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Date: 01 May 1996 15:35:39
Reply-To: Conference "zamir.chat" 
From: Kajosevi@newschool.edu
Subject: Kosova women's protest
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From: Indira Kajosevic 

------------------- ALBANIAN.MLM follows --------------------


                                        Prishtina
                                        25.04.96
                                        =============

PROTESTS OF ALBANIAN WOMEN IN KOSOVA

     This week, on April 23, 1996, at noon, in the Prishtine  residential area of "Kodra e
Diellit", about 10.000 Albanian  women protested peacefully against the murder of the Albanian 
student Armend Daci (20), who was shot by a Serbian cillien,  with a sniper on April 21, 1996.
Women showed that they can  be well organized and as qiuck as needed. The protest was led  by
women's groups of Kosova. The action was undertaken to  show disagreement to all the accords
that never include  Kosova on the agenda, even though the war and distruction of  the former
Yugoslavia started exactly in Kosova. The protest  was calm, women were queuing to show the
respect and  condolances, each carrying a candle and a flower.

     The protest started at 12.00 noon until 13.30. Women  protestors wanted to walk
peacefully across the city. As they  were asking the extension of the protest, they were claiming 
for support of world wide women, because the patience is  ending and the colonial life over these
parts of the Balkans   has come to an end. This will not be the last protest. Others  are going to
follow. There is a claim of Albanian women of  Kosova (with over 90% of Albanian population)
to synchronize  protest on behalf of women's solidarity all over the capitals  thta are designing
the future of the Balkans and never paying  attention to its own inhabitants. There is a fear thta
war  ventures would redirected to Kosova again, where greater  Serbian expansion started seven
years ago.

     It is estimated that this is the greatest protest  organized since 1992. Women were
surronded by police vehicles  at the road entrances. At the fourth flour of the building,  where the
sniper bullets came from, police authorities were  taping with camera every event and almost
every women. No  intervention was undertaken. The situation is tense.

     A Letter Protest is sent to Boutros Boutros-Ghali UN  Secretary General, Susanna
Agnelli EU Council of Foreign  Ministers, Leni Fisher President of the Parliamentary  Assembly
of the Council of Europe, Elizabeth Rehn UN   Special Raporteur for Human Rights, Frederico
Mayor Secretary  General of UNESCO and to the US Congress Delegation to OSCE.

     The letter speaks about occupation of Kosova since 1990  by Serbia, that has heavy
militarized with army and police.  The local Serbian civillians have been fully armed too.  Within
the situation of an undeclared war, which is tense and  distressing, the killing of the young
student proves  insecurity of life for all Albanians, regardless of their  age, or the place they
happen to be. Women have fear thta any  delay in search of a settlement to the Kosova issue, the 
peaceful course of Albanians is being threatened. All women  of the protest demanded urgent and
concrete steps.

     Women' comcerne is high. They are mothers, sisters,  daughters, wives and relatives
suffer and expended patience.

PREPARED BY
SEVDIE AHMETI
PRISHTINE