KOSOVO/COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS/GENEVA, 29/3/96

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Fifty-second session

Provisional agenda item 10

QUESTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND

FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS

HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO

Written Statement by

Transnational Radical Party, a non-governmental organization

in consultative status - Category I

In the contex of a positive evaluation of the international efforts for the reaching of a comprehensive peaceful agreement in the Balkan area and of the results obtained so far, the Transnational Radical Party encourages that careful consideration also be given to the situation in Kosovo.

Recent reports by Amnesty International, Helsinki Watch and other international organizations, point out to continuing violations of human rights, in particular the rights of free speech and press, justice and personal safety, together the right to education, work and housing.

In such a condition, which has been existing for several years, the Albanian population of Kosovo, in the stated intentions and in practice, has restrained its action to nonviolent methods of passive resistance and to establish parallel political and cultural institutions which are unofficial and unrecognized.

It is worth mentioning the new laws constantly adopted by both the Serb and the Federal Parliaments to encourage the colonization of Kosovo, while new discriminatory laws will soon be adopted.

Examples of the current situation abound. Lots and new constructions are assigned and built in the most prominent localities. The Serbian colonizers are given preferential treatment while the Albanian emigrants are denied permanent return: the passports of the seasonal workers are confiscated and returned to their owners only against large sums of money (119 cases in 1995).

About 15,000 Serbian refugees of Kraijna, by means of promises and/or force, have been brought into Kosovo and are occupying schools (even the library of Pristina University), nursery schools, farms, hotels and private homes after forcefully evicting their rightful owners (53 families violently evicted by para-military groups). The purpose is to have 100,000 Serbs in Kosovo by 1998.

From 1990, over 140,000 Albanians have been arbitrarily fired with the consequent loss of social assistance for themselves and their families. In 1995 alone there were 328 more dismissals. Harassments in the work environment also involves companies which are penalized by taxes and forced contributions for the benefit of Serb refugees, and have no other choice than closing down. This happens to marketplaces as well, where finance officers confiscate goods and money (more than 722 cases have been reported).

Not even schools have been spared of this treatment. The police, in fact, has taken over buildings, confiscated educational material and beaten the faculty members. Schooling of Albanian students has been conducted in private homes still not immune from police repression (over 130 schools occupied and more than 500 beatings reported).

Ploice destroyed properties and entire villages which they raided under the pretext of searching illegal arms and resistance movements, they also conducted unwarranted arrests for possession of Albanian literature and music (over 3,500 cases in 1994 alone). A number of Albanians died following torture and confrontation with the police force.

The courts are themselves an instrument of enforcement of this situation. They have sentenced over 300 people (mostly former policemen of Albanian nationality) for "crimes against the territorial integrity of the Yugoslav Federation" and many more are still detained in the Federation prisons. The military tribunals have arrested over 100 people for desertion or resistance and more than 1500 conscientious objectors are still waiting for trial.

There has been a large distribution of arms among the Serb population. Furthermore, even though many Albanians have been able to escape from the forced mobilization, many more have died under suspicious circumstances.

Since the risk of exasperation is evident while in other areas mediation and peaceful solutions are being sought, we believe that the question of Kosovo must be faced with a similar goodwill, and that monitoring of the situation by International institutions

(UN, EU, OCSE) should be restored.