Posted on 03/23/2004 5:47:38 PM PST by wonders
GRACANICA, Serbia-Montenegro - NATO (news - web sites)-led peacekeepers in Kosovo smashed through doors and tossed stun grenades in pre-dawn raids Tuesday to collect evidence on what caused the worst ethnic violence here since the 1999 war.
About 200 peacekeepers raided four houses in Obilic, a city just outside the provincial capital, Pristina. Norwegian forces arrested two people and stuffed evidence in trash bags, seeking clues on who was behind the clashes between Serbs and ethnic Albanians that killed 28, destroyed 366 homes and burned 41 churches. In all, 196 people have been arrested.
Also, two police officers were shot to death in a morning attack in the village of Sakovica, some 15 miles north of the capital, said U.N. police spokesman Derek Chappell.
The police vehicle was riddled with bullets. NATO-led peacekeepers arrived at the scene and started searching a small hill nearby with flashlights.
"This is a very extensive crime scene," Chappell said. "A lot of bullets have been fired."
In a visit to the town earlier Tuesday, the top U.N. official in Kosovo declared that there was organization behind the violence. Harri Holkeri said those behind the attacks "tried to destroy the whole future of Kosovo."
"They are responsible for severe crimes against humanity," Holkeri said.
The NATO commander in the central part of Kosovo apologized for failing to anticipate the potential for violence in a province where tensions still simmer five years after the end of the war.
"We got it wrong," Swedish Brig. Gen. Anders Braennstroem said at a meeting with leaders from the Serb communities near Pristina. "For that I am very sorry."
Last week's attacks were the worst outbreak of violence since 1999, when a NATO air war ended a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanians seeking independence. The war killed 10,000 ethnic Albanians.
Kosovo has been an international protectorate since then, its final status to be decided by the United Nations (news - web sites). For now, it officially remains a part of Serbia-Montenegro, the successor state of Yugoslavia.
The deaths of two boys in an incident blamed on the Serbs triggered days of rioting, looting and arson by ethnic Albanians. About 600 people were injured and 4,000 were homeless by week's end.
About 180 Serbs left homeless by the violence tried to leave the province or travel to the province's largest Serb enclave with little success Tuesday. Peacekeepers escorted the Serbs off a NATO base where they had taken shelter, but local leaders backed down on promises to provide buses or other transportation for them to leave.
Weeping women stood in front of buses that had taken them from the NATO base to the Serb enclave of Gracanica, insisting they had been promised passage to places they felt safer under an agreement with local Serb officials. The deal had been witnessed by an officer serving with NATO-led peacekeepers.
"They promised! They promised!" said Milica Todorovic, 48, who became hysterical after learning she would have to stay on a cot in a school converted to an emergency shelter. "We don't want to come here."
Irish Lt. Col. Ger Aherne stood against a schoolyard wall, arms folded across his chest, flatly reminding local representative Dragan Velic of his promises.
"You publicly reneged on your agreement," Aherne said.
Velic promised to provide buses, but by late afternoon, none had arrived.
The United Nations defended Velic's decision, arguing that no arrangements had been made to care for the Serbs in the areas where they want to go.
The incident underlined the tremendous pressure being placed on the remaining 100,000 or so Orthodox Christian Serbs in Kosovo. Many wish to leave, fearing further attacks in the mostly Muslim ethnic Albanian-dominated province. But Serb leaders want them to stay so they can retain their territorial claims on the province, which is run by the United Nations but remains part of Serbia-Montenegro.
Meanwhile, several thousand ethnic Albanians walked toward the cemetery in the divided city of Kosovska Mitrovica to attend the funerals of four men who were killed in last week's riots. Local leaders appealed for calm.
Two NATO helicopters hovered overhead while mourners held a minute of silence. They buried the men in coffins draped with Albanian flags, and said they died while demonstrating to unite the city.
"We feel great pain and pride," said Halil Haliti, the uncle of one of the dead. "His death has strengthened our determination not to let the city go and achieve independence."
This is so sad...The albanians used to be a minority in the country...Now they want to force the remaining Serbs to stay there so our leaders can't be accused of total genocide...
Shouldn't be a problem with the KLA intimidating witnesses, the photos stand for themselves.
UNMIK/KFOR simply collects the photos, id's the rock throwers etc. and starts rounding 'em up.
Two UNMIK police officers have been ambushed and shot to death i.e. the KLA/Thaci's favorite tactic. The Serbs are far better allies in this conflict against these mutts who have only one thing on thier mind and it involves a lot of killing. The US/NATO/UN had better understand who in the hell is shooting at them and with deadly results. Maybe pick their friends more wisely? Its time to let the Serbs back into Kosovo to protect their own as it seems the Albanians do not respect the concept of being civilized. Never the less something wicked this way cometh......
It never stops, the treating of these people as second-hand humans. I am so tired of it.
Irish Lt. Col. Ger Aherne stood against a schoolyard wall, arms folded across his chest, flatly reminding local representative Dragan Velic of his promises."You publicly reneged on your agreement," Aherne said. Velic promised to provide buses, but by late afternoon, none had arrived.
Dragan Velic sounds like a Serb name to me.
The United Nations defended Velic's decision, arguing that no arrangements had been made to care for the Serbs in the areas where they want to go.
I can understand this. Had a similar situation myself once. It was Serbs leaving Sector West, Croatia, travelling through Sector North (my area) en route to Banja Luka area. To my horror, and that of the local Serb refugee council, these poor refugees were going to be dumped after dark just across the border in BiH in a very insecure, mined area. So I gave permission for the local Serb council to feed and put them up overnight and, with some help from UNHCR, make arrangements for them to be transported to a safe place the next day. The refugees were very happy with how it all worked out. There's no point moving people from the frying pan to the fire. I know these people are in terror and misery, but sometimes it's safer to stay where you are until proper arrangements can be made.
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