• KOSOVO

Houden jullie een beetje bij wat er momenteel in Kosovo gebeurt?

Gedenk onze christenbroeders en -zusters in Kosovo in jullie gebeden.

Hier een korte opsomming:

Only in Prizren the following Christina shrines have been destroyed:

List of Churches destroyed in Prizren only:

1. Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Lyevish 14th c. with valuable medieval frescoes burned, structure still standing
2. Cathedral of St. George (19th c) burned and mined
3. Church of Christ the Savior on the hill above the Serbian quarer (14th c)
5. Church of St. Kyriake (original structure from 1371, later reconstructed) located in the burned Serbian quarter
6. Church of St. Cosmas and Damian, (14th c, reconstructed in the 19th century with valuable icons)
7. Church of St. Panteleimon, (14th century, reconstructed later)
8. Monastery of the Holy Archangels, 14th century (a house for monks was reconstructed before the war), burned.

http://www.kosovo.com/crkva_djkruins.jpg
This is a helicopter view of the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Virgin Mary in Djakovica (19th century yellow wall remains) destroyed by Kosovo Albanian mob. In comparison with the German KFOR which did not defend the holy sites in their area several Italian KFOR paratroopers bravely fought to repel the demonized crowd. In the last moment four Serb elderly women who lived in the parish home (ruins right). According to the testimony of the soldiers and the Serb women the paratroopers were attacked by more than a thousand of Muslim Albanian crowd armed with machine guns, hand grenades, Molotov-cocktails, metal sticks and bars. A few soldiers were wounded in the attack. They were evacuated in the last moment when the church started to burn. After the church was burned to the ground Kosovo Albanians entered the site with a bulldozer and leveled the ruins. A valuable altar screen with dozens of icons and holy relics perished in the flames. No one made an attempt to stop the fire. The crowd reveled all the night and in the morning of March 18, when this photo was taken Albanian men, women and children came to the location to loot the remaining valuables.

The scenes of the burned monastery of the Holy Archangels near Prizren are available on the following link of the Diocesan Web-site:
http://www.kosovo.com/zaparhangeli01.jpg
http://www.kosovo.com/zaparhangeli02.jpg

Morgen meer!

[Aangepast op 22/3/04 door strik]

Ik probeer het wel een beetje te volgen. Heel erg wat daar, zo dichtbij, aan het gebeuren is. Hier nog een artikel:

Thursday 18 March 2004
KOSOVO & SERBIA: CHURCHES & MOSQUES DESTROYED AMID INTER-ETHNIC VIOLENCE

Large scale violence in Kosovo and Serbia before the 5th anniversary of Nato's bombing raids has seen many Serbian Orthodox Churches and mosques attacked, amid disputed suggestions, including by an un-named UNMIK official, that the violence in Kosovo was planned as a "pogrom against
Serbs: churches are on fire and people are being attacked for no other reason than their ethnic background", Forum 18 News Service has learnt. In the Serbian capital Belgrade and in the southern city of Nis, mobs set two mosques on fire despite the pleas of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In Belgrade, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral personally pleaded with the mob and urged police and firefighters to react and preserve "what could be preserved". After initial hesitation for fer of the mob, firefighters and police did intervene, so the Belgrade mosque, which is "under state protection", was saved from complete destruction. In Kosovo since 1999, many attacks have been made on Orthodox shrines, without UNMIK, KFOR, or the mainly ethnically Albanian Kosovo Protection Service making any arrests of attackers.

KOSOVO & SERBIA: CHURCHES & MOSQUES DESTROYED AMID INTER-ETHNIC VIOLENCE

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service, and Branko Bjelajac, Forum 18 News Service

Some of the Serbian Orthodox Church's most revered shrines have been burnt amid the upsurge of inter-ethnic violence that erupted in Kosovo on 17 March, leaving at least 22 people dead and several hundred wounded. Many of the Orthodox churches attacked were sheltering Serbs who had fled in fear from their homes. In apparent retaliation, two mosques have been extensively damaged after being set on fire in the Serbian capital Belgrade and in the central Serbian town of Nis. In Belgrade, Orthodox Metropolitan Amfilohije stepped in to urge firefighters to resist the mobs and to put out the fire in the mosque.

The violence came just days ahead of the fifth anniversary of the launch of Nato's air raids in 1999 and the period around the anniversary is usually a tense time. The attacks are also taking place in the unofficial run-up to Kosovo's autumn parliamentary elections. Last week, a hand grenade was thrown at the home of Ibrahim Rugova, who is more moderate than many ethnic Albanian politicians. It is believed that this attack was the work of Albanian extremists.

"Last night there was anarchy rather than orchestrated violence," Pastor Artur Krasniqi, who leads the 150-strong Fellowship of the Lord's People, an ethnic Albanian Protestant Church in Pristina, told Forum 18 from the city on 18 March. "It is shocking that something like this could happen in a day." He condemned the attacks, including those on Serbs and Serbian Orthodox churches. "I feel ashamed. Everyone has lost." He said no mosques or Protestant churches in Kosovo appear to have been attacked.

