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January 08, 2004
ERP KiM Newsletter
08-01-04
Kosovo: No peace for
Orthodox Christmas
The
Orthodox Christmas season this month has been marred in Kosovo by a
series of violent incidents, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. A church
was broken into and several items and some money were stolen, and a bus
was attacked by local Albanians at the Decani monastery after the
Christmas service. The attack on the church follows an earlier attack in
November 2003. Officials of the United Nations administration (UNMIK)
have condemned the attacks, the latest in a series since 1999 for which
no arrests have ever been made. Speaking to Forum 18 about the attack on
the bus, Fr Sava Janjic of the Decani monastery described it as a
"demonstration of utmost religious intolerance" on Christmas "a holiday
of peace and forgiveness". "What a paradox, that the attack was made at
a moment when the head of UNMIK, only a hundred metres away, was
speaking with the local Decani assembly president and appealed to him to
show tolerance and understanding towards Decani monastery."
Chief of UNMIK Harri Holkeri at
Patriarchate of Pec Monastery, Jan 7, 2004
CONTENTS:
 Forum 18: Kosovo - No peace for Orthodox Christmas
The Orthodox Christmas season this month has been marred in
Kosovo by a series of violent incidents, Forum 18 News Service has
learnt. A church was broken into and several items and some money were
stolen, and a bus was attacked by local Albanians at the Decani
monastery after the Christmas service. The attack on the church follows
an earlier attack in November 2003. Officials of the United Nations
administration (UNMIK) have condemned the attacks, the latest in a
series since 1999 for which no arrests have ever been made. Speaking to
Forum 18 about the attack on the bus, Fr Sava Janjic of the Decani
monastery described it as a "demonstration of utmost religious
intolerance" on Christmas "a holiday of peace and forgiveness". "What a
paradox, that the attack was made at a moment when the head of UNMIK,
only a hundred metres away, was speaking with the local Decani assembly
president and appealed to him to show tolerance and understanding
towards Decani monastery."
Danish KFOR brutally searches Kosovo Serb village
on Christmas Eve
Strongly
denouncing this, as they said, barbarian act, the local inhabitants said
that God knows for how many times now, a brutal search of Kosovo Serb
villages and houses was being carried out on the eve of major Orthodox
holidays.
Oliver
Ivanovic: We don't want to be a decoration
One of the Kosovo
Serbs’ representatives, Oliver Ivanovic said that Serbs don't want to be
only a decoration within the working groups, but they want to have an
influence at least in some issues that are with interest for the Serbian
community.
Albanians stone Russian delegation in Decani
As
President of the Society and extinguished artist Ivana Zigon told the
Tanjug agency, some 300 or 400 Albanians participated in this incident.
Prior to that, the delegation of the Russian-Serbian Friendship Society
had visited, on the occasion of Christmas, the biggest Christian
holiday, certain Serbian Orthodox Church Monasteries in Metohija. The
incident was strongly condemned by political representatives of Kosmet
Serbs.
Holkeri says lots of time is needed to settle
situation
A lot of time is still needed in order to finally settle the
situation in Kosovo, UNMIK head Harri Holkeri, who attended the
Christmas liturgy at the Visoki Decani Monastery, said on Wednesday.
Some
Macedonian municipalities will have referendum against the new territory
division
Today, some
municipalities, mostly rural of the western Macedonia, have organized a
referendum at the end of the week against the government proposition for
the new territory division. Inhabitants of those municipalities are
asking to be a municipalities on their own because with the new
territory division, as it is proposed by the government, the local
government will be transferred to the Albanians which are majority.
Chart of Bosnian Terrorist links known to SFOR,
NATO
Mr Trifunovic said that
the Center for Security and Investigation of Terrorism had for some time
been conducting a detailed investigation into al-Qaida’s presence in the
Balkans, ie: areas which include the so-called "green transversal", the
formation of which former Muslim wartime leader Alija Izetbegovic had
also sought. According to him, a terrorist organization called LIVO had
been formed in Central Asia which includes the former Soviet republics
of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the Chinese (PRC) part of
Xinjiang province1. Trifunovic noted: "This terrorist organization [LIVO]
has been trying to form a green transversal in Central Asia modeled on
one whose formation has already been attempted in the Balkans."
