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SLOBODA
za svet slobodnih i ravnopravnih
NACIONALNI KOMITET ZA OSLOBODJENJE
SLOBODANA MILOSEVICA
Beograd, Rajiceva 16, tel./faks 630-549

Nase demonstracije odrzane u Hagu na Vidovdan ove godine uputile su
zahteve «tribunalu» i Ujedinjenim nacijama, u cijem formalnom okrilju
ova zlokobna ustanova deluje. Ne samo da nas i glavni zahtevi nisu
ispunjeni, vecje «tribunal» jos vise pogorsao svoju praksu krsenja
ljudskih prava. Sto gase Udruzenje «Sloboda» ponovo pridruzuje pozivu
Srpsko-medjunarodnog organizacionog odbora da se odrze nove

DEMONSTRACIJE

u Hagu, 8. novembra 2003.

«Terorom i tiranijom pokusavaju da sprece, ili bar umanje, ocigledan
fijasko laznog tribunala, koji sluzi kao sredstvo rata protiv nase
zemlje i naroda. Nista novo! Kako je jos 1742. rekao Monteskje – ''nema
svirepije tiranije od one koja se sprovodi pod stitom zakona i u ime
pravde''.»

   Slobodan Milosevic, 17. avgusta 2003.

·       «Tribunal» u Hagu nije pravosudna institucija vec instrument
agresije i rata;

·       «Trubunal» u Hagu se bavi falsifikovanjem nase istorije,
odmazdom nad borcima za slobodu i zastitom nosilaca politike rata i
kolonizacije, koju osudjuje citav svet;

·       «Tribunal» u Hagu pokusava da terorom nad srpskim narodom i
Predsednikom Milosevicem, kao i progonom njegove porodice i saradnika,
spreci da se cuje istina;

·       Sud koji poput «tribunala» u Hagu masovno krsi ljudska prava ne
bi smeo da postoji ni u jednoj demokratskoj i civilizovanoj zemlji;

·       Za postojanje ovakvog «tribunala» najodgovornije su vlade SAD i
Velike Britanije, ali i ostalih stalnih clanica Saveta bezbednosti UN;

·       U jesen pre 70 godina, «Treci Rajh» je «sudio» Dimitrovu. Pre
65 godina, 8. novembra, izvrsen je jedan od najvecih nacistickih
zlocina - «kristalna noc» pogroma. Vise nikada se ne smeju ubijati
narodi! Zato:

Oslobodimo Evropu i svet od "tribunala"!
SLOBODA ZA SLOBODANA MILOSEVICA!
Sloboda za Srbiju i Jugoslaviju!

POZIVAMO SVE NAPREDNE LJUDE I ORGANIZACIJE
U EVROPI I SVETU DA NAM SE PRIDRUZE!

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Demonstracijama i borbi za ove ciljeve potrebna je finansijska pomoc.

Posaljite cek na nasu adresu ili uplatite prilog na racun nasih
prijatelja u Nemackoj:

German ICDSM, c/o Peter Betscher,
Account Number (Konto-Nr.): 102013409
Bank: Volksbank Darmstadt,
Bank Number (BLZ): 508 90 000,
use: defense

Da: "Vladimir Krsljanin"
Data: Mer 3 Set 2003 00:34:54 Europe/Rome
Oggetto: The Hague: "There is no defence, only prosecution!"


"There is no defence, only prosecution!"
-Slobodan Milosevic, September 2nd, 2003
 
 
SLOBODA calls upon all organizations and individuals who care
about freedom, justice and democracy to stand URGENTLY AND SOUNDLY
against the perhaps final proof that the aim of the "tribunal" and it's
NATO masters is to suppress freedom and to silence the truth.

Today's outrageous developments at the Hague require that no decent
person remains silent.

Progressive forces and lawyers have a particular responsibility to
stand up and let their voices be heard - there are thousands of
arguments!

The alternatives of today's world are: freedom or slavery. In the
version of the "judicial" arm of NATO the alternative is: truth or
inquisition.

SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WILL HELP ALL OF US WINNING OUR BATTLE IF WE HELP
HIM NOW!

Address the public and all relevant international factors!
ICDSM and all national committees will give the tone to this action.
Either the truth will be allowed to appear or destinies of another
nations can be sealed for a long time.

TWO YEARS OF FREEDOM FOR THE VICTORY OF TRUTH!


Earlier today President Slobodan Milosevic addressed the "Tribunal",
stating again, before being summarily shut down by Richard May, that he
did not recognize the ICTY and that the exercise was "not a trial".

At a status conference scheduled today to establish the modalities of
the "defense case", President Milosevic told the "ICTY" that two issues
were central: time and circumstances.
 
He stated that two years to prepare a response to the allegations made
was a bare minimum, that in fact the time required would be endless. In
addition, President Milosevic has demanded direct and unsupervised
contacts with witnesses and the ability to locate and obtain key
documents to refute the lies that have been put forward in The Hague,
which can only be done if he is
released.

"I will need the conditions necessary for me to prepare my trial while
at liberty," Slobodan Milosevic told the Chamber.

President Milosevic reminded Mr. May that the opposing side,
represented by Carla Del Ponte, had filed the Kosovo indictment in
1999, practically three years before the beginning of his Hague
"trial", and four and one half years before today. Other issues raised
in the subsequent indictments with respect to Croatia and Bosnia date
back to 1993.

President Milosevic pointed out that although he does not acknowledge
the process as legitimate, Mr. May and his colleagues must provide him
with adequate time for preparation, without which it will be clear that
the ICTY does not respect the rights it claims to stand for, that in
fact at the ICTY there is no defence, only a prosecution.

President Milosevic also demanded direct, unsupervised and unimpeded
contact with witnesses under adequate conditions, at liberty. He added
that he could not even begin to estimate the number of people working
for the opposite side. He demanded to be given the ability to prepare
witnesses properly, reminding the Chamber of the extent of preparation
carried out by the other side.

President Milosevic stressed that it was the Chamber, not he, who
claimed that "rights" were being afforded to him, and therefore they
should see that he be given the possibility of realizing those rights.
President Milosevic explained that the symbolic value of the equality
of arms supported his demands to prepare his witnesses and documents in
conditions that were adequate and suitable.

Following President Milosevic's presentation, "Judge" May did not
hesitate to immediately deny, yet again, any request for provisional
release made by President Milosevic, without stating any justification.
Mr. May also summarily dismissed President Milosevic's request for two
years to prepare his case.

After lengthy submissions from the "amicus" and opposite side,
President Milosevic spoke again, and strongly criticized the
"Prosecution's" suggestion that they were equal all on equal footing as
absurd. He reiterated, before being cut off, that he did not recognize
the "Tribunal" and that the process was not a "trial", but that the
Chamber itself had claimed he had rights. After being told to be
concrete by Mr. May, President Milosevic responded that he had been
speaking in the most practical terms, and asked how it was possible for
him to communicate with witnesses without direct and unsupervised
contact with them. He stated that two years of preparation was a most
modest evaluation of the time required under the so-called "Tribunal's"
principles.

President Milosevic concluded his remarks by stating that it was
well-known that at the ICTY there is only a prosecution and no defence,
nor is there equality of arms.

The "Chamber" has not issued any formal rulings on the submissions
heard today, but has already rejected President Milosevic's concrete
demands without deliberations. A decision setting out the modalities of
resident Milosevic's presentation of evidence is expected soon.
Recently, the "tribunal" banned all visits of all SPS members, Sloboda
and other associated people to President Milosevic. By that, pratically
no witness could be prepared. Fighting that decision and the "rule"
forbidding President Milosevic contacts with the media, earlier today
Sloboda sent to the president of the "tribunal" a written request to
annull that decision, naming dozens of arguments. The full text of the
letter by Sloboda is attached as Appendix.


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APPENDIX
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Belgrade, September 2, 2003

To: Judge Theodor Meron, President
ICTY, The Hague, The Netherlands
URGENT

REQUEST TO THE PRESIDENT FOR REVIEW OF THE REGISTRAR'S DECISION TO DENY
REQUESTS FOR VISITS TO PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC AT THE DETENTION
CENTRE, PURSUANT TO THE PRESIDENT'S SUPERVISORY POWERS, RULE 19 OF THE
RULES OF PROCEDURE AND EVIDENCE

Hereby we request the President's intervention, on the basis of his
powers set out at Rule 19 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, to
reverse the Registrar's decision to deny, until further notice, visits
from members of the Freedom Association (SLOBODA) (1). The Registrar's
decision is supported by his claim that individuals having visiting
President Slobodan Milosevic disclosed information to the media. (2)

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT

A. The Registrar's decision constitutes an arbitrary and illegal
exercice of the discretion afforded by Regulation 33 (B) of the
Regulations to Govern the Supervision of Visits to and Communications
with detainees (the "Regulations") and Rule 66 (B) of the Rules of
Detention, and should therefore be overturned;

B. The Registrar's decision violates the principle of equality of arms.
The Registry permits, finances and otherwise aids and encourages
unrestrained access to the media by the Prosecutor, while denying any
such contact on the part of an accused person. The Registrar's decision
should therefore be overturned;

C. The Registrar's decision violates the fundamental, universally
recognized principle of presumption of innocence, and should therefore
be overturned;

D. The Registrar's decision violates the fundamental principle of
freedom of expression, has no legitimate aim, and is unnecessary. The
Registrar's decision should be overturned;

E. The Registrar's decision is tantamount to ordering the isolation of
President Milosevic, and should be overturned.


THE FACTS

1. On 11 August 2003, Mr. Bogoljub Bjelica, Chairman of the Freedom
Association, a non-government association, applied, in accordance with
the applicable rules and procedural requirements, for a visit with
President Milosevic, who had also requested to meet with Mr. Bjelica.

2. On 15 August 2003, he received a copy of a fax sent by the Registrar
to Mr. Milosevic denying "until further notice" visits from "members of
the SPS and associated entities, such the Freedom Association" until
further notice.

3. On 19 August 2003, Mr Igor Raicevic of the Freedom Association
requested the Registrar reconsider his decision to deny visits to
members of the Freedom Association, which request did not get any reply;


ARGUMENT


The Registrar's decision to suspend visits is arbitrary and constitutes
an abuse of discretion:

a) the decision was not made in accordance with statutory authority;
b) the decision did not respect the principle of audi alteram partem;
c) the decision is overbroad and abusive with respect to its
application over time;
d) the decision arbitrarily and unjustifiably targets persons and
groups entirely unconnected to those allegedly in breach of rules
governing visits and communication with detainees;
e) the decision is apparently unfounded, as no evidence is provided to
support the Registrar's claim of transgression of the rules.

a) The decision was not made in accordance with statutory authority.

Regulation 33 (B) of the Regulations and Rule 66 of the Rules of
Detention attribute discretion to the Registrar to deny visits to
detainees. This discretionary power constitutes an exception to the
general rule which provides that detainees have the right to meet with
the person of their choice, subject to security considerations.

In absence of an express provision to the contrary, judicial review
lies against administrative decisions before the ICTY.(3)

This general prinicple is enunciated in Rule 92 of the Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (4):
92. An untried prisoner shall be allowed to inform immediately his
family of his detention and shall be given all reasonable facilities
for communicating with his family and friends, and for receiving visits
from them, subject only to restrictions and supervision as are
necessary in the interests of the administration of justice and of the
security and good order of the institution.

The ICTY Registrar's discretion is set out as follows in Rule 66 (B) of
the Rules of Detention and 33 (B) of the Regulations:

(B) Permission may be denied if the Registrar has reason to
believe that the purpose of the visit is to obtain information which
may be subsequently reported in the media.

1. The Registrar may only deny visits if he has "reason to believe"
that the purpose of the visit is that of obtaining information which
may subsequently be reported in the media. Nowhere in the Registrar's
fax to the Freedom Association is it alleged that the purpose of the
visit made by 5 named SPS members was to obtain information that might
subsequently be reported to the media.

2. The Registrar has not stated any reason to believe that any other
member of the SPS, "associated entities" or members of the Freedom
Association will apply for a visit with President Milosevic "for the
purpose" of obtaining information which may subsequently be reported in
the media.

3. The Registrar has simply banned, for an indeterminate period,
members of a political party, members of an association, as well as
persons unknown and unidentifiable, from visiting President Milosevic
although those unknown have not yet expressed the desire to visit him,
much less the intention of gathering information for the purposes of
future publication in the media.

4. The decision is overbroadly prospective, and is ultra vires the
discretionary authority provided by the Rules of Detention. The
Decision is overbroad as to targeted individuals and groups, and is
overbroad as to its duration.

5. The Registrar has misstated the Rule in his decision. In it he
writes that the visitors had been advised that "dissemination to the
media of any information disclosed to the media in any form is
prohibited". The Rule merely confers discretion to the Registrar to
prohibit visits if he has reason to believe that its purpose to obtain
information that is subsequently reported by the media. Such a patent
misstatement of the rule creates a reasonable apprehension that the
Registrar also errs in the actual exercise of his discretion.

b) The decision did not respect the principle of audi alteram partem
nor did respect procedural fairness;

1. Freedom Association/Sloboda is banned from visits to President
Milosevic "until further notice". At no point was a representative of
Sloboda/Freedom association called upon by the Registrar to provide a
response to the charge of "flagrant (…) breach" of the Rules. It is
obvious that the Registrar could not do so: No member of Freedom
Association is even alleged to have breached the Rules. Yet the
Registrar's decision arbitrarily bans its members from visits to Mr
Milosevic.

2. In fact, all visits undertaken by Freedom Association members have
been made without incident.

3. The Registrar's decision alleges a breach of Rules by two
individuals, Mr. Vucelic and Mr. Andjelkovic. At no time prior to the
ban were they given an opportunity to respond to the Registrar's
allegations that they had violated their undertaking to comply with the
rules and regulations of the ICTY. The Registrar has violated the most
basic principles of natural justice.

4. The Registrar has not afforded an opportunity to the SPS, or its
members, also subject to the Registrar's decision to deny visits to
President Milosevic, to respond to his allegations before deciding to
deny requests for visits "until further notice". The party, and its
members, could not, in any event, reasonably be expected to respond to
allegations made not against them, but against third parties. The
Registrar's decision therefore violates the most basic tenets of
natural justice.

5. The Registrar's failure to afford an opportunity to respond to
non-confidential evidence has been held by the President of the ICTY to
represent a failure to act with procedural fairness, and has resulted
in the President quashing the Registrar's decision in Prosecutor v.
Slijivancanin (5)

6. The Registrar has banned, until further notice, visits to President
Milosevic, by "associated entities" of the SPS. These "entities" are
unspecified, and therefore unknown. It is strikingly evident that
unspecified groups or entities have not had an opportunity to respond
to the Registrar's allegations against third parties. The Registrar's
decision constitutes an egregious violation of the most basic
principles of natural justice.

c) The Registrar's decision is overbroad and abusive with respect to
its application over time.

1. The Registrar's decision to deny request to visit President
Milosevic to members of the SPS, the Freedom Association, as well as
entities as to yet unknown and unspecified "until further notice"
constitutes an excess of jurisdiction. Discretion is to be exercised
on a case by case basis, as clearly envisaged by the relevant rules. An
administrative decision in force "until further notice" removes all
exercise of discretion, essentially applying one discrete factual
evaluation to all future cases.

2. In addition, an administrative decision taken "until further notice"
is egregiously arbitrary with respect to the period of time in which it
will be in force. The Registrar has failed to assert any legislative
basis to justify the indeterminate nature of the decision. The
Registrar has also failed to indicate what requirements or criteria, if
any, would need to be met in order to terminate his decision to ban
visits from persons and groups, some unspecified and yet to be
identified. The decision is overbroad, and does not constitute an
acceptable exercise of administrative discretion.

3. Rule 63 (A) and Rules and Rule 33 (B) of the Regulations clearly
confers discretion to refuse a single visit-- not all visits,-- for an
undisclosed, potentially indefinite period. The Rule requires the
Registrar to treat each case individually, which he has failed to to
do. Instead he has restricted his discretion and thus exceeded and/ or
not excercised his jurisdiction. The Registrar has rendered an illegal
decision, which should be reversed.

d) The Registrar's decision arbitrarily and unjustifiably targets
persons and groups entirely unconnected to those allegedly in breach of
rules governing visits and communication with detainees.

1. It is trite to point out that banning visits by persons not even
alleged to have breached rules is a violation of any legal standard.
Not only does the impugned decision target all members of a political
party, present and future, as well as present and future members of the
Freedom Association, but outrageously extends the ban on visits to
"associated entities" of the SPS. The Registrar has in essence banned
unknown, unidentified, and unidentifiable groups from visiting
President Milosevic. This decision is simply unprecedented and violates
every fundamental principle of transparency. It is guilt by
association, and worse, it targets people unknown.

2. By extending the ban on visits to undefined groups, the Registrar
has usurped legislative jurisdiction and conferred absolute discretion
onto himself. The Registar's decision is patently ultra vires.

e) The Registrar's decision is apparently unfounded, as no evidence is
provided to support the Registrar's claim of transgression of the rules

1. The Registrar's decision laconically states that "two articles were
published in the media in Belgrade". The Registrar has provided no copy
of publication, no date of publication, and has not identified the
media in question. The Registrar has failed to positively identify the
type of media alleged to have published details of a visit. The
Registrar points to "factual inaccuracies" in the "articles". The
paucity of information provided to support such a sweeping ban is well
below any standard of transparency required in the drafting of his
decision (6). The Registrar's claim that a "flagrant breach" of the
Rules occurred is unreasonable, his reasons inadequate.


The Registrar's decision violates the principle of equality of arms.
The Registry permits, finances and otherwise aids and encourages
unrestrained access to the media by the Prosecutor, while denying any
such contact on the part of an accused person. The Registrar's decision
should therefore be quashed

1. The Registry facilitates, finances and otherwise supports joint
press briefings of the ICTY's Spokesman for Registry and Chambers with
Office of the Prosecutor's spokeswoman. Summaries of these press
conferences are made available on the ICTY's website at
http://www.un.org/icty/latest/index.htm .

2. Article 21 of the ICTY Statute sets out the minimum rights of
accused persons. These rights encompass the principle of the equality
of arms.

3. The principle of equality of arms, in the context of a trial, is to
be interpreted as meaning that each party must be afforded a reasonable
opportunity to present its case, under conditions that do not place it
at a substantial disadvantage vis à vis the opposing party (7).

4. The Registrar's ban puts President Milosevic at "a substantial
disadvantage vis-à-vis the opposing party" as, simply put, the
"opposing party" maintains a channel of communication with the media,
which it uses to present its case, and does so with the assistance and
support of the Registry.

5. Equality of arms is violated when the Registrar simultaneously bans
visits to an accused, based on the prohibition on contact with the
media, while facilitating joint press briefings of the Tribunal and
Prosecutor's spokespeople. The imbalance is striking.

6. The Registrar's decision to ban visits to President Milosevic based
on prohibition of contact with the media could not be made in other
United Nations Tribunals. No rule permitting such discretion has been
adopted at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Special
Court for Sierra Leone, or the International Criminal Court. These
Tribunals are held to the respect of the principle of the equality of
arms.


The Registrar's decision violates the fundamental principle of freedom
of expression, and should be quashed

1. Some security considerations can legitimately justify the
non-disclosure of certain information to the media by visitors such as
the details of floor plans of Detention Unit, for instance. Security
considerations are a pattern throughout legislation governing visits to
detention units under international and domestic law.

2. In contrast, the Registrar's decision constitutes a blanket
prohibition of contact with the media. No security considerations have
been asserted in support of the ban, which is tantamount to a gag order.

3. The ICTY is held to apply and respect the provisions of the
International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (8).

4. The accused is innocent, presumed as such by Article 21 of the ICTY
Statute until proof has established, beyond a reason doubt, the
contrary. The accused preserves his freedom of expression (9).

5. Visitors of the accused also enjoy the right to freedom of
expression, a fundamental freedom set out in Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to the freedom of opinion and expression; this
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers."

The Appeals Chamber of the ICTY has recognized the public's right to
receive information from the press as a component of freedom of
expression. On interlocutory appeal in Prosecutor v. Brdjanin (10),
the Appeals Chamber overturned the Trial Chamber's decision to issue a
subpoena to Jonathan Randall. The Appeals Chamber held:

As has been noted, the right to freedom of expression includes not
merely the right of journalists and media organizations freely to
communicate information. It also incorporates a right of members of the
public to receive information. As the European Court of Human Rights
put it in its decision in Fresso and Roire v. France: “Not only does
the press have the task of imparting information and ideas on matters
of public interest: the public also has a right to receive them.”

1. Brdjanin described the vital role of war correspondents in the work
of the Tribunal (11), and concluded:

The Appeals Chamber will not unnecessarily hamper the work of
professions that perform a public interest. (12)

1. The House of Lords, in Regina v. Secretary of State for the Home
Department Ex Parte Simms (A.P.) Secretary of State for the Home
Department Ex Parte O'Brien (13) overturned the British Home
Secretary's ban on verbal interviews between convicted prisoners
serving sentences and the media (14).

2. The O'Brien case establishes that convicted prisoners have the right
to conduct interviews with the media and discuss the unfairness of
their trials. Lord Steyn stated:

The prisoners are in prison because they are presumed to have been
properly convicted. They wish to challenge the safety of their
convictions. In principle it is not easy to conceive of a more
important function which free speech might fulfil. (15)

1. O'Brien acknowledged the reality of miscarriages of justice, and the
crucial role of the media in exposing them. (16)

2. President Slobodan Milosevic asserts his innocence, and steadfastly
criticizes the ICTY. He is innocent, until proven otherwise, and has
every right to oppose the legitimacy of this institution. By banning
contact with the media, the Registrar has violated the rights of Mr.
Milosevic, of his visitors, and of the public at large.

3. The ICTY may not enjoy President Milosevic's criticism. Nonetheless,
the public benefits of permitting him to communicate with the media far
outweigh whatever embarassment might be visited upon the ICTY. As Lord
Steyn stated it:

Freedom of expression is, of course, intrinsically important: it is
valued for its own sake. But it is well recognised that it is also
instrumentally important. It serves a number of broad objectives.
First, it promotes the self fulfilment of individuals in society.
Secondly, in the famous words of Mr. Justice Holmes (echoing John
Stuart Mill), "the best test of truth is the power of the thought to
get itself accepted in the competition of the market.": Abraham v.
United States 250 U.S. 616, at 630 (1919), per Holmes J. (dissent).
Thirdly, freedom of speech is the lifeblood of democracy. The free flow
of information and ideas informs political debate. It is a safety
valve: people are more ready to accept decisions that go against them
if they can in principle seek to influence them. It acts as a brake on
the abuse of power by public officials. It facilitates the exposure of
errors in the governance and administration of justice of the country:
see Stone, Seidman, Sunstein and Tushnett, Constitutional Law, 3rd ed.,
(1996), 1078-1086. It is this last interest which is engaged in the
present case. The prisoners argue that in their cases the criminal
justice system has failed, and that they have been wrongly convicted.
They seek with the assistance of journalists, who have the resources to
do the necessary investigations, to make public the wrongs which they
allegedly suffered. (17)

1. The House of Lords contemplated the right of convicted criminals to
conduct interviews with the media. Neither Mr. Milosevic nor his
visitors have been convicted of any crimes, yet the Registrar's
decision strips them of rights enjoyed by convicted persons in the
United Kingdom.

Freedom of expression before the ICTY

1. In the matter of Brdjanin, the Appeals Chamber recognized freedom of
expression as a fundamnetal right. It had been asked to recognize a
specific privilege for war correspondents before the Tribunal, but
established instead a two-pronged test to determine whether a decision
violating freedom of expression should be overturned in particular
cases where compelling testimony would reduce the "free flow of
information" (18) . The test developed by the majority of the Chamber
is too narrow to apply to the instant matter.

2. Judge Shahabudeen's separate opinion, however, provides a useful
test in the instant case. With respect to the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, he stated:

8) The Covenant was not constructed with the International Tribunal in
view. So far as the Tribunal is concerned, there is no “law” providing
for restrictions under article 19(3). But, given that it is
acknowledged that the principles of the Covenant apply in relation to
the Tribunal, those principles have to be construed to mean that the
right to freedom of expression is subject to restrictions on the
exercise of it which result from the responsibilities and functions of
the Tribunal. This opinion will proceed on the basis that the
protection of the public interests which justifies those restrictions
includes the protection of the essential elements of the administration
of justice; the matter is so understood generally.

9) If a restriction is judged “necessary”, no balancing of interests is
thereafter required. The balance is made by the provision; the task of
the courts is to say whether the particular restriction of freedom of
expression is “necessary ” on any of the permitted grounds. If the
restriction is necessary, the restriction prevails – the testimony is
compelled; if the restriction is not necessary, freedom of expression
prevails – the testimony is not compelled. But it seems to me that
there is a preliminary stage at which some balancing of competing
interests has inescapably to be made in the process of determining
whether a restriction of freedom of expression is “necessary” for the
protection of a public interest.

1. The Registrar has not asserted any grounds to establish that his
decision to ban President Milosevic from contact , until further
notice, with members of the SPS, and "associated entities", including
the Freedom Association is necessary to protect the public interest.

2. The Registrar thus justified his decision to ban visits, as a result
of alleged contacts with the media by previous visitors :

"In view of the flagrant nature of this breach of the rules and
regulations of the Tribunal, I have decided that it would be in the
interests of the good administration of the Detention Unit to deny
until further notice any requests from members of the SPS and
associated entities, such as the Freedom Association, for visits with
you at the Detention Unit." (19)

1. "The good administration of the Detention Unit", is a legitimate
administrative preoccupation, but falls far short of the standard set
out by Judge Shahabudeen. The Registrar's decision fails to show how
his decision would satisfy "the protection of the public interests
which justifies those restrictions" to freedom of expression, a right
enjoyed by the public and by the accused.

2. The protection of the essential elements of the administration of
justice (20), as opposed to the administration of the Detention Unit,
could justify a restriction on freedom of expression. The Appeals
Chamber has further held (21) that adequate weight must be given to the
ability of war correspondents to provide vital information to citizens
of the international community.

3. Brdjanin stands for the general proposition that the protection of
the administration of justice includes the protection of the free flow
of information to the international community. The Registrar has not
justified his restriction of the free flow of information to the
public, nor has he justified his restriction on the ability of members
of the public to participate in, or contribute to, the free flow of
information in the media.

4. Security considerations with respect to the administration of the
Detention Unit are set out elsewhere in the Rules and Regulations
adopted with respect to detention. It has not been shown that it is
necessary to adopt additional measures which so severely curtail the
fundamental rights of such a great number.

5. Transparency is required of any judicial institution. The
Registrar's decision, absent justification, heightens concerns that the
ICTY has something to hide.

6. In the course of a trial where the Prosecution has put the
transparency of the accused's governance at issue, it is demeaning to
the law to strip him of the right to contact media. To ban yet
unidentified persons from visiting him is unconscionable.


The Registrar's decision violates the fundamental, universally
recognized principle of presumption of innocence, and should therefore
be overturned.

1. Only a blatant disregard for the presumption of innocence can
justify the violation of President Milosevic's fundamental right of
freedom of expression, in addition to the violation of the rights of
his potential visitors.

2. In effect, a ban on visits following alleged communication with the
media supposes that President Milosevic is guilty and that his visitors
are guilty by association. The ban assumes that Mr. Milosevic will tell
his visitors bad things, which in turn will be reported in the media.

3. The ban also appears to prevent information favorable to Mr.
Milosevic from being be published in the media, which could only be
justified if his guilt were assumed.

4. In any event, the Registrar's decision suggests that the public
cannot be trusted with any information that could be received in the
course of a visit with Mr. Milosevic.

5. The Registrar's decision violates Rule 5 of the Rules of Detention,
which states:

All detainees, other than those who have been convicted by the
Tribunal, are presumed to be innocent until found guilty and are to be
treated as such at all times.


The Registrar's decision is tantamount to ordering the isolation of
President Milosevic, and should be overturned.

1. The governing principle with respect to detention has been set out
above: All detainees, other than those who have been convicted by the
Tribunal, are presumed to be innocent until found guilty and are to be
treated as such at all times.

2. This principle is at the heart of the rule providing for detainees
right to visitors of their choice, subject to security considerations
(22). This general rule is consistent with UN protocols on detention
(23).

3. Amnesty International provides the following justification for the
principle of free access to visitors:

The rights of detainees to communicate with others and to receive
visits are fundamental safeguards against human rights abuses such as
torture, ill-treatment and "disappearances".

Detained and imprisoned people must be allowed to communicate with the
outside world, subject only to reasonable conditions and restrictions.
(24)

1. Mr. Milosevic is has been deprived of visits from his wife and
immediate family since March 2003. The Registrar's decision now bans
visits from members of the Serbian Socialist Party's "associated
entities". This could justify denying every request for visitation made
by anyone close or affiliated not with the SPS, but with Slobodan
Milosevic himself.

2. The Registrar's decision is tantamount to imposing isolation on Mr.
Milosevic. The Rules of Detention only contemplate this measure
pursuant to specific conditions or when a detainee has committed
serious breaches to the Rule;

3. President Milosevic's isolation raises the apprehension that a
punitive measure has been carried out, although he has committed no
breach of rules and is innocent of the charges brought against him
until proof of the contrary;

4. The isolation imposed as a result of the Registrar's decision is
unwarranted, arbitrary and capricious;

RELIEF SOUGHT

FOR THE FOREGOING REASONS, PETITIONER, FREEDOM ASSOCIATION/ SLOBODA
REQUESTS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ICTY :

DIRECT the Registrar to overturn his decision, rendered August 12th
2003, to deny visits from members of the SPS, "associated entities" and
Freedom Association, until further notice;

DECLARE Rule 63 (B) of the Rules of Detention and Regulation 33 (B) of
the Regulations to govern the supervision of visits to and
communications with detainees contrary to article 21 of the ICTY
Statute, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.


