Therefore, it would be fair to offer not only English and Albanian interview text for displaced academics refugees, but the one in Serbian language as well.

It seems to me that WUS (nevertheless an Albanian - Emir Haxhia runs it) should offer equal chances to academics who had to flee from Kosovo nevertheless what is their origin. Otherwise it could be better named "Albanian University Service" rather than "World University Service".

Dr. Sima Avramovic
School of Law
University of Belgrade

Particularly the statement that the Dean was killed by Serbian forces sounds doubtful, as there are no Serbian forces on the ground, since KFOR overtook complete control there in June already. Not only "Serbian forces", but Serbs as such are very rare birds in Kosovo, as more than 200.000 of them had to leave their homes. A new humanitarian catastrophe (?). Remaining Serb civilians are leaving the area every day being threatened and maltreated by Albanians. In Prishtina lived about 20.000 Serbs, while now there are probably not more than 2.000 of them.

Almost none professor of the (Serbian) School of Law in Prishtina is present there anymore, including the Dean. They are all refugees now, particularly after Prof. MILANKO LEKOVIC was murdered by Albanians in the building of the (Serbian) School of Economy, together with two other members of the staff. Most of students are refugees also. There is no tendency of their coming back, their "departure" was not temporary. On the contrary. I talk to number of professors who are in Belgrade now and no one of them intend to go back, as every day a number of Albanian victims is growing. I encouraged a few of them to write to JURIST, to tell their stories (how did they escape, what kind of suffering they passed) and ask for help, but all of them hesitated being afraid for their family members who decided to stay (mainly parents or grandparents, who stayed trying to save their property)..

Yesterday evening I received a phone call by a refugee Assistant of the (Serbian) School of Law, _________ (please, omit the name for safety reasons). He is in a small town in Eastern Serbia in a house of his friend, having no income and no savings. His wife just delivered a new child. He called his home telephone number in Prishtina, but an Albanian speaking voice hanged up the phone. His brother was kidnapped by Albanians at the street of Prishtina on June 18, and is not found up to now - that is why his parents do not want to leave Prishtina expecting news. He also do not believe that under present conditions he can go back, particularly as his flat is occupied by an Albanian.

This is just a part of the atmosphere that most of our colleagues from (Serbian) School of Law are faced with. They do not miss chairs, desks or equipment for teaching - they only miss personal security.

Dr. Sima Avramovic
School of Law
University of Belgrade

The Law Faculty of the University of Prishtina is one of the oldest from this institution, with over 30 years of experience. Unfortunately, as the whole university itself, during the last ten years it has suffered unprecedented abuse from the Serbian regime - subject to whom were students, teachers and the whole university staff, as well as the building site itself which was forbidden to us.

The complete inventory of the faculty, once property of the faculty, was either destroyed or looted by the Serbians.... In particularly, I'd like to mention that we need modern law literature as well as other common sciences; electronic equipment; computers and alike.

Fatmir Sejdiu
Professor of the Faculty of Law
University of Prishtina

Elmar Pichl
WUS-Austria
Prishtina-Tetovo Office

No wonder that Serbian staff are hesitating to go to job, as the second Serbian professor of the School of Economics was probably killed today (he is missing, as well as the Chief of the Surgeon Department of the Main Hospital in Prishtina, who is kidnapped this day as well). Yesterday morning Professor of the School of Economics Mr. MILANKO LEKOVIC was killed together with two other persons of the staff (Miodrag Mladenovic and Jovica Stamenkovic), IN THE VERY BUILDING OF THE SCHOOL. Their heads were first struck by hammer a lot of times and afterwards they were slaughtered. KFOR forces were near by, but while they were hesitating to intervene, the crime was already done.

Therefore, the only help for the (Serbian) School of Law in Pristina [right now] would be just to ensure the elementary security of life for its personal.

