STATEMENT REGARDING DEVELOPMENTS IN KOSOVO BY MRS. MARY ROBINSON, UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

HR/98/12
3 March 1998


'I am deeply disturbed at reports of escalating violence and use of arms in the province of Kosovo in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Over the past four days, armed incidents have claimed the lives of twenty persons in the area of Drenica. More armed incidents were reported in villages near Decani and Pec. Many persons were injured in demonstrations, called by the Coordinating Committee of Albanian Parties in Kosovo, which were held on Monday in Pristina.

I deplore the suffering, loss of life, and threat to the well-being of all persons living in Kosovo. Every incidence of violence is a personal and family tragedy, regardless of the age, sex, or nationality of the victim.

While recognizing the complexity of the situation in Kosovo, I would ask the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to honour its obligations to protect the right to life and the security of all persons.

I would also ask the federal and local authorities, as well as the leaders of other groups, to take all possible measures to avoid violence. The problems of Kosovo will not be resolved through force of arms or recourse to violence but through a willingness to negotiate differences and full respect for the human rights of all.?'