(1) On August 15th, 2003, Mr Bogoljub Bjelica, Chairman of Freedom
Association, received a copy of a letter to Mr. Slobodan Milosevic
dated August 19th 2003 from the Registrar, Mr. Hans Holthuis,
informing him that he had "decided that it would be in the interests of
the good adminstration of the Detention Unit to deny untli further
notice any requests from members of the SPS and associated entities,
such as the Freedom Association, for visits with you at the Detention
Unit".
(2) Id., second paragraph of the Registrar's decision: "Subsequent to
the visit, two articles were published in the media in Belgrade, which
quoted from Mr. Vucelic and Mr. Andjelkovic respectively in relation to
the details of the visit. Despite the existence of some factual
inaccuracies, it is clear that the only possible source of the
information referred to in the articles was the SPS delegation"
(3) Prosecutor v. Sljivancanin, Decision on Assignment of Defence
Counsel, The President, IT-95-13/1-PT, 20 August 2003, paragraph 18.
(4) Adopted by the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of
Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Geneva in 1955, and
approved by the Economic and Social Council by its resolution 663 C
(XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and 2076 (LXII) of 13 May 1977
(5) Decision on Assignment of Defence Counsel, 20 August 2003,
IT-95-13/1-PT, paragraph 23. See also Kvocka Decision, Appeal Chamber,
paragraph 12: "The administrative decision will also be quashed if the
Registrar has failed …to act with procedural fairness"
(6) See President's Decision on Assignment of Defence Counsel,
Slijivancanin, supra.
(7) European Court judgments in the cases of Ofrer and Hopfinger,
Nos. 524/59 and 617/59, Dec. 19.12.60, Yearbook 6, p. 680 and 696;
Krajisnik and Plavsic, (IT-00-3940), Decision on Prosecution Motion for
Clarification in respect of Application of Rules 65 ter, 66 (B) and 67
(C), 1 August 2001.
(8) Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brdjanin and Momir Talic, Case No.:
IT-99-36-T, Decision on interlocutory appeal, 11 December 2002,
Separate Opinion of Judge Shahabudeen, footnote 4: "Paragraph 106 of
the Secretary-General’s Report (S/25704 of 3 May 1993) said that it “is
axiomatic that the International Tribunal must fully respect
internationally recognized standards regarding the rights of the
accused at all stages of the proceedings. In the view of the
Secretary-General, such internationally recognized standards are, in
particular, contained in article 14 of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights”. In the context in which the
Secretary-General was speaking, his reference to the rights of the
accused was understandable; it does not limit the applicability of the
Covenant to other matters."
(9) See Bell v. Wolfish, 441 U.S. 520, 545 (1979) (Supreme Court of
the United States), and Kimberlin v. Quinlan, 774 F.Supp. 1, 34
(D.D.C. 1991), rev'd on other grounds, 6 F.3d 789 (D.C. Cir.1993): A
defendant preserves "a First Amendment right to be free from
governmental interferencewith [his] contacts with the press if that
interference is based on the content of the speech or proposed speech."
(10) Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brdjanin and Momir Talic, Case No.:
IT-99-36-T, Decision on interlocutory appeal, 11 December 2002.
(11) Brdjanin, supra, at paragraph 36: The Appeals Chamber is of the
view that society’s interest in protecting the integrity of the
newsgathering process is particularly clear and weighty in the case of
war correspondents. Wars necessarily involve death, destruction, and
suffering on a large scale and, too frequently, atrocities of many
kinds, as the conflict in the former Yugoslavia illustrates. In war
zones, accurate information is often difficult to obtain and may be
difficult to distribute or disseminate as well. The transmission of
that information is essential to keeping the international public
informed about matters of life and death. It may also be vital to
assisting those who would prevent or punish the crimes under
international humanitarian law that fall within the jurisdiction of
this Tribunal. In this regard, it may be recalled that the images of
the terrible suffering of the detainees at the Omarska Camp that played
such an important role in awakening the international community to the
seriousness of the human rights situation during the conflict in Bosnia
Herzegovina were broadcast by war correspondents. The Appeals Chamber
readily agrees with the Trial Chamber that war correspondents “play a
vital role in bringing to the attention of the international community
the horrors and reality of conflict.”30 The information uncovered by
war correspondents has on more than one occasion provided important
leads for the investigators of this Tribunal.31 In view of these
reasons, the Appeals Chamber considers that war correspondents do serve
a public interest.
(12) Id., paragraph 44.
(13)
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldjudgmt/jd990708/
obrien01.htm,Consolidated Appeals, 1998.
(14) In the United States, the right to freedom of speech for
convicts was upheld by the Supreme Court in Pell v. Procunier, 417 U.S.
(1974); see also Houchins v. KQED, Inc., 438 U.S. 1 (1978)
(15) O'Brien, supra, p. XX
(16) O'Brien, supra,., p. XXX
(17) Id., p. XXX
(18) Brdjanin, supra, paragraph 50: "In view of the foregoing, the
Appeals Chamber holds that in order for a Trial Chamber to issue a
subpoena to a war correspondent a two-pronged test must be satisfied .
First, the petitioning party must demonstrate that the evidence sought
is of direct and important value in determining a core issue in the
case. Second, it must demonstrate that the evidence sought cannot
reasonably be obtained elsewhere ."
(19) Registrar's decision, supra, note 1.
(20) Separate Opinion of Shahabudeen, supra, paragraph 8.
(21)Brdjanin, supra, majority opinion, paragraph 38: "Rather, it is
because vigorous investigation and reporting by war correspondents
enables citizens of the international community to receive vital
information from war zones that the Appeals Chamber considers that
adequate weight must be given to protecting the ability of war
correspondents to carry out their functions."
(22) Rule 63 (A) of the Rules of Detention.
(23) See, supra, footnote 2
(24) Amnesty International, Fair Trials Manual, International
Secretariate, London 1998. Cf Principle 19 of the Body of Principles:
"A detained or imprisoned person shall have the right to be visited by
and to correspond with, in particular, members of his family and shall
be given adequate opportunity to communicate with the outside world,
subject to reasonable conditions and restrictions as specified by law
or lawful regulations."


---
 
SLOBODA urgently needs your donation

Please find the detailed instructions at:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/pomoc.htm
 
To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/ (Sloboda/Freedom association)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic) now back in service!
http://www.free-slobo.de/ (German section of ICDSM)
http://www.icdsmireland.org/ (ICDSM Ireland)
http://www.wpc-in.org/ (world peace council)
http://www.geocities.com/b_antinato/ (Balkan antiNATO center)

Milosevic "trial":
Towards the November 8th Demonstration in Den Haag

(english - Portuguese)

All the following documents have been forwarded to us by the SLOBODA
Association, Belgrade: http://www.sloboda.org.yu/

1. DEMONSTRATIONS
at The Hague, on November 8, 2003

2. Brazilian Workers for President Milosevic

3. Sloboda appeal to humanitarian organizations and UN


=== 1 ===

(download this leaflet at:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/files/AIA/
Nov8Leaflet.doc
Nov8Poziv.doc na srpskohrvatskom
Nov8latPoziv.doc isto latinicom)

SLOBODA udruzenje - FREEDOM association
YUGOSLAV COMMITTEE FOR THE LIBERATION OF SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC
Belgrade, Rajiceva 16, tel./fax +381-11-630549

Our demonstrations held on June 28 at The Hague delivered our demands
to the “tribunal” and to UN, under which formal auspices this
institution acts. It is not only that our main demands have not been
fulfilled, but also the human rights violation record of the “tribunal”
became even worse. For that reason SLOBODA/Freedom Association endorses
the call of the Serbian-International Organizational Committee to hold
new
DEMONSTRATIONS
at The Hague, on November 8, 2003

«By the terror and tyranny they try to prevent, or at least minimize,
the obvious fiasco of the false tribunal, which is serving as the
weapon of war against our country and our people. Nothing new! As
Montesquieu wrote in 1742: “There is no crueler tyranny than one
perpetrated under the shield of law, and in the name of justice.” »
Slobodan Milosevic, 17 August 2003

The “tribunal” at The Hague is not an instrument of justice, but of
aggression and war;
The “tribunal” at The Hague attempts to falsify Serbian history, to
retaliate against the freedom fighters and to protect the perpetrators
of the policies of war and colonization, condemned by the whole World;
The “tribunal” at The Hague, by its terror against Serbian people and
President Milosevic and by the persecution of his family and
associates, attempts to silence the truth;
A court which violates the human rights in the way the “tribunal” does,
should not exist in any democratic and civilized country;
For the existence of such “tribunal” most responsible are the
governments USA and UK, but also of the other UN Security Council
permanent member states;
In the Autumn 70 years ago, “The Third Reich” “tried” Dimitrov. On
November 8, 65 years ago, one of the biggest Nazi crimes was committed
– the “Crystal Night” of pogrom. Killing nations – never again!
Therefore:

FREEDOM FOR SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC!

*WE CALL UPON ALL THE PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS IN EUROPE AND WORLD WIDE TO JOIN US!
The demos and the struggle for these goals need the financial
assistance.
Send a check to our address or transfer your donation to the following
account:
German ICDSM, c/o Peter Betscher, Account Number (Konto-Nr.): 102013409
Bank: Volksbank Darmstadt, Bank Number (BLZ): 508 90 000, use: defense


=== 2 ===

URL for this article is: http://www.icdsm.org/more/brazil.htm
 
Brazilian Workers for President Milosevic

In the protest letter sent today to the Hague tribunal, Antonio Neto,
President of the General Confederation of Trade Unions of Brazil
(Central Geral dos Trabalhadores, CGTB), one of the main trade union
organizations in Brazil, expresses indignation against the recent
decision to ban visits to President Milosevic. Brazilian workers
condemn NATO crimes and the tribunal as an instrument of US government.
The letter demands rights of President Milosevic to be guaranteed,
including the right of access to media.

Bellow is complete text of the letter and the link to the Portuguese
translation of the speech of President Milosevic delivered after the
end of 1999 NATO military aggression, published in CGTB newspaper “Hora
do Povo”.

CENTRAL
GERALDOS TRABALHADORES

Filiada à Federação Sindical Mundial – FSM

São Paulo, August 29, 2003

Mr. Hans Holthuis, Registrar 
ICTY, The Hague, The Netherlands 

Dear Mr. Holthuis,

The General Confederation of Trade Unions of Brazil - CGTB - finds it
necessary to express its indignation against the recent Hague tribunal
decision to ban visits to President Milosevic.

That arbitrary decision furthermore, reinforces the idea shared by wide
sections of the international public opinion that The Hague tribunal
was created with the sole objective of condemning President Milosevic
to justify the aggression against Yugoslavia and the crimes committed
by EUA/NATO when, in less than 90 days, they threw 25 thousand tons of
bombs on Yugoslavia murdering 5 thousand civilians and wounding another
10 thousand, of which 40% were children.

In the 3rd Congress of our Confederation, which took place in March of
2002, the Brazilian workers were aware of the crimes practiced by
EUA/NATO. They condemned the foreign aggressor and they questioned the
role of The Hague tribunal, considering it one more instrument
controlled by the government of the USA.

Today, after the attack on Iraq, all the people in the world are aware
of the farce that is set up by the North American administration to
justify the invasion of a sovereign country and to guarantee with that
their own interests. Therefore, if The Hague tribunal continues acting
in an arbitrary and unilateral way as it is doing, it is taking the
serious risk of becoming totally discredited.

In this sense, we consider it indispensable that The Hague tribunal
should respect the broad rights of defense and of visit of President
Milosevic and guarantee immediately his right of access to media, a
right that is today insured to the prosecution by the tribunal at any
time.

Yours sincerely,

Antonio Neto              President CGTB
Vice-president of  World Federation of Trade
Union                                                      
Maria Pimentel Secret. of Inter. Relations of CGTB

---

Iugoslávia heróica derrota desmembramento de Kosovo

"Nós năo apenas defendemos nosso país, mas trouxemos de volta ao
cenário internacional a ONU. Esta é a nossa contribuiçăo ao mundo. O
heroísmo de nosso povo na resistęncia ao inimigo, muitas vezes mais
forte e maior, marcará o fim do século 20"

O altivo discurso do presidente Milosevic (HORA DO POVO)

*** Read the whole speech in Portuguese:
http://www.horadopovo.com.br/matesp/mat13.htm ***


=== 3 ===

To:
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Geneva
World Health Organization – Geneva
International Committee of the Red Cross - Geneva

Copies to: 
Office of The UN Secretary General – New York
The Permanent Missions of the Members of the UN Security Council – New
York
 

Belgrade, August 29, 2003

           Dear Sirs,

           As an NGO dealing with issues of human rights, democracy and
peace, a pending member of The World Peace Council, we would like to
draw your attention and urge your immediate reaction to protect life,
health and fundamental rights of the long term democratically elected
President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Republic of
Serbia Mr. Slobodan Milosevic, presently detained in UN Detention Unit
at The Hague, The Netherlands.

           The most extensive specialist medical report about the
health condition of President Milosevic in detention, made on November
18, 2002 by the cardiologist Dr P. R. M. van Dijkman, appointed by the
ICTY says:

         “Essential hypertension with secondary organ damage:
hypertrophy of the left ventricle. (...) In recent weeks during trial
again steep increase in blood pressure up to around 220/130 mmHg. (...)
During the tiring process of the trial, Mr Milosevic experiences a
condition that looks like hypertensive urgency.
(…)

           Reducing (seriously) increased blood pressure also reduces
the possibility of coronary disease, cerebrovascular accident, heart
attack and death. (…)

           It can be concluded that with combination of sufficient rest
and medication the level of Mr. Milosevic’s blood pressure will be an
acceptable one. (…)

           I agree (…) that the pressure of the trial may lead to
extreme exhaustion on the part of Mr. Milosevic. (…)

           I leave it to the Tribunal to decide in what way sufficient
rest periods can be incorporated in the trial.”

           In February 2003, President Milosevic has been examined also
by a specialists’ medical team form Belgrade. Serbian doctors agreed
with their Dutch colleagues appointed by ICTY that the health situation
of President Milosevic requires regular specialists’ monitoring. But
since then, in spite our many times repeated requests, there was no
more specialists’ examination and the access of the Belgrade doctors to
President Milosevic was denied.

           With the lack of proper medical care, with the denial to the
Belgrade doctors to perform regular check-ups, and with the trial
burden (two years lasting prosecution case with at least five hours of
every day court sessions) in obvious contradiction with the above
doctor’s recommendation, the ICTY as a subsidiary organ of the UN
Security Council, bears great responsibility for the life and health of
President Milosevic and acts in violation to UN documents securing the
fundamental human rights.

           There are also other examples of arbitrary and illegal
behavior of ICTY in relation to President Milosevic, such as their
recent decision to ban all the visits of his close associates.

           We are convinced that only the provisional release of
President Milosevic for medical treatment and recuperation, can secure
his life and health and can secure that the truth will be achieved in
the subsequent continuation of the process.

           For further information, we can be reached by phones +381 63
8862 301 and +381 11 630 206 and by fax +381 11 630 549.

           We call you upon to act in accordance with your
responsibilities and to act urgently.

                                                                   Respe
ctfully,

                                              On behalf of Freedom
Association,

                                                    Bogoljub Bjelica,
president

---

SLOBODA urgently needs your donation.
Please find the detailed instructions at:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/pomoc.htm
 
To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/ (Sloboda/Freedom association)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.free-slobo.de/ (German section of ICDSM)
http://www.icdsmireland.org/ (ICDSM Ireland)
http://www.wpc-in.org/ (world peace council)
http://www.geocities.com/b_antinato/ (Balkan antiNATO center)

(english / srpskohrvatski)

ON PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ADMIRAL MIODRAG JOKIC BEFORE SO-CALLED HAGUE
TRIBUNAL

O POSTUPKU PROTIV ADMIRALA JNA MIODRADA JOKICA PRED TZV. HAŠKIM
TRIBUNALOM

ARTEL GEOPOLITIKA by www.artel.co.yu 
office@...

---

ON PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ADMIRAL MIODRAG JOKIC BEFORE SO-CALLED HAGUE
TRIBUNAL

http://www.artel.co.yu/en/reakcije_citalaca/2003-08-30.html
Dr Milan Tepavac
miltep@...
Belgrade, 30 August 2003

Almost all domestic – as well as foreign – media inform us these days
that former admiral of the Yugoslav People's Army (YPA) Miodrag Jokic
pleaded guilty to six accounts of the indictment of the prosecution of
the so-called Hague tribunal for "violation of the laws and custom of
war" on Dubrovnik area in Yugoslavia in October 1991 for (1) murder,
(2) cruel treatment, (3) attacs on civilians, (4) exessive use of force
and (5) destruction of historic buildings. It is about bombardement of
Dubrovnik on December 6, 1991, when 2 civilians were killed and 3
wounded. As a result of a deal with Jokic, the Prosecution abandonded
all other caunts contained in the initial idictment of Febrauary 22,
2001 against him and other three officers of the YPA – Pavle Strugar,
Vladimir Kovacevic and Milan Zec. On his first appearence before the
Tribunal on November 14, 2001, he pleaded not guilty to all 9 counts.
As a result of the deal the Prosecution wrote a new amanded indictment
bearing the date of March 31, 2003.

One of the reasons that the case provokes interst in domestic and
foreign media is that it is the first time that that a high officer of
the YPA pleads gulty before the Hague tribual for former Yugoslavia,
changing his mind.

What is in the initial idictment?

As we already mentioned, it is about the indictment of February 22,
2001, which idicts also three other officers of the YPA – Pavle
Strugar, Vladimir Kovacevic and Milan Zec. Reading that indictment one
cannot just believe his eyes.

Namely, all four officers of the YPA are indicted for serious
violations of Geneva Conventions and violations of the laws and customs
of war!!

Because the prosecution was aware taht these criminal offences could be
committed only in an international armed conflict, it was a conditio
sine qua non to caracterize that armed conflict on the Dubrovnik area
between Yugoslav legal and legitimate authorities with the Croatian
secessionist ustasha paramilitaries as an armed conflict of
international character!! No problem for the prosecutor: she simply
characterze it as a conflict of international character. The
prosecution simply wrote in the initial indictment:

"All the acts and omissions specified in this indictment took place
between October 1 and December 31, 1991 on the territory of the
Republic of Croatia. In all relevant periods there existed the state of
international armed conflict and partial occupation". And even more
explicitly in the amanded indictment (paragraph 10): "10. At all times
relevant to this amended indictment, a state of armed conflict existed
in Croatia. On 25 June 1991, Croatia declared its independence from the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ("SFRY") and became
independent on 8 October 1991. Up to and including 7 October 1991, this
armed conflict was internal in nature. >From 8 October 1991 an
international armed conflict and partial occupation existed in
Croatia."!!

No proofs for such categorical statement were offered. Naturally
enough, because they do not exist. Everybody who wishes to know knows
that in Croatia in the relevant period of time – that is between the
October 1st and December 31, 1991 – existed armed secessionist mutiny
in which all Army's barracks and institutions on the territory of
Croatia, including the Dubrovnik area, were attacked and that the YPA
had to defend itself . It was a typical internal armed conflict, and
such conflicts are regulated by the common Article 3 of the Geneva
Conventions 1949 and Additional Protocol II of 1977, and not by the
Geneva and Hague Conventions which regulate international armed
conflicts.

With regard to the above statement of the prosecutor Carla del Ponte
that Croatia seceded Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991, one must point to the
cynicism of such a statement. The act of Croatia, it is known, was
unconstitutional and legally of no validity whatsoever. She is not
stupid, and knows very well that if in her country, Switzerland, a
canton adopted such a decision that all normal Swiss would laugh and
that the authorities would act swiftly. She doubtlessly knows how
Lincoln reacted when Southern states used unconstitutional means to
secede. She surely knows how would every state react in the case of
unconstitutional armed secession and how in political realm they react.
What this immoral woman is telling us is: yes, every state and every
nation has right to use force against armed secession, EXCEPT those
damned Serbs! She knew all that and what such a behavior of the
pro-ustashas HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) especially meant for the
Serbs in Croatia who were during the Second World War subject of a
genocide unknown in human history for its cruelty. She only pretends to
be stupid in order to satisfy her masters. Also, taking the October 8,
1991, as a date when Croatia became an independent state is utmost
cynicism. In all probability, it is reference to a so-called Brioni
declaration of July 7, 1991, when, under pressure, deceit and lies of
European Community it was agreed that Slovenia would not press for its
independence within 3 months in order to solve the problems peacefully.
But, it has nothing to do with Croatia's independence.

Therefore, there is no basis to consider the conflict between YPA and
ustashas paramilitaries between October 1 and December 31, 1991 as a
conflict of an international character, but consider it as a typical
internal, secessionist conflict. The first, naturally illegal,
recognition of a new "Independent State of Croatia" came from its
sponsors and masters from the West only on the January 15, 1992, and
cowardly General Assembly, under the command of the USA, which,
precisely at that time took it under its patronage, enrolled that
secessionist entity in the UN. If there is any reason to speak about
legality of diplomatic recognition of Yugoslav secessionist entities as
independent states (there are numerous resolutions of the General
Assembly of the UN about prohibition and non-recognition of the violent
dismemberment of states!!) it could be done only after the admission of
an entity into the UN. Therefore, in the case of Croatia – only after
May 22, 1992.

Therefore, Miodrag Jokic agreed to accept non-existent guilt. Let us
repeat: "war crimes" technically could be committed only in a conflict
of an international character. In civil, internal conflict the criteria
for judging whether actions of state organs which are constitutionally
in charge of protecting state and citizens from internal separatists,
secessionists and terrorists are different, less demanding than those
when there are conflicts among states. Those situations are, as we
said, covered with the common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and
Additional Protocol II, and not with the remaining provisions of the
Geneva and Hague Conventions of 1907. That should be known to every law
student. This is not the place to speak about those laws. Surely all
that is known to Carla del Ponte, but that woman takes care only how to
satisfy her masters who reward her generously for her undertakings.
What is astonishing is the behavior of Miodrag Jokic, behavior which is
unworthy of a high YPA officer, although former. In all probability the
answer to the question how it all happened lies in the pressure to
which he was subject by those political factors in the current power
holders whose main aim is to submit to demands which come from abroad,
whose aim is to fully submit the state and the nation to foreign
interests and discredit not only its military but also the nation as a
whole.

---

O POSTUPKU PROTIV ADMIRALA JNA MIODRADA JOKICA PRED TZV. HAŠKIM
TRIBUNALOM

http://www.artel.co.yu/sr/reakcije_citalaca/2003-08-30_1.html
Dr Milan Tepavac
miltep@...
Beograd, 30. avgust 2003. godine

Gotovo sva domaca – pa i strana – sredstva javnog inforrmisanja
objavila su informaciju da je bivši admiral JNA Miodrag Jokic priznao
krivicu po šest tacaka optužbe za kršenje zakona i obicaja rata na
dubrovackom ratištu u oktobru 1991. godine, i to za (1) ubistva, (2)
okrutno postupanje, (3) protivpravne napade na civile, (4) prekomerna
upotreba vojne sile, (5) razaranje civilnih objekata i (6) uništavanje
sakralnih objekata i kulturne baštine. Rec je o bombardovanju
Dubrovnika na dan 6. decembra 1991. godine, kojom prilikom su dva
civila poginula, a tri su ranjena. Kao rezultat nagodbe sa Tužilaštvom,
ono je odustalo od svih ostalih tacaka optužnice protiv Jokica koje
sadržava prvobitna optužnica protiv njega i još trojice oficira JNA –
Pavla Strugara, Vladimira Kovacevica i Milana Zeca – od 22. februara
2001 (br. IT-01-42). Sve optužbe po toj optužnici je Jokic na svom
prvom pojavljivanju pred tim "tribunalom" 14. novembra 2001. godine
odbacio, rekavši da se ne oseca krivim. Kao rezultat nagodbe sa
Jokicem, i odustanka od optužbe protiv Zeca, tužilaštvo je napravilo
novu, amandiranu optužnicu koja nosi datum 31. mart 2003.

Slucaj izaziva interes u domacoj i stranoj javnosti pre svega po tome
što je to prvi slucaj da pred tzv. Haškim tribunalom za prethodnu
Jugoslaviju jedan visoki oficir Jugoslovenske narodne armije priznaje
krivicu, tim pre što je ranije poricao krivicu.

Šta sadrži optužnice iz 2001. godine

Kao što rekosmo, rec je o optužnici od 22.2. 2001. kojom su ubuhvaceni
još trojica oficira JNA – Pavle Strugar, Vladimir Kovacevic i Milan
Zec. Kada covek cita tu optužnicu, koju je licno potpisala glavni
tužiulac toga nazovi suda Karla del Ponte, naprosto ne može da veruje
svojim ocima.

Naime, sva cetvorica oficira JNA optuženi su za teška kršenja Ženevskih
konvencija i kršenje zakona i obicaja rata!

Buduci da je tužilac svestan toga da se ta krivicna dela mogu pociniti
samo u oružanom sukobu medunarodnog karaktera bilo je nužno taj oružani
sukob na dubrovackom prostoru izmedu legalne i legitimne oružane sile
države koju su oružano napale secesionisticke paravojne formacije
okarakterisati kao "oružani sukob medunarodnog karaktera". Za tužioca
tog "tribunala" ništa lakše od toga: jednostavno je taj sukob
okarakterisala kao medunarodni! Tužilac jednostavno veli u tackama 12 i
13 optužnice:

"Sva cinjenja i necinjenja navedena u ovoj optužnici dogodila su se
izmedu 1. oktobra i 31. decembra 1991. na teritoriji Republike
Hrvatske. U svim periodima relevantnim za ovu optužnicu Hrvatskoj je
vladalo stanje medunarodnog oružanog sukoba i djelimicne okupacije"!! A
u amandiranoj optužnici od 31.marta 2003. još eksplicitnije stoji
(tacka 10): "10. Za sve vreme relevantno za ovu optužnicu postojalo je
u Hrvatskoj stanje oružanog sukoba. Na dan 25. juna 1991. Hrvatsaka je
proglasila svoju nezavisnost od Socijalisticke Federativne Jugoslavije
("SFRJ") i postala nezavisna na dan 8. oktobra 1991. Sve do 7. oktobra
1991. ovaj oružani sukob bio je po svojoj prirodi interni. Od 8.
oktobra 1991. postojao je medunarodni oružani sukob, kao i delimicna
okupacija Hrvatske"!!

Nikakvi se dokazi ne navode. Naravno, jer ih nema. Sakome ko to hoce da
zna dobro je poznato da je u Hrvatskoj u naznacenom periodu – dakle
izmedu 1. oktobra i 31. decembra 1991 – bila ustaška secesionisticka
oružana pobuna u kojoj su izmedu ostalog bile napadnute sve kasarne i
postaje JNA na teritoriji te jugoslovenske republike i da se JNA
branila od tih i takvih napada na celoj teritoriji Hrvatske, pa i na
dubrovackom podrucju. Radilo se o tipicnom oružanom sukobu
nemedunarodnog karaktera, a ti i takvi sukobu su regulisani zajednickim
clanom 3 Ženevskih konvencija iz 1949. godine i Dopunskim protokolam II
iz 1977. godine, a ne ženevskim i haškim konvencijama koje se odnose na
medunarodne oružane sukobe.

U vezi sa gornjim stavom tužiteljice Karla del Ponte da se Hrvatska
otcepila od SFRJ 25. juna 1991. mora se ukazati na cinizam takve
tvrdnje. Taj akt Hrvatske, kao što se zna, bio je protivustavan i
pravno nevažeci. Ona nije glupa, i vrlo dobro zna da ako bi neki kanton
u njenoj zemlju, Švajcarskoj, usvojio slicnu odluku da bi to izazvalo
smeh svih normalnih ljudi, ali bogami i akciju vlasti od koje bi se sve
dimilo. Ona nesumnjivo zna kako je Linkoln reagovao kada je došlo do
protivustavne oružane secesije južnih država SAD. Zna ona kako bi svaka
država reagovala, i kako reaguje. Ono što nama ova nemoralna žena
porucuje jeste: svaka država i svaki narod imaju pravo da na oružanu
secesiju reaguju silom, OSIM kada se radi o tim prokletim Srbima! Ona
sve to zna, i to kakva se oluja spremala takvim ponašanjem proustaškog
HDZ u Hrvatskoj, a posebno u odnosu na Srbe u Hrvatskoj koji su za
vreme Drugog svetskog rata tamo doživeli genocid kakvom nema ravna u
istoriji zlocina po svojoj okrutnosti. A pravi se blesava, samo da bi
udovoljila svojim nalogodnacima. Isto tako, uzimanje 8. oktobra 1991.
kao datuma kada je Hrvatska postala država je krajnji cinizam. Rec je
verovatno o stavu izrecenom u Brionskoj deklaraciji od 7. jula 1991. –
koju je Jugoslaviji nametnula EZ – kojom se pre svega Slovenija
obavezala na strpljivost i mirno raspetljavanje jugoslovenske krize u
naredna tri meseca. Ta deklaracija nema nikakve vezee sa datumom kada
su jugoslovenski secesionisticki entiteti postali države.

Dakle, nema nikakvog osnova smatrati da je sukob izmedu JNA i ustaških
paravojski izmedu 1. oktobra i 31. decembra 1991. bio sukob
medunarodnog karaktera, vec se radilo o tipicnom unutrašnjem
secesionistickom sukobu. Prvo, naravno nelegalno, diplomatsko priznanje
nove "Nezavisne Države Hrvatske" dolazi od njenih zapadnih pokrovitelja
i nalogodavaca tek 15. januara 1992, a kukavna Generalna skupština UN,
pod komandom SAD koje su upravo u to vreme potpuno preuzele UN pod
svoje, prima taj secesionisticki entitet u UN. Ako ima ikakvog smisla
govoriti o bilo kakvoj legalnosti diplomatskog priznavanja
jugoslovenskih secessionistickih entiteta za nezavisne države (postoji
nekoliko rezolucija Generalne skupštine UN kojima se osuduju i ne
priznaje protivustavna nasilna komadanja država!!) onda se o tome može
govoriti samo nakon prijema takvih entiteta u UN. Dakle, kada je rec o
Hrvatskoj – samo nakon 22. maja 1992.

Prema tome, Miodrag Jokic je pristao da na sebe primi nepostojecu
krivicu. Ponovimo: "ratni zlocini" tehnicki se mogu pociniti samo u
oružanom sukobu (ratu) medunarodnog karaktera. U gradanskom,
unutrašnjem sukobu kriteriji za prosudivanje postupaka državnih organa
cija je dužnost da zaštite državu i narod od unutašnjih separatista,
secesionista i terorista su drukciji, manje zahtevni, od onih koji se
moraju poštivati kada je rec o oružanom sukobu (ratu) izmedu država. Te
situacije su, kao što rekosmo, "pokrivene" zajednickim clanom 3 sve
cetiri Ženevske konvencije i Dopunskim protokolom II, a ne ostalim
odredbama ženevskih konvencija i haškim konvencijama iz 1907. To bi
trebalo da zna svaki student prve godine prava. Ovde nije mesto da se
detaljnije govori o tim pravnim propisima. Sigurno je to poznato i
Karli del Ponte, ali ta žena ne vodi racuna ni o cemu vec da se dodvori
svojim gazdama koji je izdašno nagraduju za njen "rad". Ono što
zaprepašcuje jeste ponašanje Miodrga Jokica, ponašanje koje je
nedostojno visokog oficira JNA, makar bivšeg. Verovatno odgovor na
pitanje kako je došlo do toga da se upusti u necasnu rabotu sa
tužiulaštvom "tribunala" leži u pritiscima na njega od strane onih
politickih faktora u aktuelnoj vlasti kojima je glavni cilj pokoravanje
svim zahtevima koja dolaze od mocnika izvana, onima kojima je cilj
potpuno podredivanje zemlje stranim interesima i kompromitacija ne samo
njene oružane sile nego i naroda kao takvog.

