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UNMIK-KFOR-UNMIK Police Press Briefing, 20 August 2001 UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel Susan Manuel FYROM Border The border with FYROM remains closed and according to our security assessment may stay closed for a few days. So far it has impeded rotations of the UNMIK Police. We will try to get you an update on the effects on the population in the near future. Medical supplies are currently not effected as shipments had come in just before the border closed, but if it continues for several more days, it could be a problem as the next shipments are due at the end of the week. Once again, we find the border closure unacceptable: we are not a party to the conflict in FYROM. We support the peace process. We see no reason to punish Kosovo. Covic Meeting The Interim Administrative Council will meet tomorrow, when Mr. Haekkerup will brief members on the recent meetings with head of the Coordination Center for FRY and Serbia with Kosovo, Nebojsa Covic. They will also discuss elections preparations and receive a security update. Mr. Covic met with Mr. Jean-Christian Cady and UNMIK judicial officials at the Mitrovica detention center Friday. Mr. Covic also met with the prisoners on hunger strike. Two of those prisoners have been hospitalized over the weekend, for kidney and heart attacks. One other has ended the hunger strike: although we have reason to believe the hunger strike may be resolved in the near future, there is a demonstration in support of the hunger strike at mid day to day. Friday's meeting was long and productive. It involved specific details on conditions but also a wider discussion on how both UNMIK and the Serbian Ministry of Justice can contribute to improving further the judicial process and enhancing the trust of the people in the judicial system. Both parties said they will work to increase the number of Serb judiciary with the goal of a multi-ethnic judicial system for Kosovo, available to all communities on an equal and impartial basis. Cooperation on this will continue in the near future. Registration Regarding registration, the figures are still quite low and I would like to appeal to the Kosovo Serb communities to register as soon as possible. We understand registration will not go on past 8 September, and it is crucial that all communities register, to be counted as residents of Kosovo, and to have the chance to vote and have representation in the Assembly and a voice in the future governance of Kosovo. The latest figures from Serbia outside Kosovo are 11,749 IDPs registered. In Montenegro, there are 150 and in Kosovo, 2114.The latter figure is from communities which did not register last time, therefore it includes Serbs, Romas and others. Water Safety Over the weekend, there were three tragic drownings -Two children, 10 and 12, drowned in two different lakes. A third, 19, drowned in a pool in Ferizaj. It goes without saying that while there are no lifeguards at the lakes where people swim here, families must watch their children. Suvi Do Incident The situation in Suvi Do remains tense after a minor traffic accident yesterday between an Albanian and Serb turned into a major riot with dozens of Albanians stoning the house of an unrelated K. Serb family. KFOR had to extricate the family. Several KFOR and UNMIK police were injured. Howard Rhoades Overall Situation The following weapons were discovered following extensive searches over
the past few days. These included: assault rifles, Grenades, pistols,
ammunition, fuses and anti-personnel mines. This proves KFOR's continuing
commitment to the people of Kosovo and our efforts to support a safe and
secure environment for all. Suvi Do Situation Two patrols from Multinational Brigade North were deployed yesterday evening at Suvi Do (North Mitrovica) to support UNMIK-Police following a car accident between a Kosovo-Albanian and Kosovo-Serb. UNMIK-Police tried to disperse a gathering of around 60 people. Four French soldiers were slightly injured by stones. Calm was restored some hours later after the MNB (N) commander and the Mayor of Mitrovica met and talked to the crowd. The situation remains quiet but KFOR has intensified patrols and security in the area. Blace Border Many of you will already know that the border crossing between Macedonia and Kosovo at Blace remains closed to all traffic. The problem appears to be a road-block several kilometres inside FYROM. KFOR believes that this does nothing to further the political process there. However, negotiations are ongoing and the FYROM authorities have promised to do what they can to re-open the route as soon as possible. CPT Building KFOR were disappointed to hear suggestions last week that British
troops had forcibly entered the CPT building. I would just like to
take this opportunity to clarify this position. We categorically
deny that there was any forcible entry. It was a routine visit to an
important building in the Commanding Officer's area of
responsibility. In addition, he was visiting the soldiers under his
command who are based at the CPT building. Their use of 2 rooms in
the building is based on an agreement between KFOR and the building
manager. I would also stress that the KFOR troops presence is for
