Macedonia Says It Reaches Agreement With Kosovo On Border

[Pejon09]

Macedonia Says It Reaches Agreement With Kosovo On Border

Nasdaq - Oct 25 11:16 AM
SKOPJE (AFP)--Macedonia and Kosovo - which unilaterally seceded from Serbia in February - have reached agreement on their border, Macedona's foreign ministry said Saturday.
"The entire border between Macedonia and Kosovo was formally announced after joint committees on Friday signed their reports" on the demarcation line, the ministry said in a statement.
The demarcation on the field is expected to be completed by the end of the month, the ministry added.
Earlier this month, Macedonia recognised Kosovo as an independent state. An agreement on the border was a prerequisite for two sides to establish diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors, now expected in November.
The recognition of Kosovo's independence provoked outrage in neighboring Serbia, which considers the disputed territory its southern province.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority in February unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia and has so far been recognized by more than 50 states, including the U.S. and most European Union countries.
But Serbia, backed by its traditional ally Russia, rejected the move as illegal and has asked, through a UN resolution, the International Court of Justice to rule if it was in accordance with the international law.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20081025%5cACQDJON200810251409DOWJONESDJONLINE000329.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Macedonia%20Says%20It%20Reaches%20Agreement%20With%20Kosovo%20On%20Border

[Killerkai1]

Do the Macedonians think by recoginzing Kosovo that they own Albanian problems will go away. No way. It's a remarkable position because if the court rules against Kosovo indepedence logically they along with other countries will need to withdraw recogntion !

[Pejon09]

Do the Macedonians think by recoginzing Kosovo that they own Albanian problems will go away. No way. It's a remarkable position because if the court rules against Kosovo indepedence logically they along with other countries will need to withdraw recogntion !

They dont have any problems, trust me Tirana and Prishtina will make sure of that.

ICJ outcome wont change much, I can even qoute Serbian leaders if you so ask nicely.

[BW2]

They dont have any problems, trust me Tirana and Prishtina will make sure of that.. *sigh* oh lord....

Who are you exactly that we should "trust"? What are you the self proclaimed president of all albanians in albania, kosovo and fyrom or something? Grow up please...

[Pejon09]

*sigh* oh lord....

Who are you exactly that we should "trust"? What are you the self proclaimed president of all albanians in albania, kosovo and fyrom or something? Grow up please...

Prove me wrong instead of insulting.

You are pissed since Albanians arent rioting in FYROM so you can laugh at them. Guess what, they can handle their minority, smth Belgrade never could.

[LineDoggie]

Without getting into the expectant flame war to come, I'd like to point out this is good. 2 countries in a very Incendiary area came to a peaceful agreement without Acrimony, but common sense.

Bravo to both Countries, Kosovo & Macedonia, they've acted like Gentlemen.

[BW2]

Albanians arent rioting in FYROM Not this time, I'm sure however you'll find something down the road to riot about, you always do. Oh and that's not a insult its a fact, prove me wrong instead of insulting. p-)

[BW2]

Bravo to both Countries, Kosovo & Macedonia, they've acted like Gentlemen. The demarcation process between the borders was initiated by Serbia not by Kosovo. FYROM's actions against Serbia were anything but gentlemanly good sir.

[Pejon09]

Not this time, I'm sure however you'll find something down the road to riot about, you always do. Oh and that's not a insult its a fact, prove me wrong instead of insulting. p-)


Since 2001 the situation has been relatively calm, doubt anything will trigger any riot.

...we both know were and who will start the next riot p-)


Linedoggie, well said.

[VUCICEVIC]

linedoggie,when you learn something about balkans than post on balkan treads........by than please shut up............and pejon,macedonia has albanians in politics,that is the only reason why fyrom is making this moves.............
the only positive thing about false independent kosovo is that we will not have albanian politicians......

[epictetus]

linedoggie,when you learn something about balkans than post on balkan treads........by than please shut up............and pejon,macedonia has albanians in politics,that is the only reason why fyrom is making this moves.............
the only positive thing about false independent kosovo is that we will not have albanian politicians......

Then its a win-win situation. Whats the problem?

[Paya]

Without getting into the expectant flame war to come, I'd like to point out this is good. 2 countries in a very Incendiary area came to a peaceful agreement without Acrimony, but common sense.

Bravo to both Countries, Kosovo & Macedonia, they've acted like Gentlemen.
It's a simple border demarcation, not a full-fledged territorial dispute, you know. I don't know what savages you think live in the Balkans, but I assure you, we don't quarrel over a few acres of land.

Btw, only one of the parties is a country.

[VUCICEVIC]

Then its a win-win situation. Whats the problem?
no,it is a must-must situation............it is just showing that albanians in macedonia are more and more stronger and that fyrom will have more problems in future.........one day shiptares will have full control over that theritory because their number is biger every year.........they all have 7,8,11 children so yust imagine 2050. year...

[Pejon09]

linedoggie,when you learn something about balkans than post on balkan treads........by than please shut up............and pejon,macedonia has albanians in politics,that is the only reason why fyrom is making this moves.............
the only positive thing about false independent kosovo is that we will not have albanian politicians......

You dont make much sense, no! Albanians make more then 25% of FYROM's population, how the fcuk shouldnt there be any Albanian politicans? No this is not Slobo-minded regime trying... we all know that part. Exactly, leave us alone now and stop interfering with our own internal problems.

[epictetus]

no,it is a must-must situation............it is just showing that albanians in macedonia are more and more stronger and that fyrom will have more problems in future.........one day shiptares will have full control over that theritory because their number is biger every year.........they all have 7,8,11 children so yust imagine 2050. year...

Thats your strongest argument that they have too many kids. All of them have 7-11 kids?!

[alvarhanso]

If it was up to me, i'd put land mines on that border (Macedonia - Serbia's Kosovo i Metohija). Maybe the Serbs wont look at that as "good neighborly relations", but... at the end i think it will turn out for the best for both parties... (the Macedonian and the Serbian that is).

[Pejon09]

If it was up to me, i'd put land mines on that border (Macedonia - Serbia's Kosovo i Metohija). Maybe the Serbs wont look at that as "good neighborly relations", but... at the end i think it will turn out for the best for both parties... (the Macedonian and the Serbian that is).

You are one sad person, FYROM'e

[alvarhanso]

You are one sad person, FYROM'e

:):):):) Ha Ha Ha Ha.... That's deep, you soar looser. As is the protectorate that you live in.

[V.I.D.]

If it was up to me, i'd put land mines on that border (Macedonia - Serbia's Kosovo i Metohija). Maybe the Serbs wont look at that as "good neighborly relations", but... at the end i think it will turn out for the best for both parties... (the Macedonian and the Serbian that is).

I think most Serbs would understand this as a self-defense measure and would regard it as a friendly act of necessity.

[alvarhanso]

who is calling who , a looser ?
misery loves company, that's why you are close neighbors

My dear friend, Misery DOES love company, guess who is our southern neighbor?
(The location under the avatar should give you a hint) :backhand:

[achilles]

:):):):) Ha Ha Ha Ha.... That's deep, you soar looser. As is the protectorate that you live in.

This minimally thought statement makes me assume that you consider FYROM-Vardarska to be sovereign, autonomous and that is actually the protectorate of noone. If that is so, think again.

And try being more humble with your stretched statements. After all, its FYROM you live in.

[INAT]

This minimally thought statement makes me assume that you consider FYROM-Vardarska to be sovereign, autonomous and that is actually the protectorate of noone. If that is so, think again.

And try being more humble with your stretched statements. After all, its FYROM you live in.


You are correct FYROM and Kosmet are both NATO colonies.

[Mate]

You are correct FYROM and Kosmet are both NATO colonies.
Come on dude,less emotions.......you will live longer ;).

