ERRC Letter to UN Special Representative for Kosovo
Reply-To: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 10:49:55 +0300 (EET DST)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: ERRC Letter to UN Special Representative for Kosovo
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: European Roma Rights Center <[email protected]>
ERRC Letter to UN Special Representative for Kosovo
On October 21, 1999, the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), an
international public interest law NGO for the defense the rights of
Roma in Europe, sent a letter to Mr Bernard Kouchner, UN Special
Representative for Kosovo, to express concern at recent published
threats to the life of Mr Veton Surroi, editor of the Kosovo daily
Kote Ditore. Mr Surroi is an outspoken proponent of inter-ethnic
tolerance in Kosovo. The ERRC urged Mr Kouchner to act to act to
protect Mr Surroi from acts of violence. The text of the ERRC letter
follows:
Dear Dr Kouchner,
The European Roma Rights Center, an international public interest law
NGO for the defense the rights of Roma in Europe, is deeply concerned
over reported threats to the life of Veton Surroi and Baton Haxiu,
respectively publisher and editor of the Kosovo newspaper "Koha
Ditore".
It has been reported in the international media that the Kosova Press
agency has in an article accused these individuals of being "common
mafia types" whose "criminal acts should not go unpunished", and who
could become the object of "very understandable revenge".
Such language in any circumstances amounts to advocacy for murder; you
are probably aware better than anyone, Dr Kouchner, that in the
present circumstances in Kosovo such language amounts to a public
ultimatum emanating from persons who undoubtedly have the means to
execute their threat.
Apparently the anger of these persons was in this instance triggered
off by an editorial in "Koha Ditore", claiming that Albanians,
themselves victims to "fascism", should not in their victory behave as
"fascists" towards the Serbian minority in Kosovo. We believe that
this newspaper is at present the only effective medium in Kosovo that
publicly and consistently defends the idea of multiethnicity and
ethnic reconciliation. The paper does this on the same grounds of
principle that prompted it to defend the Albanian minority against
Serbian racism before and during the war. When the war started and
Serbian armed men began systematically to decimate the handful of
Kosovar intellectuals who had chosen to remain in their ravaged
homeland, Veton Surroi was among the main targets; he preferred to go
underground, constantly risking death, but to remain in Kosovo. In
fact, you might recall, Dr Kouchner, that Mr Surroi was erroneously
reported dead at that time; it turned out that another Kosovar
intellectual had been murdered. After the war, through his newspaper
and other media, Mr Surroi has repeatedly defended the right of Serbs,
Roma, and other Kosovars of non-Albanian ethnicity to live in the new
Kosovo. What he has been defending, in fact, is one of the chief aims
of the international community in Kosovo.
The European Roma Rights Center has conducted extensive field research
on the human rights situation in Kosovo, centering on the problems of
the Kosovo Roma. We have noted with regret numerous cases pointing
that members of all minorities do not seem to get from the KFOR the
protection that they are entitled to according to the KFOR mandate.
Ex-KLA members and persons claiming to be "KLA" abuse the permissive
stance taken by the KFOR towards the Albanian majority as a whole.
The recent killing of an UNMIK official is but one grave example.
However, the threat to Veton Surroi and Baton Haxiu highlights another
serious public danger. We are not dealing here with events commonly
described, e.g., as "spontaneous outburst of understandable revenge"
carried out by unruly youths against the "traditional ethnic enemy".
This is a threat made in cold blood by an official source. It is made
in a land governed by the UN. And it is made as a reaction to
upholding UN policy.
We believe, Dr Kouchner, that the international authorities in Kosovo
should react promptly to this ominous challenge. In particular, they
should assure that the lives of Veton Surroi and Baton Haxiu are not
in danger. In the reverse case we would be witnessing a United Nations
Organization that is not ready to take practical responsibility for
its own agenda.
We urge you, dear Dr Kouchner, to take a personal hand in this matter
of gravest importance.
Sincerely yours,
Dimitrina Petrova
Executive Director
*****************
The European Roma Rights Center is an international public interest
law organisation which monitors the rights of Roma and provides legal
defence in cases of human rights abuse. For more information about the
European Roma Rights Center, visit the ERRC on the web at
http://errc.org.
European Roma Rights Center
H-1525 Budapest 114
PO Box 10/24
Hungary
Telephone: (36 1) 42 82 351
Fax: (36 1) 42 82 356
*****************
SUPPORT THE ERRC!
The European Roma Rights Center is dependent upon the generosity of
individual donors for its continued existence. If you believe the ERRC
performs a service valuable to the public, please join in enabling its
future with a contribution. Gifts of all sizes are welcome; bank
tranfers are preferred. Please send your contribution to:
European Roma Rights Center
Budapest Bank Rt.
99P00402686
1054 Budapest
Bathory utca 1
Hungary
--
==============================================================
MINELRES - a forum for discussion on minorities in Central&Eastern
Europe
Submissions: [email protected]
Subscription/inquiries: [email protected]
List archive: http://www.riga.lv/minelres/archive.htm
==============================================================