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

REPORT NO. 471

On the situation of human rights and freedoms in Kosova from 7 until 14 November 1999

During the last week, according to the available data, 4 citizens were killed (one of them due to the mines) and the corpses of 5 other citizens killed in different periods of time were found. 5 Albanian citizens were wounded due to the mines. Whereas, 25 Albanian citizens killed by Serbian forces were reburied and 3 Albanian citizens killed by the Serbian forces in the prison of Dubrava (Istog) were identified.

CHRONICLE

        Killings

        8 November. – At about 18.45, the corpse of an unidentified woman aged 75 was found in a house in Gjakova. She is believed to be killed by thieves.
        - In Peja, at about midnight, a girl (13) got wounded while she and her brother were playing with a revolver. She died in the Italian military hospital in Peja.
        9 November. –An unidentified corpse was found in Kllodernica (Skėnderaj) in the afternoon.
- At about 17.00, a Roma (40) was found stabbed in his house 3 km east to Istog.
        10 November. – In Ēagllavica (Prishtina), an unidentified corpse was found.
        11 November. – At about 20.00, ten Serbian paramilitaries (among whom Zoran Rademenkoviq, NN Zhiviq, Rasha Steviq etc.) intervened in the house of Shefki Hasani (1935) in Leshtar, whom they killed. They beat and threatened his wife and his daughter-in-law. The killer Rasha Steviq from Bolec (a village inhabited by Serbs) had threatened Shefki before.
        - In Lupē i Poshtėm (Podujeva), the UNMIK police found two unidentified corpses.

        Mass graves  – reburials, identifications

        11 November. — In Vrella (Istog), Sylė Dreshaj (1912) and his wife Xufa were reburied.
        12 November. – In Jezerc (Ferizaj), Bajram Bega (37) from Ferizaj, killed by Serbian forces in March, was reburied.
        13 November. - In Arllat (Gllogoc) the following were reburied: Rasim, Latif, Sefer, Mihane, Getoar and Emine Bujupi (a newly-born baby); Hamit and Shkėlzen Gashi and Bajram and Dali Bytyēi. In Gllobar (Gllogoc) the following were reburied: Beqir, Jakup, Bajram, Agron and Ēerkin Krasniqi; Shaban, Flamur and Mehmet Morina; Abdullah and Osman Elshani; Hajzer Hajdari and Xheladin Tėrdevci. All of them were killed by Serbian forces in different parts of Drenica.

        ISTOG: In the mass grave in Rakosh, the following corpses were identified: Hasan Beqir Shala (1979) and Shani Avdyl Shala (1979) from Vuēak (Gllogoc) and Petrit Halim Kiēina (20) from Bainca (Gllogoc), arrested in August last year and killed by the Serbian militaries and paramilitaries in the massacre of the Dubrava prison (Istog).

        Killings and wounding due to the mines

        GJAKOVA: On 9 November, at about 11.00, on the border Kosova-Albania, an Albanian citizen hit the mine and lost his leg. He was sent to the Gjakova Hospital.
        KAĒANIK: On 10 November, at about 15.00, 5 Albanians from Reēica e Madhe (Tetova) walked into the mined field on the border Kosova-Macedonia, at the place called Kodrali in Glloboēica, about 20 metres within the territory of Kosova. Adnan Ismet Fejzullahu (1979) died.

        Disappearances, kidnappings

        SKĖNDERAJ: There are no information on the whereabouts of Valdete Tafil Vojvoda (16) since 19 October, when she asked for medical help at the Mitrovica Hospital. Serbian doctors refused to offer her help and ever since she is missing.

