ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE ARTICLE FROM KOHA DITORE
(geographical names are left as in Albanian text published in the Pristina daily)
Beware Of Serb Plans To Colonize
Kosova
Piter Rogel
Trans. M.M.
March 4 (Koha Ditore)
There are many reactions in Kosova concerning the latest
Serbian movements inside and outside Kosova (establishment of Municipalities’
Union, and Djindjic’s initiatives), which aim to establish two ‘entities’ under
the Serbian sovereignty in Kosova.
However, the Albanians should not aside
the concrete steps in this direction, which are more dangerous for Kosova fate
than the previous declarations of Serbian politicians. This has to do with the
Serbian demographic projects, and it is indispensable to prepare effective
counter-measures to defeat this threat.
EXAMPLES OF COLONIZATION AND
SERBIAN ETHNIC PROJECTING IN KOSOVA
In Belgrade’s daily newspaper ‘Politika’, issued on 24 February,
we can read a story of a Serb family displaced from Ferizaj, for which Covic’s
Coordination Center constructed a house in the Serb village Kormjan of Dardana
(Kamenica) Municipality.
Kormjan is a Serb village in east of Kosova,
only 4-5 kilometers away from the border with Serbia. This is the nearest
village to this border (in fact, with the border with Presheva Valley), out of
50 Serb villages, ‘gathered’ in eastern part of Kosova.
The
above-mentioned article in ‘Politika’ is direct confirmation that the
re-establishment of Serbs displaced by ‘Albanian entity’ to design a ‘Serb
entity’ in Kosova, has already started. Instead of returning to their residence
in Ferizaj (which the Serbs consider to belong to the ‘Albanian entity’ now),
this Serb family was placed in the eastern part of Kosova, which is strategic
and very important, and which the Serbs have reserved it for themselves.
Six months earlier, on 24 August, in the same Belgrade daily newspaper,
there was a story of the Serb village of Ropotova e Madhe (in Dardana
Municipality), where “the houses constructed by Coordinating Center were blown
up”, without mentioning who they were constructed for. In December last year,
there was an article in ‘Politika’ that told of a plan to construct other new
houses in the Serb village Hodefc in the same municipality this spring. At the
end of last year, a new school was constructed in the Serb village Carefc (this
news was published in the web site of ‘Radio OK’ in Vranje, Serbia). Based on
the law, Dardana Municipality officials should have issued construction permits
for these facilities. However, it is natural that the Serbs would not consider
them anyway.
These are clear signs that the Serb colonization has already
started in the eastern part of Kosova. In the maps for Kosova cantonization, it
is seen that Serbs see eastern Kosova as a connection between Serbia and the
largest Serb enclave south of Prishtina. There are also plans for Serbian
cantonization of other zones.
In ‘Politika’ of 13 December last year,
there was an article that told for UNMIK plan for the construction of 57 houses
for the displaced Serbs of Mirefc, Merdare, and Livadice villages of Podujevo
Municipality.
Podujevo Municipal administrator, Michael Verling,
confirmed personally that these houses were not projected for the Serbs that
previously lived here; but however, these houses will be constructed when they
could “match with the agreeable security conditions.” “Matching with the
agreeable conditions” in practice means, they will be placed near the Serbian
border. If the 57 new Serb houses will be constructed close to the Serbian
border, then Kosova territory will be deprived of that part. The speech of UNMIK
administrator in Podujevo, displays the UNMIK stance (and also the contradiction
of Steiner’s insincere declarations against parallel institutions), towards
Kosova integration and Serbian colonization of Kosova. It is insanity when
Kosova Assembly requests such UNMIK to undertake measures against the
self-announced union of Serb municipalities, when it is clear that UNMIK has
secret agreement with the Serbs.
This is not the first example that
Serbia with international assistance (KFOR/UNMIK) encroaches Kosova territory in
Podujevo Municipality.
In ‘Politika’ of 6 December last year, you can
read that Medvedja Municipality in Serbia (which is led by Serbs), has financed
the road construction between mountain and field villages Sekiraqe / Metergoc
and Serbia. Serbian Construction Company ‘Vranje’ and Czech and Slovak KFOR
battalion conducted the construction. It is unknown whether Podujevo
Municipality officials issued a permit to the Serbian company to conduct the
workings within the municipality territory.
In Belgrade’s daily newspaper
‘Danas’ of 6 January, you can read that the criteria regulation to allocate the
assembled apartments and houses for refugees and displaced persons, was put in
effect.
According to this regulation, not only Kosova Serbs, but the
others as well (Serb refugees from Croatia and Bosnia, and other homeless Serbs
as well), have a possibility to receive the completed apartments and houses,
released on a rent by Belgrade government. This is a legal basis for the new
Serbian colonization of Kosova.
ALBANIANS’ SHORT-TERM RESPONSES
AGAINST THIS COLONIZATION
The colonization of eastern part of Kosova,
presents a serious threat to Kosova security and integration, larger than
Serbian declarations and Djindjic’s initiatives. Albanians are wrong if they
believe UNMIK will obstruct this and protect Kosova integrity.
No one
will protect Kosova integrity if the Albanians don’t do this. The spring is
coming and the colonization will intensify visibly in the following weeks and
months, and thus it is indispensable to prepare measures against
this.
First, it is necessary for the Albanians to organize strict
monitoring of Serb villages along Serbian borderline, and also of the northern
part of Kosova that is controlled by the Serbs.
