IHF Statement on Kosovo and Montenegro
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 98 12:41:41 -0500
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
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Subject: IHF Statement on Kosovo and Montenegro
From: MINELRES moderator \ Internet: ([email protected])
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IHF Statement on Kosovo and Montenegro
PRESS RELEASE
23/1/1998
Topic: Serious Human Rights Problems in Kosovo and Montenegro
We distribute the latest press release of the International Helsinki
Federation on Kosovo and Montenegro.
Kosovo: Urgent Appeal For Courage, Leadership, and Cooperation
Belgrade, Pristine, Podgoriza, 21 January 1998
The situation in Kosovo has reached an unprecedented danger level, which
requires urgent, determined efforts to convince FRY President Slobodan
Milosovic to agree to a process of international mediation about the future
political status of Kosovo.
A delegation of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights and
its affiliates in Kosovo, Montenegro, Norway, and Serbia* , recommend an
immediate initiative to convene an international, "Dayton-like" conference
to resolve the present crisis, which threatens to escalate into a bloody
military confrontation.
As an expert observer in Kosovo remarked, "Concern is not a policy."
Our organizations urgently call attention to the following:
- The resolve of Kosovo Albanians to deal non-violently with Serb oppression
is reaching the point of exhaustion. Other ominous indications of possible
forthcoming dangerous escalation of violence are the appearance of the so-
called "Kosovo Liberation Army" that has assumed responsibility for at least
17 killings of Serbian related targets, as well as the massive and peaceful
protests of Albanian students, which have been violently broken up by
Serbian police.
- The IHF held discussions with numerous observers and leaders, including
President of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, and
other prominent figures, as well as interviews with local human rights
defenders and villagers from the region of Drenica, where a Serbian police
convoy was ambushed in November 1997. The IHF has been given three possible
explanations for acts of armed violence in this region: acts by a coherent
organization, referred to in the media as the "Kosovo Liberation Army";
cases of individual armed resistance by desperate groups, defending their
homes and families; and acts perpetrated by Serbian secret police as a
pretext for increased military intervention in Kosovo, in order to tighten
their grip on the already oppressed region. In any event, the level of
violence has increased dramatically, and there are areas, visited by the IHF
delegation, which are now avoided by Serb police.
- The IHF delegation received numerous reports of preparations by Serbian
military and police forces, including special police exercises in the Denica
villages of Kuchiche and Golesh, and in the vicinity of the villages of Peja
and Lipjan, as well as the special police training site at Ajvalia,
apparently aimed at intimidating the Albanian population, and in preparation
for a large-scale military crack-down. Increased militarization of Kosovo
reportedly includes arming of Serb civilians with additional weapons.
Notorious Serb paramilitary leader "Arkan" has also reportedly been observed
in the area, an indication of possible violence against Albanians.
- Organizations of Albanian students plan more non-violent demonstrations,
which the IHF commends as a brave and peaceful approach, but which must not
be broken up by violent intervention of Serbian police forces.
The IHF recommends that international organizations express their solidarity
with these students and their legitimate demands for release of the premises
of the university. The Education Agreement must be implemented immediately
as a first step toward normalization.
Furthermore, international institutions should support confidence-building
measures on the level of civil society, which will facilitate implementation
of an international political solution.
Montenegro:
The IHF delegation urges respect for the outcome of the recent Montenegrin
Presidential elections, which were found to be fair by OSCE and other
international observers.
We strongly recommend that OSCE monitor the upcoming parliamentary elections
. Representatives of the People's Party (Novak Kilibarda), the Liberal
Alliance (Ranco Demovic), the Democratic Union of Albanian's (Ferhat Dinosha
) and the Bulatovic fraction of the Democratic Party of Socialists (Milatin
Ojdanic), as well as the Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs (Branko
Perovic) all expressed support for this recommendation.
Furthermore, the IHF urges an OSCE presence in Montenegro aimed at
strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law.
We believe a positive process has begun, under which minorities in
Montenegro can begin more fully to exercise their rights and participate in
political life. We reject efforts by some media to mobilize Montenegrins
against their fellow citizens through "hate speech."
At this time, the freedom of movement of Montenegrin citizens is limited by
the closure of borders with Albania and Croatia. This policy of the Federal
authorities is baseless and suggests political manipulation.
All the political figures with whom the IHF spoke, including the
representative of the Bulatovic faction, supported a negotiated political
solution to the "Kosovo problem."
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* The delegation included Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director of the IHF;
Jennifer Lincoln-Lewis, IHF Secretariat; Bjorn Engesland, Secretary General
of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee; Sonja Biserko, Chairman of the Serbian
Helsinki Committee; Gazmend Pula, Chairman of the Kosovo Helsinki Committee;
Slobodan Franovic, Chairman of the Montenegrin Helsinki Committee; and
Branislav Pantovic, Montenegrin Helsinki Committee. Obrad Savic of Belgrade
Circle also took part.
__________________________________
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) is a non-
governmental organization which monitors compliance with the human rights
provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and its follow-up documents. In
addition to supporting and providing liaison among 34 Helsinki committees,
the IHF has direct links with human rights activists where no Helsinki
committees exists. It criticizes human rights abuses regardless of the
political system of the state where these abuses occur.
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GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR
(Greek National Committee of the International Helsinki Federation)
& MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP - GREECE
(Greek Affiliate of Minority Rights Group International)
P.O. Box 51393, GR-14510 Kifisia, Greece; tel. 30-1-620.01.20; fax:
30-1-807.57.67;
e-mail: [email protected] web site: http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/
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