Serb dreams to divide Mitrovica thwarted

Mitrovica, July 7, (Kosovapress) Today around 9:30 in the city of Mitrovica, around 25,000 inhabitants demonstrated in the streets. They demanded access to the other side of the city which has been virtually sealed off to Albanians by Serb paramilitaries and French KFOR troops who want to prevent an inevitable confrontation.

The bridge which serves as the border between the two sides was the site of a dramatic face off between Kosovars on one side and so-called civilian Serbs on the other who threatened with violence any Kosovar attempting to cross the bridge. The Mayor of the town, Bajram Rexhepi demanded from his fellow inhabitants to be patient concerning the situation, he asked them to not react to any of the provocations which would come from the Serbs.

Later in the march, the deputy of the civilian administration of the United Nations, Martin Garret promised the citizens of Mitrovica that in no way will the partition of Mitrovica be allowed. Later he pleaded to citizens to not conduct their demonstration today because of the possibility of an armed confrontation between Serb paramilitaries and Kosovar civilians.

Despite this plea, the inhabitants of Mitrovica conducted their demonstration, refusing to be bullied by Serb threats of violence.

According to one participant, they wanted to show the whole world that Mitrovica will never be permitted to be partitioned at any cost. The march passed along the Ibri river beginning at 10:00 and was conducted peacefully. For the first time since the war ended formally, the citizens of Mitrovica crossed the bridge and walked along both sides of the river.