Pastor Krasniqi said he believed the attacks were launched for ethnic, not religious reasons. "The Orthodox Church is the only institution that has kept the Serbian community alive here," he told Forum 18. "The Orthodox Church has played a political role, so it has always paid the price." He described the upsurge in violence as a failure on the part of the United Nations administration UNMIK and KFOR, views echoed by Kosovo's Serbian minority. "I was out in the streets of Pristina yesterday and it was shameful that KFOR was not there. UNMIK's reaction too was very confused."

These latest attacks have followed many such attacks since 1999 on Orthodox sites, and in no case have any arrests of attackers been made by UNMIK, KFOR, or the mainly ethnically Albanian Kosovo Protection Service (eg. see F8News http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=224 ).

Fr Sava (Janjic) of the Decani monastery in western Kosovo agreed with Pastor Krasniqi that the attacks were ethnically motivated, and argued that they were organised in a bid to promote the final ethnic cleansing of the Serbian population from Kosovo. "It was a real Kristallnacht," he told Forum 18 from Decani on 18 March, referring to the Nazis' attack on Jews, synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in Germany in 1938.

He claimed that Albanian media had fabricated the original spark for the violence - the death of two Albanian children in the river Ibar in the ethnically-divided town of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo. "UNMIK said yesterday that there was no Serbian involvement in their death at all," Fr Sava told Forum 18. "The entire story was inflated by the Albanian media.
Everything was planned."

The Belgrade-based B92 also quoted an unnamed UNMIK official as speaking of "Kristallnacht". "What is happening in Kosovo must unfortunately be described as a pogrom against Serbs: churches are on fire and people are being attacked for no other reason than their ethnic background."

The Fellowship of the Lord's People told Forum 18 late on 17 March of its concern about the inter-ethnic violence. "In almost every town and city there are riots and protests - attacks against Albanians, Serbs, UN and KFOR alike." Church members had gathered to pray that evening and had called a day of prayer and fasting for 18 March. "Please join us in praying for an end to this escalation of violence, anarchy and chaos and instead for peace and God's mercy on our land." It also called for prayer for protection for UN staff who were members of the church "and whose lives have been put in danger tonight".

The riots in Kosovo flared on 17 March in Mitrovica, after the disputed death of two ethnic Albanian children. Albanians attacked the Serbian-populated Northern Mitrovica and then riots spread to Serbian-populated enclaves throughout Kosovo. International peacekeepers from KFOR and UNMIK struggled to restore law and order.

In the southern town of Prizren all the Serbian Orthodox sanctuaries were set on fire. The diocesan house, the theological faculty, the fourteenth century church of the Ljeviska Holy Mother, the monastery of the Holy Archangels, and also the church of St Saviour, which is on the hills just outside the town, were all set on fire and destroyed. The Church had evacuated the archive, library and museum exhibits from Prizren only a day earlier. The seven monks from the Holy Archangels monastery had been evacuated to a German KFOR base shortly before it was set on fire. The Orthodox have complained that German KFOR forces were "not ready to protect the monastery".

A church in the eastern town of Kamenica was stoned twice, while the patriarchal seat in Gracanica monastery near Pristina was threatened with being set on fire. The Raska and Prizren Orthodox diocese reported in the afternoon of 17 March that "several mortar shells have fallen not far from Visoki Decani Monastery which were fired by Albanians at the monastery.
Italian forces are presently protecting the Monastery. U.S. special forces are expected to arrive soon to reinforce defences." The monastery, located in western Kosovo, is vulnerable to attack from the surrounding hills.

Fr Sava told Forum 18 that in the violence fifteen Orthodox sites were burnt, many of them being destroyed. He listed burnt churches in Pec, Djakovica, Urosevac, two in Kosovo Polje, Pristina, Gnjilane, Belo Polje and Obilic, and above all in Prizren, which saw the worst attacks. He described the burning of the fourteenth century cathedral as "the greatest loss". Although some priests and monks were among the injured Serbs, no clergy deaths were reported. He said the nuns of the Pec convent were safe at present under strong Italian KFOR protection.

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of Novi Sad, Nis and Belgrade during the night of 17-18 March. They clashed with riot police, notably in Belgrade were dozens of police officers were injured.
The most serious unrest was in front of the Serbian government building, the United States embassy and the seventeenth century Bajrakli mosque, the only mosque in Belgrade. The mob broke through the police line, then set the mosque on fire just after midnight. Fresh police, firefighters and ambulance crews, who arrived shortly after the fire broke out, did not dare to come closer to the mosque in fear of the mob, which mostly consisted of young fans from Belgrade's sports clubs. Several reporters were also injured and their cameras destroyed.

Soon after the fire broke out, the Orthodox Metropolitan Amfilohije
(Radovic) of Montenegro and the Littoral came out to the front of the mob and pleaded with them to stop the violence. Then, surrounded by a small number of people protecting him, he went to the police and firefighters standing nearby, asking them to react and preserve "what could be preserved". "The children are playing dangerous games, but grown men should react," he told them. After initial hesitation, the firefighters did intervene, so the Belgrade mosque, which is "under state protection", was saved from complete destruction.

Hamdija Ephendi Jusufspahic, a retired leader of Serbia's Islamic community, told the press later in the night that he was unable to enter the mosque and that this was "a terrible day for us all". He also thanked Metropolitan Amfilohije for his intervention.

