Muslim parties clash in south Serbia

Muslim parties clash in south Serbia
B92 - September 12, 2004

NOVI PAZAR -- Sunday - Two people were seriously injured yesterday in a clash between supporters of the areas major Muslim parties, the Democratic Action Party and the Sandzak Democratic Party in Novi Pazar.

A doctor in the south-western Serbian town said that one of them was a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and the other is to be transferred to a hospital in Belgrade because of gunshot wounds close to the spinal cord.

The shooting occurred late yesterday afternoon when a convoy of Democratic Action Party supporters returned from an election rally in Delimedje pulled up outside the premises of the Sandzak Democratic Party whose leader, Rasim Ljajic, was meeting with campaign staff.

Eyewitnesses say that fire was opened from a number of vehicles in the convoy and stones were hurled at the windows of the party headquarters, injuring a number of activists.

Brawling continued for more than half an hour until police arrived at the scene.

Ljajic said later that he had been on the second floor of the building when he heard gunshots and glass breaking.

"When I looked out of the window I saw a man in a green suit aiming a gun at one of our activists. A number of other party activists then ran out of the building and attempted to drive away while the attackers hurled rocks at them," he added.

There have been reports of rising tension in the mainly Muslim-populated Novi Pazar in recent days as the local government elections, due next Sunday, approach.

Serbian President Boris Tadic today called for calm in Novi Pazar, urging all political parties and their leaders to cool their political passion.

He also called on police to urgently identify those responsible.

"Politics is not a reason to kill or hurt others. It should be a means of solving problems through dialogue. Elections should be an opportunity to show who is better, not a reason for escalating tension," said the president.