Displaced Serbs from Djakovica canceled a visit to their hometown on Tuesday. On the day of the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they planned to visit Djakovica church dedicated to this feast, however, the visit was canceled due to security reasons. This is not the first time that displaced Serbs were forced to give up on visiting their hometown from which they left after the war.
Due to their intended visits, protests were repeatedly organized by Albanian residents of Djakovica in the past as well.
The arrival of around 2,000 people displaced from Djakovica to their hometown this time has been prevented by „an atmosphere of hatred that prevailed in the previous days“ – the representative of the Association of Displaced Serbs Djokica Stojanovic told RTK2.
This association reported that photographs of Serbs with the message „Prison for Serb criminals“ were plastered all over Djakovica.
„We gave up (on the trip) because we do not want to get into a circle of hatred and tension. We do not want any incidents. Serbs have not been humiliated this time. However, all international institutions, Pristina-based institutions and NGOs are humiliated, as they, even 20 years later, failed to make it possible for Serbs to peacefully celebrate the Saint’s Patron Day, All Souls’ Day, Easter, and Christmas in Djakovica,“ Stanojevic said.
The founder of the Humanitarian Law Center Natasa Kandic sent an open letter to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, inviting him to enable Djakovica Serbs to visit their church this time.
„On this occasion, I ask you to personally intervene so that Serbs from Djakovica can visit the church and their homes on August 28th, 2018, without being exposed to humiliation like it was in previous years,“ she wrote in a letter published by the Danas daily newspaper.
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci reacted to this letter.
„Dear Madam, well-known Serbian humanist Natasa Kandic, I assure you as the President of Kosovo, as well as with other institutional capacities I had previously held, that I will be dedicated to freedom and to ensuring the freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens, including the Serb community throughout Kosovo,“ Thaci posted on his Facebook page.
Even in the hardest days, our citizens have preserved religious buildings, historical monuments and the Orthodox heritage of Kosovo, claimed the Kosovo President.
„We continue to recognize Ms. Kandic’s contribution and express a deep appreciation of her activity before, during, and after the war,” he added.
Orthodox Christian churches, monasteries, and cemeteries were destroyed in the aftermath of Kosovo war in ’99, followed by a number of attacks targetted against Serb civilians, including fatal cases. Serbian cultural heritage was widely desecrated during the March violence when, according to data of the Humanitarian Law Center, „36 Orthodox religious sites were completely demolished and burned.“ Multiple crimes remain unresolved.
“Today, it is unimaginable and unacceptable that anyone is violating rights or not allowing Serbian citizens to visit religious sites, either in Djakovica or anywhere else in Kosovo.
Kosovo is a state of all citizens, regardless of religion, culture, or ethnicity. We are the most democratic state in the region and beyond, where ethnic communities are protected by the constitution.
The Euro-Atlantic future of Kosovo will be safe only by building a democratic state and preserving the multiethnic character of our society,“ Thaci concluded.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