More News Available on our:
Kosovo Daily News
list (KDN)
KDN
Archive
This newsletter is available on our ERP
KIM Web-site:
http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html
Forum
18 (Oslo, Norway): Kosovo - No peace for Orthodox Christmas
The Orthodox Christmas season this month has been marred in Kosovo by a
series of violent incidents, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. A church
was broken into and several items and some money were stolen, and a bus
was attacked by local Albanians at the Decani monastery after the
Christmas service. The attack on the church follows an earlier attack in
November 2003. Officials of the United Nations administration (UNMIK)
have condemned the attacks, the latest in a series since 1999 for which
no arrests have ever been made. Speaking to Forum 18 about the attack on
the bus, Fr Sava Janjic of the Decani monastery described it as a
"demonstration of utmost religious intolerance" on Christmas "a holiday
of peace and forgiveness". "What a paradox, that the attack was made at
a moment when the head of UNMIK, only a hundred metres away, was
speaking with the local Decani assembly president and appealed to him to
show tolerance and understanding towards Decani monastery."
TOP
Thursday 8
January 2004
By Branko Bjelajac, Forum 18 News Service
During the night of 3/4 January, unknown perpetrators broke into the
Church of St Peter and Paul in Gornja Brnjica (Bernica e Eperme in
Albanian), near the provincial capital Pristina. Several items and some
money were stolen, while sacral vessels and vestments were thrown
around. On 7 January, Orthodox Christmas, a bus with Russian
humanitarian workers and journalists travelling from Decani monastery
after the Christmas service was stoned by local Albanians. Officials of
the United Nations interim administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) condemned
these incidents.
"When we approached the church we noticed that someone tried to break in
through the entrance metal door, but only damaged the lock," Fr Miroslav
Popadic, parish priest in Pristina, told Forum 18. "Someone cut the
metal bars on a window, broke in, stole the money and some church items,
and made a huge mess. Every single item that was movable was thrown
away. It was a sad scene."
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren "most vehemently"
condemned this latest desecration. "It appears that this case of attack
on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church is as unlikely to be
resolved as any of the others."
The Church of Sts Peter and Paul in Gornja Brnjica was built in 1975 on
the ruins of the medieval Church of St Nicholas, destroyed during the
Ottoman occupation. The church is separated from the Serbian-populated
village by a small wood, and is closer to an Albanian village. There are
still 47 Serbian houses in Gornja Brnjica with 187 people. This church
was attacked in late November (see F18News 1 December 2003
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=200 ).
The 7 January stoning of a bus carrying 30 Russian humanitarian aid
workers and journalists took place in the town of Decani in western
Kosovo. The delegation of the Russian St Andrew Fund and the
Russian-Serbian Friendship Society, which had arrived in Kosovo on 4
January, had just visited Decani monastery for the Orthodox Christmas
service and were returning to Pristina. Russian news agency Itar-Tass
reported that "more than 300 Kosovar Albanians" threw stones at the bus.
No injuries were reported. UNMIK police said three people threw stones,
breaking one of the windows of the bus.
The Christmas liturgy at Decani monastery was also attended by the head
of UNMIK, Harri Holkeri, who was accompanied by KFOR peacekeeping troops
and UN police units. Earlier, Holkeri had sent a Christmas message to
the Orthodox believers living in Kosovo, praising them for their
"courage and perseverance", adding that UNMIK is "aware that the
conditions under which many Kosovars live are still unacceptable".
Later, Holkeri expressed "deep disappointment" over the stoning of the
Russian pilgrims, a 7 January UNMIK press release reported.
Fr Sava Janjic, deputy abbot of the monastery, described the attack on
the Russian pilgrims as a "demonstration of utmost religious
intolerance". "On one of the most significant Christian holidays, a
holiday of peace and forgiveness - Christmas - Albanians in Decani
attacked the guests of Decani monastery, who only half an hour before
thanked Mr Holkeri for his assistance in organising their escort through
Kosovo and Metohija," he told Forum 18 from Decani monastery on 8
January. "What a paradox, that the attack was made at a moment when the
head of UNMIK, only a hundred metres away, was speaking with the local
Decani assembly president and appealed to him to show tolerance and
understanding towards Decani monastery."
During the Christmas holiday, Kosovo was visited by Serbian Orthodox
Patriarch Pavle, who served liturgies in several churches and
monasteries, including the monastery in Pec (Peja).
TOP
Danish KFOR brutally searches Kosovo Serb village of Matica on the
Christmas Eve
Strongly
denouncing this, as they said, barbarian act, the local inhabitants said
that God knows for how many times now, a brutal search of Kosovo Serb
villages and houses was being carried out on the eve of major Orthodox
holidays.
TOP
Tanjug
News Agency, Belgrade
January 6, 2004
The way in which members of the Danish KFOR have searched the Kosovo
Serb village of Matica near Zvecan, demolishing houses and leaving chaos
wherever they went, has embittered the villagers, the regional Most TV
in Zvecan said on Tuesday.
