From amead at maine.rr.com Mon Dec 4 09:06:14 2000 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 09:06:14 -0500 Subject: [A-PAL] Fwd: URGENT)) new formated [Fwd: Proposed Resolution on the imprisoned citizens of Kosovo for European Parliament]] Message-ID: > >Please post this-- a proposed resolution to go before the European >Parliament next week, regarding the release of the Albanian >prisoners. thank you. alice mead > >> >>-------- Original Message -------- Betreff: Proposed Resolution on >>the imprisoned citizens of Kosovo for European Parliament Datum: >>Sun, 3 Dec 2000 17:05:30 -0800 Von: "Peter Walsh" >> An: >> >>Attention: Mr. Wolfgang Plarre >> >>Dear Mr. Plarre, Folowing is the text of proposed resolution as >>discussed with Valerie Hughes: >> >>RESOLUTION >> >>-having regard to the previous resolutions of the European >>Parliament on Kosovo and former Yugoslavia, in particular its >>resolution of 22 July 1999, >> >>-having regard to the numerous appeals from international >>diplomats, UN representatives and International Human Rights Groups >>for the release of all remaining prisoners in order to show >>conclusively that the new government is fundamentally different >>from Milosevic's, and the statement of the Kosovar Transitional >>Council that the release of remaining prisoners would be a major >>step towards a meaningful dialogue and lasting peace, >> >>A. whereas during the conflict in Kosovo many thousands of Kosovars >>were detained by Yugoslav forces and paramilitary troops, >> >>B. whereas according to a list compiled by the International >>Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) based on information from the >>Serbian Ministry of Justice, approximately 650 ethnic Albanians >>remain in Serbian prisons, including people who were arrested on >>charges of anti-state activities before the NATO campaign, >> >>C. whereas the status of detainees and missing persons was not >>addressed in the Kumanovo Agreement between NATO and the Yugoslav >>government nor in Security Council Resolution 1244/99 which >>mandated the international presence in Kosovo, >> >>D. whereas despite the readmission of Serbia to the UN and the >>OSCE, Serbia has still not set a date for the release of the >>prisoners or provided details of an amnesty law, >> >>E. whereas the recent security crisis within the prisons in Serbia >>and the resulting uncertainty constitutes a general threat to the >>safety of the prisoners, their current often unknown locations, the >>lack of food, clothing, contact with families and their increased >>vulnerability as a result of the crisis in Bujanovic, etc., >> >>F. whereas in light of the alleged role of Milosevic's state >>security service -still intact despite the popular coup -in the >>orchestration of the prison riots -according to senior Serbian >>Justice Ministry sources -the safety of the Albanian prisoners is >>more at risk than ever, >> >>G. stressing that the full protection of basic human rights has to >>be an essential element of the process of reconstruction in Kosovo >>and the whole of South-East Europe, >> >>1. Calls on the Serbian Government to release all political >>prisoners -including all those who were convicted and sentenced >>during the entire Milosevic era -bearing in mind that the trials of >>Kosovar Albanians were a travesty throughout this period, with >>empty files, denial of the rights of the accused, etc.; >> >>2. Calls on the Serbian Government to immediately provide details >>of the amnesty law, which is supposed to be before the Yugoslav >>Parliament by or on the 23rd December; >> >>3. Calls on the French Presidency of the EU and the International >>Community to impose a clear deadline for the establishment of the >>amnesty law, with clear consequences if unmet: the imposition of a >>fine for every day past January, 2001, that the prisoners are held >>in violation of international norms stated in Serbia's own >>constitution; >> >>4. Calls on the UN Security Council, the OSCE and the UN Civil >>Administrator Bernard Kouchner -and his successor -to impose a >>clear deadline for the establishment and implementation of the >>amnesty law; >> >>5. Calls on the Serbian Government to account for missing Albanians >>-particularly in the wake of recent prison disturbances -and on the >>Kosovar Transition Council to account for missing Serbs: >>approximately 3,400 persons -the large majority of them Albanians >>-remain missing; >> >>6. Urges the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution which makes >>it clear to the Serbian authorities that no progress can be made in >>talks on the future of the region until all remaining prisoners are >>released, >> >>7. Holds the Serbian Government responsible for the continued >>welfare of the Kosovar Albanians, particularly in the wake of the >>recent prison riots. