building from which he returned with his face cut. The victim disappeared
on the same day when he tried to retrieve his vehicle.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in the Lipljan/Lipjan region.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers received information from the Royal Military
Police (RMP) of a grenade attack against a Kosovo Serb property in the
Lipljan/Lipjan area. There were no injuries but extensive damage was reported.
-
One Muslim Slav (Gora/Dragashi) family (father, his elderly mother and
a teenage son) were attacked by a group of Kosovo Albanians while returning
home from Dragas/Dragash. Approximately 30 people threw stones at them
and beat the three family members. The father received injuries to the
head; the 70-year-old mother had bruises on her body. Two days later, on
11th July, two civilians went to the family's house with an
order demanding that he hand over his weapon, which he did. It was reported
that a UCK commander from the 'ministry of public order' had signed the
order.
10th July
-
High tension was reported in the Gnjilane/Gjilan. Two houses in the centre
of the town were reported to be on fire and a shooting incident took place
in the town.
-
A 49-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Silovo, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality,
reportedly disappeared on the way to Gnjilane/Gjilan in his vehicle. He
was going to talk to a UCK commander to enquire about another missing Kosovo
Serb.
-
Kosovo Serbs, under escort from KFOR, visited the Orthodox Church and Cemetery
in south Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
-
The body of a Kosovo Albanian was found in the River Ibar in Grabovac,
Zvecan municipality (west of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice). The deceased
had been reported missing on 25th June. The whereabouts of another
Kosovo Albanian who went missing at the same time was still unknown.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers received a report of the UCK entering the house
of a Kosovo Albanian family in Djakovica/Gjakove. The family claimed to
have been intimidated and threatened. The house was searched but nothing
was taken.
-
The bodies of a middle-aged Muslim Slav couple were found on a riverbank
in the centre of Pec/Peje. They had been subjected to inhuman and degrading
treatment or torture The identity of the couple was confirmed. They had
been accused of being Serb collaborators.
-
A Roma family was reportedly badly beaten in Pec/Peje.
-
Two Kosovo Serb males were murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
In Pristina/Prishtine, a Roma woman and her family were reportedly taken
to a UCK Headquarters and beaten while their home was looted.
-
Serb houses in Prizren/Prizren were still being burned. Although the burning
appeared to have been conducted in an organised rather than random manner,
there was no indication that the local Kosovo Albanian authorities took
any action to prevent this. OSCE Human Rights Officers reported that the
local citizens did not condemn the action but were critical of the use
of children to start the fires. To what extent children were being used
was uncertain. Civilians were very reluctant to help KFOR put out the fires
and there were cases when roads were blocked by vehilces in order to hinder
the fire brigade.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren visited the Seminary in Prizren/Prizren
where there were 180 persons taking refuge including 25 Kosovo Albanians
and one Roma family consisting of ten people. About two thirds of the IDPs
were elderly and the rest were mainly children. There were two teenage
girls from mixed marriages.
-
It was reported that Muslim Slav (Gora/Dragashi) men employed in Dragas/Dragash
trading companies had lost their jobs. Albanians from nearby Opolje had
replaced them. An Albanian in a senior position advised the Muslim Slavs
not to turn up for work.
-
A demonstration took place in Orahovac/Rrahovec against Russian KFOR.
-
OSCE visited Malisevo, Orahovac/Rrahovec municipality, to get a general
overview of the situation. The population considered shelter and food to
be the main problems but security was not a concern. About 60-70% of the
population of Malisevo and the surrounding area had now returned.The OSCE
Human Rights team talked to people from nearby Drenovac who also cited
lack of shelter as the main problem with up to 90% of their housing destroyed.
-
A shooting incident occurred in which a Kosovo Albanian was killed and
another seriously wounded by a Kosovo Serb gunman. According to KFOR this
was the consequence of a Kosovo Albanian threatening to kidnap the son
of an alleged Kosovo Serb paramilitary. KFOR confiscated four weapons including
automatic rifles (SKS-type) and hand-grenades.
10th to 11th July
-
Returnees to Pec/Peje reported to the Centre for the Defence of Human Rights
and Freedoms approximately 50 individual cases of unidentified
dead bodies.
11th July
-
Tension increased in Gnjilane/Gjilan and in the nearby area. KFOR considered
that the security risk for Kosovo Albanians in Gnjilane/Gjilan in general
was limited but for the Kosovo Serbs the risk was high. On the night 10th
– 11th July at least four Kosovo Serbian houses were reported
to be burning. Kosovo Serbs in the villages of Silovo, Kosaca and Pasjane
set up three roadblocks. Allegedly, the Kosovo Serbs were demonstrating
against the abduction of Kosovo Serb men in the area of Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
International Mercy Corps (IMC) informed OSCE of certain threats against
the international agencies (especially the UN and UNHCR) by Kosovo Serbs
in Silovo, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality. KFOR did not yet have a permanent
presence in the village.
-
In the afternoon two houses were burning in the centre of Gnjilane/Gjilan.
Later two more houses were reported to be burning in the same area. KFOR
and the fire brigade attended.
-
A Kosovo Albanian male and five Roma males were reportedly abducted and
beaten allegedly by the UCK in two separate incidents in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec approximately 10,000 Kosovo Albanians demonstrated.
Rumours were heard that Kosovo Serbs in the town were calling Kosovo Albanians
and issuing threats about what would happen when Russian KFOR arrived.
-
A male from Djakovica/Gjakove, a guest of the Roma community in Orahovac/Rrahovec,
was detained by men reportedly wearing UCK uniforms. He was not seen again.
12 th July
-
A 45-year-old Kosovo Serb male disappeared in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
A Kosovo Serb/Bulgarian couple in Gnjilane/Gjilan returned home in the
evening to find their apartment had been searched and some belongings stolen.
(see above GN 60)
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan, nine buildings were set on fire within a six-hour period.
Some of them were totally destroyed. The two fire engines were insufficient
to deal with the number of incidents. The KFOR Military Police arrested
two Kosovo Albanians for arson.
-
Unofficial roadblocks continued to be a problem in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Kosovo
Albanians were establishing them to prevent Kosovo Serbs entering the town.
The Serbs had wanted to get to Gnjilane/Gjilan in order to hold their own
demonstration against the kidnapping of Kosovo Serbs.
-
Near Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica five or six Kosovo Albanian youths reportedly
attempted at gunpoint to confiscate the vehicle of a Kosovo Serb female.
-
A Roma man was allegedly kidnapped in front of his home in Urosevac/Ferizaj
by four Kosovo Albanian men and one Kosovo Albanian woman. As a result
of this incident Roma were reported to be leaving the area.
-
A Kosovo Serb man was abducted from his home in Pristina/Prishtine reportedly
by men wearing UCK uniforms.
-
Six grenade attacks against Kosovo Serbs were reported in Lipljan/Lipjan
municipality injuring at least four Kosovo Serbs.
-
Two cases of arson against Roma were reported in the Lipljan/Lipjan municipality.
-
The new Regional Commander of UNMIK Police in Prizren/Prizren arrived with
eight other international police officers. They were in the process of
identifying office accommodation in the town.
-
Twenty three houses were burned in Prizren/Prizren between 10th
and 12th July. KFOR increased the number of foot patrols in
the Kosovo Serb quarter leading to a reduction in arson in that area but
incidents of burning moved to the opposite side of the river. Although
KFOR said that they did not believe that elements of UCK were carrying
out these actions, according to inhabitants who contacted the OSCE, the
UCK were involved and they were reported to have pledged to continue the
burning.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers went to Belobrad (south of Prizren/Prizren),
a village of 1081 inhabitants. The war destruction was modest; the looting
of houses by the Yugoslav Army during the conflict was said to be the main
problem. Most of the Kosovo Albanian inhabitants had escaped during the
fighting but a young boy and a woman were said to have been killed. A Kosovo
Albanian male lawyer also died. He went missing on 31 March and his body
was found by the UCK Brigade 127/128 on 16 September in Lugi Keq (west
of Prizren/Prizren near the Albanian border). The UCK Commander, alleged
that the lawyer had been tortured and burned.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visiting Zrze, Orahovac/Rrahovec municipality
said that Roma and Kosovo Albanian representatives of the village reported
that there were no major problems.
