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

REPORT 472

on the situation of the human rights and freedoms in Kosova, from  November 14 until November 21, 1999

During this week, according to the available information, 2 Albanian women (mother and her daughter) were killed, corpses of three persons killed during this week were found (2 female and 1 male), the corpse of an Albanian prisoner was sent home, whereas another Albanian died a week after he was released. He died as an aftermath of the torture suffered. In the vicinity of the border Kosova – Serbia, an Albanian youngster was wounded. 47 Albanians were reburied, 4 corpses of the Albanians were found and a killed Albanian was identified – all of them killed by Serbian forces, mainly during March and April.
 

CHRONICLE

        Killings

        15 November. – In Prishtina, some children informed KFOR soldiers that they had found a corpse, who had been shot on his head.
        - In the town park in Peja, the corpse of an unidentified woman, aged about 20, was found.

        16 November. – At about 15.00, in the vicinity of the Technical Secondary School, in the northern part of Mitrovica, Serbs ran over Sevdije Xhemajl Ujkani (34), an employee with the Hygienic Institute in Mitrovica, and her daughter Edona (11), a pupil with the “Muharrem Bekteshi” Primary School, who were beaten to death. Several days before, Sevdije was threatened by Serbian paramilitaries to be killed if she did not leave this part of the town. In the northern part of Mitrovica, where Oliver Ivanoviq is a “prefect”, Serbs distributed a warning which says, “the Serb that does not attack his Albanian neighbours until we expel them from this part, is a traitor”, whereas another pamphlet says, “until 23.XI.1999 Albanians must leave safe and sound the northern part of the town”.

        18 November. – The corpse of Jahir Sadik Agushi (1958) from Drenoc (Klina), who was in prison of Mitrovica e Sremit (Vojvodina), was sent home. Due to torture suffered, he died in the Belgrade Hospital.

        20 November. – The corpse of a female was found by the Sitnica River, in the vicinity of Vushtrri, at the place called Shaban Aga.

        21 November. - Zeqė Adem Hasaj (1953) from Kodrali (Deēan) died as an aftermath of torture exerted on him in the prisons of Serbia. He was released from the prison of Zajeēar on 14 November.

        Mass graves – reburials, identifications,

        15 November. – In Drenoc (Malisheva), Haxhi Asllan Krasniqi (12), killed by Serbian forces on 31 May, was reburied.

        18 November. – According to a former political prisoner, the corpse of Napoleon Qemajl Guta (27) from Gjakova was identified. He was taken hostage by the Serbian forces and killed on 23 May in the prison of Dubrava (Istog).

        19 November. – In the mass grave identified in the vicinity of Vidimriq (Mitrovica), the corpse of Fahri Jetullah Aliu (52), from “Qendra” quarter in Mitrovica, was found. He was arrested on 14 April by the Serbian paramilitaries. Ever since, there were no information on his whereabouts.

        20 November. – In Vitia e Marecit (Prishtina), 29 Albanians killed by Serbian forces in the period 18-22 April, among whom 16 were soldiers of the 153 Brigade of the OZ Llap of KLA, were reburied. They are as follows: brothers Sefedin (1975) and Burim Ilaz Vitia (1980), Ali Vesel Vitia (1960), Besim Isė Vitia (1969), Lutė Shaban Vitia (1976), Demir Brahim Vitia (1979), Afrim Avdi Vitia (1981), Shaip Rizah Pacolli (1950), Baki Salih Pacolli (1955), Nezir Mustafė Pacolli (1955), Nazmi Qerim Pacolli, Rrahim Azem Gėrbeshi (1966), Shabi Avdush Gėrbeshi (1971), Rrahman Hazir Murati (1947), Ziaver Ali Vllasaliu (1972) and Feti Jahir Haxholli (1975); whereas 13 were civilians: Latif Vitia, Qamile Vitia, Arife Vitia, Tahir Vitia, Faik Vitia, Nazmi Canolli, Halil Canolli, Shaban Canolli, Enver Pacolli, Halime Pacolli, Bejtullah Metolli, Hafize Spanca and Fejzė Isufi.
        - In Vėrmica (Malisheva), Sadbere Gashi, killed during the Serbian shelling in the end of March while fleeing with her family in a tractor, was reburied.

        21 November. – In Kamenica, 10 KLA soldiers, killed by Serbian forces during the month of April, 9 of whom from the Kamenica municipality, were reburied – brothers Sabri (1975) and Driton Krivaēa (1977), Agush Isufi (1971), Besnik Maroca (1975) and Musli Imeri (1976) from Kamenica; Ramadan Kastrati (1958) from Karaēeva, Rafet Isufi (1964) Avdi Xhiēku (1971) from Hogosht and Xhelal Sopi (1979) from Petrit (Petrovc) as well as Shemsi Isufi (1965) from Rahovica (Presheva).
        - In Stanoc i Epėrm (Vushtrri), the following were reburied: Ibrahim Arif Prronaj and his son Afrim, Qazim Azem Prronaj, Myrvete Behxhet Haradinaj and Merita Emini – Haradinaj – all from the same village, killed by Serbian forces on 28 April in Dumnicė e Epėrme (Vushtrri).
        - In Dubovik (Deēan), Mujė Hasan Gėrvalla, a KLA soldier, killed during the clashes reburied.
        - The corpse of Dibran Rrahimi (50) from Dobratin was found in the house yard of Basri Hoti in Bradash (Podujeva); whereas the bones of Hamdi Maēastena (60) from Katunishta were found in the Perani field. He was identified according to his personal document found in the vicinity of the spot. Dibran and Hamdi were killed by Serbian forces in March this year.

