Tear gas, stun grenades against protesting Serbs

" The injured Serb was released from hospital after he received treatment, while a number of others complained about health problems caused by tear gas. "

And they should consider themselves lucky it's just that: stopping people from going to their houses is a major crime.


>>" Lazić also announced that locals would continue with protests until an agreement is reached, and ethnic Albanians desist from renewing five houses in that part of the settlement. "

The nerve this guy has! People can't build their houses unless he gives permission??? Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary. Start by arresting people

alban:

Are there any Serbs left in S. Mitrovica? We are not talking about rest of Kosovo, Pristina etc.. just S. Mitrovica? Has any Serb been allowed to return to their home there? How many alban are living in Serb homes there? You need to be ashamed alban.

We, Serbs from Kosovo, very well know what Albanians want. I lived in Kosovo Polje (KP) before 1999, which then had about 12000 residents (more than 70% Serbs, less than 25% Albanians and about 5% Roma). Now, KP has a few Serbs living in the town and a few more hundreds in the rural areas around the town.

If Albanians return to Brdjani village, those Serbian residents from there will face the same destiny likewise those from Kosovo Polje and other Kosovo’s towns. You Albanians must understand that Kosovo Serbs after ALL neither trust you nor UNMIK-EULEX. For those who do not understand why, here are some facts: 2/3 of Serbian population was brutally expelled from Kosovo since ‘99, 1252 killed [in the “peace”], 1150 kidnapped [Albanian extremists sold their body organs first and then probably killed them], 2257 wounded, 1500 medieval churches and monasteries destroyed, more that 200 cemeteries desecrated and 5100 tombstones demolished, 2mil. books in Serbian language burned, all Serbian monuments, etc. After ’99 international community has found 144 concentration camps where Kosovo Serbs have been tortured.

Brdo's Serb representative Siniša Lazić told reporters that the international community in the province has "made it its goal to drive Serbs out of that settlement and out of northern Kosovo with the use of force".

No - the international community has made its goal to protect albanians who are rightly rebuilding their houses from the violent group of serbs who want to stop them.

"We will be persistent in our efforts to solve the problem peacefully, but it looks as if international peacekeepers and Albanians do not want that," he said.

First, I really don’t understand what problem this man is talking about. There is no problem! You are creating the problem! Leave the people rebuild their homes and there is no problem. Instead of making these kind of statements and incite conflicts and trouble please go and talk to the Serb IDPs and encourage them to return to their homes and property. Kosovo Government and institutions are sincerely calling ALL DISPLACED to return to their homes.

All urban areas in Kosovo and Metohija, I repeat ALL, except one part of the city of Kosovska Mitrovica are ethnically cleaned from the Serbs. They (read Kosovo Serbs) also would like to go back to their houses (razed to the ground) and apartments (occupied) in Pristina, Pec, Klina, Decane, Gnjilane, Kosovska Kamenica, Vitina, Prizren, Orahovac, Urosevac, Stimlje, Lipljan, etc. Why EULEX doesn’t start doing that but they want now to disturb the piece in the north of Ibar - the only place where Serbs at least partially do not feel like in ghetto.

" Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary. Start by arresting people
(Alban, 27 April 2009, 13:25)"

You sound like Milosevic - only more extreme!

"Kosovo Government and institutions are sincerely calling ALL DISPLACED to return to their homes.
(PZ, 27 April 2009 14:02)"

If only it was sincere and even if it were then you have a problem with the people as demonstrated in 2004 and before. Words are easy. 10 years on and the conditions are still not right for the return of all displaced people. Who truly believes that, with few exceptions, that is not the case? And who's failing is that....let me guess it's everyone elses.

So yes you are right in the first part that everyone should be allowed to return but at least have some understanding, real or perceived, that serbs are being driven from kosovo by whatever means possible and the real fact that the conditions are not right for the return of all displaced people. In those circumstances one way traffic is very dangerous.

"Lazić also announced that locals would continue with protests until an agreement is reached, and ethnic Albanians desist from renewing five houses in that part of the settlement."