13th July
-
Four Kosovo Albanian males were reportedly ambushed on the way to Lastica
(south east of Gnjilane/Gjilan). The Kosovo Albanians were said to have
been taken out of their vehicle and shot dead. The assailants were reported
to have been in a vehicle that had come across the Kosovo boundary from
southern Serbia heading towards Pasjane (south east of Gnjilane/Gjilan).
-
The situation remained uneasy in Gnjilane/Gjilan and in the nearby Kosovo
Serb villages. KFOR Military Police (MP) arrested 19 people, mainly Kosovo
Albanians in connection with curfew and weapon violations, looting and
destruction of property. The MPs had also detained UCK 'policemen' who
were carrying weapons and handcuffs.
-
Three houses were burned in Gnjilane/Gjilan. KFOR arrested seven individuals
for damage to property, weapon violations and arson. Twenty-nine were also
arrested for breaking the curfew. Checkpoints continued to be established
around Kosovo Serb villages.
-
A Kosovo Serb, a former member of the VJ (Yugoslav Army), was reported
to have been kidnapped in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
Three attempted murders of Kosovo Serbs were reported in Stimlje/Shtime.
-
Arson against a Kosovo Serb property and a grenade attack against a Roma
were reported in Lipljan/Lipjan .
-
In Prizren/Prizren, a house was reported burning.
-
In Gora/Dragashi municipality (south of Prizren/Prizren), OSCE met the
Commander of KFOR. KFOR made the point that the Muslim Slavs were not being
treated in the local hospital and Kosovo Albanians were taking over flats
and jobs belonging to Muslim Slavs. The OSCE team also met with the self-appointed
Muslim Slav 'deputy mayor,' who said that Kosovo Serbs had used Gora/Dragashis
in a political game. The 'mayor' said Gora/Dragashis had followed and misused
their position and he wanted, as a basis for reconciliation, for the villagers
to sign a declaration in which they would apologise for their 'support'
of the 'genocide.'
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, the house of, a Roma and member of the Serbian security
forces, was burned.
14 th July
-
Two unknown persons wearing civilian clothes reportedly abducted a 46-year-old
Kosovo Serb male from his flat in Gnjilane/Gjilan. They allegedly told
the victim that the UCK wanted to interview him. He never returned.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan met with the President of
the Executive Council of Presevo (in southern Serbia, across the Kosovo
boundary) who reiterated his concerns about the remaining Albanian population.
He was particularly concerned about the region of Karadak and bitterly
complained about the international community's inability to become involved
in that part of Serbia.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers interviewed an elderly Kosovo Serb male who
had arrived at the Prizren/Prizren Seminary on 10th July. He
had previously spent four months in Prizren/Prizren Hospital and discharged
himself after alleged threats from Kosovo Albanian patients and staff.
He returned to his house in Prizren/Prizren only to find it burned. He
collected a few remaining belongings and went to the Seminary. The OSCE
met two other Kosovo Serb men who had arrived at the Seminary after their
houses in Prizren/Prizren were also burned. The Seminary was overcrowded
with more people arriving daily to seek refuge. There were very limited
washing facilities and reports of a lack of bread.
15 th July
-
On 15 th July a Kosovo Serb couple were killed in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
The victims, a male aged between 55 and 60 and a female aged between 50
and 55, had been living alone in their house in a Kosovo Albanian neighbourhood
since their son left Kosovo in June.
-
A bomb exploded in the market square of Vitina/Viti killing three persons
and injuring 16.
-
On or before 15th July a 39-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Gnjilane/Gjilan
reportedly disappeared from Pristina/Prishtine Hospital. The man had gone
to Pristina/Prishtine on 25 th May for treatment for a chest
disease. A neighbour visited him several times up to 1st July.
On 15 th July his wife was reportedly refused access to him.
Some time later she was informed that he had been released but no one had
seen him since.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan met the local UCK Commander.
An intervention was made regarding the nine kidnapped Kosovo Serbs. The
Commander said that his troops were not responsible for such incidents.
Confronted with the fact that several eyewitnesses confirmed that the kidnappers
were wearing UCK uniforms and some of the assailants had stated that they
they belonged to the UCK, the Commander blamed 'the sick mind of the Serbian
people, inventing all kind of stories, which never turn out to be true.'
-
During an NGO meeting in Gnjilane/Gjilan, the UNMIK Interim Civil Administrator
reported that 300 UNMIK Police would be deployed in the area within two
weeks.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team met with the President of the Roma community
in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica. Allegedly nine houses were set on fire in
the town, thereby displacing 50 Roma out of Kosovo. The President said
that since the end of the conflict two Roma had been detained by Kosovo
Albanians, ill-treated and subsequently released. In nearby Koretin/Koretin
15 houses had been abandoned when the inhabitants left Kosovo for other
parts of southern Serbia. In Ogoste, the Roma had lived in 45 houses in
peaceful cohabitation with the Kosovo Albanians. Allegedly, the attitude
of the Albanians had changed dramatically in the previous weeks and all
the Roma in Ogoste went to Serbia, either to the refugee camps in Bujanovac
(east of Gnjilane/Gjilan) or to Belgrade. The situation was reported to
be the same in Sresovce where 10 houses had been burned and in Dohrovce
where Roma had left five houses. In Berivojce, where there were 55 Roma
families, people had started to leave. The main reasons given for this
displacement were a lack of security, kidnapping, restrictions to freedom
of movement, arson and denial of access to their former employment.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan met with Kosovo Serb former
Mayor of the Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica municipality. He said that the
Kosovo Serbs in the municipality were leaving as a result of the number
of incidents. These included the killing of six Kosovo Serbs (9th
July) and the wounding of four other. He listed the incidents of arson
as: 13 houses in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica, nine houses in Lestar, six
in Koretin/Koretin, six in Donja Sipasnica and three in Firiceje. The former
Mayor said that Kosovo Serbs had left from 11 villages (Koretin/Koretin,
Donja Sipasnica, Firiceje, Carakovce, Bratilovce, Kostadince, Lestar, Orahovica,
Strezovce, Vaganis and Gradjenik). The interlocutor also reported that
the majority of Kosovo Serb apartments in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica had
been broken into and looted. In some instances he alleged that hand grenades
were thrown inside the flats. Pressure had been put on the Kosovo Serb
inhabitants to move out of their homes by placing Kosovo Albanians nametags
on the front door of the houses suggesting Serb homes had already been
reallocated for future occupation. The Kosovo Serb representative complained
about the lack of security, freedom of movement and hindered access to
healthcare and supplies. He called for improved KFOR security, rapid deployment
of the UNMIK administration and the re-establishment of regular telephone
services between the Kosovo Serb villages.
-
KFOR reported that several houses were burned in Vitina/Viti. Explosions
shook Zitinje and Gnjilane/Gjilan. In Zitinje a 65-year-old Kosovo Serb
male was shot dead while driving his tractor back from a field. This was
the second Kosovo Serb victim from the village since 12th July.
-
In Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice, UNMIK Police provided an escort for a
Kosovo Albanian to his flat that had been occupied by a Kosovo Serb. The
Kosovo Serb occupant was asked to leave the flat within 48 hours. Although
he complied, other Kosovo Serbs later reoccupied the apartment.
-
An UCK soldier was reported missing in Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
A Kosovo Serb man was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
A Kosovo Serb Orthodox Church in Lipljan/Lipjan municipality was bombed.
-
Seven Kosovo Albanian youths were arrested while attempting to set fire
to a Roma house in the Lipljan/Lipjan area.
Mid-July
-
A series of property burnings were reported in both the north and south
of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice and an attack occurred on a KFOR bridge
checkpoint.
16th July
-
There was no change to the generally tense situation in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
Six Kosovo Albanians and two Kosovo Serbs were detained by KFOR for weapon
and curfew violations.
-
KFOR told an OSCE Human Rights Officer that the situation was deteriorating
in Vitina/Viti (south of Gnjilane/Gjilan). The market was cancelled indefinitely
after a grenade was thrown in the vicinity of a Kosovo Serb shop injuring
30 people.