The mosque in Nis was set on fire about 10.30 pm, after thousands of demonstrators came in front of it. Although firefighters soon arrived, they were prevented from coming closer to the mosque by a mob, which stopped them from tackling the fire for another 45 minutes. The inside of the mosque was completely burnt-out, as was one minaret. Attacks also took place on Muslim property in Novi Sad.

At Belgrade's mosque today (18 March), Forum 18 saw six wrecked and burnt cars, three of them police vehicles. The mosque is standing, but the inside it burnt out, though the medressa behind the mosque was not burnt. Police guarding the entrance told Forum 18 an official investigation is in progress. Firefighters are still extinguishing small fires in cars.
Completely destroyed is a third building in the mosque yard, used for religious education of children, and a storage facility. Belgrade's mayor has visited the mosque and spoken to the mufti. Ironically, they met on 17 March and agreed to provide a new facade and lights.

The Serbian government held an emergency session late on 17 March and the United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting for 18 March.

For more background information, see Forum 18's latest Kosovo religious freedom survey at
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=137

A printer-friendly map of Kosovo & Serbia (map title Serbia and Montenegro) is available at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpedi ... ent=europe&
Rootmap=yugosl
The map follows international legal usage in indicating the boundaries of territories. Kosovo is in international law part of Serbia & Montenegro, although administered by the UN.
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved.

Eminent Italian senators and officials warn of the destruction of Christian heritage in Kosovo

ERP KIM Info Service
Gracanica, March 22, 2004

Two texts from the Italian press (from Serbian translations by the ERP KIM Info Service):

CACCIARI WARNS OF DESTRUCTION OF ORTHODOX HERITAGE

Ansa - Rome, March 20, 2004

Italian philosopher Massimo Cacciari issued a statement today following the destruction of the Orthodox artistic and cultural heritage in Kosovo, which is endangered as a result of violence between the Albanian and Serb communities. In a written communiqué Cacciari said that some of the most beautiful artistic and architectural expressions of the Eastern Church have in recent days been exposed to fire and sword.

In Kosovo, which for centuries has been the center of this culture, churches and monasteries are in flames. In addition to the dead and wounded, they are also killing the irreplaceable witnesses of everything that we still want to call Europe.

"The desperate appeal of the monks and nuns of Djakovica, Pec, Prizren, Vitina and Urosevac," continued Cacciari, "appears to be falling into an endless abyss. Where are the forces that were supposed to protect these treasure troves and these people?" Cacciari asks, reminding that the West "started a war for that very reason" and that last year the Italian foreign affairs ministry "assured us of reinforced defensive forces".

Pristina Media Update, March 23 (K/Albanian media)

NATO Secretary General accuses Kosovar politicians

Scheffer: Violence was orchestrated by Albanian extremists (Koha Ditore, March 23)

Under the subtitle NATO Secretary General accuses Kosovar politicians, Koha Ditore reports that NATO SG Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has blamed extremist factions of the Albanian community for last weekâ€™s violence, and he called on Albanian politicians to condemn the violence against Serbs and to rebuild the burned houses.

â€˜I donâ€™t believe that the unresolved status has anything to do with this. This has to do with people who think wrongly, who have illusions that by carrying out these criminal acts of ethnic violence they get closer to their ambitions but they must understand that the international community will never accept this,â€™ Scheffer was quoted as saying during a press briefing held yesterday in Prishtina.

Scheffer said that KFOR was going to stay in Kosovo for a long period of time, and he also announced that measures would be undertaken in order to provide security in Kosovo. â€˜NATO is here, KFOR is here and KFOR will remain here,â€™ he added.

Koha Ditore says that despite the civilian victims and destructions, the NATO chief praised KFOR for showing efficiency in last weekâ€™s turmoil. â€˜You know that when violence orchestrated by extremist elements from the Albanian community erupted, KFOR went into action and NATO very quickly decided to send reinforcements and this has happened. KFOR will do everything it can in its protection role and it is a shame to see people going against KFOR and UNMIK last week. How low can one person go by attacking his protectors? Therefore, I think that the serious lesson learned from last week is that there is a responsibility on the Kosovo Albanian leadership to reconstruct houses and return IDPs,â€™ said Scheffer.

The paper notes that SRSG Harri Holkeri accompanied Scheffer in the meetings that the latter had yesterday with Kosovar leaders and Quint representatives.

Holkeri himself made harsh criticism against Kosovo Albanian leaders for, as he said, failing to harshly condemn the violence against Serb churches and houses. Holkeri was also reportedly pessimistic about the possibility of having a positive evaluation of the implementation of standards by mid-2005. â€˜I have received instructions from the Security Council in New York, but it is difficult to continue on the basis that we had last week. Something has been ruined and we must rebuild it, and letâ€™s be realistic: I am not willing to say that mid-2005 is a realistic target,â€™ Holkeri was quoted as saying. â€˜The main priority for the time being is to reestablish law and order, to have a stable situation and to bring the perpetrators to justice. This will happen in co‑ordination between KFOR and UNMIK. The international community cannot tolerate impunity.â€™

Holkeri called on the Kosovo Government to stay true to its promise and rebuild the damaged houses of Kosovo Serbs. He also said that the government and politicians must isolate those that have caused the violence. â€˜I am certain that the provisional government of Kosovo will do everything that is possible in this situation in order to achieve a more stable future for Kosovo,â€™ he added.