Strongly denouncing this, as they said, the barbarian act, the local
inhabitants said that God knows for how many times now, a brutal search
of Kosovo Serb villages and houses was being carried out on the eve of
major Orthodox holidays.
TOP
Oliver
Ivanovic: We don't want to be a decoration
One of the
Kosovo Serbs’ representatives, Oliver Ivanovic said that Serbs don't
want to be only a decoration within the working groups, but they want to
have an influence at least in some issues that are with interest for the
Serbian community.
TOP
Kosova Sot,
Pristina daily in Albanian
January 7, 2004
Still Serbian community in Kosovo is not ready to be included in working
groups for implementation of the standards that Kosovo should fulfill
until 2005, in that way the debate about its final status to be opened.
One of the Kosovo Serbs' representatives, Oliver Ivanovic said that
Serbs don't want to be only a decoration within the working groups, but
they want to have an influence at least in some issues that are with
interest for the Serbian community.
The representatives of Kosovo Serbs still have objection for the
document "Standards for Kosovo," despite some changes that were
conducted in the introduction. According to them, without Serbs'
participation, there will be no implementation of standards.
UN mission officials in Kosova call Kosovo Serbs to change their stance
about the standards, since, according to them, this is in their
interest. UNMIK officials say that the document reflects the interests
of all communities and it is fundamental for everybody to accept it. On
the other side, the Serbian community harshly opposed the transfer of
authorities from UNMIK to Kosovo Government that happened one day before
New Year.
According to Kosovo Serbs' leaders local institutions are not leading
correct politics towards Serbian community. They forewarned that they
would present their stances to UNMIK Chief, Harri Holkeri at the end of
this week.
TOP
Albanians Stone Russian Delegation in Decani
As
President of the Society and extinguished artist Ivana Zigon told the
Tanjug agency, some 300 or 400 Albanians participated in this incident.
Prior to that, the delegation of the Russian-Serbian Friendship Society
had visited, on the occasion of Christmas, the biggest Christian
holiday, certain Serbian Orthodox Church Monasteries in Metohija. The
incident was strongly condemned by political representatives of Kosmet
Serbs.
TOP
Radio
Serbia-Montenegro
Belgrade, January 07, 2004
Decani, 07 Jan (Radio S-M) - A group of Albanians has stoned a
delegation of Russian-Serbian Friendship Society that was visiting
Kosmet, near Decani, close to Pec. Luckily, None of the guests, among
them was a member of Russian Federation Council, senator Serguey
Shebljigin, were hurt.
As President of the Society and extinguished artist Ivana Zigon told the
Tanjug agency, some 300 or 400 Albanians participated in this incident.
Prior to that, the delegation of the Russian-Serbian Friendship Society
had visited, on the occasion of Christmas, the biggest Christian
holiday, certain Serbian Orthodox Church Monasteries in Metohija. The
incident was strongly condemned by political representatives of Kosmet
Serbs.
TOP
Holkery says lots of time is needed to settle situation
A lot of
time is still needed in order to finally settle the situation in Kosovo,
UNMIK head Harri Holkeri, who attended the Christmas liturgy at the
Visoki Decani Monastery, said on Wednesday.
TOP
Tanjug
News Agency, Belgrade
January 7, 2004
Visoki Decani, 07 Jan (Tanjug) - A lot of time is still needed in order to
finally settle the situation in Kosovo, UNMIK head Harri Holkeri, who
attended the Christmas liturgy at the Visoki Decani Monastery, said on
Wednesday.
It is necessary to change the aggressive attitude of the local
population, but this will require a lot of time, Holkeri said in a
meeting with a delegation of the Russian Apostle Andrei Foundation and
representatives of leading Russian media.
TOP
Some
Macedonian Municipalities will have referendum against the new territory
division
Today, some
municipalities, mostly rural of the western Macedonia, have organized a
referendum at the end of the week against the government proposition for
the new territory division. Inhabitants of those municipalities are
asking to be a municipalities on their own because with the new
territory division, as it is proposed by the government, the local
government will be transferred to the Albanians which are majority.
TOP
Zeri, Pristina
daily in Albanian
January 6, 2004
In 2001 Macedonia went through a conflict between the UCK Albanian
insurgents and Macedonian security forces. The Ohrid Agreement, between
the main Albanian and Macedonian politicians, ended this conflict were
it was foreseen to end the Albanian discrimination and to decentralize
the government.
Today, some municipalities, mostly rural of the western Macedonia, have
organized a referendum at the end of the week against the government
proposition for the new territory division.
Inhabitants of those municipalities are asking to be a municipalities on
their own because with the new territory division, as it is proposed by
the government, the local government will be transferred to the
Albanians which are majority.
