https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/ Disaster Message Service Discussion Board en-US Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:15:23 +0000 wpForo 60 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4796 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 12:45:00 +0000 rabne@pipeline.com or prabne@rehab.state.al.us phil]]> Kosovo War philtr https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4796 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4795 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 10:41:00 +0000 Is there anyway i can e mail you personally?I have something inportant to tell you, but in private please?

Emina]]> Kosovo War emina https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4795 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4794 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 10:36:00 +0000 Boy oh boy we like this were on to you.So sweety stop pretending you just gave yourself away completely.

Emina]]> Kosovo War emina https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4794 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4793 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 09:24:00 +0000
By Jim Heintz
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, July 3, 1999; 2:43 a.m. EDT

PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) -- The new director of Kosovo's National
and University Library walks the halls carefully -- not because of the
library's rule of silence, but for fear of setting off booby traps.

``Yes, of course I'm very worried,'' Mehmet Gerguri says, but a few
minutes later he begins prowling through unexplored rooms, warning those
who follow not to touch any books, no matter how enticing they might
look.

Gerguri's fear of finding instruments of death in an institute of learning isn't
unreasonable: The Yugoslav army used the library as a headquarters
during this spring's war, apparently believing NATO would not risk
international disgrace by bombing a cultural institution.

But Gerguri's eagerness to explore, despite the prospect of booby traps
laid by a vengeful withdrawing army, also has a reason: Albanians had
been barred from entering the library since 1990, part of the Serbian
crackdown when the province's autonomy was revoked.

As Kosovo's people still suffer with their memories of ethnic massacres,
reclaiming cultural institutions such as the library are small but meaningful
moves, helping them find hope amid trauma.

Gerguri said his love of books sustained him during the years of increasing
oppression. He was among the ethnic Albanian staff fired from the library
in 1990. From then until this week he had no job, but devoted himself to
collecting books with hopes of someday donating them.

``I did nothing for a job, but I always worked for the library,'' said
Gerguri.

The self-styled parallel Kosovo government named him director in 1997,
but he claimed the post only this week.

Nehat Krasniqi, a specialist in antique manuscripts, shook his head both in
awe at being back and in dismay at the abuse the books have suffered.

``It's nine years that I've been away from these books,'' Krasniqi said.

If the army left no booby traps -- and there are still suspicions because the
keys to some rooms can't be found -- it left clear signs of spite. Books lie
on damp floors in huge piles as if armloads were dropped from shoulder
height. Atop one pile were copies of Gerguri's own doctoral dissertation.

The drawers of the card catalog that had been in the library's rotunda
were strewn in a jumble in a remote basement room. Hacked-off wires
protrude from walls, the remains of equipment that apparently was stolen.

The antique books that Krasniqi longed to see again were stacked in
direct line with a southern window, exposed to full, paper-wrecking
sunlight.

At least those books are still there. During the ban, witnesses saw
truckloads of books being hauled to a paper-recycling plant, said Gerguri,
who estimates that as many as 100,000 of the 600,000 books have been
destroyed.

The library also holds eerie traces of another war. About 40 families of
Serbs who fled the war in Croatia were given shelter in some of the
library's chambers. They left behind signs of anger and resentment: bullets
and a military knife, lock-picking equipment and, in one room, a sink
spigot that appeared to have been on for days.

Even when Albanians could use the library, its architecture inspired ethnic
tension. Many Serbs called its white-domed skylights a nettling echo of
the traditional white caps worn by many ethnic Albanians.

But Gerguri said he sees other meanings in the skylights he hopes will be a
metaphoric guide as Kosovo rebuilds.

``They bring light to every corner,'' he said. ``Nowhere can you be in the
dark.'']]> Kosovo War zoja https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4793 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4792 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 09:23:00 +0000 To Guido. I just read some news about a survey being done on the American constitution because of independence day. It says a shocking 63 percent of the people has doubts about the press freedom. According to them there should be some restrictions. SCARY! Is freedom really making people so unaware of what it is like to be oppressed???

What do you think of these tendencies?

Zoja]]> Kosovo War zoja https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/3/#post-4792 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4791 Mon, 05 Jul 1999 02:35:00 +0000 individuals only. That was brave. (Though all are just shades of gray and degrees of "badness".) Now it's bad people, "who
should not be defended" and poor, but good albanian criminals, released from detention places.
* Come on, a couple of exclamations before, or after a copy/pasted newspaper is not a discussion, as well as that Your reply to me.
* Sure, we here are no compare to the Balkan Singapore.
* Sorre, me little anglish-impaired Kissie usin GNUEMACS no note-pade.
* Poor New York Times.]]> Kosovo War kissie https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4791 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4790 Sun, 04 Jul 1999 22:53:00 +0000 I agree with you totaly that europe as a whole should learn to deal with, and act upon its onw problems.

ANYWAY FOR ALL YOU AMERICANS OUT THERE HAPPY INDEPENDACE DAY !!!!!!

Emina]]> Kosovo War emina https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4790 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4789 Sun, 04 Jul 1999 19:28:00 +0000 So pop a fire cracker or even shoot a dictator for the good old Red, White and Blue today.]]> Kosovo War guido https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4789 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4788 Sat, 03 Jul 1999 21:28:00 +0000 Thank you very much for the page with the news i put it in my bookmarks, so i can check it out on my ease :-)
Same goes for Zoja she sais thanks too.

Emina]]> Kosovo War emina https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4788 https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4787 Sat, 03 Jul 1999 19:03:00 +0000 http://www.pipeline.com/~rabne/bookmarks.htm
you (or anyone) can brows the 'News' section of the bookmarks. There is a section on 'search engines' and 'reference' too. Everything is alphabatized. Save the site to your hard drive by chosing 'File', 'Save as...' Put it in a convenient directory and then open it with your broswer ( file, open page...) Once the page is open save it to your bookmarks. If you have an import utility, that's even better. Also, if you have Netscape Communicator 3.0 or later you can open the page in 'Composer' and edit the page saving the changes. phil]]> Kosovo War philtr https://www.viexpo.com/kosovo-war/archive-through-july-5-1999/paged/2/#post-4787