In closing, the UNMIK chief was quoted as saying, â€˜First, we must work together, get the perpetrators and bring them before justice. And we should help the people that have suffered and that need immediate assistance. But the government must help us isolate the perpetrators and remove them from this society and not allow this to happen again. If the institutions are silent, it will be more difficult to do this, but now is the time to break the silence and to tell each other what we know. I am certain that people in high-ranking positions know more than what they have told us.â€™

EU: Kosovoâ€™s European credibility and future have been put in question

Koha Ditore correspondent in Brussels, Augustin Palokaj, writes that the European Union foreign ministers have voiced their disappointment at the lack of willingness by Kosovo Albanian leaders to prevent the violence against Serbs.

The EU foreign ministers especially condemned the attacks against the international community in Kosovo, against KFOR and UNMIK staff members. The foreign ministers also harshly condemned the destruction of cultural and religious sites in Kosovo, by reminding Kosovars that these sites are property of all of Europe and European civilization.

The EU foreign ministers called on Kosovo leaders, especially the Albanian ones, to act more responsibly and to put an end to the violence in Kosovo through concrete statements and actions. They further said that they supported Harri Holkeriâ€™s plan for the normalisation of the situation in Kosovo and the return of displaced persons.

Koha Ditore further reports that the ministers assessed what happened in Kosovo as a serious step back. Kosovars should be aware that their credibility and the European future of Kosovo are in question, concluded the EU foreign ministers.

Belgrade Media Update

51,000 People Took Part in 33 Riots Across Kosovo Last Week

UNMIK Police spokesperson Derek Chappell announced yesterday that a total of 163 people suspected of arson, looting, murder and other crimes during last week's explosion of ethnic violence in Kosovo had been arrested. He stated that the police estimate that 51,000 people were involved in 33 riots that resulted in the death of 28 people, the wounding of 870 persons, the destruction of 30 Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries, the damaging of 11 Orthodox premises, the destruction of 286 houses belonging to Kosovo Serbs and of 72 UNMIK vehicles, reported Danas. No incidents were reported over the last 24 hours and all roads have reopened for traffic although a certain number of checkpoints have been established by KFOR, B92 reported. UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri announced yesterday while visiting the town of Lipljan where several Serbian houses were torched that UNMIK Police was investigating the violence and stressed that â€œthose who are responsible for these attacks must be isolated from this society,â€

Photos of some of the destroyed and desecrated Serbian Orrhtodox Shrines in Kosovo by the rampaging Albanian mob

ERP KIM Info-service
Gracanica, March 23, 2004 photo links updated around 03.00hrs CET

Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo is enclosing a list of new and updated links with photos of the Orthodox Christian shrines (churches and monasteries) destroyed or damaged by Kosovo Albanians during the Kosovo Kristallnacht 17-18 March 2004. The photos are uploaded to the our server and are available for free download. The photos may be freely used, reproduced and shared through the Internet. The new photos will be soon uploaded and their links sent on our mailing list.

These photos are showing only a few of 28 churches destroyed by Kosovo Albanians during the last pogrom on 17-19 March. More about the destruction of more than 100 Serbian Orthodox churches since the beginning of the so called peace mission in Kosovo in June 1999 may be found in our publication KOSOVO CRUCIFIED

http://www.kosovo.com/ckos/page_01.htm

These sad scenes of brutal destruction of centuries old Christian Heritage show that instead of an European, civilized and cultured society Kosovo Albanians with their extremist leaders are establishing a new Afghanistan in Europe in which soon not a single sign of Cross and Christianity will survive.

Burning of the Seminary and St. George Cathedral in Prizren

Photos of the Kosovo Albanian barbarsim in Prizren are available on the Kosovo Albanian link:
http://www.besimi.org/prizreni/

Cathedral of St. George in Prizren (19th century) burned and damaged by explosions

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz17v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz18v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz19v.jpg

The charred Seminary with the Potkaljaja Serbian quarter in Prizren, in which three smaller churches are located: St. Kyriake, St. Panteleimon and St. Cosma and Damian. This quarter was under special protection as a architectural treasure of Prizren.

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz15v.jpg

Devic Monastery (Srbica, 14th century) - see before http://www.kosovo.com/edevic.html
The photos also show the opened and desecrated tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic, a saint from 15th century

The scenes of destruction of the church and residental quarters of the Devic nuns (photos from March 22)

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc01v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc02v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc03v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc04v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc05v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc06v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc07v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc08v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc09v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc10v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc11v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc12v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc13v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc14v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc15v.jpg tomb of St. Ioanichius

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc16v.jpg tomb of St. Ioanichius

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc17v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc18v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc19v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicc20v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/devicoltarv.jpg (broken holy table in the sanctuary)

http://www.kosovo.com/devicoltarv2.jpg (broken holy table in the sanctuary)

http://www.kosovo.com/devic_pljackasiv.jpg (Kosovo Albanian car taking stolen things from Devic)

http://www.kosovo.com/devicz_v.jpg (international policeman in front one of the Devic buildings)

