Special Report:
Human Rights-Related Complaints
Related to the EAAG in the Tetovo Area

On Friday, July 20, the Mission human rights specialist spent the day in the Tetovo area continuing to address human rights concerns specifically related to the conduct of the ethnic Albanian armed group in that region. The allegations under investigation related not only to the group's treatment of ethnic Macedonians in the Tetovo area, but also towards persons in the ethnic Albanian community who objected to the EAAG's (Extreme Albanian Armed Groups) activities or tactics.

The Mission specialist confirmed reports from the OSCE's Tetovo-area Monitors that, even during the ceasefire, the ethnic Macedonian civilian population north of Tetovo is under heavy pressure from the EAAG to leave. This pressure takes the form of kidnappings, temporary detentions, and serious, persistent forms of intimidation and restrictions on the movement of civilians attempting to engage in ordinary activities such as agriculture, shopping, and going to work.  The conduct of the EAAG is consistent with an attempt to ethnically cleanse that area.

Furthermore, this conduct is having a negative effect on both the stability of the ceasefire in the Tetovo area and on efforts to achieve a broader political settlement. EAAG roadblocks and vehicle stops are accurately perceived by government authorities as dangerous to the ethnic Macedonian civilian community north of Tetovo rather than solely in terms of military threats or technical ceasefire violations. In addition, the EAAG is currently engaging in actions associated with civil administration of the area under their control [e.g., regulating traffic, conducting "police patrols," closing brothels]. Unfortunately, their treatment of ethnic Macedonian civilians in the course of these activities actively discourages a perception that said community would be safe, let alone fairly treated, should the EAAG remain in control of their current area of influence in this region. Thus, to the extent the EAAG is engaged in behavior that creates intolerable conditions for ethnic Macedonians during the ceasefire, it is both destabilizing the ceasefire and discouraging a political settlement.

A distinct change in the attitude displayed towards Mission vehicles and activities by persons in ethnic Albanian areas in and south of Tetovo was also noted. Whereas the Mission has previously been welcomed and received a friendly reaction as it drove through these communities, a distinct wariness and even a chill was perceived in the general tenor of the average person on the street in ethnic Albanian areas around Tetovo. For example, one young boy in the Poroj area, sitting with a playmate of the same age, began to wave at a Mission vehicle but was immediately stopped by his companion. Adults observed the HDO specialist's movements carefully. It appears there has been a sea change in the ethnic Albanian community towards international observers in the Tetovo area.

The Mission has received numerous allegations of kidnappings, beatings, robberies, and intimidation of ethnic Macedonians at EAAG checkpoints, checkpoints that are themselves a violation of the ceasefire agreement. It is impossible to present a figure for each of these categories. The Mission believes that incidents of robberies and intimidation at EAAG checkpoints are significantly under-reported and that the most likely explanation for this phenomenon is fear of retaliation by the EAAG. [Note: when the ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Serbs were displaced from villages in the Kumanovo area, the Mission discovered these communities lacked familiarity with the human rights reporting process. The Mission then engaged in community outreach and education with these ethnic groups and has confirmed that ethnic Macedonians in the Tetovo area know how to report human rights complaints.]

Circumstantial evidence indicates that the number of incidents of robbery and intimidation is likely to be substantial. When contacted by the Mission HDO, villagers give indications that these events are occurring but also indicate that any missing property or threat is not worth the perceived risk involved in making a complaint. Relatives and friends in particularly vulnerable villages are noted to discourage persons from coming forward. Indeed, several villagers in Lesok complained that the recent presence of EU and UNHCR officials in the village exposed the villagers to danger and retaliation when the officials left.

The Mission is most likely to be informed of  allegations related to missing/ kidnapped/disappeared persons, largely because the success of the Mission in locating missing persons results in these cases being brought to its attention by families seeking the Mission's assistance in locating a loved one. As of 23 July, the Mission has received credible allegations that 25 persons have disappeared or are allegedly detained by the EAAG operating in the Tetovo area. This number includes ethnic Macedonian civilians and ethnic Albanians who were serving in the Ministry of Interior as regular officers or as reservists at the time of their disappearance. It does not include 3 persons held by the EAAG in Raduca. An additional number of ethnic Macedonian civilians have reportedly been kidnapped, shown military preparations of the EAAG, and then released. [The Mission has met with ethnic Albanian activists to check on their situation. At this time the Mission has received 1 report of a disappearance of an ethnic Albanian from a police checkpoint since the ceasefire. Although this is a surprising number, it is unusual for this ethnic group not to report such incidents when they occur.]

Human rights related complaints specific to the alleged conduct of the EAAG in the Tetovo area now include: illegal detentions of civilians, beatings and other physical abuse, forced labor [detained persons report having been forced to dig ditches, some ethnic Albanians report they were similarly forced to assist the EAAG], forced conscription, use of juveniles in areas of engagement, intimidation of ethnic Macedonian civilians [including women, children, and the elderly] at checkpoints, looting and wanton destruction of property, robbery, ethnic cleansing [5 ethnic Macedonian villages primarily inhabited by retirees have been cleared of inhabitants by the EAAG], and engaging in a firefight with automatic weapons without warning in an area immediately adjacent to civilian dwellings and where children were at play.