        Ill-treatment, attacks, provocations

        MITROVICA: On 7 November, in “Ibri” quarter, in the northern part of the town, a group of Serbs, led by Dragan Shilikoviq, burned the shop owned by Muradije Bajram Krasniqi (40). She is sheltered in “Qendra” quarter as her house was burned in May this year. These days, Rasha Llaziq from Vushtrri went into the flat of Nehat Mexhit Bajrami in the northern part of Mitrovica. A group of Serbs threw stones to the car of Bashkim Skender Rushiti (22), in which were his aunt Selvete Latifi with her children Albin (5) and Albert (10). All of them suffered injuries.
        PODUJEVA: On 8 November, unknown persons set fire to the Orthodox Church in Zakut i Epėrm, which got burned.
        GJAKOVA: On 9 November, while travelling on the road Gjakova-Ponoshec, near the village of Duzhnje, Ahmet Ibishi from Smolica was stopped by armed unknown persons who took his car and left towards unknown direction.
        LIPJAN: On 10 November, at about 18.30, local Serbs in Dobratin attacked the bus with Albanian pupils, who were on their back from Lipjan. The windows of the bus were broken.
        FUSHĖ-KOSOVA: On 10 November, in the evening, in the vicinity of the railway station, unknown persons blew up the kiosk owned by Hajdar Berisha.

        The prisoners and prisons

        PRIZREN: According to some sources, Sub-CDHRF in Prizren informs that in a private prison in Prokuple (Serbia) the following Albanians from the district of Suhareka are kept: Naser Jahaj (13) from Sllapuzhan, Burim Gollopeni (14) and Nuhi Gollopeni (17) from Dobėrdolan and Besnik Gega (20) and Nebi Buēaj (33) from Studenēan.
        In the meantime, during the last week, some tens of Albanians were released from the prisons of Serbia, Vojvodina and Montenegro. On 8 November, the following were released from the prison of Mitrovica e Sremit (Vojvodina): Besnik Sahit Ismajli (1979) from Tugjec (Kamenica), Lulzim Osmani from Gjilan and Esat Jaha (1940) from Rahovec, who declared that the following people are in the same prison: Besim Zymberi and Sylejman Bytyēi from Ferizaj; Ahmet Demiri and Ejup Selimi from Gjilan; Xhevat Haziri and Visar Demiri from Vitia; Ylber Topalli from Greme (Ferizaj), Shpėtim Krasniqi from Kamenica etc.
        On 10 November, the following were released from the prison of Spuzh near Podgorica (Montenegro): Ali Gashi (1959) from Nabėrgjan (Peja), Sadri Rexhaj (1959) from Jabllanica e Vogėl (Peja), Avni Avdylaj (1983) from Radavc (Peja) and Amedin Ēollakoviq (1950), a Bosniac from Prigoda (Istog).
        The following were released from the prison of Leskovc (Serbia): Riza Ibish Ukaj, Flakron Hajdar Mekaj, Blerim Bajram Beqiraj, Zenel Sylė Ibėrdemaj and Mehdi Mehmet Zeqaj – Peja; Qerim Bajram Elshani, Hasan Rifat Morina and Shaban Osman Gashi – Ozrim; Agim Miftar Avdullahu – Leshan, Adem Sheremet Berisha – Ramun, Arif Demė Neziraj – Tėrstenik, Arif Smajl Gashi – Turjaka, Ilir Shefki Seniku – Jabllanica, Izet Nezir Kuēi – Zahaq and Riza Ramė Ēeku – Qyshk (Peja); Milazim Sadik Blakaj, Ēelė Shaban Shala, Musė Tahir Blakaj, Valdet Beqir Bajraktari and Selman Hysen Osmanaj – Trubuhoc; Gėzim Ramė Kabashi, Isa Ali Kabashi, Nexhdet Isuf Bajrami and Mustafė Daut Bajramaj – Gurakoc and Sali Musė Balaj, Naim Dervish Balaj and Avni Zenel Balaj – Zabllaq (Istog).
        The following were released from the prison of Zajeēar (Serbia): twins Aziz and Mexhid Mehmet Zeqaj (1973), Ymer Sherif Kelmendi (1959) – Peja; Bajram Rexhep Kelmendi (1955) and Isa Rexhep Kelmendi (1952) – Lutogllava; Afrim Bilall Shabani (1965) and Xhavit Idriz Berisha (1973) – Tėrstenik; Isa Ismajl Hysenaj (1957) – Shkrel, Naim Haki Vranezi (1974) – Ramun, Hasan Adem Cacaj (1968) – Raushiq and Bajram Ramė Kelmendi (1943) – Llabjan (Peja); Hamdi Elez Mavraj (1970), Nexhmedin Tahir Mavraj (1975) and Deli Mustafė Mavraj (1978) – Saradran; Hamdi Ymer Shoshaj (1974) and Isat Ramadan Shoshaj (1980) – Kashica; Haxhi Dush Mehmetaj (1954) and Himo Misin Balaj (1957) – Zabllaq (Istog); Zeqė Adem Hasaj (1953), Afrim Smajl Hasaj (1954) and Armend Shpend Hasaj (1980) – Kodrali and Ismet Misin Ēelaj - Maznik (Deēan).
        Agim Prokshi (1959) from Runik (Skėnderaj) was released from the prison of Novi Pazar (Serbia). He was arrested on 9 November 1998.