-
KFOR also informed the OSCE that in Vitina/Viti, Kosovo Albanians had assaulted
two Kosovo Serbs in two separate incidents, one using a hand grenade and
the other using a Molotov cocktail. KFOR said that in an attempt to force
evictions from two separate apartments, a Bulgarian and two Kosovo Serb
females were threatened by Kosovo Albanians. A Kosovo Serb house was also
looted and burned.
-
The first joint meeting in Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice between the leadership
of the Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs took place with the international
community present. A proposal for limited freedom of movement for groups
of three or less was discussed along with a moratorium on demonstrations.
The Kosovo Albanian and UCK leadership immediately posted notices requesting
the youths not to demonstrate.
-
Two Roma males were hit by gunshots in Klina/Klinevac, Klina/Kline municipality.
One Roma died three days later from his injures.
-
A Kosovo Albanian male from Batusa, Djakovica/Gjakove municipality Pec/Peje)
was taken from his home by the UCK. He was reportedly told that he was
being taken for inquiries only. He was never seen again.
-
A grenade attack was reported against a Kosovo Serb house in Lipljan/Lipjan.
One person received minor injuries.
-
One house was burned in Prizren/Prizren.
-
In Dusanovo, Prizren/Prizren municipality, 20 to 24 UCK members patrolling
the area in uniform were arrested but subsequently released by KFOR.
-
UCK soldiers in full uniform were seen stopping people in Prizren/Prizren
town at night.
-
OSCE received reports that UCK soldiers were confiscating arms in the area
of Zupa, Prizren/Prizren municipality. They wer reportedly in civilian
clothes but with bullet-proof vests and UCK badges.
-
There were now a total of 13 UNMIK Police in Prizren/Prizren.
17th July
-
KFOR reported that a 16-year-old Kosovo Serb boy had been shot while riding
on his horse two kilometres outside Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
A 32-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Pones disappeared on his way to Gnjilane/Gjilan.
He was last seen in Gnjilane/Gjilan town centre.
-
Four men entered the apartment of a Kosovo Serb/Bulgarian couple in Gnjilane/Gjilan
and asked them for weapons.
-
A 44-year-old Roma male was killed and another was wounded while they were
digging graves in the Kosovo Serb Cemetery in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
Following the shooting of four Kosovo Albanians in the vicinity of Mucibaba
(near Gnjilane/Gjilan) the last remaining inhabitants of the village were
escorted by KFOR to Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
The Kosovo Serb leaders in Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice refused to sign
the agreement on freedom of movement although it was agreed that bilateral
and trilateral talks would recommence on 21st July. Further,
it was agreed that the moratorium on demonstrations would continue and
a statement was made that harassment and house burnings should cease.
-
Four Kosovo Albanians from Malisevo were killed and three others received
gunshot wounds when a tractor and trailer was ambushed near Donji Petric,
Klina/Kline municipality.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Pec/Peje reported that four Kosovo Serb bodies
were found in Drenovac, Klina/Kline municipality.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
Three arson attacks against Kosovo Serb properties were reported, two in
Stimlje/Shtime and one in Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
Seven Roma houses were burned in Landovica, Prizren/Prizren municipality.
-
The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) visited Prizren/Prizren
to meet with UN Officers and to inaugurate the local Judges. Seven Judges
and three Prosecutors were appointed having been interviewed and selected
by the OSCE. UNHCR and OSCE met the SRSG and stressed the need for security
and the prevention of ethnic cleansing as priorities. The necessity to
mirror an ethnic balance within the new local police force and the positive
role that woman could play in the OSCE trained force were points also made.
18th July
-
A funeral was held for three Kosovo Serbs, including a 16-year-old boy
shot dead on 17th July in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
KFOR had arrested 10 people over the previous two days for looting Roma
houses and for breaching weapon and curfew regulations.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer met with a Roma representative from Gnjilane/Gjilan.
He reported that before the conflict there were approximately 8,500 Roma
in Gnjilane/Gjilan but now there were only 130. Allegedly the former official
Roma leaders had left Gnjilane/Gjilan for the border of the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia or other parts of Serbia because of their connections
with the Socialist Party of Serbia. According to the representative, approximately
200 Roma houses had been looted and 50 burned by the UCK or by gangs coming
from outside Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
A hand-grenade was thrown into a Kosovo Serb house in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
One other Kosovo Serb house was burned. The curfew in Gnjilane/Gjilan town
was extended and now started at 20:30 hours.
-
KFOR detained several individuals in MUP (Serbian police) uniform in the
vicinity of Mucibaba.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team received reports of three Kosovo Albanian bodies
found in Srbica on 18th June and 11th July. One of
the victims was reportedly associated with the MUP. All three were related.
-
A Kosovo Serb was evicted from an apartment building in the centre of Kosovska
Mitrovica/Mitrovice by a group of men claiming to be UCK 'police.' The
'police' said that only they had the right to nominate occupants. Reportedly
the UCK also harassed Kosovo Albanian families that had taken over some
of the flats in agreement with the Kosovo Serb owners.
-
One elderly Croat female was killed at 00:30 hours on the Pec/Peje to Pristina/Prishtine
road near Donji Petric, Klina/Kline municipality. The victim was married
to a Roma.
-
An elderly Kosovo Serb couple were beaten in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
Two arson attacks were reported against Kosovo Serb property, one in Stimlje/Shtimeand
one in Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
A Kosovo Serb female was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team attended the reburial of seven civilians and
six UCK fighters in Orahovac/Rrahovec. They had been killed in 1998 when
the VJ took control of Orahovac/Rrahovec. Over 1,000 people attended the
ceremony.
19th July
-
Three men entered the apartment of a Kosovo Serb/Bulgarian couple in Gnjilane/Gjilan
and intimidated the female (see above GN 60).
-
KFOR reported that one male was shot in Zegra/Zheger, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality.
His ethnicity was unknown.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visited Ogoste, Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica and
verified that the majority of the Roma community had left the village.
They had gone at the end of the conflict, during the withdrawal of the
Serbian forces, leaving behind only the elderly. In the previous week some
of the Roma had returned to Ogoste.
-
UNHCR informed the OSCE that the Krajina Serbs willing to leave Kosovo
had three options, return to Croatia, go to other parts of Serbia (to a
refugee camp) or resettle in Romania.
-
KFOR informed the Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan that on 26th
and 27th July KFOR troops would take over responsibility for
the municipality of Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica.
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan, unknown individuals broke into a Kosovo Serb apartment
and changed the locks.
-
KFOR from Vitina/Viti confirmed that approximately 100 vehicles carrying
Kosovo Serb families left Vitina/Viti heading out of Kosovo. Amongst them
was the former Kosovo Serb mayor of Vitina/Viti. KFOR expected that many
of the men would try to come back while the women and children would stay
out of Kosovo.
-
According to KFOR in Vitina/Viti, in the evening a grenade exploded near
the Orthodox Church wounding two Kosovo Serbs. Another grenade exploded
next to the cultural hall where Kosovo Serbs had a meeting to elect their
new leader, a former VJ officer, after the departure of the previous mayor.
-
Between 14:00 hours and 15:00 hours an Orthodox Priest, disappeared from
Budisavic, Klina/Kline municipality. A Serb male, who was seeking temporary
sanctuary in the Budisavic Monastery, had accompanied the priest and also
disappeared.
-
A killing was reported (victim unknown) in Leskovac, Klina/Kline municipality.
-
In Pec/Peje, eight UCK members being detained at the UNMIK Police station
declared a hunger strike because they felt that they had been wrongly apprehended.
KFOR had arrested the UCK for unlawfully holding and mistreating a Kosovo
Albanian. The UCK maintained they were just doing their soldierly duty.
-
An elderly Kosovo Serb couple were murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren met with UNMIK Police to
discuss future co-operation. The UNMIK Police were anticipating taking
over the police role in September. In the mean time they would assist where
they could.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren met with KFOR to discuss
how to avoid incidents such as the burial of a body without the family's
knowledge. It was decided that the OSCE Human Rights team would assist
KFOR where needed to ensure that the required information was collected.
-
Four houses had been burned in Prizren/Prizren town during the preceding
24 hours.
