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CONTENTS: Oct 15, 2001 ELECTION CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP
Koha Ditore on page one reported on the visit of the chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) in the villages surrounding the town of Mitrovica. "A middle-aged Serb man in Sërbovc, Zveçan, was aiming with a stone at bus he was not used to seeing. A red flag with a black eagle in the middle and a huge poster were sufficient reasons for the Serb to target the bus. He could very easily recognize the flag, but not the man in the poster, one of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Maybe, two years ago, the Serb man received guaranties that no bus with a red and black flag would pass close to his house. He also may have thought that the part of Kosovo where he lives (author is referring to northern Mitrovica, our remark) would always belong to the Serbs, and would maybe even be divided from Kosovo. However, it seems that Ramush Haradinaj has made a step to prove this man and all others wrong, who may have thought that Kosovo ends in the southern part of Mitrovica," noted the paper. The paper added that Haradinaj showed everyone in Kosovo that trips can be made in northern Kosovo roads without KFOR or UNMIK Police's escort and that Kosovo is one and undivided. "Ever since the beginning of the campaign for 17 November general elections, the Ramush Haradinaj-led Alliance for the Future of Kosovo is the first Kosovar Albanian political entity to hold its campaign in northern Kosovo." In the village of Bistrica, Haradinaj reportedly held talks with the activists of the village, who informed Haradinaj on the every-problems of the population. Some of the local residents also asked Haradinaj, the only Albanian political leader to visit these areas, to enable them to return to work and their apartments in Leposavic. The AAK leader advised them to be patient until spring and to have faith on the ongoing political processes in Kosovo. "Have faith in the ongoing political processes in Kosovo, in the elections, in the international community, and have faith on yourselves. Don't make hostilities with the international community, because sometimes they don't understand you and wait for us in springtime," Haradinaj added. According to the paper, Haradinaj also made another advise that both Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo would consider unserious and doubt it due to the events in the recent past. "Start thinking of "brotherhood and unity" in northern Kosovo, so that I can tell the internationals that there is no need for the "Bridge Watchers," said Haradinaj. In addition, Haradinaj said that he would like once to meet up close with the "Bridge Watchers". "I have personally asked to meet with the Serb organization "Bridge Watchers" and talk to them about their problems and what we can do for them. After the general elections, the Serbs will no longer need the protection of the abovementioned formation," he added. "The idea is that those citizens who have decided to protect the Serbs should understand that this can be institutionally together with us through the institutions we will establish in the future Kosovo Parliament, in Prishtina. They don't need Belgrade, Covic, Haekkerup or UNMIK Police to protect them forever, because one day they will be gone and we will have to take care of Kosovo and govern it. We will not head toward independence by isolating Kosovo, but through integration with the Kosovarization of Kosovo that begins on the 17 November. We don't want an ethnically clean northern Kosovo, but the integration of the Serb population in the Kosovar institutions." On page seven, Koha Ditore reported that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) began its electoral campaign in Gjilan in an aggressive manner. According to the report, as of 1100 hours, columns of vehicles with LDK flags roamed the streets and several times blocked the traffic. Addressing the numerous crowd in the town's sports center, Kolë Berisha, deputy chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, was quoted as saying, "if you vote for the LDK, there will be stability, market economy, employment, and if you vote for the LDK you will vote for a Kosovo without drugs, prostitution and closer to its allies and NATO, because the LDK is more acceptable for the international community." On page nine, in another article related to LDK's electorate campaign in Gjilan, the paper reported that LDK sympathizers beat an officer of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) in front of the town's police station. Menderes Bajrami, the KPS officer who suffered bodily injuries, told the paper: "I stopped the vehicle and told the LDK sympathizers to drive more carefully because he was putting in danger the lives of pedestrians, and he insulted me. I asked for his documents and the keys to the vehicle, but he stepped out of the vehicle and attacked me. He was joined by other LDK sympathizers, and though I used my rubber stick it was hard for me to defend myself because there were many of them. In the meantime, police officers arrived at the site and rescued me from further beating." Zëri on page seven carried an article from the promotional rally of the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) in Mitrovica. Bajram Rexhepi, chairman of PDK branch in Mitrovica and former mayor, informed thousand members and supporters on the program of the party, which if it is victorious in 17 November general elections will be engaged in the establishment of democratic institutions with the three most important segments - legislative and executive power and an independent Kosovar court system. Rexhepi said that PDK's priority would be security and the free movement of citizens, and that the Kosovo Protection Corps would be institutionally financed. Rexhepi also promised that the unification of the town would follow soon after the general elections. Flora Brovina, the renowned Kosovar humanist and now PDK's candidate for Kosovo President, also attended the meeting. Brovina said that the Kosovo Democratic Party gave her hope for victory. "The PDK and I," said Brovina, "have the same ideals, to create a state." Rada Trajkovic, member of the Kosovo Coordination Center, said that the boycotting of upcoming November elections by the Serb community implies the division of Kosovo, reported Koha Ditore on page two. Referring to an interview that Trajkovic gave to the Serbian TV station Palma Plus, the paper also noted that Trajkovic said that in case the Serbs don't take part in the elections, "the new Kosovar government, which would be comprised only of Albanians, would have direct competencies in Serb enclaves in central Kosovo, whereas it would have no competencies up north - the Serb part of Kosovo." "Such a division," Trajkovic was quoted as saying, "would not satisfy neither the Serbs nor the Serb state that has a historical right over Kosovo and Metohija." Trajkovic also added that through the participation of Serbs in the future Kosovo Parliament, Serbia would create conditions to control the parliament.