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 4665 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail/a-pal/attachments/20001204/7360749d/attachment.bin From amead at maine.rr.com Thu Dec 14 19:52:59 2000 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 19:52:59 -0500 Subject: [A-PAL] A-PAL Newsletter, 12/14/2000 Message-ID: A-PAL NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 14, 2000 A-PAL STATEMENT RELEASE OF PRISONERS------DECEMBER 23, 2000? A second Christmas season is upon us since the 1,200 Albanians were taken prisoner in June, 1999. Families in Kosova still wait, as they have waited for 18 months, peacefully and non-violently, in snow, heat, wind, sun, and rain, for the return of over 750 loved ones still held in Serb prisons. Nearly two months have passed since President Kostunica promised to release the prisoners to international leaders. He has not had the courtesy to inform anyone of the status of the amnesty law that human rights lawyers are supposed to have drafted. Were these 750 Israelis being held by Palestinians or 750 Americans held by Iraqis the world media would be riveted on the situation. Nelson Mandela would have visited Serbia demanding their release. But no high level human rights activists have spoken for the release of these civilians. And whatever happened to the UN's specially appointed envoy on missing and detained, Henrik Amneus? Where is he? What is he doing? Hunger strikes, demonstrations, petitions, email actions, media reports, endless efforts by UNHCHR and ICRC, requests and demands from the EP, OSCE and UN---all have been met with resounding silence from the Serb officials involved. As you celebrate with your families this Christmas/holiday season, think of the prisoners and the families who miss them and fear for their safety. And remember that the day Kostunica promised the amnesty issue would come before the Serb Parliament was December 23, 2000. _________________________________________ Dear members, this mail was sent to us from a new member. The original message is written in german (forwarded with this mail), copy of english translation see below. Your are welcome by Michaela Huber to use her mail for forwarding as well. Regards Divi Beineke -- EMAIL-ACTION: RELEASE THE PRISONERS NOW! T? LIROHEN MENJ?HER? T? BURGOSURIT! LASST JETZT DIE GEFANGENEN FREI! http://www.kosova-info-line.de/APP/ __________________________________ Dear Kosovarian, German, English... colleagues and friends, Since the end of last year's war, I've been three times in Kosova, as a psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer for Medica Mondiale Kosova, to support counselors and medical staff working with severely traumatized women and families. One experience over there is that the necessary process of mourning and learning/integration after the violation of all human rights and the crimes by the Serbs in form of systematic torture, systematic rape, systematic murder... - that this process of working through is "frozen". This seems to me the same phenomenon as in south american regimes of terror, where necessary mourning and integration processes were frozen, until the people got the bodies of their dead relatives back and the prisoners were released and could come home. Out of political and humanitarian reasons it is an ongoing crime to hold kosovo albanian war prisoners as "civil criminals" in serbian prisons, where their conditions are miserable and unendurable like in a concentration camp. At home their relatives, and the whole population of Kosova, waits for them, and nobody knows whether their husband, their son, their brother is still living or lying in an anonymous mass grave. Please take this letter as a sign of sincere sympathy for the mourning and recovering process of the kosovarian population. You may well spread it as a testimony, so perhaps it supports a little the necessary public pressure to release the prisoners. With solidarity and best wishes for the people of Kosova, Michaela Huber Zentrum f?r Psychotraumatologie (Centre for Trauma), Kassel,Germany Speaker of the German Section of the International