UNMIK Press Briefing Transcript – 29 May 2000

UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott Slaten

UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel

There will be a memorial service at 5 p.m. this afternoon hosted by Reuters and AP at UNMIK's Government Building auditorium to commemorate journalists Kurt Schork and Gil Moreno. All are invited

This morning, just before SRSG Bernard Kouchner left for Sofia, where he is meeting Prime Minister Ivan Kostov, he dispatched his special advisor Eric Chevalier and the Gnjilane Regional Administrator, Dionisio Spoliti, to the village of Cernica where last night three Serbs were killed and two others injured in a drive by shooting.

Dr. Kouchner also issued the following statement before he left:

“Last night I was revolted by the news that three Serb males, including a four year old child, Miki Petrovic, as well as Vojin Vasic and Tihomir Simonovic [spelling of final name unclear] were murdered in cold blood during a drive-by shooting in Cernica, a village south of Gnjilane, at around 8:30 p.m. - Two other Serb males were injured seriously and are now being treated in Camp Bondsteel.

UNMIK Police has identified a suspect. Police have worked all night, with the support of KFOR, to find him. They will not stop until they arrest him.

This horrible incident follows a series of attacks on Serbs over the past few days around Kosovo. I wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms these outrageous acts. And I want to ask:  what can possibly be gained by killing a child?

The answer is that everyone loses. First of all the families, to whom I extend my deepest condolences. But they are not alone: Everyone loses, except the regime in Belgrade. Such despicable crimes are well-received by those who want to see UNMIK and KFOR leave Kosovo and who want instability to remain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Last night's killer, in his own disgusting form of extremism, has only strengthened  the hands of all extremists, and the hand of President Milosevic.

This is not only an intolerable and deplorable crime, but also an incredibly stupid one, which can cause serious  harm to the progress of bringing Kosovo towards  a positive future, and towards acceptance by the Western community of nations, to which Kosovo so desperately aspires.

I can assure you: we are not leaving. Last night's crime will not go unpunished. And I will continue to fight for justice, tolerance and peaceful co-existence in Kosovo”.

Some of the incidents to which he referred included two reported hand grenade attacks against Serbian homes in Obilic, which resulted in one person being injured yesterday This followed two other grenade attacks on Saturday. A molotov cocktail was also thrown into a Serb house in Orahovac with three suspects also in Obilic being arrested by KFOR and turned over to UNMIK police. As you have reported, Friday night was also tense in Kosovo Polje after a grenade attack injured four Kosovo Serbs.

Over the weekend there were also robberies of two NGO’s, one Islamic and one Spanish. These are part of disturbing trend of robberies targeting NGOs.

In other developments, regarding the trials scheduled for the detainees in Mitrovica. Some of these will be held in the towns that the detainees came from and in that regard SRSG Kouchner is expected to sign today a regulation that will extend his authority to allow the appointment of international judges and prosecutors throughout Kosovo. So far, we have appointed only one judge and one prosecutor to Mitrovica. This is to allow the appointment tonight of a second international judge, Agnieszka Klonowiecka-Milat, from Poland, who will be part of the panel of judges on Pristina District Court. We are expecting six of the Mitrovica detainee cases to be tried in the next couple of months in Pristina, the first opening on 1 June.
 
Over the weekend, Dr. Kouchner hosted the first extraordinary General Assembly of women of Kosovo, which more than 250 participants attended. There is a press release outside on the proposals emerging from this conference. We also have a statement outside which the Interim Administrative Council issued on Friday regarding returns of Kosovo residents from European countries.

On Wednesday, UNMIK department of Telecommunications and Post begins international mail service on Wednesday. The Universal Postal Union, which is the United Nations specialized agency for postal matters, has granted permission to UNMIK to exchange mail with all other postal administrations. All mail is flown to Switzerland, and from there separated for routing to other countries. The exception are letters destined to Albania or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which will go by land to those countries. International mail will begin with postcards and letters up to 500 grams/ Stamps will be 1 to 2 DM.