-
As a result of the destruction of Kosovo Serb houses in Prizren/Prizren,
UNMIK Police decided to initiate a volunteer registration of Serb property
that would be carried out in close liaison with the International Catholic
Migration Mission (ICMC). Also discussed was how to reach the Roma and
the Muslim Slavs who constituted a much larger population, but who also
faced problems. OSCE was in close contact with these groups to gather information
on individuals and areas that were especially vulnerable.
-
OSCE participated in a meeting chaired by UNHCR between the Kosovo Albanian
and Roma communities in Landovica (Prizren/Prizren). This followed
the burning of seven Roma houses on 16th July (see above) and
the subsequent evacuation of the Roma population by UNHCR. Representatives
of the village council and LDK were present for the Kosovo Albanians and
five members of the Roma community along with UNHCR, ECMM and OSCE. In
total 15 village members were present. The general situation was discussed
along with international community's efforts to improve village life. It
was decided that KFOR would deliver hot food for a week and that the Catholic
Relief Service (CRS) would supply food and non-food items, including tents
as required. UNHCR requested an NGO to check the water supplies in the
village. The Kosovo Albanian representatives offered the first tents to
the Roma community. Both sides stressed the need live peacefully together
as they had all done before the war. A Roma representative commented that
they did not like to be referred to as Roma and had always considered themselves
to be Kosovo Albanians. They stressed that only three Roma families had
been involved in the war (in uniform) and they had since left the area.
All other families had nothing to hide. The Mother Teresa Society representative
stated that there had been 1,300 inhabitants before the conflict and there
were now 1,090 residents, but 40% of them only spent the days in the village
as their houses were burned.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, KFOR found the body of a girl in her late teens.
Her identity was unknown.
-
The UCK Commander in Orahovac/Rrahovec denied any knowledge of holding
detainees and said that he knew nothing of the circumstances of Kosovo
Serbs being taken and not seen again.
20 th July
-
A 57-year-old Kosovo Serb male from Gnjilane/Gjilan was shot dead near
Koretiste around 07:45 hours. He had gone with some other men to cut wood
when they were ambushed. One other Kosovo Serb, aged 42, was wounded.
-
A 53-year-old Kosovo Serb from Cernica, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality was
killed in a field near the village by sniper fire.
-
The OSCE Human Rights Department informed KFOR in Vitina/Viti and Gnjilane/Gjilan
regarding the constant complaints of the Kosovo Serbs that KFOR employed
only Kosovo Albanian interpreters.
-
In the evening a house was burned in the Roma part of Gnjilane/Gjilan,
less than 100m from a KFOR checkpoint. KFOR was criticised by the minorities
for not being interested in their fate.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer met with the Orthodox Priest in Vitina/Viti
and the Head of the Monastery in nearby Binac. According to the interlocutors
the root of the conflict was the Muslim-Christian opposition, which made
it almost impossible to have relations with Muslim Albanians, while the
Catholic Albanians were stated not to constitute a problem for the Orthodox
Church. The two representatives complained bitterly about KFOR, alleging
it was not doing enough to protect minorities.
-
A OSCE Human Rights Officer met with the Deputy Director of the Council
for Human Rights and Freedoms in the building of the UCK self-styled parallel
civil administration in Vitina/Viti. Among other subjects, the structure
of the self-styled body was discussed. It appeared that the board comprised
of two UCK and one former LDK member.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan met with Albanian IDPs from
Suhare and Zarbinc near Presevo (outside of Kosovo in southern Serbia)
who alleged instances of ill-treatment and two forced displacements. The
meeting took place in the Regional Centre.
-
A Kosovo Serb female was killed near Zupce, Zubin Potok/Zubin Potok municipality
(west of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice). She was travelling in a car that
was fired upon allegedly from a UCK checkpoint on the road to Zubin Potok/Zubin
Potok.
-
A train that travels from Leposavic (north of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice)
to Kosovo Polje/Fushe Kosove used exclusively by Kosovo Serbs and Roma
was derailed close to Vucitrn/Vushtrri. No injuries were reported.
-
In Pec/Peje, the former Kosovo Serbian Stari Most restaurant, one of very
few restaurants then functioning in Pec/Peje, was completely burned down.
The restaurant had recently opened under Albanian management and been renamed
Prekasi.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Podujevo/Podujeve .
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren interviewed a member of the
Muslim Slav community who was abducted and beaten on 15 th July.
He alleged that two men took him out of the hospital, where he had gone
for a medical check, and he was driven in a red Yugo car to Kosovce, in
Opolje (east of Prizren/Prizren) and taken into a house for interrogation.
He was asked if he had been mobilised by the FRY security forces during
the conflict. He said no, but when he said that he had given his weapon
to KFOR he was beaten and told that it should have been given to the UCK.
The next day he was dropped off in the main road from Kosovce to Dragas/Dragash.
-
Two houses belonging to a Roma male, were burned in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers reported that about 2,500 Kosovo Serbs now lived
in the Serb quarter of Orahovac/Rrahovec. They were described as isolated
if not completely under siege. Many of them wished to leave especially
the displaced persons from the centre of Orahovac/Rrahovec and nearby Zociste
whose houses have been burned.
-
KFOR conducting foot and mobile patrols in the Orahovac/Rrahovec area was
well received. Caritas (Christian aid organisation) provided aid although
there was some complaint about a lack of milk. Electricity and water supplies
were intermittent but functioning.
-
There was no accepted leadership within the Kosovo Serb community in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
The OSCE suggested that the community appoint a spokesperson. The reply
was that whoever the OSCE chose would be acceptable. The Kosovo Serbs no
longer respected some of the previous leaders while others were not acceptable
to the international community on account of their alleged involvement
in war crimes.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, the prime concern was kidnapping with at least seven
people missing. The evidence suggested that elements of the UCK might have
been involved, but the Commander of the local UCK denied all knowledge
of the incident. This gave rise to fears for the fateof the detainees.
The Commanding Officer of KFOR took a close interest in the matter and
was prepared to take robust action. Investigations by KFOR and the OSCE
continued.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec KFOR found the body of a young girl aged between 16
and 18. Initially this person was assumed to be Albanian as the UCK had
reported the body. She was buried in accordance with Muslim customs. KFOR
then received information that she was a Kosovo Serb and her exhumation
was planned.
-
Some Kosovo Serbs in Orahovac/Rrahovec expressed the wish to go to the
town centre to shop and to see their apartments. These issues were raised
with the UCK Commander who said that Kosovo Albanians from some of the
34 destroyed villages in the area now occupied these apartments. Most apartments,
he said, had been looted. The UCK Commander advised against the Kosovo
Serbs coming into the town. The KFOR Commander took the view that his soldiers
were capable of looking after the situation and that if people wanted to
come into the centre they should do so. There was a significant difference
in food prices between the Serb and Kosovo Albanian quarters.
-
Russian KFOR did not appear to be about to deploy to Orahovac/Rrahovec.
Their area of responsibility, in conjunction with German KFOR, was north
of Malisevo.
-
A mass grave near Orahovac/Rrahovec was to be investigated on 21st
July
-
OSCE visited the Orahovac/Rrahovec UCK Commander. Discussions were largely
centred on the question of missing people. The Commander said the UCK were
not involved and that anyone could buy UCK uniforms and pretend to be members.
21st July
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visited Donje Korminjane (near Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica),
to follow-up a KFOR report of a body near the river believed to be that
of a vagrant Kosovo Albanian. After an extensive search, followed by questioning
of the local population, it transpired that KFOR had buried the body of
a male the previous night near to where it had been discovered. The site
of the grave was visited. OSCE spoke to KFOR about the required identification
procedures prior to burial. The identity of the deceased remained unknown.
-
The problem of the abduction of Kosovo Serbs was escalating in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
Four statements were collected which raised the number of reported Kosovo
Serb abductions to 13 in the said area.
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer visited Pones (near Gnjilane/Gjilan) to follow
up the report of an abduction. It was established that the victim had left
the family home to go shopping in Gnjilane/Gjilan on 17th July.
