YUGOSLAVIA: KOSOVO: SERB HOUSES SET ON FIRE

(22 Jun 1999) Albanian/Nat

Violence against Kosovar Serbs continues as ethnic Albanians return to their shattered homes.

In the latest incident Serb houses were set on fire and an Orthodox church ransacked in the village of Poplan in Kosovo on Wednesday.

The arson is being blamed on returning Albanian refugees, seeking revenge for the loss of their own homes.

Meanwhile, only 15 kilometres south in town of Prizren, K-FOR is cracking down on Kosovo Liberation Army (K-L-A) members suspected of crimes against Serbs.

In the village of Poplan, just outside Prizren, Serbs and Albanians used to live together in relative harmony.

But the ethnic conflict which has caused so much hatred and harm has finally reached this little place.

Albanian refugees who have returned to their burnt out homes have been blamed for setting fire to their Serb neighbours' houses and ransacking the village's Orthodox church.

SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"I don't exactly know who did this but probably it was Albanians whose family had been killed by the Serbs so this is their revenge"
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Albanian Villager

Now people from both sides of the religious and cultural divide have no homes to go back to.

This ethnic Albanian boy is standing in what used to be his house.

The Serb Orthodox church, which is surrounded by destroyed Albanian homes, looks untouched from the outside but has been badly damaged inside.

Now it could hardly be used as a shelter.

The attacks occur despite K-FOR efforts to bring some stability to the province.

In Prizren, K-FOR continue the task to disarm K-L-A fighters.

One K-FOR soldier suspiciously searched the boot of a K-L-A man for weapons.

The man was then taken away - handcuffed - for further questioning.

There is little trust in a place where there are now so many reasons to hate.

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