Albanians attempt to force their way into Serb school in southern Kosovo
City Radio - September 1, 2004, Wednesday

Text of report by Serbian Nis-based City Radio on 1 September

A group of Albanians from the villages of Gornja and Donja Bitinja in the Strpce municipality in southern Kosovo brought with them around 50 children outside the primary school in the village of Popovac, where around 100 Serb pupils began their curriculum in Serbian language, and attempted to force their way into the school.

As Strpce Municipal Assembly Speaker Sladjan Ilic told Tanjug, the atmosphere is very tense because the Albanians would not give up their intention to take their children inside the school. Representatives of Kfor NATO-led Kosovo Force , UNMIK UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo , OSCE and Kosovo police are at the scene and they are managing to keep the situation under control. However, we are afraid of incidents because the Albanians have brought with them a large number of cameras and are videotaping everything, Ilic said. At any rate, we are determined to preserve the school.

The school in the village of Popovci is situated between Donja Bitinja and Gornja Bitinja. Prior to 1999 it was multiethnic with a small number of Albanian pupils.

SOURCE: City Radio, Nis, in Serbian 1400 gmt 1 Sep 04

Copyright 2004 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Monitoring Europe - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring

Posted for Fair Use only.

Kosovo Albanian, Serb children in school stand-off
BKTV - September 2, 2004, Thursday

Text of report by Belgrade-based private BKTV on 2 September

Presenter UNMIK UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo police have allowed that some 60 pupils of Albanian nationality enter the schoolyard of the elementary school in Popovac, the municipality of Strpce, where some 200 pupils of Serb nationality have been since this morning.

The Albanian children are sitting outside the school, accompanied by the UNMIK police, Kosovo Police Service, OSCE observers and special US Kfor NATO-led Kosovo Force troops.

The Serb children have been having classes since this morning. They have not eaten anything and they are practically being held hostages inside their classrooms, because we do not dare let them go outside, school director Novica Krstic has said.

SOURCE: BKTV, Belgrade, in Serbian 1155 gmt 2 Sep 04

Copyright 2004 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Monitoring Europe - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring

Posted for Fair Use only.