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May 22,
2003
ERP KIM Newsletter
22-05-2003
90 YEARS-OLD SERB
BRUTALLY BEATEN UP BY ALBANIANS
CONTENTS:
90 YEAR-OLD SERB MAN BADLY
BEATEN UP BY ALBANIANS IN VITINA - ANOTHER SERB MAN ESCAPES ABDUCTION
Terror of Kosovo Albanian extremists
continues in Vitina area while UNMIK and US KFOR deny increase of
interethnic violence.
SERBIAN
ORTHODOX CHURCH AND SNC KIM MOST STRONGLY CONDEMN ATTACK ON 90 YEAR-OLD IN
VITINA
This
most recent attack on a 90 year-old man and the attempt to abduct another
Serb took place in the aftermath of completely irresponsible statements by
UNMIK and US KFOR representatives, who despite indisputable evidence that
ethnically motivated crimes are occurring in this region, continue to hide
the truth regarding the activities of Albanian extremists. If this
attitude on the part of international representatives persists, it will be
very difficult not to ask the question to what extent such statements
amount to aiding and abetting crimes against the Serb people.
SNC NORTH KOSOVO - CRIMES AGAINST SERBS IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA
CONTINUE
Serb National Council for northern
Kosmet it has been ascertained that expelling and murdering of the Kosmet
Serbs are continuing and that the safety situation in the northern part of
the Province has deteriorated. Incidents that have become a daily
occurrence stand to prove this, it was said at the meeting in Kosovksa
Mitrovica.
PARLIAMENT OF SERBIA - SECURITY IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA AT LOWEST
LEVEL POSSIBLE
The
Serbian Parliament's committee for defence and security and the committee
for Kosovo-Metohija said that the security situation in Kosovo-Metohija
was at the lowest level possible, for which UNMIK and KFOR were
responsible. At their joint session held on Friday, the two committees
decided to send a letter to all relevant international organisations
demanding that the number of UNMIK and KFOR members in the province not be
reduced until an adequate level of security for all Kosovo-Metohija
citizens is established.
COVIC:
MIRKOVIC'S MURDER SHOWS SECURITY LEVEL IN KOSOVO
Head of the Coordinating Centre for
Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic said on Monday that the murder of Zoran
Mirkovic in the village of Vrbovac near Kosovska Vitina clearly
illustrates the level of the safety and freedom of movement of Serbs in
the province.
REACTIONS
TO OPENING OF KOSOVO'S FINAL STATUS ISSUE
More News
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ERP KIM Web-site:
/erpkiminfo.html
90
YEAR-OLD SERB MAN BADLY BEATEN UP BY ALBANIANS IN VITINA - ANOTHER SERB
MAN ESCAPES ABDUCTION
ALBANIAN TERROR IN KOSOVSKO
POMORAVLJE CONTINUES WHILE UNMIK AND US KFOR DENY INCREASE OF INTERETHNIC
VIOLENCE
TOP
ERP
KIM Info Service
Kosovska Vitina, May 22
The Diocese of Raska and Prizren Information Service has been informed by
Fr. Dragan Kojic, Serbian Orthodox Priest in Kosovska Vitina, that
yesterday (May 21) at approximately 17:00 hours SLAVKO STAMENKOVIC
(born in 1912), a 90 year-old Serb man, was found heavily beaten in his
house in Vitina. The attackers, who were identified by the Stamenkovic's
as Kosovo Albanians, bound and gagged his wife JELKA and locked her in the
next room. The attackers left the Stamenkovic home thinking Slavko was
already dead. However, despite serious injuries, bleeding and his age, the
old man managed to drag himself to the nearby Orthodox church and tell the
other Serbs of the attempt on his life.
Stamenkovic was urgently transferred to the hospital in Vranje, southern
Serbia, where Serbs regularly trasport their patients in absence of free
access to Kosovo hospitals. Because of the nature of his injuries and his
age, it is still not known whether his condition is life-threatening. The
attack on Stamenkovic family is seen by local Serbs as another attempt to
force remaining Vitina Serbs to sell their property to Albanians and leave
Vitina.
Serb sources
in Vitina also confirmed that yesterday, Monday, May 20, following the
funeral of recently murdered Zoran Mirkovic, an attempt was made to abduct
STANKO NICIC (age 50), a Serb man who was on his way to check on
his fields in the area of the village of Vrbovac. Almost incredibly, Nicic
managed to slip away from his would-be kidnappers, whom he described as
Kosovo Albanians.
