POLICE QUELL PEACEFUL PROTEST OF KOSOVO ALBANIANS

( Editorial: --> 5933 ) PRISTINA, 2 March (Hina) - Around 10am Monday morning, Kosovo Albanians gathered for peaceful demonstrations in central Pristina, protesting against violence and bloodshed caused by the Serbian police as well as against the latest armed conflicts between the police and Kosovo Albanians. More than 60,000 Albanians, mainly young people and students, participated in the demonstrations. They shouted "freedom, freedom" and carried photos of Albanians killed in the Kosovo municipalities of Srbica and Glogovac two days ago. The police intervened some 30 minutes after the beginning of the protest, using truncheons and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Several hundred demonstrators were beaten up. Police helicopters are flying over Pristina and the situation in the Kosovo capital is very tense. Last night, police forces withdrew from the area of Drenice, which was the site of armed clashes between police and local Albanians in the last two days. Clashes also occurred in the villages of Likoshane and Qirez. Albanian sources in Pristina report that many people were killed or injured in the clashes. At least 20 Albanians, including a pregnant woman and four Serbian police officers, were killed in the incidents in Drenica, which was surrounded by police forces for at least 26 hours, the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo said. The Pristina-based daily in Albanian 'Bujku' today published the photos of killed and beaten up Albanians, saying special police shot at Albanian homes from helicopters. Hina has found out that no international humanitarian organisation with offices in Pristina, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, has managed to visit Drenice this morning as the Serbian authorities refuse to allow it. (hina) mm rm 021159 MET mar 98