UNMIK-KFOR-EU-OSCE-UNHCR Press Briefing: 25 August 2000
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott Slaten
OSCE Spokesman Roland Bless
EU
Spokesman Mike Todd
UNHCR Spokeswoman Maki
Shinohara
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
Water
On water, Mike will have more for you
later, but to let you know that Pristina Municipality has passed an
emergency regulation to restrict the use of drinking water. From 24th
August – yesterday – to the 15th September drinking water cannot be used
to water sidewalks, streets stairs or wash cars at any time of the day,
and watering plants, grass or trees between 8 AM to 8 PM Municipal
Inspectors will fine anyone found doing so 50 dm.
Depatment of Youth
The regulation which
establishes the department of youth has been signed. The department has
already started operating and is working on what it hopes will be an
annual Youth Week from 1st to 7th October. It’s theme for this year will
be Tolerance, No Violence and it is looking for suggestions from young
people about what they want to see happening during that week.
A selection Board composed of the Department of
Youth, and various NGOs will select activities from proposals from young
people. The deadline is 8 September.
Proposals should submitted to the
International Rescue Committee or International Medical Corps Youth
Center.
Up-Coming
A couple of notes for next week.
On Monday: the UNDP is holding a press conference at 10 am about an art
exhibition. It’ll be held at the Kosovo Art Gallery, and it’s your
opportunity to get your invitation to the opening.
On Tuesday, the German Foreign Minister, Joscka Fischer, will be here. He’ll be giving a media briefing here in the auditorium at 1 pm.
And on Wednesday the SRSG Dr Kouchner is holding another Town Hall meeting. This time its in Urosevac/Ferizaj at 6.30. He’ll be joined by Javier Solana – the EU’s High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. We’ll be putting out a media advisory on this this weekend and anyone interested in going should see Frank Benjaminsen.
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott
Slaten
Joint Cordon and Search Operation
A large scale joint cordon and search operation known as “Operation Ghibli” was conducted by the KFOR Italian MSU Carabinieri and MNB East personnel in the area of Djeneral Jankovic on Wednesday morning.
The search operation was the culmination of a long-term investigation carried out by the MSU Carabinieri, which targeted a criminal gang involved in smuggling, extortion and at least three homicides in the area of Djeneral Jankovic and Ferizaj / Urosevac.
After several months of information gathering and reconnaissance by KFOR MSU Carabinieri, the cordon and search operation was planned involving the MSU Carabinieri and supported by elements of MNB East. The KFOR US soldiers, involved in the cordon element of the operation, moved to pre-planned and strategic points early on Wednesday morning, which sealed off all entrance and exit points around the search area. Specialized units from the KFOR Italian MSU then passed through the perimeter set up by the KFOR US soldiers and conducted a search of 11 homes in the Djeneral Jankovic area.
A thorough and extensive search was then conducted of the homes, which uncovered the following items:
- One sniper rifle type Steyer Mannlicher,
with silencer, optics, magazine and five rounds;
- Four AK 47 and
another automatic rifle;
- Two hand grenades;
- 514 rounds
of ammunition;
- 53,085 DM and 200 Swiss Franc in
cash;
- Fake passports
- One UCK battle dress uniform with
patches.
As a result of the items seized, KFOR MSU Police arrested ten Kosovo Albanians for taking part in a criminal association and for illegal detention of weapons, while four others were reported to the local prosecutor for taking part in a criminal association.
Most of the men arrested were former UCK / KLA fighters, while one of them is currently a TMK / KPC and another a KPS member. The arrested were then transported to the Camp Bondsteel Detention Centre where they are currently being kept until they are brought before the Magistrate for possible criminal charges.
“Operation Ghibli” is an offspring of a previous MSU operation conducted on the 12th of August, against contraband cigarette smugglers who had close links with the members of this criminal association. During this operation three Kosovar Albanians were arrested and over 11 tons of contraband cigarettes and printing equipment were seized and handed over to UNMIK Customs officers.
Several members of the gang arrested during “Operation Ghibli” are suspected of being responsible for three homicides that have been committed in the Djeneral Jankovic and Urosevac area, from December 1999 to January 2000.
The murders are believed to have been committed because two of the victims were hindering the smuggling operations and the other one because he was a competitor. The cash found in possession of one of the members of this criminal organisation is indicative of the profit of these criminal activities and also explains the reasons for eliminating any undesirable competitors or obstacles.
