The President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (HOP) in Sandzak, Sefko Alomerovic, stated on Friday (December 17) that "Muslims-Bosniaks in Kosovo, although they did not participate in Serb-Albanian clashes, were victims of both sides," reports BETA. At a press conference in Belgrade, Alomerovic stated that about 40,000 Muslims left Kosovo in 1998 and 1999. Those who tried to return to their homes after the arrival of KFOR were murdered.
Predsednik Helsinskog Komiteta za ljudska prava u Sandžaku, Šefko Alomerović izjavio je u Petak (17/Dec/1999) da su "Muslimani-Bosnjaci na Kosovu, iako nisu ucestvovali u Srpsko-Albanskom sukobu, postali zrtve obeju strana u sukobu," izvestava BETA. Na konferenciji za stampu u Beogradu, Alomerovic je napomenuo da je oko 40000 Muslimana napustilo Kosovo u 1998 i 1999. Oni koji su pokusali da se vrate kucama posle dolaska KFOR-a su ubijeni.
He said that in 1998 and 1999 "Serb forces burned down Bosniak houses in
Kosovo, and that after the arrival of KFOR members of the Kosovo Liberation Army started to abduct Muslims-Bosniaks, set their houses on fire and engage in other violent acts. In Pristina, out of 11,000 Muslims-Bosniaks before the war, only 70 families remain [i.e. about 400 people]. Since the arrival of KFOR 51 Muslim-Bosniak has been killed, including 11 women. In Kosovska Mitrovica, 92 Bosniak houses in the Bosniak Quarter have been set on fire, and another 60 Bosniak houses in the village of Vitomirica [near Pec] suffered the same fate," said Alomerovic.
On je rekao da je su 1998 i 1999 "Srpske snage spaljivale kuce Bosnjaka na Kosovu, a da su posle dolaska KFOR-a clanovi Oslobodilacke Armije Kosova - OVK poceli da otimaju Muslimane-Bosnjake, spaljuju njihove kuce i vrse druge nasilnicke radnje. U Pristini, broj od oko 11000 Muslimana-Bosnjaka pre rata je spao na 70 porodica [oko 400 ljudi]. Od dolaska KFOR-a 51 Musliman-Bosnjak je ubijen, ukljucujuci 11 zena. U Kosovskoj Mitrovici, 92 Bosnjackih kuca je spaljeno u Bosnjackom Kvartu, dok je nekih 60 Bosnjackih kuca u selu Vitomirica [blizu Peci] stradalo na isti nacin", rekao je Alomerovic.
He also said that in the south of Kosovo Muslims-Bosniaks are not pressured
to leave but to instead assimilate. As a proof of this Alomerovic quoted
threats to the citizens of Sredacka Zupa, Podgora and Gora [Gorans, Slavic,
Serb-language-speaking Muslims who consider themselves distinct from
Muslims-Bosniaks] that "even [their] dogs and cats will speak Albanian".
The Helsinki Committee, according to Alomerovic, has evidence and documents which prove that some Muslims-Bosniaks have been issued "permits to use Bosniak language" and charged for that "service".
Takođe je rekao da Muslimani-Bošnjaci na jugu Kosova nisu trpeli pritisak da se isele ali je zato pokušano da se asimiliraju. Kao dokaz toga Alomerović citira tretman žitelja Sredačke Župe, Podgore i Gore [Goranci, Sloveni, Muslimani koji govore Srpskim jeyikom koji sebe doživljavaju različitim od Muslimana-Bošnjaka] koji "čak i svoje pse i mačke moraju naučiti da govore Albanski". Helsinški komitet, u po Alomeroviću, ima uvid u dokumenta koja dokazuju da su neki Muslimani-Bošnjaci dobili dozvolu "da govore Bosanski jezik" i da im je ta usluga naplaćena.
The President of the Helsinki Committee for Sandzak added that Albanians
who visit markets in Rozaje and Plav [two municipalities in Montenegro
with Muslim majority, bordering Kosovo] "fanatically insist on speaking
the Albanian language. When the villagers from the Rozaje area respond
that they to not speak Albanian, they are told that they 'will have to
learn Albanian language, because this is Albanian land' or that they 'will
have to learn if they ever intend to go to Kosovo'," said Alomerovic. He
accused the president of the Party for Democratic Action (SDA) for Kosovo,
Numan Balic, of hiding the truth about violence against Muslims-Bosniaks.
