Attacks against prominent Kosovars lead to renewed efforts to stem violence

A series of violent incidents committed against prominent citizens of Kosovo the past few days has led to serious discussions among members of the IAC, KTC and the Kosovo media about containing crime and violence more effectively. Ironically, the incidents came in the wake of ceremonies marking "Day Against Violence" on 9 September.

On 9 September, Marjan Melonasi, a journalist for Radio Television Kosovo (RTK), left work and has been missing since. On 10 September, Shefki Popova, a journalist for Rilindja, was murdered in Vushtrri/Vucitrn. On 11 September, Rexhep Luci, Director of the Department of Planning, Reconstruction and Development, was murdered in Dardania.

Devoting its 13 September discussions to the incidents, the KTC reaffirmed its "absolute determination" that "these acts of violence and intimidation of journalists, political actors and civil servants will not be accepted." It also called on the free media to continue striving for independent reporting and on all segments of society to contribute to the fight against violence.
   
Rexhep Luci, the respected architect who drafted the Pristina city urban plan, had been responsible for implementing the rules against illegal construction, a job which, in the words of SRSG Bernard Kouchner, "demanded great courage in the face of a lethal form of greed".     
   
The SRSG said he would sign an order regulating all construction in Kosovo. It would be the first UNMIK regulation bearing an individual's name: that of Rexhep Luci. The KTC strongly supported the resolve of the municipal authorities to continue fighting illegal construction.
       
Dr. Kouchner warned KTC members that the conspiracy of silence surrounding the recent and earlier killings in Kosovo would undermine what the international community and the Kosovars were trying to achieve.
   
Members expressed their disappointment at the continuing violence and the lack of effectiveness of the UNMIK Police in dealing with it. They supported the idea of establishing a committee that would cooperate with the Police and KFOR "to bring the perpetrators of these acts to justice".
   
While agreeing that the Police had not dealt effectively with the problem of violence, the SRSG said that since the start of the mission he had been asking for more and specialized police officers but the international community had not sent them in sufficient numbers. He argued, however, that each time a crime was committed, no one was willing to come forward with information; the Kosovars, who know their communities best, must come forward and help UNMIK counter the problem.
   
Following their meeting on 13 September on the issue of violence, IAC members met on 15 September with 20 editors and directors of Kosovo media to discuss the same topic. (On that day, the media did not print and broadcast to protest the unsolved murders.) Calling the discussions "very positive," SRSG Bernard Kouchner said that although participants could not agree on everything, they did agree on the essential: fighting violence.
   
The media should play a role in calming the level of violence by not reporting in ways that fuel antagonisms, he said, calling for a "moratorium" on inflammatory reporting. "We cannot impose it. It has to come from the media themselves, as freedom of the press is one of UNMIK's best achievements."
   
Media representatives presented "Kosovo Media Against Violence," a 15-point petition published and broadcast on 14 September. The SRSG was pleased to note that the media representatives were willing to implement the first point of their petition, which asks for freedom of movement.
   
"Today's meeting was an important milestone on the road leading to tolerance," remarked Dr. Kouchner.
   
The IAC members and media directors agreed to meet again

More judges sworn in

Seventy judges and prosecutors and 69 lay judges, including four Serbs, took their oaths of office on 14 September, in the last swearing-in ceremony for 2000. Appointments were made for the Supreme Court of Kosovo, the High Court of Minor Offences, as well as courts and prosecutors' offices at the district, municipal and minor offences level. The appointees will fill posts in Pristinė/Pristina, Kacanik, Podujevė/Podujevo, Ferizaj/Urosevac, Gllogovc/Glogovac and Lipjan/Lipljan.
   
"Kosovo needs justice and law and order," SRSG Bernard Kouchner told the newly appointed judiciary. More than 400 judges and prosecutors, over 550 lay judges, as well as seven international judges and three prosecutors, were now in office.
   
"You ... will have the strong collaboration of your international colleagues, providing each other with the support and benefit of your respective experience. We will not relent in our efforts to improve the courts, prosecution offices and detention and correctional facilities," he stated.

Campaign period starts

Ambassador Daan Everts, Deputy SRSG for Democratization and Institution Building (Pillar III) and Head of the OSCE Mission, has called on all those contesting the forthcoming municipal elections to be open and transparent.
   
Speaking on 13 September in Pristina at the launching of the  election campaign period, Ambassador Everts reminded all candidates to focus on local issues in their campaigns and to be accountable to the electorate. He underlined the wide international interest in the 28 October elections, saying they were a chance to show that the world community's investment had not been in vain. Therefore, it was important that political parties and their electorate meet democratic standards and open a new era of true multi-party democracy. He warned about the risk of violence marring the quality of the elections and demanded strict adherence to the Code of Conduct, which all the political entities had signed. He also urged Kosovars to use the elections to influence their governments at the local level.

