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

Report 470

on the situation of the human rights and freedoms in Kosova from November 1 until November 7 1999

        According to the information the CDHRF has, between November 1 and November 7, 10 citizens were killed (4 Albanians, 4 Serbs, 1 Roma and one person whose identity could not be confirmed); 4 persons were wounded (of whom 3 Albanian children); one Albanian was kidnapped and one case of attempted kidnapping was reported. 48 Albanians (40 civilians and 8 KLA soldiers), who were killed by the Serbian forces, were reburied; 4 corpses were found (2 males, of whom one KLA soldier, one female and a totally decomposed corpse); the corpse of an Albanian, who was killed by the Serbian forces, was identified; a mass grave containing many carbonized corpses was found as well as three individual graves.

        Killings

        November 1 – Unidentified persons in the vicinity of the new ambulance building in Obiliq killed a Serb named Zharko and wounded another Serb.
        November 2 - An Albanian aged 69 was killed by unidentified persons in Gjakova. Two others were heavily wounded.
        -  Unidentified persons in the village of Dobėrēan near Gjilan killed a Serb aged 65.
        - The corpse of a Serb woman aged 69 was found by KFOR military police in the village of Strellc i Poshtėm near Deēan.
        November 4 – At about 6.30 p.m., between the villages of Koshtova e Bobit and Zupē, unidentified persons opened fire on the car of Sami Haxhi Behrami (28) from the village of Kotorr near Skėnderaj, living in Shipol near Mitrovica. Sami and his father had been to Koshtova (where they work as masons) and were on their way home. Sami was shot on his back and died after half an hour.
        -  The corpse of an unidentified person was found behind a restaurant in the village of Hajvalia near Prishtina.
        - The corpse of an unidentified Albanian was found in the village of Pogragja near Gjilan.
        November 6  - At about 8 a.m., a corpse was found in the vicinity of Deēan. KFOR specialists stated that the victim was a Roma aged between 40-50. He was shot with firearms.
        November 7 – Unidentified persons killed Haki Imeri, a teacher with the “Kosova” Primary School, in the village of Vojnika near Skėnderaj.
- During the evening hours, a Serb was killed in a mortar attack in the village of Pasjan near Gjilan. Later on, KFOR soldiers arrested 4 Albanian citizens.