TOP
DIOCESE OF RASKA AND PRIZREN AND SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL OF KOSOVO AND
METOHIJA MOST STRONGLY CONDEMN ATTACK ON 90 YEAR-OLD
This
most recent attack on a 90 year-old man and the attempt to abduct another
Serb took place in the aftermath of completely irresponsible statements by
UNMIK and US KFOR representatives, who despite indisputable evidence that
ethnically motivated crimes are occurring in this region, continue to hide
the truth regarding the activities of Albanian extremists. If this
attitude on the part of international representatives persists, it will be
very difficult not to ask the question to what extent such statements
amount to aiding and abetting crimes against the Serb people.
TOP
ERP KIM
Info Service
Gracanica, May 22, 2003
The Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija and the Serb National
Council of Kosovo and Metohija most strongly condemn this most recent
attack by Albanian extremists in Vitina who have once again confirmed
their intention to ethnically cleanse Kosovsko Pomoravlje (Eastern part of
Kosovo) of Serbs. The attempted murder of Stamenkovic brings to mind a
similar attack on grandmother Smiljka Andjelkovic in Lipljan on April 25,
who was also beaten almost to death in order to force the Andjelkovices to
move away and sell their apartment.
Unfortunately, this most recent attack on a 90 year-old man and the
attempt to abduct another Serb took place in the aftermath of completely
irresponsible statements by UNMIK and US KFOR representatives, who despite
indisputable evidence that ethnically motivated crimes are occurring in
this region, continue to hide the truth regarding the activities of
Albanian extremists. If this attitude on the part of international
representatives persists, it will be very difficult not to ask the
question to what extent such statements amount to aiding and abetting
crimes against the Serb people.
The Diocese of Raska and Prizren and the Serb National Council demand that
KFOR and UNMIK provide security for the Serbs in this region and protect
them from these completely inhumane attacks sparing no one in their intent
to achieve their equally inhumane goals. If KFOR is unwilling or unable to
protect the people, the Serb population should immediately be permitted to
defend itself and organize village patrols and assisted in doing so. The
same hold true for other parts of the Province where violence against
Serbs continues unabated.
TOP
SNC
OF NORTH KOSOVO - CRIMES AGAINST KOSOVO AND METOHIJA SERBS CONTINUE
Serb National Council for northern Kosmet
it has been ascertained that expelling and murdering of the Kosmet Serbs
are continuing and that the safety situation in the northern part of the
Province has deteriorated. Incidents that have become a daily occurrence
stand to prove this, it was said at the meeting in Kosovksa Mitrovica.
TOP
Radio
Yugoslavia
May 21,
2003
At the meeting of the Regional Committee of the Serb National Council for
northern Kosmet it has been ascertained that expelling and murdering of
the Kosmet Serbs are continuing and that the safety situation in the
northern part of the Province has deteriorated. Incidents that have become
a daily occurrence stand to prove this, it was said at the meeting in
Kosovksa Mitrovica.
Member of the SNC Executive Board Nebojsa Jovic told a press conference
that the Serb National Council would once again request UNMIK and KFOR to
start with the realization of the programme for the return of the expelled
Serbs into major towns of Kosovo-Metohija.
TOP
PARLIAMENT OF SERBIA: SECURITY IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA AT LOWEST LEVEL POSSIBLE
The Serbian
Parliament's committee for defence and security and the committee for
Kosovo-Metohija said that the security situation in Kosovo-Metohija was at
the lowest level possible, for which UNMIK and KFOR were responsible. At
their joint session held on Friday, the two committees decided to send a
letter to all relevant international organisations demanding that the
number of UNMIK and KFOR members in the province not be reduced until an
adequate level of security for all Kosovo-Metohija citizens is
established.
TOP
Serbian Government, Belgrade
May 19, 2003
Belgrade, May 16, 2003 - The Serbian Parliament's committee for defence
and security and the committee for Kosovo-Metohija said that the security
situation in Kosovo-Metohija was at the lowest level possible, for which
UNMIK and KFOR were responsible.
At their joint session held on Friday, the two committees decided to send
a letter to all relevant international organisations demanding that the
number of UNMIK and KFOR members in the province not be reduced until an
adequate level of security for all Kosovo-Metohija citizens is
established.