"Jeremic-We look for a peaceful solution acceptable to both sides, but Serbia will never agree to Independence".

Serbia is full of jokers.

And they should consider themselves lucky it's just that: stopping people from going to their houses is a major crime.
(Alban, 27 April 2009, 13:25)

Yes, but the ownership of these houses is unclear. Please read again:

"The Serbs remind that the reconstruction of Albanian houses is possible only with an agreement reached by both sides – a provision of a deal reached in 2000."

You can own a house with restricted use rights and in that case you can't do anything about the house. This is widely practiced in Hungary at least. You own the house, but someone has the so-called "haszonélvezet" on your house - you can't even enter your house without permit, save to change it (reconstruction is a change).

Obviously some sort of similar agreement was made in 2000 - please read it again. We do not know the detail, but if legally it is similar to the said "haszonélvezet" scheme: it's precisely the owner who would enter his own house will incriminate himself.

"Property Right" ("haszonélvezet") is above the "Ownership Right".

Consider this situation:

- my mother-in-law has 100% "haszonélvezet" on my house
- she is old, she ruined the house
- I want to repair it, but she does not agree because we have bad relationship
- I still go and try to repair my own house, without her permit

What she would do? Of course, slap me in the face, maybe get more violent - but probably ultimately call the police. Under normal circumstances she will be mildly fined for violence and I will be fined much worse because of.... entering my home! That's the law here.

In order to judge properly we have to know the details of the deal reached in 2000 and how does it affect the property rights, not just the ownership. Since we do not know it, probably not much to say.

Proper action from the police: separate the people who are fighting and let the lawyers and judges speak. Probably that is what happened but we do not know the details even to that degree.

Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary.
Alban

Funny you should say this since you think it's ok to proclaim independence even though it goes against international LAW. That's the funny thing with albanians. You should follow the law as long as it fits your agenda otherwise it's ok to break it.

This is counterproductive. There's far better ways to deal with this type of brutality.

My suggestion is a group of Serbs cross the Ibar into southern Mitrovica, but not with guns and pitchforks, but with building materials and hammers, and start (re)building their own houses. When the expected frenzied Albanian mob forms 5 minutes after to protest what amounts to the attempted beginning of another Greater Serbia program, I fully expect EULEX to release the hounds in kind. Why should EULEX be forced to fire only on Serbs? They're supposed to be an impartial enforcer of the law, not Thaci's hired mercenaries.

Meet riot control with riot control. Serbs need to stop reacting and start doing.

Either that, of someone needs to tell these Albanian settlers in northern Mitrovica that they're more than welcome to live there under the knowledge that they're an Albanian minority in de facto Serbian territory. It can be to them what Gorazdevac is to Serbs.

To Alban and other Albanians - Serbs from North Kosovo DON'T RECOGNIZE albanian state of Kosovo. They don't use kosovan law and don't take orders from Kosovo's authorities.

Now these are going to be some very expensive houses when NATO troops and EULEX officers are needed to guard them day in day out during construction and afterwards. I really can't see the cost benefit of this whole excercise considering those troops are desparately needed in Afghanistan.

No wonder the EU/US are so bankrupt and have lost the war in Afghanistan when they devote so many resources to misguided adventures without reaching agreements with relevant parties. We should know by now that unilateralism is a recipe for disaster as has already been seen in many regions throughout the world.

I am hopeful they will learn eventually.

Ilir (#16) wrote (among other things) "The blame rest with Belgarde who refuse to recognize Kosovo, and let the people in Kosovo ither (?) Serb or Albanian to get on with the life! By being nasty in interviews or using threatening behaviour, Belgrade regime only makes life much more harder for the Serb in Kosovo, and in the end will push them out of Kosovo.
You only got your self to blame!
(Ilir, 27 April 2009 21:32)"

So much ignorance in such a small piece of writing. Let me reply point by point.