Society for the Study Of Dissociation (ISSD) Ludwig-Mond-Str. 45A D-34121 Kassel ----------------------------------------------------- FreeSerbia Latest News 12/14/2000 18:22 GMT+1 -- Nis Court Martial Nine soldiers and a lawyer sentenced Nine members of the Yugoslav Army and a lawyer have been sentenced before the Nis Court Martial to seven years in prison because of criminal act of fraud and taking bribe. Military policemen and soldiers securing the Army prison in Nis, who have been taking money from chiefly Albanian prisoners promising in return reduction of their sentences for different criminal acts and allowing them to use mobile telephones. All the accused took in possession from couple of hundreds to more than 10,000 German marks. Source: FreeSerbia _______--------------------------------------------------- PRESS RELEASE President Clinton Should Help Secure Release of Albanian Political Prisoners in Serbia Washington, DC, December 13, 2000: The National Albanian American Council today issued the following open letter to President Bill Clinton regarding the fate of Albanian political prisoners being held in Serbia. Dear Mr. President: We respectfully urge you before you leave office to remember the plight of the Albanian political prisoners being held in Serbia and to help secure their release. As you know, over 18 months after the end of the war in Kosova, an estimated 800 Albanians are still being held in Serb jails. The conditions surrounding their arrest and continued detention are in violation of international standards of due process. Many of these prisoners were rounded up by Serbs to be used as hostages during future negotiations and to destabilize the situation in Kosova. According to the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights "nearly 200 prisoners still await trial or appeal and fourteen, including two minors, remain jailed without any formal charges." Hundreds more remain imprisoned with no clear idea of the charges they face. Furthermore, prosecutions have been rife with violations of prisoners' rights. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch report that many prisoners have been tried and sentenced based on forced confessions and with little evidence to support the charges against them. Additionally, judges have frequently refused to admit exculpatory evidence. Serb president, Vojislav Kostunica, has promised to bring democracy and the rule of law to the former Yugoslavia. Despite pleas from the West, so far Kostunica has only helped to release a small number of detainees, including the most famous of the prisoners, Dr. Flora Brovina. But, many other prisoners have had to purchase their freedom through bribes. The Humanitarian Law Center reports that "many [prisoners] gained their freedom only after relatives paid police, lawyers and judges 'fees' of between 10,000 and 30,000 German marks." Meanwhile, thousands of family members in Kosova are increasingly worried for the health and safety of their loved ones and concerned that Kostunica too will try to get additional concessions from the West, while moving very slowly on releasing the prisoners. We believe that there must be no deals over the fate of Albanian prisoners in Serbia. We, therefore, urge the United States to use renewed diplomatic relations to demand that Kostunica secure the release of all the Albanian prisoners currently held in Serbia. True peace cannot be achieved in Kosova without justice, and justice requires that these prisoners be released immediately and without prejudice. As Americans, we are proud that the United States helped to stop the Serb genocide in Kosova. But, with an estimated 800 Albanians prisoners in Serbia, our work there is incomplete. We pray that you will help to reunite the prisoners with their families before you leave office. It would be a most fitting conclusion to an Administration that has worked so hard to promote human rights and democracy in the Balkans. Sincerely, Board of Trustees National Albanian American Council _________________________________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 8183 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail/a-pal/attachments/20001214/9df642f8/attachment.bin From amead at maine.rr.com Fri Dec 15 08:41:00 2000 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 08:41:00 -0500 Subject: [A-PAL] a-pal newsletter: Euro. parl. resolution Message-ID: DECEMBER 15, 2000 A-PAL UPDATE: ************************************ EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE ALBANIAN PRISONERS--adopted from resolutions proposed by both the Green Party and the Italian members. This information was forwarded to A-PAL by Arie Oostlander, MEP. Thanks to all members of European Parliament and Dr. Flora Brovina for her recent trip to meet with EP officials for their help in preparing this resolution. _____________________________________________________ Political prisoners in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and instability on the borders of Kosovo B5-0902, 0909, 0914, 0923 and 0929/2000 European Parliament resolution on political prisoners in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and instability on the borders of Kosovo The European Parliament, - having regard to its resolution of 15 June 2000 on fundamental rights in Serbia and Kosovo, - having regard to its resolutions on the situation of Albanian Kosovar prisoners, in particular its resolution of 17 February 2000 and its resolution of 30 November 2000 on 'Progress in the implementation of the CFSP' , - having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999, - having regard to a recent meeting of the European Parliament delegation for relations with South-Eastern Europe with Mrs Flora Brovina in Brussels on 21 November 2000, - having regard to the Zagreb Summit Final Declaration of 24 November 2000, A. welcoming the release of the Albanian doctor and human rights campaigner Flora Brovina on the orders of the newly elected President Kostunica on 1 November 2000 as well as of the Serbian journalist Miroslav Filipovic on 10 October 2000, B. regretting, however, that the fate of all political prisoners in Kosovo who were deprived of their freedom by the Milosevic regime solely because of their ethnicity or political convictions has not yet been resolved by the new democratic forces in Yugoslavia and that since the readmission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the UN, the OSCE and Europe, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has not set a date for the release of the prisoners or provided details of an amnesty law, C. underlining that the presidential elections in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have paved the way for the rule of law in the country and that President Kostunica has promised that he will apply the Constitution and laws without delay, D. recalling that the political changes underway in Belgrade cannot exonerate the former Yugoslav leaders, in particular Mr Slobodan Milosevic, from their charges before the International Criminal Tribunal for crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, E. expressing its concern about the latest armed attacks by ethnic Albanians and other extremists in the Presevo area of South-Eastern Serbia along the border between Kosovo and Serbia which could have the effect of destabilising the situation just at a time when there are good chances of resolving problems in the region through peaceful talks, F. having regard to the agreement reached last year between NATO and Yugoslavia which makes this zone off-limits to security forces from both sides, with the exception of lightly armed Serbian policemen, 1. Calls on President Kostunica to take all possible steps to secure the release of all political prisoners from the Milosevic era who are still detained in Serbian prisons; 2. Points out that it will damage the political credibility of the new President if political prisoners of the Milosevic regime remain political prisoners under the new leadership and therefore urges that a dignified solution be found for the new democracy in Serbia and firmly believes that all political prisoners should be released by presidential pardon or on the basis of an amnesty law currently being drafted by the Yugoslav Ministry of Justice, while the Albanian Kosovar political prisoners could be handed over to UNMIK, taking into account UN Security Council Resolution 1244; 3. Calls on both sides - the Albanian Kosovars and the new leadership in Belgrade - to investigate the fate of missing persons, both Albanian Kosovars and Serbs, who disappeared before, during and after the Kosovo conflict and by so doing to re-establish a basis of confidence between the two groups as a vital condition for peaceful development in Kosovo; 4. Strongly condemns the recent violence in Kosovo and in the bordering areas of Presevo and calls on all parties concerned not to increase tensions in the