Holy Virgin of Lyevish - Bogorodica Ljeviska cathedral , 14th century, Prizren

About the church: http://www.kosovo.com/ljeviska.html
According to the available information the most of frescoes have been destroyed by the fire

Scenes after the arsonists desecrated the shrine,photos form March 22

http://www.kosovo.com/ljeviskafire.jpg - general view from outside after the fire

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz14v.jpg general view from outside after the fire

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz16v.jpg a view of the entrance tower of the church

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz03v.jpg - a detail from the damaged facade

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz04v.jpg cuvena famous fresco of the Madona with the Christ ( see before http://www.kosovo.com/ljeviska007.jpg also see at: http://www.kosovo.com/ljeviskapz3.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz05v.jpg the altar area

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz06v.jpg the altar area

St. Nicholas (Tutic's church) (burned from inside and desecrated), Prizren

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz13v.jpg

Interior of the small St. George's church (Runjevac church) near burned bishop's residence, Prizren

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz20v.jpg

Icon of the Lord Jesus Christ in the burned church of St. Nicholas in Kosovo Polje nr. Pristina (19th century)

http://www.kosovo.com/christ_kospoljev.jpg

Ruins of the church of the Holy Virgin in Djakovica 19th c. and the parish home

An earlier report about the church and the elderly Serb women who lived in the parish home: http://www.kosovo.com/poleksija_s.html

The present scene from the helicopter - after destruction. Groups of Albanians search the ruins and take away remaining valuables.

http://www.kosovo.com/crkva_djkruins.jpg (According to the latest information the area has been totally levelled)

Holy Archangels Monastery, nr. Prizren burned by Albanians. The tomb of Emperor Dusan opened and desecrated

Monastery before destruction: http://www.kosovo.com/sarhangel.html interior: http://www.kosovo.com/arhgnl1.jpg

Scenes after the monastery was burned. German KFOR did nothing to protect the church. Only monks were evacuated.

http://www.kosovo.com/zaparhangeli01.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/zaparhangeli01.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz01v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz02v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz07v.jpg chapel of St Nicholas, (the earlier photo: http://www.kosovo.com/arhgnl3.jpg )

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz08v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz09v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz10v.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pzz12v.jpg

Brothers from the Holy Archangels now temporarily accomodated in Sredska village
http://www.kosovo.com/pzz11v.jpg

Church of St. Nicholas in Pristina, beg. 19th century

http://www.kosovo.com/svnikola_pr.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom06.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/omiroslav3.jpg (a photo of the valuable altar screen destroyed by fire)

Photos of Serbs wounded and beaten by Albanian mob in Obilic and Lipljan

http://www.kosovo.com/wounded_serbs.zip

(the name of each photo-file bears the name of the wounded person)

Serb family homes in Lipljan near Pristina burned by Kosovo Albanians:

http://www.kosovo.com/Dcp03728.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/Dcp03730.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/Dcp03732.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/Dcp03734.jpg

http://www.kosovo.com/dcp03728.jpg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The last update of the destroyed churches and monasteries in the Kosovo Kristallnacht 17-18 March

All these holy sites, beside doezens of killed and 4.000 displaced Serbs have happened in the presence of 18.000 KFOR troops and thousands of UNMIK policemen

Prizren
1. Holy Virgin of Lyevish (14 th century)
2. Church of Christ the Savior (14 th century)
3. Cathedral of St. George (1856)
4. Church of St. Nicholas (Tuticâ€™s church, 14 century)
5. Church of St. Nicholas (Runovicâ€™s church, 16 century)
6. Church of St. Kyriake (14 century, reconstructed later)
7. Church of St. Panteleimon (14 century, reconstructed later)
8. Church of St. Cosmas and Damian (14 century, reconstructed)
9. Church of St. Kyriake, Zivinjane, near Prizren
10. Holy Archangels Monastery (14. century)
*Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Sts. Cyrillus of Methodius
*Bishopâ€™s residence in Prizren

Orahovac
11. Church of St. Kyriake, (1852), Brnjaca, Orahovac 1852

Dakovica
12. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (16-19th century), with the parish home.
Cathedral church of the Holy Trinity (two bell-towers which survived the 1999 mining were razed to the ground. Kosovo Albanians remove all material from the site)
13. Church of St. Lazarus, Piskote, near Djakovica

Srbica
14. Devic Monastery (15. century) burned to the ground with the tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic opened and desecrated. Fire was burned in the tomb of the saint.

Pec
15. Church of St. John the Baptist (Metropolia, with the parish home)
16. Church of Virgin Mary, Belo Polje nr. Pec, burned again and desecrated
17. Church of St. John the Baptist (Pecka banja)

Urosevac
18. Cathedral of St. Uros the Emperor, Urosevac
19â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..
20â€¦â€¦â€¦......
(According to the Athens media at least two more Orthodox churches which were under the protection of the Greek KFOR have been left unprotected. Initial information say that these two locations have been destroyed)

Kamenica
21. Church in Donja Slapasnica, Kosovska Kamenica
22. Church in Talinovci, nr. Gnjilane

Stimlje
23. Church of St. Archangel Michael in Stimlje

Pristina
24. Church of St. Nicholas (19 th cenutry), Pristina town

Kosovo Polje
25. Church of St Nicholas, Kosovo Polje, burned and desecrated
26. Church of St. Katherine, Bresje nr. Kosovo Polje, burned

Vucitrn
27. Church of St. Elias, Vucitrn

Obilic
28. Church of St. Michael in Obilic

Kosovska Mitrovica
29. Church of St. Sava, Mitrovica South

Podujevo
30. Church of St. Elias, Podujevo

Hee we zijn in Holland he!!