[alvarhanso]

You are correct FYROM and Kosmet are both NATO colonies.

NATO colonies... hmmmmmm..... I would pick to be a NATO colonie instead of a Russian one any day (That goes both for the Serbia and Yunanistan).

[alvarhanso]

This minimally thought statement makes me assume that you consider FYROM-Vardarska to be sovereign, autonomous and that is actually the protectorate of noone. If that is so, think again.

And try being more humble with your stretched statements. After all, its FYROM you live in.

Aren't you on strike!?

[achilles]

NATO colonies... hmmmmmm..... I would pick to be a NATO colonie instead of a Russian one any day (That goes both for the Serbia and Yunanistan).

Yunanistan has always been on the US train.Only very recently things are changing. I am wondering which planet you live on, Makedonski...



Aren't you on strike!?

Arent you supposed to be looking for a national identity, history and name, or something? ;)

[Paya]

NATO colonies... hmmmmmm..... I would pick to be a NATO colonie instead of a Russian one any day (That goes both for the Serbia and Yunanistan).
To each his own, I guess. NATO bombed my country, while it stopped an imminent civil war in yours.

Greetings from Sirbistan (the country North-East from Karadag).

[alvarhanso]

Arent you supposed to be looking for a national identity, history and name, or something? ;)

I got all of those, thanks for the concern... you better catch the last train home, it might be your last chance (before they go on their weakly strike that is).

But hey, Achilles buddy.... i got something for you to translate for me (and the others of course, i think they'll be interested). It's quite the news here in Macedonia.
Would you mind tellin us what these chaps are singing in the video?

http://www.a1.com.mk/video-home.asp?VideoID=274

Great proof of good neighborly relations... it makes you all fuzzy inside, right? ;)

[achilles]

I got all of those, thanks for the concern... you better catch the last train home, it might be your last chance (before they go on their weakly strike that is).

Might be. Too bad you dont have the choice of an urban train/metro in Skopje.


But hey, Achilles buddy.... i got something for you to translate for me (and the others of course, i think they'll be interested). It's quite the news here in Macedonia.
Would you mind tellin us what these chaps are singing in the video?

The video doesnt play for me, it gets stuck while loading. Want to give me a clue? Or send me another link maybe?

What is it? More of Gruevski's propaganda depicting a bunch of Greek radicals singing "we want to eat Makedonski babies"?? If thats your top story, you sure have a media problem, which you have in any case. Democracy is not really functioning smoothly in your country i'm afraid.

[achilles]

Ok it worked finally.

This is a joke right? First, it is in Bulgarian, a laguage i dont speak.
Second, it's about a guy named Nikola Dimitrov who lives in the country and grows chicken :lol:

Wrong link, yes?

[ssg-p-11]

Since 2001 the situation has been relatively calm, doubt anything will trigger any riot.

...we both know were and who will start the next riot p-)


Linedoggie, well said.

I suspect you forgot about 17-18 march 2004?? three days of riots and burning houses churchs, and vehicles ( damaged my issued vehicle) 17 dead approx 500 injured including 80 nato peacekeepers?? all over a lie by an Alb. kid,, over the tragic drowning of two others, or was it three?? I was to busy to count,- KFOR 5A-5B, 23 Nov 03 - 5 Aug 04, the kid claimed serb,s with dogs chased them into the IBAR river, when in realitiy they were screwing aruond on the river in a boat and it capsized, one made it to shore. the lie and then the riots started,, and entire state up in arms in less than 4 hours!

[Pejon09]

I suspect you forgot about 17-18 march 2004?? three days of riots and burning houses churchs, and vehicles ( damaged my issued vehicle) 17 dead approx 500 injured including 80 nato peacekeepers?? all over a lie by an Alb. kid,, over the tragic drowning of two others, or was it three?? I was to busy to count,- KFOR 5A-5B, 23 Nov 03 - 5 Aug 04, the kid claimed serb,s with dogs chased them into the IBAR river, when in realitiy they were screwing aruond on the river in a boat and it capsized, one made it to shore. the lie and then the riots started,, and entire state up in arms in less than 4 hours!

I suspect you didnt do well in school, I was refering to FYROM.

Poor u, did they damaged your issued vehicle? :slap:

[21stArmada]

I suspect you didnt do well in school, I was refering to FYROM.

Poor u, did they damaged your issued vehicle? :slap:


It was his issued vehicle for Christ's sake, don't make fun of it, its painful :)

[Zombie Squad]

Aren't you on strike!?

I wondered what Yunanistan mean so I looked it up, very funny! rofl

[Vorian]

What's up with the poison in this thread? It's more than usual. Calm down and stop trolling.

[BW2]

I suspect you didnt do well in school, I was refering to FYROM. Oh I see so its only albanians in FYROM that riot?

Alright then - taken from a article dated May 27, 2008

Meanwhile, in neighboring Macedonia, several dozen violent incidents between rival Albanian parties cast a shadow over the campaign for the June 1 parliamentary elections.
At least one member of the largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, Democratic Union for Integrations, or BDI, had been killed and several local branches of the party made of former guerrillas turned politicians came under small-arms fire in a series of clashes with rival Democratic Party of Albanians, PDSh.
In the latest incident, BDI's office in western Macedonian town of Gostivar was seriously damaged late on Friday, as "still unknown attackers" pelted it with stoned, breaking the windows in apparent attempt to terrorize the supporters of former National Liberation Army, NLA or UCK.
Prior to that incident, BDI leader and former NLA chief Ali Ahmeti came under fire, but had managed to escape the alleged assassination attempt unharmed.
After a series of public protests, BDI blamed Macedonian police for doing absolutely nothing to prevent violence against its membership.
Both NATO and the European Union warned Macedonian leaders that continuous violence might additionally postpone the country's bid for membership in those organizations, as Skopje hopes to secure the exact date of accession by the end of year.

Article - http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/latestnews/en.html?view=story&id=954&sectionId=1

*Edit*

From same article for a good laugh

Serbian police stormed the houses of two former leaders of the „Liberation army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja" (UCPBM) near the regional hub of Presevo on Saturday, and found five assault rifles, two RPG's, 20 missiles, ten heavy machine guns, five pistols, two hand grenades and more than 20,000 pieces of ammunition.
The owners of those houses, brothers Nazmi and Adan Hajredini were immediately arrested, raising a storm of protests in the local Albanian community, whose leaders claim that police action presents yet another proof of Belgrade's pressure on Albanians in three southern Serbian municipalities.
„The arrest is, in a fact, the proof of Serbia's continuing pressure on Albanians. Serbia wants to, once again, destabilize the Presevo Valley," mayor of Presevo Ragmi Mustafa said.
LOL rofl ....damn those regional destabilizing Serbs. >=(

[INAT]

Oh I see so its only albanians in FYROM that riot?

Alright then - taken from a article dated May 27, 2008

Meanwhile, in neighboring Macedonia, several dozen violent incidents between rival Albanian parties cast a shadow over the campaign for the June 1 parliamentary elections.
At least one member of the largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, Democratic Union for Integrations, or BDI, had been killed and several local branches of the party made of former guerrillas turned politicians came under small-arms fire in a series of clashes with rival Democratic Party of Albanians, PDSh.
In the latest incident, BDI's office in western Macedonian town of Gostivar was seriously damaged late on Friday, as "still unknown attackers" pelted it with stoned, breaking the windows in apparent attempt to terrorize the supporters of former National Liberation Army, NLA or UCK.
Prior to that incident, BDI leader and former NLA chief Ali Ahmeti came under fire, but had managed to escape the alleged assassination attempt unharmed.
After a series of public protests, BDI blamed Macedonian police for doing absolutely nothing to prevent violence against its membership.
Both NATO and the European Union warned Macedonian leaders that continuous violence might additionally postpone the country's bid for membership in those organizations, as Skopje hopes to secure the exact date of accession by the end of year.

