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http://www.kosovo.com/news/archive/2005/November_26/1.html
November 26, 2005
KiM Info Newsletter 26-11-05
Patriarch Pavle meets with Martti Ahtisaari
"We are now hoping that the international community, together with the Serbs and the Albanians, will do everything that is necessary to
finally bring peace back to Kosovo and Metohija. It is important that Mr. Ahtisaari and his associates familiarize themselves thoroughly
with the real situation on the ground, and toward that end that they speak with the Albanians, the Serbs and members of the minority
communities," emphasized Patriarch Pavle. "We pray to God for peace and that what has befallen us does not befall any other people in
the world. We pray to God for peace, justice and freedom for all, for the Serbs, the Albanians and all others equally. We hope that you, too,
are here as men of good will who will help in establishing peace, justice and freedom."
HIS HOLINESS SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE MEETS WITH MARTTI AHTISAARI
Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
November 25, 2005
His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Grace Bishop
Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic and Protopresbyter Savo B. Jovic, chief secretary to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox
church, received Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for negotiations on the future status
of Kosovo, together with his deputy, Mr. Albert Rohan, and their associates, in the Belgrade Patriarchate today.
Patriarch Pavle informed the eminent guests that he had served as bishop in Kosovo and Metohija for 34 years, and was well acquainted with
local conditions there. He also informed them about the major expulsion, unprecedented in modern world history, of some 250,000 Orthodox
Serbs and ethnic minority members, and the destruction of 150 churches and monasteries since 1999, when international forces assumed
administration of the southern Serbian province. This is the biggest act of ethnic cleansing ever carried out "in a time of peace" anywhere in
the world. Nevertheless, the most tragic and irreparable tragedy of all is the loss of a large number of human lives. "We are now hoping that
the international community, together with the Serbs and the Albanians, will do everything that is necessary to finally bring peace back to
Kosovo and Metohija. It is important that Mr. Ahtisaari and his associates familiarize themselves thoroughly with the real situation on the
ground, and toward that end that they speak with the Albanians, the Serbs and members of the minority communities," emphasized Patriarch
Pavle. "We pray to God for peace and that what has befallen us does not befall any other people in the world. We pray to God for peace,
justice and freedom for all, for the Serbs, the Albanians and all others equally. We hope that you, too, are here as men of good will who will
help in establishing peace, justice and freedom."
Mr. Ahtisaari informed Patriarch Pavle and the other representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church that he and his associates had received
a mandate from the Secretary-General of the United Nations to conduct negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija. Toward
that end, in addition to the Albanian leaders in Kosovo and Metohija, he had already met with His Grace Bishop Teodosije in Visoki Decani
Monastery and seen for himself the difficult living conditions of that monastic community under the essential military protection of Italian
soldiers and lacking even the right of freedom of movement. "Our intention, in cooperation with the UNMIK leadership, is to open up the
local society so that all communities can live freely. My impression is that Decani Monastery is a place that survived. The only positive
example in the present situation. The orders and instructions of the UN Secretary-General, as well as of the member countries of the Contact
Group, are to ensure the protection of all communities and cultural heritage. In this I see the great contribution to be made by the Serbian
Orthodox Church and you personally, considering the great influence you have on the people. The visits to Pristina and Belgrade, and the
talks we have held this time are our first attempt to get a grasp on the problem."
Metropolitan Amfilohije briefly outlined for Mr. Ahtisaari with the entire tragic history of Kosovo and Metohija from the great migrations of
the Orthodox population under Ottoman rule and constant conflicts which continue to the present day. Later, during World War II and the
occupation, approximately 250,000 Serbs and minority members were expelled from Kosovo and Metohija, and an additional 150,000 during
the time of Communist rule. The torching of the Pec Patriarchate in 1981 signified the new awakening of Albanian nationalist chauvinism and
the intent to ethnically cleanse Kosovo and Metohija, emphasized the Metropolitan. "If Kosovo and Metohija become independent, there is
no doubt that the Serbs and the ancient Christian culture there will experience the same kind of catastrophe and the Greeks and their culture
in Asia Minor after World War I. Hence, your task is far from simple. It is clear that international forces cannot remain forever in the region
but the International Community must find a way for displaced persons to return to their homes. Refugee returns is not only an essential
matter of enabling basic human rights and a matter of humaneness but a prerequisite for the survival of the remaining holy shrines. It is
essential to protect our ancient churches and monasteries - the Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica, Bogorodica Ljeviska and others - following the
model of special protection zones such as that around Decani Monastery; however, the holy shrines exist for the people and if there are no
people they will perish despite the protection zones. In this sense, you have the full support of the Serbian Orthodox Church to carry out
your difficult and demanding task. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and its full implementation could contribute to finding a model for
the future status of Kosovo and Metohija. This solution is the only realistic solution that can bring peace to Kosovo and Metohija and
Serbia, as well as to the entire Balkan peninsula.