the benefit of the occupants of the building. Dean Olson International Police Officer Arrested UNMIK Police have arrested an international police officer stationed in Mitrovica on allegations of sexual assault. He is currently being detained and interviewed. A waiver of immunity has been sought and has been granted for this investigation, which is being conducted by the Mitrovica Regional Investigation Unit. Once the investigation has been carried out, an international prosecutor will evaluate the facts and decide whether to proceed to trial before an international judge. This is a criminal investigation, not an internal one, and it will be treated accordingly. With that in mind, we must respect the criminal justice system and the requirements of the investigators as they conduct this inquiry. We will not be disclosing further details until that time Road Safety Campaign During the first seven months of this year, no less than 115 traffic fatalities have occurred within the province of Kosovo and 985 injuries reported. Most recently, two people were killed needlessly when they were racing their cars through the streets of Urosevac. Another was killed when he tried to overtake other vehicles in traffic and lost control of his vehicle. We cannot stress enough the need of all citizens to show regard not just for the traffic laws, but for their own safety and the safety of others in traffic, especially children. These deaths could have easily been avoided. I have been informed by traffic enforcement officers that the majority of the fatalities that have occurred have involved pedestrians, many of those involving children. A new program has been in development to educate children of the dangers of road safety conditions within the province and the ways in which they can protect themselves from harm. Funds donated for a road safety campaign are being utilized to provide primary schools with educational material including informational posters and charts to teach children proper road safety. These materials will be given in English, Serbian, and Albanian where appropriate. A concerted effort between Community Policing Officers and the Kosovo Police Service will send police officers into all the primary schools in Kosovo in order to teach children proper road safety. It is our hope that this initiative will help children avoid needless injury and death in the streets of Kosovo at the hands of reckless drivers. As part of this initiative, a road safety track has been constructed at the Kosovo Police Service School where children can come and perform practical exercises to reinforce the concepts that they will learn in school. We invite everyone to attend a presentation on the road safety campaign to be held here on Friday the 24th of August at 10:00. Weekly Summary of Statistics This week 1 murder was reported, 9 aggravated assaults, 3 kidnappings, 3 cases of arson, a total of 125 arrests, and of those arrests, ten were for murder, two were for attempted murder, three for grievous assault, three for kidnapping, and three for rape. Questions: Q: The policeman that you mentioned - Is that the case from several
weeks ago, but now you brought up the charges? Q: Just to clarify on Mitrovica. The group of 80 people - was it the
group of K-Serbs or K-Albanians? Q: What are you doing to prevent the cause of traffic incidents? Does
it mean that you have to work very soon on driving license and to see how
many people are driving without a license? Q: We are not talking about educating these drivers. Isn't its possible
to make more checks on who has the driving license and who does not?
Because I think that this is the key issue. Q: What is the nationality of the policeman? What are the reasons for
being charged with crime? Q: What's the crime? Q: To UNMIK: You announced earlier that you were going to issue driving
licenses in August. Now you say in the fall. Why do you have this
delay? Q: You told us about the situation in Blace. Could you please explain
how is the situation on the other border - Jasince? Who is on the other
side of the border - Macedonian guards or UCK people? Are the people going
through the border or not? Q: Is the border closed or open? Q: Two days ago there was a raid in something that is known as a white
flat just behind the UN Police building close to the stadium, known as the
UNHCR flats. Apparently there were some hand grenades, machine guns and
other items found in that raid. It is believed that some international
personnel were living there prior to the raid in the flat. Why do these
kinds of things do not come out in press briefings? And if you know, who
were the occupants of the flat before the raid? Q: Is KFOR responsible for Kosovo or Macedonia? And if it is
responsible for Macedonia, for Macedonian security, are you doing your job
here properly? Q: You said that something is wrong with the mentality here in Kosovo.
What's wrong with that mentality according to the traffic? Don't you think
that you have a problem with the law and order in Kosovo? Q: Was the UN policeman arrested by UN police? Q: Could you tell us what happened with the UN policeman who was
suspended in July? I didn't get any new information on this case. Q: Just to follow up on the policeman. Who was assaulted: a man or a
woman and of what nationality? Q: But I am not asking for a name. Just is it a man or a woman? What
nationality? Q: Is it possible that the shooters on the UN police were from
Albania? Q: Susan, are you very sure that Mr. Haekkerup's security personnel,
Mr. Haekkerup's bodyguards did not have any sort of illegal weapons in the
house? Q: Considering the last attack on KFOR soldiers, these were Serbs and
Albanians. That's one of the rare multi-ethnic efforts in Kosovo lately.
Does UN have any comment on that?
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