KOSOVO: RACAK: BODIES OF 40 ETHNIC ALBANIANS RETURNED

Описание: (11 Feb 1999) Natural Sound

The bodies of 40 ethnic Albanians whose killings last month galvanised international pressure for Kosovo peace talks, have been returned to the southern village of Racak.

Four trucks carrying the bodies arrived from Pristina, 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the north, escorted by peace monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The bodies were placed in the tiny village mosque, where they were expected to remain until the funeral, which ethnic Albanians said would probably take place on Thursday or
Friday.

Forty ethnic Albanians were killed by Serb police near Racak on 16 January.

Their bodies were found lying on a hillside, many of them mutilated.

It was the worst killing spree since an October truce largely halted more than seven months of combat in the separatist province.

Despite the gruesome discovery three and a half weeks ago, the victims' bodies remained unburied because of a struggle between Serbs - trying to avoid the spectacle of a highly publicised mass funeral - and ethnic Albanian politicians - seeking to draw attention to what they say was a Serb atrocity.

The bodies' return to Racak was also delayed by the lengthy forensic examination of the bodies by Serbian and Finnish experts.

It then turned into a political tug-of-war between relatives who wanted them brought back and buried together and Serb officials who insisted they be put in separate graveyards.

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