The construction of
houses and other facilities should be obstructed in the way that according to
the internationals, this should be done in a way not to result with unneeded
victims. All these buildings are Belgrade properties (that are rented to the
colonists) and Albanians have moral right to destroy them. The same Serbs that
come to Kosova as colonists from Belgrade criminal regime remains, have no right
to live in Kosova, and they present legitimate targets for attacks. Therefore,
the residents of the Serb villages situated for colonization should live in fear
while the human rights of other Serbs will be respected.
The Serb
villages along the borderline should disconnect from Serbia, including the
electricity system and telephone services. If these Serb villages are furnished
with power by Kosova (KEK) and phone services, this presents a step that
prevents the colonization in a high level. On the other side, if they are
furnished by Serbia, these connections should be cut completely. It would be
good to destroy the electric and telephone lines that come from Serbia and are
spread in Serb villages.
These are the villages that should be monitored
continuously because they are adequate to become target of Serbian
colonization:
Eastern Kosova: (Dardana (Kamenica), Gjilan, Novo Brdo,
Prishtina Municipalities) Mali Krshlanci (small village in south of Hodanoc),
Domoroc, Kormjani I Poshtem, Kormjani I Eperm, Ranillug, Gllogoc, Drenoc,
Tomanc, Panqela Ropotova e Vogel, Ropotova e Madhe, Hodefci, Rajnofc, Rozhefc,
Mozgova, Draganc, Kufca e Eperme, Melci, Shillova, Stanishori, Koretishta,
Strazha, Parallova, Zebnica, Manishnica, Prekovica, Izvor, Bostani, Trniqevci,
Broanaci, Makresh, Jasenovik, Belofc, Tirinca, Hanofci, Mesina, Businca,
Grizima, Boshca, Carefci, Mocari, Strellci, Konstadinca, Kolloleqi, Carrakofci,
Vaganeshi, Novoberda, Berivojca, Miganofci, Strezofci, Gragjenik, Rahovica, and
Klobukar.
Northern Drenica (Skenderaj and Burim Municipalities): Baja,
Suhogerlla, Cerkolezi.
Podujevo: Metergoc/Sekiraqa
Besides, the whole
Kosova-Serbia borderline should be monitored. The control of Stabllina-Hodanoc
area in eastern Kosova is of a big importance.
It is important the
Albanians to consist the majority in all mixed villages in eastern Kosova
(Berivojce, Gragjenik, Rahovica, Novoberda, Mesina, Draganca, Strezoc). This is
indispensable, so can these villages belong to municipalities headed by
Albanians when/if the announced ‘decentralization’ starts to apply. Certain
things should be done in order to reach this.
First, it is necessary to
obstruct the buying of Albanian property in these villages by Belgrade. Covic in
March last year, announced that they have plans to buy the Albanians’ property.
It is natural that the mixed villages are main targets for the buyers, sponsored
by Belgrade.
Second, the Albanians should accelerate buying Serbs’
property in the mixed residences (the most important is Berivojce, near Dardana)
and strategic border zones. Differently, the buying of Serbs’ property by
Serbian Coordination Center (SCC) should be stopped.
Belgrade newspaper
‘Politika’ last December, wrote that the SCC bought the houses for Serbs in
Gjilan from a Serb that emigrated in Serbia. Since Kosova is still in a war with
Serbia (since, differently from NATO, Kosova did not reach any peaceful
agreement with Belgrade), each building in Kosova that is Belgrade’s property,
is a legitimate attack target.
Third, all the mixed villages (Berivojce,
Rahovica, Gragjenik, Strezofc, Mesina in Dardana Municipality; Draganica and
Parallova in Gjilan; Novoberda and Kllobokari in Novoberda, Cerkolezi in Burim)
and the ones along the Serbian border (Mucibaba, Zajcec, etc) and in northern
Kosova that are controlled by Serbs, should be resided by Albanians. There will
be no justification if a certain house in the strategic villages along the
Serbian border remains uninhabited. For instance, in the mixed village of
Rahovica alone, in northern part of Dardana, there are 40 uninhabited houses
(Serb and Albanian). The homeless people, banished from their homes, refugees
from north Mitrovica, and other people in need, should be placed in these
villages.
As long as Belgrade wants to have certain strategic points with the
displaced Serbs, at the same time, Kosova institutions as well, should request
to be established in the strategic zones. In crisis situations (as Kosova is
facing now), the placement in these houses does not present only a shelter
function, but it is also important for the protection of the country.
Shelters in such zones are also natural shield against the penetration
of the enemy. No reasonable government would allow these shields remain empty in
critical times. TMK teams should urgently do the estimation of all strategic
places ( i.e. the mixed villages, and the ones close to zones, resided and
controlled by Serbs) so they can locate all the abandoned houses.
Kosova
institutions should then send people in need, to these houses. This should be an
order addressed to the owners to give the uninhabited houses, since it is a
national interest to reside the strategic zones, and if possible, to give a
compensation to the owners.
If the Albanians will not ‘conduct the works’
with these strategic positions, the Serbs will do this instead. There is a plan
for the return of displaced Serbs in Rahovec, and if this village will be
resided only by Serbs, then it is a real danger that the village will belong to
Serbian administration unit. Albanians should be vigilant and active if they
don’t want to face unpleasant surprises. This spring will be critical for the
obstruction of Serbian colonization plans for Kosova.
Naturally, these
are only direct and short-term measures. In a long perspective, this should be
indispensable to ensure the Albanians’ interests.
However, it is
necessary the Albanians not to hesitate, and lay on UNMIK and internationals,
since no one, except the Albanians themselves, will protect Kosova.
http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim10mar03.html#5