security zone between Kosovo and Serbia at a time when, after the election of President Kostunica, there are real chances of reaching a peaceful and sustainable agreement between Serbs and Kosovars which could resolve a protracted conflict; 5. Calls upon the multinational KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo to reinforce control on the border with Serbia so as to prevent further incursions by ethnic Albanian extremists; 6. Calls on the UN, the Council and the Commission to establish the political conditions for the start of a positive and constructive dialogue between the Yugoslav Federal Government and the political leaders in Kosovo; 7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, President Kostunica and UNMIK. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 5663 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail/a-pal/attachments/20001215/261e89c4/attachment.bin From amead at maine.rr.com Fri Dec 22 11:35:28 2000 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 11:35:28 -0500 Subject: [A-PAL] Fwd: A-PAL Holiday Thank You Message-ID: >Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 11:25:31 -0500 >To: a-pal at alb-net.com >From: Alice Mead >Subject: A-PAL Holiday Thank You >Cc: >Bcc: >X-Attachments: > >> >> >> >> ********************* A-PAL HOLIDAY STATEMENT ************************ >> DECEMBER 22, 2000 >> >>THE YEAR 2000 WAS A LONG ONE FOR US IN OUR EFFORTS TO HAVE THE >>REMAINING PRISONERS RELEASED. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING IN THIS >>IMPORTANT EFFORT. WITHOUT SOLVING THIS BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEM, >>THERE WILL BE LITTLE STABILITY IN KOSOVA UNTIL THE LAST PRISONER >>COMES HOME. IN EARLY JANUARY, 2001, WE WILL RESUME OUR ADVOCACY >>EFFORTS AS WILL THE EUROPEAN A-PAL EFFORT ORGANIZED BY DIVI >>BEINECKE IN GERMANY. THERE ARE STILL 701 ALBANIAN PRISONERS IN SERB >>JAILS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THEY MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN. PLEASE TAKE >>TIME DURING YOUR HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS TO THINK OF THEM AND THEIR >>WAITING FAMILIES IN KOSOVA. THEY ARE COUNTING ON US. >> >>HOLIDAY GREETINGS TO ALL. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HELPED IN THIS TRULY >>INTERNATIONAL EFFORT SO FAR. WE WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO >>ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF: >> >>The 70 Dubrava Massacre Survivors/Hunger Strikers, Bernard >>Kouchner, Shukrie Rexha, Flora Brovina, Wolfgang Plarre, Divi >>Beinecke, Daniel Perez, Valerie Hughes, Mentor Cana, Jock Covey, >>Hashim Thaci, Arie Oostlander,Bart Staes, Ernst Guelcher, Peter >>Walsh, Olivier Dupuis, Emma Bonino, Doris Pack, Javier Solana, >>Reshma Ballie, Ilir Dugolli,Fred Abrahams, Kosovarja Kelmendi, Teki >>Bokshi,Lisa Laplante, Suzy Blaustein, Eric Witte, Nina Bang Jensen, >>Kathy Ward, Isuf Hajrizi, Aferdita Rakipi, Ilir Zherka, Victoria >>Romano, Berat Luzha, Blerim Shala, Sevdie Ahmeti, Payazit Nushi, >>Hyadet Hyseni, Albert Cevallos, Patrick Gavigan, Henrik Amneus, >>Marie Elena Andreotti, Barbara Davis, Arben Hoxha, Bogdan >>Ivanisevic, Natasa Kandic, Sonja Biserko, Laura Rosen, Sokol Rama, >>Ali Koknar, Ibrahim Makolli, Paul Miller, Glen Ruga, Adnan Derti, >>Alma Rosa Mendoza, Trish Porter, Sudee Marsh-Jaquot, Julie Winn, >>Kofi Annan, Madeleine Albright, Paddy Ashdown, Sara Whyatt, Michael >>Stechow, Rand Engel, and Teresa Crawford >>You have all helped demonstrate that by focusing on human rights, >>we can strengthen society across ethnic barriers and political >>boundaries. >> >> Thank you also to the following organizations: >>Association of Political Prisoners, Mothers of Gjakova Prisoners, >>Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Crisis >>Group, ICRC, UNHCHR, US Office in Prishtina, Kosova Transition >>Council, Alba News, Illyria, Zeri, Rilindja, Humanitarian Law Fund, >>OTPOR, Going Home, Women in Black, USIP, USAID/OTI, Balkan >>Sunflowers, Center for Ethnic Studies, CSCE, Green Party EP, Kosova >>ireland Solidarity, ICTY, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, NAAC, >>IWPR, AND THE MEMBER NATIONS OF THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL, 2000. >> >> --never say never-- >> >> Season's Greetings from Alice and Naida -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2988 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail/a-pal/attachments/20001222/bf5bb747/attachment.bin