May 20, 2004

ERP KIM Newsletter 20-05-04

Bad taste, irony instead of effective protection - Scenes in front of damaged and destroyed Orthodox churches in Kosovo

ERP KIM Info Service
Gracanica, May 20, 2004

In front of the torched church of St. Sava in the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Belgian KFOR soldiers (a part of the French contingent) have improvised a cafe called "In Purgatory" (Au Purgatorie). Above the sign with the name of the cafe, a small gallows with a noose has been placed. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Detali with gallows in front of the church of St. Sava in Mitrovica (Click on photo to enlarge)

Ruins of the dynamited Serbian Orthodox church of St. Elijah in Bistrazin near Djakovica. The Albanians dynamited the church on March 17 of this year. UNMIK recently placed a sign on the rubble stating that the building is under protection and that all further destruction and looting will be punished (sic). Of course, the ruins of the church remain without protection, as they were before the church was dynamited. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Detail from the church of St. Elijah - sign with logos of the UN and the Kosovo provisional administration on the already dynamited church. The sign says: This building is protected by law. Any act of vandalism and looting will be considered as criminal offence of utmost gravity. The police forces of Kosovo and KFOR will take necessary actions, including the use of force to stop such crimes. All acts of destruction, vandalism and looting will be punished in accordance with the Kosovo Criminal Law. (Click on photo to enlarge)