Balic, who lived for seven years in Albania, is a member of Hashim Thaqi's
"provisional Kosovo government".
Predsednik Helsinškog komiteta za Sandžak je dodao da Albanci koji posećuju Rožaj i Plav [dve opštine u Crnoj Gori sa Muslimanskom većinom, koje se graniče sa Kosovom] "fanatično insistiraju da govore Albanskim jezikom. Kada su meštani Rožaja odgovorili da ne govore Albanski, uzvraćeno im je 'mi ćemo vas naučiti Albanskom jeziku zato što je ovo Albanska zemlja' ili ćete morati da naučite kada budete hteli da ikada posetite Kosovo" rekao je Alomerović. On je optužio predsednika SDA za Kosovo, Numana Balića da skriva istinu o nasilju koje Albanci sprovode prema Muslimanima-Bošnjacima. Balić koji je živeo sedam godina u Albaniji je član Tačijeve "Kosovske vlade".
Alomerovic also talked about the status of Muslims in FR Yugoslavia during
the last eight years, since the beginning of the armed clashes in the
former Yugoslavia. He stated that in that period, there were six abductions,
51 citizens were abducted and murdered and another 38 were killed in their
homes, at work and in public spots. He stated that between 1991 and 1995,
60,000 to 80,000 Muslims left FRY because of "brutal repression and
violence".
Alomerović je govorio i o statusu Muslimana u SRJ Jugoslaviji tokom poslednjih osam godina, od početka oružanih sukoba u bivšoj Jugoslaviji. Naveo je da je u tom periodu bilo šest otmica, 51 građanin je otet i ubijen dok je ostalih 38 bilo ubijeno u njihovim kućama, na poslu i na javnim mestima. Naveo je da je između 1991 i 1995, između 60000 i 80000 Muslimana napustilo SRJ zbog "brutalne represije i nasilja".
Alomerovic emphasized that before the signing of the Dayton Agreement
Muslims in FRY were "abducted and murdered and their villages were burnt
and ethnically cleansed". The president of HOP in Sandzak said that "the
regime in Serbia has enacted five laws which discriminate against citizens
based on their ethnicity. These laws are the law about the trade with
real estate, the law about the administrative divisions in Serbia which
divided Sandzak into two counties, and the law about electoral districts
which in practice requires 40,000 to 80,000 votes per one representative
in the Serbian Parliament in Sandzak, while half that number is required
in the rest of Serbia," stated Alomerovic.
Alomerović je naglasio da su pre potpisivanja mirovnog sporazuma u Dejtonu Muslimani u SRJ "otimani i ubijani a njihova sela su spaljivana i etnički čišćena". Predsednik HOP u Sandžaku je rekao da "režim u Srbiji doneo pet zakona koji diskriminišu građane zbog njihove etničke pripadnosti. Ti zakoni su zakon o trgovini nekretninama, zakon o administrativnoj podeli Srbije koja je podelila Sandžak u dve države, i zakon o lokalnim izborima koji praktično zahteva 40000 do 80000 glasova za jednog predstavnika u Srpskom Parlamentu u Sadnžaku, dok je polovina tog broja potrebna u ostatku Srbije", rekao je Alomerović.
Alomerovic stressed that the status of Muslims in Montenegro is not
significantly different from their status in Serbia and that "the regime
in Montenegro is no different from the regime in Serbia in its treatment
of ethnic minorities, except in its skill of political manipulation". To
the question about the behavior of the Yugoslav Army with respect to Muslims
during the NATO bombardment, Alomerovic stated that "there was no violence. The Army behaved well and Bosniaks were not mobilized".
Alomerović je naveo da Muslimani u Crnoj Gori nemaju značajno bolji status nego njihovi sunarodnici u Srbiji i da " se režim u Crnoj Gori ne razlikuje od režima u Srbiji po načinu tetiranja manjina, izuzimajući sposobnost političke manipulacije". Pitanje ponašanja Jugoslovenske Armije prema Muslimanima tokom NATO kampanje, Alomerović je naveo da "nije bilo nasilja. Armija se ponašala dobro i Bošnjaci nisu bili mobilisani".