Media group charges NATO "distorted the truth" in Kosovo

PARIS, June 15 (AFP) - The media organisation Reporters sans
Frontieres (Reporters without Borders, RSF) Tuesday criticized
NATO for "distorting the truth," and giving "false information
and impossible-to-check figures," about the war in Yugoslavia.

In a report called "War in Yugoslavia, NATO's media blunders,"
the group, which is based in Paris, questioned whether it was a
matter of "mistakes" or if the alliance made "deliberate attempts
at disinformation."

"False information, exorbitant and impossible-to-check figures
and the use of debatable historical references have strengthened
doubts about the goodwill of certain western political and
military leaders," RSF said in a communique.

In one example, the group cites NATO confirmation concerning the
death of ethnic Albanian leader Fehmi Agani along with five
others.

British General David Wilby had said at NATO headquarters in
Brussels the report came from a "very reliable source" in Kosovo,
which his department had checked carefully.

"Wilby's source turned out to be the London-based Kosovo
Information Centre, which is run by Kosovar exiles," the report
said, adding that "one of them, Hafiz Gagica, had said the same
day that Ibrahim Rugova had been wounded and his whereabouts were
not known."

Agani was in fact killed, but some days later, while Rugova
subsequently met with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic,
bringing blanket media coverage the Yugoslav leader was able to
capitalize on.

"Making a rumor official in this way, during the first week of
bombing, would appear to be less the result of a mistake than of
a deliberate decision; to tip the balance in favor of NATO air
strikes on Yugoslavia at a time when public opinion was still
very sceptical about their effectiveness," the report said.

Another example cited was the April 14 air strike on a convoy
which killed 75 people according to Serb sources.

After German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping initially accused
Serb planes of the attack, NATO acknowledged the strike, saying
"that apparently one of its planes dropped a bomb on a civilian
vehicle travelling with a convoy."

On April 19, NATO admitted "it had hit two convoys with the help
of about a dozen planes that dropped a total of nine bombs," RSF
said, adding that the alliance made public a recording of a pilot
responsible for hitting the first.

He said the vehicles in question were "of a military type," but
two days later NATO admitted the recording had no connection with
the bombing of the convoys.

RSF says "other features of western communication are approximate
figures, debatable historic references and the use of vocabulary
that has the aim of making the adversary appear monstrous."

"The term 'genocide' has been used systematically by British
Prime Minister Tony Blair, and in Germany officials have compared
the Milosevic government to that of Hitler," the report adds.

"These historical references have led to protests from experts,"
RSF said.

"On April 27, NATO officials themselves admitted - although not
in so many words - that their communication strategy had failed,"
it added, while also noting that "the workings of the propaganda
machine hold no secrets for the Serbs."

"While remaining the defender of a 'just cause' in the eyes of
western public opinion, NATO has not shown goodwill in its
relations with the media, and has distorted the truth on several
occasions," RSF charged.

"It is obvious that in time of war, the information provided by
one side or the other may be liable to be used as a propaganda
tool," it said.

"But it could still be hoped that a coalition of democracies,
which claims to have right on its side, would behave with more
integrity than the dictatorship it is fighting against," the
group concluded.

Well, I guess the Albanians just want a little payback Daniela.

Zoja is silent and happy : her terorosts are in power killing and else...


Although NATO has the obligation to disarm KLA
forces, KLA terrorists entered Djakovica (southern Kosovo) during the
day. Also, Prizren, Decani, and Pec towns are surrounded by KLA
terrorists. So far, according to the Montenegrian media, more than 10,000
Serbian refugees from Kosovo entered Montenegro during the day but it is
unknown for how long they will be able to flee from Kosovo until the KLA
cuts the routes.

KLA has set its check points and
controls the town of Prizren. KLA groups have besieged the
Bishop's Court with bishop Artemije, monks and priests inside. In
the church yard, monuments of emperor Dusan and Russian consul
Yastrebov are destroyed. The German contingent cannot
guarantee safety and security neither for the Serbs, nor for the
priests and the monks, and officers advised the Bishop, the priest
and monks to leave Prizren tomorrow with the remaining Serbs.


KLA has set its check points and
controls the town of Prizren. KLA groups have besieged the
Bishop's Court with bishop Artemije, monks and priests inside. In
the church yard, monuments of emperor Dusan and Russian consul
Yastrebov are destroyed. The German contingent cannot
guarantee safety and security neither for the Serbs, nor for the
priests and the monks, and officers advised the Bishop, the priest
and monks to leave Prizren tomorrow with the remaining Serbs.

Yesterday morning KLA has kidnapped one monk from The Holy
Archangel Monastery (XIV century - 2 km from Prizren) and some Serbs
from Prizren. Their fate is uncertain. Yesterday the monastery church of
The Holy Trinity Monastery (XV century) in Musutiste has been burnt
down, few days ago the monastery residence was burnt down. The nuns
have escaped to the Gracanica monastery.