YUGOSLAVIA: KLA BURY 55 SOLDIERS IN POLAC/ ETHNIC ALBANIANS DEMONSTRATE IN ORAHOVAC.

Record ID: 565830

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: KLA BURY 55 SOLDIERS IN POLAC/ ETHNIC ALBANIANS DEMONSTRATE IN ORAHOVAC.
  • Date: 22nd August 1999
  • Summary: POLAC, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (AUGUST 22 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: VARIOUS OF HILL WHERE KLA SOLDIERS WERE BURIED 0.03 2. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF MOURNERS ARRIVING AT FUNERAL (2 SHOTS) 0.09 3. GV: VARIOUS OF KLA SOLDIERS WITH WREATHS AND COFFINS AWAITING BURIAL (2 SHOTS) 0.22 4. SV/CU: VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OF KLA SOLDIERS CRYING OVER COFFINS/ PICTURES OF DEAD (2 SHOTS) 0.28 5. GV/MV/CU: VARIOUS OF BURIALS/ CRYING MOURNERS (15 SHOTS) 1.32 6. SV: VOLLEY OF SHOTS IN HONOUR OF THE WAR DEAD (3 SHOTS) 2.06 7. CU: SOUNDBITE(albanian) SAMI LUSHTAKU SAYING: "There is no way to live together with the Serbs, especially those who have blood on their hands." 2.17 8. MV/CU: VARIOUS OF GRAVES (3 SHOTS) 2.33 ORAHOVAC, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (AUGUST 22 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. GV: STREET IN ORAHOVAC WITH MILITARY VEHICLE DRIVING ALONG 2.40 10. LV: SQUARE WITH ABOUT 3,000 DEMONSTRATORS 2.46 11. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF CHANTING CROWD/ PLACARDS (6 SHOTS) 3.21 12. SCU: SABAUDIN CENA, PROFESSOR AT PRISTINA UNIVERSITY, ADRESSING CROWDS/ SOUNDBITE(german) SABAUDIN CENA SAYING: "When the Russians come here we will block the roads. They will only get into Orahovac over the bodies of dead Albanians." 3.35 13. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF CROWD (8 SHOTS) 4.20 14. CU: SOUNDBITE(albanian) NAZIM KADIRI, A PROTESTER, SAYING: "It's well known that the Russians took part in massacres in the Orahovac district with the Serbs. There is documentation to prove it. 4.30 15. GV/CU: VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATION (3 SHOTS) 4.54 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th September 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ORAHOVAC AND POLAC, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA7RFGYMB3VGMQWOPLPAKRWR2YV
  • Story Text: In a ceremony attended by over 20,000 people, the
    Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has staged its largest funeral to
    date, burying some 55 soldiers, six of whom were top
    commanders.

    And about 3,000 ethnic Albanians have taken part in a
    noisy protest against the arrival of Russian troops in the
    southwestern Kosovo town of Orahovac.The first troops are due
    to take up position on Monday.

    The demonstration in Orahovac on Sunday (August 22) was
    the latest in a series of protests by ethnic Albanians in
    Kosovo to protest the presence of Russian troops in the
    province.

    Many ethnic Albanians in the war-torn province see the
    Russians as being historically close to the Serbs and fear for
    their safety after three months of ethnic cleansing.

    Last week, Dutch troops confirmed that they would be
    pulling out of the Orahovac area and the final pull-out is due
    to take place on Monday.

    Ethnic Albanians have called for the population to block
    the three main roads leading into the town, whose Serb
    minority lives on the heights surrounding it.

    Orahovac has been one of the centres of tension between
    the Serb and Albanian ever since the arrival of NATO troops
    last July.It has a population of 30,000, of which about 3,000
    were Serbs.

    The burial of the KLA soldiers took place on a site in
    Polac on Sunday (August 22) called the 'hill of the heroes',
    which Kosovo Albanians hope will be turned into a national
    shrine to those who fell in battle against the Serbs.

    On a blustery, grey afternoon, many thousands of people
    turned out to pay their last respects to the 50-plus dead
    soldiers and officers.Relatives stood in silence, holding the
    pictures of their loved ones.For others, the pressure was too
    much.Members of some families collapsed into tears as the
    bodies of fathers, sons, cousins and even daughters were
    lowered into the graves.A special honour guard of KLA
    soldiers dressed in black combat suits and white gloves fired
    over the coffins.

    Anti-Serb feelings ran high.

    "There is no way to live together with the Serbs,
    especially those who have blood on their hands," said Sami
    Lushtaku.

    Although reburials are common at the moment, this was the
    largest one to date.


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