VLORA IS YOUNG, WELL DRESSED, and speaks perfect English. A few weeks ago she worked for an international organisation in Pristina and earned a good salary. Yesterday the Chetniks cleansed her street. Today she is a refugee. She sits with the family who have taken her in, their children and her sisters. They hug a lot, otherwise she seems in very good shape after her experience. Mick Woods spoke to her briefly in Tetova.
What happened yesterday?
The Serb police came and told us we had to leave. We took what we could and left, my three sisters and I.
Did they put you on a train?
No we drove to the border in a neighbour’s car. There was a really long queue when we got there so we walked the last 7 kilometres.
Did they take your papers?
Yes, everything they could find. They got my passport but I managed to keep my identity card so I have some evidence of who I am.
And were you robbed?
Yes, they tried to take everything of value they could find when they searched us. It was systematic.
Who was doing the robbing, JNA, police, irregulars?
Everybody – JNA, police, militias, armed Serb civilians. It’s total chaos there!
Were there many young men at the border?
No not many, many are in hiding for fear of their lives or have gone to join the UCK (Kosova Liberation Army).
Do you believe the young men are being massacred?
We are sure of it. We have heard reports from many places, of course they cannot be verified. The Serbs drove all the international organisations out for that reason.
I have also heard reports that former workers with international organisations are being victimised....
This is true, I can’t give many details because we were under siege in Pristina. We stayed in our houses, the phones didn’t work. We heard rumours. There is no way, at the moment, to really confirm anything or find anyone. If somebody has crossed into a neighbouring country they should have been registered, if they’re still in Kosova there is no way to find out. I don’t even know where my parents are.
What are conditions in Pristina?
Food is scarce and expensive, electricity and water are scarce, there are no telephones.
Apart from the army and police, there are Serb irregulars and armed Serb civilians going around.
Was your lack of papers a problem when you came to the border?
No, you only have to give your name, former address, date of birth and where you intend to stay. Oh yes, I had to give the border guard 100 Deutschmarks. We didn’t have anywhere to stay, but luckily this family took us in.