The two committees accepted the report on security conditions in the
province, submitted by Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija security
head Major-General Svetislav Djurdjevic. The report points to the
difficult security situation in Kosovo-Metohija, stressing that Belgrade
authorities have only partial influence in the Kosovo region.
Head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic
suggested that Serbian Parliament and the Parliament of Serbia and
Montenegro should consider the Centre's strategy, adopted by the Serbian
and the Yugoslav governments in mid-2001. This strategy includes a
repatriation programme for the internally displaced as well as a
decentralisation plan.
Covic also said that UNMIK chief Michael Steiner's decree on privatisation
in Kosovo-Metohija and a Resolution recognising the war of liberation of
the Albanian people in Kosovo adopted by the Kosovo Assembly could only
lead to an independent Kosovo.
Covic also said that the snail-pace progress of resolving safety issues
was enhanced by Steiner himself, whom he called "the factor of
instability". "The question is whether Steiner's moves are his personal
wish or if he does it on behalf of someone else," Covic said.
According to him, more severe terrorist acts by the self-proclaimed
Albanian National Army (ANA) can be expected in future.
TOP
NEBOJSA COVIC: ZORAN MIRKOVIC MURDER SHOWS SAFETY LEVEL IN KOSOVO
TOP
SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
May 19, 2003
Kosovska Vitina / Belgrade, May 18, 2003 - Head of the Coordinating Centre
for Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic said on Monday that the murder of Zoran
Mirkovic in the village of Vrbovac near Kosovska Vitina clearly
illustrates the level of the safety and freedom of movement of Serbs in
the province.
Covic said that the international community must take concrete measures to
protect the Serb ethnic community in Kosovo-Metohija "or else things may
go out of control." If that happens, said Covic, Belgrade cannot be held
responsible for anything.
Zoran Mirkovic, 41, a teacher of Russian, was murdered with several
bullets in the chest and head late on May 17, while he was riding a
bicycle on his estate, the Beta news agency reported.
TOP
REACTIONS TO THE OPENING OF KOSOVO FINAL STATUS ISSUE
Firstu fulfillment of democratic and legal standards and only then
discussion on the final status
TOP
RADIO
YUGOSLAVIA
May 22,
2003
Serbian
Premier Zoran Zivkovic to Deutche Welle
It is still early for a final agreement on the status of Kosmet, but it is
necessary to fulfil democratic and legal standards which have been set by
the international community, the Serbian prime minister, Zoran Zivkovic,
said in an interview to DEUTSCHE WELLE radio. Zivkovic warned that UNMIK
has still not created the conditions for the freedom of movement, the
security of the non-Albanian population, the return of refugees and the
decentralizing of the province. Pointing out that the issue of Kosmet is
hindering the democratic and reform processes in Serbia, the prime
minister requests from the international rule to fulfil its commitments
from the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1244 and the Agreement with the
authorities in Belgrade
Chief of
UNMIK Michael Steiner
The US advocate the fact that the talks on the final status of Kosovo
cannot commence before standards mapped out by the head of UNMIK, Michael
Steiner, have been implemented, director of the US State Department for
central and southern Europe Paul Jones said in Pristina. Standards must be
put into practice and must serve to improve the living conditions of all
citizens, regardless of their nationality, said Jones following his 2-day
visit to Kosovo. The US official emphasized his satisfaction with the
process of return of the displaced which had began, but said that the
course of action should be accelerated for which purpose the US will
allocate 14.5 dollars.
Serbian Deputy Premier Nebojsa Covic
The final status of Kosovo-Metohija cannot be dealt with right now, as it
would be a bad solution that would result in changes of border
demarcations, and that is why certain standards must be met prior to this
being done, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic. The set
standard ought to be given broader dimensions, while the control of
achievements should be carried out not by the UN Security Council but by a
Contact Group, on a monthly basis, Covic told a press conference. As for
the return of the expellees, he emphasized that Serbs must be allowed to
return where they choose to and not where they are forced.
TOP
ERP KIM
Info-Service is the official Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox
Diocese of Raska and Prizren and works with the blessing of His Grace
Bishop Artemije.
Our Information Service is distributing news on Kosovo related issues. The
main focus of the Info-Service is the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church
and the Serbian community in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. ERP KIM
Info Service works in cooperation with
www.serbian-translation.com as well as the
Kosovo
Daily News (KDN) News List
Disclaimer:
The views expressed by the authors of newspaper articles or other texts
which are not official communiqués or news reports by the Diocese are
their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Serbian
Orthodox Church
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