ALBANIA: KOSOVO REFUGEE CRISIS LATEST
(2 May 1999) English/Nat The flood of refugees continued throughout Sunday at the border crossing near Kukes in Albania. Most of the refugees crossing come from Prizren, the largest city in southern Kosovo. They say for the past two days Serb forces have expelled nearly 20-thousand residents of Prizren, leaving the city virtually deserted. Most of the refugees coming through are being fed, receiving medical checkups and then being loaded onto NATO trucks to be sent south to other camps. Just over one thousand refugees passed through the Kukes border crossing into Albania on Sunday morning. Most of them come from Prizren, the largest city in southern Kosovo. The refugees say for the past two days Serb forces have expelled nearly 20-thousand residents of Prizren, leaving the city virtually deserted. However the refugees say that Serb border guards were turning people back -- especially women and children. They appeared to only be letting people out who could prove they were not from Prizren. This woman who was able to cross the border, comes from the outskirts of the city. SOUNDBITE: (English) "When we reached the border the men from Prizren could go through but the women and children, no. But my I.D card was from Orahovac so I didn't tell them he was my husband, we were separate and they let us go." SUPER CAPTION: Marita Mucay, Albanian Refugee Meanwhile a new refugee camp was opened on Saturday near the Kosovo-Albanian border at Pogradec. In a rare example of solidarity in the Balkans, Greek authorities helped their Albanian counterparts in the funding and building of the new camp. The camp consists of 250 tents - already housing 352 refugees, most of them from Pristina. Albanian deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta was very appreciative of the Greek help. SOUNDBITE: (English) "This camp is very significant. It is a sign of friendship and humanity of the Greeks who assisted in building and managing it." SUPER CAPTION: Ilir Meta, Albanian deputy Prime Minister At a time when refugees are being moved further south into Albania and further away from the border area - the proximity of the Verginia camp to their homes in Kosovo may keep many hopes alive. Alexandros Mallios, Greek ambassador to Albania says his country may build more camps. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We have already established three camps - we are still in talks with an American NGO for possibly another camp." SUPER CAPTION: Alexandros Mallios, Greek Ambassador to Albania The Morini border crossing into Albania was also busy on Sunday. Many refugees crossing here say Serb forces are seizing men from their convoys. The refugees say those taken away ranged in age from teenagers to middle-aged men and they say the Serbs were dressing them in military uniforms. International monitors say more than 20-thousand ethnic Albanians have crossed into northern Albania in the past two days. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