Kosmet, ferragosto di sangue

4: LINKS

Questo messaggio conclude la serie in quattro parti dedicata a stragi e
violenze avvenute in Kosmet lo scorso agosto.

I numeri piu' precedenti del nostro "bollettino di guerra" sul Kosmet
(da maggio 2002 in poi) sono elencati alla URL:

http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2697

dove a sua volta sono riportati gli aggiornamenti da quella che abbiamo
definito "macelleria UCKFOR" nel giugno-luglio 2003.

Come al solito, queste nostre rassegne non hanno pretesa di
completezza, ma sono da considerare solo come esempi delle informazioni
negate alla pubblica opinione.

Un grande numero di articoli sui vari aspetti del regime di terrore
instaurato congiuntamente dalle "nostre" truppe occidentali (KFOR) e
dai neonazisti locali (UCK) si puo' trovare nel nostro archivio:

http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/

Altri SITI IN LINGUA ITALIANA su cui trovare informazioni aggiornate
sulle violenze perpetrate giorno per giorno in Kosmet sono

http://www.ansa.it/balcani (dispacci ANSA) e
http://www.osservatoriobalcani.it

Si tratta di due servizi professionali di informazione, di orientamento
istituzionale, con tutto quanto cio' comporta dal punto di vista della
interpretazione e presentazione degli avvenimenti.

Per un inquadramento storico del terrore nazista in Kosovo-Metohija si
veda in particolare:

http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2521

ed i collegamenti ivi contenuti.

Molti dei materiali che abbiamo riportato nelle nostre rassegne vengono
diffusi regolarmente sulle mailinglists:

Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.
antinato@...
anti-imperialiste@...
Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli.

e dal bollettino della chiesa ortodossa in Kosmet
ERP KIM Newsletter:

---

ERP KIM Info-Service is the official Information Service of the
Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren and works with the
blessing of His Grace Bishop Artemije.
Our Information Service is distributing news on Kosovo related
issues. The main focus of the Info-Service is the life of the Serbian
Orthodox Church and the Serbian community in the Province of Kosovo and
Metohija. ERP KIM Info Service works in cooperation with
www.serbian-translation.com as well as the Kosovo Daily News (KDN) News
List
Our Newsletters are available on our ERP KIM Info-service Web-Page:

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkiminfo.html

Additional information on our Diocese and the life of the Kosovo Serb
Community may be found at:

http://www.kosovo.com

---

LINKS OF GENERAL INTEREST ON THE KOSMET ISSUE

LINK DI INTERESSE GENERALE SULLA QUESTIONE DEL KOSMET


Kosovo and Metohija: Propaganda and truth
Rade Drobac, Belgrade, April 22, 2003

http://www.artel.co.yu/en/reakcije_citalaca/2003-04-22_1.html

Articles on KLA-Kosovo-Drugs-Mafia and Fundraising
(by Benjamin C. Works)

http://members.tripod.com/Balkania/resources/terrorism/kla-drugs.html

---

LINKS ON THE MOST RECENT EVENTS

LINK SUGLI AVVENIMENTI PIU' RECENTI


Reality Macedonia August 15, 2003
The Massacred Children of Kosovo
PHOTOS FROM GORAZDEVAC, AUGUST 14, 2003
VICTIMS OF ALBANIAN TERRORISM IN KOSOVO

http://www.realitymacedonia.org.mk/web/news_page.asp?nid=2729

Why are you killing our children?
A Petition to the United Nations - Add your signature!

http://www.petitiononline.com/Serbs/petition.html

16/07/03: PHOTOGRAPHS: KOSOVO'S ROMA REFUGEES ON THE GREEK BORDER

http://www.documentography.com/anna/webgallery/roma_border/FrameSet.htm

Memorandum on Kosovo and Metohija of the  Holy Synod of bishops of the
Serbian Orthodox Church

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76419

Declaration on Kosovo-Metohija adopted

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/12/330436.html

UN mission to launch new weapons amnesty in Kosovo

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=7973&Cr=kosovo&Cr1=

Terrorist attack against Serb children near Gorazdevac

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76475#1

Serbian government demands urgent investigation into attack on Serb
children

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/13/330462.html

Statement issued by the EU Presidency on the murder of two k/serb
children in Gorazdevac

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/6686f45896f15dbc852567ae00530132/
1d824c574201412fc1256d820054ed73?OpenDocument

ERP KiM: Crime in Gozdarevac an indicator of the real situation in
Kosovo and Metohija (by Fr. Sava Janjic)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76525

To America & Europe: Why did you allow them to kill our children?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76575

Indictments against KLA leaders must be filed

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/15/330494.html

UN Resolution 1244 as main goal

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/15/330492.html

Serbs Blocking Kosovo (by Sergey Yugov)

http://english.pravda.ru/printed.html?news_id=10724

Who is politically and morally responsible for ethnic violence in
Kosovo and Metohija?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76593

Gorazdevac Crisis Centre demands accountability of UNMIK, KFOR and
local government in massacre of Serb children

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76601

Speakers in Security Council condemn recent violence in Kosovo

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/sc7846.doc.htm

Head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija: Ethnic-Albanian
terror a threat to Kosovo stabilisation

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/19/330514.html

Talk Endgame Now

http://balkanreport.tol.cz/look/BRR/
article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=9&NrIssue=1&NrSection=6&NrArticle
=10456

Kosovo's Balkan nightmare goes on

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim21aug03.html

UN SC members endorse measures proposed by Belgrade authorities

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim20aug03.html

Devastating results of the Kosovo "Peace" mission

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim22aug03.html

Media commissioner warns Kosovo dailies over inaccurate reporting on
violence

http://www.osce.org/news/generate.pf.php3?news_id=3478

Metohija weeps as church bells toll

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76741#4

Evening Standard: Albanian criminals 'significant' threat here

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/
6326817?source=Evening%20Standard

The West continues to fail in Kosovo

http://www.balkanalysis.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=124

Why are you silent Serbia?

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim25aug03.html

Kosovo 'Indivisible' Part Of Country

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/76831

Declaration on Kosovo-Metohija platform for further policy making

http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/cgi-bin/printpage.cgi?filename=/news/2003-
08/28/330626.html

Kosovo in Tirana

http://www.tol.cz/look/BRR/
article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=9&NrIssue=1&NrSection=2&NrArticle
=10515

Amidst growing tensions life in Kosovo and Metohija goes on...

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim30aug03.html

Covic: Open season for hunting Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija

http://www.kosovo.com/erpkim01sep03c.html


(a cura di Andrea)

Milosevic "trial", August 2003

1. Sloba supporters banned from visiting The Hague (19/8)
2. SPS congratulates Milosevic his birthday (20/8)
3. "TRIAL" SYNOPSIS: FIRST SREBRENICA WITNESS TESTIFIES AGAINST
MILOSEVIC (25/8)
Includes a Trascript of Milosevic speaking about Srebrenica dated
September 27, 2002
4. "TRIAL" SYNOPSIS: AUG. 26 2003 - COLM DOYLE TESTIFIES AGAINST
MILOSEVIC
5. MILOSEVIC "TRIAL" REPORT: SYNOPSIS FOR AUGUST 27, 2003
6. SYNOPSIS OF THE DAY'S PROCEEDINGS: AUGUST 28, 2003
7. "TRIAL" REPORT: SYNOPSIS FOR AUGUST 29, 2003

---

Useful Links to Transcripts and Videos of Milosevic 'Trial'

Transcripts:
Go to http://www.un.org/icty/transe54/transe54.htm

Video:
Live English Video Feed
http://www.domovina.net/Icty/eng/room1.ram
Live Serbo-Croatian Video Feed
http://www.domovina.net/Icty/bcs/room1.ram
Archives - English http://hague.bard.edu/video.html
Archives - Serbo-Croatian http://tribunal.freeserbia.com


=== 1 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/tanjug081903c.htm

Socialists embittered by ban to visit Milosevic
Tanjug - August 19, 2003
 
17:38 BELGRADE - The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) on Tuesday voiced
strong protest with a decision of the International Criminal Tribunal
for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) administration to ban the visits of
its representatives and the Association Freedom for SPS president and
former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, announcing it would
employ all mechanisms aimed at suspending this decision.
The ICTY administration is "trying to explain" this decision by
statements SPS members made after their recent visit to Milosevic at
the Scheveningen detention unit, the party said in a statement and
added that this was really "an excuse aimed at placing president
Milosevic in complete isolation."

Copyright 2003 Tanjug News Agency
Posted For Fair Use Only

---

FoNet, August 20, 2003

Sloba supporters banned from visiting The Hague

BELGRADE -- Wednesday -- The Hague Tribunal is
reported to have banned members of the Socialist Party
of Serbia and the Sloboda (Freedom) Movement from
visiting Slobodan Milosevic, according to Sloboda
Association member Vladimir Krsljanin.
Speaking at a press conference on the occasion of the
former Yugoslav and Serbian President's birthday,
Krsljanin produced a letter from the international
tribunal's administration addressed to Milosevic,
which states that the ban, to be implemented until
further notice, is a result of a media statement given
in breach of court regulations.
The statement was made by Socialist Party delegation
members Milorad Vucelic and Zoran Andjelkovic during
their last visit to the Scheveningen detention centre,
where Milosevic is being held. They gave the statement
to press despite being forewarned that such a move was
against tribunal rules.
Krsljanin protested: "This is hideous manipulation and
an injustice because it is not in line with the rules
of the tribunal".
He stressed that a "legal battle" for the decision to
be overturned would ensue.
The press conference was followed by the holding of a
"Free Serbia" debate and the screening of a
documentary entitled "Defeated Hague", which were to
mark Milosevic's birthday.


=== 2 ===

SPS congratulates Milosevic his birthday

17:14 BELGRADE , Aug 20 (Tanjug) - The Socialist Party
of Serbia said on Wednesday that it sent a
congratulatory message to the preasident of that party
Slobodan Milosevic, who is standing trial in the war
crimes tribunal at The Hague, on the occasion of his
62nd birthday.
SPS said in the message it wished that "the fight he
is leading in The Hague, in the name of national and
state interets, will be victorious, because it is
important for the future of our state and of our people."

---

Send your solidarity messages to:
PRESIDENT
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC
UN Detention Unit
Postbus 87810
2508 Den Haag
Pomp Stations Weg 32
The Neteherlands


=== 3 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg082503.htm

"TRIAL" SYNOPSIS: FIRST SREBRENICA WITNESS TESTIFIES AGAINST MILOSEVIC

www.slobodan-milosevic.org - Originally posted August 25, 2003 -
UPDATED August 26, 2003

Written By: Andy Wilcoxson

The first Srebrenica witness has testified against President Milosevic
at The Hague tribunal. At this point it is important to be reminded of
the case President Milosevic is putting with regard to Srebrenica and
so I will now quote from his opening statement.

TRANSCRIPT - Page 10309 Line 12 - Friday September 27, 2002

SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: I wish to avail myself of the remaining time to
say a few words about Srebrenica that was mentioned here. I have
already said that I first heard about this -- I said this six months
ago, when I first spoke here, that I first heard about this from Carl
Bildt and that Radovan Karadzic swore to me that he didn't know a
thing about this. All subsequent information corroborated that,
including the subsequently published main report of the Dutch
government published in April 2001. In item 10, it says quite
literally: "There are no indications that the action was taken out in
collaboration with Belgrade, neither in terms of political or military
coordination. In this way, gentlemen, as far as I'm concerned, an end
could be brought to this, but I don't want to place a full stop there.
I want the truth to be revealed with regard to this insane crime, in
the interest of justice. It has to be explained before the world
public. The information that I have compiled so far, and there will be
more to come, speaks of how Izetbegovic used Srebrenica for all kinds
of manipulations and held it in -- in his own reserve for various
political bargains. And you saw from the statement made by a member of
his delegation in the report that was accepted by the UN with regard
to the takeover of Srebrenica, the handover of Srebrenica. You saw all
of this.

Time will show that on the 1st of July, 1995, in the house of a Muslim,
the former president of the municipality in Zvornik, where two members
of the Muslim government from Sarajevo were present, the
representatives of a mercenary military formation within the army of
Republika Srpska but not under the command of the army of Republika
Srpska but within the French intelligence service, they agreed to have
this crime committed, that is to say, to abandon Srebrenica and to
carry out this slaughter.

All information shows that General Mladic knew nothing about this, nor
General Krstic, who was sentenced here. I am personally convinced that
the military honour of Mladic or Krstic would not allow them to
execute civilians, let alone Mladic, Krstic, generals who throughout
the war made a maximum effort to protect prisoners of war and
civilians at all times.

This mercenary unit was commanded by the same people who sent those
same persons only one year later to Zaire so that they would protect
Mobutu and crush a rebellion. This same organisation organised the
purchase of arms a year later. And since I asked you to adopt a writ
of disclosure, please do that. Those people who have a salary for that
and have hundreds of associates, make them as Jacques Chirac and the
French intelligence service and the American intelligence service and
all other intelligence services, let them disclose all the facts they
have on Srebrenica. The information I have available shows that the
point of the agreement reached was the following: The underlying
French idea was that the war in Bosnia should be ended through
effective actions taken by NATO and through military engagement. As a
pretext for military engagement, genocide that will be carried out by
the Serbs will be made up, and the Serb negotiating side will have to
deal with that. The presence of Ratko Mladic in Srebrenica will be
used as a confirmation of the responsibility of the military leadership
and of Mladic himself for having an indictment issued against him in
The Hague by making it appear that a genocide was carried out and
anathema will be placed on the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs and
then the international community will take measures. The protagonists
will not be prosecuted.

One insignificant one, a member of the Croat detachments of death who
happened to be there was accused, and then for the crimes in
Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic should be accused and also the leadership of
Republika Srpska headed by Radovan Karadzic. And this agreement was
attended by two representatives of the Muslim government, that out of
the French, General Janvier was there for sure, and this other person
was said to be Morillon but this was not confirmed. There is no
reliable information saying that it was Morillon.

The agreement was that Srebrenica should be surrendered to the Serbs
practically without any fighting, as forthwith withdraw and in that way
make it possible for them to purportedly take over Srebrenica. Naser
Oric is going to withdraw and award for the action will be 2 million
Deutschmark.

Mladic was not at that meeting. He was having lunch with those generals
later on at the Likovac locality, but according to intelligence data,
he did not know what the subject agreed upon was, and he didn't know
that he was commanding all the units that took part in that,
especially the one that was sent to Zaire later on by the same people
that ordered the job to be done. Oric lives in Lukavac near Tuzla
today. He has a restaurant on the lake and he destroyed more than 70
villages around Srebrenica and that he is one of the greatest criminals
in the war.

///END TRANSCRIPT EXCERPT///


Another important point to make before presenting the synopsis of the
day's events is that "the Srebrenica massacre" referred to in this
article is not the same Srebrenica massacre that the media has been
going on about for the last 8 years.

The media's claim that the Srebrenica massacre was an act of genocide
perpetrated by the Serbs is a lie. There was indeed a massacre at
Srebrenica, but as I am confident that Slobodan Milosevic will prove,
it is not the way that the media has put it. This was a massacre
perpetrated by a multi-ethnic mercenary unit that was under French
control, not under the control of VRS general staff. 

Drazen Erdemovic is the first witness to testify at the so-called
"trial" of Slobodan Milosevic about the horrific events that took
place in Srebrenica. Erdemovic is an ethnic Croat from the Bosnian town
of Tuzla. His career throughout the Bosnian war is rather odd. He was
originally a member of the JNA (Yugoslav People's Army), then he
joined the ABiH (Bosnian Muslim "Army of Bosnia - Herzegovina"), after
that he joined the HVO (Croatian Army), finally he wound up a member
of the VRS (Army of Republika Srpska) serving in the 10th Sabotage
Division.

As a mercenary in the 10th Sabotage Division, Erdemovic participated a
cold blooded massacre of 1,200 Bosnian Muslims at the Pilca Farm near
Srebrenica. By his own admission, Erdemovic personally massacred over
100 Bosnian Muslim men ranging in age between 18 and 60.

In March of 1996 Erdemovic was arrested by the authorities of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia precisely because of his participation
in that massacre at Srebrenica. Because Erdemovic was not a citizen of
the FRY, the Yugoslav authorities honored an extradition request of
the Hague Tribunal and sent Erdemovic to The Hague.

When Erdemovic arrived at the Hague he coped a plea agreement, which
allowed him to get off with only a 5 year prison sentence, even though
he admitted to personally murdering 100 people and participating in the
slaughter of 1,200. In a further act of insult to the victims of his
killing spree, the Hague Tribunal granted Erdemovic early release so
that he didn't even have to serve the whole 5 years.

In addition to getting off with only a slap on the wrist for killing a
hundred people, Erdemovic doesn't even have to live with the shame of
being known as a mass murderer. He has been given a new identity, and
his testimony today was given with protective measures; the video of
his face was obscured so that nobody could recognize his face, and
voice distortion technology was used so that nobody would even
recognize his voice.

It is obvious just from seeing this that the Hague Tribunal exists to
protect the real war criminals and while simultaneously persecuting
the innocent.

Erdemovic's testimony was quite interesting to say the least. The 10th
Sabotage Division, which carried out the massacre, was a multi-ethnic
unit according to Erdemovic. The unit contained Muslims, Croats,
Slovenes, and some Bosnian Serbs.

Erdemovic stated categorically that he saw no Yugoslav or Serbian
personnel in or around Srebrenica at the time in question. There was
only his unit and some local groups, but nobody from the Government of
either Serbia or Yugoslavia. Erdemovic, echoing the conclusions of the
Dutch Government, saw nothing that would indicate any participation by
Belgrade in the planning or execution of the Srebrenica massacre.

It is completely out of the question that President Milosevic could
have had anything to do with the tragic events in Srebrenica. The only
attempt to "link" Milosevic to the events in Srebrenica came when
Erdemovic claimed to have spoken to an unnamed member of the Serbian
MUP at the Military Hospital in Belgrade.

Erdemovic claimed that this alleged MUP officer told him that he had
participated in the attack on Srebrenica. The only problem is that
Erdemovic didn't remember this tidbit until November 3, 2001, and
remember he had been in the custody of the Hague Tribunal since 1996,
but he never mentioned that until 2001.

The contentious point between President Milosevic and Mr. Erdemovic
was over who was responsible for ordering the massacre. Erdemovic
claimed that the orders "must have" come from the General Staff of the
VRS.

Erdemovic never saw any orders from the General Staff. Erdemovic says
that he was ordered to carry out the executions by a unit commander
named Gojikovic who had allegedly claimed to have gotten his orders
from some unknown Lt. Colonel from the Drina Corps of the VRS.

To counter the Erdemovic's claim that the order to carry out this
hideous crime "must have" come from the General Staff of the VRS;
President Milosevic produced the orders issued by the General Staff of
the VRS, pertaining to Srebrenica, which explicitly stated that
civilians must be protected and that the laws and customs of war had
to be abided by.

Erdemovic denied any knowledge of any foreign involvement in the
Srebrenica tragedy. However, he did admit to some odd goings on.

First of all, Erdemovic, claimed to have no idea how much he was
personally paid, which raises the red flag that he may have been
receiving money other than the normal VRS salary, which along with the
fact that he fought at one point or another for every side in the war,
would indicate that he was in fact a mercenary.

Erdemovic also claimed that he had heard from his wife that a
commander of the 10th Sabotage Division named Pelimic had received a
large quantity of gold from unknown persons, and that after the war
this Pelimic was living the high life and having jewel incrusted gold
chains made for himself at jewelry stores. Erdemovic admitted that
this information even made him suspect that somebody had bribed the
commanders of his unit so that they would perpetrate that horrific
crime at Srebrenica.

Erdemovic also testified that he had heard about some members of the
10th Sabotage Division, including Pelimic, subsequently going to
France in order to become mercenaries in Zaire, after the end of the
Bosnian war, which jives with what Milosevic said in his opening
statement.

I don't know when or if Erdemovic's testimony will continue. The
so-called "trial chamber" went into closed session at the end of the
hearing to decide, and so I guess we will see tomorrow, but they did
not intend to keep this witness more than 1 day.


SYNOPSIS OF THE PROCEEDINGS FOR AUGUST 25 2003

1. Prosecutor Geoffrey Nice Examines the witness Drazen Erdemovic.
2. President Slobodan Milosevic cross-examines the witness Drazen
Erdemovic


=== 4 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg082603.htm

"TRIAL" SYNOPSIS: AUG. 26 2003 - COLM DOYLE TESTIFIES AGAINST MILOSEVIC
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - August 26, 2003

The Hague Tribunal heard testimony from Colm Doyle today. The former
Irish army major served as head of the European Community's monitoring
mission in Sarajevo, and later on as the special envoy of Lord
Carrington, he was also the chairman of the EC conference on Yugoslavia.

Even though Mr. Doyle was at the Hague to testify against Milosevic;
his testimony did not incriminate Milosevic in the least. The only
part of Doyle's testimony that had anything at all to do with
Milosevic was his testimony about a meeting he had with President
Milosevic in Belgrade on 16 June 1992. According to Doyle, Milosevic
expressed strong support for the peace process. Doyle claimed that
Milosevic reiterated his position that the violence and bloodshed
should be stopped and that the only solution for Bosnia was a solution
which was fair to all 3 sides, and which all 3 sides could agree on.
Doyal said that Milosevic expressed strong support for Radovan
Karadzic's proposal that UN observers should be attached to all units
of the Bosnian-Serb Army. He said that Milosevic condemned the
shelling of Sarajevo and pledged to do what he could to assist the
peace process.

So, the only evidence that the prosecution brought against President
Milosevic with this witness was that he wanted to stop the Bosnian war
and find a solution that was fair to all 3 sides. I guess working to
stop a war is what makes one a war criminal at the Hague Tribunal.

Even though the rest of Mr. Doyle's testimony had absolutely nothing
to do  with President Milosevic, parts of it were quite interesting.
The most interesting tidbit was Doyle's testimony about how the
Bosnian  parliament reached its decision to hold the referendum on
succession from Yugoslavia.

According to Doyle, on or about the 15th of October 1991 the speaker
of the Bosnian parliament adjourned the parliament for the night at
around 3:30 in the morning. After the Serb MPs had gone home for the
night, the Muslim and Croat MPs reconvened the parliament and passed
the decision that the referendum on succession should be held.

To put it bluntly, the Muslim and Croat MPs tricked the Serb MPs into
leaving the debate on the referendum question by fraudulently
adjourning the parliament and then fraudulently reconvening it again
after the Serbs had left for the night. After the Serbs had gone home,
falsely believing that the parliament was in fact adjourned, the Muslim
and Croat MPs, who remained fraudulently reconvened the parliament and
passed the decision to hold a referendum on succession, without the
consent of the Serb MPs.

President Milosevic asked Mr. Doyle if he considered that this
decision of the parliament was made lawfully or not. Doyle didn't
really know what to say at this point, because the answer is so
obvious. Doyle's answer was ultimately that he didn't know.

Another interesting piece of information came when Doyal spoke of a
peace conference that he was at with Radovan Karadzic in Lisbon.
During that peace conference a number of Muslim civilians were killed
while waiting in a breadline in Sarajevo. Karadzic immediately swore to
Cutileiro that the Bosnian Serbs didn't perpetrate that crime.

According to Doyle, Cutileiro's response to Karadzic was that the
Bosnian Serbs would be publicly blamed whether they perpetrated that
massacre or not. Cutilero then told Karadzic that his only option was
to "make a public gesture of good will" by handing over control of the
Sarajevo Airport.

Moreover, the Muslim representative used the breadline massacre as an
excuse to walk out of the negotiations and the negotiations failed.

As it turns out the Bosnian Serbs did not perpetrate that massacre.
Slobodan Milosevic quoted from an article in the London Independent
entitled "Muslims 'slaughter their own people'," dated 8/22/92.
According to the article "United Nations officials and senior Western
military officers believe some of the worst killings in Sarajevo,
including the massacre of at least 16 people in a bread queue, were
carried out by the city's mainly Muslim defenders -- not Serb
besiegers -- as a propaganda ploy to win world sympathy and military
intervention. . . . Classified reports to the UN force commander,
General Satish Nambiar, concluded . . . that Bosnian forces loyal to
President Alija Izetbegovic may have detonated a bomb. 'We believe it
was a command-detonated explosion, probably in a can,' a UN official
said then. 'The large impact which is there now is not necessarily
similar or anywhere near as large as we came to expect with a mortar
round landing on a paved surface.'"

Doyle claimed that he didn't know anything about that, but he didn't
attempt to refute it either. He simply said that he didn't personally
know who was responsible.

President Milosevic will continue his cross-examination of Mr. Doyle
tomorrow. The troika has granted him 1 hour and 5 minutes to complete
his cross-examination. After he concludes the Amicus Curiae will be
given 15 to 20 minutes for cross-examination.


SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:

1. Witness Colm Doyle was examined by the prosecutor Geoffrey Nice.
2. Witness Colm Doyle was cross-examined by President Slobodan
Milosevic.


=== 5 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg082703.htm

MILOSEVIC "TRIAL" REPORT: SYNOPSIS FOR AUGUST 27, 2003
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - August 27, 2003

Written by: Andy Wilcoxson

The proceedings today began with the conclusion of Slobodan
Milosevic's cross-examination of Colm Doyle. President Milosevic and
the Amicus Curiae Tapuskovic both asked Doyle a number of questions
regarding reports of events that the Canadian Major-General Lewis
MacKenzie (UN Commander in Bosnia) had sent to Lt Gen Satish Nambiar at
the UN Headquarters in New York.

Amazingly, Doyle who headed the European Community's observation
mission in Bosnia had no idea about any of the numerous events that
Milosevic and Tapuskovic asked him about on the basis of MacKenzie's
reports, all of which had to do with Muslim attacks and provocations
against Serbs.

A humorous event came when Milosevic asked Doyle whether he was aware
of the position that the US State Department and the European
Parliament (which is an organ of the EC) took in 1991. That position
was that the SFRY should remain one single unified state and that the
secessionist republics should not be recognized. Doyle confirmed that
he was aware that that was the position which was taken.

Milosevic then asked Doyle how come the US and the EC recognized the
secessionists anyway, in spite of their publicly stated position.
Doyle said that he didn't know, and that he didn't ask. Milosevic
asked Doyle if he considered it to be hypocritical for the US and the
EC to say one thing and then do exactly the opposite. Before Doyle
could answer the question, the so-called "jugde" May jumped in and
instructed Doyle that he didn't have to answer the question.

It was obvious from Doyle's testimony that the Muslims had weapons
from the outset of the war. The Muslims were not unarmed, like they
are fond of claiming.

The beginning of the war came when the Muslims, after announcing the
results of their illegal referendum on succession, famously attacked a
Serb wedding party in Sarajevo, killing the groom on the steps of the
Orthodox Church. Doyle said that after that attack, tensions
increased, and the Serbs erected barricades in Sarajevo, which the
Muslims then fired upon (with the weapons that they claim never to
have had).

After Doyle was concluded the witness Stepjan Kraljevic was called.
Kraljevic was a municipal official from the town of Ilok, Croatia.
Kraljevic painted a picture where the JNA, for no reason, expelled the
population of Ilok. But, when Milosevic cross-examined Kraljevic it
became obvious that this witness was given to exaggeration.

Milosevic showed an agreement that Kraljevic and others from Ilok had
signed with the JNA. The agreement stated that the JNA would do its
best to protect all people who wished to remain in Ilok, but that the
JNA would also help the people who wished to leave Ilok to leave
safely. Ilok is near to Vukovar and there was heavy fighting in the
area, so there were people who wanted to leave, in fact the JNA
reached the agreement because the citizens requested it.

The witness, on the other hand, tried to present this agreement by the
JNA to protect people if they wished to leave the town as a sort of
expulsion by the JNA.

The witness viewed the JNA's demand that the T.O. should turn over its
weapons in accordance with the decision of the SFRY presidency as a
sort of provocation by the JNA, even though the witness admitted that
this demand only came after the Ilok police (who issued the T.O. their
weapons in the first place) fired on and destroyed a JNA tank with a
rocket launcher. But then again the witness did not consider the JNA
to be the legal armed force of the SFRY in 1991.

Mr. Kraljevic also produced a document called "Civilian Victims of the
Homeland War" which he presented as some sort of evidence against
Milosevic. In this document of his numerous "victims" had their cause
of death listed as things such as traffic accidents and suicide. So now
I guess, according to this witness, if somebody gets into a car wreck
or decides to kill themselves that is Milosevic's fault.

The next witness was a secret witness code named "C-1175." "C-1175"
claimed to have been a member of the Serbian T.O. in Dalj, Croatia.
His claim was that he saw the T.O. there commit some crimes.

"C-1175" claimed that all of the members of the Serbian T.O. in Dalj
were local Serbs and Hungarians. Since they were all locals, living in
Croatia, it is clear that Slobodan Milosevic, who was the president of
Serbia, could not have had anything to do with whether or not the T.O.
there committed any crimes there or not. So, even if the crimes that
the witness enumerated really happened they still wouldn't have
anything to do with Milosevic.

"C-1175's" testimony wasn't completely useless. "C-1175" did establish
that it was the Croats and not the Serbs who initiated the clashes and
ultimately started the war in Croatia.

"C-1175" testified that already in March and April of 1991 the Croats
had formed squads to terrorize Serbs and carryout so-called "silent
liquidations." "C-1175" also testified that the Croats perpetrated
numerous crimes on Serb property.

"C-1175" testified that before the war the Croatian police were
arresting Serbs without cause and taking them away and beating them
up."C-1175" should be concluded tomorrow. The troika has given
President Milosevic 45 more minutes to complete his cross-examination.


Sequence of Events - AUGUST 27, 2003

1. President Milosevic concluded his cross-examination of Colm Doyle.
2. Amicus Curiae Tapuskovic cross-examined Colm Doyle.
3. Prosecutor Nice re-examined Colm Doyle.
5. Prosecutor Saxon called Stepjan Kraljevic and examined him.
6. President Milosevic cross-examined Stepjan Kraljevic.
7. Amicus Curiae Tapuskovic cross-examined Stepjan Kraljevic.
8. Prosecutor Saxon re-examined Stepjan Kraljevic.
9. Prosecutor Uertz-Retzlaff called the secret witness "C-1175" and
examined him.
10. President Milosevic began his cross-examination of the secret
witness "C-1175."