At the conclusion of the meeting with Mr. Ahtisaari, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle presented him with copies of the Communiqué of the
Serbian Assembly of Bishops following its discussion on Kosovo and Metohija, and the Memorandum of the Holy Assembly of Bishops on
Kosovo and Metohija, both official documents of the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church regarding this issue.
TV Most taken off the air in central Kosovo and Metohija
Kosovska Mitrovica International Press Center
November 24, 2005
According to the decision of the UNMIK Office of the provisional commissioner for media, the repeaters on Mokra Gora and near Gracanica
were turned off yesterday, leaving the area of Metohija and central Kosovo in media darkness.
Subsequently, the director of TV Most, Zvonimir Miladinovic, held a press conference today during which he warned that by obstructing the
broadcast of the only Serbian television program in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbs and other non-Albanian communities have been left in an
information blackout, depending exclusively on the Albanian media.
"It's a fact that we began broadcasting, perhaps too soon in our desire to provide Serbian language programming for central Kosovo and
Metohija, from Gracanica three years ago without an official permit. We did so as a result of numerous requests and petitions by Serbian and
other non-Albanian citizens living in this area, who also approached the Coordinating Center," said Miladinovic.
He reminded that on September 3 this year TV Most sent an official request to UNMIK asking for permission of use for its frequency. Instead
of a response, it received an order for TV Most to cease broadcasting immediately and remove its repeaters used in "illegal broadcasting".
According to Miladinovic, previous special representatives and KFOR commanders in Kosovo and Metohija used TV Most to send their
messages and explanations of their operations and activities to the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, recognizing the television
station as one of the most popular in this area.
TV Most sent notification yesterday to the special representative of the UN secretary-general Soren Jessen-Petersen, asking for his
intervention in order to resolve the problem of legalizing the frequency as soon as possible.
Appropriate officials of the Republic of Serbia have also been notified regarding the interruption in broadcasting of TV Most programming,
and an appeal to journalistic associations is forthcoming.
Commenting on the situation, the Serb National Council assessed that the UNMIK commissioner for media Robert Gillette had made "an
anti-Serb decision". "Even before the beginning of negotiations on the status of the southern Serbian province, he openly took the side of
the Albanian separatists, the extremist advocates of an independent Kosovo and Metohija."
"The SNC of Kosovo and Metohija demands that this irrational and highly damaging decision by Robert Gillette, which denies the Serbs of
Kosovo and Metohija the right to receive information in their native language and, at the same time, intentionally weakens the Serbian
position during the course of the negotiations on the status of Kosovo and Metohija, be rescinded immediately," assessed the SNC.
Journalists working for local media also reacted, announcing their protest.
[news] "We pray to God for peace, justice and freedom for all" ANTIC.org-SNN
Snip: Christians in Pakistan have been offered a government apology over an attack by Muslim militants, in a gesture described as “a hopeful sign” by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. Dr Williams has been on a tour of Pakistan and has asked the country's president, Pervez Musharraf, to review the country’s controversial blasphemy laws.
On 12 November, Muslims torched three churches, two Catholic schools, pastor’s houses, other homes and a convent in Sangla Hill - after alleging that a Christian had burned a copy of the Qur’an. People who know the man say that he is illiterate, and the false rumour was started by spiteful neighbours.
Pakistani law decrees that desecration of the Qur’an is punishable by death. Christians say the law, which incorporates many other offences, is used to attack them and other minority groups.