COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF  HUMAN  RIGHTS AND  FREEDOMS
KĖSHILLI PĖR MBROJTJEN E TĖ DREJTAVE E TĖ LIRIVE TĖ NJERIUT

Report 476

on the situation of the human rights and freedoms in Kosova from December 12 until December 19, 1999

Between December 12 and December 19, 3 citizens were killed, of whom 2 Albanians and one Serb, as well as one American soldier (in a mine incident). 13 were wounded (9 Albanians and 4 Serbs), as well as 2 French soldiers.

Killings

    On December 12 - the corpse of Naim Gashi (26) from the village of Buēan near Peja, was taken to the morgue of the Peja Hospital. Naim was killed in the vicinity of the Drini i Bardhė bridge near Klina. He was shot from a sniper while repairing his car.
    On December 15 – at about 3 p.m., Sadik Topalli (58) was shot and killed in the vicinity of his flat in the “Ulpiana” quarter in Prishtina.
    On December 17 – at about 8 p.m., a Serb was killed and 9 were wounded when fire was opened and a hand grenade was thrown in a Serb café in Rahovec.

Mine incidents

    KAMENICA: On December 15, an American soldier was killed when his vehicle hit a land mine in the municipality of Kamenica.

Woundings

    MITROVICA: On December 18, at about 10 p.m., two unidentified persons driving an “Ascona” car opened fire towards Mentor Esat Nimani (24) from the village of Reka. Mentor and his fiancé were in a “Golf” car. Mentor was wounded on his chest. In a critical condition he was taken to the Prishtina Hospital and operated.

Disappearances and kidnappings

    GJAKOVA: On December 13, Teki Bokshi from Gjakova, a lawyer with the Humanitarian Law Fund – office in Kosova, who was kidnapped in the vicinity of Belgrade on December 3, was released. His family paid DM 100.000 to the kidnappers.

Ill-treatments, attacks, provocations

    GJILAN: On December 12, in the evening hours, 7 Albanians were beaten by a group of Serbs from the village of Partesh. Brothers Agim (1968) and Sabit Zymberi (1970) from the village of Bukovik, Lumnije Nuredini (1976) from the village of Sojeva near Ferizaj and Hanife Mehmeti (1927) suffered severe injuries and had to be hospitalized. The other three suffered lighter injuries. Two cars and a truck had their windows broken while passing through the village. Later on, all traffic was stopped due to the Serb barricades in this village.
    GLLOGOC: On December 13, at about 2.15 p.m., Ragip Janova, a taxi driver from the village of Korrotica e Epėrme, was hit by an armoured vehicle of the Russian forces which was traveling between Komoran and Skėnderaj. He was taken to the Prishtina Hospital by a group of Canadian soldiers. The Russian soldiers tried to escape from the scene of the accident but were prevented by those present. Later on, the UNMIK police arrived and investigated the case.
    MITROVICA: On December 13, at about 6.30 p.m., a group of Serbs threw a bomb on the offices of the Albanian Republican Party (PRSH) in the northern part of Mitrovica. The offices of the PRSH were completely destroyed in the blast. A warehouse of the “Mother Theresa” Humanitarian & Charitable Association was damaged. Halit Cimili and Shkodran Sejdiu were wounded. Later on, KFOR soldiers and the UNMIK police arrived at the scene of the incident. They searched the offices of the PRSH and seized the weapons they found there. Skender Hoti (47), the chairman of the PRSH, living in the “Qendra” quarter, was arrested. Later on, he was released.
    On December 16, at about 1.30 p.m., a group of Serb paramilitaries led by Dushko Dragoviq, Rade Gjera, Zvonko Kovaēeviq and a person named Llaza – the lawyer, from Zveēan and Mijo Orliq, from the “Ibri” quarter, threw several bombs at the Albanian houses in the Bosniac quarter in the northern part of the town. The houses of Murat Gashi (40) and Nexhmedin Fejzullah Ramagjiku (53) were destroyed. It is believed that several Albanian citizens were wounded. Mijo Orliq severelly ill-treated Gjyle Avdi Rexhepi (53). At 4 p.m., the paramilitaries threw an explosive device at the Albanian houses in the vicinity of the Technical School. Four detonations were heard at 4.45 p.m., and 9.15 p.m. According to many eyewitnesses the paramilitaries were led by Oliver Ivanoviq, the self-proclaimed mayor of the northern part of the town. At 11.45 p.m., a group of Serb paramilitaries threw a bomb on the house of Muhedin Mursel Osmani (43) in the “Ibri” quarter. Muhedin was heavily wounded and in a deteriorated health condition was taken to the Prishtina Hospital. Two French soldiers were lightly wounded as well. Extensive material damage was caused in Muhedin’s house.
    RAHOVEC: On December 14, in a combined action of the German soldiers, the Italian police and the UNMIK police, 4 brothers from the village of Kralan near Gjakova were arrested. They are believed to have committed several acts of kidnappings and of plunder. The UNMIK police stated that the group was active on the road between Xėrxa-Ratkoc and Klina. Their house was searched and large amounts of weapons were seized.
    FERIZAJ: On December 15, KFOR troops arrested a Serb who opened automatic fire in the vicinity of the KFOR command in Slivova.
    MITROVICA: Members of the TMK caught a group of criminals who had committed acts of violence and of plunder. The group was operating in the territory between Kaēanik and Vushtrria. Guns, masks and cold weapons were seized from the group. The criminals were handed to the UNMIK police. The following are among the arrested: Driton Ukiqi – Sorra, Ferid Gėrxhaliu – Rrepi, Arben Gėrxhaliu – Kukuti, Avdullah Sokoli – Llusta, Ali Salihu – Buqi, Jakup Mustafa – Bellani, Driton Muli – Peshku, Bekim Dobėrdoli, Astrit Jasha, Kemajl Sallahu, Fevzi Latifi, Sabri Shartari, Sabit Ferizi, Izet Azemi, Bahri Tahiri, Isa Hyseni, Bekim Bainca and Lumni Mulaku. The names of the others were not made public due to the investigation proceedings.
    LIPJAN: Colonel Sajnio, the commander of the Finnish troops in Lipjan, stated that the Finnish troops and the UNMIK police had caught a group of several persons (mainly Albanian youngsters) who had received money (DM 100) to commit attacks against the members of the Serbian minority and their property in Lipjan. Colonel Sajnio stated that the accused had confessed on having committed these acts.