There are many more countries that do not recognize Kosovo's illegal UDI than that recognize it. The blame can therefore not be solely with the Serbian government in Belgrade.

Serbs in Kosovo want to move on with their lives, but within Serbia and not under a terrorist KLA leadership. Within Serbia Kosovo Serbs are not a minority and that is all that matters.

Talking about nasty comments. Most Albanians posting their comments here are trashing all that is Serbia and Serb constantly.

It is the Kosovo Albanians who are constantly threatening (violence) if it turns out they will not get their way (even with small insignificant things).

Kosovo Albanians make life harder for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo (together with NATO, UNMUK, EULEX and so on).

It is the Kosovo Albanians together with NATO that ethically cleansed most Serbs from Kosovo. Therefore the blame cannot be with the Serbian government in Belgrade, but withe the terrorist KLA, US, and EU leaderships who eventually, whether it will be on earth in this life or in hell after death, be accountable for all their actions.

Ilir, please stop trashing this site and making a fool of yourself by posting these lies and irresponsible comments.

God bless Serbia !

Отче наш, Иже еси на небесех! Да святится имя Твое; да приидет Царствие Твое; да будет воля Твоя, яко на небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы оставляем должником нашим; и не введи нас во искушение, но избави нас от лукаваго; яко Твое есть Царство и сила и слава во веки.

Аминь.

KFOR and EULEX should offer protection if needed to the Serb in order to return to their houses. Just the same as they do with the Albanians or the Roma community.
The problem is that the Serb do not wish to return to their houses, and they oppose to any Albanian return.
They don't want to go back because this will mean recognising Kosovo indepedence and obbey to Kosovo law and instutions.
This is the truth! It's nothing to do with the Albanians or the Kosovo goverment.
The blame rest with Belgarde who refuse to recognize Kosovo, and let the people in Kosovo ither Serb or Albanian to get on with the life! By being nasty in interviews or using threatening behaviour, Belgrade regime only makes life much more harder for the Serb in Kosovo, and in the end will push them out of Kosovo.
You only got your self to blame!

By the way who is Mr. Lazic, what does he do, or what's his ocupation?

On this occasion I have to agree with Albanian commentators. People have a right to rebuild their own houses.
I'm also glad that they support everyone's right to return and rebuild.
I don't have a reason yet to consider that KFOR or EULEX would not support Serb return, too.
Mike's suggestion seems reasonable to me.
Albanians are trying to rebuild only 5 houses.
Serbs should now attempt to rebuild 1 or 2 in every settlement where they used to live.
Soon, it would be all very clear.
Albanian sencerity about allowing all returnees to go home.
Or seriousness of KFOR and EULEX to support Serbian return too.
Hopefully, results would be positive.
And if result is negative,at least it would make any cooperation of Serbian officials with EULEX and KFOR impossible.

TEAR GAS they shouldn't waist that in those criminals they should arrest them and probably most of them are serb immigrants from serbia

“"We will be persistent in our efforts to solve the problem peacefully, but it looks as if international peacekeepers and Albanians do not want that," he said”

http://www.eulex-kosovo.eu/?id=8&n=94

This is a press release from EULEX which shows the efforts of solving the “problem” peacefully.

Good! Let the K albs in the north travel under KFOR excort and live behind barbed wire. They can live in a Serb zoo as Serbs live in a K alb zoo.

Every refugee must be allowed to return to their homes, if they so choose. no excuses, no more "he said/she said." no excuses!

and intl forces have to be there to protect the refugees, period.

i suspect that many of you have never been to mitrovica, are just assuming the usual adversarial political positions.

i am not the world's expert, but have spent some time in mitrovica, in both parts (kind of like E and W berlin.) we have met charming people on both sides (duh). one man who worked at our hotel stays in the south but has a home in the north -- perhaps he is one of those who is now deciding to return. i wish him, all of them, the very best.

i do believe that most local people, when left to their own devices (which they are NOT) figure out ways to co-exist -- it actually helps all of them. but some not-so-very-nice folks, mainly from the outside (guess where) are determined to continue to foment violence and hatred. as such, the authorities need to deal with them. does that sound heavy-handed? they are what we refer to as criminals...

there are a lot of victims in the balkans, and i will not continue this endless argument, forever, about who are REALLY the victims. the point is we all need to move on, move forwards.

my message to the blgd regime -- stop holding the people of kosovo/a hostage! we're getting really sick of it.

and thanks to all of you who are working to help make peaceful co-existance a reality.

roberto/ frisco

Andreja, please stop playing with numbers.