The updated list of destroyed and damaged Christian Orthodox shrines in Kosovo after Kristallnacht of 17-18 March 2004

*the list is still not yet finally completed because additional confirmations are expected

ERP KIM Info-service
March 23, 2004 (05:52)

Beside these shrines 112 churches and monasteries have been either completely destroeyed or damaged by Kosovo Albanian extremists since deployment of the so called peacekeeping forces and the UN "peace mission"

Prizren

1. Holy Virgin of Lyevish (14 th century)
2. Church of Christ the Savior (14 th century)
3. Cathedral of St. George (1856)
4. Church of St. Nicholas (Tuticâ€™s church, 14 century)
5. Church of St. Nicholas (Runovicâ€™s church, 16 century)
6. Church of St. Kyriake (14 century, reconstructed later)
7. Church of St. Panteleimon (14 century, reconstructed later)
8. Church of St. Cosmas and Damian (14 century, reconstructed)
9. Church of St. Kyriake, Zivinjane, near Prizren
10. Holy Archangels Monastery (14. century)
*Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Sts. Cyrillus of Methodius
*Bishopâ€™s residence in Prizren

Orahovac
11. Church of St. Kyriake, (1852), Brnjaca, Orahovac 1852

Djakovica
12. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (16-19th century), with the parish home.
Cathedral church of the Holy Trinity (two bell-towers which survived the 1999 mining were razed to the ground. Kosovo Albanians remove all material from the site)
13. Church of St. Lazarus, Piskote, near Djakovica

Srbica
14. Devic Monastery (15. century) burned to the ground with the tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic opened and desecrated. Fire was burned in the tomb of the saint.

Pec
15. Church of St. John the Baptist (Metropolia, with the parish home)
16. Church of Virgin Mary, Belo Polje nr. Pec, burned again and desecrated
17. Church of St. John the Baptist (Pecka banja)

Urosevac
18. Cathedral of St. Uros the Emperor, Urosevac
19â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..
20â€¦â€¦â€¦......
(According to the Athens media at least two more Orthodox churches which were under the protection of the Greek KFOR have been left unprotected. Initial information say that these two locations have been destroyed)

Kamenica
21. Church in Donja Slapasnica, Kosovska Kamenica
22. Church in Talinovci, nr. Gnjilane

Stimlje
23. Church of St. Archangel Michael in Stimlje

Pristina
24. Church of St. Nicholas (19 th cenutry), Pristina town

Kosovo Polje
25. Church of St Nicholas, Kosovo Polje, burned and desecrated
26. Church of St. Katherine, Bresje nr. Kosovo Polje, burned

Vucitrn
27. Church of St. Elias, Vucitrn

Obilic
28. Church of St. Michael in Obilic

Kosovska Mitrovica
29. Church of St. Sava, Mitrovica South

Podujevo
30. Church of St. Elias, Podujevo

Staat ons dit ook te wachten in West-Europa? Ons land, vanouds een christelijk land, dat wij te grabbel gooien aan de islam?

Kosovo, vanouds een christelijke deel van de balkan, wordt onder het toeziende oog van de westerse politieke en militaire macht overgeleverd aan de import-albanezen. Het is een schande.

En als jullie meer van die ellende willen zien: http://www.kosovo.com/erpkiminfo.html
Daar kun je je abonneren op de nieuwsbrief. En als je dat doet, verwacht er dan zeker 10 per dag, want de agressie duurt voort!

Solana, Patten "horified" by violence

PRISTINA, KOSOVO POLJE -- Wednesday â€“ The European Unionâ€™s senior foreign affairs officials said in Kosovo today that they were horrified by the violence which swept the region last week.

European Foreign Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten and EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana spoke to media as they visited burnt out health centres and schools.

"Itâ€™s sad to see schools destroyed and children evacuated, people killed and homes burnt. This is something which canâ€™t be tolerated," said Solana.

"Iâ€™m shocked at the brutality, the destruction of schools, preventing children from being educated, the destruction of churches in which people only want to pray," he said.

"Serbs are brave and must stay here, they must try to rebuild their homes and we will help them with that," he added.

Patten told media that the people responsible for last weekâ€™s crimes had not only destroyed the future of others, but their own as well.

The two European officials are scheduled to meet Kosovo governor Harri Holkeri, KFOR commander Holger Kammerhoff and Kosovo political leaders during the day.

March 27, 2004

ERP KiM Newsletter 27-03-04

The Updated List of Serbian Orthodox Churches destroyed or seriously damaged during the last week's pogrom - 35 holy sites

ERP KIM Info-Service
Gracanica, March 26, 2004

We are enclosing the last updated and consolidated list of the Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries which were completely destroyed or seriously damaged by Kosovo Albanian mob orchestrated by extremist groups in the period between March 17-March 20. The most of the information have been confirmed from local Serbian and international sources through personal contacts or visits. A valuable source of additional but not fully completed report is the Full reconstruction of the Kosovo pogrom, 15 â€“ 20 March 2004 http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/10

The report will be updated after the members of the Serbian Orthodox Church are allowed to visit all the attacked sites.

