Kosovo Slaughter Spin
by DCDave

INTRO: NATO SAYS ONE-HALF-MILLION PEOPLE IN KOSOVO PROVINCE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY INTENSIFIED ATTACKS BY SERB FORCES. MACEDONIA'S GOVERNMENT SAYS 20-THOUSAND REFUGEES HAVE CROSSED ITS BORDER. CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE REPORTS FROM MACEDONIA THE KOSOVAR REFUGEES ARE SEEKING SHELTER WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.

TEXT: ETHNIC ALBANIANS CONTINUE TO CROSS INTO MACEDONIA, BRINGING WITH THEM ACCOUNTS OF A RAMPAGE BY SERB FORCES. THEY SAY VILLAGES ARE BEING BURNED WHILE TERRIFIED MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO PAY BRIBES IN EXCHANGE FOR SAFE PASSAGE OUT.

ACCOUNTS FROM REFUGEES SUGGEST NATO AIR STRIKES DESIGNED TO END SERB ATTACKS ARE HAVING JUST THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. THIS MAN WAS DRIVING A CAR FULL OF REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER (SUNDAY).

BY SOME ACCOUNTS A HALF-MILLION ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES, WITH MANY TRYING TO GET OUT ANYWAY THEY CAN. EITHER OVER THE BORDER INTO MACEDONIA, OR INTO ALBANIA AND MONTENEGRO.

IT SEEMS TERROR IS DRIVING WHAT COULD BE A SERB STRATEGY OF FORCED REMOVAL OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS ON A MASS SCALE. MACEDONIANS SAY MANY OF THESE REFUGEES ARE BEING GIVEN SHELTER BY RELATIVES WHO LIVE ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER.

LIKE THIS REFUGEE, THOSE MAKING IT ACROSS THE BORDER SAY THEY ARE PLACING TRUST IN NATO TO STOP THE SERB AGGRESSION.

JUST A FEW KILOMETERS AWAY, NATO TROOPS STAND GUARD IN TANKS, THEIR GUNS DRAWN, EYES TRAINED ON THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE JUST BEYOND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS SUGGEST A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE MAY BE UNFOLDING. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/RAE

28-Mar-99 2:38 PM EST (1938 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America