CONTENTS

SERBS INTEND TO REMOVE KFOR AND POLICE FROM NORTHERN KOSOVO
SHALA: THE KOSOVAR INTEREST
PASSPORTS WHICH ARE RECEIVED WITH FEELING OF SHAME
MUHARREM SEJDIAJ FOUND EXECUTED IN NORTHERN MITROVICA
LKÇK: DELL HAS INSULTED KOSOVO, ITS CITIZENS, ITS WAR …

SERBS INTEND TO REMOVE KFOR AND POLICE FROM NORTHERN KOSOVO

The arresting of a Serb after he allegedly tried to run over a KPS police officer incited the protest of some 200 Serbs in Leposavic, which resulted with six KFOR Belgium soldiers being taken hostage and the death of two Serbs and the wounding of another, reported Koha Ditore on page one.

Citing KFOR sources, the paper said that 200 Kosovo Serbs who protesting during Saturday and Sunday in front of the police station in Leposavic, took hostage six soldiers of Belgium peacekeeping troops. During the turmoil, Bojan Jokovic was shot dead, Trifun Milenkovic died of a heart attack, and another Serb experienced injuries however after medical intervention his life is not in danger. 

On Saturday, at around 1500 hours, Kosovar and international police officers requested KFOR's backup to transport a Serb from the northern Mitrovica to Mitrovica Prison. The joint police patrol stopped Vladimir Tomovic after he drove fast and tried to run over a police officer of the Kosovo Police Service. After stopping him, the police found illegal equipment of communication in his vehicle. A team of Belgium KFOR peacekeeping troops offered to provide the requested backup by the police.

At 1720 hours, a mob of 200 Kosovo Serbs gathered in front of the police station in Leposavic and starting throwing stones at the vehicle of the KPS officer who was engaged in arresting Tomovic. At approximately 1730 hours, Belgium soldiers returned to their premises in Leposavic. Once at the entrance of their barracks, the soldiers were stopped by a group of Serbs. Seven Belgium soldiers, who were traveling with two vehicles, were taken hostage by the Serb mob that also stole two weapons from the soldiers including keys to both vehicles.

Shortly after, French soldiers were sent to Leposavic in order to help control the rioting crowd. But it was only after the intervention of the commander of the Belgium battalion that the seven soldiers were released.

Around midnight, the mob burned and destroyed the police station in Leposavic. They also tried to break in the barracks of Belgium KFOR but were prevented, and the peacekeeping soldiers shot several times in the air in sign of warning.

At 0100 hours, the crowd reduced to some 40 Serbs who looted three KFOR Belgium vehicles and a civilian car outside the barracks. On Sunday, it was said that the turmoil resulted in six burned KFOR vehicles.

The police station, on the other hand, was completely destroyed and Molotov cocktails were reportedly thrown.

On Sunday, the situation in the town of Leposavic was calm and no KPS officers or KFOR soldiers were wounded.

However, the incident led to negotiations between Serb and international representatives. During the afternoon, there were talks between Serb representatives and UNMIK Police at UN premises in Leposavic. According to the Belgrade-based Beta news agency, the Serbs had formed a crisis group comprised of nine members, which by morning had compiled a list of requests that were later handed over to UNMIK representatives.

According to the report, Leposavic Serbs request the release of the arrested Vladimir Tomovic; the withdrawal of all KPS officers from Leposavic as well as to reduce the presence of KFOR soldiers in the region and to remove all barricades.

SHALA: THE KOSOVAR INTEREST

Zëri on page one carried a column by the paper's publisher Blerim Shala commenting the incident in northern Kosovo. Shala wrote:

Many things are not clear as far as the incident that occurred in Leposavic, northern Kosovo is concerned. There are several versions which circulate in the public. However, the main thing is that there was an open confrontation between the local Serbs and KFOR troops. If we recall many incidents between Kosovo Serbs and KFOR troops, especially in northern Kosovo, the Leposavic event is not surprising. The political games here and in Belgrade cannot hide the truth, which is obviously bitter for UNMIK, KFOR and international authorities.

Kosovar Serb politicians do not want UNMIK and KFOR. The Kosovar Serb voters in the September elections for the FRY government supported Milosevic's regime which is responsible for the crimes in Kosovo and they do not hide their requests for the return of the Serb police and military forces in Kosovo.

These two facts are not very hope giving for Kosovar politicians, whether they are local, UNMIK or OSCE politicians. Nevertheless what is left to do, except continue and intensify UNMIK and Kosovar politicians' efforts to include Kosovar Serbs in Kosovo's structures? This is a superior international interest as well as a Kosovar one. To improve the safety of all Kosovo residents, in particular members of the Serb minority and the including of political representatives of all municipalities in the local and general government of Kosovo, which is necessary to enforce the international position in Kosovo. There should be no dilemmas here.

