Dozens of Kosovo Albanians imprisoned by Milosevic regime are released

Wed Mar 27,
By GARENTINA KRAJA, Associated Press Writer

DUBRAVA PRISON, Yugoslavia - Anxious and pale, 80 ethnic Albanians jailed by Slobodan Milosevic's regime raced across a prison yard to embrace family members they hadn't seen in years. The 80 who were released Wednesday arrived here in Kosovo from prisons in Serbia a day ago in a convoy of 146 prisoners. It was the last group of ethnic Albanian prisoners of Milosevic's regime to be returned to their home province. Michael Steiner, the chief U.N. administrator, briefly greeted the family members, who shook his hand and chanted his name, before he entered the prison's gates to escort the inmates out. "This is one of the last burdens of war," Steiner said. "I am very happy that these prisoners are out."

Most of the 80 were arrested on terrorism charges and had spent more than three years in Serbian prisons. Human rights groups consider them political prisoners who were punished for having taken up arms against Milosevic's forces in 1998-99. For many at home, they are heroes.

Among the released was also Nait Hasani, an opponent of Milosevic's repressive regime considered one of the key founders of Kosovo Liberation Army, the guerrilla group that fought Serb forces. Hasani was sentenced in 1996 to 20 years in prison on terrorism charges.

The Belgrade government last week decided to allow the transfer, which the United States demanded in return for continued aid. The government hopes the United Nations will return the favor by handing over Serb inmates held in Kosovo prisons.

The group that arrived in Kosovo Tuesday also includes some common criminals who must still serve out their sentences. Some cases were still being reviewed, and more political prisoners could be released in the next weeks. Clutching bouquets of flowers and waving Albanian flags, the cheering but tearful crowd of thousands broke off a police cordon, rushing toward their loved ones. It was a moment of joy for the relatives, some of whom spent the night under the open sky hoping to get the first glance of the prisoners.

One prisoner, Shefqet Kabashi, was too overcome by emotion to stand as he was greeted by his uncle and best friend — on whose shoulders he leaned for support. In his late 20s, Kabashi spent three years in a Serb prison after being charged with terrorism. "You should not ask me how I feel," he said, as tears rolled down his cheeks. "We never thought we'd see each other alive again." Many could not endure the overflow of emotions. Panicking that her son might not be among those released, Nazlije Bytyqi, 68, fainted as she waited near the prison.

Her son, Gazmend, then arrived, shouting: "Mother, I'm here!" Crying, he ran to his unconscious mother, who was lying in a car before she was sped away to a nearby hospital.

A few meters away, Mejreme Ajazi, was gasping for breath after hugging her brother.
"She can't believe her eyes," said Mukadete, the wife of Nexhmedin Ajazi, who had been sentenced to 12 years on terrorism charges. "It still feels like a dream."

The United Nations has run Kosovo since NATO forced Milosevic's troops out of the province with a 78-day air war in 1999. The alliance launched the war to halt Milosevic's brutal crackdown on the province's ethnic Albanians, thousands of whom were killed. An estimated 800,000 were driven from their homes. When Milosevic's troops pulled out, they took 2,015 ethnic Albanian prisoners from Kosovo and placed them in Serbian prisons. Many were subsequently released.