The church of St. George in Prizren burned by Kosovo Albanian mob

Prizren

(All churches in Prizren were destroyed during the Kristallnacht of March 17 and the following March 18)

1. Holy Virgin of Lyevish (14 th century) burned inside, (photos now: 1, 2, 3, 4)
2. Church of Christ the Savior (14 th century) burned (photo now: 1)
3. Cathedral of St. George (1856) burned and mined (photos now: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 )
4. Church of St. Nicholas (Tutic's church, 14 century) burned (photo now: 1 2)
5. Church of St. Nicholas (Runovic's church, 16 century) burned inside (photo now: 1)
6. Church of St. Kyriake (14 century, reconstructed later) burned, Potkaljaja quarter
7. Church of St. Panteleimon (14 century, reconstructed later) burned, Potkaljaja quarter
8. Church of St. Cosmas and Damian (14 century, reconstructed) burned, Potkaljaja quarter
9. Church of St. Kyriake, Zivinjane, near Prizren, mined (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 19 - Explosion completely destroys old Orthodox Church near Zivinjane village)
10. Holy Archangels Monastery (14. century), burned (now: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

----------Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Sts. Cyrillus of Methodius (now: 1, 2,) (UNMIK/KFOR Report March 17 - Orthodox Seminary in town centre & 3 Orthodox churches set on fire)
----------Bishop's residence in Prizren (now: 1) (UNMIK/KFOR Report - March 18: Archbishop seat, Archangel Monastery, an Orthodox Church and Orthodox Seminary set on fire & destroyed)

Orahovac
11. Church of St. Kyriake, (1852), Brnjaca, Orahovac 1852 (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 18 - Orthodox Church set on fire & destroyed in Brnjaca village)

Djakovica
12. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (16-19th century), burned with the parish home on March 17, razed to the ground during the following days (photo now)
Cathedral church of the Holy Trinity (two bell-towers which survived the 1999 mining were razed to the ground. Kosovo Albanians removed all material from the site in the following days, UNMIK/KFOR Report March 18 - Rioters remove debris of destroyed Orthodox Church with trucks & trailers Approx 5,000 K-Albanians participate.)
13. Church of St. Lazarus, Piskote, near Djakovica, before only vandalized now reported destroyed (confirmed from an international source)
14. Church of St. Elias, near Bistrazin, damaged after the war and now completely destroyed (confirmed by Bishop Atanasije Jevtic)

Srbica
15. Devic Monastery (15. century) burned to the ground with the tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic opened and desecrated. Fire was burned in the tomb of the saint. (now: photos1, photos2) (UNMIK/KFOR Report March 18: 2,000 protestors gather and move towards Devic Monastery, Five K-Serbian nuns evacuated from area, Violent protestors set Monastery on fire)

Pec
16. Church of St. John the Baptist (Metropolia, with the parish home) burned (confirmed from local international sources in Pec)
17. Church of Virgin Mary, Belo Polje nr. Pec, burned again inside and desecrated inside, structure still stands (confirmed by Bishop Atanasije Jevtic who visited the site)
18. Church of St. John the Baptist (Pecka banja), reported burned (from local international sources)

Urosevac
19. Cathedral of St. Uros the Emperor, Urosevac, (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 17 - 3 hand grenades thrown at Serbian Orthodox church â€“ church set on fire, first time), at least 19 KFOR soldiers and policemen wounded defending the church, destroyed city cemetery (UNMIK/KFOR Report March 18 1,500 K-Albanians rampage â€“ burn Orthodox Church & up to 5 K-Serb houses in townK-Albanian crowd attempts to set Orthodox Church on fire in K-Serb village of Talinovce Church was set to fire (1749 hrs) â€“ 5 K-Albanian males arrested)
20. Nekodim village, Sv. Ilija, destroyed with the cemetery (confirmed by local sources)
21. Talinovac village, St. Peter and Paul church, destroyed, with the cemetery (from the UNMIK/KFOR Report, see above)
22. Sovtovic, cemetery church of the Holy Virgin, destroyed with the cemetery (confirmed by local sources)
(Athens media confirmed that three churches beside Urosevac church which were under protection of the Greek KFOR were left alone)

Kamenica
23. Church in Donja Slapasnica, Kosovska Kamenica (info from Kamenica) under investigation
the church in Kamenica was stoned and some windows are broken

Stimlje
24. Church of St. Archangel Michael in Stimlje, built in 1920 (on the hill) (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 18: K-Serbian house & Orthodox Church set on fire)

Pristina
25. Church of St. Nicholas (19 th cenutry), Pristina town (now: 1, 2) (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 18 - Rioters attack Old Orthodox Church in Taslixhe â€“ automatic gunfire in area Orthodox priest & 5 K-Serbian families evacuated by KFOR from Old Orthodox Church SPU officer shot & injured during attempt to secure Old Orthodox Church Orthodox Church, UN Habitat office & 3 UNMIK Police vehicles set on fire) The church burned to the ground with the parish home and all church archives (confirmed by priest Fr. Miroslav Popadic)

