Bishop Artemije and Momcilo Trajkovic are no more members of the Council

Blic, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, September 23 1999

They justified their resignations by the fact that, three months after the arrival of KFOR and UNMiK the multiehnic concept has been defeated and that that defeat has been crowned by the transformation of KLA into the "monoethnic and armed" Kosovo Protection Corps. "That is a direct violation of UN Resolution 1244, which stipulates that the only armed force in Kosovo is KFOR", the statement reads.

"After three months of the so-called peace, the results are terrible: more than 200,000 refuges, more than 350 murdered, about 450 kidnapped, thousands of robbed and burnt Serbian houses and more than 70 destroyed Serbian churches and monasteries, all this in the presence of 50,000 KFOR members. Not a single multiethnic institution in Kosovo is functioning and Serbs were forced out from all mixed towns and villages and herded into reservations and ghettos", Momcilo Trajkovic said for Blic daily.

Serb representatives in the Council emphasized that their thereto participation in the work of the Council was, above all, motivated by a desire to stress the problem of security for Serbs and other non-Albanians. The International Community, stresses Trajkovic, is increasingly setting up conditions for the establishment of independent Kosovo and the Serbs cannot and must not be included in that process.

"The Kosovo Protection Corps is nothing else but a continuation of the existence of KLA. The International Community has failed to disarm KLA. Large quantities of arms are still in its possession. This is the legalization of a monoethnic army and the beginning of the formation of a future Albanian army of Kosovo", Trajkovic concluded. He added that now Kosovo Serbs have the full right to demand the implementation of their proposal for cantonization and establishment of "the Serb Protection Corps".

Bishop Artemije and Trajkovic emphasize that they are still prepared to cooperate with the International Community with the goal of protecting remaining Serbs in Kosovo.

UNMiK chief in Kosovo Bernard Kouchner stated yesterday that he expected that Bishop Artemije and Momcilo Trajkovic will continue their work with the Transitional Kosovo Council. "They did not reject cooperation and we shall remain in daily contact. Our hearts are open to them. We need them," said visibly angry Kouchner adding that Bishop Artemije and Trajkovic represent Serbs in Kosovo rather than the authorities in Belgrade.

"Blic" reporter in Orahovac where the price of bread is 10 Dinars, potato 20, paprika 50; in the Albanian zone one German Mark is exchanged for 25 Dinars

They Provided "Security" for the Serbs Under Open Skies

Blic, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, September 22 1999

"People cannot live in cellars, a church courtyard and under open skies for ever. The Red Cross and the representatives of the authorities haven't even provided tents, although the ethnic Albanians have received them," says Golub Kojundzic adding that the local schools are not working even though 450 primary school pupils, 185 high school pupils and 72 students are expecting to continue their education.

"The fear that KFOR soldiers, based on anonymous accusations, would arrest any one among the remaining Serbs and Roma in Orahovac, since all of us are on the lists of suspects, is the basic reason for the demand of 1,800 people to leave the town," says Dejan Vitosevic.

According to him, the organized terror, brake-ins into Serb apartments, thefts of cars and arrests continue unabated. Since the arrival of KFOR, 35 people have been kidnapped and four murder victims were buried without an autopsy and identification. Kujundzic stresses that the locals have interpreted such conduct of the German soldiers as an attempt to remove evidence of KLA crimes. He adds: "We demanded from the Hague Tribunal investigators to conduct autopsies. They accepted and we hope that all other suspicious localities in the municipality will be explored".

According to the claims of 13 abduction victims who were released after 10 days in captivity, KLA has established its prisons in the former Police station in Orahovac and the Fire-brigade Station.

"We know for sure that 17 kidnapped people are still alive, but nothing is known about the remaining 18. There is little use from numerous promises by the German KFOR command that all the abducted will be released. Because of fear of abduction, none of the Serbs and Montenegrins leave the ghetto. Their access to the local Health center, produce market and stores is also barred. No one, even with KFOR escort has gone to visit the houses in the center of the town where 113 Serb owned houses were burned. 342 people lived in these houses. More than 500 people were expelled from the apartments in the center of the town. 376 of them have moved to Gornja Mahala [upper district], while the rest have mostly departed to Montenegro," says Dobrivoje Doric, the president of the Board for the Finding of Missing Persons.

The situation of the Serbs from Zociste is the most difficult. All 55 Serbian households have been robbed and burnt. After the complete demolition of the Monastery and Church of Kozma and Damjan there is nothing in the village that would remind one of the Serbs. 185 villagers have departed for Serbia while about 180 Serb children are still living in the open in the Church courtyard. It is interesting, points out Doric, that not a single ethnic Albanian has been arrested in spite of 229 serious crimes against Serbs, although the identities of the culprits are known. Persons for whom there is evidence that they murdered and abducted Serbs are freely walking around the town. The murderer of Dragomir Simic has also been reported but he is still running one of the largest storage rooms for building material in Metohija in the center of Orahovac.

During the last month there were no serious incidents. The Serbs from Orahovac go to Velika Hoca. The Serbs from Velika Hoca, the biggest Serb village in Metohija, are selling produce on the market in the village at high prices. On the other hand, the Serbs from Orahovac, pensioners, teachers, former administrative workers, people who receive child supplement and workers, since the arrival of KFOR haven't received a cent. They are surviving on humanitarian aid that is distributed irregularly. Two days ago three trailers of sugar, oil, flour and pasta have been delivered by UNHCR to Orahovac. However, there is a shortage of meat and food for babies. Water is available for two hours a day and some ethnic Albanians are smuggling some goods. Bread costs 10 Dinars, potato 20, and paprika 50. In the Albanian zone, the exchange rate between the German Mark and Dinar is 1:25.

The arrival of Russians is for now off the agenda and the inhabitants of Orahovac are convinced that is because Germans want to maintain "ownership" of the most important economic asset in the region: "Orvin's" vineyards and wine cellars with millions of hectoliters of vintage wines.

No Visitors for Prisoners

Beaten up because of Yugoslav Passports

Blic, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, October 21 1999

As Mehmeti stated for Blic, armed members of "KLA police" arrested the three of them and, under threat of handguns, took them to the headquarters of "KLA police" in the former Cadastral Directorate building in Pristina.

"There, they beat us until we fainted, castigating us for picking up passports of 'fascist Yugoslavia'. They released us and gave us a deadline to show up in front of a 'KLA court' in three days because we had violated their laws which prohibit any contacts with the authorities of Serbia and FRY," says one of the victims of the beating, Muzaqi.

Workers Stoned

Blic, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, September 29 1999

The same day, around 1p.m., ethnic Albanians stoned guards in front of the Car Battery Factory and Zinc Processing Plant. KFOR failed to intervene on this occasion as well.

Two days ago, KFOR arrested retarded minor V.V. of Serb nationality. Somewhat later, ethnic Albanians looted houses of the families Popovic and Boricic.