Girl Killed in Traffic Accident
A civilian truck yesterday around noon, one kilometer west of the town of Orahovac, hit a young Kosovar Albanian girl. The injured girl was transported to a KFOR MNB South Task Force Zur checkpoint where the soldiers administered first aid and then transported her to the KFOR Camp Phoenix located in Orahovac. Despite the best efforts of the soldiers and the KFOR doctors the girl died of her injuries. The body of the little girl was then handed back to her parents and transported by KFOR ambulance to the village of Opterusche / Opterusa.
Traffic Accidents
In MNB Centre, a KFOR British vehicle was involved in a road traffic accident with a civilian vehicle early yesterday morning, southwest of Pristina. There were no injuries reported as a result of the accident. The British vehicle sustained minor damage, however, the civilian vehicle (BMW) which is now thought to have caused the accident, was extensivly damaged. UNMIK Police and KFOR Royal Military Police responded to the accident.
Later in the day, another traffic accident accoured between a KFOR Russian vehicle and civilian vehicles, northeast of the Slatina Airport. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident. KFOR Russian Military Police and UNMIK Police investigated the accident.
These are just two more examples of the
ever-increasing danger of driving on the roads of Kosovo. KFOR is
continuing to work at repairing the roads and infrastructure throughout
the region. An unfortunate byproduct of these operations is the increased
speed by which impatient and dangerous drivers are moving.
Vehicle accidents are still the leading cause
of death and injury for KFOR soldiers and civilians in Kosovo. Drivers are
once again reminded to keep their speed within normal posted limits and be
aware of dangerous situations that quickly develop on roads that are
shared by pedestrians, horse carts, cars, trucks and KFOR vehicles. It is
the individual responsibility of the drivers here in Kosovo to reduce the
number of unnecessary deaths and injuries caused by reckless
drivers.
Detained UCPMB members
Also I just received an update on the four UCPMB members that were detained on 20 August. Three of the four UCPMB members who were stopped and detained by UNMIK Police near Novo Seljo on 20 August are expected to be released from Camp Bondsteel detention facility today. COMKFOR is considering the continued detention of Shefqet Musliu, who is a self-admitted member of the UCPMB. Musliu is being investigated for his possible role in past acts of violence, and COMKFOR has the authority and obligation in accordance with UN Resolution 12:44 to extend the detention of individuals past the standard 72 hours if he believes the individual continues to pose a threat to a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. Musliu and the three other men were detained as part of an investigation in the incident of the two Kosovar Serb men who disappeared near Kamenica.
As a media note, there will be a United Arab Emirates press conference today at 4:30 PM at the UAE Battalion Headquarters in Vucitrn. General Ali al Khabi of the UAE Army will be hosting the event.
OSCE Spokesman Roland
Bless
CAC
As you noticed the CAC period is
going on till the 30 August. CAC standing for Confirmation, Addition and
Challenges on the voters’ register. The aim of the CAC-period is to have a
complete and correct voters list in order to make counting and polling a
smooth operation on election date. The CAC-period is an optional venue for
voters to participate – it is not mandatory, and not going to a CAC-centre
for confirmation does not, of course, exclude anyone from having the right
of vote. The correction that are being applied are of such a sort that
they are linked to the eligibility. It is not simply the correction of
spelling. The CAC right is optional, and the experience elsewhere shows
that about five to ten per cent of the voters make use of this right. In
Kosovo, so far, the interest have been slightly higher – we had up to
4,000 people going up to check their data .. their voters lists.
CEC
The Central Elections Commission this afternoon will meet on the following topics: they will vote for the first time in the candidates lists, as you know there have been 5,500 candidates submitted, roughly. They will finalise their rules on polling and counting – this is the last piece of legislative work that is needed for the elections preparation. They will discuss, and probably, decide up on the implementing guidelines for media access. As you are aware they have put out rough guidelines already, whereby parties can not place paid advertising in the broadcast media, they can do so in the print media. So all these procedures are going to be detailed and then finalised. On this you can expect the information next week. It is probably going to be the topic and given to decision taken by the CEC this afternoon. It is going to be the topic of our next Tuesday background briefing.
Trafficking of Women
You know that Helga Konrad has visited Kosovo. She is the Head of Balkans Stability Pact Task Force on Human Trafficking. This is an initiative that goes back to the Istanbul summit, and it is estimated that about 200, 000 women and girls are trafficked against their will each year in the area of the OSCE member states.
Legal Training
And the last piece of information: the Legal Training Unit of the OSCE will conduct another workshop for prosecutors and judges and defend lawyers on juvenile justice. This operation is done jointly with the UNICEF. Thank you.
