Danas, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
October 23, 2000

Serbs visit cemetery in southern Mitrovica

Continued desecration of Serbian graves

Kosovska Mitrovica - Approximately 150 Serbs from the northern part of
Mitrovica visited the Orthodox cemetery in the southern, exclusively
Albanian part of the city on Saturday under KFOR escort. The Mitrovica
Serbs last visited the graves of their loved ones in May of this year
despite numerous requests to KFOR. They relayed to Beta's reporter that
they found approximately one hundred newly destroyed and desecrated
monuments, reminding that on the occasion of their last visit they had
found that 300 monuments and crosses had been destroyed. According to
their testimony "all bronze busts have been removed from the graves as
well as all lettering from the monuments", whether destroyed or not.

The cemetery is neglected and covered in weeds, and garbage and old
clothing has been dumped there. (Beta)

Translated by S. Lazovic (Oct. 23, 2000)