Kosovo - 1389

Kosovo - 1389

In Kos Polje,  not far from Pristina,  there is a place called the Plain of Blackbirds. There,  in 1389,  the Prince Lazaar,  chief of the Christian Serbian army,  was defeated by the Ottoman Sultan Murad I. It was a tremendous defeat for Serbia,  giving off the Turkish rule in the territory. Thus the conflict between the population of the Serbian Orthodox and Muslim Albanians began. It has peaked in the history during the Kosovo war. Today,  in this place stands the Gazimestan monument,  the symbol of the pride of Serbia,  guarded by a patrol of the UN to protect it from Albanians attacks. Fifteen years after the end of the conflict in the Balkans and six from the independence declaration,  the situation is still difficult. After the end of the war,  the UN intervention has permitted a gradual return of the Albanians in the territory. So it started furious revenges against Serbs. In 10 years,  about 200.000 Serbs were forced to leave the territory of Kosovo and Metohija seeking shelter in safe areas,  hundreds of Orthodox churches and monasteries were burned or desecrated. Among the not destroyed buildings,  the most important is the monastery of Decani,  where a group of priests live,  under the fear of being attacked. The only school,  the Sharski Odred,  located in the small village of Sevce is occupied by 380 students and it is divided into a headquarters and two branches. But the freedom of movement is limited: to venture outside of their areas puts them at great risk of retaliation,  and at night the danger increases. Kosovska Mitrovica is the symbol of the ethnic conflict in Kosovo. A city divided by the river Ibar in a Serbian part on north and an Albanian,  on south. In the north there are institutions recognized from Belgrade but not by the breakaway government of Pristina.  A solution to this conflict is difficult to achieve.  Kosovka Mitrovica is a trench in Europe.

by Karl Mancini

In Kos Polje,  not far from Pristina,  there is a place called the Plain of Blackbirds. There,  in 1389,  the Prince Lazaar,  chief of the Christian Serbian army,  was defeated by the Ottoman Sultan Murad I. It was a tremendous defeat for Serbia,  giving off the Turkish rule in the territory. Thus the conflict between the population of the Serbian Orthodox and Muslim Albanians began. It has peaked in the history during the Kosovo war. Today,  in this place stands the Gazimestan monument,  the symbol of the pride of Serbia,  guarded by a patrol of the UN to protect it from Albanians attacks. Fifteen years after the end of the conflict in the Balkans and six from the independence declaration,  the situation is still difficult. After the end of the war,  the UN intervention has permitted a gradual return of the Albanians in the territory. So it started furious revenges against Serbs. In 10 years,  about 200.000 Serbs were forced to leave the territory of Kosovo and Metohija seeking shelter in safe areas,  hundreds of Orthodox churches and monasteries were burned or desecrated. Among the not destroyed buildings,  the most important is the monastery of Decani,  where a group of priests live,  under the fear of being attacked. The only school,  the Sharski Odred,  located in the small village of Sevce is occupied by 380 students and it is divided into a headquarters and two branches. But the freedom of movement is limited: to venture outside of their areas puts them at great risk of retaliation,  and at night the danger increases. Kosovska Mitrovica is the symbol of the ethnic conflict in Kosovo. A city divided by the river Ibar in a Serbian part on north and an Albanian,  on south. In the north there are institutions recognized from Belgrade but not by the breakaway government of Pristina.  A solution to this conflict is difficult to achieve.  Kosovka Mitrovica is a trench in Europe.