=== 6 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg082803.htm

SYNOPSIS OF THE DAY'S PROCEEDINGS: AUGUST 28, 2003
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - August 28, 2003

Written by: Andy Wilcoxson

Today was a marathon day at The Hague Tribunal. 5 different witnesses
testified. The day began with the conclusion of the secret witness
"C-1175." As you may remember from yesterday "C-1175" was a member of
the Serbian T.O. in Dalj. He was a member of the T.O. for only one
month before he quit. He left because of his regular job, and because
he was angry at the T.O. commander because he wouldn't give him a fuel
voucher.
"C-1175" established that the prison in Dalj was set up and ran by the
T.O., and not by the JNA. As you may remember from yesterday the Dalj
T.O. was made up exclusively of locals. The JNA had nothing whatsoever
to do with the Dalj prison.
"C-1175" testified the day before about a group of men that had been
taken to a farm and killed. These men were brought to the farm from
Borovo Celo and killed by a group of civilians, not by the T.O., not by
the police, and not by the JNA.
"C-1175" spoke of a chaotic situation were people would appoint
themselves as the police, he referred to these people as "space
police." All in all the war just sounded like a mess, but one thing
was certain about C-1175's testimony, Slobodan Milosevic didn't have
anything to do with anything that this witness testified about.

After "C-1175" finished another secret witness, a woman from Vukovar,
testified under the pseudonym of "C-1071."
"C-1071" lost her husband during the war. The JNA evacuated the
witness and her family from Vukovar along with some of their
neighbors, she went directly to Serbia, but her husband had to stay
behind to be checked by the JNA.
The witness confirmed that the JNA had in fact evacuated the people
for their own protection, and not because of any other reason, and she
testified that she never saw the JNA doing anything that was illegal.
According to an unnamed person that the witness knew, who was being
checked by the JNA at the same time as her husband, the JNA took the
men to a facility in Dalj to be checked. Her husband checked-out OK and
was released by the JNA.
Her husband was supposed to come and find her with their relatives in
Serbia after the JNA released him. Unfortunately, he never made it.
"C-1071" went to Dalj to investigate and try to find out what had
happened to her husband. She found out in the course of speaking with
people in Dalj that her husband had been attacked by a group of
civilians after he was released by the JNA. His body was later found
in a wooded area outside of town.
This is certainly a sad story that this woman lost her husband, but I
fail to see what a group of civilian criminals who exploit a chaotic
situation in a war, has to do with Milosevic. After all, he certainly
didn't start the fighting in Vukovar. This witness testified that
fighting only began in Vukovar after the Croats had blockaded the JNA
barracks there.
Had there been no fighting in Vukovar there would never have been a
need for any of this.

The next witness was a senile old Croat woman from Saboska named Anna
Bitunic. She lost her husband too. She testified that her husband and
some other men were shot by her house.
One minor problem with her testimony was that she had no idea who had
shot her husband and the other men. She said it was men in uniforms,
and so Milosevic asked her who's uniforms were they wearing? T.O.
uniforms, JNA uniforms, or some other uniforms? Mrs. Bitunic did not
know what sort of uniform that the people who shot her husband were
wearing, she was at a loss. She had no idea who did it.
It is too bad that this woman lost her husband, but it could be seen
from her testimony that she was half-crazy. She said that the Serbs
were happy after the referendum in Croatia because they wanted to
create "greater-Serbia" and that they were "happy because they could
kill whoever they wanted to," and other such nonsense.
Obviously, with no idea who even committed the crime that she was
testifying about; her testimony can be viewed as nothing other than a
completely irrelevant waste of time that has nothing to do with
Milosevic, or anybody else.

Actually, all of the testimony that has to do with Bosnia and Croatia
is an irrelevant waste of time, as far as Milosevic is concerned,
because Slobodan Milosevic was the president of Serbia and didn't have
any command over any of the combatants in either Bosnia or Croatia.

After Mrs. Bitunic finished a man named Luka Shutalo was called. Mr.
Shutalo was from Erdut, Croatia. He escaped from the war zone in 1991
by going to Serbia, where it just so happened that Slobodan Milosevic
was the president, and guess what happened to him in Serbia? Nothing.
Nobody did anything to him. He was free to do as he wished in Serbia.
In spite of the fact that going to Milosevic's Serbia "saved his
neck," this witness nonetheless blamed Milosevic and what he called
the "Yugo Army" (meaning the JNA) for everything.
This guy actually thought that it was Milosevic who was in command of
the JNA. Milosevic asked the witness what on Earth would make him
think that he was the commander of the JNA, but before the witness
could answer, the so-called "judge" May jumped in and told the witness
not to answer, and Milosevic not to ask those sorts of questions.
Mr. Shuralo claimed that he had been taken prisoner and that he was
mistreated at the prison in Dalj, which he said was not even ran by
what he considered to be "Milosevic's Yugo Army." This was nothing but
more irrelevant testimony that again had nothing to do with Milosevic.

It is amazing to me to watch so much time being wasted on irrelevant
witnesses that don't even attempt to prove anything against Milosevic.
This makes it all the more absurd that the so-called "trial" chamber
gave the prosecution all of that extra time to "present evidence,"
which is something that they might want to consider doing some time.
So far there has been no real evidence presented against Milosevic.
Nothing that that so-called "prosecution" has done so far even comes
close to proving that Milosevic is guilty of anything.

The last witness to testify was another Croatia witness named Josip
Jocipovic. He was another 92-bis witness. The prosecutor read out a
summary of his statement about some alleged events in Hrvatska Dubica,
but he has not been cross-examined yet.
However from just what the prosecutor said I can see that this is
another witness who does not have anything at all to do with Milosevic.
This whole day, like many days before it, was a total waste of time
for the prosecution. Slobodan Milosevic has successfully defeated the
prosecution with every witness.


=== 7 ===

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/smorg082903.htm

"TRIAL" REPORT: SYNOPSIS FOR AUGUST 29, 2003
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - August 29, 2003

Another secret witness testified today at the Hague Tribunal. B-1054 a
Muslim woman from a village near Visegrad testified that she was taken
to a house in Visegrad along with 70 other Muslims. According to this
woman, Serb civilians from Visegrad attempted to burn them all alive in
that house.
For the sake of argument, we will start by assuming that she was
telling the truth. Even if this happened, and even if it happened
exactly in the way that she said it did; it proves nothing. This woman
did not allege that anybody from Serbia, or anybody from the JNA even
took part in this alleged crime. It is therefore clear that Slobodan
Milosevic could not have had anything at all to do with this.
Her two written statements, her previous testimony from another trial,
and the testimony that she gave today did not all fit together very
well. There were a number of discrepancies.
For example, she claimed to have been laid-up in the hospital for 22
days, but her medical report revealed that she was only in the
Hospital for 10 days. She had exaggerated her time in the hospital by
more than double.
She was inconsistent again as to how the alleged fire started in the
House. One time she said it was a bomb that ignited the fire, and
another time she said that somebody had just lit a match.
In her second statement she spoke of an alleged massacre that "a band
of Chetniks" was committing on the river. According to this witness
"the slaughter was so horrible that it made the river run red with
blood." However, in her first statement she neglects to mention that
minor detail. When asked how come she didn't mention it in her first
statement her excuse was that it "was just too horrible to speak of."
She has no problem speaking in her first statement about other
horrible things. She spoke all about how she lay wounded in a sewage
ditch near to the allegedly burning house listening to the screams of
people who were allegedly being burned alive, and that wasn't "too
horrible to speak of," but apparently seeing some corpses in a river
was.
Her statements were also inconsistent with respect to the names of
people that she claimed to have seen at certain places.
Another problem with her testimony was that she claimed that everybody
had died in that house, by either being burned in the fire, or shot
while trying to flee. She even said that she thought that her own son
had died. However, she later said that she found her son alive and
well 5 years later on. So how could she know that everybody else died?
She thought that her own son was dead for 5 years, but he wasn't.
An entertaining moment came when the Amicus Curiae, Mr. Tapuskovic and
the so-called "judge" May got into a fight. "Judge" May became quite
indignant when Mr. Tapuskovic dared to peruse a line of questioning
that called the truthfulness of this witness's testimony into question.
Tapuskovic was asking questions about inconsistencies in the witness's
evidence. The witness responded by getting indignant. For example,
when Tapusokvic asked her how she could know that everybody was killed
when her own son was even able to flee without her knowledge. She
responded indignantly by saying, "So you say that my son should have
been killed too! Is that it?"
After this little exchange Tapuskovic and Milosevic both gave the
so-called "judge" a lesson in law. During his fight with Mr.
Tapuskovic, the so-called "judge" claimed that "the accused hasn't
even challenged this evidence" (even though he had), and so President
Milosevic had to explain to this so-called "judge" that he had no way
of knowing if the event in questioned had happened or not, but it
wasn't him, as the accused, who had the burden of proving that it
didn't happen -- rather it was the prosecution who had the burden of
proving that it did happen.
After President Milosevic had explained, to this pathetic excuse of a
"judge," the concept of "innocent until proven guilty," which appears
to be completely foreign to "Dick" May. Mr. Tapuskovic had to explain
to this idiot what his job was in the first place. Mr. Tapuskovic
explained to that crimson robe-wearing fool that as a judge his job is
to sit and listen to the evidence and then decide, after hearing all
of the evidence, if the witness is telling the truth or not.
Mr. Tapuskovic was clearly astonished that "judge" May considered it
inappropriate to ask questions that challenged a witness's
credibility. What is the point of cross-examination if not to challenge
the witness? Tapuskovic explained that he had been a lawyer for 40
years, and had never seen a judge that would prevent these sorts of
questions.
After Mr. Tapuskovic finished his cross-examination, the so-called
"judge," who clearly had no other motive than just a desire to be a
smart-ass, said to the witness, "It has been suggested that you may not
be telling the truth. Have you been lying to us?" and the witness
surprised everybody by saying, "Of course I have been telling the
truth." At that point "judge" May let the witness go.

The next witness was Josip Jocipovic. Mr. Jocipovic had been examined
by prosecutor Bauer the day before, and so President Milosevic went
directly into cross-examination.
Like so many other witnesses this witness's testimony had nothing to
do with President Milosevic. The closest he came was when he said that
two men, who he couldn't identify, allegedly told him that they had
been fighting in Vukovar and that they were from Serbia.
Other than that he testified about a couple of men from the Krajina
police who committed some crimes. However, after they had committed
the crimes they were removed by Milan Martic.
He did however give some useful testimony. He was a member of the ZNG,
and to the dismay of Ms. Bauer, he testified that the local ZNG
commander in Hrvatska Dubica was a criminal and a thief.
He testified that the ZNG was formed in 1990 right after the elections
and that it was precisely then that the tensions increased. He
admitted that the JNA and T.O. forces were the only legal armed forces
in the SFRY (of which Croatia was a part in 1990). However he denied
that the ZNG was a paramilitary organization, in spite of the fact
that being an illegal armed force operating in the SFRY made it the
very definition of a paramilitary. He also testified that the JNA
brought order and that it fought against both Serb and Croatian
paramilitaries in order to stop killings and looting from taking place.

After Mr. Jocipovic finished, another secret witness called "B-1505"
was called. I'm not sure who exactly this guy was. He is either
somebody who is pretending to be somebody else, which is possible with
all secret witnesses, or he is somebody who was either a member of the
JNA, or was in some other way privy to internal JNA matters.
At any rate he claimed to be a Muslim from Visegrad who saw the JNA
planning to "cleanse Visegrad" of its Muslim population.
The prosecution is expected to finish with him on Monday, and after
that President Milosevic will cross-examine him.

"Processo" Milosevic

1. MILOSEVIC SI RIVOLGE ALL'OPINIONE PUBBLICA (17/8/2003). Con la
TRADUZIONE INTEGRALE della lettera di Milosevic.

2. TPI; SLOBO NEGA RESPONSABILITA' PER SREBRENICA (25/8/2003); ONU:
CARLA DEL PONTE ESTROMESSA DA TRIBUNALE PER RUANDA (28/08/2003)

3. La manifestazione del 28 giugno 2003 a L'Aja
(Aldo Bernardini su "Aginform")

NOTA: Una nuova manifestazione a L'Aia e' in preparazione per il
prossimo 8 novembre. Invieremo via via su questa lista tutte le
informazioni a riguardo.


=== 1 ===

http://www.ansa.it/balcani/serbiamontenegro/serbiamontenegro.shtml

SERBIA: MILOSEVIC NEGA COINVOLGIMENTO IN OMICIDIO STAMBOLIC

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADO, 23 AGO - L'ex presidente jugoslavo Slobodan
Milosevic ha negato qualsiasi coinvolgimento nell'omicidio di Ivan
Stambolic, un ex presidente serbo considerato un suo rivale politico.
Milosevic, sotto processo per crimini di guerra davanti al
Tribunale internazionale dell'Aja (Tpi), ha inviato una che la
pubblichera' nella sua edizione di domani e di cui stasera sono state
fornite alcune anticipazioni. Nella lettera Milosevic nega di
essere implicato nell'omicidio di Stambolic che, dopo essere
scomparso tre anni fa dalla sua casa di Belgrado, e' stato ritrovato
cadavere nel nord della Serbia lo scorso aprile. Della sua
uccisione sono sospettati alcuni elementi del 'Berretti Rossi' (Jso),
una unita' speciale della polizia. Secondo la magistratura di
Belgrado, ad ordinare la sua eliminazione sarebbe stato proprio
Milosevic, ansioso di sbarazzarsi di un rivale politico. L'ex
presidente jugoslavo, nella lettera, definisce ''assurde'' queste
accuse. ''Stambolic non interessava piu' a nessuno, era un uomo
politico dimenticato'', scrive nella lettera al giornale.
All'inizio di questo mese alcuni investigatori serbi volevano
interrogarlo nel carcere dell'Aja dove e' rinchiuso ma Milosevic si
e' rifiutato. Nella lettera spiega di averlo fatto perche' aveva
chiesto che la sua testimonianza fosse rese pubblica, condizione che
a suo dire non era stata accettata. (ANSA-AFP). ZU
23/08/2003 23:22

---

TRADUZIONE INTEGRALE
della lettera di Milosevic alla opinione pubblica, pubblicata il 24
agosto dal quotidiano Vecernje Novosti. Per le versioni in inglese e
serbocroato, da noi gia' diffuse su JUGOINFO, si veda al sito
dell'Associazione "Sloboda":
http://www.sloboda.org.yu/engleski/slobaE170803.htm

[Si noti che in seguito alla diffusione di questa lettera, consegnata a
mano da Milosevic ad esponenti del suo partito in visita all'Aia, le
autorita' del "Tribunale" hanno deciso di vietare per il futuro
qualsiasi visita in cercere: Milosevic e' quindi attualmente
impossibilitato a ricevere visite.]


Nel marzo 2001 sono stato accusato di crimini immaginari, cosicche'
hanno potuto arrestarmi e consegnarmi all'Aia.

Queste nuove accuse del 2003 hanno lo stesso scopo: L'Aia. Solo che
stavolta il loro obiettivo e' di cercare di impedire, o almeno di
minimizzare, l'evidente fiasco di questo fittizio Tribunale, che serve
come arma di guerra contro il nostro paese e contro la nostra gente.
Stavolta, diversamente dal 2001, hanno anche incominciato a
terrorizzare la mia famiglia, perseguitando vigliaccamente mia moglie e
mio figlio. La campagna criminale contro mia moglie e mio figlio viene
montata solamente a causa della mia lotta qui.

E' assurdo e vergognoso che si accaniscano contro una donna, moglie chi
e' stato capo dello Stato a lungo, professoressa universitaria, autrice
di dieci libri, tradotti in 30 lingue e stampati in tutto il mondo, per
cui nessuno potra' distruggere o nascondere le sue settimanali
testimonianze sulla crisi jugoslava [1]. Il loro valore e' stato
dimostrato con il tempo, ad onore di Mira e con nostro orgoglio. Nessun
altro intellettuale ha alzato la propria voce piu' di lei contro la
guerra, la violenza, il primitivismo, lo sfruttamento, e la schiavitu'
ed in favore della pace, della liberta' e della parita' dei diritti.

Si stanno accanendo contro un giovane che a cuore aperto e limpido ha
deciso di fare il suo cammino nella vita in maniera indipendente,
attraverso l'operosita', l'intelligenza e le abilita' sue proprie, ed
ha fatto di tutto per aiutare gli altri e rendere la sua citta' piu'
bella e piu' umana.

Stanno commettendo un crimine contro due persone che verso gli altri
non hanno mai usato altro che la bonta' e l'umanita'.

Il loro unico crimine e' quello di essere la mia famiglia.

La gente della Serbia e le persone amanti della liberta' in tutto il
mondo mi inviano messaggi di solidarieta' e mi augurano la vittoria.
Apparentemente, solo il regime di Belgrado e' ben disposto verso il
Tribunale dell'Aia, tanto da non disdegnare neppure di terrorizzare le
donne ed i ragazzi.

Alle due persone che sono venute per interrogarmi - cinque mesi dopo
che lo avevo pubblicamente richiesto - ho detto che solo i codardi
attaccano le donne ed i ragazzi, e che non esiste vergogna piu' grande.
La campagna politica, mediatica e poliziesca contro di me e la mia
famiglia e' la piu' grande infamia per quasiasi paese; una infamia che,
con il tempo, surclassera' non solo i suoi responsabili, ma anche
quelli che hanno assistito in silenzio.

Legija ed i Berretti Rossi

Per quanto riguarda le "ragioni" per cui il giudice ed il pubblico
ministero sono venuti all'Aia, desidero chiarire che:

Ne' io ne' il mio entourage abbiamo mai avuto alcun rapporto con alcun
gruppo criminale.

Non esisteva nessun "clan di Zemun" mentre io ero presidente. Esso e'
piuttosto la conseguenza diretta dei comportamenti dell'attuale
governo, del ruolo avuto da alcuni gruppi ed individui nel golpe del 5
Ottobre 2000, e dei loro reciproci accordi.

Ne' io ne' alcuno nel mio entourage abbiamo avuto contatti personali e
frequentazioni con membri della Unita' per le Operazioni Speciali,
popolarmente nota come Berretti Rossi. Io credevo fosse una unita'
antiterroristica d'elite, tipica di ogni servizio di sicurezza. Credo
tuttora che la maggiorparte dei componenti della unita' fossero
conformi a questa descrizione. Quelli con un passato o inclinazioni
criminali sono certamente meglio noti al presente regime, visto che
esso li ha utilizzati il 5 Ottobre.

La mia visita alla caserma di Kula nel 1997 era parte del cerimoniale,
un gesto di apprezzamento per il capo del servizio Jovica Stanisic, che
rispettavo come professionista e come uomo che compieva il suo lavoro
in pieno accordo con i suoi incarichi. Che quella visita fosse di
cerimoniale, e che tutto quanto nella caserma per me fosse nuovo,
dovrebbe essere ovvio a chiunque guardi l'intera registrazione in
maniera attenta.

L'ufficiale che mi riferiva sull'andamento della parata non mi era
conosciuto. Adesso so che il suo nome era Lukovic "Legija" [2]. Quando
costui arrivo' per arrestarmi nel marzo 2001, lo scambiai per
l'ufficiale che durante la mia visita aveva condotto Stanisic e me dal
quartier generale alle palestre all'aperto, che pure volevano
mostrarmi. Peraltro, ancora oggi non riesco a ricordare nessuno dei
nomi degli ufficiali che mi riferivano in varie occasioni dinanzi ad
una guardia d'onore. Questa vale persino per i comandanti delle unita'
della Guardia dell'Esercito Jugoslavo.

La prima volta che ho parlato con Lukovic "Legija" e' stato quando
venne ad arrestarmi il 31 marzo 2001. Visto che non avevo mai avuto
alcun contatto con lui prima, ne' tantomeno una conversazione, l'unica
cosa che avrei potuto "ordinargli" sarebbe stato il mio arresto.

Chiaramente, quelli che per il mio arresto hanno utilizzato membri dei
Berretti Rossi (ed altri, che saltarono incappucciati all'interno della
recinzione della mia residenza) li hanno usati anche prima e dopo. Io
chiaramente non potevo.

Le voci secondo cui questa unita' lavorava anche per la mia sicurezza
personale non sono vere. Pure menzogne. La mia sicurezza personale per
tutto il tempo e' stata l'unita' di sicurezza pubblica (non la
Sicurezza di Stato), comandata da Senta Milenkovic.

Ivan Stambolic

Sono stato amico di Ivan Stambolic per molti anni. Le nostre strade si
sono divise all'Ottava Sessione del Comitato Centrale della Lega dei
Comunisti della Serbia, nel 1987. Non abbiamo mai litigato
personalmente.

Dopo che fu sostituito, egli venne da me per chiedere quello che (a
parere di entrambi) era uno dei posti migliori nella RFS di Jugoslavia:
Presidente della Banca Jugoslava per le Relazioni Economiche
Internazionali. E lo ebbe, rimanendo in quella posizione per 10 anni
nonostante la consuetudine della rotazione delle cariche, fino al suo
pensionamento - che avrebbe potuto ottenere ben prima, sia in forza
dell'esperienza lavorativa che dell'eta'.

Era stato completamente dimenticato come politico da molti anni.
Percio' la storia secondo cui avrebbe potuto rappresentare un
potenziale avversario nelle elezioni e' una bugia palese, visto che non
vi partecipo' mai. Non fu mai nemmeno candidato. Peraltro, in quei
dieci anni, forse che qualcun altro candidato ha subito qualche attacco?

E' assurdo sostenere che mi sarei affrettato ad ucciderlo poiche'
rappresentava una minaccia, dopo che che gli avevo consentito di tenere
un posto di suo gradimento per dieci anni, e dopo che era andato in
pensione!

Per me e' particolarmente misterioso come la sua famiglia possa avere
dato prontamente credito a questa palese bugia. Sembra che loro abbiano
piu' interesse ad accusare me che non a scoprire la verita' sulle sorti
del loro padre e marito.

Ivan Stambolic era un politico dimenticato, e, al momento della sua
scomparsa, era anche un banchiere dimenticato. Nessuno nello Stato o
nell'apparato politico lo aveva piu' menzionato da anni. Egli
apparteneva all'epoca della ex RFS di Jugoslavia, e le cose dal 1990
purtroppo erano cambiate.

Senza offesa, ma nessuno piu' si interessava di Ivan Stambolic. Non ci
furono persecuzioni nei confronti di quelli che, all'Ottava Sessione,
avevano sostenuto la sua linea. Desimir Jeftic, presidente del
consiglio dei Ministri della Serbia, che pure era stato sostituito, fu
per molti anni Ambasciatore in Romania. Il migliore amico e vicino di
Ivan, Dragan Tomic, CEO [amministratore delegato?] della ditta di
mobili Simpo, rimase membro del partito e della leadership dello Stato.
Io sono certo che egli confermerebbe che gli dissi, dopo la
sostituzione di Ivan, che io lo avrei considerato molto male se egli
avesse rinunciato alla sua amicizia, voltandogli le spalle. Dunque, la
verita' e' proprio all'opposto rispetto alla storia che e' stata
fabbricata da qualche personaggio patetico.

Io fui informato della sparizione di Ivan al telefono, dal ministro
degli Interni Vlajko Stojiljkovic. Gli dissi di usare tutti i mezzi
possibili per trovarlo. Mi disse che la moglie di Ivan ed il figlio
avevano denunciato la scomparsa nel pomeriggio, benche' egli fosse
andato a correre la mattina, il che avrebbe reso le indagini piu'
complicate.

Tutti i posti di frontiera furono allertati, e piu' tardi quella sera
Vlajko Stojiljkovic mi disse che molte centinaia di poliziotti erano
impegnati nella indagine. Io insistetti che tutte le risorse fossero
utilizzate per trovarlo prima possibile. Certamente, la maggiorparte di
questi ufficiali sono tuttora impiegati al Ministero dell'Interno, e
possono testimoniare in proposito.

Sulla base di quanto Stojiljkovic mi aveva riferito, tutto cio' che si
sarebbe potuto fare fu fatto.

Draskovic, Pavkovic e l'incidente di Budva

Visto che gli inquirenti, durante le presentazioni, hanno menzionato un
mio presunto collegamento con il "tentativo di assassinio di
Draskovic", desidero dire qualche parola anche a riguardo.

Non ho mai creduto che quanto avvenne a Budva fosse un vero tentativo
di omicidio, poiche' appare improbabile che qualcuno possa sparare
tutti i colpi, in uno spazio ristretto come quello, mancando tutti i
bersagli. Neanche Vuk Draskovic, con la sua inclinazione a
drammatizzare, sarebbe stato in grado di trasformarsi in una mosca o in
una zanzara. Credetti che o qualcuno aveva avuto intenzione di
spaventarlo, oppure che egli aveva inscenato l'intero incidente per
conquistarsi l'attenzione e promuovere il suo ruolo di "vittima del
regime". Non e' difficile vedere chi abbia beneficiato di un simile
incidente, mentre e' abbondantemente chiaro che esso non servi' al
governo. Al contrario, in effetti.

Io non so se il Servizio di Sicurezza Serbo abbia avuto alcuna
attivita' in Montenegro, a parte quella di raccogliere informazioni sul
contrabbando di sigarette verso la Serbia. Rade Markovic mi fece
persino vedere fotografie di ricognizione aerea di un'area nota come
Mehov Krs, dalla parte serba del confine con il Montenegro, e spiego'
che in base alle sue informazioni si trattava di un importante
magazzino di stoccaggio delle sigarette di contrabbando. Egli si
preparava ad un raid per prendere i contrabbandieri ed interrompere il
traffico, al momento opportuno. Non so se le fotografie furono scattate
da un aereoplano o da un elicottero, della polizia o dell'esercito, in
quanto questi dettagli non mi interessavano.

Non ho mai parlato con Pavkovic di alcun trasferimento di "assassini" o
"agenti" dal Montenegro. Non e' plausibile che il Comandante in Capo
potesse essere coinvolto nel trasporto di presunti agenti segreti,
tantomeno attraverso l'intera catena di comando che incominciava con il
Capo del Comando Generale.

La verita' e' che io insistetti sempre affinche' i servizi
cooperassero, ed abbandonassero le loro rivalita', visto che non
servivano me bensi' lo Stato, e si presumeva che lavorassero per lo
Stato, in accordo con la legge. Il generale Aleksandar Vasiljevic ha
testimoniato su questo in questo tribunale illegale, nientemeno che
come testimone per l'accusa. E Rade Markovic ha testimoniato, sia qui
sia di fronte a due commissioni parlamentari, di esser stato sottoposto
a pressioni perche' cercasse di incriminarmi.

L'unico incidente di elicottero che ricordo riguarda un volo a bassa
quota di un elicottero sopra alla Casa Bianca (che era illegale),
quando un ufficiale dell'Esercito Jugoslavo incaricato della sicurezza
della Casa Bianca mantenne la calma evitando che esso fosse
tragicamente abbattuto. Piu' tardi quel giorno si venne a sapere che
l'elicottero stava trasferendo una persona gravemente malata dalla
Repubblica Serba [di Bosnia] alla Accademia Militare di Medicina [VMA].

Non vi vergognate?

Ho chiesto ad entrambi, l'inquirente e la pubblica accusa, che il mio
interrogatorio fosse pubblico, e che avrebbero potuto anche collegare
una linea telefonica aperta, cosicche' chiunque avrebbe potuto
chiedermi quello che voleva. Mi hanno spiegato che questo non era
consentito dalla legge, fintantoche' era in corso l'inchiesta. Ne ho
preso atto, ma ho chiesto che le registrazioni fossero rese pubbliche
alla fine dell'inchiesta - visto che non ci sarebbe piu' stato alcun
pericolo di potenziali interferenze, a quel punto. Hanno rifiutato
anche questo, benche' avessero la piena autorita' legale per
acconsentire. Ne' io, ne' loro, ne' i miei rappresentanti legali hanno
sporto obiezioni.

Il governo attuale usa la legge come pretesto per l'arbitrio e la
tirannia. Niente di nuovo!

Gia' nel 1742 Montesquieu scrisse: "Non c'e' tirannia piu' crudele di
quella perpetrata sotto lo scudo della legge ed in nome della
giustizia."

In tutta questa sporca operazione, con cui cercano di salvare questa
illegittima corte dell'Aia dal fallimento, l'elemento piu' vergognoso
e' sicuramente la persecuzione di mia moglie e mio figlio. Ho detto al
giudice inquirente che la sua indagine dovrebbe includere anche il
fantasma dei lingotti d'oro, delle riserve di valuta straniera, delle
ville in Svizzera e chi piu' ne ha piu' ne metta, visto che che tutto
questo e' stato menzionato in varie dichiarazioni ed ampi reportage sui
giornali, solo per essere poi "dimenticato".

Gli ho chiesto: "Non si vergogna?" Non mi ha risposto.

A mia moglie Mira ed a mio figlio Marko, che sono stati separati da me
in questa maniera vigliacca, desidero dire: "La vita e' troppo corta
per ringraziarvi della vostra bonta'."

L'Aia, 17 agosto 2003
Slobodan Milosevic

NOTE:
[1] Si riferisce alla rubrica fissa che Mira Markovic teneva sul
settimanale Duga. I testi di Mira Markovic sono stati pubblicati anche
in lingua italiana, vedi ad esempio:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2380.
[2] I media hanno riportato che il soprannome gli deriva dall'aver
fatto parte della Legione Straniera francese.