Rilindja on page three carried a report on Kosovar experts and politicians not being very happy about the establishment of a parallel university in Mitrovica. They believe that the establishment of a parallel university in Mitrovica clashes with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Constitutional Framework. In an interview given to Rilindja, Deputy Dean for Academic Issues at the Prishtina University Arsim Bajrami shares his opinion and disagreement regarding UNMIK's decision to encourage this move. Do you believe that the establishment of this university is a provocation for the Prishtina University? I can easily say that the establishment of a university in Mitrovica is a great provocation for the Prishtina University. This establishment also challenges the entire Albanian political entity. We at the university have always had very clear stances. We have always opposed the possibilities of establishing Serb parallelisms in the university. We have always stressed that the University of Prishtina is a university for all Kosovars, including the Serb minority, which has received many offers to integrate in the university. However, our university does not have the mandate to provide safety for the minorities. This is a job for UNMIK and KFOR. Do you believe that UNMIK supported the Serb minority in this aspect? I do believe that UNMIK supported the Serb minority because it is sponsoring the Serbs. UNMIK has always declared that it will not allow the establishment of parallel institutions, but it has done exactly this. We believe that the IAC should deal with this issue and we request to bring an end to this phenomenon of establishing parallel institutions. What is the stance of international administrator for the Prishtina University Michael Daxner regarding this issue? Michael Daxner's stance is not clear either. He too said that the establishment of parallel institutions would not be allowed. But things have changed because on 15 October, the so-called Serb University in Mitrovica will begin its work. What scares me, is the creation of a legal and judicial basis for establishing a parallel university through laws of the university. Our own university and the competent institutions, for example the IAC should have reacted about this issue earlier. Even our political entities were late to deal with this issue. Does this mean that the leaders of the university had a lack of vision? We, the officials of the university have noticed these issues three months ago. We are convinced that the establishment of the Serb University resulted from the talks Daxner held with the Serb authorities and the talks UNMIK Administrator Hans Haekkerup held with Serb official Nebojsa Covic. Can we say that the UN stabbed Kosovo in the back? If UNMIK is supporting this university, then UNMIK is entering a very dangerous stage in establishing Kosovo's institutions. Such an act can very easily become a basis for the Serb minority to request the establishment of other parallel institutions in other fields as well. This approach in northern Kosovo challenges the entire Albanian political specter, especially the specter that will win the mandate to speak in the name of all Kosovars. I truly expect the political entities and the population to harshly react toward this establishment due to the fact that this act has a political background considering the fact that Kosovo is waiting to solve the final political status. The university of Prishtina has always shown the will to integrate the Serb minority in the university.
Rilindja on page three carried a communiqué by the PDK. "Following the official announcement of UNMIK officials regarding the opening of a parallel Serb university in Kosovo, the PDK strongly opposes the tendency of establishing parallel institutions, such as the Serb University in Mitrovica, whose establishment is not in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and UNMIK's mandate to help establish united institutions for all Kosovars. The tendency to establish parallel institutions based on ethnic basis can damage the political solution of Kosovo's political status. This tendency is in accordance only with the concept of the Serb officials regarding the creation of two entities in Kosovo. This concept leads toward the separation of Kosovo. The PDK supports the decision of the Prishtina University Senate to begin the process of integrating all minorities in the university, including the Serb minority," stressed the communiqué signed by PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi.
The political video clip of the LDK, which is being shown throughout Kosovo, has irritated the KLA Veterans in Sharr municipality. "We, the KLA veterans react fiercely toward the presence of the great national hero and legendary Commander Adem Jashari, martyr Agim Ramadani and other KLA formations, in the video clip of the KLA. Adem Jashari, Agim Ramadani and many other martyrs did not sacrifice their lives so that they can be in party videos of those who called them terrorists and the stretched hand of the Serbian regime. They do not have to be on the video clips of those who are still continuing their anti-KLA campaign by impeding the martyrs' staues from being erected by violence and teargas. These martyrs did not sacrifice their lives in order for the speculators Ibrahim Rugova, Tahir Zemaj, Eqrem Kryeziu and others to take advantage of them. Our martyrs fought and fell for the freedom of Kosovo and its people. Although you constantly offended us, who brought you the freedom you are living in today, we forgave your sins and allowed you to continue your lives in freedom. However, we will never allow you to abuse the national figures and the values of the KLA. Therefore, you and your President, who did not think it right to visit
the grave of Adem Jashari, cool off and do not manipulate with the great
figure of Adem Jashari and other martyrs," it was said in the reaction
signed by Head of the KLA Veterinary Association Ajret Misini.
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