Panoramic view of Velika Hoca, a village in the municipality of Orahovac, in the district of Gjilan in Kosovo, It is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo. The enclaves are poor villages built on the outskirts of the cities or hidden in the mountains, often without clinics, water or electricity. A mosque in Dakovica, south-west Kosovo. Here the Muslim-Albanian population is the majority part, the language spoken is Albanian. A portrait of Jesus Christ inside an abandoned house in the serbian enclave of Velika Hoca Velika Hoča is a significant cultural centre in Kosovo. The village is is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo, noted for its 13 churches, some dating from the 12th century rule of Serbian Grand Duke Stefan Nemanja, others from the 14th and 16th centuries. Bojan Pantic stands in the living room of his home under the portrait of his grandparents. His grandfather died during the war and after the end of fightings Bojan move to the enclave of Velika Hoca to be safer. He actually lives there with his family. On the ground floor of a house where some Serb families living together in the small village of Sevce, a dog, some roosters and other animals live in a farm improvised. Slobodan Manitasevic lives in the small village of Orahovac in central Kosovo with his mother. His cousin is disappear in 2004 probably kidnapped for organ traffic. A night street vision of Velika Hoca, a small Serbian Enclave hidden in the mountains of central Kosovo. In many part of this region and in the north territoties there are stll landmine fields due to the war. Here live about 1200 Serbs. The house with the lights is the only place where drink or eat something during the night in the village. Vladimir Belic stands before the door of his home in Velika Hoca. He escaped with his wife from Pec after the war for fear of Albanian reprisals together with other families. Velika Hoca is a small Serbian Enclave hidden in the mountains of central Kosovo. Today here live about 1200 Serbs. A night landscape in Velika Hoca, a small Serbian Enclave hidden in the mountains of central Kosovo. In many part of this region and in the north territoties there are stll landmine fields due to the war. Here live about 1200 Serbs. The Gazimestan monument, symbol of the pride of Serbia, stands in the middle of the plain of Blackbirds is guarded by a patrol of the UN to protect it from Albanian’s attacks. The iron swords that characterized originally the monument were stolen because of the looting that occurred after the war to sell the iron on the black market. In front of the monument is visible the tomb of the rival of Prince Lazaar, The turkish Mullah Murad I. The plain of Blackbirds is located in Kos Polje, close to Pristina. Here A pig looks out the doorway of the pigsty built on the back of a house in the village of Velika Hoca. Velika Hoca is a village in the municipality of Orahovac, in the district of Gjilan in Kosovo, It is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo. The enclaves are poor villages built on the outskirts of the cities or hidden in the mountains, often without clinics, water or electricity. On the streets of Dakovica, in the south-west part of Kosovo. Here the Muslim-Albanian population is the majority part, the language spoken is Albanian. A lonely tree in the disrict of Leposavic, north Kosovo. In this area has been the scene of violent clashes and massacres both during the war and after during the 2004 unrest. A man waits for guests seated inside his tyre shop in the center of Dakovica, a village located in the south-west part of Kosovo. Like in Pristina US and albanian flags are often exhibited together outside the buildings. After the war the greatest economic investments in Kosovo were Americans and Turks. The same governments, with the support of NATO favored a repopulation of the Albanian territory at the expense of the Serbian population. The main streets of the capital are named for former US presidents. Srbjana Belic stands in the living room of her home. She escaped with his husband from Pec after the war for fear of Albanian reprisals together with other families. Velika Hoca is a small Serbian Enclave hidden in the mountains of central Kosovo. Today here live about 1200 Serbs. View of the bridge on the river Ibar that divides in 2 parts Kosovska Mitrovica. In the aftermath of the war, the town became a symbol of Kosovo's ethnic divisions. The badly damaged southern half of the town was repopulated by an estimated 50,000 Albanians. Their numbers have since grown to 70000 with the arrival of refugees from destroyed villages in the countryside. the northern half functions as a small town and de facto capital of Serbian-majority of North Kosovo. Here live about 17000 Serbs in View from outside a building in the north part of Kosovka Mitrovica very close from the main bridge of the river Ibar that divided the city in two parts. The Serbian Family live in these houses. Italian Carabinieri Regiment MSU (Multinational Specialized Unit), part of the military mission