- Title: YUGOSLAVIA: ETHNIC ALBANIANS CONRTINUE TO MAN ROADBLOCKS AT ORAHOVAC.
- Date: 26th August 1999
- Summary: ORAHOVAC, YUGOSLAVIA (AUGUST 26, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: COLUMN OF VEHICLES ON ROAD 0.05 2. LV.GV.MV: PROTESTERS WITH ANTI-RUSSIAN BANNERS ON ROAD (3 SHOTS) 0.20 3. GV/MV: DEMONSTRATORS SITTING ON THE ROAD 0.28 4. MCU: SOUNDBITE (Albanian) JAKUP BINISHI, ALBANIAN PROTESTER: "I am an inhabitant of the Orahovac district. When we heard the news that the Russians were coming to our district we were very surprised. We were very disappointed because this caused a lot of concern. We heard about this at the time we were digging out and examining bodies from the first and second offensives in the Orahovac district." 0.53 5. SV: MAN SITTING ON ROAD STOKING FIRE 0.57 6. SV/CU: DEMONSTRATOR MAKING NATO EMBLEM FROM EMPTY SHELLS (3 SHOTS) 1.09 THE SERB QUARTER OF ORAHOVAC, YUGOSLAVIA (AUGUST 26, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. GV: CHILDREN PLAYING IN STREET BY PARKED NATO APC 1.16 8. MV: OLD MEN SITTING ON STEPS OF CHURCH WATCHING THE CHILDREN 1.20 9. MV/CU: WOMAN TRYING TO COLLECT WATER FROM STANDPIPE WHICH IS NOT WORKING (2 SHOTS) 1.27 10. SV: BLAGOEVIC KSANA, A REFUGEE FROM THE VILLAGE OF ZOCISTA, NEAR ORAHOVAC, USING PAPER AND CARDBOARD AS FUEL FOR HER STOVE 1.33 11. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Serbo-Croat) BLAGOEVIC KSANA SAYING: "About 200 people left our village and are now living in the Serbian enclave. Some of them are living in houses, but many live near the church, thirty people in one room. We've been living here for three months without water or regular food." 2.01 12. GV/PAN: MAKESHIFT GRAVEYARD NEAR CHURCH 2.11 13. SV: WOMEN SITTING AROUND FRESHLY MADE GRAVE 2.17 14. CU/GV/PAN: WOMEN WEEPING AT GRAVESIDE (3 SHOTS) 2.35 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 10th September 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ORAHOVAC, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA
- City:
- Country: Yugoslavia
- Reuters ID: LVA8K7VDNP8OZZGTWJ27TKGHWV
- Story Text: Ethnic Albanians continue to man roadblocks at
Orahovac in southwestern Kosovo to prevent the entry of
Russian forces into the town.But the local Serb minority
complain that their living conditions are intolerable.
The protesters have manned the blockade round the
clock since Sunday night, when Russian troops approached
Orahovac to replace NATO forces.The Russians watch from a
single armoured vehicle over the long line of cars, trucks,
tractors and coaches blocking their way into town.
Coils of barbed wire stretch across the winding hillside
road.Placards beside them say "Russians killed us" and "NATO
yes, Russia no".
The Russians are trying to move into the town, which is
also home to a minority Serb community, after receiving orders
to replace Dutch troops who have patrolled Orahovac since the
NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force moved into Kosovo in June.
Dutch officers say the Russians will eventually take over
Orahovac, come what may, although the Albanians say their
roadblocks will stay put.
The Albanians fear the Russians will favour the Serb
population.But the Serbs living in a guarded enclave of the
devastated town have a different story to tell.Basic
foodstuffs are in short supply, because the Serbs dare not
venture into the market in the Albanian part of town.
Some thirty Serb refugees are sheltering in the Orthodox
church in Orahovac.They come from villages surrounding the
town, but say they have been chased out of their homes.
The water supply is scarce, and what little there is comes
from a series of standpipes.They collect waste paper and
cardboard to fuel their cooking stoves instead of wood.
It is hard to bury even their dead.With their cemetery
in the Albanian part of town, the Serbs of Orahovac have had
to open a temporary graveyard.
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