TOP
Chart of Bosnian terrorist links known to SFOR, NATO
Mr
Trifunovic said that the Center for Security and Investigation of
Terrorism had for some time been conducting a detailed investigation
into al-Qaida’s presence in the Balkans, ie: areas which include the
so-called "green transversal", the formation of which former Muslim
wartime leader Alija Izetbegovic had also sought. According to him, a
terrorist organization called LIVO had been formed in Central Asia which
includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and the Chinese (PRC) part of Xinjiang province1. Trifunovic
noted: "This terrorist organization [LIVO] has been trying to form a
green transversal in Central Asia modeled on one whose formation has
already been attempted in the Balkans."
TOP
Defense
Foreign Affairs Daily
Volume XXII, No. 3
Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Darko Trifunovic, deputy director of the Center for Security and
Investigation of Terrorism at the Belgrade Institute for Political
Studies (IPS), said on January 5, 2004, that SFOR [NATO-led
Stabilization Force] and international organizations in
Bosnia-Herzegovina had been acquainted with a chart drawn up by the
[Bosnian] Republica Srpska Government which clearly showed a link
between Islamic extremists and terrorists in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Raska
[in southern Serbia/northern Montenegro, also known as the Sandzak
region] and the Kosovo area of Serbia.
Mr Trifunovic said that this was one reason why High Representative for
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown, had recently invited a renowned
terrorism expert, Rohan Gunaratne, to establish whether al-Qaida had
been active in Bosnia-Herzegovina. According to him, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosniaks had subsequently threatened to kill the expert since his answer
to Ashdown was that al-Qaida "has been, and still is, present in
Bosnia-Herzegovina ever since the beginning of the [1992-95] war". Mr
Trifunovic added: "The map clearly demonstrates the degree to which
so-called humanitarian organizations have been linked with Islamic
secret intelligence services such as AID [Bosnia-Herzegovina Muslim
intelligence service]."
Besides that, Trifunovic said, the chart contained the names and
surnames of the leaders of the Islamic Wahabbi movement which was formed
on the territory of Brcko District. He said that the map was a result of
an investigation into war crimes against Serbs and Croats in
Bosnia-Herzegovina committed by mujahedin and other units which had been
formed as part of the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Mr Trifunovic said that terrorism experts from the Serb Republic, the US
and other countries took part in drafting the map, which is the property
of the Republica Srpska Secretariat for Cooperation with the Hague
tribunal. He said that this was why US Congressman Randy "Duke"
Cunningham had sent a letter of support to the Serb Republic Secretariat
for Cooperation with the Hague tribunal.
Mr Trifunovic said that the Center for Security and Investigation of
Terrorism had for some time been conducting a detailed investigation
into al-Qaida’s presence in the Balkans, ie: areas which include the
so-called "green transversal", the formation of which former Muslim
wartime leader Alija Izetbegovic had also sought. According to him, a
terrorist organization called LIVO had been formed in Central Asia which
includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and the Chinese (PRC) part of Xinjiang province1. Trifunovic
noted: "This terrorist organization [LIVO] has been trying to form a
green transversal in Central Asia modeled on one whose formation has
already been attempted in the Balkans."
He said that the chart was a clear indication that no-one in
Bosnia-Herzegovina had so far made a serious attempt to identify the
members of al-Qaida and establish why six of them took part in terrorist
attacks on the US on September 11, 2001, noting: "The main function of
this chart is to make the public aware of who committed war crimes
against Serbs and Croats in the name of Allah and what the real reasons
behind the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina were, a subject which international
officials do not wish to speak about publicly."
Trifunovic had earlier been a diplomat in the Bosnia-Herzegovina Foreign
Service, serving as first secretary in the Bosnia-Herzegovina UN Mission
in New York.
Footnote:
1. Kyrgyzstan National Intelligence
Service in February 2003 identified the existence of a trans-national
Central Asian Islamist extremist group, LIVO, which had been founded in
May 2001, largely under the sponsorship of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida
group. The primary source was Sheraly Akbotoyev, a Kyrgyz senior
official of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan [IMU] captured in
Afghanistan in mid- 2002 and extradited to Bishkek where he was
sentenced to imprisonment for 25 years in early February 2003.
Akbotoyev’s identification, apprehension and interrogation are part of a
major initiative launched by President Askar Akaev under which
Kyrgyzstani Intelligence concentrates on collecting intelligence on
overall Islamist issues, and al-Qaida in particular, in support of the
US-led "War on Terrorism".
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
Additional information on
our Diocese and the life of the Kosovo Serb Community may be found at:
http://www.kosovo.net
Copyright 2004, ERP KIM Info-Service
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