In addition to the foregoing, the Ministry of Interior alleges that the EAAG has executed a number of ethnic Albanians for alleged collaboration with the government and other acts of perceived "disloyalty" to the EAAG. The Mission can confirm that a number of ethnic Albanians in the Tetovo area appear to have been murdered. It is not in a position to assess who might be the perpetrators. The condition of the missing ethnic Albanian members of the police forces cannot be determined at this time. We note that the missing include the Colonel who is the commander of the watchtower at Jacince as well as relatives of ethnic Albanians serving with the government.

Finally, the information available to the Mission strongly indicates that thus far only the EAAG has engaged in the use of mines, and the EAAG in the Tetovo area has specifically acknowledged employing these devices to discourage movement in the hills.

Representative cases: On Friday the Mission HDO investigated the situation of 3 ethnic Macedonians who had reportedly been hospitalized after being kidnapped and released by the EAAG in the Tearce area. All 3 were recovering from injuries as severe as any beating the Mission has investigated in the course of the current situation.

All 3 were unwilling to be interviewed and would not allow photographs of their injuries. [It is important to observe that, although both ethnic groups express fear of the possible consequences of making a report of a human rights violation, ethnic Albanians then disclose their complaints. In contrast, ethnic Macedonians express extreme fear of the EAAG and usually cannot be induced to describe their experiences to the Mission.] All three nodded their heads vigorously in agreement with the statement that sometimes people did not want to cooperate with an investigation because they and their families had been threatened, and continued to nod in agreement when the HDO added, "sometimes even with death."

These persons appeared extremely fearful of Mission's presence, but ultimately consented to showing their injuries to the investigator. There were chafing marks on their wrists that appeared consistent with their hands being bound. By observing the pattern of the bruises and abrasions, it appeared they had been beaten whilst their hands were bound behind their backs. From the appearance of their injuries, it appeared they had been struck with rifle butts and wooden or metal rods, objects typically associated with the kinds of deep bruising observed on the subjects. [One person stated briefly that a particular pattern of injuries had been caused by being struck with a wooden broom handle and a police baton.] All had been beaten on the soles of their feet as well as on the back of the legs. One had reduced kidney function upon admission, but was improving.

These impressions were later confirmed in conversations with the attending doctor. It was also discovered that the 3 young men had attended an engagement party and were standing outside the house of one of them when a car with 3 armed NLA members drove up and accosted them. They were roughed up, blindfolded, and driven to a location where the beating was administered.

While at the hospital, the HDO received a report that at approximately 1100 hours that same day, another ethnic Macedonian had been kidnapped from his house near the football stadium in Drenovic. The Mission HDO and Senior Monitor attempted to investigate this report, however, as they approached the house they observed not only a new NLA sandbag emplacement immediately up the street from the residence, but also numerous uniformed and armed NLA personnel in the area observing their approach. It was determined that there was no one at the house and that the area was too unsecure to investigate the report further at that location.

The Mission also received a report that a house had been destroyed by "mortar fire" in Bogovinje the previous night. On 1 July the Mission had investigated a report of attempted forced recruiting by the NLA in Bogovinje and was concerned that there might be a connection between the incidents. The alleged forced recruitment attempt had been resisted by the father of the young man, and acknowledged members of the NLA had been killed and wounded in the incident. The Mission had found the original report credible and had noted with concern that threats of retaliation against the family had forced them into hiding.

Upon arriving in Bogovinje, Mission members found that the restaurant and residence of the family had been reduced to smoldering rubble. The team's effort to investigate the incident was interfered with by blatant intimidation of the witness they were interviewing, whilst the team was speaking to him.

The team had noted that a number of persons had observed their presence at the incident site. One vehicle with an EU license plate stopped approximately 100 meters away to observe the team. The occupants of that car flagged down a second vehicle, which blocked the egress of the Mission's parked car. Three persons in the second car had a brief conversation with the persons in the first vehicle, then walked up to the witness the team was interviewing. One of the 3 told the witness to "shut up." This interloper then told the team that the destruction of the property was the result of a personal dispute between the owners and criminals, not the activity of the NLA. He directed the team to ask any other questions of the Mayor. When asked to identify himself and the source of his authority to direct the Mission's investigation, he left with the other 2 men.

Prior to this interference, the witness had stated that the NLA had "mortared" the unoccupied house during the night. He was specific that it was the action of the NLA. From the witness' description and the team's view of the scene, it appears more likely that a line of sight weapon or explosives placed in the buildings was used, rather than a mortar per se. The witness reported that fuel in the house was ignited by the bombs and caused the fire that totally destroyed the property. This was consistent with the team's observations.

The ethnic Albanian newspaper, Fakti, reported in its weekend edition for 21-22 July that, "On Thursday night the house and restaurant of Ramiz Berzati from [Bogovinje] were completely burned down. Ordinary citizens tell us that this is most probably an act of the local residents as a sign of revulsion because the owner of the house was known as a collaborator of the police and a traitor, and because exactly in front of this house the NLA commander, Shpendi, lost his life."

*Note: The NLA has publicly boasted that it has closed the brothels and "bars with the trafficked women" in Bogovinje. In this Mission's view, the likelihood that the NLA would tolerate a chronic private dispute between criminals in a town where the NLA has sufficient control to shut down organized criminal activity, and allow it to be pursued through the use of a weapon, the use of which constitutes a ceasefire violation attributeable to the NLA, is virtually zero.