=== 2 ===

http://www.ansa.it/balcani/serbiamontenegro/serbiamontenegro.shtml

MILOSEVIC: TPI; SLOBO NEGA RESPONSABILITA' PER SREBRENICA

(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 25 AGO - Nessuna responsabilta' personale ne'
della Serbia nel massacro di Srebrenica nel 1995. Lo ha ribadito oggi
Slobodan Milosevic al Tribunale penale internazionale per l'ex
Jugoslavia dell'Aja, alla riapertura delle udienze dopo tre settimane
di pausa estiva. ''E' evidente per tutti che ne' io ne' la Serbia
abbiamo avuto nulla a che fare con i fatti di Srebrenica'', ha detto
l'ex presidente jugoslavo rivolgendosi a Richard May, presidente della
corte dell'Aja. L'udienza di oggi e' stata dedicata alla
testimonianza di un soldato croato-bosniaco ''pentito'' per la propria
partecipazione all'uccisione di circa 8.000 musulmani bosniaci a
Srebrenica (Bosnia orientale) nel luglio 1995. Condannato nel 1998
a cinque anni di reclusione dal Tpi, Drazen Erdemovic e' un ex soldato
croato arruolato nella divisione dell'esercito serbo che prese parte
al massacro di Srebrenica. Erdemovic aveva espresso il suo pentimento
e la sua amarezza per i fatti di Srebrenica, accettando cosi' di
collaborare con il Tribunale dell'Aja. La testimonianza resa da
Erdemovic depone a sfavore dell'ex presidente jugoslavo. Nella sua
deposizione il soldato ha infatti riferito di essere stato addestrato
- insieme alla sua unita', composta da una quarantina di militari -
nel 1994 a Pancevo, in Serbia, e di aver inoltre ricevuto uniformi ed
armamenti direttamente da Belgrado. Rispondendo alla Corte un
Milosevic rilassato ha rigettato l'accusa di essere coinvolto nella
strage. L'ex uomo forte di Belgrado e' accusato dal Tpi di crimini di
guerra, genocidio e crimini contro l'umanita' per i delitti commessi
nelle tre guerre balcaniche nella prima meta' degli anni '90.(ANSA)
RED*RIG 25/08/2003 18:28

ONU: CARLA DEL PONTE ESTROMESSA DA TRIBUNALE PER RUANDA

(ANSA) - NEW YORK, 28 AGO - Il Consiglio di Sicurezza dell'Onu ha
deciso oggi di rimuovere Carla Del Ponte dall'incarico di procuratore
per il Tribunale internazionale sui genocidi in Ruanda (Ictr), ma ha
confermato l'incarico del magistrato svizzero come procuratore capo
del Tribunale internazionale contro i crimini di guerra nella ex
Jugoslavia (Tpi). Del Ponte, che ha portato sul banco degli
imputati l'ex presidente jugoslavo Slobodan Milosevic, detiene ancora
i due mandati quadriennali che pero' scadono il 14 settembre. Il
Consiglio di Sicurezza ha adesso deciso di scindere le due funzioni.
La risoluzione approvata oggi era stata redatta dagli Usa: in essa
si chiede al segretario generale Kofi Annan di nominare un nuovo
procuratore per il tribunale incaricato di occuparsi dei genocidi del
1994 in Ruanda in cui venne trucidate circa 800 mila persone.
Secondo le aspettative al Palazzo di Vetro, il nuovo incarico dovrebbe
essere affidato a un magistrato africano. Allo stesso tempo la
risoluzione da' il benevenuto all'intenzione del segretario generale
Annan, espressa in una lettera del 28 giugno, di rinnovare l'incarico
di Del Ponte alla testa del tribunale per la ex Jugoslavia. Carla
Del Ponte accettera' l'incarico dimezzato, ha indicato una sua
portavoce all'Aja. La stessa Del Ponte aveva confermato nei giorni
scorsi al Consiglio di Sicurezza l'intenzione di restare al Tribunale
per la ex Jugoslavia perche' ''e' molto attaccata a quello che e'
stato fatto''. La raccomandazione di sdoppiare i mandati dei due
tribunali era stata fatta nelle scorse settimane da Annan anche in
seguito a pressioni del governo del Ruanda, che aveva criticato
l'inefficienza della corte nonostante i suoi 16 giudici, oltre 800
membri dello staff e un bilancio di circa cento milioni di dollari
all'anno. (ANSA). BN 28/08/2003 17:47


=== 3 ===

http://www.pasti.org/agenhome.htm

da AGINFORM
Numero 35, luglio 2003

Sostegno a Milosevic

La manifestazione del 28 giugno 2003 a L'Aja

Il 28 giugno 2003, secondo anniversario del sequestro e rapimento del
presidente Slobodan Milosevic da Belgrado per consegnarlo all'illegale
Tribunale dell'Aja per la ex Jugoslavia e, per i serbi, giorno di San
Vito (ricorrenza della storica battaglia di Kosovo Polie del 1389
contro gli ottomani), si è svolta all'Aja una manifestazione pubblica
di protesta contro il Tribunale e di sostegno alla battaglia per la
liberazione di Milosevic e degli altri jugoslavi arbitrariamente
detenuti.

La manifestazione è stata organizzata dalle sezioni europee del
Comitato internazionale per la difesa di Milosevic.

Hanno partecipato circa 250 persone da Germania (la rappresentanza più
consistente), Paesi Bassi, Gran Bretagna, Austria, Francia, USA,
Italia, Irlanda, Canada, Belgio, Jugoslavia, Bulgaria, Grecia. Bandiere
jugoslave soprattutto con la stella rossa e altre (anche una della ex
Repubblica democratica tedesca!) hanno espresso il carattere
internazionale dell'iniziativa, che deve molto del successo ai
sostenitori olandesi, guidati da Wil Van der Klift.

Davanti alla sede del Tribunale, di cui è stata da tutti sottolineata
l'illegalità e il concreto comportamento contrario anche ai diritti
dell'uomo, hanno parlato Van der Klift, Gavrilovic (Gran Bretagna),
Valkanoff (Bulgaria), Mraovic (Francia), Bernardini (Italia), Collon
(Belgio), Varkevisser (Paesi Bassi). Sono state lette le richieste
ufficiali al Tribunale e all'ONU. Ha fatto seguito una marcia di alcuni
chilometri sino al penitenziario di Scheveningen e qui hanno preso la
parola, oltre ad alcuni dei precedenti, Hartmann (Germania), Krsljanin
(Jugoslavia), Kelly (Irlanda), Cottin (USA), Verner (Germania). Si è
data lettura della lettera a Milosevic, immediatamente consegnata alle
autorità del carcere.

E' stato giustamente notato che si tratta di un primo passo, in
apparenza modesto ma sostanzialmente rilevantissimo, in un clima
generale che ha visto la demonizzazione massmediatica della Serbia e di
Milosevic in particolare, che rende difficile persino solo parlarne,
anche con grandi masse di ispirazione "democratica" e di "sinistra".
Gravissimo è stato il cedimento, sino alla collusione, di quelle forze
(anche "comuniste") che hanno proclamano "né con la NATO né con
Milosevic" e hanno esultato - "Belgrado ride" - di fronte al colpo di
stato, ormai dimostrato, che ha avuto luogo in Jugoslavia e alla
barbarica traduzione al carcere dell'Aja del presidente Milosevic,
avvenuta dietro promessa di danaro. E quindi tacciono e non danno il
reale significato né alla fascistizzazione e al disastro sociale della
(residua) Jugoslavia, come degli altri paesi della ex (grande)
Jugoslavia, né al valore storico di nemesi che ha avuto in sorte, da
chiunque attivata, il Giuda Djindjic, colui che ha consegnato
Milosevic; ma neppure, dall'altro lato, al comportamento eroico, nel
pieno e oggi dimenticato senso del termine, dello stesso Milosevic
avanti a quella Corte da Santa Alleanza che siede all'Aja per
selezionare accortamente, e "costruire", i "crimini" da perseguire e i
"criminali" da trattare secondo copioni in tutta logica pre-scritti:
primo fra tutti Slobodan Milosevic, antesignano della lotta alla
globalizzazione, da lui per tempo riconosciuta come la veste attuale
dell'imperialismo. Il presidente jugoslavo, al di là dell'indegno
silenzio dei media, continua a controbattere con efficacia l'azione del
Tribunale e dei "testimoni" a suo carico.

A lui, agli altri jugoslavi ingiustamente carcerati, alle lotte in
Jugoslavia va tutta la nostra solidarietà, come quella espressa all'Aja
(e nello stesso giorno a Mosca, Parigi, Belgrado...) e la più decisa
ripulsa contro quei pilateschi "comunisti" che, invece di confrontarsi
con le lotte reali di chi affronta in concreto il mostro imperialistico
e di far vedere e vivere il legame che unisce queste lotte, inseguono
modelli astratti di "democrazia" mutuati dall'ideologia borghese e che
nulla hanno a che fare con i bisogni effettivi dei popoli nelle loro
espressioni proletarie (non borghesi), primo fra i quali è quello
dell'indipendenza.

Proprio per questo dobbiamo fare appello per la concreta solidarietà:
Milosevic e i suoi avvocati jugoslavi (che fungono da consulenti
esterni e da coadiutori per lui) devono sopportare gli enormi costi
della macchina giudiziaria.

Aldo Bernardini


[Aldo Bernardini, insigne docente di Diritto Internazionale, ex rettore
della Universita' di Teramo, e' esponente della sezione italiana del
Comitato Internazionale per la Difesa di Slobodan Milosevic]

Kosmet, ferragosto di sangue

3: NATO-backed snipers kill children

(english + nostri titoli italiano)

Notice: most articles have been forwarded to us by Rick Rozoff through
the list Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli. .
Many links to further articles will be sent in a forthcoming message.


===
TRE MORTI IN REGOLAMENTO DI CONTI TRA BANDE
===

TRA LE VITTIME DUE GIOVANI PASSANTI

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bn/Qkosovo-shooting.R26w_Da2.html

Three dead in western Kosovo shooting

PRISTINA, Serbia-Montentegro, Aug 3 (AFP) - Three
people were gunned down and at least four others
wounded when unknown assailants opened fire in western
Kosovo late Saturday, an official told AFP.
The incident happened after 10 pm (2000 GMT) in the
town of Pec, some 85 kilometers (53 miles) west of
Kosovo's capital Pristina, Andrea Angeli, spokesman
for the UN mission in Kosovo, said.
"There was machinegun fire in the center of Pec. Some
of the victims and those wounded were sitting in
nearby cafes in what is usually a busy night," Angeli said.
A 14-year-old girl was among the victims. The others
were a 24-year-old female and a 30-year-old male. All
of the victims were Kosovo Albanians, but their names
have not been released pending the notification of
their families.
Angeli said no arrests were made and that it was not
clear who or what was the target of the attack. The
wounded were transported to the Pristina hospital, two
of them in critical condition.
The UN police in Pec cordoned off the area and an
investigation was ongoing.
Kosovo has been under UN administration since NATO
bombed Yugoslavia to force the withdrawal of Serbian
troops in early 1999.

UNA TIPICA ESECUZIONE DI STAMPO MAFIOSO

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=4091195
Reuters 3, 2003

Three killed in gangland-style Kosovo shooting

PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro (Reuters) - Gunmen
have unleashed a hail of bullets on a parked car in a
Kosovo town, killing three people, including two young
girls who were passing by, a United Nations official says.
Three people were injured and over 100 rounds were
fired in Saturday's gangland-style attack in the
western town of Pec. The shooting underlined problems
facing U.N.-led administrators struggling to impose
order on the ethnic Albanian-dominated province.
U.N. police spokesman in Pec, Joe Singleton, said on
Sunday the motive for the attack was not known.
"Four males were sitting in a car parked in an alley
in front of a small shop when four suspects approached
the vehicle and opened fire," Singleton told Reuters.
"Three people were killed at the scene, two of them
juvenile females, who were passersby and were
evidently going to the shop."
Singleton said girls' ages had not been confirmed, but
that some reports put them at 11 and 14 years old. The
third dead person was one of the men sitting in the car.
Two other men in the car were injured along with the
owner of the shop, Singleton said. "After the
shooting, the four suspects fled on foot."
He said that a policeman from the Kosovo Police
Service, who had been near the scene, had fired at the
assailants.
"But it is not sure whether he hit anybody. At the
time of the shooting, there was a power outage. It was
dark and the policeman could not see," Singleton said.
U.N. police have stepped up security after a spate of
explosions and other attacks in Kosovo's towns. The
violence has been blamed on ethnic tensions as well as
criminal gangs.

IL TRAFFICO DI EROINA ALL'ORIGINE DELLA STRAGE

http://www.tol.cz/look/BRR/
article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=9&NrIssue=1&NrSection=1&NrArticle
=10370
Transitions Online (Soros), August 4, 2003

Kosovo’s Biggest Heroin Bust

PRISTINA, Kosovo--United Nations police in Kosovo on
29 July arrested three ethnic Albanians and seized 18
kilograms of heroin they say was intended for sale in
Western Europe during a search operation in a private
residence in the village of Komogllave-Ferizaj, some
15 miles south of the capital, Pristina.
United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) police
spokesperson Derek Chappel told journalists that the
mission’s Central Criminal Investigation Unit (CCIU)
had located the heroin stash thanks to tips from local
citizens and cooperation with the local Kosovo Police
Service (ShPK).
Chappel said that police seized 33 packages of heroin
totaling 18 kilograms and arrested two men, aged 21
and 24, and one 29-year-old woman. The search
continues for a fourth suspect, Chappel said during a
press briefing.
According to the initial findings of the police
investigation, Kosovo was the transit route for the
drugs, which were to be sold in Western Europe and had
a value of $920,000.
“Investigators believe that the heroin was intended
for the Western Europe market, because there is no
such market here,” said Chappel.
Chappel said that the search also turned up drug
paraphernalia, two illegal weapons and ammunition,
among other things.
In a recent interview with the KosovaLive news agency,
CCIU drug unit chief Ville Tenhunen said that Kosovo
is being used in a two-step system for drug transfer
to Western Europe. According to Tenhunen, large
quantities of narcotics are transferred from another
location to Kosovo, where they are safely stored
before heading to Western European markets.
The CCIU drug chief says that narcotics are being
smuggled across the Balkans and into Kosovo from
southwestern Asia. From Kosovo, the narcotics are
transported by various means, including tour bus
companies and other transport companies, to Western
Europe.
“The heroin that we seized is the largest single
seizure of heroin in Kosovo since UNMIK entered in
June 1999,” said UNMIK police spokesperson Berry
Fletcher.
Last year police seized about 9 kilograms of
narcotics, including heroin, he said. Heroin and
marijuana are the primary drugs seized in Kosovo,
while cocaine is rarely discovered, said Fletcher.
But Fletcher reminded journalists that Kosovo is not
the black hole of Balkan crime that it is often
referred to as. Smuggling remains a serious problem
across the Balkans, he said, pointing to Greece’s
recent reports of large shipments of narcotics on its
borders with Albania and Serbia’s reports of heroin
seizures on its borders with Bulgaria.
“The Balkans as a whole, including Kosovo, have been a
route for smuggling drugs from East to West for a very
long time. Probably since long before we were alive,”
said Fletcher.
In other news, three people were killed on 2 August
near the bus station in Peja. According to UNMIK
police, four men were parked in front of a shop on the
main street when four unknown suspects approached on
foot and opened fire with automatic weapons.
Reportedly firing more than 100 rounds, they killed
one of men inside the vehicle and injured 3 others.
Two young women who were in the shop at the time were
also killed, and the shop owner was injured.
Joel Singleton, information officer at the Police
Regional Headquarters in the Peja Region, said that
the four suspects escaped on foot. Singleton said that
local ShPK officers were fired upon as the suspects fled.
“The ShPK officers who returned fire showed amazing
fire control due to the intensity of the moment [and
the fact] that the electricity was not on and there
were innocent bystanders in the area,” said Singleton.
Violence also continued on 3 August when a UN police
officer was murdered on the Kosovoska
Mitrovica-Leposavic road. According to Beta news
agency, a UN police patrol was ambushed near the
Zvecan railway bridge and one officer was killed
before the attackers opened fire on a civilian car,
causing only minor damage to the vehicle.
The UN has confirmed the death of one of its officers
but has released no further details regarding the
circumstances.
--by Bekim Greicevci

MURO DI OMERTA' PROTEGGE GLI ASSASSINI

Police Face Wall of Silence (by J. Xharra & T. Matic)

SEE AT:
http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?archive/bcr3/bcr3_200308_455_1_eng.txt


===
MITROVICA NORD IN CONTINUO PERICOLO A CAUSA DELLA ELIMINAZIONE DEI
POSTI DI BLOCCO
===

KFOR WILL NO LONGER PROVIDE ESCORT, WILL REMOVE
CHECKPOINTS

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Aug 1 (Tanjug) - KFOR Brigade
Northeast Commander Gen Marc Bertuchi told Tanjug on
Friday that as security in the region of Kosovska
Mitrovica was improving, KFOR would no longer provide
escort and would remove fixed security checkpoints.
The security situation in the zone of responsibility
of Brigade Northeast has improved, Bertuchi said and
added that he would keep on discontinuing escorts and
removing checkpoints at less important strategic
places and other fixed checkpoints. He said that the
improvement of the security situation called for a
different way of organization of military presence and
that the fixed checkpoints and systematic controls,
which would be removed, would improve the freedom of
movement, making citizens' lives more pleasant. He
said that numerous patrols that could react quickly in
case of problems had been set up. Bertuchi said that
KFOR would continue reducing the number of its troops
and that by the end of the year their number would be
reduced from the present 25,000 to 20,000.

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24031&order=priority&style=headlines
Beta, August 3, 2003

UNMIK act a bridge too far for Kosovo

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA/JAGODINA -- Sunday -- An UNMIK act promoting
multiethnicity backfired in Kosovska
Mitrovica last night as plans to re-open the main
bridge on the Ibar linking the ethnically divided
north and south of the town had to be rethought.
Following the bridge's re-opening, a group of around
30 ethnic Albanian youths were first to make the
crossing, hurling abuse at residents of the northern,
Serb side of the town.
Serb drinkers at a nearby bar reacted, approaching the
Albanian youths with violent intent, but UNMIK and
KFOR managed to diffuse the situation and close the
bridge.
Covic: A kingdom of terrorism and crime
Responding to the recent violent upsurge in the
province, Deputy Serbian PM Nebojsa Covic, who head
Belgrade's Coordination Centre for Kosovo, said
"terrorism and crime are flourishing in that area",
and every citizen is endangered "regardless of
national or ethnic orientation".
Covic insisted to Jagodina-based TV Palma Plus: "The
attack on the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica is a direct
message that somebody, obviously not Serbs, doesn't
want multiethnic life.
"What happened in Pec is foul. Three young people lost
their lives in a tragic battle within the kingdom of
terrorism and organised crime".
Covic assessed that the international community must
enforce the rule of law and implement human rights in
Kosovo lest "there is no future for the province or
the entire region".

http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=42619&LangID=1
Seeurope.net, August 5, 2003

KFOR Tightens Security Measures in Mitrovica

The UN Police in Kosovo and KFOR upgraded security
measures at the bridge on Ibar river, bridge that
splits the northern and southern part of Mitrovica, in
the wake of late Saturday’s incident.
Late on Saturday, a group of 30 Albanians crossed the
bridge and entered into northern part of Mitrovica,
populated with Serbs. The entering of Albanians into
the northern part of the city caused mass gatherings
of Serbian residents. Shortly afterwards, the
Albanians retreated back to the southern part of the
city.
The bridge is undergoing security measures following
this incident. KFOR and the UN Police stepped up
control on persons that cross the bridge.


===
CECCHINI UCCIDONO UFFICIALE UNMIK INDIANO
===

http://www.realitymacedonia.org.mk/web/news_page.asp?nid=2706
Reality Macedonia, August 4, 2003

Sniper Assassinates UN Policeman In Kosovo

The family of the United Nations police officer who
was killed overnight in northern Mitrovica region has
been notified of his death.
Major Satish MENON, a police officer from India, gave
his life in the service of the people of Kosovo and
the United Nations. Major Menon was 43 years-old and
was assigned to the UNMIK Border Police. He is
survived by his wife and two children, ages 8 and 6.
The condolences of the United Nations Police and the
Kosovo Police Service are offered to the family of
Major Menon.

---

UNITED NATIONS
United Nations Mission in Kosovo
NATIONS UNIES
Mission des Nations Unies au Kosovo

04-08-03
UNMIK Police
PRESS RELEASE

MURDER OF A UNITED NATIONS POLICE OFFICER

A United Nations Police Officer assigned to the
Mission in Kosovo has been murdered in the line of
duty. The crime occurred shortly before midnight on
August 3rd, 2003.
According to Investigators, the officer was in a
marked UN police vehicle on the highway between
Leposavic and Mitrovica when unknown suspects fired at
the vehicle, killing the officer.
UNMIK Police Commissioner Stefan Feller condemned the
murder as “A brutal and unbelievable crime. The reason
is not yet known, but it is clear this was a sniper
attack on an international police officer by cowards
who intended to kill him.”
The name, nationality, and assignment of the officer
are withheld until his family is notified.
The main highway between Leposavic and Mitrovica will
be closed in the area of the crime until further
notice for purposes of the investigation. A detour
will be arranged for travelers to use while the main
highway is closed.
A special investigative team has been established
immediately, comprised of the Mitrovica Regional
Serious Crimes Squad and experts from UNMIK Police
Main Headquarters.

Barry FLETCHER
Deputy Chief of Information
UNMIK Police Main HQ
Pristina Tracy BECKER
Public Information Officer
Police Regional HQ
Mitrovica
For additional information, contact the UNMIK Police
Main HQ Press Office at 038-504-604-5071/FAX 5073,
E-mail: pol-press@...

---

UNA RITORSIONE CONTRO GLI ARRESTI DI ALCUNI TERRORISTI UCK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3122861.stm
BBC News, August 4, 2003

UN policeman shot in Kosovo 'ambush'

By Nicholas Wood
BBC, Mitrovica, northern Kosovo
A United Nations police officer has been killed in
Kosovo.

The officer died when his marked police car came under
fire from a semi-automatic rifle from the side of the
road in the north of the province.
This is the first time a member of the international
police force has been killed on duty in Kosovo since
the UN took over responsibility for the province four
years ago.
UN police are describing the attack as a well-planned
ambush.
Investigators say boulders had been placed in the road
to make the car slow down and give the gunman time to
shoot.
The driver of the officer's car was unscathed.
Police believe the attacker's intention was to kill a
foreign officer serving with the UN.
Members of the international police force travel in
clearly marked red and white cars which distinguish
them from members of the local police service.
The investigation is focusing on three ethnic Albanian
villages close to the scene of the ambush.
Anti-UN sentiment
The area was the scene of another attack earlier this year.
Two members of a guerrilla group known as the Albanian
National Army blew themselves up while attempting to
mine a nearby bridge.
UN officials say it is too early to say what the
precise motive for the attack was.
However there has been an increase in anti-UN
sentiment in Kosovo over the last few weeks.
Some ethnic Albanians are angered by the recent
jailing of four former members of now disbanded
guerrilla group the Kosovo Liberation Army for war crimes.

SOSPETTATI ESPONENTI DELL'UCK

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=431049
Belfast Telegraph, August 6, 2003

KLA link suspected in UN police murder

The United Nations offered a €50,000 (£35,000) reward
yesterday for information leading to the arrest of the
killer of one of its policemen serving in Kosovo, amid
fears that law enforcement agencies had become the
target of an upsurge of violence.
Some fear the killing is linked to recent attacks on
court and police buildings, which followed the
conviction of former members of the Kosovo Liberation
Army (KLA) on war crimes charges.
Yesterday, investigators refused to speculate about
who might have killed Major Satish Menon, a
43-year-old Indian officer who was shot by a sniper in
an ambush on Sunday near the village of Slatina, 28
miles north of the capital, Pristina. A British
officer driving the vehicle was unhurt.
Major Menon is the first policeman to die in Kosovo
since the international community took over the
administration after Nato's bombing campaign in 1999.
The shooting took place in a Serb area but within easy
reach of Albanian villages, and the two communities
are blaming each other.
The killing has caused alarm as it follows recent
attacks on symbols of law and order after the
conviction of four ex-KLA members on war crimes
charges. The men, who were sentenced to a total of 45
years, were found guilty of offences including
torture, kidnapping and the inhuman treatment of
civilians during the Kosovo conflict in 1998 and 1999.
In an apparent reprisal for the ruling, a
rocket-propelled grenade was fired at a district court
building in Pristina on 20 July, causing serious
damage. That was followed immediately by an explosion
outside a police station near by.
Three days earlier, a hand grenade exploded outside
another police station, north-east of Pristina, near
the birthplace of the four convicted men. UN police
vehicles have also been vandalised and daubed with
graffiti, and last weekend, gunmen fired into a car in
the mainly Albanian town of Pec, killing three people,
including two girls passing by. The violence has posed
new questions for peace-keepers, who once saw the KLA
as allies of the Nato alliance against the Serb forces
of the former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.
Sven Lindholm, spokesman for the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe, said the attacks
on court and police buildings "can be seen as an
attack on the rule of law because they were targeted
on the institutions that are trying to instil the rule of law".
While some see the spate of recent attacks as a
political statement by those who retain a loyalty to
former KLA colleagues, others believe that it is the
work of criminal gangs.
Stefan Feller, the UN police chief, linked the earlier
attacks with the trial verdict, but was careful not to
connect the latest death in the same way. He said
Major Menon died "because he was a police officer" and
that he was "apparently selected at random to be killed".
He added: "This was a cold-blooded and deliberate
killing of an officer who had no chance to defend
himself."
More than 4,000 UN police officers patrol Kosovo. Many
former KLA members have joined the unarmed
6,000-strong local police force, the Kosovo Protection
Corps. The region has been administered by UN and
Nato-led peace-keepers from K-For since June 1999,
after a 78-day bombing campaign forced the withdrawal
of Serb forces under the command of Mr Milosevic.


===
SUICIDA SOLDATO FRANCESE
===

http://www.balkanpeace.org/hed/archive/aug03/hed5935.shtml
AFP, August 6, 2003

French soldier found dead in northern Kosovo

PRISTINA -- Wednesday -- A French KFOR soldier was found dead in
northern Kosovo yesterday afternoon, a NATO official told AFP.
The soldier, whose name and age have yet to be released, committed
suicide whilst on an operation with his unit near the town of
Leposavic, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of Kosovo´s capital
Pristina.
A spokesman for KFOR´s French contingent in northern Kosovo told AFP:
"He was alone when he shot himself with his personal weapon. He left a
letter behind".
The spokesman said the soldier was on a regular operation searching for
illegal weapons in the volatile province.
According to a recent UN survey, close to 500,000 illegal weapons,
mostly small firearms, are in the hands of civilians in Kosovo - a
legacy of the 1998-99 Kosovo war.


===
ALTRO REGOLAMENTO DI CONTI TRA BANDE MAFIOSE
===

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09224235.htm

One person killed in Kosovo shooting-U.N. police

PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro, Aug 9 (Reuters)
One person was killed and two injured in a shootout among ethnic
Albanians in a village near Pec in south-western
Kosovo on Saturday, United Nations police in charge of
the province said.
The shooting was the latest in a series of violent
incidents across the province over the past few weeks,
including Sunday's killing of a U.N. officer, the
first in four years.
The U.N. administration took over the province in 1999
after 11 weeks of NATO bombing to halt Serbian
repression of its majority Albanians under then
president Slobodan Milosevic.
"A group of men fired on another group. They were all
Kosovo Albanians. One man was killed and two others
were wounded, one of them seriously," U.N. police
spokesman Barry Fletcher told Reuters. Police were
searching for the perpetrators who fled.
Fletcher said the motive for the shooting was not
known but he believed it was a dispute between two
families. He said it appeared to be different from a
shooting two weeks ago in which three ethnic Albanians
were killed in an apparent dispute between criminal groups.
Even though officials caution against linking the
violent incidents in the province, the shooting is
likely to raise security concerns and highlight the
difficulties the U.N. administration is facing to
establish order in Kosovo.
Kosovo Albanians want independence from Serbia and
Montenegro, a loose union that replaced Yugoslavia
this year. But its minority Serbs say it must remain a
part of Serbia.
Western officials have accused criminal elements of
wanting to derail the progress made in the province.


===
LA SCANDALOSA CONDIZIONE DEI PROFUGHI GITANI (ROM ED EGIZI) DEL KOSOVO,
FUGGITI NELLA FYROM
===

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
EBalkans.htm#Roma%20from%20Kosovo%20agree%20to%20remain%20in%20Macedonia
Tanjug, August 9, 2003

Roma from Kosovo agree to remain in Macedonia

18:47 SKOPJE , Aug 9 (Tanjug) - After several-month
protests near the border with Greece, a group of about
600 Roma, who had fled from Kosovo-Metohija to
Macedonia, started to leave an improvised refugee camp
on Saturday after their stay in Macedonia had been
approved with small financial assistance, UNHCR
spokesman Goran Momiroski said in Skopje.
Roma, who cannot return to Kosovo-Metohija because of
a bad security situation, have been near the Greek
border since May demanding from authorities to let
them leave for some of the EU countries.

http://www.mia.com.mk/ang/
Vest.asp?vest=\1\BALKAN%20EGYPTIANS%20MEETING%20ENDS%20IN.htm
Macedonian Information Agency - August 28, 2003

BALKAN EGYPTIANS MEETING ENDS IN OHRID

Skopje, August 27 (MIA) - The next Balkan Egyptians
meeting will take place in March 2004 in Strasbourg,
was concluded Wednesday at the end of three-day
meeting of the Presidency of Balkan Egyptian
Association that occurred in Ohrid.
Ohrid was proposed as an alternative for the next
meeting place, in case delegates cannot get visa to
Strasbourg.
The meeting aimed at strategy preparation for more
intensive involvement of the Egyptians in government
institutions and other spheres of the society.
Discontent of the Egyptians' situation in almost each
Balkan's country was expressed at the meeting.
Above a million Egyptians live in the Balkan, most of
them, about 400,000, in Albania and 150,000 in Kosovo
before the war, but at the moment 40,000 of them are
refugees.
According to the census from 1994, about 3,500
Egyptians live in Macedonia.


===
ATTACCHI TERRORISTICI PAN-ALBANESI ANCHE PRESSO PRESEVO-BUJANOVAC,
NELLA SERBIA MERIDIONALE
===

ATTACCO CONTRO BASE MILITARE SERBA

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/ac/Qserbia-montenegro-
attack.RrA__DaB.html

Army base attacked in southern Serbia, no injuries

DOBROSIN, Serbia-Montenegro, Aug 11 (AFP) - A
Serbia-Montenegro army base has come under mortar
attack in an area dominated by restive ethnic
Albanians, officials said Monday.
There were no injuries or significant property damage
in the attack late Sunday near the southern village of
Dobrosin, close to the provincial border with Kosovo,
a defence ministry official said.
Three 60-milimetre mortars were fired at the base from
an unknown source [see below], but they missed their
target.
"This is a classic terrorist attack," said Defence
Minister Boris Tadic who visited Dobrosin Monday with
Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Branko Krga and
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, Nebojsa Covic.
He said it was still unclear where the mortars had
come from and investigators were trying to determine
who had launched the attack.
The area has been a hotbed of ethnic-Albanian
separatism, which briefly erupted into open conflict
with Serbian security forces in 2000.

SPARATI MISSILI DI FABBRICAZIONE U.S.A.

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24141&style=headlines
FoNet, Beta, August 11, 2003

Terrorists attack army base in southern Serbia

BELGRADE -- Monday – Three grenades were discharged
last night at the Serbia-Montenegro Army base near the
village of Dobrosin close to the administrative border
with Kosovo.
This morning the Defence Ministry played down earlier
reports of considerable structural damage, also
confirming that only one soldier was slightly wounded
in the attack.
Defence Minister Boris Tadic, army chief of staff
Branko Krga and Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Nebojsa
Covic later toured the facility and Tadic told press
that an investigation has commenced.
Tadic, Krga and Covic met with representatives of
south Serbia's forces, led by commander of the
Pristina Corps General Major Mladen Cirkovic; KFOR
members also visited the base this afternoon.
Minister Tadic described the incident as a "typical
terrorist attack, which has been expected, bearing in
mind the results of monitoring of terrorist
organisations' movements in this area".
Dobrosin was a former stronghold of armed Albanian
extremists and the home of the former Liberation Army
of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac.
The US-made 40-millimetre missiles were fired from the
direction of the village, which is populated solely by
Albanians.
Yesterday's incident was the first attack on a
military facility since the agreement to disband the
Liberation Army was signed in May of last year.

