Not to be forgotten: 13 years since the terrible pogrom of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija

13th anniversary of the March violence against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija when Albanians expelled more than four thousand Serbs from their homes and burned more than thirty religious sites

13th anniversary of the March violence against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija when Albanians expelled more than four thousand Serbs from their homes and burned more than thirty religious sites. In a wave of violence in Kosovo 19 people were killed, eight of them Serbs, while 11 Albanians were killed in a showdown with members of the international security forces. 

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At least 170 Serbs were injured and dozens of members of the international forces who clashed with local Albanians protecting Serbs and their property.

About 800 Serbian houses and 35 religious buildings were burned and destroyed, including 18 cultural monuments, including the Church of Our Lady in Prizren.

According to the data of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren Orthodox Church, since April 2004, the total number of destroyed church buildings was near 100. 

International prosecutors and judges in Kosovo and Metohija have processed seven cases of destruction of churches and sentenced 67 persons to prison terms ranging from 21 months to 16 years.

During the March riots in Kosovo and Metohija 4,012 Serbs were expelled, most of them have still not returned to their homes. 

The reason or excuse for the pogrom was the campaign of the Albanian media in which the local Serbs and their dogs chased across the river Ibar group of Albanian children from the village of Cabar near Zubin Potok, one of which was drowned in the river, which was not true.

UNMIK police investigation determined that the allegations were false. March events in Kosovo were condemned by the UN Security Council, as well as the European Union and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29 April 2004 passed a resolution.

The thirteenth anniversary of the March pogrom will be marked in Kosovska Mitrovica with laying wreaths and paying respect to the victims in Kosovo and Metohija on 17 and 18 March 2004.

- The March pogrom is an event that we must not forget, and our obligation is to remember all of the fallen victims with great reverence, a marking of the same should be a warning that the incident must not be repeated - announced from the temporary authority of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Laying of wreaths at the memorial plaques of Borivoje Spasojevic and Jane Tucev, who died in Kosovska Mitrovica during the March pogrom against Serbs 13 years ago, will be done today, and wreaths will be laid and the "Monument to the truth" near the main Ibar bridge in this city.

Wreaths will be placed by the members of the family, the president of the temporary authority of Kosovska Mitrovica, Aleksandar Spiric and the representatives of the local administration.

Academy will be held in the great hall of the House of Culture in Gracanica dedicated to 17 March 2004, entitled "Lets not forget" organized by the Association of Families of Victims of Kosmet.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)