A friend had last seen him at 12:00 hours at a bridge near the junction
of the Pones road with that of the main Pristina/Prishtine to Gnjilane/Gjilan
road.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visited Koretiste and Stanisor, Gnjilane/Gjilan
municipality, where KFOR said that two Kosovo Serbs had been shot on 20th
July. According to the villagers of Stanisor, a shooting incident took
place on that day but there were no casualties. However, a 57-year-old
Kosovo Serb male had been shot dead and a 42-year-old male had been injured
on 20th July in a sniper attack on the village Koretiste. The
OSCE interviewed the witnesses. Inhabitants of both villages reported that
gunfire could be heard every day from the hills nearby. KFOR did not have
a permanent presence in either of the two villages.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visited Cernica, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality,
where according to KFOR one Kosovo Serb had been shot on 20th
July. The victim, a 53-year-old male had been grazing cattle on the hills
near the village when he had been shot in the head by a sniper. It was
believed that the sniper shot from one of the houses in the village a range
of 400-500m. OSCE interviewed the family of the deceased and talked with
KFOR about the possibility of a permanent presence in the village. KFOR
reported that despite their constant patrolling and monitoring operations
in the village, the personal security of the Kosovo Serbs could not be
guaranteed while armed Kosovo Albanians remained in the village.
-
In bilateral talks between the Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb leadership
of Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice a declaration of principles was negotiated
that called for a cessation of violence and pronounced a willingness to
live together. Additional annexes on freedom of movement and returns to
homes were also agreed. A signatory meeting was to be held on 22nd
July.
-
A Kosovo Albanian male was allegedly stopped by three members of the UCK
in Batuse, Djakovica/Gjakove municipality. After he was taken from his
vehicle he was led to the abductors car and had not been seen since.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
Three Kosovo Serb males were reportedly kidnapped after they disappeared
with their truck on the road to Strpce/Shterpce.
-
In Prizren/Prizren two houses were burned on the night of 20th
and 21st July. Several previously burned houses were set alight
again.
-
NGOs reported two separate incidents of harassment and threatening behaviour
against interpreters who had been working in the Prizren/Prizren Seminary
where Kosovo Serbs were seeking refuge.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers met a Roma Representative for the Tusus and
Tanasko Raic area in Prizren/Prizren. The representative said that there
was a general fear within the community that the Roma would be forced to
leave Kosovo. They were deeply concerned about the security situation and
sought protection.
-
Houses were burned in Malisevo, Orahovac/Rrahovec municipality.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, Roma reported being summoned for questioning to the
UCK controlled police station.
-
In Celina, Orahovac/Rrahovec municipality, an estimated 10,000 people attended
the funerals of 89 Kosovo Albananian victims of the recent fighting.
22nd July
-
The newly appointed UNMIK Regional Administrator arrived in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
KFOR informed the OSCE that six people were arrested during the last 24
hours in relation to burglaries, curfew violations and violations of the
undertaking not to carry weapons. KFOR reported that a mortar round was
fired north of Pasjane in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
In Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica, the hand over to the Russian KFOR contingent
was scheduled to take place on 26th July, leaving only two small
KFOR Special Forces units in the town.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers met a Kosovo Serb doctor in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica
who said that Kosovo Albanians exclusively ran the hospital. The attempt
to organise a Hospital Board, similar to the one in the Gnjilane/Gjilan
Hospital (see 29th June), had failed. According to the doctor,
many Kosovo Serb houses had been burned on 21st and 22nd
July in nearby Koretin/Koretin and Lestar. In Bosce, three Kosovo Serbs
had allegedly been ill-treated on 21st July.
-
KFOR in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica informed the OSCE that four MUP (Serbian
police) who had been arrested on 19th July in the vicinity of
Dobrosin were later exchanged for four Kosovo Albanians who had been arrested
by Serbian forces.
-
The UCK Deputy Commander in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica stated that the
UCK would 'never accept the Russian KFOR troops as a peace force.' The
UCK-appointed Kosovo Albanian civilian administrator and his deputy reported
that all important public institutions were under Kosovo Albanian control.
-
The Kosovo Serb population of Robovac told an OSCE Human Rights Officer
that they lacked freedom of movement. They said that when they wanted to
drive to Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica but they were afraid of the presence
of Kosovo Albanians from outside the region.
-
The Kosovo Serb population of Novo Brodo/Novo Berde reported regular shelling
from the villages of Bostane, Petrovce and Crecar and complained about
the perceived irregular KFOR presence in the area.
-
KFOR arrested four individuals in Gnjilane/Gjilan, suspected of carrying
out abductions.
-
In Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice, at a meeting where an agreed declaration
on freedom of movement was due to be signed (see 22nd July above)
the Kosovo Serb leadership unexpectedly refused. They stated that this
was to protest the violence and expulsion of Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo.
The Kosovo Serb leadership agreed to take the document on 25 th
July to a plenary meeting of the Serb National Council (an organisation
of parties, academics and individuals in Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice).
-
Muslim Slavs in Dobrusa, Istok/Istog municipality, reported receiving regular
threats about their property. They said that some empty houses had already
been burned and vehicles were stolen. Identification of at least some of
the perpetrators seemed possible.
-
A grenade attack against a Kosovo Serb male was reported in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
Kosovo Albanians wearing UCK uniforms reportedly abducted three Kosovo
Serb males in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
The group of displaced Roma were moved from the Kosovo Polje/Fushe Kosove
School where they had been sheltering for the past month to a UNHCR camp
in Obilic/Obiliq municipality (north of Pristina/Prishtine).
-
It was reported that four men driving a Renault car had abducted a Roma
father and son on 18th July at 11:00 hours in Dushanovo (Prizren/Prizren).
-
A 55-year-old women who had lived in Vranishta, Gora/Dragashi municipality
reported that five people entered her house in Dushanovo, looted the property
and left her a message saying 'you are next.'
-
At 23:00 hours a house owned by a Muslim Slav family was set on fire in
Tusus area.
23rd July
-
A Kosovo Serb male from Klokot, Vitina/Viti municipality, reportedly disappeared
after he went out with his tractor to the fields near the village.
-
A house was set on fire in Gnjilane/Gjilan during the day.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan interviewed an alleged eyewitness
to three abductions of Kosovo Serbs. However no information could be gathered
because the eyewitness seemed afraid to divulge the information.
-
The LDK informed the OSCE Human Rights Department of the suspected existence
of a mass grave near Ugljare (east of Gnjilane/Gjilan). The LDK also reported
new IDPs arriving in Prelepnica from Donji Makres, allegedly expelled by
Kosovo Serbs from Gornji Makres, Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
14 Kosovo Serb farmers were murdered while tending their fields near Gracko
(near Lipljan/Lipjan). After this incident approximately 30 to 40 Kosovo
Serbs departed from Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
A meeting was arranged with the Roma representative for Tusus area, Prizren/Prizren
town. Approximately 200 Roma remained in the area and most of them had
stayed during the fighting. They were deeply concerned about the security
situation especially after a recent kidnapping incident (see report 22nd
July). The Roma requested protection and humanitarian aid.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren received a report of a missing
elderly Kosovo Serb woman. The family had last seen the women on 20th
July. They said she only ever left the flat to visit two people and neither
of them had seen her since. The victim's identity card and handbag were
found untouched in the flat by investigating KFOR.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers received information of a missing Kosovo Serb
male from Prizren/Prizren. It was alleged that he was abducted as the UCK
entered the town on 14 th June.
-
A Serb male and his girlfriend were reported killed in Prizren/Prizren.
-
It was reported that Kosovo Serb staff at the Prizren/Prizren Hospital
faced problems of discrimination when asked to take 'holidays.'
-
ICTY began the process of opening the suspected mass-grave site at the
Cemetery near Orahovac/Rrahovec. It appeared that this burial site was
that of the individual graves of victims from the July 1998 fighting and
not from the recent conflict.
-
The body of a young woman was found by the Beli Drim River two kilometres
north of Zrze, Prizren/Prizren municipality. She had been dead for some
time and exposed to the elements. No positive identity was made but circumstantial
evidence suggested that she was an Albanian woman aged in her early 20s.
KFOR had known of the existence of the body.
-
The OSCE representative in Orahovac/Rrahovec met the local UCK Commander
. The issue of the recently kidnapped Serbians was again raised. The Commanderwas
asked whether an order had been given for the Kosovo Serbs to be kidnapped
or whether there were undisciplined elements within his ranks as eyewitnesses
said they had seen the assailants wearing UCK uniform The Commander was
also asked whether he knew the location of the men or their bodies. The
Commander denied any knowledge but said that he would pass on any information
that he received. The issue of mass grave locations was also discussed
with several good leads being provided.