        Mass graves – reburials, exhumations – the identification of the killed

        October 29 – The corpse of Gani Veli Haxha (46) from the village of Prekaz i Epėrm near Skėnderaj, living in the “Qendra” quarter in Mitrovica, was found in a mass grave between the villages of Vidimriq and Suhadoll. Gani was reported missing since April 14.
        November 1 - 3 graves were discovered in the village of Tėrdec near Gllogoc (2 in the fields of Sadri Miftar Tėrdevci and 1 in that of Xheladin Hajdin Tėrdevci). One grave was discovered in the fields of Halil Azem Morina in the village of Gllobar near Gllogoc.
        November 3 - Tens of carbonized corpses were found in the house of Plak Hoti in the village of Krusha e Madhe near Rahovec.
        November 5 - The corpse of Rabe Islam Morina (49) from the village of Sverka near Klina, killed by the Serbian police on May 2, was found at the cemetery of the “Guri” quarter in Malisheva. Two eyewitnesses have stated to the CDHRF in Malisheva that policeman Bozha Damjanoviq from the village of Kijeva near Malisheva was among the perpetrators of the crime.
        - The corpse of Mujė Jashar Tafilaj, soldier of the “Mujė Krasniqi” 133 Brigade of the KLA was found in the vicinity of the Dubrava prison near Istog.
        - A decomposed corpse was found in the village of Drelaj near Rugova, municipality of Peja, some 300 meters from the “Pėrparimi” Primary School. It is believed that the corpse is of a girl aged between 17-20.
        November 6 - Adem Jashar Samadraxha (1958) and his son Florim (1980), who were killed by the Serbian police in the village of Javor near Suhareka, on June 8, were reburied in the village of Banja near Malisheva.
        -  During a visit to the photo exhibition in Rahovec, family members identified the corpse of Hysni Samedin Spahiu from the village of Opterusha near Rahovec. He was arrested by the Serbian forces in the village of Krusha e Madhe, in March 1999.
        November 7 - The corpses of the following Albanians (38 civilians and 8 KLA soldiers), who were killed by the Serbian forces in the village of Shtutica and the other villages of Drenica, were reburied in Shtutica near Gllogoc: Halit I. Jusufi, Destan I. Jusufi, Bahtir H. Jusufi, Besnik H. Jusufi, Sami B. Jusufi e Shefqet F. Jusufi; Halim M. Zeqiri, Besim M. Zeqiri, Vahide M. Zeqiri, Kada M. Zeqiri, Sofije Xh. Zeqiri and Nazmi A. Zeqiri; Sejdi T. Beqiri, Ramadan T. Beqiri, Rizah T. Beqiri, Bajram Z. Beqiri and Zeqir V. Beqiri; Fetali Z. Ademi, Selim Z. Ademi, Bedri Q. Ademi and Esat S. Ademi; Nezir S. Bilalli, Avni N. Bilalli, Sefedin R. Bilalli and Bekim B. Bilalli; Sokol R. Berisha, Halit R. Berisha and Afrim B. Berisha; Elhami O. Shabani e Hysni O. Shabani; Qamil J. Bajrami, Fidaim K. Zena, Gani Xh. Hajra, Bali O. Baliu, Beqir B. Rrahamni, Xhevat Sh. Halili, Tahir Xh. Dani and Arsim H. Syla; Afrim B. Jusufi and Ismail I. Jusufi, Nysret R. Halili, Maliq F. Ademi, Fejzė F. Ramadani, Naim K. Salihu, Naim R. Musliu and Bajram J. Berisha.

        Mine accidents

        PODUJEVA: On November 4, Burim Isė Softolli (1985), Ilir Zeqir Softolli (1986) and Flamur Nezir Hoti (1993), pupils of the “Ali Ajeti” Primary School – from the village of Lladovc i Poshtėm, were injured in a mine explosion at the agricultural combine in Sveēla.

        Woundings

        ZUBIN-POTOK: On November 6, 4 unidentified persons (of whom one with a mask and in a camouflage uniform) opened fire on a house and wounded a Serb civilian on his hand. The wounded person was taken to Zubin Potok and later on to the Mitrovica Hospital. According to KFOR sources the perpetrators are Albanians.

        Disappearances and kidnappings

        MALISHEVA: On November 1, 4 unidentified persons (including one female), who presented themselves as villagers of Kijeva, tried to kidnap Eset Ēerkin Begaj, a taxi driver from the village of Banja near Malisheva. They asked Eset to take them to the village of Orllat. On arriving to the Bytyēi quarter, they threatened Eset with a gun and tried to force him into the trunk. Eset managed to escape but the kidnappers took his car PZ 865 62 and fled towards Kijeva.

        GJILAN: On November 6, in Gjilan, a group of 4 Albanians kidnapped another Albanian and fled in a car.

        IIl-treatments, attacks, provocations

        SKĖNDERAJ: On November 1, the Serbs from the villages of Dreth, Ruvc, Kvėrligata and the other villages in the municipality of Zubin-Potok opened fire towards the village of Radisheva near Skėnderaj.