SRSG urges democracy in two moretown hall meetings

SRSG Bernard Kouchner visited Skenderaj/Srbica on 13 September and Obiliq/Obilic on 14 September, as he continued his series of town hall meetings with Kosovars.
   
Addressing a crowd of more than 1,000 mostly young people in Skenderaj, the Head of UNMIK stated that only tolerance and democracy would bring investment into Kosovo. Free and fair elections as a result of political dialogue was the most important test for the future of a peaceful Kosovo, he said.
   
The concerns of the Skenderaj community centred on reviving the local economy and improving living conditions. Many factories have not been reactivated and many people are still without jobs. The reconstruction programme is taking time to start, although Skenderaj is one of the most devastated parts of Kosovo. More than 800 families fear spending another winter without homes. Five schools are still in tents.
   
The SRSG promised to call a meeting of partners working in Skenderaj to discuss how to accelerate reconstruction activities to prepare for winter.
   
Dr. Kouchner also met Kosovo Serb representatives in the Devic Monastery. They told him they were living totally isolated, with no freedom of movement, no jobs and no access to the surrounding lands they used to cultivate. They wished to see the international community help Kosovo Serbs to return to their homes as a sign of its commitment to make Kosovo a place where all communities could live.
   
In Obiliq/Obilic, people were worried about serious environmental problems, pensions that had not been paid, unemployment among youth, and the issue of detainees and missing persons. Dr. Kouchner said he was encouraged by the recent nomination of Ambassador Henrik Amneus by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as Special Envoy on Persons Deprived of Liberty, who would deal with the issue that had devastated the lives of many families.

School competition launched to promote human rights values

The Departments of Education and Science and Youth on 15 September launched a Kosovo-wide school competition aimed at instilling human rights values. The competition-called "Living Together in Kosovo, In Europe"-will promote tolerance and reconciliation, respect for others, democratic rule and a system of justice rather than revenge. "The peace process is impossible without the involvement of children," said SRSG Bernard Kouchner, who presided over the launching ceremony involving 300 students and various community leaders.

Children attending primary and special needs schools will compete in designing a poster, while secondary school students are to compose and record a song, or write a scenario for theatre, radio or film. Schools are asked to include all Kosovo ethnic groups in the competition. The winner in each category will be announced after 13 January 2001.

KPS performs independent patrols

The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) has moved one step closer to the goal of establishing itself as an independent police organization. From 15 September, KPS members began to perform self-directed patrol duties as independent officers, with UNMIK Police acting as observers and monitors. Initially, this will involve Kosovo officers from classes 1,2,3 and 4 working in Gjilan/Gnjilane and selected stations in Pristina; later this will be extended to other regions. This represents a significant stage in the transition of the KPS from its inception 12 months ago, to the creation of an autonomous, professional policing agency.
   
Meanwhile, the eighth class of police cadets graduated from the OSCE-run Kosovo Police Service School on 16 September. They bring to just under 2,000 the total number of trainee police officers who will have successfully graduated from the school's 8-week basic training course since it opened a year ago. Class 8 consists of 283 cadets  of whom 48 are non-Albanian. Class 9 (273 students, including 55 non-Albanian) began basic training on 21 August.

Briefs . . . .

The Department of Trade and Industry has announced an international tender for a long-term concession on the Ferronikeli complex. It seeks to identify a suitable investor who will take over the management, reconstruction and development of the complex. Located in central Kosovo, the complex consists of three open-cast mines with substantial ferronickel ore reserves and a large metallurgical complex outfitted by several well-known European manufacturers. The complex was damaged during the conflict and subsequent NATO bombings. Reconstruction and modernization estimates vary in size and scope, but substantive damage to the core facilities was minimal. Demand for nickel-based materials is expected to remain strong, further enhancing prospects.

The European Agency for Reconstruction held a workshop on 15 September for local business associations and entrepreneurs to identify how best to overcome obstacles to the development of some 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in Kosovo. The Agency is providing a total of DM 48.9 million from its 2000 budget aimed at fostering economic development in Kosovo.

The Central Fiscal Authority has announced that in preparation for the 15 October deadline for payment of the Presumptive Tax it will conduct educational seminars for taxpayers. The seminars will be held in: Mitrovicė/Mitrovica, on 20 September, at the Municipality Building (10 a.m.); Gjilan/Gnjilane, on 21 September, at the Municipal Court (11 a.m.); Prizren, on 22 September, at the Municipality Building (11 a.m.); Pejė/Peja, on 25 September, at Electro Kosovo Building (11 a.m.); Ferizaj/Urosevac, on 26 September, at the Municipality Building (11 a.m.); Gjakovė/Dakovica, on 27 September, at the Municipality Building (11 a.m.); Prishtinė/Pristina, on 28 September, at the Government Building (11 a.m.).

Efforts to combat the sulphuric acid leak in the Trepca complex in southern Mitrovica continue. The leak started on 12 September, just a day before a major emergency exercise to prepare for disasters was to take place. The acid reached the Ibar River on 15 September, and the PH level dropped to 3.