PASSPORTS WHICH ARE RECEIVED WITH FEELING OF SHAME

In absence of UNMIK "passports" Albanians look for another solution carries a report on Koha Ditore on page four.

In a quiet Pristina street around 60 Albanians push each other in front of the Yugoslav Office in Kosovo trying to defeat the shame they feel. "I am ashamed that I have come here" says a girl, "the Serbs have killed so many of us and I have to beg for a passport".

Most of the Kosovars believe that they deserve independence from the Yugoslav Federation and the dominating republic in the federation, Serbia, and refuses to accept the UN Security Council Resolution UN Security Council Resolution 1244 according which the province has "only substantial autonomy".

However, if Kosovar Albanians want to travel then they have to swallow their pride and request a Yugoslav passport. "For a year and half I did not want to come to the Yugoslav Office, now I do not have a choice. This is a very difficult step for me because I do not consider Yugoslavia as my own country," says a man from the group.

Signs of hatred between Albanians and the Yugoslav authorities while he speaks can be seen everywhere. A high metal fence surrounds the office and eight British Commandos guard it. There are burned remains of a vehicle from the last months bomb attack in front of the office.

Albanians, which asked that their names be not published because that could bring about hatred among their neighbors, have different reasons for the Yugoslav passports. "Since last June I have been paying a German to bring me the ceramic tiles, he is too expensive. I have to go myself," says a salesperson and adds that the Serbs took his previous passport during the war.

Another young man comes out the office with a smile in his face and a passport in his pocket. "I can go now and join my wife in Croatia, get citizenship there and get rid of this dirty document. It is the beginning of a new life".

The passport office is in a windowless basement of the building without electricity, the Serb staff has to keep the doors open so light can enter. Since June 1999 with the arrival of NATO troops, Kosovo is under international protectorate and the Pristina office has been the only legal way of obtaining a travel document.
 
Since then this office has released 51,500 passports, 95% to Albanians according to chief of this office who also wanted to remain anonymous. The passport is issued for ten years and costs 50 DM and it is released about a month after it is applied for.

There is a quicker, however more expensive, way. Mimoza, 22, who had to travel abroad paid 800 DM her monthly wage to an Albanian mediator "who collaborates with Serbs" and received her passport in less then a month. "The price is to avoid the shame of having to go in front of their office," said Mimoza. "I have been confined in Kosovo for a year and a half. I could never imagine that I would have to get a Serb passport, but the UN did not keep its promise so I did not have a choice," explains Mimoza.

The UN Mission in Kosovo will start to issue by the end of the year identification cards and travel documents for "Kosovo's citizens". Will Kosovo have its own passport? It is too early to say.   

MUHARREM SAHITAJ FOUND EXECUTED

The nightmare of the Albanians in northern part Mitrovica continues, reported Koha Ditore on page three.

On Saturday afternoon in his home near the District Court in northern Mitrovica,  Muharrem Sejdijaj, 57, was found dead reported UNMIK police in Mitrovica on Sunday. He was reported missing since Friday and police went to check his home, however the doors were closed.

The police found his body after they checked the home for the second time when investigators broke down the doors. Near the victim, whom had bullet wounds in the back of the head, police found 7.65 mm shells. The body was sent to the Pristina hospital for a post mortem said UNMIK police spokesperson Bikal Rajbahak, adding that the investigation is continuing.

LKÇK: DELL HAS INSULTED KOSOVO, ITS CITIZENS, ITS WAR

Koha Ditore carried on page nine a written communiqué released by the LKÇK regarding the behavior by the Head of US Office in Pristina, Christopher Dell.

On Saturday at the "1 October" sports hall in Pristina the graduation of the eleventh KPS class was held. As a sign of respect at this ceremony head of US Office Christopher Dell was present.

Speeches held by the internationals were translated in Serbian, too. Naturally, most of the people are irritated when the administrative officials use Serbian as an official language. Even more irritating becomes the fact when in the mass addressed there are few or none that listen to this language. Moreover, someone from the mass of people present is irritated, cannot withhold oneself, and reacts harshly.

The intolerance towards the translation in Serbian was shown by the mass at the ceremony where Christopher Dell was present. This was the reason that Mr. Dell took courage to insult Kosovo, its citizens, its war, its will and all of the their difficulties. In his speech, this diplomat said that with this behavior you show that you do not deserve freedom.

Dell made this insult to the Albanians, because democracy sees a different solution to the problem. If the US did not insist to install multiethnicity and peace in Kosovo, there would be no need for words neither by Dell nor us.

This is the second time that this diplomat insults Kosovo. The first time he threatened Albanian politics for the violence that was happening in Kosovo, as if the Albanians had the means and the mechanisms to stop it.

Difficulties arise when in Kosovo in the name of democracy are offered undemocratic solutions to Kosovo. The issue remains unsolved not because Albanians do not deserve freedom but the fact they are forced into a "freedom" according to standards unknown to democracy, it is said in the LKÇK communiqué.