        Eastern Kosova – (Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja)

        PRESHEVA: On 11 November, the District Court in Presheva started the trial against Riza Halimi, mayor of Presheva and chairman of the Party for Democratic Action, who is tried for the seventh time under the charges that during the protests of 8 March 1998 against the violence in Drenica he had inhibited the official people to carry out their duties”. The defendant dropped the charges. The process was monitored by the lawyer Igor Olujiq, a representative of the Humanitarian Law Fund in Belgrade.
        BUJANOC: On 11 November, the District Court in Bujanoc for the 20th time continued the trial against Sevdail Hyseni, author of the satirical book “Kur qesh fati” (“When the fate is on your side”). He was accused for “insulting the Serbian people, as well as Yugoslav nationalities” in a poem.
        On 14 November, in the afternoon, Serbian police undertook an action in the village of Dobrosin. Due to the fear, women and children fled towards Pogragja and Stublina (Gjilan). During the action, there were clashes between Serbian police forces and Albanian civilians. There were no casualties.

        KFOR intervention

        KAMENICA: By the verdict 187/A/99, District Council provided the sub-CDHRF in Kamenica with an office in the premises of Cultural Palace in Kamenica. But, the UNMIK representative Mr. Fransua informed the chairman of the Sub-Council that they couldn’t operate in these premises. In the meantime, on 10 October, the logo of the UNHCR was put in the office of the sub-CDHRF.
        VITI: On 9 November, at about 10.00, KFOR forces intervened in the Rehabilitation Centre in Banja e Kllokotit, after a Serbian old woman declared that she had been insulted by the patients of the Centre. The following were arrested: Hetem Ismajli, Ruzhdi Kryeziu, Xheladin Gashi, Ibrahim Shabani, Bashkim Himaj, Nexhmedin Bruti and Rexhep Berisha. The latter and Arben Morina were beaten. The arrested were released after 13 hours.
        FERIZAJ: On 10 November, in a suburb, KFOR military police arrested Shemsi Heta, vice-chairman of the District Council for Protection of Social and Private Wealth, and Naser Reēica and Adem Sokoli, members of this commission. They were arrested while they were working in the field. The next day, on 11 November, KFOR members raided the premises of BANKOS, where the District Council of Ferizaj had been working. There were demolishing and documentation confiscation. They also raided the premises of the Party for Democratic Prosperity of Kosova in Ferizaj, which are in the same building. After the raid, the following were arrested: Sabri Ēerkini, director of Directory for Economy and Finance, Ismajl Xhemajli, member and Enver Rexha, worker with the Commission.

        Facts on the war criminals

        VUSHTRRI: The list with 12 names of the Serbian paramilitaries, former workers with the PTT in Vushtrri. They were led by Momēillo Stefan Stefanoviq. The other names in this list are as follows: Slavolub Milunko Mitiq (Momēilo’s assistant), Nebojsha Stefan Stefanoviq (Momēilo’s brother), Miodrag Milosh Anxheliq, Dragolub Miodrag Radenkoviq, Mladen Tihomir Periq, Slobodan Ēedomir Mileniq, Dejan Pėrvoslav Miliq, Bratislav Milisav Parliq, Gorolub Slavujko Paunoviq and Sretko Bozho Trajkoviq.

        Delayed information:

        KAMENICA: On 31 October, at about 21.00, in the vicinity of the gas station in Kamenica, KFOR Russian soldiers stopped and beat Shukri Aliu. They took him to their station and beat him again. The pretext is unknown. The same evening, Russian soldiers beat Fehmi Berisha, Musa Llapashtica – a taxi driver, etc.
 

        Prishtina, 14 November 1999                 Information Service

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