AFP, October 05, 2001
Roma Man Stabbed to Death in Southeastern Kosovo
PRISTINA, Oct 5, 2001 (AFP) -
A 37-year old Roma has been
stabbed to death in southeastern Kosovo, sparking protest demonstrations by
members of the minority, a spokesman for the UN mission in Kosovo told AFP
Friday.
Vehab Xhemajli was found dead around 8:45 pm (1845 GMT) Thursday in a
Roma-populated quarter in the town of Gnjilane, spokesman Andrea Angeli
said.
Just after his body was found, a group of Roma "demonstrated to protest
against violence" targeting the minority, he said.
The UN administrator for the region of Gnjilane, Pino Verdecchia, said he
was "deeply saddened" and "appealed to the Roma community to remain calm so
that the atmosphere in Gnjilane remains peaceful," Angeli said.
The UN police were unable to say if the crime was ethnically motivated.
Serbs, Roma and other minority ethnic groups are often the target of
violence by extremists among the Albanian majority in the province.
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