Serbian TV shows damaged Orthodox cemetery in Kosovo
BBC Monitoring Europe (Political) - June 20, 2006, Tuesday

Text of report by Serbian TV on 20 June

[Presenter] As our correspondent has reported, at least 30 tombstones in the cemetery in Staro Gradsko near Lipljan have been damaged and desecrated.

[Reporter] Unknown vandals demolished and desecrated a large number of tombstones in the Orthodox cemetery in Staro Gradsko near Lipljan [video shows damaged tombstones]. Some inhabitants of the village [Staro Gradsko] noticed the consequences of this evil act this morning when they went to weed the corn in their fields near the cemetery. The case was reported to Kfor [NATO-led Kosovo Force], UNMIK [UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo] and the Kosovo police. They carried out an investigation but declined to give any statements on this criminal act.

Otherwise, ten days before All Souls Day [10 June], several land mines had been planted in Staro Gradsko cemetery, which had been discovered by pure chance and so tragic consequences were avoided.

We should also recall the fact that Albanian terrorists killed 14 inhabitants of Staro Gradsko in mid-July 1999, while the victims - including one child - collected the harvest in their fields. Unfortunately, the hand of justice has not reached the perpetrators of this crime yet.

Source: RTS 1 TV, Belgrade, in Serbian 1000 gmt 20 Jun 06

Copyright 2006 British Broadcasting Corporation
Posted for Fair Use only.