ATTACCATA PATTUGLIA, RIVENDICAZIONE "A.N.A." ("ESERCITO NAZIONALE
ALBANESE")

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cq/Qserbia-montenegro-
kosovo.RzyT_DaC.html

Serbia-Montenegro army patrol attacked nearby Kosovo
border: ministry

BELGRADE, Aug 12 (AFP) - An army patrol from Serbia
and Montenegro (SCG) was attacked Tuesday by a group
of ethnic Albanian "extremists" in a region near the
province of Kosovo, the defense ministry said.
The reconnaissance patrol was fired on in the
afternoon by a group of 15 "Albanian extremists" near
the military base of Susnjak, the ministry said in a
statement.
Susnjak lies on a 35-kilometer (21-miles) long road
leading from Serbian town of Kursumlija to the Kosovo
town of Podujevo.
The patrol repelled the attack, captured one
assailant, identified as Bajazit Podvorica from
Podujevo, and handed him over to Serbian police, it said.
The ministry said there were no casualties on the army
side, but gave no indication if any of the attackers
were killed or injured.
The incident came just two days after a mortar attack
on an army base in southern Serbia.
An ethnic-Albanian extremist group, the Albanian
National Army (ANA) that also operates in Kosovo and
Macedonia, claimed responsibility for the attack,
saying in a statement that it had fired the mortars at
the base near the southern Serbian village of Dobrosin
on Sunday night.
"Obviously we are talking about an escalation of
attacks against SCG army members that I believe is in
a way synchronized," the Defense Minister Boris Tadic
told Belgrade-based radio B92 late on Tuesday.
"State institutions of SCG and Serbia are doing their
best to respond to these attacks in the toughest way,"
Tadic said. But he added that "the SCG army certainly
will not be a factor in the escalation of conflicts in
this region."
Kosovo has been administrated by a United Nations
mission established at the end of the 1998-99 war
between Belgrade armed forces and the ethnic-Albanian
Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) which waged a separatist
guerrilla campaign in the province.

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/as/Qserbia-montenegro-
attack.RD_v_DaC.html

Ethnic Albanian militants claim responsibility for
attack in Serbia

DOBROSIN, Serbia-Montenegro, Aug 12 (AFP) - An
ethnic-Albanian extremist group claimed responsibility
Tuesday for a mortar attack on a Serbia and Montenegro
army base, warning that more was to come.
The Albanian National Army (ANA), which also operates
in Kosovo and Macedonia, said in a statement that it
had fired the mortars at the base near this southern
Serbian village on Sunday night.
The shadowy militia said its "special forces of the
Adem Jashari division have successfully attacked a
military base of Serbia and Montenegro", adding that
its fighters had withdrawn to prepare new attacks.
Little is known about the ANA, which has also claimed
responsibility for attacks in the neighbouring Serbian
province of Kosovo and nearby Macedonia.
It has been labelled a "terrorist" organisation by the
United Nations mission in Kosovo, where two of its
suspected members are wanted on terrorism charges.
Defence ministry officials in Belgrade said there were
no injuries or significant property damage in Sunday's
attack, the first for more than a year against regular
army troops in the mainly ethnic-Albanian area of
southern Serbia.
The area has been a hotbed of ethnic-Albanian
separatism, which erupted into open conflict with
Serbian security forces from January 2000 to May 2001.
Defence Minister Boris Tadic, who visited Dobrosin on
Monday with Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Branko
Krga and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic,
called the attack a "classic" act of terrorism.
"The plan is very simple, to destabilise the entire
region, to provoke the army to react inadequately and
contribute to further destabilisation," he said.
Jashari, who the ANA mentions in its statement, was a
leading commander of the ethnic-Albanian Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA) which waged a separatist
guerrilla campaign against Serbian forces during the
1998-99 Kosovo war.
He was killed by Serbian police in 1998 and the KLA
was disbanded as Kosovo came under UN and NATO
administration after the war.
The ANA says it is fighting to create a greater
Albania including Kosovo and parts of Macedonia and
southern Serbia.

GOVERNO SERBO CHIEDE ALLA KFOR DI RIVELARE L'IDENTITA' DEI RESPONSABILI
DEGLI ATTACCHI

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
EYug.htm#Serbian%20premier%20says%20KFOR%20might%20know%20who%20attacked
%20SCG%20Army%20base
Tanjug, August 12, 2003

Serbian premier says KFOR might know who attacked SCG
Army base

18:48 BELGRADE , Aug 12 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier
Zoran Zivkovic said Tuesday that investigation of the
grenade attack on Serbia-Montenegro (SCG) Army base in
Dobrosin must be carried out as soon as possible in
order to identify the culprits.
Zivkovic told a press conference that one might try to
guess whether the grenades were launched from
Kosovo-Metohija or from some ethnic Albanian village
in southern Serbia. However, KFOR, which has all
technical means at its disposal, is the best placed to
say who launched the attack. If they claim they do not
know, they are concealing trhe culprits, Zivkovic
added.

ALTRA BOMBA DEI SECESSIONISTI

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24193&style=headlines
FoNet, August 14, 2003

Bomb attack in south Serbia

BUJANOVAC -- Thursday – There has been another bomb
attack in the south Serbian region of Bujanovac, where
an explosive device was thrown beside the road between
the villages of Lucane Konculj.
There were no casualties in the explosion and police
say the bomb, which was most probably thrown from a
vehicle, was not powerful.
Police have stepped up security measures in the area
after a number of recent incidents.

NUOVI ATTACCHI CONTRO LA POLIZIA AL CONFINE AMMINISTRATIVO CON IL KOSMET

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bt/Qserbia-kosovo-attack.REL2_DaG.html

Renewed attacks on Serbian police around Kosovo

BELGRADE, Aug 16 (AFP) - Serbian police were fired on
by unknown assailants close to a village on the
boundary between central Serbia and the
UN-administered province of Kosovo, the Serbian
government said Saturday.
Assailants armed with automatic weapons shot at a
police post close to the Albanian-populated village of
Konculj late on Friday night.
There were no casualties, but the government dubbed
the incident a "terrorist" act in a statement on Saturday.
This is the third attack in less than a week against
Serbian security forces on the administrative boundary
area between Kosovo and central Serbia.
An ethnic-Albanian extremist group, the Albanian
National Army (ANA) that also operates in Kosovo and
Macedonia, claimed responsibility for a mortar attack
on an army base in southern Serbia on August 10.
Two days later, on August 12, an army patrol was
attacked by a group of 15 ethnic Albanian "extremists"
in broad daylight, near the military base of Susnjak.
The Serbian deputy prime minister Nebojsa Covic told
Belgrade-based radio B92 that he expected such attacks
by "extremist Albanians" to continue. But also he
warned it was imperative to avoid being provoked into
retaliation.
The southern Serbian province of Kosovo has been
administered by a United Nations mission established
at the end of the 1998-99 war between Belgrade forces
and separatist ethnic-Albanian guerrillas.

NUOVA RIVENDICAZIONE A.N.A.

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cl/Qserbia-kosovo-albania.RUp9_DaH.html

Ethnic Albanians claim responsibility for attack on
Serbian police post

BELGRADE, Aug 17 (AFP) - The rebel Albanian National
Army (ANA) in Kosovo said Sunday it was responsible
for firing on a Serbian police station in which no one
was hurt.
In a statement, the group said it had acted in
self-defense Friday after coming under attack by the
Serbian police.
The action at the police post occurred on the boundary
between Serbia and the UN-administered province of
Kosovo.
The Serbian government said it was a terrorist attack.
The UN mission that has run Kosovo since 1999 has also
defined the ANA as a terrorist group.
The ANA seeks the creation of a greater Albania
including Kosovo, which has a huge majority of ethnic
Albanians, and parts of southern Serbia and western
Macedonia.
Although ethnic Albanian forces were made to surrender
their weapons in 2001, armed clashes between Serbian
security forces and Albanian fighters have occurred
regularly since then.
The incident at the police post was the third in less
than a week, and also included a mortar attack on an
army base in southern Serbia and an ambush of an army
patrol.
The ANA said the action at the police post near the
ethnic Albanian village of Konculj was commanded by
"Colonel Alban Shkaba."
The rebels shot at the post with automatic weapons.
The Serbian deputy prime minister Nebojsa Covic
earlier warned it was imperative to avoid being
provoked into retaliation.
Although still legally part of Serbia, Kosovo has been
administered by a United Nations mission established
at the end of the 1998-99 war between Belgrade forces
and separatist ethnic Albanian guerrillas.

A.N.A. INVITA AD INSORGERE PER LA GRANDE ALBANIA

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24250&style=headlines
Beta, August 17, 2003

Outlawed army urge southern Serbian uprising

PRESEVO -- Sunday -- Aljban Vjosa, representative of
the outlawed Albanian National Army, has urged
Albanian political representatives in the southern
Serbian districts of Bujanovac, Medvedja and Presevo
to join the terrorist group in its project to create
and Albanian ethnic state.
In an interview for presheva.com website, Vjosa
declared himself a member of the ANA's political wing
– the United Front for National Unity of Albanians –
and insisted that Albanian political leaders do not
deserve the trust of their voters.
He said that the time has come for Albanian political
parties in the Presevo Valley to unit around the
platform of the United Front, declaring those
promoting multiethnicity as "naive".
He insisted that the territory of central Serbia is
occupied territory colonised by Serbs and that
military facilities in the area were constructed
purely with the goal of massacring the Albanian
population.
He said that the violence in the southern Serbian
municipalities that are homes to ethnic Albanians
would continue until they become part of an Albanian
ethnic state.
He said "everybody's eyes shined" after the attack of
the Serbia-Montenegro base at Dobrosin, which he
repeated was merely "colonised" by Serbs.
Former UNMIK chief Michael Steiner declared the
Albanian National Army a terrorist organisation.

COVIC ACCUSA IL "CORPO DI PROTEZIONE DEL KOSOVO" EREDE DELL'UCK

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24235&order=priority&style=headlines
B92, August 17, 2003

Gunmen open fire at border, Covic blames Kosovo Corps

BUJANOVAC -- Saturday -- Unknown gunmen shot at the
Konculj police station adjacent to the administrative
border with Kosovo at about 10:00 p.m. last night,
discharging several bursts from automatic weapons.
Deputy Serbian PM Nebojsa Covic pointed the finger at
the Kosovo Protection Corp.
Radoman Ilic, B92's Bujanovac correspondent, reported
that shots also ricocheted off police and customs
posts a few hundred metres from the police outpost
building.
The Serbian Government's Bujanovac press centre said
that this "latest terrorist attack" only caused slight
structural damage to the customs building.
Covic: We cannot be provoked
Deputy PM Covic said in a statement for B92 that he
expects these attacks to continue: "I don't think the
situation is escalating, but there are obviously some
provocations. According to my expectations, these will
increase and it's very important that our security
forces function in accordance with the plans and
operations that were set up".
The Democratic Alternative leader called for maximum
caution and continued action with the highest
professional approach, warning that Serbia cannot
afford to be provoked.
He added: "Probably the phantom ANA [Albanian National
Army, declared illegal] will make an announcement, but
just know that it's high-tech trickery: it is not the
ANA, it's the KZK, and that is the Kosovo Protection
Corps. They are behind it".
Investigation launched
Arriving this morning, Vranje District Court
investigator Slavoljub Mihajlovic and deputy district
prosecutor Radica Ristic began an investigation into
the attack. Members of UNMIK and Belgrade's
Coordination Centre for Kosovo and Southern Serbia
joined them at the scene.
The government's local press centre announced that the
Coordination Centre, headed by Covic, would do
everything in its power to prevent these attacks,
which are endangering the safety and disrupting the
lives of citizens.

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/tanjug081703c.htm

Covic says ANA trick covering up Kosovo Protection Corps

Tanjug - August 17, 2003
16:59 BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy Premier and Coordinating Center for
Kosovo and Metohija President Nebojsa Covic said on Sunday, ahead of
his departure for New York to attend a United Nations (UN) Security
Council session on Kosovo, that the Albanian National Army (ANA) is an
ordinary trick and that the Kosovo Protection Corps is behind the
terrorist attacks in Kosovo and Metohija.
"ANA is a computerized high-tech trick, a game played with sites, and
the real ANA is in fact the Kosovo Protection Corps," Covic told
Tanjug, commenting on a report that this ethnic Albanian extremist
organization had claimed responsibility for an attack on a Serbian
control-security checkpoint near Konculj village late Friday.
Copyright 2003 Tanjug News Agency
Posted For Fair Use Only

GENERALE U.S.A. TRANQUILLO: "SAPPIAMO CHI SONO"

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24267&style=headlines
Beta, August 19, 2003

KFOR “aware of" terrorist organisations

PRISTINA -- Monday – International peacekeepers in
Kosovo are aware of terrorist organisations operating
in the province, the commander of KFOR’s Multinational
Brigade East said today.
General Jerry G. Beck told media at US Camp Bondsteel
that extremist organisations were also attempting to
export conflict into neighbouring countries.
He warned that terrorists would not be tolerated and
that they would be identified, apprehended and punished.
Beck was unwilling to either confirm or deny the
presence of the outlawed Albanian National Army on the
administrative border between Kosovo and Serbia proper.

ANCORA UN ALTRO ATTACCO DEI TERRORISTI CON BASE IN KOSOVO

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bj/Qserbia-kosovo-shooting.RmWZ_DaM.html

Army patrol under fire in southern Serbia

BELGRADE, Aug 22 (AFP) - A group of ethnic-Albanian
militants posing as illegal woodcutters opened fire on
an army patrol in southern Serbia, sparking a brief
gun battle, the Tanjug news agency reported Friday.
It said the men fled across the provincial border to
Kosovo, which is a United Nations protectorate, after
the fight on Thursday night.
The defence ministry in Belgrade said there were no
casualties on the Serbia-Montenegro army side but made
no comment about injuries to the gunmen.
The ministry said the gunmen were posing as
woodcutters in order to scout Serbian army positions
and "destabilise the situation" in southern Serbia,
which has a restive ethnic-Albanian population.
A similar attack earlier this month was dismissed by
UN police in Kosovo as being a minor incident, but the
defence ministry here said that the two attacks were
far more serious than they appeared.
There has been a spate of attacks on army personnel in
southern Serbia in recent days.
An ethnic-Albanian extremist group, the Albanian
National Army (ANA) that also operates in Kosovo and
Macedonia, claimed responsibility for a mortar attack
on an army base in southern Serbia on August 10.
The ANA also claimed that it had fired automatic
weapons at a Serbian police post near the
ethnic-Albanian village of Konculj a few days later.
On August 12, an army patrol was attacked by a group
of 15 ethnic-Albanian "extremists" in broad daylight,
near the military base of Susnjak.
Serbian officials have warned that they expect such
attacks by "extremist Albanians" to continue but the
army will not be provoked into retaliation.
The southern Serbian province of Kosovo has been
administered by a UN mission established at the end of
the 1998-99 war between Belgrade forces and separatist
ethnic-Albanian guerrillas.
Its ethnic-Albanian majority wants independence from
Serbia.

ALTRE TRE GRANATE, FERITI DUE RAGAZZINI

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
Tanjug, August 24, 2003

Three grenades launched on Presevo, children injured

19:15 BELGRADE , Aug 24 (Tanjug) - In a terrorist
attack on Presevo, Saturday evenign at 21.55, three
grenades were launched, and in the attack were
slightly injured two fifteen-year-olds,
Radio-Television Vranje said on Sunday. Two grenades,
it was confirmed to Tanjug in RTV Vranje, fell in the
courtyard of the Cultural Center, while one fell on an
adjacent house.
Member of the government coordination center for
southern Serbia Mica Markovic said that it is not yet
known what was the target of the terroroist attack, as
in the vicinity of the Cultural center is a local
police station, or from where the 40 mm missiles were
fired, as the range of as automatic grenade launcher
is one kilometer.

GENERALE KFOR DIFENDE IL "CORPO DI PROTEZIONE"

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24372&style=headlines
SNRA, August 27, 2003

Corps not hiding KLA and ANA fighters: UNMIK general

VIENNA -- Wednesday -- General Andrew Cumming,
assigned by UNMIK to monitor the Kosovo Protection
Corps, dismissed claims by the Coordination Centre for
Kosovo chief Nebojsa Covic that the Corps is an
organisation set up for hiding former fighters of the
disbanded Kosovo Protection Corps and the Albanian
National Army.
He told Austrian news agency APA there was no evidence
of Corps members' involvement in the attacks in the
last few weeks.
Cumming confirmed that the UNMIK launched
investigations against several members of the Kosovo
Protection Corps, but not because they were members of
the ANA.
He declined to comment on the details of indictments
against seven senior Corps members temporarily
suspended by the Corps Commander Agim Cheku under
suspicion of involvement in the demolition of railway
bridge in northern Kosovo for which the ANA claimed
responsibility.
APA reminded that various measures have been launched
against several hundred Corps members this year, 24 of
which on KFOR's initiative.

ED ARRIVANO ANCHE I PROFUGHI ALBANESI DI MACEDONIA !

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24422&style=headlines
Beta, August 31, 2003

Macedonian Albanians flee to south Serbia

PRESEVO -- Sunday – A number of Albanian families from
the Kumanovo region of Macedonia today have sought
refuge in south Serbia from armed conflicts near their villages.
The families have been accommodated in the Presevo region.
According to the Albanian refugees, tension is rising
in the Kumanovo municipality and uniformed members of
Albanian paramilitary groups have been seen in the
villages of Vaksince and Lojane.
The number of families who have sought asylum is not
yet known.


===
E' SERBO, PERCIO' GLI SPARANO IN BOCCA
===

STAVA PESCANDO IN RIVA AD UN FIUME

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24153&order=priority&style=headlines
B92, August 12, 2003

Serb in critical condition after Kosovo shooting

LIPLJAN -- Tuesday – A Serb from the Lipljan area of
Kosovo is in a critical condition after being shot
last night near a road leading to the Albanian village
of Glavnica.
Dragan Tonic underwent eight hours of surgery for a
wound to the face, a Kosovska Mitrovica hospital
spokesman told B92, adding that he was expected to
regain consciousness during post-operative care.
Tonic was found by shepherds near the bank of the
Sitnica River where he had been fishing.

TRASFERITO IN OSPEDALE A BELGRADO

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24176&order=priority&style=headlines
Beta, August 13, 2003

Serb shot in Kosovo transferred to Belgrade

BELGRADE -- Wednesday -- Kosovo-Serb Dragan Tonic,
shot in the head whilst fishing in Kosovo, has been
transferred to Belgrade's Serbian Clinical Centre and
not the Military Medical Academy as earlier reported.
Beta were unable to obtain an update of Tonic's
condition, although Milan Ivanovic, deputy head of the
Mitrovica Hospital, did confirm that Tonic was moved
from Mitrovica to Belgrade in a critical condition,
following eight hours of surgery.
According to neighbours from the village of Skulanevo,
Tonic used improvised sign language to explain that
two unknown ethnic Albanians shot him in the mouth.
Skulanevo has around 90 Serb families comprising 350
citizens.
Since the arrival of KFOR and UNMIK, two Serbs from
the village have been killed and eight others injured
during ethnically motivated attacks.
Locals insist that none of the cases have been solved.

MUORE DOPO UNA AGONIA DI UNA SETTIMANA

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24252&order=priority&style=headlines
SNRA, August 18, 2003

Tonic passes away a week after Kosovo shooting

BELGRADE -- Monday -- Dragan Tonic, shot in the face a
week ago today, died last night in Belgrade's Clinical
Centre as a result of his injuries.
Kosovo-Serb Tonic was leisurely fishing on the River
Sitnica around 150 metres from the last Serb homes in
the village of Skulanevo, when unknown attackers,
suspected to be from a neighbouring ethnic Albanian
village, opened fire, hitting Tonic in the mouth.
Responding to the death, Skulanevo villagers have
today blockaded the road linking Prizren, Lipljan and
Kosovo Polje, in the direction of the Slatina airport.
They demand that UNMIK police announce whether or not
any suspects from the neighbouring village of Gavica
have been arrested.
Belgrade's Coordination Centre for Kosovo confirmed
Tonic's death. A funeral is to be held tomorrow.


===
ATTACCO CONTRO PATTUGLIA POLIZIA UNMIK
===

DOPO AVERE IMPEDITO L'ACCESSO IN CASA DI UN NAZIONALISTA PANALBANESE

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24149&order=priority&style=headlines
Beta, August 12, 2003

Kosovo police patrol attacked by wanted Albanian

PRISTINA -- Monday -- A police patrol suffered [an]
armed attacked in the village of Ajvalija close to
Kosovo's provincial capital of Pristina today, when
they were fired upon from an Albanian man's house.
UNMIK spokesman Andrea Angeli confirmed that the
attack ensued after officers approached the house of a
wanted man, saying: "When the police surrounded the
house this person opened the door and opened fire, and
then shouted 'Don't come in'. Not one policeman was
wounded".
Beta report that the attack in the exclusively ethnic
Albanian village took place at around 2.30pm and an
investigation is said to be underway.


===
CECCHINI DELLA NATO FANNO IL TIRO A SEGNO
CONTRO I BAMBINI IN RIVA AL FIUME, DUE MORTI
===

[Note: The US government-run Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty chooses to spell Kosovo as Kosova in order to be prepared for
the province's secession.]

SCENDE IN PIAZZA TUTTA LA COMUNITA' SERBA

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/08/4-SEE/see-150803.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, August 15, 2003

LOCAL SERBS AND ALBANIANS PROTEST

A crowd of Serbs blocked an important road in western
Kosova on 14 August to protest the killings,
international and regional media reported. Meanwhile,
in Serbian-controlled northern Mitrovica, unidentified
individuals threw a grenade into the home of an ethnic
Albanian. About 3,000 Serbs demonstrated in that town,
carrying signs reading "Serbia, wake up!" and "Europe,
open your eyes!" Local Serb leader Milan Ivanovic
called for the capture of what he called "Albanian
criminals" and their extradition to the Hague-based
war crimes tribunal. He demanded the return of Serbian
security forces to Kosova, as did another local Serb
leader, Marko Jaksic, adding, "Everyone can now see
with what monsters the Serbs of Kosovo...have to live
with." UN officials previously ruled out the return of
Serbian forces, fearing that they would serve as a
magnet for attacks by ethnic Albanian extremists. In
Prishtina, all leading Kosovar Albanian political
leaders and daily newspapers condemned the killings,
which "Koha Ditore" called "simply a terrorist act."
Hajredin Kuci, who is a member of the Kosova
parliament, told RFE/RL that Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Zivkovic and other Serbian politicians should
not exploit the incident for political purposes. In
Tirana, the Albanian Foreign Ministry condemned the
shootings as a "serious crime." PM

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
EYug.htm#Protesters%20urge%20international%20community%20to%20find%20cri
minals,%20take%20them%20to%20justIce
Tanjug, August 15, 2003

Protesters urge international community to find
criminals, take them to justice

18:04 STRPCE , Aug 15 (Tanjug) - A protest rally of
about 1,000 Serbs was held Friday in Strpce over the
killing of two Serb boys and the wounding of several
other children in Gorazdevac two days ago.
The protesters appealed to KFOR, UNMIK and the OSCE to
find and take to justice the perpetrators of the crime
in Gorazdevac and of all other crimes committed in
Kosovo since the arrival of international forces, and
to start honoring the UN Security Council Resolution
1244, including stepping up of their powers in order
to protect the Serbs remaining in the province and to
secure the return of the displaced.

UN MESSAGGIO ANCHE PER IL NUOVO GOVERNATORE COLONIALE HOLKERI

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/be/Qkosovo-shooting.RsSs_DaD.html

Kosovo Serbs shot dead as new UN chief arrives

PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro, Aug 13 (AFP) - Two
Kosovo Serb teenagers were killed and four others were
injured in a shooting attack Wednesday as new UN
mission chief Harri Holkeri made his first visit to
the province, officials said.
An ethnic Albanian female was also injured when a
crowd of angry Serbs threw stones at her near the
scene shortly after the shooting around 2:00 pm (1300
GMT) at a river near the western village of Zahac.
"A group of people opened fire from machine guns at a
group of young Serbs as they were swimming in the
Bistrica river," Andrea Angeli, the spokesman for the
UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), told AFP.
"We can confirm there are two dead, one of them 19
years old."
UN officials earlier said five Serbs had been injured
in the attack along with the Albanian female.
A UN police spokeswoman said two of the injured Serbs
were in serious condition and had been flown by NATO
helicopter to a hospital in the north of the province.
The victims were from the nearby village of
Gorazdevac, an ethnic-Serb enclave surrounded by
ethnic-Albanian villages some 60 kilometers (40 miles)
west of the provincial capital Pristina.
The attack came an hour after the arrival of Holkeri
on his first visit to the UN-administered province,
which is still wrecked by ethnic violence four years
after a war between Serbs and the separatist Albanian
majority.
Holkeri met with the head of the NATO-led peacekeeping
force in Kosovo (KFOR), Italian Lieutenant General
Fabio Mini, and later condemned the attack in a
statement sent to AFP.
"I am devastated that on my first day in Kosovo there
has been a terrible tragedy in which two Kosovo Serb
children have been killed and a number of other
persons injured," he said.
Mini condemned the attack and said it would damage the
province's image as it struggles to reinvent itself as
a multi-ethnic democracy which respects human rights
and the rule of law.
"I am sad to hear what happened. This is a bad signal
for the possibility for Kosovo to achieve tolerance,"
Mini said after meeting Holkeri.
"This is not the Kosovo we want."
Kosovo technically remains part of Serbia but it
became a UN protectorate after NATO bombed Yugoslavia
to stop troops loyal to then president Slobodan
Milosevic persecuting the ethnic Albanian majority.
UN police said they could not confirm the crime was
ethnically motivated but it appeared to be so.

L'ATTACCO E' AVVENUTO A POCA DISTANZA
DAGLI ITALIANI DELLA KFOR

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24183&style=headlines
B92, Beta, August 13, 2003

Children die in Pec attack

PRISTINA -- Wednesday – UNMIK has confirmed that two
adolescents were killed and six wounded in an attack
near Pec today.
A spokesman for the UN mission said that unknown
gunmen opened fire on a group of young people swimming
and playing at the Bistrica river beach.
A Kalashnikov automatic rifle was used in the attack,
and the number of assailants has not been established.
Two Serbs, one aged eighteen and the other nineteen
died in the attack and a nineteen-year-old Albanian
was among the injured.
Locals told media that the attack had occurred despite
the presence of UNMIK troops guarding the swimmers.

SERBI BLOCCANO STRADE PER PROTESTA

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
EYug.htm#Serbs%20from%20Osojane%20build%20road%20blocks%20on%20Pec-
Kosovska%20Mitrovica%20road
Tanjug, August 14, 2003

Serbs from Osojane build road blocks on Pec-Kosovska
Mitrovica road

13:33 OSOJANE , August 14 (Tanjug) - More than 400
Serbs on Thursday continued to block the Pec-Kosovska
Mitrovica road and other roads that run through Osojane.
The roads have been blocked since Wednesday afternoon
in protest against the killing of Serb youths in the
village of Gorazdevac near Pec.

SERBI IN PIAZZA A MITROVICA

http://www.tanjug.co.yu/
EYug.htm#Protest%20rallies%20in%20Kosovska%20Mitrovica
Tanjug, August 14, 2003

Protest rallies in Kosovska Mitrovica

15:15 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA , August 14 (Tanjug) -
Several thousands of citizens of Kosovska Mitrovica
gathered in the main square on Thursday to protest
under the slogan "Europe, why are you killing our
children?" expressing their indignation over
yesterday's terrorist attack on Serbs in Gorazdevac.
The protest rally began with a minute of silence in
memory of the murdered boys.

MIGLIAIA DI DIMOSTRANTI A GRACANICA

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24200&order=priority&style=headlines
SNRA, August 14, 2003

Protests in Gracanica

PRISTINA -- Thursday – Thousands of Kosovo Serbs
yesterday protested in Gracanica over yesterday’s
slaying of two young Serbs near Pec.
Protest organiser Slavisa Kostic called on Serbs to
withdraw from Kosovo institutions and demanded that
the Kosovo Protection Corps be disbanded.
He also called on Serbia-Montenegro to provide
protection for those Serbs remaining in Kosovo and
called for a traffic curfew in Serb areas.

STAZIONARIE LE CONDIZIONI DEI QUATTRO FERITI

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24208&style=headlines
Beta/B92, August 14, 2003

Teenage Kosovo victims stable

BELGRADE/PRIZREN -- Thursday – Bogdan Bukumiric, one
of the teenage victims of yesterday’s shooting at a
Kosovo swimming hole, remains in intensive care after
undergoing surgery at the Military Medical Academy in
Belgrade.
Speaking to B92, head of intensive therapy Predrag
Romic said that the fifteen-year-old suffered injuries
to the head, chest and abdomen: "Surgery on little
Bogdan was completed at 11.30. The surgical operation
– brain surgery – was successful and without problems.
The patient is currently receiving further intensive care".
Romic said that Bogdan, who was transferred to
Belgrade last night, is currently stable: "pressure,
pulse and other vital functions are working fine. His
condition will be monitored and we'll be informing the
public about it".
Eleven-year-old Pantelija Dakic and twenty-year-old
Ivan Jovovic were killed in the attack yesterday while
swimming in the Bistrica River near Gorazdevac.
Four other children, including Bukumiric, were
wounded. Two of them, Dragan Srbljak and Djordje
Obrenovic are recovering from surgery in the Kosovska
Mitrovica hospital where their condition is reported
to be stable.
The fourth, Marko Bogicevic, was transferred to the
German Military hospital in Prizren for surgery
against his parents’ wishes.
The deputy director of the Kosovska Mitrovica
hospital, Milan Ivanovic, told Radio B92 that the
forced transfer was a flagrant violation of human
rights by KFOR and UNMIK officials who had promised
the boy’s parents he would be taken either to
Mitrovica or Belgrade.
“They obviously can’t be trusted,” said Ivanovic.
Siegfried Huben, KFOR's south-west sector spokesman,
later confirmed that ten-year-old Bogicevic is in a
stable condition.
Huben said that although the boy was shot in the
abdominal area and the chest, he is no longer in a
life-threatening condition.
The KFOR official added that he could not understand
the motivation for yesterday's barbaric attack, which
threatens to annul everything so far achieved towards
establishing peace in Kosovo.