        RAHOVEC: Several days ago, the corpse of Xhemajli Gashi from Hoēa e Vogėl , a KLA soldier, killed by Serbian forces on 26 March, was found in the Izbishta mountain.

        Wounding

        PODUJEVA: On 19 November, in Merdar, along the border Kosova – Serbia, Miftar Hyseni (1975) from Kaēanoll got wounded while cutting timbers in the woods. He got wounded due to fire shots from Serbia.

        Ill-treatment, attacks, provocations

MITROVICA: On 15 November, at about 17.00, in the vicinity of the Technical Secondary School in the northern part of the town, a group of Serbs (for the fifth time within the month) attacked the spouses Fejzullah Xhevat Qorolli (48) and Hamjete Shefqet Qorolli (40) and their children Fidan (16), Arta (14) and Agon (7) from “Ibri” quarter, while they were on their way home. Fejzullah and Hamjete were waiting for their children to come back from school, which is in the southern part of the town. In most of the cases, Serbian hooligans are led by Dushko and his son Dragan Shilikoviq and Slavko Mandiq with his son.
        On 17 November, at about 13,00, at the same place, a group of Serbs led by former postmen Milija Spasojeviq and Lubisha NN, beat Rushit Isuf Kelmendi (65), a pensioner, and his nephew Berat Isuf Kelmendi (7), a pupil with the “Muharrem Bekteshi” Primary School.
        On 20 November, at about 13.00, a group of Serbs from the northern part of the town attempted to get through to the southern part, but were prevented from French soldiers to cross the bridge on the Ibri River. Many were injured from the thrown stones. The situation was calmed after an hour.
        On 22 November, in the afternoon, in the northern part of Mitrovica Serbian paramilitaries Zharko Kosovac, Aca Kompiroviq – Qips, Voja Ivkoviq, Nenad Otasheviq, Slavko Otasheviq, Sėrgjan Vuleviq from Zubin-Potok and many others gathered in the shop owned by the paramilitary Mirēe Bishevac and chose the paramilitary Dragan Delibashiq, former traffic warden in Mitrovica, as their leader. Dragolub Radeviq, deputy of the former commander in chief in Vushtrri, Vuēina Janiqijeviq, arrived in town by car with Ulqin plates.

        VUSHTRRI: On 15 November, in the morning, an unidentified person threw a bomb in the “Kvalitet” butchery, owned by Avdush Ēizmolli, a hashkali.

        GJAKOVA: On 16 November, in the evening, 6 armed and masked plunderers looted DM 2000 and an amount of gold in the house of Jeton Ziu in the “Orize” quarters in Gjakova, where they demolished different things. Due to the effective intervention of the members of the Brigade 137 of TMK in Gjakova, 4 plunderers were caught, whereas the other two are still on the run.

        PEJA: On 17 November, in the evening, armed and masked persons went into the premises of the Bakery in Peja, ill-treated the workers, asked for the keys of the cars parked in the yard in order to loot them and while withdrawing they opened fire. The very same evening, in the vicinity of the Katundi i Ri, armed persons beat Xhevdet Mustafė Shemaj and took DM 100 from him.

        KAĒANIK: On 19 November, due to the blast of a hand grenade in the house of Asllan Koraēi in Kaēanik, which grenade was hidden in the coat of Bekim Halim Loku (19) from Varosh (Ferizaj), the following were wounded: Asllan Koraēi (58), Vahide Koraēi (54), Fejzullah Kemal Kyēyku (11) and Bekim himself, who is in a critical situation.

        PODUJEVA: On 21 November, a mine exploded in the vicinity of Pėrpellac, on the border Kosova-Serbia, two Serbian policemen were killed and 6 others were wounded.

        PRESHEVA: On 21 November, Serbian police stopped the team of Swiss TV (Abraham Zijadis and two others) even though it has permit to stay 7 days. They were accompanied by cameramen of the Royter agency.