So much ignorance in such a small piece of writing. Let me reply point by point. Kosovo Albanians make life harder for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo (together with NATO, UNMUK, EULEX and so on). Therefore the blame cannot be with the Serbian government in Belgrade, but withe the terrorist KLA, US, and EU leaderships
(Milan, 27 April 2009 22:54)

Reading from above you call USA and EU terrorist and also acuse NATO for ethnic cleansing in Kosovo against the Serbs.
And you calling me an ignorant Milan?
I can't possibly take your comment seriously, only as a cheap shot against anything that's Albanian and Western.
YES there're a few countries in EU that don't recognize Kosovo like Rumania or Greece, however i don't see Greeks or Rumanian abandoning Kosovo for ever but SERB. Therefore Serbia by not recognizing Kosovo only make it worse for it self!
I don't think Serb people are intelligent less intelligent than they neighboroughs in Balkans. There isn't a single person in Belgrade who thinks Kosovo indepedence will get reversed by the 60 contries.
Time and time again they get hold hostage to religious fundamentalist establishment in Belgrade and pocket of nationalism left from Millosevic era.

...небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы ...

What's next? How about some downloadable pics of your heroes?
(Gom Gomane, 28 April 2009 09:48)

Hey Gom, if an Orthodox prayer now gets your goat you really need to get some anger management.

...небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы ...

What's next? How about some downloadable pics of your heroes?

" The injured Serb was released from hospital after he received treatment, while a number of others complained about health problems caused by tear gas. "

And they should consider themselves lucky it's just that: stopping people from going to their houses is a major crime.


>>" Lazić also announced that locals would continue with protests until an agreement is reached, and ethnic Albanians desist from renewing five houses in that part of the settlement. "

The nerve this guy has! People can't build their houses unless he gives permission??? Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary. Start by arresting people

Brdo's Serb representative Siniša Lazić told reporters that the international community in the province has "made it its goal to drive Serbs out of that settlement and out of northern Kosovo with the use of force".

No - the international community has made its goal to protect albanians who are rightly rebuilding their houses from the violent group of serbs who want to stop them.

"We will be persistent in our efforts to solve the problem peacefully, but it looks as if international peacekeepers and Albanians do not want that," he said.

First, I really don’t understand what problem this man is talking about. There is no problem! You are creating the problem! Leave the people rebuild their homes and there is no problem. Instead of making these kind of statements and incite conflicts and trouble please go and talk to the Serb IDPs and encourage them to return to their homes and property. Kosovo Government and institutions are sincerely calling ALL DISPLACED to return to their homes.

"Lazić also announced that locals would continue with protests until an agreement is reached, and ethnic Albanians desist from renewing five houses in that part of the settlement."


"Jeremic-We look for a peaceful solution acceptable to both sides, but Serbia will never agree to Independence".

Serbia is full of jokers.

alban:

Are there any Serbs left in S. Mitrovica? We are not talking about rest of Kosovo, Pristina etc.. just S. Mitrovica? Has any Serb been allowed to return to their home there? How many alban are living in Serb homes there? You need to be ashamed alban.

We, Serbs from Kosovo, very well know what Albanians want. I lived in Kosovo Polje (KP) before 1999, which then had about 12000 residents (more than 70% Serbs, less than 25% Albanians and about 5% Roma). Now, KP has a few Serbs living in the town and a few more hundreds in the rural areas around the town.