-
A Roma man was allegedly summoned to the UCK 'police station' in Orahovac/Rrahovec.
He was reportedly beaten over a period of several hours but the intervention
of the OSCE secured his release.
-
During the night of 23 and 24 th July unknown perpetrators destroyed
the Orthodox Church in the centre of Djakovica/Gjakove .
24 th July
-
The statue of King Lazar situated in Gnjilane/Gjilan centre was toppled
by Kosovo Albanians during a demonstration. A radio appeal, allegedly by
the UCK, was broadcast calling on Kosovo Albanians to gather and topple
the monument. The UN had not been able to stop the broadcast before the
incitement to violence was issued. A visit to Gnjilane/Gjilan by the UN
SRSG and the Head of the self-styled 'Provisional Government' was cancelled.
-
At least one house was burned during the day in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Mortar
rounds were heard in a location south east of Vitina/Viti during the night
of 23rd July.
-
The OSCE Human Rights Department gathered evidence of a mass grave near
Pogradje. The number of victims was unknown and no eyewitnesses could be
found. LDK members who located the site presumed that the bodies were those
of Kosovo Albanians, but this remained unconfirmed.
-
A statement was taken from an elderly Kosovo Serb/Bulgarian couple in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
The couple had been visited and harassed six times during the previous
three weeks by men searching for weapons. Their apartment was looted. On
24 th July the two were told by a Kosovo Albanian that they
had 24 hours to leave the town. (see above GN 60)
-
A round-table conference, organised by UNMIK, took place in Prizren/Prizren.
The UN said that the main point of effort would be to establish commissions
to deal with media, business, health and education. The UCK Deputy Zone
Commander and the UCK Brigade Commander of 124 Brigade said that both KFOR
and UNMIK had accused the UCK of organising the burning of houses. They
said that burning houses was not in their interest and that they had being
trying to stop it. They finished by saying that the UCK had always respected
the Geneva Conventions. The Catholic Albanian Priest condemned all the
aggression that he saw emerging within the community and requested the
presence of UNMIK Police in order to get the situation under control. Two
Priests from the Orthodox Church attended the round-table and one apologised
for what had happened to the Kosovo Albanian people and blamed the Milosevic
regime. Some participants accused the Orthodox Church of having supported
the regime. Finally criticism was voiced over the selection Judges for
the Municipal Court. Allegations were made that some Judges had been working
in the 1990s and had participated in the sentencing of innocent Kosovo
Albanians.
-
A grenade attack was reported against a Kosovo Serb in Lipljan/Lipjan.
-
Three cases of arson were reported in Lipljan/Lipjan municipality, one
against a Kosovo Albanian, one against a Kosovo Serb and one against a
Roma.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, OSCE maintained good co-operation with the ICTY team.
Following information passed to them by OSCE Human Rights Officers, ICTY
discontinued their search of the Cemetery graves (see above 22nd
July) and began to investigate new sites located by OSCE with the co-operation
of local Roma.
-
A meeting was arranged with the designated representatives of the Kosovo
Serb communities of Orahovac/Rrahovec and Velika Hoca/Hoce e Madhe. Six
names emerged as potential members of a consultative committee with a view
to finally selecting four. These names were cleared with KFOR to ensure
that there were outstanding allegations against them.
-
A visit was made by OSCE Human Rights Officers to the Roma community in
Orahovac/Rrahovec with the suggestion that they might consider appointing
someone as their representative for the purpose of presenting their concerns.
25 th July
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan visited Pogradje, Lovce and
Ugljare following up the discovery of a gravesite. It appeared that the
grave was less than one month old. There was no indication as to the ethnicity
of the bodies. No cases of missing persons from these villages had been
reported to the Human Rights Department.
-
UN Interim Civil Administration informed the Human Rights Division that
six unidentified bodies had been lying in the morgue in Gnjilane/Gjilan
Hospital, some of them for more than one week. OSCE asked about the possibility
of bringing family members of missing Kosovo Serbs to visit the morgue
in an attempt to identify the bodies. KFOR said that this was a temporary
morgue without a no cooling system and it would have been inappropriate
to bring families there. UNMIK Interim Civil Administration did agree to
request from KFOR Criminal Investigative Division to photograph the bodies.
OSCE led discussions with KFOR and the UNMIK Interim Civil Administration
on how to improve the procedures for dealing with unidentified bodies to
ensure that information was quickly passed to families waiting to hear
about the fate of missing family members.
-
In the Gnjilane/Gjilan region KFOR arrested 49 people during the night
of 25 th July for curfew violations. KFOR also registered four
arson attacks and various instances of looting.
-
A Kosovo Albanian was wounded at an unofficial Kosovo Serb checkpoint set
up in Pasjane (east of Gnjilane/Gjilan).
-
In Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice, the Serb National Council called for a
suspension of negotiations over freedom of movement and returns until 1st
August. The killing of 14 Kosovo Serbs near Lipljan/Lipjan on 23rd
July was used as the pretext. In response, the Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice
Kosovo Albanian leadership requested that UNHCR go ahead with the returns
process. An ultimatum was also issued stating that unless the agreement
reached on 27th July was honoured then further demonstrations
would follow.
-
A planned procession through north Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice by Kosovo
Albanians was diverted and kept in the southern part of the town. The procession
was part of a commemoration and reburial service for the LDK and Trade
Union leaders that were killed in late March by Serbian security forces.
-
Continuing harassment and assault against Kosovo Albanians still living
in the Serbian dominated north Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice were reported
and investigated.
-
Two kidnappings of Kosovo Serb males were reported in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
The day after power was restored to the Strpce/Shterpce area a second explosion
caused damage to the power lines.
-
KFOR reported that a convoy of approximately 40 vehicles from Urosevac/Ferizaj
left Kosovo.
-
OSCE from Prizren/Prizren met with the UCK Deputy Commander of the Pastrik
Zone. The opportunity was taken to introduce the new OSCE mandate and to
explain the changes from the former OSCE KVM Mission. The UCK Deputy Commander
singled out media and human rights as the two most important issues. The
Deputy Commander underlined that the media and especially television could
play an important in post-conflict rehabilitation.
26 th July
-
A 24-year-old Kosovo Albanian female was shot dead in Gnjilane/Gjilan.
-
The UCK visited the LDK branch office in Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica and
unlawfully arrested three Kosovo Albanian LDK members and detained them
for questioning. The LDK members were told that LDK activities were prohibited.
The detained were released after two hours.
-
KFOR CID reported to the Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan about the
alleged rape of a Kosovo Serb female, age 45 to 50, by two Kosovo Albanian
males. The rape allegedly took place in the victim's flat. Two Kosovo Albanian
females said they saw the two men entering the apartment.
-
In Mitrovica/Mitrovice a Kosovo Albanian male reported that an armed Kosovo
Serb male entered his apartment via the balcony and threatened to kill
him.
-
Three Kosovo Serb males allegedly harassed two Kosovo Albanians who had
wanted to visit their flat in north Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
A joint OSCE/UNHCR report was published entitled 'Preliminary Assessment
of the Situation of Ethnic Minorities in Kosovo,' covering the period until
19th July.
-
KFOR military police reported seven killings in the last week in the Prizren/Prizren
municipality. On 20th July a male of unknown ethnicity was found
shot in the head on the outskirts of Prizren/Prizren. On 22nd
July a Kosovo Serb man was found shot dead and two other Kosovo Serbs were
injured by two Kosovo Albanians who forced entry into their house in Prizren/Prizren.
On 22nd July two Kosovo Serbs, one man and one woman were also
found dead at home in Prizren/Prizren. The 67-year-old man had been drowned
and the 33-year-old woman had had her throat cut. Following an anonymous
telephone call to KFOR on 25 th July a Serb woman aged 40 to
45 was found dead in her flat. Her throat had been cut and her head was
battered. On 25 th July an elderly Serb couple were found dead
in their flat. Both had been killed by blows to the head.