EU Spokesman Mike
Todd
Power Update
The power situation remains stable. Electricity should meet demand for the coming week.
Public Utilities
There were, as you may have noticed, some water difficulties yesterday: this was unavoidable and caused by damage to the water pump’s power supply during Wednesday night’s storm.
However, it is perhaps an appropriate time to brief on the major developments taking place in the water sector. At Kosovo’s main water Pumping station there are 3 twenty year old pumps. Due to years of consistent neglect, these massive, well over 3 ton in weight, pieces of machinery are in need of serious repair, one has already ceased functioning.
After considerable investigation, it was discovered that the only company capable of repairing these pumps was the German company Siemens based in Munich. The first, broken pump, has been crane lifted and flown out to Germany already to undergo repair. This is expected back within the next 3-4 weeks.
The problem – is that due to the strain caused by having only 2 pumps, the second pump is now showing signs that it will break down. This is inevitable and cannot be prevented. It is likely that this may occur in the next few weeks. However, whether it breaks down or not, as soon as the first pump returns from Germany, this pump will be sent for repairs. Likewise, upon its return the third pump will be sent. Each pump takes six weeks to repair.
The good news is, that yesterday morning, the German government officially announced that it would fund the development of a new pump: but this is not a simple process. For a new pump to be in place and operational it will take at least six months.
The coming weeks until the first repaired pump returns will be the most difficult, so, as Clare has already said, we ask that you seriously consider your use of water: use it sensibly and ration wherever possible.
Customs update:
Once again we have a new record for revenue collection. Last week saw a total of over 6.7 million DM collected.
Visit
The European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Dr Javier Solana is visiting Kosovo next week. The visit takes place in the framework of the mandate given to the High Representative to follow closely the situation in Kosovo and the Western Balkans and to re-inforce the co-ordination EU policies in the region. A press conference will be held at 12.45 on August 31, here in the auditorium, all media are invited to attend.
UNHCR Spokeswoman Maki
Shinohara
Returns from abroad
Three families were returned this Tuesday on a charter flight from Australia. One family claims they are from Presevo in southern Serbia. We are looking to find out more on this case.
The rate of mandatory return flights from Western Europe and other countries has increased in the summer months – getting close to 500 per week this month. Over 6,000 people have been forcibly returned since February this year in addition to more than 61,000 refugees who returned voluntarily from Europe and other countries. Altogether, more than 882,000 refugees have now returned to Kosovo since June 1999.
UNHCR does not oppose the mandatory returns, if their needs for continued protection have been appropriately assessed and as long as the returns are done in a humane manner. We are concerned, however, about the return of minorities to Kosovo, as well as those who do not originate from Kosovo. Many Albanians who are from southern Serbia, for example, cannot return to their home villages and will only add to those who are still displaced inside Kosovo.
ROMAS
UNHCR assisted this Tuesday the return of 13 Romas from FYROM. As a concrete follow-up to the Platform of Action for Romas, Egyptians and Ashkalija agreed by the Albanian leaders in April 2000, UNHCR has so far assisted some 80 Romas to return to their homes from FYROM. Also related to the Platform of Action, a second visit of the Albanian leaders to Roma communities is planned in the coming weeks. We will inform you as soon as we have the details.
Over in Montenegro, UNHCR organised a third go-and-see visit for Romas last week. UNHCR Podgorica escorted five heads of families to their home villages in Pec/Peje.
Go-and-see visits are resource intensive, and do not necessarily lead to immediate return, but they do help people in making their own decisions on return. UNHCR believes that the conditions are not there yet for the majority of displaced minorities to return, but we also recognised that some individuals have returned or are wishing to return in the near future. UNHCR respects their voluntary decisions and will assist them whenever possible, including providing them with information on local conditions in Kosovo.
As part of addressing the needs of minorities, UNHCR will continue to organise go-and-see visits for displaced Romas and Serbs to carefully selected areas, utilising fully the network of UNHCR Offices throughout this region.
Questions:
Q: This is about the Frasher case. In yesterday’s statement, acting COMKFOR said these two men were criminals. What kind of crimes did they commit before they were killed and shot in the back?
SS: That statement has been taken completely out of context. The statement made by Gen. Bowra was in reference to the people who attacked the two UAE soldiers and wounded them at the UAE headquarters yesterday. The statement was not in reference to the two Kosovo Albanians who were killed earlier in the week.
Q: Where is the Arab soldier who killed the two men?
SS: I don’t know the location of the soldier. There is a press conference scheduled for this afternoon at which the chief of operations of the UAE is prepared to answer all your questions.
