UNMIK/PR/1144
PRISTINA – SRSG Harri Holkeri today visited homes and religious buildings attacked during the recent rioting in Kosovo.
Mr. Holkeri travelled to Lipljan, where he met with Deputy Mayor Borivoje Vignjevic and saw several houses burnt in the rioting. He also met with some of the victims of the violence, who described how they lost their homes and the injuries they suffered in the attacks.
Mr. Holkeri stressed the commitment of UNMIK to ensure that the more than 3,000 people displaced by the rioting will be able to return to their homes. “You have the right to return to your homes. Every citizen has a human right to have a home and to live there protected in peace with prosperity,” he said.
After walking through parts of the town, Mr. Holkeri visited the church of Vavedenja Svete Bogorodice, which suffered damage from stones and bullets. He met with Father Randjel, who pointed out the artistic treasures inside the church that were damaged.
Mr. Holkeri then addressed the press outside the church, emphasizing that the police are investigating the violence. “Those who are responsible for these attacks must be isolated from this society. The perpetrators must be taken to justice.”
When asked about his recent remarks on whether the intention of the riots was ethnic cleansing, Mr. Holkeri stressed that labels are not what is important at a time like this. “Every lost life is one too many,” he underscored. “Every destroyed home is one too many. Every destroyed holy site is one too many.”
“What has happened here recently is shocking. But it is not the end. We will do our utmost to help the people who have lost their homes to start again a stable, secure life, here where they belong.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Holkeri saw up close some of the damage done at an apartment building here in the capital together with Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi.
The two leaders toured several apartments that had been set on fire during the violence of 17 March, when innocent residents were attacked by mobs. Mr. Holkeri said, “With the Prime Minister we condemn in the strongest terms what we have just seen. We are shocked and depressed that this could happen.”
Mr. Rexhepi repeated a pledge by the Kosovo Government to immediately provide funds to repair the damage and expressed great regret at the loss of life during the rioting. “These acts have no justification at all,” he said, adding that, “The readiness of people to live together must also be repaired to move Kosovo forward.”