OSCE shown March pogrom documentary

The Serbian mission to the OSCE in Vienna on Monday showed a documentary film on human suffering, five years since the pogrom of Kosovo's Serbs. Diplomats and reporters had the opportunity to see the consequences of the violence against the province's Serbs and other non-Albanians. OSCE shown March pogrom documentary Ninoslav Randjelovic's film also, through statements by Serbs interviewed, shows that they have no freedom of movement to this day and that they worry daily about their security, Tanjug news agency reports. In an introductory statement, Serbian Ambassador to the OSCE Miroslava Beham presented the facts about this pogrom of Serbs that took place on March 17-19, 2004. "This pogrom demonstrated that the local United Nations administration in the southern Serbian province is incapable of protecting the local non-Albanian population," Beham said. President Boris Tadic today marked the coming anniversary with a statement appealing on UNMIK and EULEX representatives in Kosovo to establish the rule of law in that terrotory. Kosovo Albanians attack a Serb church in K. Mitrovica on March 17, 2004 (Tanjug) Russian patriarch on March 17 anniversary Ahead of the anniversary of the March pogroms in Kosovo, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed a letter to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Luis Maria de Puig and UNESCO Secretary-General Koichiro Matsuura in which he called for support to the victims, establishment of justice and giving hope to the people of Serbia's land of Kosovo, Russia's media reported today. "I address you and PACE calling on you to raise your voice in support of the unfortunate victims of the crimes, to do everything possible to establish justice and introduce hope in the hearts of people in Serbia's land of Kosovo,” Patriarch Kirill said in his letter to De Puig. Recalling that "it will be five years tomorrow, March 17, from the tragic events in Kosovo and Metohija, when nationalist Albanian extremists started pogroms of Serbs, leading to a mass violation of human rights, hundreds of victims, a wave of refugees and destruction of tens of churches and monasteries in the province", Kirill said that the wounds inflicted during those “barbarian events in the heart of modern Europe” had not healed yet. “The Serbs still do not have the right to return to their land and their homes. Religious monuments of global importance are still in ruins,” underscored Patriarch Kirill. He also listed the monuments under UNESCO protection - the Church of Holy Virgin of Ljevisa, the Monastery of All Archangels and the 14th c. Monastery of Kozmo and Damjan in Zociste, 11th c. Monastery Devic, 15th c. Church of Great Martyr Georgije, 19th c. Church of Nikola in Bijelo Polje, Church of St. Nikola in Pristina, the Bishop's Residence in Prizren and the Seminary of St. Kiril and Metodije. The Orthodox seminary in Prizren burns on March 17, 2004 (Tanjug)

OSCE shown March pogrom documentary

Ninoslav Ranđelović's film also, through statements by Serbs interviewed, shows that they have no freedom of movement to this day and that they worry daily about their security, Tanjug news agency reports.

In an introductory statement, Serbian Ambassador to the OSCE Miroslava Beham presented the facts about this pogrom of Serbs that took place on March 17-19, 2004.

"This pogrom demonstrated that the local United Nations administration in the southern Serbian province is incapable of protecting the local non-Albanian population," Beham said.

President Boris Tadić today marked the coming anniversary with a statement appealing on UNMIK and EULEX representatives in Kosovo to establish the rule of law in that terrotory.

Russian patriarch on March 17 anniversary

Ahead of the anniversary of the March pogroms in Kosovo, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed a letter to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Luis Maria de Puig and UNESCO Secretary-General Koichiro Matsuura in which he called for support to the victims, establishment of justice and giving hope to the people of Serbia's land of Kosovo, Russia's media reported today.

"I address you and PACE calling on you to raise your voice in support of the unfortunate victims of the crimes, to do everything possible to establish justice and introduce hope in the hearts of people in Serbia's land of Kosovo,” Patriarch Kirill said in his letter to De Puig.

Recalling that "it will be five years tomorrow, March 17, from the tragic events in Kosovo and Metohija, when nationalist Albanian extremists started pogroms of Serbs, leading to a mass violation of human rights, hundreds of victims, a wave of refugees and destruction of tens of churches and monasteries in the province", Kirill said that the wounds inflicted during those “barbarian events in the heart of modern Europe” had not healed yet.

“The Serbs still do not have the right to return to their land and their homes. Religious monuments of global importance are still in ruins,” underscored Patriarch Kirill.

He also listed the monuments under UNESCO protection - the Church of Holy Virgin of Ljeviša, the Monastery of All Archangels and the 14th c. Monastery of Kozmo and Damjan in Zočište, 11th c. Monastery Devič, 15th c. Church of Great Martyr Georgije, 19th c. Church of Nikola in Bijelo Polje, Church of St. Nikola in Priština, the Bishop's Residence in Prizren and the Seminary of St. Kiril and Metodije.