NEWS

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
March 21, 2004

ONE MORE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DESTROYED IN A POWERFUL EXPLOSIVE BLAST NEAR PRIZREN, ANOTHER CHAPEL IN A NEIGHBORING SERB VILLAGE SUSPECTED TO BE MINED TOO

From the official UNMIK report, March 21, 2004

Prizren In Zivinjane village, about 10 km into the mixed, mostly Bosniak /Serb Zupa valley, unknown perpeterators completely destroyed an abandoned Serb church by means of a powerful explosive charge. Police were on the scene. It is suspected that an Orthodox chapel in the neighboring village of Drajcici (about 20 Serbs still living there) might be mined. Police and KFOR EOD are investigating.

We treat this as a very serious and most unwelcome development, since the Zupa valley has up until now been untouched by hostile action, and we hoped to keep it that way. There might be an intention to cut communication between the strong Serb area of Strpce/Brezovica and the generally Serb-friendly chain of villages in the Zupa. It might also have been intended to produce an intimidatory effect on the Bosniak/Torbesh population of the valley with a view to "persuade" them not to associate themselves with the Serbs in any way.