        MITROVICA: On November 2, a crowd of some 100 Serbs attacked a police patrol in the Northern part of Mitrovica. Two UNMIK policemen were injured as well as Fahrije Azemi (25) from the “Tavnik” quarter, a member of the Kosova Police Service (whose nose was broken) and the Albanian interpreter in the car.
        On November 4, at about 4 p.m., 5 Serbs, who were led by Dragan Shilikoviq, severely ill-treated Kadri Gani Mehmeti (44) from the “Kodra e Minatorėve” quarter. The incident occurred in the vicinity of the Medical Secondary School. At 2 a.m., a group of Serbs set fire to Kadri’s house. The fire was noticed by the UNMIK police who extinguished it.
        On November 5, at about 10 a.m., a part of the rails at the “Ura e hekurit” bridge was damaged in a powerful blast. Many windows in the “Ibri” quarter were broken. The detonation was heard throughout the town and in several villages around Mitrovica. After the blast, Serbs started throwing stones at the Albanian houses and demanded their expulsion.
        On November 7, at about 2.30 p.m., two Serb civilians who came out of the “Vozhd” café stopped Selatin Ejup Mikullovci (58) and his wife Sanije Rrustem Mikullovci (50) from the “Kodra e Minatorėve” quarter. The couple was stopped in the vicinity of the post office no. 4, in the “Ibri” quarter. The two Serbs started beating the couple and threatened them not to talk in Albanian. Later on, some 20 Serbs joined the assaulters. The couple managed to escape to the place called Polet. They asked for help from the French soldiers who were stationed there. Yet, they did not receive any. No help was offered from the UNMIK police either.

        VUSHTRRI: On November 2, in the vicinity of the bridge connecting the villages of Prilluzha and Gllavotin, two armed Serbs stopped Mehmet Bafti Krasniqi from the village of Zhilivoda. The assaulters forced Mehmet out of his car and fled with it towards the village of Prilluzha.

        GJAKOVA: On November 2, at about 8.45 p.m., 3 unidentified persons threw 2 hand grenades on the TMK building in Gjakova.

        RAHOVEC: On November 2, unidentified persons placed 2 explosive devices under the car of Ismet Tara, TMK commander in Rahovec. The incident occurred in front of Ismet’s house.

        PRISHTINA: On November 2, an unidentified person fired several bullets in the air (from his car). On the arrival of the UNMIK police he fled.

        KLINA: On November 3, at about 9.15 p.m., Hamdi Selim Gashi from the village of Sverka was stopped by a group of masked persons (7) on the road between Klina and Gjakova. DM 200 were looted from him. A “Mercedes” car was looted from a villager of Xėrxa near Rahovec.
On November 4, in the village of Bokshiq, masked persons (4) opened fire at the car of Ramadan Doēi (40) from the village of Grapc. Ramadan was returning from the Peja Hospital. He had been there with his mother Rrahime (60), wife Gjyla (30) and sister Hanife (24). The car was badly damaged. On November 5, at about 11 p.m., 3 masked persons opened fire at the car of Rifat Selim Morina (32) from the village of Sverka. The incident occurred in the vicinity of Volljaka, on the road between Klina and Sverka. Rifat was not injured but his car was badly damaged.

        KAMENICA: On November 3, fire was opened from the territory of Serbia towards the house of Azem Tahir Tahiri. Tahir was cutting wood in the vicinity of the village of Shahiq-village on the border zone between Kosova and Serbia.

        OBILIQ: On November 4, at about 3.30 p.m., in the vicinity of Obiliq, a group of some 40-50 Albanians turned up a car in which three Serbs were sitting. The Serbs were not injured thanks to the intervention of KFOR soldiers.

        PEJA: On November 4, at about 9 p.m., in the village of Vitomirica, 3 Albanians ill-treated a Bosniac couple, who had to be taken to the Peja Hospital.

        GJILAN: On November 7, in the vicinity of Pasjan (a village inhabited by Serbs), unidentified persons opened fire towards the car of Azem Bajrami from the village of Llashtica. Azem was driving to Gjilan.

        Roadblocks

        LIPJAN: On November 2, at about 8 p.m., Serbs from the village of Dobratin blocked the road between Lipjan and Janjeva and Lipjan and Sllovija. Ismail Bytyēi (45) from Sllovija and a group of pupils of the “Ulpiana” Secondary School in Lipjan, were beaten. The following were among those who were beaten: Lindita Gashi, Mensur Gashi, Valdet Gashi, Jakup Bytyēi, Rabishe Bikliqi, Gėzim Gajtani, Heset Asllani, etc. In revenge, at the crossroad in Banulla, the Albanians blocked the road between Prishtina and Ferizaj. At about 11 p.m., all the roads were de-blocked with the mediation of KFOR.