NELL'OSPEDALE ("ETNICAMENTE RIPULITO") DI PEC FALSIFICATA LA DIAGNOSI
DI DUE DEI FERITI

http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/news/bt082103.htm

Ministry accuses Albanian doctor of cover-up

Beta - August 20, 2003
BELGRADE -- Wednesday -- The Serbian Health Ministry has today said
that Bujar Vrela, surgeon of the Pec Hospital, was guilty of a serious
violation of medical ethics and fundamental human rights.
On Friday, the Society of Physicians of Serbia accused Vrela of
deliberately misdiagnosing the injuries of two children following
Wednesday's attack on Serb teenagers near Pec.
The Society claimed that Vrela attempted to disguise the fact that one
of the wounded children had been shot by putting a plaster cast on him.
According to today's ministry statement, wounded Serb children Djordje
Ugrinovic and Dragana Srbljaka were not hospitalised, despite needing
to be. The ministry also accuse Vrela of misdiagnosing the injuries in
order to cover-up the real cause of the injuries.
The ministry said: "This way we want to inform the international
professional public and to warn of the unequal status of the Serbs in
Kosovo in tending to the ill and wounded by Albanian medical workers".
Copyright 2003 Beta News Agency
Posted For Fair Use Only

Wrong diagnosis of ethnic Albanian doctors for Serb children wounded in
Gorazdevac

Tanjug - August 20, 2003
19:27 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - Head of the Serbian Ministry of Health
department for Kosovo-Metohija Zdravko Vitosevic presented Wednesday
to the press evidence on the treatment Serb children Dragan Srbljak
and Djordje Ugenovic, wounded in the terrorst attack in Gorazdevac,
received at the Pec hospital, and said the documents were addressed to
the World Health Organization.
Vitosevic accused Pec hospital surgeon Bujar Vrela of concealing a
crime by pursposefully making a wrong diagnosis of fractures, instead
of gunshot wounds.
Copyright 2003 Tanjug News Agency
Posted For Fair Use Only

CERIMONIA A BELGRADO

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24343&order=priority&style=headlines
B92, August 26, 2003

Thousands of people pay tribute to Gorazdevac victims

BELGRADE -- Monday - Several thousand people assembled
last night in central Belgrade to pay last tribute to
the two Serb teenagers recently killed in the Kosovo
village of Gorazdevac.
People from a number of Serbian cities lit candles for
the victims and expressed hope that crimes such as
that in Gorazdevac would not be repeated.
Aleksandar Milovanovic, executive director of the
Democratic Youth Association of Kosovo that organised
the rally, said that the death of teenagers Pantelija
Dakic and Ivan Jovovic proves that Kosovo Serbs live
and die in fear.
"We are asking for the right to live, because a Serbia
in which children get killed cannot be a country with
a future”, said Milovanovic.
He said it was time that the international community
started applying in Kosovo the same human rights
standards that are applied in all other European
countries.
The organisers announced peaceful protests in front of
embassies if the killers are not caught in the near future.


===
LA PROTESTA DEL MONDO POLITICO SERBO
ED ALTRE REAZIONI
===

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/08/4-SEE/see-150803.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, August 15, 2003

SERBIAN POLITICIANS SPEAK OUT

The Serbian government declared 15 August a day of
national mourning for the two slain Serbian youths,
international and regional media reported. Serbian
Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic called the killings "an
act of terrorism...[with the message that] Serbs
should be driven out of Kosovo." Serbia and
Montenegro's President Svetozar Marovic said the
killings are "something more than a crime, something
the entire world is horrified at." Speaking after a
meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, he stressed,
"We are not here to make war cries but to try to
influence the United Nations and the European Union to
make concrete decisions." He did not elaborate.
Defense Minister Boris Tadic made similar remarks.
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic argued that the
killings are a "tragic confirmation of the failure" of
NATO and the UN in the province. Serbian Deputy Prime
Minister Nebojsa Covic said that "fascism has arrived"
in Kosova. General elections are widely expected in
Serbia within the next 12 months, and many politicians
have been seeking to woo nationalist voters recently
with tough talk about Kosova. PM

http://www.b92.net/english/news/
index.php?&nav_category=&nav_id=24189&order=priority&style=headlines
Beta, August 13, 2003

Covic calls for urgent Security Council meeting

BELGRADE -- Wednesday – Deputy Serbian Prime Minister
Nebojsa Covic today called for an urgent meeting of
the UN Security Council after two Serb teenagers were
killed and several more wounded in a machine gun
attack at a Kosovo swimming hole this afternoon.
“What happened today in Gorazdevac is the most brutal
form of behaviour and there are no words to describe
it,” said Covic, who heads Belgrade’s Kosovo
Coordination Centre.
“A meeting of the UN Security Council must be called
urgently and Secretary-General Kofi Annan must commit
himself urgently to resolving the problem,” said the
prime minister, adding that UNMIK and KFOR were not in
control of the situation in the province.
“The situation is handling them instead of them
handling the situation, and that’s not acceptable,”
Covic told media.
He also accused official UNMIK spokesman Andrea Angeli
of shameful behaviour by claiming that one of the
victims was Albanian.
“Serb children have been killed and wounded, and
statements like this are manipulation. They should
not be lying. They should be ashamed of what they are
doing to the Serb national community,” said Covic.

http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?nav_id=24184&style=headlines
Beta, August 13, 2003

Regrets “not enough” for Kosovo violence

BELGRADE -- Wednesday – Kosovo Serb leader Oliver
Ivanovic said today that now is the last moment for
the international community and UNMIK officials to
respond to attacks on Serbs in the province.
Commenting on today’s slaughter o<br/><br/>(Message over 64 KB, truncated)

IL BREVE VOLO DI ANDREJ GRUBACIC

Gli intellettuali della sinistra "radicale" post-marxista alla Chomsky
si dimenano e danno segni di insofferenza.

Succede soprattutto nei Balcani, dove tante ben pagate teorizzazioni
sorosiane, tipo "societa' aperta", alla prova dei fatti - oggi che
tutti gli staterelli etnici sono protettorati stranieri gestiti da
leadership ultraliberiste - dimostrano di essere solo delle emerite,
inutili idiozie.

Lo abbiamo visto dapprima con Slavoj Zizek, che dopo avere
opportunisticamente navigato tra Lacan ed il cinema ha scritto un libro
ancora ambiguo, ma dal titolo eloquente: "Tredici volte Lenin".

Lo vediamo adesso pure con Andrej Grubacic, che attacca frontalmente -
finalmente! - il concetto di "societa' civile" ("civil society").

Dice di volerlo sostituire con qualcos'altro, tipo: "societa'
partecipativa" ("participatory society").

Grubacic spicca il volo: dopo averci ragionato un istante, arriva
persino ad invocare la "autogestione" ("self management").

A questo punto pero' si accorge di essersi spinto troppo in alto, e per
non rischiare di essere accusato di nutrire simpatie socialiste frena
bruscamente, e torna a volare piu' basso, con la "gestione
partecipativa":

"... participatory management, as I prefer to call it... we havent had,
in actual reality - in so called socialist Yugoslavia - real
self-management, but only a rhetorical reference to it... If I speak
about socialism and self management in Post Yugoslavia, people will
look at me like I am a supporter of Tito or a member of Milosevic's
"socialist" party... Being for socialism here means to people that you
are for oppression."

Capendo di avere rischiato troppo, ed alla ricerca disperata di una
teoria politica che neghi a tutti i costi l'esistenza della
contraddizione di classe (anatema!), Grubacic scende giu' in picchiata
con l'"Impero" e le "moltitudini".

Deve pero' subito riconoscere che nessuno puo' prendere sul serio
questi due concetti cosi' stupidi - tantomeno nei Balcani:

"... Hardt and Negri's book, which is very interesting... (leaves) most
of even the highly educated in a state of confusion. Reading a book
which is describing something called "Empire" which has supposedly
superceded nation states, in a country occupied by U.S. milltary forces
is, I suppose, a strange experience for most of the readers. But I
don't want to say that this book is not useful. I think it is of value
to Marxist intellectuals in a country where "Marxism" was an official
state ideology. For them, I suppose, it is challenging. But I doubt
that it will have any significant influence in this part of Europe...
'the multitude'. I am not sure anyone really knows what this means."

Avendo dunque completamente perso la spinta nelle ali, Grubacic termina
miseramente il suo volo, andando a schiantarsi sull'utopismo anarchico.

Leggere per credere:

http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=4074
Civil Society Or Participatory Society
by Andrej Grubacic; August 21, 2003

(a cura di I. Slavo)

LASCIATELO LAVORARE!

Il sindaco di Kragujevac ha deciso di mettersi a recitare la parte
della vittima per mettere fine alle contestazioni di decine e decine di
cittadini, che ogni giorno sostano dinanzi al Municipio per protesta
chiedendo politiche contro la disoccupazione e la miseria.
Questo sindaco fa parte di quella coalizione di destra che, dopo avere
"liberato" la Serbia dal veteronazidespocomunista Milosevic, ha
smantellato e messo in svendita tutte le attivita' produttive, a
partire dalla Zastava, riducendo la popolazione alla disperazione ed
alla fame.


SERBIA: SINDACO SCIOPERA CONTRO SCIOPERANTI
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 28 AGO - Stanco di vedere tutti i giorni davanti
al municipio una fila di dimostranti in sciopero della fame, il
sindaco di Kragujevac (Serbia centrale) Vlatko Rajkovic ha iniziato a
sua volta un digiuno di protesta per mettere fine ai sit in.
Rajkovic, scrive il quotidiano 'Danas', si e' detto in totale
disaccordo con le ragioni dei dimostranti, operai e impiegati di
aziende di trasporti e alimentari che hanno chiesto l'aiuto delle
autorita' locali per superare la crisi legata ai processi di
privatizzazione in corso. Ha deciso percio' di intraprendere a sua
volta quello che definisce uno ''sciopero lavorativo contro gli
scioperanti'': digiuna nel suo studio sbrigando al contempo le
pratiche. Rajkovic ha convocato per gli inizi di settembre i leader
della protesta, allo scopo di aprire un negoziato. Nel frattempo,
intende digiunare finche' le proteste continueranno. (ANSA). OT
28/08/2003 18:17
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/serbiamontenegro/20030828181732671228.html

Kosmet, ferragosto di sangue

2: Articoli in lingua italiana sul terrorismo pan-albanese, attivo non
solo in Kosmet

Ulteriore materiale, in lingua inglese, sulla carneficina in atto in
Kosovo con la copertura NATO, sara' inviato nei prossimi messaggi.
I dispacci ANSA sono stati ripresi dal sito
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/kosovo/kosovo.shtml
al solo scopo di segnalazione e commento.
Si raccomandano i quotidiani della sinistra di non parlare del problema
e, se proprio devono parlarne, di cercare di dare sempre la colpa a
Milosevic.
(a cura di I. Slavo)

---

KOSOVO: PEC; VIOLENTA SPARATORIA, TRE MORTI E QUATTRO FERITI

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 3 AGO - Una violenta sparatoria ha provocato nella
tarda serata di ieri tre morti e quattro feriti nel centro di Pec,
nel Kosovo occidentale, zona sotto il controllo dei militari italiani
della Kfor (Forza di pace a guida NATO): lo ha detto all' ANSA il
portavoce dell' Unmik (Amministrazione ONU in Kosovo) Andrea Angeli.
La sparatoria durata alcuni minuti e' avvenuta verso le 22,30, a
poca distanza dal comando dei carabinieri della polizia militare. Le
vittime erano sedute sul terrazzo di un bar quando si sono trovate in
mezzo all'intenso fuoco partito da mitragliatrici e pistole. I
tre morti sono due ragazze di 14 e 24 anni e un uomo di 30. Non si
hanno ancora particolari sui 4 feriti che sono stati portati
d'urgenza all'ospedale di Pristina. Al momento si dubita che la
grave vicenda sia stata provocata da uno scontro fra bande rivali.
(ANSA). COR/ML 03/08/2003 01:31

KOSOVO: AGGUATO A POLIZIA UNMIK, UCCISO UN AGENTE

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 4 AGO - Un agente internazionale della polizia
Unmik (amministrazione Onu in Kosovo) e' rimasto ucciso poco prima
della mezzanotte di ieri in un agguato nelle vicinanze del villaggio
serbo di Slatina, nella zona di Mitrovica, nell' estremo nord del
Kosovo, mentre un altro poliziotto e' rimasto ferito: lo ha detto
all'Ansa il portavoce Unmik, Andrea Angeli. I due agenti stavano
viaggiando a bordo di una macchina della polizia da Leposavic (vicino
al confine con la Serbia) in direzione di Mitrovica, quando la loro
auto e' stata presa di mira da colpi di arma da fuoco. Un agente e'
morto sul posto. La macchina si e' rovesciata e l'altro poliziotto e'
rimasto ferito. L'Unmik non da' particolari sulla nazionalita'
degli agenti ma da altre fonti si apprende che il morto e' un
asiatico, mentre l'agente ferito e' europeo. (ANSA).
COR-LG/MEA 04/08/2003 11:47

KOSOVO: POLIZIOTTO ONU UCCISO DA CECCHINI

(ANSA-AFP) - PRISTINA (SERBIA-MONTENEGRO), 4 AGO - Un poliziotto
dell'Onu di nazionalita' indiana, Satish Menon, e' stato ucciso
domenica sera da proiettili che hanno colpito il suo veicolo su una
strada del nord del Kosovo, provincia serba a maggioranza albanese.
Lo annuncia oggi l'Onu in un comunicato. Il maggiore Menon, di 43
anni, sposato e con due figli di 6 e 8 anni, e' il primo poliziotto
Onu ucciso durante il servizio in questa provincia, amministrata
dalle Nazioni Unite dal giugno 1999. L'attacco si e' svolto sulla
strada che collega le citta' di Leposavic e di Kosovska Mitrovica, a
55 km a nord di Pristina, il capoluogo della provincia kosovara.
Il capo della polizia Onu in Kosovo, Stefan Faller, ha dichiarato che
l'attacco e' stata opera di un cecchino, ma il movente dell'omicidio
e' ancora sconosciuto. ''E' un crimine brutale e impensabile. La
ragione e' ancora sconosciuta ma e' chiaro che si tratta di un
attacco contro la polizia internazionale, perpetrato da criminali
intenzionati ad uccidere'', ha dichiarato Faller. La polizia Onu
ha bloccato la strada dove il maggiore e' stato ucciso e il capo ad
interim della missione Onu in Kosovo, Charles Brayshaw, ha dichiarato
l'omicidio ''un atto ignobile''. Circa 4.000 poliziotti Onu
collaborano con le forze di polizia locali in Kosovo. (ANSA). NOE
04/08/2003 19:04

KOSOVO: UNMIK, RICOMPENSA PER RINTRACCIARE ASSASSINI AGENTE

(ANSA-AFP) - PRISTINA (KOSOVO), 5 AGO - La missione dell'Onu in
Kosovo (Unmik) ha offerto una ricompensa di 50 mila euro per
qualsiasi informazione che possa portare alla cattura degli assassini
di uno dei suoi agenti, avvenuto domenica notte nel nord della
provincia. Lo ha annunciato oggi un responsabile dell'Onu a Pristina.
Il capo della polizia dell'Onu in Kosovo, Stefan Feller, ha
indicato che la ricompensa sara' assegnata per ogni informazione che
portera' ''alla cattura e all'incriminazione degli assalitori''.
Il maggiore indiano Satish Menon, 43 anni, e' rimasto ucciso domenica
notte in un agguato mentre si trovava insieme ad un altro agente a
bordo di un'auto della polizia sulla strada che collega le citta' di
Leposavic e Kosovska Mitrovica, a 55 chilometri a nord di Pristina.
Menon e' il primo poliziotto dell'Onu ucciso in servizio in
Kosovo, amministrato dalle Nazioni Unite dal giugno 1999.(ANSA-AFP).
GGI
05/08/2003 17:02

SERBIA/MONTENEGRO: COLPI MORTAIO CONTRO BASE MILITARE

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 12 AGO - Una base militare dell'esercito della
Serbia-Montenegro nei pressi di Bujanovac, nella Serbia meridionale,
e' stata attaccata a colpi di mortaio, ha riferito il ministero della
difesa precisando che l'attacco ha causato solo lievi danni
materiali. I colpi di mortaio, da 40 millimetri, di fabbricazione
statunitense, sono stati lanciati da un punto nei pressi del
villaggio di Dobrosin, popolato solo da persone di etnia albanese.
L'azione e' stata rivendicata in un comunicato da un gruppo
estremista albanese, l'Esercito di liberazione nazionale (Ana o Aksh
in albanese) che opera sia in Kosovo che in Macedonia, riferisce
l'agenzia Beta. Poco conosciuta, l'Ana e' stata dichiarata
''organizzazione terrorista'' dalla Missione dell'Onu in Kosovo
(Minuk) che amministra la provincia dal giugno 1999. L'Ana dichiara
di lottare per la creazione di una grande Albania che comprenda il
Kosovo, il sud della Serbia e l'ovest della Macedonia. Durante la
guerra, il villaggio di Dobrosin e' stato una sorta di avamposto per
i guerriglieri separatisti albanesi nella Serbia meridionale. Il
ministro della difesa della Serbia-Montenegro Boris Tadic ha
affermato che l'attacco contro la base ''e' un classico atto di
terrorismo compiuto con lo scopo di destabilizzare''. Si tratta dal
primo attacco da un anno a questa parte contro l'esercito in questa
regione della Serbia a maggioranza albense. La stessa regione era
stata teatro tra il 2000 e il 2001 di scontri tra le forze di
Belgrado e una guerriglia locale albanese. (ANSA).
COR-KIP 12/08/2003 18:24

KOSOVO: NUOVE TENSIONI ETNICHE, SERBO FERITO

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 12 AGO - Un contadino serbo e' stato gravemente
ferito da colpi di arma da fuoco ieri sera, nel villaggio di
Skuranevo, nella zona di Lipjan, nel Kosovo settentrionale: lo ha
detto all'Ansa Andrea Angeli, il portavoce dell'Unmik
(amministrazione Onu in Kosovo). Angeli, pero' non ha dato
spiegazioni sui possibili motivi dell'accaduto. Ma fonti locali hanno
spiegato all'Ansa che Dragan Tomic, 44 anni, stava pescando, quando
e' stato colpito in faccia con colpi di pistola, da distanza
ravvicinata. A sparare sono state due persone, che si sospetta siano
albanesi. Tomic e' stato trasportato nell'ospedale di Mitrovica, dove
si trova in condizioni critiche. L'agguato al contadino serbo
segue l'ondata di violenza scoppiata in Kosovo nelle ultime
settimane, e avviene in un contesto politico di forti tensioni fra
Pristina e Belgrado. Le nuove polemiche sul progetto della nuova
costituzione dell'Unione Serbia-Montengro, in cui la provincia a
maggioranza albanese viene considerata parte della Serbia, hanno
riacceso il dibattito sul futuro status del Kosovo, finora
amministrato in base alla risoluzione 1244 dell'Onu. (ANSA).
COR-LG 12/08/2003 11:51

KOSOVO: ATTACCATA PATTUGLIA ESERCITO SERBO

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADO, 13 AGO - Una pattuglia dell'esercito di Serbia
e Montenegro e' stata attaccata da un gruppo di estremisti albanesi
in una regione presso il confine tra il Kosovo e il resto della
Serbia. Lo ha annunciato in serata un comunicato del ministero della
Difesa. Una pattuglia di ricognizione - afferma il comunicato - e'
stata attaccata alle 15:45 di ieri con armi da fanteria da un gruppo
di 15 estremisti albanesi nella regione dove si trova la basa
militare di Susnjak, sulla strada che collega Kursumlija (Serbia) a
Podujevo (Kosovo). La pattuglia - aggiunge il comunicato - ha
respinto l' attacco e catturato uno degli aggressori, Bajazit
Podvorica di Podujevo, consegnandolo alla polizia serba. Secondo
il ministero, non vi sono state vittime tra i militari. L'attacco
di ieri segue un bombardamento di mortaio due giorni prima - che ha
causato solo danni materiali - contro una base militare dell'esercito
presso Bujanovac, nella Serbia del sud, rivendicato da un gruppo
estremista albanese, l'Esercito nazionale albanese (Ana), attivo in
Kosovo e in Macedonia. (ANSA-AFP). DIG 13/08/2003 01:57

KOSOVO: SPARI SU ADOLESCENTI SERBI, 1 MORTO E 6 FERITI

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 13 AGO - Un ragazzo serbo di 15 anni e' rimasto
ucciso e altri sei feriti, due dei quali in modo grave, oggi quando
un gruppo di adolescenti serbi intenti a fare il bagno in un fiume
nei pressi dell'enclave di Gorazdevac (nella parte occidentale della
provincia), e' stato attaccato oggi pomeriggio da sconosciuti,
probabilmente albanesi, a raffiche di mitra. Lo ha detto all'Ansa
Andrea Angeli, portavoce della missione Onu (Unmik). La nuova
esplosione di violenza interetnica in Kosovo e' avvenuta in
coincidenza con l'arrivo a Pristina del nuovo governatore Onu, Harri
Holkeri. Sul posto sono intervenuti i carabinieri dell'Unita'
specializzata multinazionale (Msu) e la polizia internazionale. Gli
investigatori ritengono che ad aprire il fuoco siano stati estremisti
albanesi. L'attacco e' avvenuto a meno di un'ora dall'arrivo a
Pristina di Holkeri, il governatore Onu della provincia che proprio
oggi assume l'incarico ricoperto fino allo scorso mese di luglio da
Michail Steiner. (ANSA). COR-BLL 13/08/2003 15:46

KOSOVO: SI AGGRAVA BILANCIO ATTACCO, MORTO SECONDO SERBO

(VEDI 'KOSOVO: SPARI SU ADOLESCENTI ...' DELLE 15:46) (ANSA) -
PRISTINA, 13 AGO - Si aggrava il bilancio dell' attacco armato
lanciato nel primo pomeriggio contro un gruppo di giovani serbi che
facevano il bagno in un fiume nel Kosovo occidentale: in ospedale e'
morto anche un ragazzo serbo di 19 anni, dopo il quindicenne deceduto
sul posto. Il numero dei feriti resta invece fermo a sei, due dei
quali in gravi condizioni: la polizia ha infatti accertato che oltre
agli adolescenti serbi raggiunti dai colpi di mitragliatore, c'e'
anche una bambina di etnia albanese. Il comandante generale della
Kfor, l'italiano Fabio Mini, al termine del suo primo incontro con il
nuovo governatore Onu della provincia, il finlandese Harri Holkeri,
ha condannato con forza l'attentato. ''Io ed Hokeri lavoreremo
insieme affinche' questi tipo di crimini sia eliminato per sempre -
ha dichiararto il generale - noi abbiamo bisogno dell'aiuto di
ognuno, e penso che la condanna verso questo tipo di azioni non sara'
mai abbastanza''. ''Questo - ha concluso - non e' il Kosovo che
noi vogliamo''. (ANSA). BLL 13/08/2003 17:05

KOSOVO: TENSIONE TORNA ALTA, FUOCO SU RAGAZZINI SERBI / ANSA

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 13 AGO - Riesplode la violenza interetnica in
Kosovo, in coincidenza con l'arrivo a Pristina del nuovo governatore
Onu che, a partire dalle prossime settimane, dovra' partecipare ai
negoziati fra serbi e albanesi sul futuro status della provincia.
Un gruppo di adolescenti serbi intenti a fare il bagno in un fiume
nel villaggio di Zahaq, nei pressi dell'enclave di Gorazdevac (nella
parte occidentale della provincia), e' stato attaccato nel pomeriggio
di oggi da sconosciuti armati di fucili mitragliatori Kalashnikov: un
ragazzo di 15 anni e uno di 19 sono rimasti uccisi e altri sei
feriti, due dei quali in modo grave. Andrea Angeli, portavoce della
missione Onu (Unmik), ha detto all'Ansa che gli attentatori, ancora
sconosciuti, hanno aperto il fuoco contro il gruppo di ragazzini dal
riparo di un cespuglio. Sul posto sono intervenuti i carabinieri
italiani dell'Unita' specializzata multinazionale (Msu) e agenti
della polizia di Stato inquadrati nelle forze dell'Onu. Elicotteri
italiani della Kfor (missione di pace a guida Nato) hanno trasportato
i due feriti piu' gravi, inizialmente ricoverati nell'ospedale di
Peja, presso il centro sanitario militare tedesco a Prizren. I
serbi dell'enclave di Gorazdevac hanno detto che ad aprire il fuoco
sono stati estremisti albanesi, che gia' ieri avevano colpito nella
provincia, ferendo gravemente un uomo serbo intento a pescare.
L'attacco odierno e' avvenuto a meno di un'ora dall'arrivo a Pristina
di Harri Holkeri, il governatore Onu della provincia che da settembre
assumera' l'incarico ricoperto fino allo scorso mese di luglio da
Michail Steiner. Holkeri, che ha appreso la notizia mentre stava
incontrando per la prima volta il comandante della Kfor, il generale
italiano Fabio Mini, aveva gia' fatto sapere che nel fine settimana
si rechera' per colloqui anche a Belgrado. L'attentato di oggi
potrebbe essere stata la prima, tragica, risposta degli estremisti al
suo atteggiamento di apertura. Il generale Mini ha condannato
duramente l attacco: ''Non e questo il Kosovo che vogliamo'' ha
detto. La tensione fra serbi e albanesi negli ultimi giorni e'
cresciuta anche sul piano politico. Il governo di Belgrado ieri, per
la prima volta dalla fine della guerra, ha approvato una
dichiarazione con la quale esclude l'indipendenza del Kosovo (che e'
formalmente parte della Serbia), accettando invece di concedere solo
una ''autonomia sostanziale''. Soluzione ritenuta del tutto
insufficiente dalla leadership albanese a Pristina, che ha gia'
minacciato di boicottare i primi colloqui con Belgrado previsti per
la fine del mese. Ma vi sono tensioni diplomatiche anche con
Tirana. Nei giorni scorsi il ministro della difesa albanese, Pandeli
Majko, ha rifiutato un invito ad una tavola rotonda sulla sicurezza
regionale organizzata a Podgorica dall'Unione Serbia-Montenegro.
Majko ha detto apertamente di non poter sedere allo stesso tavolo con
i rappresentati di Belgrado, che si preparano ad approvare la nuova
Costitituzione dell'Unione che considera il Kosovo come parte
integrante della Serbia. Belgrado ha gia inviato una nota di
protesta. Il clima tornato infuocato rischia di prestare il fianco
anche ai movimenti di guerriglia albanesi che continuano ad essere
attivi nella zona. Ieri pomeriggio una pattuglia dell' esercito di
Serbia e Montenegro e' stata attaccata da guerriglieri albanesi a
ridosso della linea del confine amministrativo. Non si ha notizia di
vittime. Appena 48 ore prima colpi di mortaio erano stati sparati
contro una base militare nella Serbia del sud. (ANSA). BLL
13/08/2003 18:37

KOSOVO: SERBIA DICHIARA LUTTO PER UCCISIONE RAGAZZI

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 14 AGO - Il governo serbo ha dichiarato quella di
domani giornata di lutto per ricordare i due adolescenti serbi,
uccisi ieri a Gorazdevac nel Kosovo occidentale da sconosciuti armati
mentre stavano facendo il bagno nel fiume Bistrica. In un
comunicato, il governo serbo ha dichiarato di voler incrementare le
misure di sicurezza per proteggere la popolazione. Anche il consiglio
supremo di difesa, guidato dal presidente di Serbia-Montenegro,
Svetozar Marovic, ha condannato l'uccisione dei due ragazzi e il
ferimento di altri sei, due dei quali in maniera grave. I
responsabili militari serbi hanno chiesto un'energica azione della
Kfor (missione di pace a guida Nato) e all'Unmik, la missione
dell'Onu, affinche' vengano trovati e puniti gli autori dell'agguato.
''Punire i colpevoli e' una precondizione indispensabile per
restaurare condizioni di pace, fiducia e stabilita' in Kosovo'', si
legge in un comunicato. Il patriarca serbo ortodosso Pavle ha
lanciato un appello agli albanesi del Kosovo e alle autorita' della
provincia perche' cessino immediatamente le violenze e i crimini.
''La violenza non ha mai portato del bene a nessuno'', si legge nel
messaggio del patriarca. (ANSA) COR-KIP 14/08/2003 18:14

KOSOVO: DOPO UCCISIONE SERBI INIZIANO PROTESTE PIAZZA/ ANSA

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 14 AGO - Migliaia di serbi sono scesi in piazza
oggi in Kosovo per protestare contro la nuova ondata di violenza
etnica che ieri ha provocato la morte di due ragazzi serbi e il
ferimento di altri cinque. Manifestazioni sono avvenute nelle
citta' settentrionali di Kosovska Mitrovica e di Zvecan e intorno
all' 'enclave' di Gracanica. I dimostranti, pur senza provocare
incidenti, hanno accusato con durezza la missione delle Nazioni Unite
(Unmik), la Nato e la comunita' internazionale di non essere in grado
di garantire la sicurezza delle minoranze. Fra i serbi molti hanno
persino chiesto al governo di Belgrado di inviare ''con la forza''
unita' della polizia e dell'esercito per difendere i civili serbi che
vivono in Kosovo. Le forze di sicurezza serbe hanno lasciato la
provincia dal giugno 1999, subito dopo la fine della guerra con la
Nato. Mentre la Kfor, forza di pace a guida Nato, ha annunciato di
aver rafforzato i controlli per prevenire nuovi attacchi, la polizia
delle Nazioni Unite ha iniziato un vasto rastrellamento nel villaggio
occidentale di Zahaq, dove nel primo pomeriggio di ieri attentatori
tuttora sconosciuti hanno aperto il fuoco contro un gruppo di ragazzi
serbi che faceva il bagno in un fiume. Secondo gli abitanti della
vicina 'enclave' serba di Gorazdevac, dalla quale provenivano le
vittime dell'attacco armato, a sparare sarebbero stati estremisti
albanesi. La notte scorsa una bomba e' stata fatta esplodere contro
la sede del comando regionale della polizia nella citta'
meridionale di Prizren, mentre un secondo ordigno e' stato lanciato
contro una casa in costruzione a Kosovska Mitrovica, in un quartiere
abitato da albanesi e dalla minoranza bosniaca. Nessuno dei due
attentati ha provocato vittime, ma gli episodi bastano a testimoniare
come la tensione nella provincia non accenni a calare. ''Una
delle mie sfide sara' quella di ripristinare in Kosovo il dominio
della legge'', ha detto oggi Harri Holkeri, l'ex primo ministro
finlandese che da settembre assumera' l'incarico di nuovo governatore
Onu, succedendo al tedesco Michael Steiner. Holkeri e' giunto ieri a
Pristina per la sua prima visita, e appena sbarcato ha dovuto
apprendere la notizia dell'attacco di Zahaq. Domani si trasferira' a
Belgrado per un incontro con le autorita' serbe, che hanno gia'
chiesto la convocazione del Consiglio di sicurezza delle Nazioni
Unite. Il governo serbo ha inoltre proclamato una giornata di lutto
per domani e annunciato di voler incrementare le misure di sicurezza
per proteggere la popolazione serba. Nel condannare l'uccisione dei
ragazzi, il Consiglio supremo di Difesa, guidato dal presidente di
Serbia- Montenegro Svetozar Marovic, chiede a Kfor e Unmik di trovare
e punire gli autori dell'agguato, come ''precondizione
indispensabile per ripristinare condizioni di pace, fiducia e
stabilita' in Kosovo''. La tensione nella provincia sta crescendo
con l'approssimarsi dei negoziati fra serbi e albanesi, che
potrebbero iniziare alla fine del mese e che dovrebbero servire a
porre le basi per la definizione del futuro status del Kosovo. Due
giorni fa il governo di Belgrado ha approvato per la prima volta
dalla fine della guerra una dichiarazione con la quale afferma di
voler concedere al Kosovo solo una ''autonomia sostanziale'' negando
qualunque spazio per l'indipendenza, pretesa invece dagli albanesi.
(ANSA). BLL 14/08/2003 19:19