Regarding the trip that we unfortunately had to cancel to Prizren and Ferizai to visit Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. This was cancelled at the last minute due to the fact that Mr. Ibrahim Rugova was not in Kosovo and could not attend. Other IAC members felt that he was a crucial part of the entourage. The visits will be rescheduled.

Finally a journalist lost his cell phone, an Ericsson, SH888, at the press briefing last week. If anyone has found it, please turn it into the KFOR press office.

On behalf of the OSCE, the first registration site has opened in Serbia proper on the boundary between Kosovo and Serbia. This is part of the effort to make it easier for Kosovars who have left Kosovo to register as voters. The site is just north of Lake Gazivodzko at a KFOR checkpoint. Plans are underway to open other sites on Kosovo’s eastern border near Serbia.

KFOR Spokesman Major Slaten

 In response to the drive-by shooting in Cernica, Lt. General Ortuno, the KFOR Commander has issued the following statement:

“It is bad enough that there is criminal or ethnic violence where adults are hurt, but when children are involved it really dismays me. It is time for the leadership in Kosovo to spread the word that violence is not the way and to take responsibility. The future of Kosovo, the children, are now being impacted not only by sight [witnessing the conflict] but in pain and death, this is not right.”

General Ortuno says that KFOR troops and UNMIK police, with their daily presence, are doing the best they can to minimize violence and death. The troops and police can’t be everywhere though. This incident, General Ortuno said, is disheartening when children start being hurt by violent extremists; it is time for everyone in Kosovo, the leadership, the people and the international community to stand up against violence. Let’s take the advantage away from the criminals and those who have no regard for others including children. Report crime, provide UNMIK police with any information you have concerning criminal activity. Let’s bring those who are hurting Kosovo’s future, your children, to justice.

With the shift to warmer temperatures in Kosovo more people are moving about the countryside, working in fields and carrying on with their daily lives. This factor, coupled with the large number of mines still present in the region, has proven to be a tragic combination. Since June last year until April of this year, 100 people have been killed and 387 people injured by mines in Kosovo. With each day of good weather the number is increasing.

In MNB(S) yesterday, UNMIK police reported that one 15 year old Kosovar Albanian was killed and one 17 year old seriously injured when they walked into a minefield to the East of Prizren. The injured boy was given first aid by a KFOR mobile medical treatment team and brought to the KFOR German field hospital in Prizren. KFOR Turkish military police, UNMIK police and an explosive ordnance demolition team were on the scene.

In MNB(E) around 4 p.m., a fifteen year old Kosovar Albanian struck a mine while ploughing a field near General Djankovic. KFOR Polish medics from the 18th Assault Battalion were on the scene and requested immediate medical evacuation. A KFOR American medical evacuation helicopter responded and transported the boy to the hospital in Camp Bondsteel. It is reported that the boy lost his right foot in the blast but is now in a stable condition and recovering from surgery. Three hours later, whilst ploughing the same field, a horse of a 39-year-old Kosovar Albanian male struck a mine. The Polish medics from the 18th Assault Battalion once again responded and treated the man who was slightly wounded from shrapnel.

Each MNB is conducting mine awareness training in their sectors for children and adults. Education is extremely important for identifying the potential dangers posed by mines. Although this is a continuous problem, the incidents of mines and UXO being identified and destroyed without injury is increasing on a daily basis.

Yesterday, in MNB(S), children found a PMR-2A anti-personnel mine that appeared to have been in this location for some time. The children did the right thing and reported the mine. An EOD team was dispatched to the area and disposed of the mine without incident.

In MNB(E), KFOR US 709th military police Company soldiers reported a PMA-5 anti-personnel mine near Gornja Budriga in the middle of a field. EOD responded and destroyed the mine. Also in MNB(E), KFOR US Infantry reported three anti-personnel mines and a mortar rounds. The mines were marked and EOD notified. In the same sector a 12-year-old Albanian boy approached a checkpoint near Urosevac and left the launcher of an anti-tank weapon. We wished the boy would have left the launcher marked and reported it - fortunately nobody was hurt.