KFOR-interventions

        SUHAREKA: On November 1, German soldiers in co-operation with Italian soldiers raided the house of Qemal Kryeziu. House furniture was demolished. During the raid, Qemajl and his brother Ismajl, were forced to lie on the floor. The pretext for this raid is unknown.

        MITROVICA: On November 5, after midnight, 4 French soldiers went into the “Versaēi” boutique, in the vicinity of the Haxhi Veseli mosque in Mitrovica, and detained Agim Behram Merrnica (17) from Stantėrg. Agim was beaten until he fainted. The French soldiers cut his clothes and left him naked. DM 360 were looted from him.
         At 1 a.m., Bajar Nexhmedin Dobreva (30) and Shaban Rrahim Avdiu (23) from the “Tavnik” quarter, were stopped by a group of masked French soldiers (4) in the vicinity of the main post office. On asking them about their national identity and on learning that they are Albanians, the soldiers beat the two until they fainted (using the butts of their automatic guns). The two also stated that once they came to their senses they saw the soldiers ill-treating an Albanian woman. On November 6, at about 8.30 a.m., the tractor driven by Bekim Hakif Mehmeti (18) from the village of Bajgora, living in Tuneli i Parė, was hit by a Russian armoured vehicle, in the vicinity of the green market in Mitrovica. Bekim was beaten by Russian soldiers and suffered body injuries.

        Evidence on war criminals

        VITI: On November 6, at about 8 p.m., KFOR soldiers in the village of Mogilla arrested Lubisha Filipoviq, a former policeman. Lubisha is believed to have participated in the massacres against the Albanian civilians and of throwing a bomb at the Vitia market (3 months ago).

        Delayed information

        KAMENICA: On October 24, Russian soldiers, who were under the influence of alcohol, stopped the tractor driven by Bexhet Ramadani from the village of Bilinca. Bexhet and his family were insulted and threatened. The incident occurred at the place called Lisi between the villages of Karaēeva and Muhoc.
        On October 25, at about 7.30 p.m., unidentified persons threw an explosive device in the houseyard of Hasan Krasniqi in the village of Berivojca. The front part of the house was damaged.
        On October 25, many Albanian citizens were stopped at the checkpoint of the Russian soldiers at the place called Dheu i Bardhė on the crossroad between Domoroc-Bujanoc and Gjilan. They were insulted and threatened.

        GJILAN: On October 28, at about 3.30 p.m., Macedonian soldiers guarding the border, entered the territory of Kosova and opened fire towards the tractor driven by Aziz Ramadani (1971) from the village of Pidiq near Gjilan and his co-passenger Adem Sallahu from Opaja near Kumanova. The two were delivering humanitarian aid to the two remaining families in Stanēiq.

        MITROVICA: On October 30, at about 10.30 a.m., a group of some 20 Serbs beat Musli Sejdi Kadriu (60) from the “Ibri” quarter. Musli was beaten in the Northern part of Mitrovica (where he lives), while going to buy food. A Serb pupil had called upon the other Serbs “there we have an Albanian”. On October 31, at about 4 p.m., in the vicinity of the Technical Secondary School, a group of Serbs attacked with stones the car driven by Dr. Fevzi Ilaz Sylejmani (38) from the “Ibri” quarter. Fevzi was traveling with his wife Shefkatja (36) and her two sisters Rejhane (23) and Zymrete Sylė Syla (25). The assaulters also carried bottles with gasoline. Fevzi managed to escape. Half an hour later the very same group of people attacked the car driven by Hazir Imer Metaj (53), and his wife Nexhmija (52), living in the “Ibri” quarter. They were threatened with liquidation. Fevzi and Hazir informed the French soldiers about the incident. Yet, they undertook no measures.

        Prishtina, November 7, 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