Article - http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/latestnews/en.html?view=story&id=954&sectionId=1

*Edit*

From same article for a good laugh

Serbian police stormed the houses of two former leaders of the „Liberation army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja" (UCPBM) near the regional hub of Presevo on Saturday, and found five assault rifles, two RPG's, 20 missiles, ten heavy machine guns, five pistols, two hand grenades and more than 20,000 pieces of ammunition.
The owners of those houses, brothers Nazmi and Adan Hajredini were immediately arrested, raising a storm of protests in the local Albanian community, whose leaders claim that police action presents yet another proof of Belgrade's pressure on Albanians in three southern Serbian municipalities.
„The arrest is, in a fact, the proof of Serbia's continuing pressure on Albanians. Serbia wants to, once again, destabilize the Presevo Valley," mayor of Presevo Ragmi Mustafa said.
LOL rofl ....damn those regional destabilizing Serbs. >=(


They have the nerve to protest against Serbia after they are caught with war material? Amazing.I wonder what the police in Presevo are going to do
to take care of the rest of the houses with war material like this.

[1911-a1]

Now that's some funny **** :D

[ssg-p-11]

It was his issued vehicle for Christ's sake, don't make fun of it, its painful :)

getting your vehicle damaged really sucks anymore,,,,writers crap sucks,,, " dear Col,,,,, remember that vehicle I used to have,,,,,,,, " in quadruplicate,, and a copy for Utan, But if they would let us trade bullets for rocks the little school kids would not be so quick to do it again, ( sorry I thought you were in Special "K" not FYROM- I enjoyed the old shoe factory, better than CAS.) I learned to hate the alb,s in kosovo real quick.

[Pejon09]

Oh I see so its only albanians in FYROM that riot?

Alright then - taken from a article dated May 27, 2008

Meanwhile, in neighboring Macedonia, several dozen violent incidents between rival Albanian parties cast a shadow over the campaign for the June 1 parliamentary elections.
At least one member of the largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, Democratic Union for Integrations, or BDI, had been killed and several local branches of the party made of former guerrillas turned politicians came under small-arms fire in a series of clashes with rival Democratic Party of Albanians, PDSh.
In the latest incident, BDI's office in western Macedonian town of Gostivar was seriously damaged late on Friday, as "still unknown attackers" pelted it with stoned, breaking the windows in apparent attempt to terrorize the supporters of former National Liberation Army, NLA or UCK.
Prior to that incident, BDI leader and former NLA chief Ali Ahmeti came under fire, but had managed to escape the alleged assassination attempt unharmed.
After a series of public protests, BDI blamed Macedonian police for doing absolutely nothing to prevent violence against its membership.
Both NATO and the European Union warned Macedonian leaders that continuous violence might additionally postpone the country's bid for membership in those organizations, as Skopje hopes to secure the exact date of accession by the end of year.

Article - http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/latestnews/en.html?view=story&id=954&sectionId=1

*Edit*

From same article for a good laugh

Serbian police stormed the houses of two former leaders of the „Liberation army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja" (UCPBM) near the regional hub of Presevo on Saturday, and found five assault rifles, two RPG's, 20 missiles, ten heavy machine guns, five pistols, two hand grenades and more than 20,000 pieces of ammunition.
The owners of those houses, brothers Nazmi and Adan Hajredini were immediately arrested, raising a storm of protests in the local Albanian community, whose leaders claim that police action presents yet another proof of Belgrade's pressure on Albanians in three southern Serbian municipalities.
„The arrest is, in a fact, the proof of Serbia's continuing pressure on Albanians. Serbia wants to, once again, destabilize the Presevo Valley," mayor of Presevo Ragmi Mustafa said.
LOL rofl ....damn those regional destabilizing Serbs. >=(

We found weapons in Serbian houses almost everyday, what are you trying to prove?

And look who you qoute "kosovocompromise" rofl

[Pejon09]

getting your vehicle damaged really sucks anymore,,,,writers crap sucks,,, " dear Col,,,,, remember that vehicle I used to have,,,,,,,, " in quadruplicate,, and a copy for Utan, But if they would let us trade bullets for rocks the little school kids would not be so quick to do it again, ( sorry I thought you were in Special "K" not FYROM- I enjoyed the old shoe factory, better than CAS.) I learned to hate the alb,s in kosovo real quick.

Good you are showing were you stand! Idiot!

[Hyde]

Oh I see so its only albanians in FYROM that riot?

Alright then - taken from a article dated May 27, 2008

Meanwhile, in neighboring Macedonia, several dozen violent incidents between rival Albanian parties cast a shadow over the campaign for the June 1 parliamentary elections.
At least one member of the largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, Democratic Union for Integrations, or BDI, had been killed and several local branches of the party made of former guerrillas turned politicians came under small-arms fire in a series of clashes with rival Democratic Party of Albanians, PDSh.
In the latest incident, BDI's office in western Macedonian town of Gostivar was seriously damaged late on Friday, as "still unknown attackers" pelted it with stoned, breaking the windows in apparent attempt to terrorize the supporters of former National Liberation Army, NLA or UCK.
Prior to that incident, BDI leader and former NLA chief Ali Ahmeti came under fire, but had managed to escape the alleged assassination attempt unharmed.
After a series of public protests, BDI blamed Macedonian police for doing absolutely nothing to prevent violence against its membership.
Both NATO and the European Union warned Macedonian leaders that continuous violence might additionally postpone the country's bid for membership in those organizations, as Skopje hopes to secure the exact date of accession by the end of year.

Article - http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/latestnews/en.html?view=story&id=954&sectionId=1

*Edit*

From same article for a good laugh

Serbian police stormed the houses of two former leaders of the „Liberation army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja" (UCPBM) near the regional hub of Presevo on Saturday, and found five assault rifles, two RPG's, 20 missiles, ten heavy machine guns, five pistols, two hand grenades and more than 20,000 pieces of ammunition.
The owners of those houses, brothers Nazmi and Adan Hajredini were immediately arrested, raising a storm of protests in the local Albanian community, whose leaders claim that police action presents yet another proof of Belgrade's pressure on Albanians in three southern Serbian municipalities.
„The arrest is, in a fact, the proof of Serbia's continuing pressure on Albanians. Serbia wants to, once again, destabilize the Presevo Valley," mayor of Presevo Ragmi Mustafa said.
LOL rofl ....damn those regional destabilizing Serbs. >=(

Haha, police searches the house of former terrorist leaders and arrests them because of the armory they gound in their house, and the locals start whining about some "pressure"? Well if people complain about pressure on terrorists which are armed to the teeth i have to applause to the police, for this is the right kind of pressure.

[Paya]

They have the nerve to protest against Serbia after they are caught with war material? Amazing.I wonder what the police in Presevo are going to do
to take care of the rest of the houses with war material like this.
The Albanians in the Presevo Valley are given a lot of leeway. There are numerous monuments to Ridvan Leshi (one of the commanders of the UCPMB, killed in the conflict) in the region, including in the town itself. Also, the political parties that call for secession from Serbia are allowed to exist, the Flag day (a national holiday of Albania) is held annually, municipal slavas are being abolished, etc...