The prisoners

    GJAKOVA: On December 14, Shaban Rama (48) from the village of Ponoshec was released from the prison in Pozharevac (Serbia) after 20 months of imprisonment.
    SUHAREKA: On December 14, Xhavit Mala, a teacher from the village of Mushtisht near Suhareka, who was arrested on October 14, 1998, and sentenced on February 16, 1999 to 2 years of imprisonment, was released from the prison in Nish. Xhavit is the first prisoner from the municipality of Suhareka to be released from the prisons of Serbia after the war.
    GLLOGOC: On December 16, Brahim Deli Asllani (1981), a farmer from the village of Ēikatova e Re, who was arrested by the Serbian paramilitary forces on May 28, and released from the prison in Pozharevac (Serbia) on November 17, stated to the sub-CDHRF in Gllogoc, that the following are still in detention in the prison of Pozharevac:
     Jeton Isufi from Ēikatova e Re,
     Rrustem Hoti from the village of Polac near Skėnderaj and
     Hajrullah Brahimi from the village of Kēiq near Mitrovica.
He also recognized the following Albanians in the prison of Pozharevac:
     Gazmend Isufi,
     Ismet Isufi,
     Agim Baleci and
     Enver Baleci – from Ēikatova e Re;
     Ejup Elshani,
     Muharrem Elshani and
     Fehmi Topalli – from Bainca;
     Fehmi Buquku from Gllogoc and
     Fejzė Podrimēaku from Krajkova; as well as
     Bashkim Gllogovci from the village of Shipol near Mitrovica.

Eastern Kosova – (Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja)

    BUJANOC: On December 12, at about 2.30 p.m., a group of 25 Serb policemen, who were armed with automatic guns, searched the house of Qani Rufat Salihu (1956), from the village of Tėrnoc. The policemen were allegedly searching for weapons. Not finding any they left. Qani’s children suffered traumas.

KFOR interventions

    GJILAN: On December 13, KFOR soldiers went to the newsstand in the village of Zhegėr and told Naser Maloku to take off the photos of Adem Jashari and Agim Ramadani, under the pretext that they are “terrorists”. The soldiers took off the photos.
    GLLOGOC: On December 15, at 11 a.m., Russian troops drove their tanks and other vehicles along the railway in the village of Tėrdec. The Russian soldiers who were driving the tanks were masked. These actions of the Russian troops caused anger among the villagers. On seeing the above-mentioned, Canadian soldiers made the Russians leave the village.
    SKĖNDERAJ: On December 15, at about 10.30 a.m., Fazli and Jahir Gashi from the village of Sverka near Klina, were stopped at the checkpoint of the Russian soldiers in the village of Buroja. The two were stopped as they had an Albanian flag inside their car. They were told to get out of the car and were taken some 200 m. from the checkpoint. They were insulted on a national basis and told to walk over the Albanian flag. At noon, the two were released but threatened to be killed if caught again carrying the national flag. According to several citizens from the municipalities of Klina and Skėnderaj, two Serbs, Slagjan J. from the village of Grapc near Klina and Predrag Neshiq, were seen at this checkpoint wearing Russian uniforms.
    DRAGASH: On December 17, members of the UNMIK police in co-operation with Turkish soldiers blocked the village of Plava and searched the house of Zikri Bojaxhiu. The house was searched under the pretext of searching for weapons. Not finding any, the policemen arrested Zikri and his son Azem. Zikri was released during the very same day. His son Azem was kept in detention for two days.