Q: Have the KFOR investigators questioned the
witnesses?
SS: I don’t know the entire extent of the investigation at
this point. It is still ongoing at this point.
Q: UAE officials have announced that they will build 50 mosques in Kosovo. What’s the UNMIK policy on this?
CT: The policy is that if they are building a new mosque, they have got to get permission from every municipality where they want to build the mosque. If they want to renovate existing mosques, they got to go to the department of culture because they want to make sure that the existing mosques stay within Kosovo architectural standards.
Q: What steps you can take to actively prevent people in Pristina and Kosovo from wasting water?
CT: The municipality does have inspectors out. We are also asking people to use common sense, because if they don’t get water, it’s just not their neighbours not getting water, but it’s not them getting water.
Q: But common sense does not seem to be working. Are you going to do anything to stop people from actually from wasting water?
CT: As I mentioned there is a 50 DM fine every time you are seen breaking this curfew.
Q: Is there is a decision to provide escort to the Kosovo politicians during the election campaign?
CT: UNMIK Police is looking at how to protect people who are running in the elections. They are urging all politicians, those who feel they may be under threat, to report to their police stations, to tell them where they work, where they live. However, police is looking at all the ways to see it’s safe for all the candidates.
Q: This is again about the shooting and murder of the two Albanians. As far as we know neither was armed, they were both shot in the back. According to your rules of engagement, you can shoot somebody if your soldiers feel they are under threat. I don’t think these soldiers were under threat by two unarmed villagers, whatever they did.
SS: As I stated previously, your questions can be answered later today at the UAE press conference. Second, the investigations are still ongoing. So the statements that you made just now are based on the information that you gained through the local people. I don’t have all the information and it will be a mere conjecture, on my part, to say something based on the statement you just made. As soon as the investigation is completed, I can make a statement.
Q: Has anyone from UNMIK Police or KFOR seen the bodies?
SS: I understand an autopsy was conducted. However, I don’t have the results of that. That’s part of the investigations. As part of the investigations will be ballistic tests, will be the trajectory of the round, the number of rounds fired. These are normal things that are taken care of by the investigators.
Q: Do you have anything to say about the blood that was washed by the soldiers from the road?
SS: Obviously, we are not going to allow blood to lay around on the ground. That’s the normal cleaning up of the crime scene, after the investigations have been concluded. It’s a public road and still people transporting on it, it’s obvious it would be cleaned up.
Q: This is about the UCPMB members. Yesterday Mr. Dell of the US Office met members of the political wing of the UCPMB. Was there any KFOR of UNMIK personnel present during that meeting and as a result of that meeting, you are going to release UCPMB members?
SS: Not to my knowledge. I don’t know who was at that meeting. However, what’s been said to me is that there is lack of evidence against the other three individuals. The reasons they were detained are not in any way connected with the fact that they were reported members of the UCPMB. The reason was their connection with criminal activities. So the other three were released because of lack of evidence.
Q: They were released by a local court. That made COMKFOR to decide that Shefqet Musliu .. to stay in detention?
SS: Those who are arrested can be held up to 72 hours before they are brought before a magistrate, which is a civil procedure, in order to proffer charges against them or in order to be held longer until the investigation is complete. What I understand is that this individual is being held pending additional investigations in to his criminal activity.
Q: There is more evidence against Shefqet Musliu than against the other three.
SS: From the information that has been provided, I can only make the link that the reason they are being released is the lack of evidence against them or they would have possibly continued in detention. But the investigation on this one individual is apparently ongoing. We don’t have any further information on this.
Q: What kind of crimes did they commit?
SS: I don’t have all the details on what they are being held for. It’s in connection with the disappearance of two Serbs in Kamenica, I believe.
Q: What does this say for the judicial system since the court had decided to release them, and COMKFOR decided to hold him?
SS: I don’t know if the court decided to release him. Under the regulation here, within 72 hours they need to be released or they can be extended on the consideration of safe and secure environment in Kosovo.
Q: What does UNMIK…….(inaudible)
CT: If the court does not have sufficient evidence, it has to release them in 72 hours.
Q: Have you pressed charges against any of the ex-KLA members who were arrested by the Carabinieri.
SS: I don’t know if charges have been proferred against them yet, but that’s part of the procedure.
Q: The members of the TMK were among the arrested ex-KLA members on Wednesday. Will he keep his post in the TMK?
SS: Obviously if you are associated with criminal activity, you are no longer given the right to be a member of the TMK. But at this point all these people are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. They have been detained pending completion of the investigation.