[Pejon09]

We are also allowing Serbian parties who advocate to secede, we are also allowing Serbian flags in Gracanica who's in Prishtinas municipality. On demostrations they like using Milosevic/Mladic/Karadzic picture, who's stopping them? Its not the first time you like to portray you ppl as victims and we Albanians as the evil ones who simply want to destroy Serbia. No my friend, that sh!t about being treated as second-class citizens doesnt work in todays 21st century. If Albanians in Presheva vally got half of the rights my government has issued to minority K-Serbs they would be happy, but they dont have any. Funny how Kosovar University Diplomas are not legal in Serbia, Albanian citizens of Serbian state cant use it back in Presheva when they return.

Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen.

[Paya]

We are also allowing Serbian parties who advocate to secede, we are also allowing Serbian flags in Gracanica who's in Prishtinas municipality. On demostrations they like using Milosevic/Mladic/Karadzic picture, who's stopping them?
You're not in a position to allow or forbid anything. It is KFOR and UNMIK who allow it.


Its not the first time you like to portray you ppl as victims and we Albanians as the evil ones who simply want to destroy Serbia.
I wasn't aware I was doing that. I was simply stating that Albanians in the Presevo Valley get a lot of leeway from the Government, and I'm not happy that a statue of a terrorist is allowed to exist in a town where his cronies were throwing grenades at cafes and police stations back in the day. Public celebration of a foreign country's national holiday on Serbian soil doesn't exactly make me happy either, but, **** it, it's relatively harmless, and if it makes the locals happy, I'm fine with it.


If Albanians in Presheva vally got half of the rights my government has issued to minority K-Serbs they would be happy, but they dont have any.
Your Government has no control over Serb-populated areas, so those rights it so generously bestows mean exactly nothing.


Funny how Kosovar University Diplomas are not legal in Serbia, Albanian citizens of Serbian state cant use it back in Presheva when they return.
They're perfectly legal, they're just not recognized. The reason for that is that those universities portray themselves as institutions of a "state" Serbia does not recognize. Plus, Pristina University was always famous for nepotism, corruption, and students who don't exactly excell at their professions. It was like that ever since it was founded, and it's presumably like that now.


Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen.
Give me a break with the national revival bull****.

[INAT]

We are also allowing Serbian parties who advocate to secede, we are also allowing Serbian flags in Gracanica who's in Prishtinas municipality. On demostrations they like using Milosevic/Mladic/Karadzic picture, who's stopping them? Its not the first time you like to portray you ppl as victims and we Albanians as the evil ones who simply want to destroy Serbia. No my friend, that sh!t about being treated as second-class citizens doesnt work in todays 21st century. If Albanians in Presheva vally got half of the rights my government has issued to minority K-Serbs they would be happy, but they dont have any. Funny how Kosovar University Diplomas are not legal in Serbia, Albanian citizens of Serbian state cant use it back in Presheva when they return.

Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen.

I am going to wager that everything you know about the
socioeconomic and political history of Serbia and your peoples role in the region has been through Koha Ditore or what you have heard around your community.You are 23 so you were what 13-14 during the last war?
You have been educated from childhood to the present time in Albanian correct? Do you know any Serbian?

"rights my government has issued to minority K-Serbs" Wow that is really an ignorant statement.

[Mate]

Your Government has no control over Serb-populated areas, so those rights it so generously bestows mean exactly nothing.
QFT.....even though I don`t like it,but it`s the reality.
That area has become a heaven for smugglers and organized crime(both for Albanians and Serbs),even the efforts of Kosovo`s Govt.have been proved useless.
Firstly it has was UNMIK`s fault from the begining not trying to integrate the remaining Serbs into the Kosovo`s society,so the Serbian Govt.found a crack in the sistem and uses the K.Serbs as a tool for their own interests,and we add here the nationalist emotions and there you have it a "Frozen Conflict"
So now we the common people have to pay the price of the faults done by UNMIK and the Kosovo`s Govt.

[INAT]

QFT.....even though I don`t like it,but it`s the reality.
That area has become a heaven for smugglers and organized crime(both for Albanians and Serbs),even the efforts of Kosovo`s Govt.have been proved useless.
Firstly it has was UNMIK`s fault from the begining not trying to integrate the remaining Serbs into the Kosovo`s society,so the Serbian Govt.found a crack in the sistem and uses the K.Serbs as a tool for their own interests,and we add here the nationalist emotions and there you have it a "Frozen Conflict"
So now we the common people have to pay the price of the faults done by UNMIK and the Kosovo`s Govt.


Integrating Serbs into Albanian society is a myth a fairytale. Something Albanians like to tell the West while cleansing Serbs out of Kosovo.
Don't tell me Albanians tried so hard to take Kosovo to integrate Serbs
once NATO had successfully detached Kosmet. It is much to ridiculous for you to now try to sell this idea.

[Pejon09]

You're not in a position to allow or forbid anything. It is KFOR and UNMIK who allow it.

KFOR provides security, thats all. And btw today KFOR operates in the invitation of the Kosovar Government, you didn knew that or are Belgrad still lying you they operate under Resoulation 1244? UNMIK is out, they only take care of the northern court house thats it. KPS is the only law enforcement in south and not KFOR or UNMIK.



I wasn't aware I was doing that. I was simply stating that Albanians in the Presevo Valley get a lot of leeway from the Government, and I'm not happy that a statue of a terrorist is allowed to exist in a town where his cronies were throwing grenades at cafes and police stations back in the day. Public celebration of a foreign country's national holiday on Serbian soil doesn't exactly make me happy either, but, **** it, it's relatively harmless, and if it makes the locals happy, I'm fine with it.

We dont either like seeing a foreign countries flag, it pisses us of but if that makes K-Serbs a little happier we wont touch it, note its in the southern part were we are in control.


Your Government has no control over Serb-populated areas, so those rights it so generously bestows mean exactly nothing.

Yes we have, I already told you in my previous answer, all from Peja, Prizren, Shtime, Gracanica all are under KPS control and KPS works under the Kosovar Government. Im starting to think you guys really are brianwashed with the current status over there lol.


They're perfectly legal, they're just not recognized. The reason for that is that those universities portray themselves as institutions of a "state" Serbia does not recognize. Plus, Pristina University was always famous for nepotism, corruption, and students who don't exactly excell at their professions. It was like that ever since it was founded, and it's presumably like that now.

And I guess Serbian Universitys have never been in any curroption scandals even in this tough times, wow you guys should become a role model for the third World. Prishtina University is one of the best universites in the Balkans and it was awarded this year by the British Government.


Give me a break with the national revival bull****.

See this is what Im talking about, its ok... for now.

[Mate]

Integrating Serbs into Albanian society is a myth a fairytale. Something Albanians like to tell the West while cleansing Serbs out of Kosovo.
Don't tell me Albanians tried so hard to take Kosovo to integrate Serbs
once NATO had successfully detached Kosmet. It is much to ridiculous for you to now try to sell this idea.
I forgot....we hate each other!!!
Just tell me what do the Serbs want so they can be happy?
Maybe I can work out a solution.....:grin:


Ok,guys seriously this ain`t worth it ,this issue will go on for years and years,it`s getting boring...everytime the same **** just in different time.

[INAT]

I forgot....we hate each other!!!


Not what I am saying.I know the common people on both sides lived together in Jugoslavia as neighbors and there is a history of cohabitation.
The last two decades have changed perceptions and attitudes.

At some point and on some level people will once again live next door to
Serbs/Albanians but there has been lots of ethnic filtering.

[Pejon09]

Funny though its easier for me talking with a Serb live then on these forums, maybe we are not that honest in reality :)

[Mate]

Not what I am saying.I know the common people on both sides lived together in Jugoslavia as neighbors and there is a history of cohabitation.
The last two decades have changed perceptions and attitudes.

At some point and on some level people will once again live next door to
Serbs/Albanians but there has been lots of ethnic filtering.
Fair enough....but who is to blame for all of this?

