[From nobody Fri Sep 28 16:27:27 2007 Return-Path: <a-pal-admin@alb-net.com> Received: from rly-zc02.mx.aol.com (rly-zc02.mail.aol.com [172.31.33.2]) by air-zc02.mail.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:55:12 -0500 Received: from alb-net.com (alb-net.com [199.173.50.4]) by rly-zc02.mx.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:54:50 -0500 Received: from alb-net.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by alb-net.com (8.11.2/8.11.2) with ESMTP id f1JEqRS12296; Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:52:27 -0500 (EST) Received: from smtp-server.maine.rr.com (smtp-server.maine.rr.com [204.210.65.66]) by alb-net.com (8.11.2/8.11.2) with ESMTP id f1JEhoS12153 for <a-pal@alb-net.com>; Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:43:51 -0500 (EST) Received: from [66.30.16.95] (ptldme-cmt3-c3-66-30-16-95.maine.rr.com [66.30.16.95]) by smtp-server.maine.rr.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 869463C8E7 for <a-pal@alb-net.com>; Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:46:40 -0500 (EST) Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: amead@pop-server.maine.rr.com (Unverified) Message-Id: <v04220800b6b6deef114f@[66.30.16.95]> To: a-pal@alb-net.com From: Alice Mead <amead@mail.maine.rr.com> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1229529083==_ma============" Subject: [A-PAL] A-PAL NEWSLETTER 2/19/01 Sender: a-pal-admin@alb-net.com Errors-To: a-pal-admin@alb-net.com X-BeenThere: a-pal@alb-net.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.1 Precedence: bulk List-Help: <mailto:a-pal-request@alb-net.com?subject=help> List-Post: <mailto:a-pal@alb-net.com> List-Subscribe: <http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/a-pal>, <mailto:a-pal-request@alb-net.com?subject=subscribe> List-Id: Albanian Prisoner Advocacy List -- Prisoner Pals <a-pal.alb-net.com> List-Unsubscribe: <http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/a-pal>, <mailto:a-pal-request@alb-net.com?subject=unsubscribe> List-Archive: <http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail//a-pal/> Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:36:51 -0500 X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) --============_-1229529083==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <fontfamily><param>Geneva</param><bigger><bigger>A-PAL ALBANIAN PRISONER ADVOCACY FEBRUARY 19, 2001 <underline>STATEMENT ON CONDITION OF THE 650 REMAINING PRISONERS </underline> Today in Prishtina, the office of the Association of Prisoners is crowded with worried family members. According to some prisoners at Nis Prison, guards have entered the first and second floor and beaten the Albanians there in retaliation for the killings of Serbs in Kosova and Presevo during the past week. Sixteen family members who traveled with ICRC to Belgrade Prison were turned away, the director told them that the prisoners had the flu. Two prisoners recently released from Belgrade Prison said that conditions there were terrible-- that they don't have enough air to breathe, that prisoners are in weakened condition and talk openly of suicide, and are planning a hunger strike.=20 =20 While it still is impossible to know who, exactly, is responsible for the brutal bombing of the bus full of Serb civilians last Friday, three points remain consistently clear: 1. the rights and survival of the 650 prisoners are in constant jeopardy 2. the prisoners are political hostages whose survival and freedom is completely dependent on events in and around Kosova and Serbia 3. the stability of Kosova, and the survival of the prisoners, can be threatened by the violent criminal acts of a few people, Albanian or Serb. It is the criminal violence that is destabilizing, not the ethnicity of the perpetrator.=20 While we deplore the recent bombings, we must continue to urge the FRY and Serb Parliament to continue its process with regard to the amnesty law. The plans for the release of the prisoners cannot be contingent upon criminal acts of violence by others. Consider this: if an Asian gang committed a string of murders in Atlanta, would the U.S. courts and prisons then be justified in prolonging and even torturing all Asian prisoners in Los Angeles and Washington, DC? <bold>As long as one member of an ethnic group is viewed not as an individual with inviolable rights but as a stand-in for an entire population, the future of both Serbia and Kosova (and therefore the NATO nations) will be hostage to ethnic violence.=20 </bold>Detaining the 650 prisoners further will not halt this kind of violence. Further well-considered steps down the road to protection of human rights eventually will. We must urge the Serb Parliament to take this step forward towards justice and normalization and not backwards towards ethnic retaliation. Readers' comments are reassuring in showing that people all over the world are committed to establishing justice and human rights in both Kosova and Serbia. Our hope lies in their willingness to share their points of view for our consideration and in their, as well as our, persistence and belief in democratic principles in the face of difficulties and setbacks. ________________________________________________ <bold>READERS' COMMENTS: "please do not give up." </bold></bigger></bigger></fontfamily> =20 ****************************** <fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Dear friend(s) at A-Pal, Please acknowledge that there is a more than 50 - 50 chance that serbian interior/inteligence agents are still acting and carrying out missions in Kosova. I strongly believe that the bus attack might have, I repeat might have been the work of serbian espionage agents attempting to de-rail the fragile success that UNMIK has so far achieved. I do not think that these people in power today in serbia rate life very highly (even their own nationality), as we saw with milosevc and his human shields and another example was hilighted recently when we found out that he had put his own TV journalists in the serbian TV building (headquarters) during the NATO bombing campaign knowing full well it was a targeted building.What do you think???