If Albanians return to Brdjani village, those Serbian residents from there will face the same destiny likewise those from Kosovo Polje and other Kosovo’s towns. You Albanians must understand that Kosovo Serbs after ALL neither trust you nor UNMIK-EULEX. For those who do not understand why, here are some facts: 2/3 of Serbian population was brutally expelled from Kosovo since ‘99, 1252 killed [in the “peace”], 1150 kidnapped [Albanian extremists sold their body organs first and then probably killed them], 2257 wounded, 1500 medieval churches and monasteries destroyed, more that 200 cemeteries desecrated and 5100 tombstones demolished, 2mil. books in Serbian language burned, all Serbian monuments, etc. After ’99 international community has found 144 concentration camps where Kosovo Serbs have been tortured.

" Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary. Start by arresting people
(Alban, 27 April 2009, 13:25)"

You sound like Milosevic - only more extreme!

And they should consider themselves lucky it's just that: stopping people from going to their houses is a major crime.
(Alban, 27 April 2009, 13:25)

Yes, but the ownership of these houses is unclear. Please read again:

"The Serbs remind that the reconstruction of Albanian houses is possible only with an agreement reached by both sides – a provision of a deal reached in 2000."

You can own a house with restricted use rights and in that case you can't do anything about the house. This is widely practiced in Hungary at least. You own the house, but someone has the so-called "haszonélvezet" on your house - you can't even enter your house without permit, save to change it (reconstruction is a change).

Obviously some sort of similar agreement was made in 2000 - please read it again. We do not know the detail, but if legally it is similar to the said "haszonélvezet" scheme: it's precisely the owner who would enter his own house will incriminate himself.

"Property Right" ("haszonélvezet") is above the "Ownership Right".

Consider this situation:

- my mother-in-law has 100% "haszonélvezet" on my house
- she is old, she ruined the house
- I want to repair it, but she does not agree because we have bad relationship
- I still go and try to repair my own house, without her permit

What she would do? Of course, slap me in the face, maybe get more violent - but probably ultimately call the police. Under normal circumstances she will be mildly fined for violence and I will be fined much worse because of.... entering my home! That's the law here.

In order to judge properly we have to know the details of the deal reached in 2000 and how does it affect the property rights, not just the ownership. Since we do not know it, probably not much to say.

Proper action from the police: separate the people who are fighting and let the lawyers and judges speak. Probably that is what happened but we do not know the details even to that degree.

All urban areas in Kosovo and Metohija, I repeat ALL, except one part of the city of Kosovska Mitrovica are ethnically cleaned from the Serbs. They (read Kosovo Serbs) also would like to go back to their houses (razed to the ground) and apartments (occupied) in Pristina, Pec, Klina, Decane, Gnjilane, Kosovska Kamenica, Vitina, Prizren, Orahovac, Urosevac, Stimlje, Lipljan, etc. Why EULEX doesn’t start doing that but they want now to disturb the piece in the north of Ibar - the only place where Serbs at least partially do not feel like in ghetto.

"Kosovo Government and institutions are sincerely calling ALL DISPLACED to return to their homes.
(PZ, 27 April 2009 14:02)"

If only it was sincere and even if it were then you have a problem with the people as demonstrated in 2004 and before. Words are easy. 10 years on and the conditions are still not right for the return of all displaced people. Who truly believes that, with few exceptions, that is not the case? And who's failing is that....let me guess it's everyone elses.

So yes you are right in the first part that everyone should be allowed to return but at least have some understanding, real or perceived, that serbs are being driven from kosovo by whatever means possible and the real fact that the conditions are not right for the return of all displaced people. In those circumstances one way traffic is very dangerous.

This is counterproductive. There's far better ways to deal with this type of brutality.

My suggestion is a group of Serbs cross the Ibar into southern Mitrovica, but not with guns and pitchforks, but with building materials and hammers, and start (re)building their own houses. When the expected frenzied Albanian mob forms 5 minutes after to protest what amounts to the attempted beginning of another Greater Serbia program, I fully expect EULEX to release the hounds in kind. Why should EULEX be forced to fire only on Serbs? They're supposed to be an impartial enforcer of the law, not Thaci's hired mercenaries.