[BW2]

We found weapons in Serbian houses almost everyday, what are you trying to prove? Good for you, glad no Serbs made a fuss over them weapons. ;)


And look who you qoute "kosovocompromise" Ya I know such a controversial site with a name like that...


If Albanians in Presheva vally got half of the rights my government has issued to minority K-Serbs they would be happy, but they dont have any. Funny how Kosovar University Diplomas are not legal in Serbia, Albanian citizens of Serbian state cant use it back in Presheva when they return.
Since you know so much of the plight that the Presevo Albanians are suffering enlighten us what rights they are being denied... this should be good. And you'll have to do a lot better then diplomas. Besides Belgrade U is much better, just my advice. ;)


We dont either like seeing a foreign countries flag, it pisses us of but if that makes K-Serbs a little happier we wont touch it Sure you wont... http://www.blic.co.yu/news.php?id=192 and you equate a statue of a terrorist with a foreign flag? Wow so sensitive....


KPS is the only law enforcement in south and not KFOR or UNMIK.
What a ignorant comment, have you informed KFOR of this yourself? Try it.


Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen. That's right you'll show em! all of them!!!! then they'll see.....

[ssg-p-11]

Good you are showing were you stand! Idiot!

Yes, I will take a stand. but I am not an Idiot by any means, the idiots are the ones who turned on us, as we were out there to protect them, You morons deserve the UN :) send your kids to do your dirty work,,, a protectorate forever i suspect. alb,s- need to learn get along with others and lose the hot tempered "idiot" mentality- :backhand:

[Paya]

KFOR provides security, thats all. And btw today KFOR operates in the invitation of the Kosovar Government, you didn knew that or are Belgrad still lying you they operate under Resoulation 1244? UNMIK is out, they only take care of the northern court house thats it. KPS is the only law enforcement in south and not KFOR or UNMIK.
What, so you're saying that your government can tell NATO to leave and they would obey? I suppose UNMIK and EULEX would also go on their request, with tails between their legs?


We dont either like seeing a foreign countries flag, it pisses us of but if that makes K-Serbs a little happier we wont touch it, note its in the southern part were we are in control.
No, you're not. KFOR is.


Yes we have, I already told you in my previous answer, all from Peja, Prizren, Shtime, Gracanica all are under KPS control and KPS works under the Kosovar Government. Im starting to think you guys really are brianwashed with the current status over there lol.
KPS in Gracanica is almost 100% Serbian-manned. It's also pretty independent from the KPS command, to the point of occasionally refusing to have joint patrols with their Albanian counterparts. First-hand information.

And yeah, we're all brainwashed. It's all the cyrillic. It messes with your mind.


And I guess Serbian Universitys have never been in any curroption scandals even in this tough times, wow you guys should become a role model for the third World.
Oh, they have, just, you know, not the Belgrade University. But, in all seriousness, over here, if you say you graduated from Pristina University, people will laugh. Keep that in mind if you're ever visiting, and want to impress a chick or something.


Prishtina University is one of the best universites in the Balkans.
Ha, ha, ha. Right.


See this is what Im talking about, its ok... for now.
Please don't hurt me, my future Albanian overlord.

[ssg-p-11]

Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen.


Well ya better "speak" real F()*&*( loud, its hard to hear way up there in a stealth bomber,, I also noted it hard to hear screams when inside the bradley,s also,,:backhand: No wonder you all got your butts kicked by the serb police, maybe redefining the borders with Mac. will help, I just wished they had picked flatter ground,,, F()*&& hills,,,,

[ssg-p-11]

[quote=Pejon09;3657702]KFOR provides security, thats all. And btw today KFOR operates in the invitation of the Kosovar Government, you didn knew that or are Belgrad still lying you they operate under Resoulation 1244? UNMIK is out, they only take care of the northern court house thats it. KPS is the only law enforcement in south and not KFOR or UNMIK.

wow we kicked alot of doors for nothing?? it wasnt our security job :)




We dont either like seeing a foreign countries flag, it pisses us off
you didnt seem to mind our flags when we moved in as the serbs moved back now did ya??

, note its in the southern part were we are in control.

I didnt think the truth is that "WE" are in control of much with Nato and UNMIK still trolling for idiots,,, do you man any of the gates??? NOPE!!!


And I guess Serbian Universitys have never been in any curroption scandals even in this tough times, wow you guys should become a role model for the third World. Prishtina University is one of the best universites in the Balkans and it was awarded this year by the British Government.
they had a university??? LMAO

[Stefan850]

Its ok, we are still weak, time will come when we will speak you will have to listen.

Care to elaborate what you mean by this? You guys already did what you wanted to do with the help of your western allies, most of all US and we couldn't do nothing about it. So what do you mean with you will speak and we will have to listen, why will we have to do that?

[21stArmada]

Yes, I will take a stand. but I am not an Idiot by any means, the idiots are the ones who turned on us, as we were out there to protect them, You morons deserve the UN :) send your kids to do your dirty work,,, a protectorate forever i suspect. alb,s- need to learn get along with others and lose the hot tempered "idiot" mentality- :backhand:

If you are equating the actions of the few for the voice of the many then you are not very bright either.

Everyday frustrations may lead to a few unpleasant scenarios but that by no means show that people are no greatful or appreciate what the US did for Kosovo. Fact that Albania participates in every single war America decides to wage (albeit without any real operational support), the reception of "the president" in Albania, and all those American flags flying in Kosova would be sufficient evidence to most people of the Albanian appreciation. But then I don't know what your real agendas and true issues are so I guess it pointless debating this issue.

[ssg-p-11]

If you are equating the actions of the few for the voice of the many then you are not very bright either.

Everyday frustrations may lead to a few unpleasant scenarios but that by no means show that people are no greatful or appreciate what the US did for Kosovo. Fact that Albania participates in every single war America decides to wage (albeit without any real operational support), the reception of "the president" in Albania, and all those American flags flying in Kosova would be sufficient evidence to most people of the Albanian appreciation. But then I don't know what your real agendas and true issues are so I guess it pointless debating this issue.

http://www.tffalcon.hqusareur.army.mil/PDFs/5B/07apr04.pdf

actions of a few??? No actions of many, I guess you should have looked at the thousands who rioted,,,,,,,,,,,,

[21stArmada]

http://www.tffalcon.hqusareur.army.mil/PDFs/5B/07apr04.pdf

actions of a few??? No actions of many, I guess you should have looked at the thousands who rioted,,,,,,,,,,,,


What anyone would get from that piece of publishing you produced was :

1) That the agression was not primarily directed towards the KFOR but towards the Serbs. KFOR got in the way by doing its job to protect them. The crowds issue was not with KFOR and the rioting is by no means a sign of ungreatfulness.

2) The acts of core violence were not commited by the majority of population but by the selected few (I saw a number of 800 there) the mob initially had staged a peaceful protest. The people responsible for spiraling it into a violent riot were not a majority.

I am in no way justifying the violence or disputing the rights of KFOR to do its job. I just think that your agendas with the Albanian majority in Kosovo are not a result of "them being ungreateful", because from all other ethnicities that US has assited in their fight of self determination I can not find one single ethnicity that is as greateful as the Albanian one (please correct me if I am wrong). I think you got from that literature what you wanted to get and you deffinitelly were not unbiased prior to reading it.

[Paya]

That the agression was not primarily directed towards the KFOR but towards the Serbs.
Well, that makes the whole rioting, pillaging, killing, and burning of churches OK.

[ssg-p-11]

What anyone would get from that piece of publishing you produced was : I didnt publish it, sorry, but I did experience it first hand!

