From mentor at alb-net.com Tue Nov 11 11:53:58 2003 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 11:53:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Dibra-L] [Kcc-News] Petition for Kosova Missing Persons Inquiry Message-ID: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Kosova Crisis Center (KCC) News: http://www.alb-net.com/index.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- WE ARE ALL MISSING THEM Petition text Link: http://www.kan-ks.org/index1.html Sign it at: http://www.kan-ks.org/cgi-bin/gb1/guestbook.cgi?action=add Coordinating Council of Family Associations of the Hostages, Missing and families with war victims (KKAF), and the network of activists Kosova Action Network (KAN) consider that: Four years after the war in Kosova, the fate of over 3.500 persons who were kidnapped and kept hostage remains unknown. Families of the missing have the right to know about their loved ones. Revelation of the truth is needed urgently. The conflict is not over until what has happened to them is disclosed and justice is implemented. Until now, there were no arrests, accusations or sentences concerning this issue. Why from out of over 900 bodies found in mass graves in Serbia since the spring of 2001, only 153 of them have been returned to Kosova?! The Government of Serbia was in the past responsible for committing the crimes and nowadays it is responsible for concealing the truth. This Government does not open dossiers and leaves criminals walking around free. UNMIK has not produce any results, even though it is able to do so and is the responsible authority. Inhuman and groundless delay in returning the bodies is a violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which states that the disappearance and keeping secret the evidence about the location of war hostages is a form of psychological torture to families who are in a state of emotional strain and anxiety. The crime perpetrated towards those same families continues. By not seeking and restoring justice for its citizens, UNMIK has also breached many articles and protocols of the International Convention for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) towards victims and their families. UNMIK as a peace mission can only create peace if it implements justice. Our main objective is justice and should, by all means, be upheld by those who govern our country and represent us. Solution of this criminal situation includes return of hundreds of exhumed bodies from mass graves in Serbia and bringing to light the fate of over 3.500 Kosovar citizens, with no ethnic, religious or racial discrimination. This should be of the highest priority which cannot wait any longer. Taking into consideration all these facts, we, the above-mentioned, are organizing collection of signatures for the following: PETITION that is addressed to the: - Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Kofi Annan - U.S. Secretary of State, Mr.Colin Powell - Commissionner in charge of European Commission External Relations, Mr.Chris Patten - EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr.Javier Solana - Special Representative of the Secretary General of UN, Mr. Harri Holkeri - Assembly, Government, and President of Kosova and with which we demand: 1. Uncovering of the facts about the fate of Kosova kidnapped citizens and their return to Kosova. We ask that international aid and loans to Serbia be conditional upon the opening and publication of police and military dossiers. We also demand UNMIK should open the dossiers and initiate legal proceedings. 2. Return to Kosova of about 800 bodies exhumed from mass graves in Serbia by 24th March 2004. We request forensic evidence for more than 900 bodies to be submited to Kosova authorities and all further proceedure to be promulgated in Kosova. 3. An independent investigator to inquire into all issues related to the transportation and exhumation of these corpses and to initiate the conduct of the legal prosecution of these crimes. 4. The return of corpses and opening of dossiers, as a non-negotiable and non-technical issue, to serve as a priority prerequisite in all future talks between Kosova and Serbia, whenever they take place and regardless of whom will they be chaired and/or conducted by. KKAF Sheremet Ademi Nesrete Kumnova KAN Linda Gusia Albin Kurti ______________________________________________________________ If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message to: kcc-news-unsubscribe at alb-net.com , or visit KCC-NEWS's page at: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/kcc-news From mentor at alb-net.com Sun Nov 16 12:24:46 2003 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Albanians-Today News and Information) Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:24:46 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Dibra-L] [Albanians-Today] Greece: Immigrantion control-Human rights abuses against Albanians Message-ID: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Albanians-Today News and Information: http://www.alb-net.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engeur250082003 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Public Statement AI Index: EUR 25/008/2003 (Public) News Service No: 259 14 November 2003 Greece: Immigrantion control-Human rights abuses against Albanians Amnesty International is concerned by a persisting pattern of ill-treatment of Albanians suspected of being undocumented immigrants by Greek police officers and soldiers. Shpetim Shabani (28) from Lushnja district in Albania, who says that he was legally in Greece, was arrested on 10 November in the town of Agrinio. In a statement to Albanian border police on 12 November, he alleged that three Greek police officers, dressed in camouflage uniforms, entered the bar where he was drinking coffee, asked to see his papers, and then, in public view beat him with their guns, kicked and punched him. He was then taken to a police station, where he was held for two days, before being forcibly returned to Albania. Three days later, the bruises on his body were still reportedly visible, and his left shoulder was very painful. Two other men gave written statements to the Albanian police alleging ill-treatment. Albert Prifti, from Kucova district, and Vetiak Mane from Lushnja district, alleged that they were beaten by border guards or soldiers on border duties, after being arrested as they attempted clandestinely to enter Greece on foot. Another young man, Lisian Telhaj, also from Lushnja district, who claimed to be legally employed in Athens, told journalists that he too had been beaten by police after his arrest near the Greek-Albanian border. These incidents follow upon the tragic death in September of Vullnet Bytyci (18) from Has district in Albania, about whom Amnesty International wrote earlier to the Greek authorities. He was fatally shot by a Greek border guard on the evening of 23 September 2003 while attempting to enter Greece clandestinely. He was not armed. According to press reports, the guard was arrested but released several days later pending investigation on a charge of "reckless homicide". In the same letter, Amnesty International raised six other cases said to have taken place in the week from 15 to 22 September 2003 involving Albanian citizens who alleged that they had been brutally beaten by border-guards after being arrested. One of these, Gori Halili (46) from Elbasan district, who had been working in the village of Kalithea, alleged that he was beaten, kicked and robbed by guards serving on the Greek-Albanian border near Krystallopigi, before being returned to Albania. On his return he was admitted to hospital where he was found to have suffered a ruptured spleen, and had to undergo an operation for its removal. Another man, Rrahman Pashollari, who alleged that he had been similarly detained and ill-treated by border guards, sustained a fractured rib. At least two further such incidents have been reported in October and early November. Amnesty International has called on the Greek authorities to instruct police and soldiers on border guard duties to limit the use of firearms to situations involving imminent threat of death or serious injury, in line with international standards. It emphasized that torture and ill-treatment are absolutely prohibited by international human rights treaties ratified by Greece and by Greek domestic law. The organisation calls for all such incidents and allegations of ill-treatment to be promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated, and for those responsible to be brought to justice, and the victims granted compensation. ______________________________________________________________ If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message to: albanians-today-unsubscribe at alb-net.com , or visit Albanians-Today's page at: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanians-today