Dr. Sima Avramovic
School of Law
University of Belgrade

As far as the further infrastructural systems are concerned (water, electricity, communication etc.) I do have not a detailed overview yet, but, as mentioned above, a lot of technical instruments (water heaters, telephones, computers, etc.) are stolen. Now to the books: there are books (and documents, even) devastated, but I'm speaking only at first impression: I have no idea how many were stolen etc. - neither does Pro-Rector Geca, who accompanied me. Fact is that the equipment of the UP with books, above all with international literature, was a weak one. In this field every support is welcome.

All buildings used by the Albanian University have been vandalized, the computers and other equipment stolen, the doors broken and the documents left in total disorder. Although important information on diskette and computers has disappeared. However, the buildings still stand and seem also not to have suffered from NATO strikes. There is the hope, that a good part of the documentation in particular regarding the students can be recovered.

Regarding the buildings used by the Serb University they seem to be in good shape and partly still used by that university.

Photos from the Law Faculty:

  

A first conclusion is that it might well be possible to start the next academic year on time provided enough funds can be mobilized to renovate the devastated buildings and re-equip them as necessary.

The Law Faculty, as the only such institution in Kosova, has educated many generations of lawyers, judges and similar background experts needed for Kosova. The institution in its several years of existence tended to create an open society, giving birth to new ideas in favour of a civil society in the complete sense of the word.

With the closing of this faculty in 1991, the [Albanian] teaching staff and students were forced to find shelter in private homes so as to continue to maintain and develop the sacred ideas for the well-being of Kosovar people. This was, of course, done with severe difficulties since all literature was in the libraries of the Serb faculty building and it was forbidden for the Albanians. Nonetheless, the Faculty of Law like all other faculties of the University of Prishtina, with determination, continued their struggle to obtain education.

Now, that time has come for students and teachers to return to their classrooms, many problems come to the surface: problems of the booted and confiscated library, inventory, technical equipment etc; and, unfortunately, they won't be able to solve these problems without strong support:

Kosova is not only in need for rebuilding of mere homes, bridges, roads; but, it needs rebuilding of its complete society as well. The faculty of Law being the key element in a democratic society should be supported - therefore I appeal on behalf of this crucial institution whose 'property' was completely damaged by the Serbian regime.

You can support this faculty by providing books and various publications regarding law; technical equipment for communication; finance the re-publication of its newspaper "LAW"; or, by organizing courses, workshops, seminars for its law students etc.

All assistance, being concrete or moral will be well appreciated by the students and professors of the Faculty of Law.

Since the majority of the students and the teaching staff are momentarily still in exile, I would suggest that all possible, assistance and financial support be held till the direct contact with the leaders of the Faculty is achieved.

As a jurist and a former student of the Faculty of law in Prishtina, I thank you for your effort and help.

Faton Qirezi
Holland

In response to the terrible war and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, which has also led to the forced exodus of a whole university, the Albanian University of Prishtina, but also to the displacement of many members of the Serb University in Prishtina, WUS [World University Services] Austria is concentrating all its efforts on the support to the student and academic refugees from Kosovo/a. Until 21 March 1999, WUS Austria had implemented a programme of support to members of both universities in Prishtina, which now is being continued outside Kosovo/a in response to the new situation.

Similar to the situation during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina WUS Austria has reacted to the human and academic catastrophy by starting an "Academic Lifeline for Kosovo/a" in order to assist students and academics from Prishtina displaced to neighboring countries of Kosovo/a. In addition, a special emergency fund has been set up for students from Kosovo/a in Austria, which have lost their financial support from at home.

As a result of a fact-finding on the situation of members of University of Prishtina in Macedonia, to where the majority of them has fled and is living under most difficult circumstances, WUS Austria has established an office in Tetovo, Macedonia from where it operates an Information and Counseling Centre as well as Clearing House and supports the displaced students and academics within its programme. Further activities are planned in Skopje and in Northern Albania (Shkodra). Furthermore, the WUS offices in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Podgorica are also trying their best to assist academic refugees arriving from Kosovo/a, but also from the whole territory of Yugoslavia.