1) That the agression was not primarily directed towards the KFOR but towards the Serbs. KFOR got in the way by doing its job to protect them. The crowds issue was not with KFOR and the rioting is by no means a sign of ungreatfulness. really,,,

2) The acts of core violence were not commited by the majority of population but by the selected few (I saw a number of 800 there)
the 800 number you only saw,,

That target became a Greek armored personnel (page #4
carrier, which was being assaulted by an
estimated 800 people. The crew was trapped in the
APC and firing into the air every once in a while to
keep the crowd at bay.
the mob initially had staged a peaceful protest. ( PEACEfull MY AS& ) The people responsible for spiraling it into a violent riot were not a majority.
but the ones who took action were,

I am in no way justifying the violence or disputing the rights of KFOR to do its job. I just think that your agendas with the Albanian majority in Kosovo are not a result of "them being ungreateful", because from all other ethnicities that US has assited in their fight of self determination I can not find one single ethnicity that is as greateful as the Albanian one (please correct me if I am wrong). I think you got from that literature what you wanted to get and you deffinitelly were not unbiased prior to reading it.

read what you want i guess,
page #6

“Then we proceeded to the United Nations building in
Vitina, and we saw a gathering of people. [The demonstrators] assured us it was
going to be a peaceful demonstration.”
Heinrich said the Soldiers became alarmed when their interpreter relayed some
of the comments he heard the demonstrators making.
“Albanian elders started making speeches and handing out Albanian flags, and
telling kids to ‘now go and do what you know to do,’” said Heinrich.
The Soldiers witnessed the crowds beginning to throw rocks
at Serbian houses and a church in the area.

page #9

The drowning death of two
ethnic Albanian boys in the
northern town of Kosovska
Mitrovica/ Mitrovice, and the
presumed death of a third who
has yet to be found, is what
many have pointed to as the
trigger for three days of riots
that encompassed all of Kosovo


page #11
the riots in Gnjilane/ Gnjilan, roughly
a dozen cars were overturned and set on fire. In
addition numerous homes and other buildings
had windows shattered and doors broken,.
Soldiers estimated the crowds on the first
day of riots were several thousand strong.


page # 19,

the crowd, which had grown to
approximately 1,000 to 3,000
people, and was still underway
when the QRF arrived in armored
vehicles to evacuate the
soldiers at approximately 10pm


that was ferizi , meanwhile every village with a major alb population rioted, in pristina they ransacked the UN HQ, and blocked the main road with debris, mitrovica was a mess, name a city,,, it was not a crowd of 800, from memory they burnt 28 churchs, 230 serb homes, 11 kfor vehicles, not to mention the total damage to the school factility between pristina and the airport, the entire country went into a rage in less than four hours, thats not a sign of a peacefull protest?? not a sign of the actions of a few, many thousands took part in this action started by your elders and acted out by your kids. dont even try to tell me what i lived thru and yes it formed an opionion or the majority of the people in your country. FYROM needs a large wall not border marker posts,,,

[INAT]

This was no random and pointless genera rioting but was in fact planned.As soon as Albanian leaders said stop the riotng stopped right away.
According to the Serbian government, the Albanian riots of March 17-19 (http://www.antiwar.com/malic/?articleid=2164) in Kosovo resulted in 9 Serbs killed, 143 wounded, 15 missing, and 3,205 displaced. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, and 15 towns and villages ethnically cleansed. Most important of all for Serbian culture, 35 churches and monasteries were destroyed and 3 cemeteries desecrated.
Eyewitness reports indicate that the Albanian mobs were armed with machine guns, AK-47's, pistols, rifles, and hand grenades, not to mention rocks and improvised cluster bombs (Molotov cocktails filled with nails). An informed source claims that four of the Serbs killed had been shot by illegal "dum-dum" bullets (http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/dumdum.htm) that fragment within the body, causing an excruciatingly painful death. Others were knifed or burned alive by the rampaging mobs made up of Albanian men from their early teens into their 80s.
After discussing the riots' organization and goals, I will give the reader a glimpse into the human side of the catastrophe, by citing testimony from some of the refugees I met last week in Kosovo.
The Riots: Organized or Not?
Despite the media whitewashing (http://www.antiwar.com/malic/?articleid=2220) and contrary to other conjectures (http://www.balkanalysis.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=314), the Kosovo riots were not the spontaneous outcome of the Albanians' righteous rage and grief. Rather, they were well-planned, well-supplied terrorist attacks masquerading as popular marches, carried out with the complicity of the Albanian KPS (Kosovo Police Service) and with the blessings of top figures in the Kosovo Albanian leadership, organized by the successor organizations of the Kosovo Liberation Army and its various youth factions.
Both Macedonian and Serbian intelligence officials have detailed evidence to support this assertion. Eyewitness testimony also confirms that Albanian KPS officers actively participated in leading the riots. The range of weaponry employed, and the fact that buses, vans, and taxis were all mobilized to transport tens of thousands of Albanian rioters reveal the organized nature of the campaign.
International officials agree. "Let's be realistic," Tracy Becker, the UNMIK regional media officer in Mitrovica told me last week. "It's impossible to have Kosovo-wide riots without organization." Another UN spokesman said the same back on March 18, according to the Scotsman (http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=312192004): "…this is planned, coordinated, one-way violence from the Albanians against the Serbs… nothing happens spontaneously in Kosovo."
The Strategy of the Pogrom
Oliver Ivanovic, a member of the Kosovo Parliament Presidency, told me on Wednesday that the riots were "…very well organized. Simultaneous attacks on 15 different places can only be done if you have strong logistics and coordination. It was all in accordance with a plan."
The plan, according to Ivanovic, was strategic:
"…first they threatened to attack North Mitrovica, which they never intended to take – too many Serbs are there. But this maneuver did succeed in pulling the international soldiers north, and leaving central Kosovo empty and undefended. The Albanians were thus able to attack those Serbian settlements much more easily."
The city of Mitrovica, divided by the Ibar River, is the borderline between the Albanian-dominated bulk of Kosovo and the purely Serbian northern corner of the province bordering on Serbia proper. The population of the northern side has swelled from 8,000 to 12,000 in the last five years, as Serbian refugees from other parts of Kosovo flock there. Even though they are heavily armed and vastly outnumber the Serbs, the 60,000 Albanians of the south know that they cannot take it, and therefore don't try.

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/kosmap99.jpg
Yellow areas indicate where Serbs lived in Kosovo at the time of the 1999 NATO bombing.
http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/kosmap04.jpg
Remaining areas with Serbian population as of March 20, 2004.
Areas in bright red were ethnically cleansed of Serbs during the riots.
"Cleansing" Central Kosovo
Thus, rather than concentrate their attack on the northern Serbian stronghold, the Albanian mobs chose to devastate isolated Serb settlements populated mostly by poor, elderly farmers left entirely defenseless by five years of UNMIK weapons collections. Yet the colonial administration does not dare to disarm the Albanians, for fear of provoking retaliatory violence.
Several examples from this latest wave of ethnic cleansing support the theory. South of Mitrovica, the Serbian population of the farming village of Svinjare was expelled, with 140 houses ruined. The scene was "absolutely heartbreaking," said one international official, who added that local Albanian perpetrators had started spray-painting their names on the charred ruins to mark their new "property."
I saw an example of this in Obilic, a village further south, near Pristina, where an Albanian man had spray-painted his name on a burned Serbian home. All around were charred ruins of houses, smashed furniture, and dead pigs, everything of value stolen. Out of the wreckage a playful dog ran up to me, yapping in front of what was once his master's home. He was guarding it from intruders, perhaps. But there was no longer any need.

