From amead at maine.rr.com Wed Nov 19 13:26:13 2003 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 13:26:13 -0500 Subject: [KAN-Info] apologies Message-ID: November 19, 2003 Dear friends and subscribers to KAN-Info list, Please accept our sincere apology for having received 7-8 unwanted e-mails from KAN-Info in the past few days. These messages were mistakenly distributed through the list. We have taken the necessary measures to ensure that such messages are not distributed through the list again. Sincerely, Alice Mead KAN intl coordinator From amead at maine.rr.com Wed Nov 26 09:23:12 2003 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 09:23:12 -0500 Subject: [KAN-Info] KAN NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER Message-ID: <20031130224730.1966910C8025@alb-net.com> KOSOVA ACTION NETWORK NOVEMBER 23, 2003 PRISHTINA, KOSOVA KAN NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER ?WE ARE ALL MISSING THEM-" KAN?S FAR-REACHING CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE RETURN OF THE MISSING TO THEIR FAMILIES (to help, just sign the online petition at: www.kan-ks.org) Kosova Action Network?s broad-based campaign to advocate for the return of the missing gathered steam during November, 2003. The petition text, campaign summary by Albin Kurti, plus information about media coverage, and relief efforts is included later in the newsletter. Number of signatures gathered so far- KAN Office- 11 000 Missing families- 10 000 >From Gjakova- 12 500 SIU UP- 6000 KLMDNJ- 20,000 (will give an accurate number during next week) (Information submitted by Ilir Hoxha.) -------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, Ireland KAN activist, Valerie Hughes, handed the petition to Chris Patten on his recent visit to Dublin. (Moral?KAN is everywhere!) ---------------------------------------------------------- COPY OF PETITION ?S TEXT NOVEMBER 1, 2003 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 ---------------------------------------------- Re: Summary of the Campaign "We Are All Missing Them." From: Albin Kurti The Coordinating Council of Family Associations of the Hostages, Missing and families with war victims (KKAF), and the network of activists Kosova Action Network (KAN) organized a petition and started the collection of signatures on November 1, 2003. The petition was launched with a press conference with high media attendance by all the Kosovar Press, TV and newspapers, it reached the headline news on Radio Television Kosova. On the press platform presenting the campaign was Sheremet Ademi, Nesrete Kumnova and Hysni Berisha from KKAF and Dardan Velija, Siobhan Cleary and Albin Kurti from KAN. 2.100 posters of B2 format were produced and 950 were distributed to the activists of KKAF who cover 18 municipalities of Kosova. 250 posters were distributed by the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) who have offices almost in every municipality (out of 30) in Kosova. The Students Independent Union of the University of Prishtina (SIU UP) received 100 posters and put these in the faculties, libraries and dormitories. Activists from different NGOs (like Kosovo Youth Network and Integra) who gather young people, helped distribute the posters. KAN activists put up approx 500 posters in Prishtina. KKAF, CDHRF and SIUUP until now have put up all the posters they were provided with. Posters were placed in cafeterias, supermarkets, banks, post offices, bakeries, shops etc. Next to the poster a pen and a paper were placed, people are asked to write their name and surname, their date of birth, place of birth and signature in separate columns. In order to have as many signatures as possible, Siobhan Cleary designed a media campaign called "We are all missing them". She directed a 55 seconds video clip which has been broadcast from the 1st of November three times during the day mainly at prime time on three national television stations and 8 local TV stations. A radio version has been produced using the voice over of the video which is being aired on 10 radio stations. The video and radio version are online and can be heard and seen on the KAN website. The script for the video clip was written by Siobhan Cleary, Milot Cakaj and Albin Kurti. Photographs by Atdhe Mulla, voice over by Luan Jaha and Vlora from Urban FM . Music and sound engineering by Toton and the video editor was Liridon of Radio Television of Kosova graphics. We would also like to thank Besim and Besnik of Radio Television Graphics and to Radio Television of Kosova for post production facilities. Two prime time live TV shows on RTK and RTV21 featured KAN activists Ilir Hoxha, Linda Gusia and Albin Kurti participated together with Sheremet Ademi and Nesrete Kumnova from KKAF. A live interview with Dardan Velija took place during the morning program on KTV. There have been many radio interviews with KAN activists and those from KKAF and the extent of the coverage has been impressive. All activists are regularly visiting the shops, cafes and all of the places where the posters were posted and replacing the signed sheets with new ones. KAN activists are visiting different towns regionally to see how this campaign is developing. Xhelal Sve?la and Albin Kurti, on November 11, 2003 were in the municipality of Klina, they had a meeting with over 50 members from the families of the missing. They were together with Sheremet Ademi, Nesrete Kumnova, Imer Mllaku, Sana Berisha and Ferdeze Efendija in a meeting with the Mayor of the Klina Municipality, Ram? Manaj, whose family members were kidnapped and they are missing too. From this municipality there are 129 persons missing. There were 136, but seven of them were found dead. Media covered this meeting and Albin Kurti gave an in depth interview for the main local radio station. Milot Kelmendi, Siobhan Cleary, Gjeneza Budima and Albin Kurti on November 13, 2003 went to Gjakova. Together with the Mothers of Missing they collected signatures in the street. Mothers of the Missing in Gjakova set up a special stall with a banner and tables to gather signitures at the wall of memory in the town centre. This event had media coverage from all the three national TV stations and many locals radio and TV stations. In Gjakova there are 739 missing persons. In the evening there was a live TV show where for 45 minutes Nesrete Kumnova and Albin Kurti were interviewed. Regarding follow up activities, Gjeneza Budima and Milot Kelmendi will be visiting municipalities all over Kosova in order to help the families there to gather as many signatures as possible. -------------------------------------- RELIEF EFFORT?UK KAN activist, Bernie Sullivan is organizing a relief effort to aid families of missing of all ethnicities with his organization, Hope and Aid and the NGO Samartin?s Purse. For further information on how you can help, contact Bernie at: Hope & Aid Direct www.hopeandaiddirect.org.uk ------------------------------- Petition support from NAAC/DC Recently sent to all NAAC Board and Advisory Members Dear members, I received the below message from one of our advisory board members Alice Mead. Thank you. Valbona Sherifi Public Relations Coordinator National Albanian American Council 2021 L Street, NW, Suite 402 Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-466-6900 www.naac.org -------------------------------------------------- from Siobhan Cleary, KAN activist/media coordinator for campaign-- The missing person spot runs 55 seconds. For the next three months, it will be shown on Radio Television Kosova, Koha Vision, Television 21 and seven local TV stations. Credits for the Missing Persons Video Clip -- Script: Milot Cakaj, Albin Kurti, Siobhan Cleary Photographs: Atdhe Mulla Voice Over: Luan Jaha Vlora of Urban FM Music and sound engineering: Toton Editor: Liridon of Radio Television Kosova Graphics Thanks also to Besim and Besnik of Radio Television Kosova Graphics and to Radio Television Kosova for their post production facilities. KAN OFFICE STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS HELD A RETREAT to discuss goals and methods of achieving those goals. ******************************************************** The KAN office always welcomes volunteers and new members. Contact- Ilir Hoxha at office @ kan-ks.org. HAPPY BAJRAM, THANKSGIVING, AND FLAG DAY!_________________