Kosovo: Concerns over human rights situation

YUG 110598

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat has been informed of the grave concern
for the human rights situation in Kosovo following another killing of
Kosovans of Albanian ethnic origin.

On May 7th 1998, at about 7.30p.m Vebi Mustafa (65) from Peja, and
worker at the Kozhnjeri hydro power station in Deçan, was shot and
killed when he was going home with 8 other  workers.

The victim was killed at a spot about 200 meters from the Deçani
Monastery. The area is currently restricted and there are a great
number of elements of the army, Police and paramilitary forces in the
area. Apart from the above,  access to the area is restricted which
strongly suggests the involvement of the authorities in the act.

The human rights situation in the Kosovan region area is currently
critical and this act comes in the context of a pattern of systematic
violations of human rights.

Action requested:

Please write Yugoslav authorities urging them to:

i.	take the necessary measures to put an end  to the violations of
human rights in the region in order to guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of all Kosovans ;

ii.	open a full impartial enquiry into all the events, identify those
responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil, penal and/or
administrative sanctions provided by legislation;

iii.	ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and
international standards.

Addresses:

President of the Republic of Serbia, Predsednik Republike Sribje
Slobodan Milosevic Andricev venac 1 11000 Beograd, FR Yugoslavia Fax:
+381 11 682 167 or 656 862

Minister of Internal Affairs, Zoran Sokolovic, Ministar unutrasnjih
poslova Republike Sribje Kneza Milosa 10111000 Beograd, FR Yugoslavia

Geneva 11 May 1998

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the exact number of
this appeal in your reply.

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.