27th July
-
In the Roma quarter of Gnjilane/Gjilan at 23:00 hours three Roma females
and two Roma males were wounded allegedly by approximately 15 masked Kosovo
Albanians. The assailants were reported to have arrived during curfew hours
on a tractor and trailer which was used to carry stolen goods. Two houses
were burned and five were looted. A long knife was found on the scene after
their departure. Some of the victims and witnesses told the OSCE that they
would leave Kosovo unless KFOR provided a permanent presence in the area.
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan, KFOR's checkpoint was removed from A. Preseva Street,
the Roma area, after they were informed by Kosovo Albanians that there
were no Roma left in the area. OSCE informed KFOR that this was not the
case. The Roma issue was followed up closely in co-operation with the OSCE
Democratisation Department and the UNHCR.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team from Gnjilane/Gjilan travelled to Zitinje, Vitina/Viti
municipality, after receiving a report of two killings. On 27th
July one 34-year-old Kosovo Serb male, and one 38-year-old Kosovo Serb
female were shot dead, allegedly ambushed in their vehicle. Four Kosovo
Serbs had been killed in Zitinje over the previous 15 days. The former
Serb mayor of the village reported that the remaining Serbs were planning
to leave on 1st August. KFOR had a permanent presence in the
village.
-
Two Kosovo Serb males were killed in an ambush near Vucitrn/Vushtrri as
they travelled from Gobulja to Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice.
-
Four people were found dead in Pec/Peje. They had been mistreated,
strangled and shot. The victims were a Muslim Slav aged 55 to 60, his Kosovo
Albanian wife, another Kosovo Albanian woman and her 30-year-old Kosovo
Albanian son.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Pec/Peje reported a house burning near the
KFOR Headquarters. An elderly Kosovo Serb was slightly burned and rescued
from the fire. Three more cases of house burning were reported at noon.
The perpetrators were unknown.
-
Two grenades were thrown into Kosovo Serb houses in Lipljan/Lipjan in separate
incidents. There were no injuries but extensive damage was reported.
-
The OSCE Human Rights Officers in Prizren/Prizren met local municipal Prosecutors
to obtain information on their current work. KFOR had submitted 11 cases
to the Prosecutor's Office but only two had been dealt with. The remaining
nine cases were incomplete because they lacked essential information. The
Prosecutors were due to met KFOR to resolve the outstanding issues and
advise on information they required to complete the cases.
-
A new gravesite containing 16 bodies was found in the Randurava in the
Prizren/Prizren municipality. It was believed to be the burial site of
a family of Kosovo Albanians from Velica Krusa. The victims appeared to
have been lined up and shot. The location and names of witnesses to this
action were passed to ICTY.
-
Another gravesite, also in the region of Randubrava Prizren/Prizren municipality
was found containing eight bodies. The explosion of a shell appeared to
have caused the casualties. ICTY requested that the OSCE document the site
and then allow the families to bury their dead.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec, the house of a Roma, was burned.
-
In Orahovac/Rrahovec the 'mayor' appointed by the UCK was 'dismissed' by
KFOR. This left a power vacuum as the deputy was unwilling to fill the
place of the UCK appointee. However, the 'mayor' was conducting business
as usual when the OSCE visited the local government building.
-
The Kosovo Serb community in Orahovac/Rrahovec were visited again. They
were preparing for a meeting with the UN Administrator and discussed with
OSCE the matters they intended to raise. Their concerns remained the same:
security, freedom of movement and access to the town's shops.
28th July
-
KFOR reported that two Kosovo Serbs, one male and one female, were found
dead in the area near Klokot, Vitina/Viti municipality (south of Gnjilane/Gjilan).
-
Five Kosovo Albanian men claiming to be from the UCK 'police' visited a
Kosovo Serb apartment in Gnjilane/Gjilan and searched for weapons. They
took 400 Dinar (approximately 20 German Marks) from the victim and informed
him that he had 24 hours to vacate the apartment. The victim informed KFOR
but was told that they were unable to help.
-
A vehicle with two Kosovo Albanian passengers was reportedly stopped by
15 armed Kosovo Serbs at a roadblock on the road from Gnjilane/Gjilan to
Bujanovac. Bricks and barbed wire had been placed on the road. The victims
were taken out of the vehicle and beaten when they refused to hand over
money. One victim had a broken jaw and was taken to Pristina/Prishtine
Hospital. The victims believed that the assailants came from the village
of Donjie Korminjane. A nearby KFOR checkpoint was informed and arrived
on the scene an hour later.
-
In view of the future establishment of a Public Death Register, OSCE, ICRC
and UNHCR (members of the Ad-hoc Task Force on Minorities) jointly asked
KFOR to expedite the flow of information regarding instances of killings,
arrests and abductions in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Agreement was reached on a standard
procedure for transmitting information received by KFOR to partner agencies
within UNMIK.
-
OSCE Human Rights Officers reported that Kosovo Serbs in the Pec/Peje area
only moved from one safe area to another with the protection of KFOR.
-
OSCE reported that most of the Roma community in Dusanovo suburb (Prizren/Prizren)
had left the area due to threats and security problems.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren visited the Krajina Serb
Collective Centre in Prizren/Prizren. There were about 80 refugees from
the war in Croatia living there, although UNHCR were taking steps to move
some of them to other parts of Serbia.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren chaired a meeting between
a local Roma representative and two Roma specialists from the Council of
Europe and ODIHR. The burning of five Roma houses two weeks previously
and reconciliation efforts between the Roma and the Kosovo Albanians in
Prizren/Prizren were also discussed.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren met with the President of
the District Court, to enquire about judicial issues. The President stated
that cases handed over by the Prosecutors were not complete because important
information such as the names of victims and circumstances surrounding
the incidents were often missing from the files. He said that this was
not always the Prosecutor's fault but was caused by the inexperience of
KFOR in police investigative procedures. He hoped that these problems would
be solved with the arrival of UNMIK Police. The President of the Court
said that the Prosecutors urgently needed German speaking interpreters
to speed up their work.
29th July
-
A drive-by shooting occurred in the afternoon in Gnjilane/Gjilan. Reportedly
Kosovo Albanians travelling in a white VW Golf opened fire on a crowd of
Kosovo Serbs. There were no casualties reported.
-
Eleven Kosovo Albanian men wearing black clothes reportedly detained a
38-year-old Kosovo Serb male in Gornji Makres, Gnjilane/Gjilan municipality.
He was released the same day together with another 27-year-old Kosovo Serb
male. The latter was allegedly ill-treated in detention, but was not available
for interview with the OSCE.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Gnjilane/Gjilan held a meeting with the UCK
Zone Commander. When asked about the arrest of LDK representatives, the
Commander declared that 'the LDK did not contribute to the liberation of
the Albanian people during the conflict, that it was an outdated political
party and did not have a place in the future of Kosovo.' The Zone Commander's
vision included the creation of a new spectrum of political parties, according
to Kosovo's new needs and economic targets. The issue of evictions and
kidnapping of Kosovo Serbs by the UCK was raised but was dismissed by the
Commander as propaganda.
-
The OSCE followed up on the Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenica LDK party incident
(see 26th July). An OSCE Human Rights team visited the UCK Headquarters
in the town and was told that the LDK members had only been taken there
to discuss the damage to the LDK Office. The UCK told the OSCE that they
did not consider the time was right for political activity but said there
would soon be freedom for political parties.
-
In Josanica, Pec/Peje municipality, at approximately 04:00 hours, unidentified
elements fired several grenades and machine-gun
rounds toward the village.
According to the Kosovo Albanian locals the shooting ceased after four
or five hours. They speculated that the perpetrators were Serbian paramilitary
groups from Montenegro.
-
A Kosovo Serb male was murdered in Pristina/Prishtine.
-
A Kosovo Serb female was murdered in Podujevo/Podujeve .
-
Judges in Prizren/Prizren were examining and reviewing 17 detention cases.
The President of the Court said that he was intending to provide an explanation
on Radio Prizren/Prizren of the UNMIK Regulation No 1999/1. With regard
to security, the President said that the KFOR guard presence at the Court
made the Judges feel safe. He also said that an UNMIK interpreter will
be on call to assist the Prosecutors to translate KFOR files in German.