Meet riot control with riot control. Serbs need to stop reacting and start doing.

Either that, of someone needs to tell these Albanian settlers in northern Mitrovica that they're more than welcome to live there under the knowledge that they're an Albanian minority in de facto Serbian territory. It can be to them what Gorazdevac is to Serbs.

KFOR and EULEX should offer protection if needed to the Serb in order to return to their houses. Just the same as they do with the Albanians or the Roma community.
The problem is that the Serb do not wish to return to their houses, and they oppose to any Albanian return.
They don't want to go back because this will mean recognising Kosovo indepedence and obbey to Kosovo law and instutions.
This is the truth! It's nothing to do with the Albanians or the Kosovo goverment.
The blame rest with Belgarde who refuse to recognize Kosovo, and let the people in Kosovo ither Serb or Albanian to get on with the life! By being nasty in interviews or using threatening behaviour, Belgrade regime only makes life much more harder for the Serb in Kosovo, and in the end will push them out of Kosovo.
You only got your self to blame!

Now these are going to be some very expensive houses when NATO troops and EULEX officers are needed to guard them day in day out during construction and afterwards. I really can't see the cost benefit of this whole excercise considering those troops are desparately needed in Afghanistan.

No wonder the EU/US are so bankrupt and have lost the war in Afghanistan when they devote so many resources to misguided adventures without reaching agreements with relevant parties. We should know by now that unilateralism is a recipe for disaster as has already been seen in many regions throughout the world.

I am hopeful they will learn eventually.

Time for law and order to be applied--by any means necessary.
Alban

Funny you should say this since you think it's ok to proclaim independence even though it goes against international LAW. That's the funny thing with albanians. You should follow the law as long as it fits your agenda otherwise it's ok to break it.

God bless Serbia !

Отче наш, Иже еси на небесех! Да святится имя Твое; да приидет Царствие Твое; да будет воля Твоя, яко на небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы оставляем должником нашим; и не введи нас во искушение, но избави нас от лукаваго; яко Твое есть Царство и сила и слава во веки.

Аминь.

TEAR GAS they shouldn't waist that in those criminals they should arrest them and probably most of them are serb immigrants from serbia

To Alban and other Albanians - Serbs from North Kosovo DON'T RECOGNIZE albanian state of Kosovo. They don't use kosovan law and don't take orders from Kosovo's authorities.

Andreja, please stop playing with numbers.

By the way who is Mr. Lazic, what does he do, or what's his ocupation?

...небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы ...

What's next? How about some downloadable pics of your heroes?

So much ignorance in such a small piece of writing. Let me reply point by point. Kosovo Albanians make life harder for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo (together with NATO, UNMUK, EULEX and so on). Therefore the blame cannot be with the Serbian government in Belgrade, but withe the terrorist KLA, US, and EU leaderships
(Milan, 27 April 2009 22:54)

Reading from above you call USA and EU terrorist and also acuse NATO for ethnic cleansing in Kosovo against the Serbs.
And you calling me an ignorant Milan?
I can't possibly take your comment seriously, only as a cheap shot against anything that's Albanian and Western.
YES there're a few countries in EU that don't recognize Kosovo like Rumania or Greece, however i don't see Greeks or Rumanian abandoning Kosovo for ever but SERB. Therefore Serbia by not recognizing Kosovo only make it worse for it self!
I don't think Serb people are intelligent less intelligent than they neighboroughs in Balkans. There isn't a single person in Belgrade who thinks Kosovo indepedence will get reversed by the 60 contries.
Time and time again they get hold hostage to religious fundamentalist establishment in Belgrade and pocket of nationalism left from Millosevic era.