=20 Reguards Ilirian=20 Australia. _________________________________________________________ </fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Geneva</param><bigger><bigger>Now when I hear on the news about the revenge attacks happening there, it makes me very sad. Insted of trying to build the future of Kosova, people there are attacking each other. Instead of trying to convince international community that the only solution for Kosova's future is Independence, they are doing the opposite.=20 But, I am still hopeful that one day Kosova will be free, that people=20 will live in harmony with each other, that children will be able to go to=20 school happy and free. Thank you, Kujtim=20 Princeton New Jersey ____________________________________________ "The violence has to stop immediately because that undermines all efforts made by the Kosovo people and the international community to build a tolerant and democratic society for all citizens," said a statement issued by Rugova's office in Pristina. Democratic Party of Kosovo, the second party derived from ex-KLA members, also strongly condemned the killings, calling it a "criminal act" and urged NATO's Kosovo Force and U.N. police to find and punish the criminals, whether they are Albanians or Serbs. "We strongly condemn this criminal act and ask the legal authorities to investigate as soon as possible so that the criminals face with justice. These criminals do not have (the protection of) a nationality, they are criminals and have to be sentenced," says Fatmir Limaj, a DP leader. Seven Serbs were killed, 10 critically injured and 33 others hurt by a remote control bomb exploded when a Serb convoy crossed Kosovo border close to Podujeva Friday. This is the second violent attack against Serbs within three days in Kosovo.A KFOR spokesman said they have arrested two people in connection with the bombings, and KFOR has increased security measures to avoid clashes between Serbs and Albanians. --AUGUSTE GUILLIAME EDMONTON, CANADA --_________________________________________ </bigger></bigger></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Dear A_PAL this morning - more brutal attacks in South Serbia, and presently there is a press conference holding in Bujanovac. My people down there is too sad to hate anybody today, as I felt talking to some of my friends from Bujanovac this morning. Yesterday my state proclaimed 18 February as The Day of Mourning for the dead in buss near Podujevo. And today=8A.This is beyond reasonable line of understanding, but knowing Albanian terrorists, they will keep doing it until their political leaders stop them, and they are not doing it at all. =20 Blown up and killed at the spot near village of Lucane by Albanian terrorist mine when delivering food to the police positions there. Three dead policemen are from Belgrade, Vozdovac, their names are: Miomir Jeremic, Milenko Zivotic, Boban Mitic. =20 Please mention their names in your prayer. Jovana, belgrade </fontfamily> _________________________________________________ <bold><fontfamily><param>Arial</param>DEAR A-PAL, I TOTALY AGREE WITH YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT HAPPEND IN PODUJEVA (KOSOVA). I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING WORSE IN THIS WORLD THAN THESE ACTS. (BUT MILLOSEVIC-ES AKTS). HOWEVER, I SEE AND I KNOW, THAT, THERE ARE TO MANY PEOPLE IN KOSOVA WHO LOST A FAMILY MEMBERS, OR HAVE THEM STILL, IN SRBIAN PRISONERS, SO (I BELIVE) THAY DO NOT CARE ABOUT POLITICS,WRIGHTS, HUMAN WRIGHTS, OR ANYTHING ELSE. THAY CONSIDER THEMSELFS PEOPLE WITH NO FUTURE. IN THIS CASE I THINK, WE, YOU AND ALL HUMMAN WRIGHT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD, EROPIAN COUNTRYES NEED TO WORK LITTLE BIT MORE , TO DO MORE AND REAL PRESSURE TO KOSTUNICA TO FINALY AND URGENTLY BRING AMNESTY LAW AND RELISE ALBANIAN PRISONERS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD STEP TO BRING EVERYBODY IN LEVEL, IN WHICH THAY CAN COUNT IN THEIR FUTURE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT. WE CAN NOT BUILD A REAL KOSOVA WITH THESE ACTS. SO, PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP. LUIGI, Michigan, USA ____________________________________________________ Submitted by Mr. Bart Staes, Member of EP, Feb. 13, 2001 Brussels. Mr. Kinnock, E.C. : " The honourable Member is correct in stating that the proposed amnesty law, wich is still only a proposal before both the Serbian Parliament and the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, will not cover anyone convicted of offences considered to be acts of terrorism. The European Union has already repeatedly called for the release of all Kosovo Albanian prisoners. The EU ministerial troika which visited Belgrade on 8 February also expressed concern at the fact that the proposed amnesty law will not cover all those convicted of political offences by the Milosevic regime. The Commission has been fully involved in these initiatives, and the European Parliament's ad hoc delegation, which visited from 8 to 10 February, also raised this issue in the relevant quarters. The Serbian and federal authorities have indicated their intention to urgently re-examine the cases of those not covered by the law, particularly to ascertain whether the convictions are sound or not. As of today, the prisoners have still, regrettably, not been released. The EU will keep up the pressure to ensure that they are. " </fontfamily></bold>_______________________________________________________ --============_-1229529083==_ma============-- ]