-
The Kosovo Albanian Director of the Prizren/Prizren Hospital tried to dismiss
21 Turkish nurses. The Director was told that UNMIK was the only legitimate
civil authority with the power to dismiss. After intervention from KFOR
and the UN Interim Civil Administration the nurses were re-instated.
-
The OSCE organised meetings for a Council of Europe Delegation with representatives
from the self-sytledKosovo Albanian civil administration in Orahovac/Rrahovec
and political representatives from the local communities.
-
Prizren/Prizren-based OSCE Human Rights Officers arranged for an ODIHR
and Council of Europe joint mission to met with the Roma representative
for Tusus and Tanasko Raic. Security remained the main concern and protection
issues were discussed. The OSCE offered support and expertise to encourage
the Roma to organise within their own community and to start a dialogue
with their neighbours in order to increase their protection.
-
Two young girls were assaulted in Suva Reka/Suhareke (north east of Prizren/Prizren).
At 23:00 hours three armed men in UCK uniform allegedly took a 12-year-old
girl and her younger sister from their home. The girls were taken to another
house where they were allegedly assaulted and then returned to their home
four hours later. The 12-year-old said she was raped. The younger sister
was too traumatised to speak of her experiences.
-
OSCE met the Kosovo Albanian civil administrator, appointed by the Head
of the UCK, in Suva Reka/Suhareke. Before the conflict there were 80,000
inhabitants in Suva Reka/Suhareke, of which about 80% were then displaced
to Albania. About 90% of these had returned. The population, before the
war, was mainly Kosovo Albanian with 2.8% Serb and an unknown small number
of Roma. The Kosovo Serbs had all left but some of the Roma remain. About
90% of the houses in the 42 villages were destroyed or badly damaged. Only
Geljance and Selograzde were described as in a reasonable state. Shelter
and reconstruction were the main needs. The problem of food shortages had
mainly been overcome due to efforts from NGO's. There was concern about
the schools reopening on time and about payment for the teachers. The self-sytled
administration had tried to repair the electricity and water systems but
the directors of these enterprises had been Kosovo Serbs who were no longer
present. Former Kosovo Albanian directors and management who were replaced
between 1989 and 1991 assumed their old positions. Electricity was being
supplied to all villages but there were regular power cuts. An NGO was
assisting with water purification.
-
The OSCE met with the Vice-President of the Suva Reka/Suhareke LDK. He
confirmed that the party held weekly meetings in 38 of the 42 villages.
10 of the 13 members of the Presidency were working. The Vice President
commented that relations with the UCK were mixed. Relations with 123 Brigade
in Suva Reka/Suhareke were good but in the rest of the Zone the atmosphere
was strained. The LDK did not recognise the Kosovo Albanian civil administrator
of Suva Reka/Suhareke as he was appointed by the self-declared Provisional
Government of UCK which the LDK did not support.
-
OSCE met in Suva Reka/Suhareke with the Kosovo Albanian Council for the
Defence of Human Rights to discuss utilisation of the information the Council
had collected.
30th July
-
In the Gnjilane/Gjilan region, KFOR reported two instances of kidnapping
and a shooting incident in which one Kosovo Serb male and one Kosovo Serb
female were wounded.
-
KFOR reported finding an unidentified body on 29th July near
Ugljare (east of Gnjilane/Gjilan). They had only been able to partly recover
the body due to its decomposed state. The remainder was in situ covered
by soil.
-
In Gnjilane/Gjilan at 00:30 hours three grenades were thrown in the vicinity
of the Kosovo Serbian quarter of the town. No casualties were reported.
Kosovo Serbs said they would set up unofficial checkpoints to protect the
Serb population.
-
Approximately 500 Kosovo Albanians demonstrated in front of the statue
of King Lazar in Gnjilane/Gjilan after it was re-erected by KFOR (see 24
th July).
-
An OSCE Human Rights Officer met with two Kosovo Albanian representatives
of the self-sytled administration in Zitinje, Vitina/Viti municipality.
They asked for the disarmament of the Kosovo Serbs and the arrest of war
criminals in the village. According to the representatives, one Kosovo
Albanian male was killed during the conflict but none had died since. They
confirmed that four Kosovo Serbs had so far been killed but said this was
by 'Kosovo Serbs for Mafia reasons.' The Kosovo Albanians said they were
willing to co-operate and engage in constructive dialogue with KFOR and
the Kosovo Serbs. KFOR agreed to meet both Kosovo Serbs and Albanian representatives
in Zitinje to try to improve the security situation. The Kosovo Serbs told
OSCE that they would leave the village if the situation did not improve.
-
An OSCE Human Rights team visited a mass gravesite near Podgradje, Gnjilane/Gjilan
municipality. The corpses were buried under a shallow covering of earth
with parts of the bodies exposed. The bodies were decomposing and if any
recognition was to be made urgent action was needed. OSCE Headquarters
in Pristina/Prishtine advised that an ICTY team would visit shortly to
exhume the bodies. There were many missing persons in this area with families
awaiting identification.
-
The UNMIK Regional Administrator in Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice addressed
the Serb National Council in an effort to advance the negotiation process
of freedom of movement and access to the town hospital.
-
A 20-year-old female Kosovo Albanian was found dead in Bistrazin, Djakovica/Gjakove
municipality . She had several gunshots wounds in her back.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren interviewed four Kosovo Serb
families who had been victims of attacks since the end of the conflict.
The first interviewee was a 71-year-old woman who was shot and injured
outside her house by unknown assailants. A neighbour called KFOR Military
Police who came immediately and treated her wounds. The victim had regularly
been threatened. During the previous month UCK 'police' had forced their
way into her house purportedly to look for weapons. The second interviewee
was a woman whose 65-year-old husband had been shot dead on 14 th
July outside his flat. He was going to buy bread. KFOR Military Police
informed her of her death and protected her from a crowd of about 20 males
that had gathered and began to insult and harass her. After spending the
night alone in the flat, amidst constant knocking at the door, the International
Catholic Migration Commission moved her into the Prizren/Prizren Seminary
where she remained. On 17th July the woman returned to her flat
with KFOR to find that it had been looted and a Kosovo Albanian family
had moved in. The third Kosovo Serb interviewed was a 36-year-old man who
had had a hand-grenade thrown into his yard by three unidentified men on
13th July. During this time his phone had been cut off for a
few hours so he was unable to call KFOR until the following day. On 26
th June and 15 th and 16 th July his house
and compound were shot at by unknown perpetrators. The interviewee was
disabled and lived alone. He had previously rented part of his house to
two Serb policemen and he thought that this might be the reason for the
attacks. The last family interviewed was a 65 and 70- year-old couple
who had been repeatedly threatened and harassed in their home. On 10
th and 15 th July they caught men scaling the wall of
their compound. On both occasions their house was shot at and the couple
called KFOR. Since these attacks, they said that windows had been broken
in their home and there was regular knocking at the door during the night.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren received a report from the
Priest at the Seminary of 16 elderly missing persons from Donjice, Prizren/Prizren
municipality, last seen on 27th June. There had been 18 elderly
Kosovo Serbs living in the village but two had been away when unknown perpetrators
burned it. These two now reside in the Seminary but the other 16 remain
unaccounted for.
-
Priest Nikola informed the Human rights team that the situation at the
Prizren/Prizren Seminary was critical. There were 250 people were taking
refuge in the Seminary that only had a capacity for 130. This included
five Kosovo Albanians and 30 Roma. Overcrowding and the lack of basic facilities
was leading to fights and quarrels. The residents were particularly unhappy
with the behaviour of the Roma families. The Priest was concerned that
more Kosovo Serbs from the villages were arriving but that UNHCR was unable
to quickly relocate them. Some however had been escorted by UNHCR to Kosovska
Mitrovica/Mitrovice, Pristina/Prishtine and other parts of Serbia. There
was a shortage of food and the Priest was very concerned about the effective
imprisonment of the people there. The Priest said he was in regular contact
with the Kosovo Serb population. He wanted KFOR Military Police to inform
him when they found a body or had information about a missing person in
order that he could tell the family.
-
The OSCE Human Rights team in Prizren/Prizren reported that due to KFOR
intervention the Muslim Slavs (Gora/Dragashi) again received medical treatment
in the Prizren/Prizren Hospital and Turkish ambulances would soon provide
medical a
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