(IWPR) NATO intervenes along the Macedonian border

[Paola Lucchesi <paola.lucchesi@mail.inet.it>]

WELCOME TO IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT EXTRA, March 7, 2001

NATO CONFRONTS ALBANIAN REBELS  NATO intervenes along the Macedonian border
in a bid to curb escalating violence in the region. Nehat Islami reports
from Debeldeh on the Macedonian border

************ VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: <http://www.iwpr.net>******************

NATO CONFRONTS ALBANIAN REBELS

NATO intervenes along the Macedonian border in a bid to curb escalating
violence in the region

By Nehat Islami in Debeldeh on the Macedonian border

Sporadic mortar fire and bursts from automatic rifles reverberated around
the frontier village of Tanusevac, where the Macedonian army is battling
against members of the Albanian guerrilla movement, the National Liberation
Army.

As the fighting raged, a contingent of American NATO troops stepped up its
monitoring of the crisis. KFOR tanks rumbled into the nearby village of
Debeldeh on the Kosovo side of the border. A reconnaissance drone flew high
overhead, as two Apache helicopters swooped low, sometimes hovering in the
air for more than an half an hour.

American troops blocked the entrance to Debeldeh to prevent the Albanian
militants moving back and forth across the frontier. They laid barbed wire
along a dusty road and around 150 of them deployed close to Tanusevci, from
where they surveyed the frontier with enormous binoculars.

The NATO intervention along the Macedonian border follows an agreement on
Sunday between senior KFOR commanders and top UN Kosovo officials.

The NATO activity was the first sign that Alliance officials recognise the
severity of the crisis unfolding here. On Sunday, three Macedonian soldiers
were killed in the fighting which has escalated over the past two weeks.
NATO is now keen to stop the violence from spreading.

In the Tanusevac area, KFOR sources estimate there are around 300 Albanian
insurgents who are dependent on the help of locals to cross the border.

Macedonia, which has a sizeable Albanian minority, is considered regional
powder-keg. Many fear the Tanusevac insurgency could quickly spread to other
parts of predominantly Albanian inhabited Western Macedonia.

Macedonian politicians claim KFOR's failure to disarm Albanian militants in
Kosovo has allowed the conflict in southern Serbia to spill over the border
into Macedonia.  They believe the extremists are moving freely because NATO
is not willing to risk the lives of its soldiers.

NATO, EU and other Balkan diplomats are engaged in frenzied diplomatic
activity to try to stop the crises spreading.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Macedonian counterpart
Boris Trajkovski on Sunday and promised that he would do his utmost to
prevent an escalation.
And on Monday, Bulgarian President Petar Stojanov offered to reinforce the
Macedonian army with Bulgarian troops.

Macedonia, meanwhile, has called up all its police reservists, while the
army has begun a partial mobilisation.

The border with Kosovo has been sealed off for two days.  Hundreds of
lorries and buses are waiting on both sides of the frontier.

Foreign and local journalists accompanied KFOR tanks into Debeldeh.  They
are staying in the local school, from where they can see everything.

KFOR spokesman Jim Marshall said that over the past 24 hours Alliance troops
had seen many people dressed in black uniforms crossing from Macedonia into
Kosovo.  Marshall said they enter local buildings and leave wearing civilian
clothes.  He insisted that efforts would be made to detain them and
confiscate their weapons.

Local people watched the KFOR activity intently. They were joined by a group
of refugees from Tanusevac who said they'd never set eyes on members of the
National Liberation Army. Albanians here are convinced the Macedonians are
to blame for everything.

Tanusevac resident Qazim Jakupi, who fled to Debeldeh two weeks ago with his
entire family, said KFOR should restrain the Macedonian army and police.

From a local schoolyard, he watched the battle raging around his village.
"Only the old and sick stayed behind," he said. "Our cattle are there. We
don't know what's happening. I want to know what's happening with my
property and animals, but the Americans won't let us cross the border."

Some locals resent KFOR suggestions that they are aiding and abetting the
Albanian militants. "Americans warned us that unless the village gives up
its weapons voluntarily, they will search our homes," said one man.

Yesterday evening, the Macedonian army and police launched a fierce attack
on Tanusevac, forcing the guerrillas to mount a partial withdrawal.
According to KFOR sources, around 150 armed Albanians retreated.  Some of
them were detained by Alliance troops.

They also searched several houses in Debeldeh and arrested three Albanians .
One of them was in uniform and had been monitoring KFOR movements in the
area. And today American soldiers shot and injured two rebels near the
border village of Mijak.

Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports that Arben Xhaferi, president of
the Party for Democratic Prosperity in Macedonia, together with
representatives of Albanians in Kosovo and the National Liberation Army have
been holding talks behind closed doors in Pristina.

IWPR source says the subject of this meeting was the total withdrawal of
rebel forces from Tanusevac. If this proves to be true, then it is obvious
that the Albanian political forces are trying to resolve the escalating
crisis - and were probably prompted by NATO's intervention along the border.

Nehat Islami is IWPR project manager in Pristina

************ VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: <http://www.iwpr.net>******************

IWPR's network of leading correspondents in the region provides inside
analysis of the events and issues driving crises in the Balkans. The reports
are available on the Web in English, Serbian and Albanian. They are also
available via e-mail. For syndication information, contact Anthony Borden
<tony@iwpr.net>.

Balkan Crisis Report is supported by the Department for International
Development, European Commission, and Swedish International Development and
Cooperation Agency and other sources. IWPR also acknowledges general support
from the Ford Foundation.

For further details on this project and other information services and media
programmes, visit IWPR's Website: <http://www.iwpr.net>.

Editor-in-chief: Anthony Borden. Managing Editor: Yigal Chazan. Associate
Editor: Gordana Igric. Assistant Editors: Alan Davis and Heather Milner.
Editorial Assistant: Mirna Jancic. Kosovo Project Manager: Nehat Islami.
Translation: Alban Mitrushi, Dragana Nikolic, Denisa Kostovic and others.

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is a London-based independent
non-profit organisation supporting regional media and democratic change.

Lancaster House, 33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH, UK Tel: (44 171)
713 7130; Fax: (44 171) 713 7140 E-mail: info@iwpr.net; Web: www.iwpr.net

The opinions expressed in "Balkan Crisis Report" are those of the authors
and do not necessarily represent those of the publication or of IWPR.

Copyright (C) 2000 The Institute for War & Peace Reporting

*** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: http://www.iwpr.net ***

IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT EXTRA

-- ### --