Evidence on war criminals

    FUSHĖ-KOSOVA: Based on the statements taken from the family members of those who were killed, a list was compiled with the names of the following 32 paramilitaries implicated in the killings of the Albanians, in the looting, burning and destruction of their houses and their property: Boban Mitroviq, Dragan Mitroviq, Slobodan Mitroviq, Slavisha Grujiq, Boban Grujiq, Slavisha Andrejeviq – one of the main organizers of the expulsion of the Albanians from Fushė-Kosova, Zhika Begnellaviq, Mladen Laziq, Dragomir Popoviq, Dragan Dabizhleviq, Lazar Deniq, Radomir Dishiq, Radovan Petroviq, Radojica Mitiq, Dragan Iliq, Aca Stankoviq, Sasha Mihajloviq, Sava Drashkoviq, Miodrag Bangjur, Milan Milkoviq, Sasha Maksimoviq, Nebojsha Stefanoviq, Vlastimir Jovanoviq, Dushan Zharkoviq, Dragan Xhekiq, Dobri Artinoviq, Stanko Milankoviq, Dobrivoje Gjorgjeviq, Darko Milosheviq, Dragolub Lukaēeviq, Lubisha Veliēkoviq and Zharko Vasiq.
    OBILIQ: Many documents (on the activities of the Serbian military and paramilitary forces) were found in the “Pandeli Sotiri” Primary School in Obiliq. A unit comprised of the following paramilitaries was active in the villages of Mazgit and Subotiq: Borislav Klaiq (commander), Dragisha Stankoviq, Rajko Samarxhiq, Zoran Gjorgjeviq, Tomislav Iliq, Bratislav Steviq, Mishko Janoviq, Dragisha Bojiq and NN Milosheviq. It is supposed that the above mentioned were from Kraleva (Serbia). Another list was found with the names of Branislav Klaiq (commander), Milosh Jankoviq and Branislav Miriq. A unit comprised of the following paramilitaries was active in the village of Subotiq: Lubodrag Bojkoviq (commander), Gjegja Milosheviq, Slavisha Milosheviq, Dragan Antiq, Sėrgjan Miliq, Zharko Stanojeviq, Vladica Mihajloviq, Miodrag Markoviq and Branko Matiq. Apart from the above mentioned the names of the following figure in another list: Lubodrag Bojkoviq (commander), Ivica Stoliq and Zlatko Dabiq. Another unit was comprised by: Dragisha Stankoviq (commander), Zhivorad Miliq, Vojislav Zhiviq, Veselin Stamenkoviq, Sėrgjan Miliq, Milan Gjorgjeviq, David Kėrstiq and Petar Kovaēeviq. The list states that due to different reasons, the following did not report to their units: Jugoslav Dimitrijeviq, Milan Jovanoviq, Momēilo Stojanoviq and Zhivojin Deniq.

Delayed information:

    GLLOGOC: On December 4, at about 10 a.m., Skender Rrusta (1972) from the village of Nekoc near Gllogoc stepped on a land mine and suffered heavy injuries.
    PRIZREN: On December 10, during the police curfew, members of the TMK arrested a group of criminals who were caught in an act of robbery. Weapons were seized from the group of criminals. The criminals had also organized a chain of prostitution and were selling drugs. The following are the initials of the arrested: Gj. K. from Prizren, A. K. from Krusha e Vogėl, Sh. K. from the village of Arbana (Dushanova), A. B. from Brezja near Dragash and B. S. from Istog.

    Note: CDHRF possesses the list with the names of the places where the birth registries, marriage registries and death registries were taken.
1.  The Municipality Court in Bujanoc – (“Karagjorgje” 115) tel. 017/ 761 042 - Gjilan, Viti, Kamenica and Novobėrda;
2.  The District Court in Jagodina – (“Kneginja Milica” 86) tel. 035/ 223 334, 224 638 room 200 - Gjakova and Deēan;
3.  The Municipality Court in Kragujevc – (“Svetosavska” 7/44) tel. 034/ 335 677, 335 688 room 220 – Peja, Istog and Klina;
4.  The Court for Petty Offences in Kraleva – (“Jovan Sariq” 1) tel. 036/ 331 422 room 603 – Mitrovica, Skėnderaj, Vushtrri, Leposaviq, Zubin-Potok and Zveēan;
5.  The Municipality Court in Krushevc – (“Raiqeva”) tel. 037/ 22 124, 440 640 room 27 599 – Prizren, Rahovec, Suhareka and Dragash (Gora);
6.  The Municipality Court in Leskoc – (“Kosta Stamenkoviq” 16) tel. 016/ 212 160 – Ferizaj, Kaēanik, Shtimje and Shtėrpca;
7.  The Municipality Court in Nish – (“Singjeliq” 1/V) tel. 018/ 21 986 – Prishtina, Podujeva, Gllogoc, Lipjan and Fushė-Kosova.
 

    Prishtina, December 19, 1999               Information Service

Rr. Zdrini, 38000 Prishtinė-Kosovė; tel. 381 (0) 549006  fax: 381 (0) 38 549007
E-mail:kmdlnj@albanian.com      cdhrf@albanian.com     http://www.albanian.com/kmdlnj