Preševo: Albanians protest KLA arrests

Several hundred ethnic Albanians gathered today in Presevo, southern Serbia, to protest the arrests of ex-KLA members suspected of war crimes. The families of the ten suspects, and an association of former members of the so-called Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac, and Medvedja (UCPMB)– a KLA offshoot in the region – accused the Serb authorities of causing tensions in the area known as the Presevo valley, and of intimidating the Albanians living there. Presevo: Albanians protest KLA arrests The gathering also heard that Interior Minister Ivica Dacic is continuing with Slobodan Milosevic's policies, all with the intent of intimidating the local Albanians. The Serbian state organs were also accused of bringing militarization, violence and instability, instead of development and economic progress. The rally, that ended without any incidents, also asked for international factors to get involved the case, including the governments in Pristina, and Tirana. The protesters carried Albanian flags and banners that read, "KLA warriors don't belong in jail", "We want freedom in our areas", "Presevo valley is a problem that demands a solution", "Stop to searches", and, "NATO in Presevo valley". Ljuljzim Ibisi of the association gathering former UCMBP members – a group that launched armed rebellion in the region after the war in Kosovo, which ended with international mediation in 2001 – said that while the ten men detained on Friday were KLA members, "they have nothing to do with war crimes accusations". "They were KLA members, but they did not go to war against civilians. UNMIK and KFOR were in Kosovo at the time, so wouldn't they have arrested them, had they really committed crimes," said Ibisi. He also said that he "doubts the numbers" of missing and kidnapped Serbs from the Gnjilane area which he "first heard about two days ago from the police", but added that if they were true, all those who committed crimes should be found and punished, "and that goes for the missing Serbs and Albanians". "The state of Serbia should get serious and respect human rights, instead of getting ideas when they've nothing to do – let's go to Presevo and make a rebellion and demonstrate how efficient we are," said Ibisi. The ten men MUP Gendarmes arrested and took to Belgrade on Friday were today interrogated by a judge in the Serbian capital. The War Crimes Prosecution ordered their arrest on suspicion that they took part in kidnapping, rape, mutilation, torture, and monstrous murders of at least 51 Serbs and non-Albanians in Gnjilane after the 1999 war in the province. The protest in Presevo (FoNet)

Preševo: Albanians protest KLA arrests

The gathering also heard that Interior Minister Ivica Dačić is continuing with Slobodan Milošević's policies, all with the intent of intimidating the local Albanians.

The Serbian state organs were also accused of bringing militarization, violence and instability, instead of development and economic progress.

The rally, that ended without any incidents, also asked for international factors to get involved the case, including the governments in Priština, and Tirana.

The protesters carried Albanian flags and banners that read, "KLA warriors don't belong in jail", "We want freedom in our areas", "Preševo valley is a problem that demands a solution", "Stop to searches", and, "NATO in Preševo valley".

Ljuljzim Ibisi of the association gathering former UCMBP members – a group that launched armed rebellion in the region after the war in Kosovo, which ended with international mediation in 2001 – said that while the ten men detained on Friday were KLA members, "they have nothing to do with war crimes accusations".

"They were KLA members, but they did not go to war against civilians. UNMIK and KFOR were in Kosovo at the time, so wouldn't they have arrested them, had they really committed crimes," said Ibisi.

He also said that he "doubts the numbers" of missing and kidnapped Serbs from the Gnjilane area which he "first heard about two days ago from the police", but added that if they were true, all those who committed crimes should be found and punished, "and that goes for the missing Serbs and Albanians".

"The state of Serbia should get serious and respect human rights, instead of getting ideas when they've nothing to do – let's go to Preševo and make a rebellion and demonstrate how efficient we are," said Ibisi.

The ten men MUP Gendarmes arrested and took to Belgrade on Friday were today interrogated by a judge in the Serbian capital.

The War Crimes Prosecution ordered their arrest on suspicion that they took part in kidnapping, rape, mutilation, torture, and monstrous murders of at least 51 Serbs and non-Albanians in Gnjilane after the 1999 war in the province.