Last night, at the entrance to Camp Bondsteel, a local man reported the location of a mine in a field. EOD responded and destroyed the mine in place.

In the coming weeks UNMACC and KFOR will continue to educate the people living and working in Kosovo of the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance. The de-mining of Kosovo will continue to be a major concern for both UNMIK and KFOR in the future.

The Minister of Interior of the German Federal State of Brandenburg, Mr. Schonbohm will visit Kosovo and meet with the press on Tuesday, May 30th, at 11.45 a.m. Mr. S is a also member of the Federal Conference of the Ministry of Interior and will therefore be available to answer questions concerning the return of refugees to Kosovo.

On Wednesday, the 31st May, the NATO Secretary-General, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, will have a press conference at the CPIC here in Pristina. The time is yet to be confirmed.

Questions.

Q. I’d like to know how many suspected persons who might have committed ethnic crimes have been caught until now and how many of them have been sentenced, punished, released…do you have any further information regarding this? Also you said somebody was suspected of last night’s crime. Can you give us some details on this person…his nationality?

SM. He is a Kosovar Albanian - police are searching for him. Regarding numbers of people arrested for ethnic crimes, I’ll try and find out whether the judicial department has that kind of a list, but there have been hundreds if not thousands of arrests made in Kosovo and I don’t believe they have been divided up that way. When they approach the time of going to trial they may somehow be given that distinction, but there’s no charge of ethnicity in a murder or assault charge…that comes with some analysis into the case. I’ll see if they’ve made any distinction in that way.

Q. If you’ve had thousands of arrests but you don’t specify them as ethnic crimes then why do you need the court on ethnic crimes?

SM. We know very well, as you do, that there are and have been ethnic crimes committed in Kosovo. Whether there’s a list of charges at this point divided into ethnic or non-ethnic, I’ll have to find out for you.

Q. Do you know whether the visit of Mr. Schonbohm is expected to see the announcement of a massive…considerable plan to increase refugee, asylum seekers and deportees back to Kosovo and one of the reasons why he has come here is to inform the SRSG that this is going to take place.

SM. I don’t know the answer to that, I’ll find out. We have been expecting certain numbers of phased returns all year but I’ll find out if there’s any increase expected.

Q. What are the subjects of discussion between Mr. Kouchner and Kostov? Can you give us more details about the meeting?

SM. It is part of Dr. Kouchner’s efforts to increase discussions with Kosovo’s neighbours and to increase contacts between them. They will be regional issues. Dr. Kouchner was one of the key speakers at this conference on Saturday, “Kosovo and its neighbours” and it was along the same theme - how to involve the whole region in closer relations with Kosovo. As you know, Prime Minister Georgievski of the FYROM was here, as where Montenegrin leaders and Serbian opposition figures and it is in that same light that he is visiting Bulgaria.

Q. Can you give us more details about the shooting in Cernica and the behaviour of US troops in responding to that incident?

SS. I know at this time that the MNB(E) public affairs office put out a statement regarding the shooting. What I know at this time is that the two individuals injured are currently listed as stable but further details are pending and an investigation is ongoing. There’s a description of a possible suspect and we are currently looking for that individual. Other than that I’ll have to refer you to MNB(E)

Q. I’d like to make a request concerning that statement from Bondsteel. It didn’t mention the ethnicity of the victims or the attackers and a lot of this believe it is quite important to put in this information.

SS. I’ll make a note of it. The victims are Serbian and the potential suspect is believed to be Albanian.

Q. [Partially inaudible question] …a Turkish newspaper has published a letter written by Mr. Kouchner addressing the Turkish community, in which he asks for money from the Turks if they want to realize their own democratic rights. Is this Dr. Kouchner’s private opinion of or is this the official policy of UNMIK?

SM. I could not hear the question: It is the official policy of UNMIK to promote democracy, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all the communities of Kosovo, the Turkish community, being one of the major communities of Kosovo. Yes, that is official UNMIK policy; it comes from our mandate, Resolution 1244.