13:47 2002-06-29

SERBIAN KOSOVO IS BEING WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH

More horrific news is coming from Kosovo; more acts of vandalism took
place in that long-suffering land. Orthodox Serbian graveyards were
desecrated in the town of Djakovica and Orahovac. Someone destroyed
tombstones, leaving their ?traces? on them: the symbols of an extremist
organization of Albanian guerrillas. Orthodox graveyards in the towns of
Siga and Brestovic (near the city of Pec) suffered even more: vandals
exhumed the graves and scattered the remains of dead Serbs.

The Moscow Patriarchy cited a letter that was written by Bishop Artemy
to the NATO-led peace force (known as KFOR) in Kosovo. The letter was
filled with depression.

The bishop wrote thatover 100 orthodox churches have been destroyed
since the military actions in Kosovo and Metohija and not less than ten
graveyards have desecrated. However, there has been no legal action
taken, not to mention any arrests. Nothing has been done on the
territory that is directly defended by KFOR. Bishop Artemy believes this
is the deliberate policy of the international community representatives
and not any mistake. Those events were kept secret by the leadership of
the peacemaking force and international organizations for the protection
of human rights. The Albanian police and peacemaking force prevents the
Serbian Patriarchy from documenting such acts of vandalism.

The Kosovo government completely supports acts of desecration, taking
into consideration the fact that some of its representatives directly
participate in them sometimes. The monument to Serbian King Stefan
Nemanja was demolished on June 4th. The monument stood in front of the
building of the Town-Planning Ministry of Kosovo, and ministerial
officials took a very active role in the demolition of the monument.

The analysis of events that are happening in Kosovo on a regular basis
made bishop Artemy come to the following conclusion: ?KFOR takes part in
the elimination of inheritance and culture of the Serbian Orthodox
Church and in the spiritual genocide of the Serbian nation.? The local
Albanian government is going to ensure ?law and order." They will remove
the ruins of orthodox churches that were destroyed by them. There will
soon be another monument in Djakovica instead of the ruined church: a
monument to the Kosovo Liberation Army.

The Serbian Orthodox Church released an updated edition of the book
Crucified Kosovo, which contained documented evidence of acts of
desecration against Serbian sacred objects and photographs of ruined
temples and eyewitnesses? stories.

Sergey Yugov
PRAVDA.Ru


Translated by Dmitry Sudakov

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> http://www.kosovo.com/rastko-kosovo/istorija/malkolm/index.html

Response to Noel Malcolm`s book "Kosovo. A Short History"
Scientific Discussion on Noel Malcolm`s book
"Kosovo. A Short History"(Macmillan, London 1998)
Belgrade, 8th October 1999

> http://www.kosovo.com/rastko-kosovo/istorija/malkolm/index.html