UE: KOSOVO, PRODI COSTERNATO PER UCCISIONE RAGAZZI

(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 14 AGO - Il presidente della Commissione europea,
Romano Prodi, ha detto di essere ''costernato'' per l' attacco armato
che ieri e' costato la vita a due giovani serbi che nuotavano in un
fiume nei pressi di Gorazdevac, nel Kosovo occidentale, condotto
probabilmente da un gruppo di albanesi. Prodi ha dichiarato di
sentirsi ''vicino alle famiglie delle vittime'', inviando ''le piu'
sentite condoglianze''. ''La Commissione europea - ha precisato il
presidente dell' esecutivo Ue in una nota diffusa oggi - continuera'
i suoi sforzi assieme alla gente del Kosovo per aiutarla a liberarsi
definitivamente dall'eredita' del passato recente''. Inoltre, ha
concluso Prodi, ''ci auguriamo che questa terribile tragedia non
porti a un rallentamento del processo in corso verso la creazione di
un clima pacifico e sicuro per tutta la popolazione del Kosovo''.
Le nuove violenze interetniche in Kosovo sono sorte in coincidenza
dell'arrivo nella capitale, Pristina, del nuovo governatore Onu,
Harri Holkeri. (ANSA). RED*KSO 14/08/2003 19:39

KOSOVO:FUNERALI SENZA INCIDENTI PER DUE GIOVANI SERBI UCCISI

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 15 AGO - Si sono svolti oggi senza incidenti
nell'enclave serba di Gorazdevac, nel Kosovo occidentale, i funerali
dei due ragazzi serbi di 11 e 19 anni uccisi due giorni fa in un
attacco armato che ha provocato anche cinque feriti: alla cerimonia
funebre, svolta in tempi successivi, sono intervenuti il primo
ministro serbo Zoran Zivkovic (per la prima volta giunto in questa
zona del Kosovo) e il suo vice Nebojsa Covic. La missione delle
Nazioni Unite (Unmik) era rappresentata dal vice governatore Charles
Brayshaw mentre per la Kfor (forza di pace a guida Nato) e'
intervenuto il vice comandante della brigata multinazionale sud-ovest
il colonnello italiano Antonello Vitale. Le esequie sono state
seguite da circa 1.500 civili serbi, in pratica tutti gli abitanti
dell'enclave dalla quale provenivano i sette giovani, colpiti nel
corso di un attacco armato mentre facevano il bagno in un fiume.
Il portavoce dell'Unmik, Andrea Angeli, ha detto all'Ansa che fino a
questo momento ''si ignorano i responsabili dell'attacco e la loro
appartenenza etnica''. In un primo momento, per un errore nella
elaborazione della notizia, era stata attribuita dall'Ansa allo
stesso Angeli una dichiarazione secondo cui l'Unmik sospettava il
coinvolgimento nell'attacco di estremisti albanesi, fatto invece del
quale non c'e' al momento alcuna prova e sospetto che l'Unmik non ha
mai avanzato. [ S I C ] E' stata invece la popolazione serba di
Gorazdevac ad accusare del grave attentato estremisti albanesi.
La polizia dell'Unmik sta continuando a compiere rastrellamenti ed
interrogatori nel tentativo di identificare e catturare i
responsabili del gesto, che e' stato duramente condannato dalla
leadership albanese del Kosovo e anche dal governo di Tirana.
BLL 15/08/2003 18:34


> http://www.repubblica.it/2003/h/sezioni/cronaca/evasi/evasi/evasi.html

Un albanese e un kosovaro sono fuggiti durante l'ora d'aria
Ma quasi tutte le forze dell'ordine erano impegnate nella festa

Fermo, evadono due detenuti
Ma il Palio complica le ricerche

Polizia e Carabinieri stanno pattugliando strade e stazioni
Non c'è ancora nessuna ipotesi sulle modalità della fuga

FERMO (ASCOLI PICENO) - Hanno approfittato dell'ora d'aria, ma ancora
di più del Ferragosto, una "giornata particolare" a Fermo, per evadere
dal carcere. Due detenuti hanno beffato i sistemi di sicurezza e sono
scappati dall'istituto di pena. Si tratta di un albanese, P.S., che
avrebbe dovuto restare in carcere fino al 2009 per omicidio volontario
(e che avrebbe altri due processi in corso), e di un kosovaro, B.R.,
condannato fino al 2011 per sequestro di persona, rapina, associazione
per delinquere e spaccio di stupefacenti.
Intorno alle tre di questo pomeriggio è stato dato l'allarme: i due
reclusi non sono tornati in cella al termine dell'ora d'aria. In un
primo momento si è pensato che avessero scavalcato il muro che cinge
tutt'attorno il carcere. Ma dagli accertamenti non risulta nessun segno
che possa portare a questa conclusione: il muro è alto 7-8 metri e i
due evasi avrebbero certamente utilizzato delle corde per poterlo
superare. Si era anche ipotizzato che all'esterno ci fosse stato un
complice ad aspettarli, ma neanche questa congettura ha trovato
riscontri.
La squadra mobile di Ascoli Piceno sta pattugliando tutta la zona, ma
non c'è traccia dei due malviventi. Sono state controllate stazioni
ferroviarie e strade; alcune abitazioni che avrebbero potuto offrire
asilo agli evasi sono state perquisite, oltre che i numerosi campi
nomadi.
Le ricerche, nel pomeriggio, sono state rese più difficili dalla festa
cittadina in corso a Fermo. Al Palio dell'Assunta, una delle principali
manifestazioni della città, c'erano sono moltissimi spettatori e
turisti e gran parte della forze di polizia era impegnata proprio
nell'ordine pubblico. Nel Palio si rievoca la quattrocentesca cavalcata
in onore dell'Assunta, santa patrona della città marchigiana.
Quella di oggi è la terza evasione-beffa in una settimana: la prima dal
carcere di San Vittore domenica scorsa. Un detenuto albanese per
fuggire ha utilizzato il classico sistema delle lenzuola, dopo aver
ricavato un buco nella cella con le posate. La terza sempre a Milano:
un uomo di 34 anni, marocchino, malato di tubercolosi, ieri è riuscito
a evadere dall'ospedale Sacco, in cui era ricoverato. Anche lui,
eludendo le guardie, si è calato dalla finestra del bagno.
Sull'evasione di questo pomeriggio il Dipartimento dell'amministrazione
penitenziaria (Dap) di Fermo ha aperto un'inchiesta: per domani mattina
è prevista un'accurata perquisizione nel penitenziario. Lo stesso Dap
ha dichiarato che il carcere di media sicurezza di Fermo, che può
ospitare fuino a 70 detenuti, non presenta particolari carenze di
organico rispetto ad altri istituti della regione.
(La Repubblica online, 15 agosto 2003)


KOSOVO: ANCORA SPARI CONTRO BAMBINI SERBI GORAZDEVAC

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 18 AGO - I`bambini dell'enclave serba di Gorazdevac
(zona di Pec, Kosovo occidentale) sono stati nuovamente bersaglio
ieri di un attacco, per fortuna senza conseguenze, dopo la strage che
mercoledi' scorso ha provocato la morte di due ragazzi e il ferimento
di altri quattro. Lo riferiscono i mezzi di informazione serbi.
Una dozzina di colpi di arma da fuoco, hanno detto testimoni agli
organi di informazione, sono stati sparati contro un gruppo di bambini
di Gorazdevac da una zona vicina al villaggio di Grabovac, abitato da
albanesi kosovari. Nessuno e' stato colpito. Il nuovo attacco e'
stato duramente stigmatizzato a Belgrado dal primo ministro Zoran
Zivkovic, che ha accusato la comunita' internazionale di non fare
abbastanza nel combattere il terrorismo etnico nella provincia. Nella
capitale serbomontenegrina, c'e' attesa per la riunione odierna del
consiglio di sicurezza dell'Onu dedicata al Kosovo: a New York e'
andato il vicepremier serbo incaricato della questione kosovara,
Nebojsa Covic, che premera' per una forte risoluzione contro
l'estremismo albanese. La violenza etnica si e' riaccesa d'altro
canto non solo nel Kosovo, ma anche nella Serbia del sud - abitata da
una consistente maggioranza albanese - dove si moltiplicano gli
attacchi ai posti di polizia. Sotto accusa e' una controversa sigla
estremista, l'Ana (Armata di liberazione elbanese), che secondo
Belgrado sarebbe una copertura usata da personaggi collegati con le
istituzioni albanesi kosovare - in particolare il corpo di protezione
civile - per sabotare i prossimi negoziati sul futuro della provincia.
Nel clima di tensione serbo-albanese si inserisce, secondo
Belgrado, anche l'attacco avvenuto ieri contro un posto di polizia del
Sangiaccato (regione al confine fra Serbia e Montenegro abitata da una
comunita' musulmana), nel quale e' stato ferito un agente. Secondo il
ministro serbomontenegrino per i diritti umani e delle minoranze Rasim
Ljajic - peraltro originario del Sangiaccato - sarebbe in atto ''un
tentativo di 'kosovizzare' anche quella regione''. (ANSA).
OT 18/08/2003 12:14

KOSOVO: MORTO SERBO FERITO UNA SETTIMANA FA

(ANSA-REUTERS-AFP) - BELGRADO, 18 AGO - Un serbo che era stato ferito
con un colpo d'arma da fuoco una settimana fa mentre pescava nel
fiume Sitnica, in una zona del Kosovo a maggioranza serba, e' morto
oggi in un ospedale di Belgrado dove era stato ricoverato. Lo ha reso
noto l'agenzia Beta. Dragan Tonic, 45 anni, era stato colpito alla
gola nei pressi del villaggio di Skulanovo, nel Kosovo centrale.
Aveva fatto capire a gesti ai suoi soccorritori di essere stato
aggredito da due persone. La morte dell'uomo segue di cinque
giorni l'uccisione, presumibilmente a opera di estremisti albanesi,
di due ragazzi serbi che nuotavano in un fiume nelle vicinanze di
Gorazdevac. In un comunicato diffuso stasera, il Consiglio di
sicurezza serbo afferma che la situazione della sicurezza in Kosovo
si e' ''drammaticamente deteriorata, minacciando di aggravarsi
ulteriormente e di mettere in pericolo le vite dei cittadini della
Repubblica (Serbia/Montenegro)''. Il Consiglio - aggiunge il
comunicato - ha concordato di adottare misure urgenti per
incrementare lo scambio di informazioni con le forze internazionali
(in Kosovo) per aiutarle a prevenire ''azioni terroristiche'', come
pure a identificare e catturare i loro autori. Il viceprimo
ministro serbo Nebojsa Covic - di cui e' atteso nelle prossime ore un
intervento al Consiglio di sicurezza dell' Onu per chiedere alle
forze in Kosovo di intervenire con vigore per far cessare tali
attacchi - ha affermato che, se la comunita' internazionale non
mostrera' i denti, i militanti albanesi cominceranno a puntare le
loro armi contro il personale dell'Onu e della Nato.
(ANSA-REUTERS-AFP). DIG 18/08/2003 22:48

KOSOVO: ESCE DAL COMA ADOLESCENTE FERITO IN STRAGE GORAZDEVAC

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 19 AGO - E' uscito stamane dal coma in cui versava
da circa una settimana Bogdan Bukumiric, il quindicenne gravemente
ferito mercoledi' scorso nell'enclave serba di Gorazdevac (zona di Pec,
Kosovo occidentale) in un attentato costato la vita a due ragazzi e nel
quale altri cinque adolescenti erano rimasti feriti.
Tutta la Serbia aveva seguito in questi giorni col fiato sospeso la
vicenda di Bogdan, ricoverato all'ospedale militare di Belgrado in
condizioni quasi disperate e sottoposto a piu' operazioni. Il ragazzo
e' cosciente, respira senza l'aiuto di apparecchi e ha potuto scambiare
qualche parola con i genitori e con i medici.
La strage, sulla quale le forze internazionali della Kfor hanno aperto
una indagine, e' stata discussa ieri in Consiglio di sicurezza
dell'Onu, che ha adottato una dura risoluzione di condanna contro la
violenza etnica nella provincia. Dalla fine della guerra kosovara, nel
giugno del 1999, sono stati registrati, secondo il vicepremier serbo
Nebojsa Covic, 6.013 attacchi contro serbi, con 1.021 vittime.
La tensione interetnica sale, con l'approssimarsi dei primi negoziati
diretti fra Pristina e Belgrado, non solo nel Kosovo. Oggi nella
Serbia del sud, nel villaggio di Lucani (abitato esclusivamente da
albanesi), due bombe a mano sono state lanciate contro l'abitazione di
un albanese tacciato, secondo alcune fonti, di 'collaborazionismo' con
le forze serbe. Un ospite dell'uomo e' rimasto ferito.
Il ministro degli esteri serbomontenegrino Goran Svilanovic,
commentando la condanna dell'Onu per la strage di Gorazdevac, ha
sottolineato con apprezzamento ''la svolta nel linguaggio adoperato: si
e' finalmente parlato con chiarezza di 'classici atti di terrorismo',
il che significa che i responsabili e le loro organizzazioni, quando
verranno individuati, saranno processati come terroristi''.
A Skulanovo (Kosovo centrale) si svolgono intanto oggi i funerali di
un'altra vittima delle violenze etniche di questi giorni, il serbo
Dragan Tonic, 44 anni, ucciso l'11 agosto mentre pescava in un torrente
vicino al suo villaggio. La cerimonia e' occasione per una
manifestazione di protesta, ma i responsabili hanno sottolineato che
non ci saranno violenze, per ''non cadere nella provocazione'' degli
estremisti albanesi. (ANSA). OT 19-AGO-03 13:15 NNNN
19/08/2003 15:02

KOSOVO: KFOR,ATTACCO A GIOVANI SERBI FU DEL TUTTO IMPREVISTO

(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 20 AGO - L'attacco armato al gruppo di giovani
serbi avvenuto la scorsa settimana nei pressi dell'enclave di
Gorazdevac, nel Kosovo occidentale, e costato la vita a due ragazzi
mentre altri cinque sono rimasti feriti, fu del tutto inaspettato: lo
afferma il comando della Kfor (forza di pace a guida Nato in Kosovo),
intervenuto per puntualizzare il ruolo svolto in questa drammatica
vicenda dopo che alcuni rappresentati serbi avevano rivolto pesanti
critiche al loro operato. ''La Kfor non ricevette nessuna
informazione preventiva sull'imminenza di un attacco contro i bambini
o alcun altro obiettivo a Gorazdevac - afferma il portavoce del
comando, colonnello Stefano Schiappacasse - ne' ricevette alcuna
richiesta di scorta per i ragazzi che intendevano fare il bagno nel
fiume'', luogo esterno all'enclave in cui e' poi avvenuto l'agguato.
Il portavoce ricorda che nel corso della missione ogni volta che
fonti di intelligence segnalano la possibilita' di un attacco,
vengono adottate immediatamente adeguate misure di prevenzione e di
controllo. L'attacco a Gorazdevac fu invece ''totalmente
inaspettato'', afferma la Kfor, tanto piu' che nelle settimane
precedenti si era svolto un incontro fra i rappresentanti delle
comunita' locali che lasciava ben sperare sull'avvio di una possibile
riconciliazione fra serbi e albanesi. Immediatamente dopo la
notizia dell'attacco, la Kfor e' intervenuta sul posto insieme alla
polizia delle Nazioni Unite mettendo anche a disposizione gli
elicotteri per il trasporto dei feriti, alcuni dei quali sono stati
curati nell'ospedale militare. I rappresentanti serbi di
Gorazdevac nei giorni scorsi avevano chiesto l'allontanamento dei
comandanti locali della Kfor e della polizia dell'Unmik (oltre al
sindaco albanese di Pec) perche' a loro parere non avrebbero fatto
nulla per impedire la strage. Nel frattempo i carabinieri
dell'Unita' specializzata multinazionale (Msu) insieme ad agenti
dell'Unmik e ai militari della Kfor hanno proseguito anche oggi i
rastrellamenti nei villaggi albanesi intorno a Gorazdevac alla
ricerca degli autori dell'attentato. (ANSA) BLL 20/08/2003
12:34

SERBIA: ALZATO LIVELLO ALLARME PER TENSIONI ETNICHE NEL SUD

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 22 AGO - Il premier serbo Zoran Zivkovic ha
ordinato oggi di innalzare i livelli di sicurezza dopo una serie di
attacchi contro le forze serbe da parte di estremisti albanesi nel sud
del Paese, abitato da una maggioranza etnica albanese. L'ultimo
episodio, denunciato oggi, riguarda una sparatoria contro una
pattuglia della polizia nei boschi al confine amministrativo col
Kosovo, nella zona di Presevo, Bujanovac e Medvedja gia' teatro in
passato di violenti scontri. Non ci sono stati feriti, ma il nuovo
attacco e' un ennesimo segnale di una possibile destabilizzazione
dell'area. L'estremismo albanese, accusa Belgrado, ha ripreso
vigore con l'approssimarsi dei primi negoziati diretti fra Pristina e
la Serbia dalla fine del conflitto kosovaro, nel giugno del 1999.
Negoziati che avrebbero dovuto iniziare gia' in luglio, ma che poi
erano stati rimandati all'autunno, e la cui data e' ancora in forse
dopo l'attacco che il 13 agosto a Gracanica, nell'ovest del Kosovo,
e' costato la vita a due ragazzi serbi di 11 e 19 anni e ha provocato
il ferimento di altri sei. (ANSA). OT 22/08/2003 14:53

SERBIA/MONTENEGRO: TRE ESPLOSIONI NELLA NOTTE A PRESEVO

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADO, 24 AGO - Tre esplosioni sono avvenute stanotte
nella citta' meridionale serba di Presevo, causando il ferimento di
un uomo. Lo ha riferito l'agenzia di stampa Beta, citando testimoni.
Presevo e' vicina al Kosovo e la maggioranza degli abitanti sono
albanesi. Le esplosioni sono avvenute alle 21:30 nel cortile della
Casa della Cultura. Sull'episodio e' stata aperta un'inchiesta.
La Serbia meridionale limitrofa al Kosovo e' stata in queste ultime
settimane teatro di un'ondata di violenze. In particolare, un gruppo
estremista albanese (l'Esercito nazionale albanese) ha rivendicato
due attacchi contro polizia e esercito della Serbia/Montenegro.
(ANSA-AFP). BA 24/08/2003 00:15

KOSOVO: FINLANDESE HOLKERI NUOVO CAPO UNMIK

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 25 AGO - L'ex primo ministro finlandese Harri
Holkeri ha iniziato oggi il suo mandato come capo dell'Unmik,
l'amministrazione delle Nazioni unite in Kosovo. Holkeri prende il
posto di Michael Steiner, la cui gestione era stata duramente
criticata da Belgrado. Il diplomatico finlandese non ha voluto
rilasciare dichiarazioni al suo arrivo all'aeroporto di Pristina,
dove era atteso dai soli membri del suo staff. Si e' limitato a
ricordare la figura del piu' illustre dei suoi predecessori, Sergio
Vieira De Mello, ucciso la settimana scorsa in un attentato a
Baghdad. De Mello era stato per tre mesi il primo amministratore
della provincia, dopo l'ingresso in Kosovo, nel giugno del 1999,
delle forze internazionali. (ANSA). OT 25/08/2003 19:47

KOSOVO: PARLAMENTO SERBO RIBADISCE SOVRANITA' BELGRADO (2)

(ANSA-REUTERS) - BELGRADO, 27 AGO - ''La sovranita' statale e
l'integrita' territoriale della Repubblica di Serbia come membro
dello Stato di Serbia e Montenegro include il Kosovo, nonostante
l'amministrazione internazionale provvisoria'', afferma la mozione
votata dal Parlamento serbo. Il documento, gia' approvato dal
governo serbo nelle scorse settimane, precisa che Belgrado
continuera' a rispettare la risoluzione 1244 del Consiglio di
sicurezza dell'Onu, che ha definito lo 'status' della provincia dopo
la campagna di bombardamenti della Nato (primavera 1999). La mozione
accusa altresi' le forze dell'Onu e della Nato di non aver fatto
applicare appieno tale risoluzione, non garantendo in particolare la
sicurezza della popolazione non albanese ne' il ritorno dei profughi.
La risoluzione 1244 definisce il Kosovo formalmente parte della
Serbia/Montenegro, ma lascia impregiudicato il suo 'status'
definitivo, sul quale l'Onu avra' l'ultima parola. In una prima
reazione all'iniziativa del Parlamento serbo, Bajram Kosumi. membro
dell'Assemblea del Kosovo, ha accusato Belgrado di continuare la
politica del suo ex 'uomo forte' Slobodan Milosevic. ''Penso che
dovremmo dichiarare l' indipendenza e dire alla Serbia che non
abbiamo piu' bisogno di parlare di nulla se non del riconoscimento di
un Kosovo indipendente'', ha detto Kosumi all'agenzia Reuters a
Pristina. (ANSA-REUTERS).
DIG 27/08/2003 23:58

ALBANIA: NANO, KOSOVO NON SARA' MAI PARTE DELLA SERBIA

(ANSA) - TIRANA, 30 AGO - ''Il Kosovo non sara' mai parte della
Serbia'': il premier albanese Fatos Nano si e' opposto senza mezzi
termini alla dichiarazione del governo serbo, approvata pochi giorni
fa anche dal parlamento, che ribadisce ''la sovranita' di Belgrado
sul Kosovo e l'indivisibilita' della provincia dal territorio
serbo''. ''I serbi devono rientrare in Kosovo - ha aggiunto Nano - ma
non il Kosovo in Serbia. Queste sono due cose diverse''. La
dichiarazione del primo ministro albanese e' stata fatta nel corso di
un incontro a Tirana con tutti gli ambasciatori dell'Albania nel
mondo. ''Nessuna unione, nessuna regione dai confini ormai aperti
come quelli dei Balcani, ha futuro se non viene rispettata la
volonta' di tutte le comunita' nelle capitali dove funzionano
istituzioni scelte democraticamnte'', ha detto Nano, secondo cui ''il
futuro sia di Pristina che di Podgorica e' nell'Unione Europea''.
''Ne' Covic, ne' un parlamento transitorio come quello serbo - ha poi
aggiunto Nano - possono rovesciare gli sviluppi regionali, la
risoluzione 1244 dell'Onu ed il processo di integrazione europea dei
nostri paesi''. Due giorni fa anche il presidente della Repubblica,
Alfred Moisiu si era detto contrario alla dichiarazione adottata dal
parlamento di Belgrado, duramente criticata anche dalla leadership
albanese del Kosovo. (ANSA). COR
30/08/2003 19:10

“Evidence” in the “Milosevic case“: What’ s behind Carla’s promises?

By Cathrin Schütz

As stated by chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte, in the upcoming months
the prosecution in the trial against former Yugoslav president Slobodan
Milosevic in The Hague will focus on “Sarajevo“ and “Srebrenica“.[1]

According to some official reports, between 7.000 and 8.000 Bosnian
Muslims were killed in July 1995, when Serb units launched an attack on
the UN “save heaven” of Srebrenica. Doubts continue to surface
regarding the extent and nature of these alleged crimes because the
official side of the story is in many respects lacking in factual
verification.[2]

After del Ponte herself had to admit that the Kosovo-case (which
originally served as the grounds for the Milosevic indictment and the
former president’s abduction and delivery to the Hague tribunal) lacked
the charge of genocide because there is no evidence for that, the
prosecution came up with additional indictments for Croatia and Bosnia
and accused Milosevic for genocide in Bosnia, a point which is mainly
based on the events around Srebrenica.

Recently, the prosecution suffered from another big disappointment when
Slobodan Milosevic’s predecessor - former Yugoslav president Zoran
Lilic - testified in The Hague on June 17. Lilic stated that Mr.
Milosevic had not been involved in the Srebrenica massacre. The next
day media headlines announced “Srebrenica »outraged« Milosevic“.[3]

But just one day later, this positive message for Milosevic disappeared
and the international press reported an opposite line, saying: “Paper
could link Milosevic with massacre“.[4]

The paper in question is an official document provided to the
prosecution by the London-based “Institute for War and Peace Reporting“
(IWPR). It is an order signed on July 10, 1995 by Bosnian-Serb Interior
Minister Tomislav Kovac, which instructs that a Serbian police unit
should be moved from Sarajevo to Srebrenica to “crush the enemy
offensive being carried out from the UN safe heaven of Srebrenica“.[5]

But the statements appearing on the occasion of the presentation of the
paper appear to be to the advantage of former president Milosevic. Some
unusual comments were made about the lack of any evidence for the
involvement of Milosevic – except the new-found document. IWPR bureau
chief in The Hague, Stacey Sullivan, while praising the paper, stated:
“Up until now, it was generally assumed that there was no link between
what happened in Srebrenica and Belgrade.“ As stated in the NYT on June
19, an official in the prosecutors office said “for the moment, this is
the first such document relating to the July 1995 massacre”.[6] SFOR
news confirms this. Reporting about the new-found document, SFOR news
states on June 20, 2003: “To date, it was mostly assumed that until the
summer of 1995, Serbia had cut off all of its ties to the Bosnian Serb
leadership and that the former Serbian forces had not participated in
the military operation in Srebrenica”.[7]

According to Sullivan, the document shows for the first time that
police from Serbia participated in this operation. The “Coalition for
International Justice“ in Washington pointed out the contrary by saying
that the document does not prove any involvement of those units. And
what is still unknown, and what Sullivan had to admit herself, is
whether Milosevic actually knew about those troops.

The NYT, usually in line with the rest of the corporate media in
pre-convicting the former president, suddenly choose to leave no doubts
about the awareness of any lack of evidence against Milosevic in the
Srebrenica case. “Witnesses and even participants in the massacre have
told the tribunal the roles played by the army, police and paramilitary
fighters in the blood bath. But even during the trial of Gen. Radislav
Krstic, one of the commanders at Srebrenica, who was sentenced to 46
years in prison for genocide, prosecutors had no documents linking the
atrocities to Belgrade”.

Recalling the reactions following the first presentation of the paper,
it now looks like it got more attention than it actually deserved.
Apparently, it provides no "new evidence" against Milosevic. Florence
Hartmann, spokesperson of the prosecution, called the document later
only “an element“, and announced there will be additional elements and
special witnesses for Srebrenica. The assumption remains that the
document was presented at the exact moment when Lilic’s testimony of
Milosevic’s innocence was the number one topic, in order to deflect
attention from news headlines which could undermine the prosecution’s
credibility. The IWPR assertion that the paper had been “overlooked”
seems to be highly questionable. The assumption that the Institute
(which with its branch in The Hague enjoys a physical closeness to the
tribunal) played in the prosecutors hands, is bolstered by a look on
their own list of cooperating organizations and partners. Among these
is the “Open Society Institute“ of US-American Billionaire George
Soros, who also provides funds directly to the tribunal. With “USAID“
the institute receives money from the US-government. Aid is also coming
from the US-American organization “International Research & Exchanges
Board”(IREX). At the same time, IREX is financing basically a long list
of journalists from former Yugoslavia reporting from the
Milosevic-trial in The Hague – providing training, apartments,
computers, etc. According to their own web-side information, IREX
receives funds from the US Department of State as well as from media
giant CNN-AOL-Time Warner, the latter also contributes financially to
the ICTY.[8]

Since Slobodan Milosevic is not permitted by the ICTY to give
press-statements, Vladimir Krsljanin, one of his Belgrade assistants,
comments for junge Welt: “Carla del Ponte recently boasted to the press
that she was able to prove all charges – except that genocide would be
more difficult. But even that she said will succeed in the upcoming
months. But that was only her attempt to hide her complete failures in
this regard from the public, because even her position as
chief-prosecutor has come under question. Slobodan Milosevic’s guilt
cannot be proven because it does not exist. Everybody knows that he
publicly and consistently condemned every extremism and crime. In his
opening statement, he announced that he would prove the complicity of
Western secret services in the worst crimes in Bosnia and Croatia.“

Indeed, this enterprise seems more likely to be successful than the
prosecution’s attempt to present evidence for a connection between
Milosevic and the massacre at Srebrenica. And the report of the
commission of the Dutch Institute for War Documentation (NIOD), led by
Cees Wiebes, agrees. “For five years, Professor Cees Wiebes of
Amsterdam University has had unrestricted access to Dutch intelligence
files and has stalked the corridors of secret service headquarters in
western capitals, as well as in Bosnia, asking questions.“[9] The
German Berliner Zeitung in April 2002, in reference to the Dutch
report, stated, there were “no hints for a direct involvement of
Milosevic and Serb authorities from Belgrade“ in the attack on
Srebrenica. Meanwhile, the same report according to The Guardian,
revealed the direct involvement of external forces: “America used
Islamists to arm the Bosnian Muslims, The Srebrenica report reveals the
Pentagon's role in a dirty war. The official Dutch inquiry into the
1995 Srebrenica massacre, released last week, contains one of the most
sensational reports on western intelligence ever published.“ “Weapons
flown in during the spring of 1995 were to turn up only a fortnight
later in the besieged and demilitarized enclave at Srebrenica. When
these shipments were noticed, Americans pressured UNPROFOR to rewrite
reports, and when Norwegian officials protested about the flights, they
were reportedly threatened into silence“, reports The Guardian.

If del Ponte wants to keep her promise of proving the genocide charge,
she may need to follow what seems to be her common routine of
manipulating witnesses, as was seen in the case of Rade Markovic. The
former head of state security, supposedly a witness on behalf of the
prosecution, stated in his testimony that he was offered a deal in
order to deliver a statement against Slobodan Milosevic.[10] Del
Ponte’s mid-July statement – in which she hoped that indicted senior
political and military figures during Milosevics 13 years in power
would testify against their former leader[11] - sounds more and more
like an announcement of new attempts to “incriminate testimony for
extenuating circumstances“.

Published in "junge Welt” (Berlin), "Beweisnot in Den Haag", August 19,
2003

URL: http://www.jungewelt.de/2003/08-19/005.php