KFOR since 1999 check the 4 bridges that connect the north part to the south part of Kosovka Mitrovica collaborating with EULEX (European union rule of law mission in Kosovo), who in 2008 took control of the police services. Zlatko Tomic outside his phone shop and internet point. Murals that represent symbols of Serbian nationalism are everywhere on the walls of buildings in the north area of Kosovska Mitrovica, populated by the Serb minority. In this case, the mural highlights the ideological proximity to Russia, one of the states that, even today, along with Venezuela, China, Spain, Romania has not recognized the independence of Kosovo from Serbia. On the streets of Dakovica, in the south-west part of Kosovo. Here the Muslim-Albanian population is the majority part, the language spoken is Albanian. Workers in a district of Prizen, where once lived about 17,000 Serbs, now they remain just 30 people. It is the second largest city of Kosovo located in the south part of the territory. Once here there were 365 Ortodox churches, after the war and the 2004 unrest it remains just one, the church of Our Lady of Ljeviš. On the background is visible one of the many mosques built recently by the muslim majority. The written “1389” on the wall of a building in the citycenter of Belgrad. 1389 was a date of great importance for Serbian people. In that year, in the plain of Blackbirds in the actual Kosovo, the prince Lazaar, chief of the Christian Serbian army, was defeated by the Ottoman Sultan Murad I. It was an epic battle and a tremendous defeat for Serbia, giving off the Turkish rule in the territory. Thus began the conflict that has dragged on even today between the populations of the Serbian Orthodox and Muslim A group of teenagers spend time in a city park of Pristina waiting for the sunset. A solution to the conflict between Serbs and Albanians is difficult to achieve with the new generations which is transmitted hatred and suffering endured over the years. Just outside the small village of Velika Hoca, a Serbian enclave composed from 1200 Serbs, there is this monument dedicated to the memory of all the Serbs killed or disappeared because of Kidnapping for organ trade in Albanian territory after the end of the war. This terrible traffic hits mostly children and old people. About 1800, mostly Serbs, are still missing. Inside the Gazimestan’s tower, monument symbol of the pride of Serbia. It stands in the middle of the plain of Blackbirds guarded by a patrol of the UN to protect it from Albanian’s attacks. Portait of Father Peter, one of the about 25 monks and priests from around the world who live and work at the monastery of Decani. The monaster, located about 2 km far from the town of Decan on the Dečanska Bistrica river gorge at the foot of the Prokletije Mountains, in western Kosovo, is the major Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery. Priests live there segregated for fear of reprisals by the Albanians celebrating their functions everyday guarded by a patrol of UN. Outside the monastery, in addition to Visoki Dečani, located about 2 km far from the town of Decan on the Dečanska Bistrica river gorge at the foot of the Prokletije Mountains, in western Kosovo, is the major Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery. Priests live there segregated for fear of reprisals by the Albanians celebrating their functions everyday guarded by a patrol of UN. Outside the monastery, in addition to the written praising the Albanian independence, It has sprouted recently some praising ISIS(The Islamic State). Inside, candlesticks Ivan Hristic seats on a bench in Pristina where he actually lives. He’s scared because of he is Serb. He has lost family members during the war in Kosovo and in the following years he was witness of the disappear of a close friend probably kidnapped for organ trafficking. Two young Serbs inhabitants of an enclave in the South Kosovo sleep after spending a night to celebrate a wedding in the village. Ceremonies are moments of great celebration of Serbian heritage customs. Often the rakia flows freely and young people join the old in identitary songs. Panoramic view of the historic city of Prizen, where once lived about 17,000 Serbs, now they remain just 30 people. It is the second largest city of Kosovo located in the south part of the territory. Once here there were 365 Ortodox churches, after the war and the 2004 unrest it remains just one, the church of Our Lady of Ljeviš. In the middle is visible one of the many mosques built recently by the muslim majority. A little Serb girl is smiling while playing inside a building of a small enclave in northern Kosovo What remains of a sports structure of an old school in the Serb enclave of Velika Hoca. here children gather each day to play soccer together Early morning in village of Velika Hoca. A serbian woman is going to work. The village in the municipality of Orahovac, in the district of Gjilan in Kosovo, It is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo.

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