The prisoners and prisons

        On 18 November, 31 Albanian prisoners were released from the prisons of Pozharevc, Zajeēar and Leskovc (Serbia). The following were released from the prison of Pozharevc: Zejnullah Ajet Qorri (1982) and Jeton Bajram Heta (1983) – Gllogoc; Fehmi Sylė Murtezi (1981), Sabri Bislim Musliu (1984) and Musli Sejdi Shemsiu (1985) – Shtrubullova; Kushtrim Qerim Adilaj (1983) and Faton Zemė Halilaj (1985) – Tėrdec; Ekrem Xhafer Nebihu (1983) and Albert Kamer Nebihu (1984) – Domanek; Hazir Hajrullah Topalli (1982) and Ramė Ahmet Topalli (1985) – Bainca; Brahim Deli Asllani (1981) and Haxhi Feriz Haxhijaj (1983) – Ēikatovė e Re; Sali Gani Hoxha (1982) – Krajkova, Muhamet Sherif Arllati (1983) – Tėrstenik and Elmaz Shefqet Elshani (1984) – Gllobar (Gllogoc) and Skėnder Riza Shabaj (1967) – Nabėrgjan (Peja), Flamur Sali Ramaj (1981) – Cerovik (Klina), Jeset Alush Hoti (1983) – Marina (Skėnderaj) and Skėnder Enver Gashi (1984) – Lummadh (Vushtrri). The following were released from the prison of Zajeēar: Aziz Mehmet Zeqaj (1978) – Peja; Xhavit Musė Dreshaj (1971), Avdyl Mahmut Hysaj (1961) and Arif Cafė Husaj (1958) – Nabėrgjan; Faruk Azem Kelmendi (1977) – Ruhot and Musli Qazim Berisha (1964) – Gllaviēica (Peja) and Xhemė Elez Mavraj (1963), Rizah Rrustem Mavraj (1967) and Fadil Smajl Berisha (1966) – Saradran (Istog).
The following were released from the prison of Leskovc: Idriz Zekė Blakaj (1942) – Jabllanica e Vogėl (Peja) and Xhemė Rexhep Berisha (1952) – Saradran (Istog).
        On 20 November, Sali Rexhep Sokoli (1951), a former technical worker with the MUP, was released from the prison of Mitrovica e Sremit (Vojvodina), after serving his sentence of 5 years.

        KFOR intervention

        VITI: On 17 November, at about 18.00, about 50 KFOR soldiers surrounded the Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation in Banja e Kllokotit, intervened in the premises of the Centre and checked them and the rooms and the beds of the ill people. The pretext is unknown. The behaviour of the soldiers was very rude; they did not have any consideration for the ill people. The next day, the people in charge of the Banja and the Centre demanded explanations from the KFOR, but they did not get any response. All this was made silent by the people in charge of KFOR, even though this is the third time within a month that KFOR forces intervene in this way in the Centre.

        FERIZAJ: On 18 November, Isa Syla, Hyzri Delolli and Shefqet Jashari, workers with the District Council in Ferizaj, were arrested in their offices by the KFOR forces and UNMIK police. They were released after 7 hours.

        MALISHEVA: On 20 November, at about 14.00, in Mirusha, an armoured car of the KFOR Russian soldiers stopped and they turned their weapons towards the pupils – Besiana Morina (13), Lendita Morina (14), Igballe Morina (14) and Valentina Kilaj (14), all of them from Lubizhda, who were on their way back home from the English classes in Malisheva.

        MITROVICA: On 21 November, at about 16.20, in the vicinity of the water supply in Shipol, 7 KFOR French soldiers ill-treated many Albanian citizens, among whom women and children. They took them out of the cars and lined them up to the fence while they checked the cars and passengers. At the same time, they ordered members of the Sub-CDHRF to continue their trip and not to stop there.

        KAMENICA: On 22 November, members of the KFOR removed the Albanian flag from the Cultural House in Kamenica, took it and never returned it. A day before, the workers with the Cultural House raised the flag at half-mast as a tribute to the national heroes who were reburied that day.

        Facts on the war criminals

        FUSHĖ-KOSOVA: On 19 November, in a meeting of the Sub-CDHRF in Fushė-Kosova and the Centre for Peace and Tolerance in the premises of the OSCE in Fushė-Kosova, the representative of the Centre made some remarks regarding the Serbian workers with the OSCE. She mentioned Rade Knezheviq from Rashka (Serbia), who is a suspect for participating in the burning and looting the houses and wealth of the Albanians in Fushė-Kosova.

        Delayed information:

        PRISHTINA: According to the statement of Agron J. Jaha (1963), Dragodan quarter, on 19 October, UNMIK police, while searching for the house of the owner of the Tourist Agency “Selo Tours”, went into his house and demolished and broke the front door, some windows and doors of the rooms and ill-treated his family members – mainly women and children. In the end, they apologised for mistaking the house.
        PRISHTINA: These days, a group of criminals was caught. They were dealing with the looting of cars, threatening people and kidnapping the Albanian young women, which were taken to Italy for prostitution via Albania. The gang was operating in the region along the road Mitrovica-Millosheva, along the road Millosheva-Besi, along the road Besi-Podujeva, as well as in Podujeva. Ten of them (one is an Albanian citizen) were caught on the road Besi-Podujeva while they were trying to kidnap a young girl. 11 other criminals are on the run.

        MITROVICA: On 13 November, at about 16.00, in “Ibri” quarter, in the vicinity of the Mining Faculty, a group of Serbs attacked Bejtullah Sherif Beshiri (83), while he was on his way back home, and beat him until he fainted. This is the third attack of the Serbs against Bejtullah.

        Prishtina, 21 November 1999           Information Service

Rr. Zdrini, 38000 Prishtinė-Kosovė; tel. 381 (0) 549006  fax: 381 (0) 38 549007
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