The citizens of Djakovica, Kosovo Albanians, protested against the visit of displaced Serb believers from this city, who intended to visit their local church again this year, on the great Christian holiday, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the church in which this holiday was traditionally celebrated. The displaced Serbs announced yesterday that they canceled their visit. However, the protest in Djakovica, which started at 8 am this morning, lasted for hours, even after, as Koha newspaper reported, the protestors found out that the Serbs were not going to come.
According to local media sources, several protestors were arrested during this protest. Koha reported that five were arrested, while Epoka e re daily newspaper reported that the number was ten.
„There is plenty of filth from Serbia, but these black leaders are even filthier,” one of the protestors shouted angrily, Koha also reported.
„There is no better proof of the Serbian crimes in Kosovo than the mothers who are suffering after their children (died),“ said Nesrete Kumnova, a member of the government missing persons commission, who fainted during her speech.
Kumnova said that she cannot understand why no one was arrested, although the Djakovans, according to her, recognize all criminals.
„There is no silence without justice“ and „Blood of the killed Albanian children by Serbia – is not forgiven,“ were some of the slogans written on the banners carried by the protesters.
The association „Mothers’ Calls“ from Djakovica also protested against the arrival of Serbian pilgrims. This association requested the visit to be stopped via an open letter they addressed to President Thaci.
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 a day earlier.
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, earlier, an open letter to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, inviting him to enable Djakovica Serbs to visit their church on this occasion.
„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.
Thaci responded:
“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.
Even in the hardest days, our citizens have preserved religious buildings, historical monuments and the Orthodox heritage of Kosovo, claimed the Kosovo President.
This is not the first time that displaced Serbs were forced to give up on visiting their hometown from which they fled after the war.
Due to their intended visits, protests were repeatedly organized by Albanian residents of Djakovica in the past as well.
Djakovica was reported to be the most-hit-Kosovo town by war crimes committed by Serb paramilitary troops during the war.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