Ilir (#16) wrote (among other things) "The blame rest with Belgarde who refuse to recognize Kosovo, and let the people in Kosovo ither (?) Serb or Albanian to get on with the life! By being nasty in interviews or using threatening behaviour, Belgrade regime only makes life much more harder for the Serb in Kosovo, and in the end will push them out of Kosovo.
You only got your self to blame!
(Ilir, 27 April 2009 21:32)"

So much ignorance in such a small piece of writing. Let me reply point by point.

There are many more countries that do not recognize Kosovo's illegal UDI than that recognize it. The blame can therefore not be solely with the Serbian government in Belgrade.

Serbs in Kosovo want to move on with their lives, but within Serbia and not under a terrorist KLA leadership. Within Serbia Kosovo Serbs are not a minority and that is all that matters.

Talking about nasty comments. Most Albanians posting their comments here are trashing all that is Serbia and Serb constantly.

It is the Kosovo Albanians who are constantly threatening (violence) if it turns out they will not get their way (even with small insignificant things).

Kosovo Albanians make life harder for the remaining Serbs in Kosovo (together with NATO, UNMUK, EULEX and so on).

It is the Kosovo Albanians together with NATO that ethically cleansed most Serbs from Kosovo. Therefore the blame cannot be with the Serbian government in Belgrade, but withe the terrorist KLA, US, and EU leaderships who eventually, whether it will be on earth in this life or in hell after death, be accountable for all their actions.

Ilir, please stop trashing this site and making a fool of yourself by posting these lies and irresponsible comments.

Good! Let the K albs in the north travel under KFOR excort and live behind barbed wire. They can live in a Serb zoo as Serbs live in a K alb zoo.

Every refugee must be allowed to return to their homes, if they so choose. no excuses, no more "he said/she said." no excuses!

and intl forces have to be there to protect the refugees, period.

i suspect that many of you have never been to mitrovica, are just assuming the usual adversarial political positions.

i am not the world's expert, but have spent some time in mitrovica, in both parts (kind of like E and W berlin.) we have met charming people on both sides (duh). one man who worked at our hotel stays in the south but has a home in the north -- perhaps he is one of those who is now deciding to return. i wish him, all of them, the very best.

i do believe that most local people, when left to their own devices (which they are NOT) figure out ways to co-exist -- it actually helps all of them. but some not-so-very-nice folks, mainly from the outside (guess where) are determined to continue to foment violence and hatred. as such, the authorities need to deal with them. does that sound heavy-handed? they are what we refer to as criminals...

there are a lot of victims in the balkans, and i will not continue this endless argument, forever, about who are REALLY the victims. the point is we all need to move on, move forwards.

my message to the blgd regime -- stop holding the people of kosovo/a hostage! we're getting really sick of it.

and thanks to all of you who are working to help make peaceful co-existance a reality.

roberto/ frisco

On this occasion I have to agree with Albanian commentators. People have a right to rebuild their own houses.
I'm also glad that they support everyone's right to return and rebuild.
I don't have a reason yet to consider that KFOR or EULEX would not support Serb return, too.
Mike's suggestion seems reasonable to me.
Albanians are trying to rebuild only 5 houses.
Serbs should now attempt to rebuild 1 or 2 in every settlement where they used to live.
Soon, it would be all very clear.
Albanian sencerity about allowing all returnees to go home.
Or seriousness of KFOR and EULEX to support Serbian return too.
Hopefully, results would be positive.
And if result is negative,at least it would make any cooperation of Serbian officials with EULEX and KFOR impossible.

...небеси и на земли; хлеб наш насущный даждь нам днесь; и остави нам долги наша якоже и мы ...

What's next? How about some downloadable pics of your heroes?
(Gom Gomane, 28 April 2009 09:48)

Hey Gom, if an Orthodox prayer now gets your goat you really need to get some anger management.

“"We will be persistent in our efforts to solve the problem peacefully, but it looks as if international peacekeepers and Albanians do not want that," he said”

http://www.eulex-kosovo.eu/?id=8&n=94

This is a press release from EULEX which shows the efforts of solving the “problem” peacefully.