LETTER to the EDITOR, 21 August 2001

We wish to correct a story that was published yesterday by your agency.

Five air-conditioned containers were delivered today to Lipljan in order to accommodate the school for 132 Serbian children. There was never any intention or requirement for a tent as your story suggests. Four containers will be used as classrooms and one will serve as a room for teachers. Schools in containers have been set up in many other places.

Your report on "unsuccessful negotiations with representatives of international Mission to provide them with adequate facilities" is also incorrect. The Ljipljan municipality has been trying very hard to find a permanent solution for the problem and has succeeded in allocating funds necessary for the building of a proper school. Currently the municipality is looking for further funding to buy land where the permanent school can be built.

A tent was set up last Sunday on municipal land in front of the cultural house by the local officials despite the knowledge that the containers were going to be made available by the beginning of the school year.

We are concerned about the origin and purpose of these type of stories which give a completely distorted view of the facts. Similarly, last week another story emanated from Lipljan which suggested that a bomb had been placed threatening the lives of 300 Serb children who had arrived for a holiday. This, of course, was a scare which turned out to be nothing more than a rusty can.

Simon Haselock,

Director of Public Information,
UNMIK