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/obilic1.jpg
The once ethnically-mixed village of Obilic is littered with the ruins of Serbian homes.
http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/obilicdog.jpg
A lone dog keeps watch in front of his master's burned house, waiting for him to come home.
Obilic was once an ethnically mixed village; directly adjacent to these destroyed houses were the untouched homes of Albanians. I saw one Albanian boy, no older than six, looting firewood from the gutted home of his former neighbor. In the street, we were met by the long, suspicious stares of grouped men defiantly proud of their crimes and unwilling to tolerate any mention of them.
Purging central Kosovo of Serbs was important because the second-largest grouping of enclaves is located there. The village of Caglavica, which was one of the first places attacked, has good soil, and is on the main north-south road from Pristina to Skopje. It is also the first village that guards the largest remaining Serbian enclave in the area, that of Gracanica and its outlying villages. The area has strategic position, comprises a large area of high-quality farmland, and remains a chronic thorn in the side of Albanians striving for an ethnically pure Kosovo.
Other villages in the Pristina area that were decimated include Ljiplan and Kosovo Polje (though some Serbs remain in one corner of the latter town, under KFOR protection). In the capital, Pristina, the entire remaining Serbian population was completely expelled. Although before the NATO bombardment of 1999 some 40,000-50,000 Serbs lived in Pristina, by 2004 only about 150 remained. These survivors were relegated entirely to one apartment block. The mobs took care of them on March 17.

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/kosovopolje1.jpg
The riots devastated many Serb homes in Kosovo Polje, as well as the hospital and post office.
The First Goal: Sever Connections with the Outside World
According to Ivanovic, this pattern of ethnic cleansing indicates that the Albanians' goal was "…to push the remaining Serb settlements away from the major roads and railways, and so isolate them from the outside world. This is very easily seen when you look at exactly which villages were targeted."

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/prilujzestock.jpg
With train service suspended for almost two weeks because of the riots, Priluzje's few shops are running out of supplies.
The Serbian villages of central Kosovo that were spared, such as Priluzje (located a few miles north of Obilic), have, however, lost contact with the outside world. As of last Tuesday, the train connecting them with the town of Zvetcin to the northwest of Mitrovica had been suspended for 10 days. This train represented their only means of getting supplies from Serbia proper. Now, no one knows when the train will resume, but the villagers fear they cannot travel safely without UN police escorts. Some Greek police were present on the train for two years, villagers said, but recent NATO downsizing has meant the elimination of that program.
Meanwhile, shop supplies dwindle, and listless teens file up and down the village's dusty main street. "We have all finished our high school studies," said one 17 year-old boy, "But we can't work, and we have nothing to do."
When asked whether he planned to stay and fight when the inevitable Albanian attack comes, the teen wistfully replied, "…we would like it if you could take us to America with you." So much for that much-feared "Serbian nationalism." (http://www.cfr.org/pub6888/without_us_balkan_threat_may_explode.php)

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/caglavica1.jpg
In Caglavica, some refugees are being housed in tents, placed right in front of their destroyed homes.
The Second Goal: Prevent Any Returns by Destroying Churches
One of the main promises of the UNMIK administration is that all refugees will be returned to Kosovo as part of its "Standards Before Status (http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sc7999.doc.htm)" conditions for eventual independence. "Yet what's strange," adds Oliver Ivanovic, "is that there were 35 churches destroyed in 2 days. In the 5 years before that, 118 churches were destroyed. All of the churches in Prizren were destroyed, because its previously displaced Serbs are supposed to be brought back there this year."
In this light, the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from hardcore KLA country in the south near Prizren and in the west near Djakovica and Pec become more understandable. Since a mark of any civilization is the presence of cultural monuments, the massive destruction of Serbian churches in this area shows the true intent of the Albanian militants. The western half of Kosovo is known to Serbs as "Metochia," a Greek word denoting church property. The wholesale destruction of Serbian churches and monasteries since 1999 (http://www.kosovo.com/crucified/default.htm) and which accelerated last month betrays the desire to eliminate a whole people's history, culture, and right to exist.
Prizren, which had featured age-old mosques next to churches and a beautiful historic town, was hardest hit (http://www.terrorwhy.kg.co.yu/english/stradanje.htm). It was described to me as a "little Jerusalem" by one resident Arab, and as "the most beautiful town in the former Yugoslavia" by a Serb. In 2002, it was listed as one of the world's 100 most endangered sites by the World Monument Fund. Among the other priceless churches destroyed was the 14th century cathedral of The Holy Virgin Ljeviška, one of the world's most important monuments to Byzantine art. On March 26, Bishop of Kosovo Artemijie lamented:
"…how can people destroy a city in which they themselves are living? How can they calmly sit on benches and nonchalantly stroll in front of burning churches whose ruins stink of urine and feces left behind by the attackers? Where did such barbarity at the dawn of the 21st century come from, barbarity promoted not by some small group of extremists but by thousands of people who destroyed centuries of culture and civilization in their campaign of destruction?"

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/pristinachurch.jpg
Ths Serbian Orthodox church in Pristina was one of the 35 attacked across Kosovo during the riots.
Pristina's Refugees
Some of the 150 Serbians expelled from Pristina on March 17 are currently being housed in an elementary school gym in Gracanica. The scene there is gloomy; cots lined up against the walls, black plastic bags of donated clothes and provisions, tinny music emanating from a little clock radio. Old people lay crouched in their beds while the few small children try to shoot baskets to entertain themselves. My local guide and I sat down to talk with one group of refugees, and instantly hospitality materialized in the form of Turkish coffee made on a plug-in burner. In Kosovo, even people who have nothing left want to give.
According to the refugees, who were all living in the same high-rise apartment block on the western edge of Pristina, the trouble began shortly before dark on Wednesday, the 17th of March. An old woman recalls standing on her balcony and seeing smoke and fire in the distance. She ran to her neighbor to tell her "Something is burning in Kosovo Polje!" This inferno and the arrival of a crowd of Albanian toughs at around 7:30 frightened the Serbs. "And so," the refugee went on, "we began to gather the most necessary items and documents, just in case."
By 8:30, the mob had multiplied to several hundred. It was made up of armed men and boys of all ages. They were chanting the standard rallying cry of the former Kosovo Liberation Army ("UCK! UCK!"), and soon had broken the windows of all the first-floor apartments with rocks and shotgun shells. Witnesses saw taxis and vans continually bringing more and more Albanians in, some of whom they recognized from the neighborhood. According to the refugees, the rioters were enabled by four or five Albanian KPS officers, who invited them to come closer and also threw Molotov cocktails at the trapped Serbs. When someone desperately rang up the UN Police to report the emergency, the officer who answered "…just laughed and said, 'we have a patrol in the area.'"
The situation became much more serious after the power was mysteriously cut at 9 PM. This seemed like a cue for the rioters to begin charging the building. They blocked off all the entrances, and began firebombing Serb-owned cars outside the building and then the structure itself. When the power came on again at 10 PM, the people trapped in the building turned off all lights and lay on the floor, intermittently peeking out the windows to see what was happening.