Kosovo Polje
26. Church of St Nicholas, Kosovo Polje, burned inside and desecrated, built in 1940, structure stands (local Serbian priest visited the church and found burned icons and inventory)
27. Church of St. Katherine, Bresje nr. Kosovo Polje, vandalized inside, built in 20.c., structure stands (visited by the local Serbian priest)

Vucitrn
28. Church of St. Elias, Vucitrn, 19th c., burned (UNMIK/KFOR Report: Orthodox Church set on fire in Vucitrn town)
29. Churchin Priluzje (UNMIK/KFOR Report March 19: Orthodox Church set on fire in K-Serbian village of Priluzje)

Obilic
30. Church of St. Michael in Obilic, new church, large fire set up inside the church (UNMIK/KFOR Report: March 18 - Orthodox Church, numerous K-Serbian houses and apartment blocks set on fire)

Kosovska Mitrovica
31. Church of St. Sava, Mitrovica South, 2 set on fire twice in a few days (burned) (UNMIK/KFOR Report - March 18: Molotov cocktails thrown into perimeter of KFOR-guarded Orthodox Church in South, Church & several neighboring houses set on fire Local Fire Brigade fight house fires but not Church, which is severely damaged)

Podujevo
32. Church of St. Andreas, Podujevo, built in 1929, destroyed on March 18, Czech media confirm that the cemetery was destroyed. (Czech officer confirmed that coffins were dug up and bones of dead scattered, UNMIK/KFOR Report - March 18 Orthodox Church set on fire)

Istok
33. Church of St. Peter and Paul (UNMIK/KFOR Report: Explosion damages Orthodox Church in the town)
34. (March 18 - UNMIK/KFOR Report: Explosion in Orthodox Church, Baja village)

Vitina
35. Church damaged by grenades on March 17 (according to UNMIK/KFOR Report: 4 K-Serbian houses set on fire & Orthodox Church badly damaged)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attempted destruction of the monastery:

Decani Monastery was attacked by 6 mortar grenades on March 17, around 22.00. No damage was made to the holy site (confirmed by KFOR and monks of the monastery)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beside churches and monasteries many Serbian cemeteries were completely and partially damaged by Kosovo Albanian mob. The scene shows the nuns' cemetery at the Devic monastery

Find updated information and our messages in html format on our new
ERP KIM NEWS-PORTAL http://WWW.KOSOVO.NET

PHOTO GALLERIES - KOSOVO POGROM, MARCH 17-19

Photo gallery - Destruction of Serbian Orthodox holy sites in Prizren
http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/1

Photos of rampage through Prizren by Kosovo Albanian mob
http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/3

Photos - Kosovo Pogrom (March 17-19)
http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/6

Photo gallery - destruction of the Devic monastery (Part 1)
http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/17

Photo gallery - destruction of the Devic monastery (Part 2)
http://www.kosovo.net/?q=node/view/18
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Houden jullie een beetje bij wat er momenteel in Kosovo gebeurt?

Gedenk onze christenbroeders en -zusters in Kosovo in jullie gebeden.

Hier een korte opsomming:

Ellenlange Quotes...

Oorspronkelijk gepost door marsm104
Ellenlange Quotes...

Hoe zou jij het vinden als alle vrijgemaakt gereformeerde kerken, en alle andere christelijke kerken in jouw woonplaats door groepen islamieten zou worden vernield? Of dat er een mohammedaan op het liturgisch centrum van jouw kerk zou urineren?

Oorspronkelijk gepost door strik
Hoe zou jij het vinden als alle vrijgemaakt gereformeerde kerken, en alle andere christelijke kerken in jouw woonplaats door groepen islamieten zou worden vernield? Of dat er een mohammedaan op het liturgisch centrum van jouw kerk zou urineren?

Misschien zou je eens een nieuwe topic moeten starten of wij, christenen in NL, ons wel verbonden voelen met de Kerk wereldwijd en met verdrukte christenen elders?

Oorspronkelijk gepost door strik
Staat ons dit ook te wachten in West-Europa? Ons land, vanouds een christelijk land, dat wij te grabbel gooien aan de islam?

Kosovo, vanouds een christelijke deel van de balkan, wordt onder het toeziende oog van de westerse politieke en militaire macht overgeleverd aan de import-albanezen. Het is een schande.

Een schande is het zeker. Gruwelijk om juist dat heiligste symbool van een volk, het godshuis, te vernielen en te ontheiligen.

Toch wil ik hier wel een kanttekening bij plaatsen. Er zijn immers ook islamitische godshuizen in rook opgegaan, in Belgrado en in Nis. Ook zijn winkels van Albanezen geplunderd, mensen lastiggevallen. Het betreft hier wraakacties in de trant van "oog om oog, tand om tand", die weinig op hebben met het christelijke toekeren van de andere wang.

Laten we bidden om meer wederzijds begrip daar, maar ook elders in de wereld, opdat mensen van welk geloof dan ook vreedzaam naast en met elkaar mogen leven.

[Aangepast op 29/3/04 door Benoni]