Orahovac: Prekaze Repeated?

AIM Pristina, 21 July, 1998

After yesterday's news from the town of Orahovac, which is 60-kilometres to the south-west of Pristina, where armed conflicts of large intensity had taken place, that the town is controlled by the police again, Serb official sources remained silent today. The Albanian sources, however, inform that that the situation is very difficult and threatening. The Information Centre of Kosovo, which is close to the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (DSK), claims that villages around Orahovac are shelled again, and that fire and thick smoke are gushing forth from the direction of the town. These Albanian sources are not speaking about who controls the town, but it is assessed that tens of local Albanians have lost their lives there, a large number of women, children and elderly persons among them.

In its regular bulletin, the Information Centre of Kosovo also carries the testimony of the secretary of the Islamic community of this town, Halil Sala, who claims that a certain number of women and children who had tried to find refuge in the Muslim monastery, were massacred. The journal Koha ditore in Albanian, also informs that a large number of civilians were tied to electric posts and used as a shields by the police, while Pristina Committee for Protection of Human Rights speaks about persons hanged. Albanian sources believe that there have remained about 5,000 civilians in the town, but there are no exact data about the number of those who have lost their lives or were wounded, nor the whereabouts of numerous families whose names are listed. By the end of the day, 34 victims were identified, and a large number of wounded are mentioned, but there are also reports about numerous unidentified corpses. The Information Centre of Kosovo also informs that Albanian civilians (prisoners) were transported to Prizren in two trucks, that women and children were released, and that men were put in the Prizren fire-station which is close to the police station. This same Albanian source states that 12 corpses were transporetd to Prizren hospital and that five wounded Albanians were received for treatment, and that 248 persons of Albanian origin are in Prizren jail. During his tour of the region, police captain Milan Sipka stated to the local and foreign journalists that one policeman was killed in the conflict, and that ten were wounded. The journalists could enter the town "on their own responsibility", because the so-called mopping up of the area of snipers was still under way. Referring to the sources of the Liberation Army of Kosovo, the Associated Press informs that 30 policemen were killed and that at least the same number of the Albanians lost their lives in the conflict. Eye-witnesses claim that the village Bela Crkva near Orahovac was almost levelled to the ground, and wheat completely burned down. In the beginning of the conflict, as Serb media report, at least 30 (at first it was claimed 40) persons of Serb ethnic origin were kidnapped by the OVK and it was impossible to find anything out about their destiny. Rumour goes that they were killed, "in reply to the brutal raid of police forces in Orahovac", however, the authorities have not said anything about it yet.

According to statements of witnesses, the subcommittee for protection of human rights and freedoms in Decani says that on 18 July, in bordering region with Albania, Serbian "military and police forces committed a real massacre against women and children when they tried to return to their homes which they had abandoned because of shelling. A large majority of them are from Decani. The attack began at 2.30 after a convoy of 120 persons crossed the border at the place called Padesh. First, two mines were activated, and after two minutes shelling and shooting began from all directions and from all kinds of weapons. It is assumed that at least 60 persons have been killed, that many of them are women and children, and there is also a large number of wounded", it is said in this information. Data on the attempt of crossing the border on the territory of Kosovo by armed Albanians and its tragic result are not even mentioned in any of the information from Albanian sources. Some media have reported that the number of victims in conflicts with border authorities of Yugoslavia is around 30, but later the figure of 90 killed persons was reached. Some foreign, but unofficial sources do not eliminate the possibility that the number of victims is even bigger.

After 14 days of touring the region, the international monitoring mission submitted its first report about the situation in Kosovo. It is said in it that members of the OVK are still illegally crossing the border, concern was expressed because of kidnapped persons on both sides and shortage of necessary drugs and food was pointed out. It is also stated in the report that this international monitoring mission has not visited all the regions because of barrickades set up by members of the OVK and armed clashes with Serbian police.

American ambassador in Skopje, Christopher Hill, has arrived in Pristina and he has met the spokesman of the negotiating team Blerim Sala in the premises of the American Information Centre, and then with the leader of Kosovo Albanians Ibrahim Rugova. Mr. Hill did not wish to give details about his talks with Sala underlining that they have exchanged views on the current situation in Kosovo, and before the meetinmg with Rugova, he hinted that he would have more talks, but secret ones. To the question whether he believed in making any progress, he answered briefly that the answer to that would be very difficult, but that he nevertheless believed he would. To the question whether something was happening that was not known, Hill said that there were questions which were connected with political issues which were being dealt with, adding that he had had a good conversation with Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade, but that he did not wish to go into details because it would just make his job more difficult, stressed Hill in the end.

Yesterday, on its front page Belgrade daily Danas carried news that disturbed primarily the public in Pristina. Referring to sources close to the ministry of the interior of Serbia, this newspaper informs that in the past two days "more experienced colleagues" had arrived in Kosovo as reinforcements of the police forces. They are policemen with long years of service - mostly heads of certain departments of the ministry", Danas specifies and adds that reinforcements were sent because "an attack of the OVK on Pristina and Gnjilane is expected, as the only cities in Kosovo where there have been no armed clashes so far".

AIM Pristina

Laura SMAKAJ