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/pristinarefugees.jpg
These refugees from Pristina are being sheltered in an elementary school gym in the Serbian enclave of Gracanica.
Surviving the Siege
"Was it just a coincidence that the electricity was cut at the same moment they started their attack?" asks another refugee, Tanya Vudatovic. Until the riots, Vudatovic had been working in a Pristina NGO. It was difficult, and sometimes dangerous, but she felt safe enough. Not anymore.
"For five years," she recounts, "we were locked inside a building and subjected to constant surveillance and hostile stares from our Albanian neighbors. Even if you went downstairs to a shop, they were constantly watching you. We didn't even go out after dark. Yet even through all that, we still thought maybe we can live together. Not now."
Despite nearly having been killed by the Albanian mob, Vudatovic and the others are this evening enjoying a laugh with an Albanian colleague working to develop multi-ethnic radio. He had happened to be visiting them on the night of the riots, when Vudatovic and 32 others huddled inside an apartment barricaded by metal bars and marked by an OSCE sign. "Hiding behind such signs has been one of our tricks for survival," said Vudatovic. The presence of the metal bars, she is convinced, is the only reason they survived the attacks.
At around 11 PM, KFOR arrived with 2 vehicles. They passed across the front side of the apartment building and, while they remained, the crowd fell back. This detachment was soon replaced by a UN armored vehicle. The Serbs thought that they had been saved, and some made the mistake of opening their doors. But the peacekeepers inexplicably left after 15 minutes, and the mob regained strength, breaking into the building and baying for blood.
All in all, the rioters ransacked around 30 apartments and burned 4 others, according to the residents. Incredibly, no Serbs were killed, probably because they had taken shelter together in a few well-fortified apartments, placing tables, chairs, and anything heavy in front of the doors. However, had the peacekeepers not returned around 1 AM, many people would surely have died of fire and asphyxiation.
The arriving UN police soon found themselves under attack. The mob was furious at being stymied in their attack. But the police managed to break through the rioting crowd and started sweeping from the top floors down. A young mother named Vesna reveals the vital role American policemen played in the rescue:
"…one of them took my son, and the other, a female officer, tried to run with me towards the bus. She shielded me with her body, because the Albanians were shooting at us from all directions. When we got to the bus she pushed me down against the vehicle, blocked me from the bullets and saved my life."
Meanwhile, Vudatovic and the others in the barricaded apartment below waited it out. "Even now when I lie down," she says, "I can still hear this roaring sound in my ears… it's very hard to explain what it was like, sitting in a corner in the dark, begging God to help you." When I ask for her to attempt a description anyway, she recounts:
"…we could hear the mob gathering outside the door. They were calling for me and my sister, shouting, 'Where are the two Serbian bitches?' We were covering the mouths of the children so they wouldn't scream. Out of the people in the apartment, only 4 were men, and all were unarmed. The Albanians would have killed all 33 people inside that room.
…then we heard someone screaming for help. After a few minutes of hearing his cries, one woman said, 'I can't stand it, we have to help him.' So we removed the furniture blocking the door, went out in the hall and found a 34 year-old Serbian man covered in blood. He had been stabbed in the head. At that moment three Irish KFOR soldiers came running up the stairs. It was just a matter of seconds. They said to us, 'We don't have time! Go, go!' But the entranceway was engulfed in flames, and we had to run through the fire in order to get out."

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/pristina-apt-door.jpg
Thirty-three people escaped certain death by hiding from the mob inside this barricaded apartment in Pristina on the night of March 17.
The Story from Kosovo Polje
A few miles west of Pristina, in the little town of Kosovo Polje, Albanian rioters burned the post office, a restaurant, a hospital, and scores of houses, driving the Serbs away from the main road bisecting the town and railroad station. A British SFOR tank hastily imported from Bosnia now stands guard over the town's imperiled church, although it's unlikely that this nominal force of teenaged soldiers will be able to stop any determined attackers.
One refugee, a middle-aged man whose house was located behind the Post Office recounted what he saw:
"…first, they took my nephew's car from the garage and burned it. We saw how they were throwing rocks at the Serbian houses. We all stayed indoors. But one old man who was caught outside while cleaning his house with his wife was kicked down by the mob. The Albanians let his wife go, but they lit the man on fire and burned him alive right there."
This witness, whom I encountered in a "safe" part of the (still) ethnically-mixed town, was remarkably composed considering what he had witnessed, and considering that the perpetrators were less than a mile away. He added:
"…my elderly uncle was stabbed by Albanians as he was trying to run from a neighbor's house into his own. Luckily we were near enough to see him, and we saved him. But the KPS Albanian police saw them attack him and did nothing."
Eventually, the Serbs were evacuated by three of their ethnic kin who happened to work in the KPS. But these policemen could not save their homes from the Albanian mobs that moved methodically from house to house in groups of 30, looting, pillaging, and burning.
I asked the Kosovo Polje man, standing with some friends outside a little shop in the protected end of the town, what he envisions for the future. After all, he told me that he also owns an apartment in Belgrade – but has nevertheless chosen to remain in Kosovo:
"…after these five years, we thought it might be possible to live together. We had started to shop in Albanian stores, to walk more freely in the streets. Now there is no chance for that. Still, we had imagined the mob would stop at burning vehicles and big buildings – not houses or people. KFOR has taken all our weapons from us – only if they allow the Serbian police to return can we be saved."

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/kosovo/priluzje1.jpg
Serbs trapped in enclaves like Priluzje have few opportunities in the new Kosovo.
The End for Obilic
In the village of Obilic, as in Pristina, the entire Serbian population was expelled. I met several refugees from the village now being housed in Priluzje, a Serbian village a few miles to the north. One middle-aged woman made homeless by the riots gave her testimony:
"…at 10:30 AM on Thursday the 18th we left our house, my daughter and I. A neighbor took us in the van with them. We didn't have time to take anything, only the clothes on our back. There were over 1,000 Albanians coming towards us, burning and shooting."
I asked the woman whether she hoped to return to her village someday. She replied, "No, I have no wish to go back to Obilic. I will stay here if Priluzje survives, and if our Serbian army and police arrive to protect us, since KFOR does not seem able to do so."
A very old man, bearded and with a gravelly voice, recounted how he has been expelled from Obilic 4 times since 1999, when his home was first burned by Albanians. After that, he moved into a neighbor's house. When that was burned down, too, he was moved into a new building, and then into a camp in Pristina. He claims that since the camp was also used by KFOR for storing gasoline, "…the smoke choked us, we felt sick, and I got an infection in my veins."
Like many other refugees, the old man declares that "What I'm wearing now is all that I have." Nevertheless, there is some of the old Serbian obstinacy left in him:
"…I will go back to Obilic if there is safety, and if they rebuild our houses. But if they're not capable, let us bring in our own security and police forces."
Another elderly man, Slobodan, is temporarily housing these Obilic refugees in the home of his children and grandchildren. "I am 83 years old," he says, "I have lived through 3 wars, and it has never been harder for the Serbian people than it is now. In the past, our enemies weren't killing children, women, and old men, and destroying churches. How can we live if we aren't allowed to defend ourselves, and no one else will?"
The next day, back in Gracanica, my guide and I give a lift to a Serbian man carrying a heavy box of humanitarian supplies. Turns out that he's a refugee from Obilic too, being sheltered now within the enclave. When we describe the ruins we'd photographed in Obilic, the man recognizes one as being his former house. "Did you happen to see my dog?" he asks, hopefully, and describes the same mutt that'd been yapping around my feet the day before. "Ah! He lives still!" beamed the refugee.
Now, the UN administration in Kosovo claims that the peace has been restored. But no one can know for sure. For Serbian victims of ethnic cleansing and for those others whose villages survived the latest attacks, waiting is the only option. Yet since everyone knows the NATO forces are too few, and the Serbian minority too vulnerable, there's little reason for optimism. Their safety can only really be guaranteed by re-introducing Serbian troops to Kosovo. However, such a decision would cause instantaneous all-out war from the Albanians. And so, since no one is willing to risk the unthinkable of war for the sake of a few straggler Serbs, their gradual elimination will forestall the need for any such decision. And so will that other unthinkable – ethnic cleansing in the heart of Europe – be quietly tolerated by the West's would-be guarantors of civil society and human rights.
http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/?articleid=2257

[ssg-p-11]

I have numerous pics from after the riots and a couple during, my post of pictures is not working :(

popular thought was that there was a phrase or key words used in code over the local radio stations to set this in motion, I never saw the final intel on the recordings and translations.

of the 4000+ US kfor then there are about 1700 now,,, camp monteith is closed i beleive,,,