[KIM-Info] Serb man beaten up in downtown Decani

Subject: [KIM-Info] Serb man beaten up in downtown Decani

Decani, August 22, 2006

A Serb man named Vuko Danilovic (age 55), who was taking part in a
"multiethnic camp" program with a group of five Serb children, was beaten up
yesterday in downtown Decani. The "multiethnic camp" which began on August
21 brought together 30 Serb, Albanian and Roma children and was organized
for the purpose of enhancing cooperation among communities on the territory
of the municipality of Decani. Danilovic, a teacher in Decani before the
war, came with a group of Serb children from Berane (Montenegro), where most
Serb refugees from the Decani area have been living for the past seven
years.

"In the morning we visited the municipal building where we were very
courteously received by the mayor, Nazmi Selmanaj. After that we went to the
main town square, where we bought ice cream for the children. A number of
people approached me to say hello and shake hands because I had quite a few
Albanian friends before the war. Everything seemed peaceful and ordinary;
there were quite a few people in the streets. Suddenly, a young man
approached me and, while swearing at me, began to hit me with his fists in
the head and the stomach. As I attempted to defend myself another young
Albanian approached and likewise began to beat me. I fell to the ground from
the force of the blows. By the time my colleagues from the group ran to my
aid the attackers had disappeared. After receiving medical attention I filed
a report with the (Kosovo Police Service)," said Vuko Danilovic, who visited
Visoki Decani Monastery this afternoon with the children from the
"multiethnic camp".

Because of the shock they experienced the Serb members of the "multiethnic
camp" left for Montenegro this evening, where Danilovic will undergo a
thorough physical since he has a bad headache and does not hear anything
with his right ear.
The incident in downtown Decani demonstrates that necessary conditions for
free movement of the Serb population in this part of Metohija still do not
exist