In Kosova we are now living in a 'post-war' period, even though some paramilitary, military and police groups which were responsible for massacring Albanians are still active in different parts of Kosova and in particular in the miners' town of Mitrovica.
The biggest company in Kosova is the 'Trepca' company based upon the rich mineral mines in Kosova. Under the constitution of ex-Yugoslavia this company was 'social property' - ie it belonged to its workers. However all Albanian employees were locked out of their jobs in 1990.
Throughout these last years our trade union has tried to protect miners' property and assert the right of miners to return to work. For several years this protest was directed at the Milosevic regime, now we have a new problem: French KFOR (Kosova Force) troops have occupied our mines and metal processing plants and refuse to allow us access.
Over these years the miners have lost everything that we have created by our work. Our families now have nothing. In the last year 33 members of our union have been killed, 11 are missing and many of our houses are destroyed.
We were hopeful that after the war, with the end of the violence organised by Milosevic, we would be able to retake control of our mines and factori es, which are our property, and resume work. We have drawn up plans to resume production, including drawing up a budget to obtain necessary machinery etc, but unfortunately the International Community does not seem to recognise our rights and is treating us as tenants in our own property. Even though we have prepared our plan to restart production, which would benefit the whole Kosova community, especially the miners, we are prevented by French KFOR troops from entering the mine, even to try to ensure that flooding does not occur.
We have held meetings with KFOR and UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosova) but we cannot get any agreement from them. Therefore on July 27th this year we held a protest demonstration outside the mine with the slogan 'A low us to work and live from our jobs. We are not lazy and do not want to depend upon outside aid. The mines are our property.'
Despite our protests we remain locked out. So we want to step up our protests and for this we need international support and solidarity. We are planning more protests marches and if we are not successful we are prepared, eventually, to start a hunger strike outside the mine gates.
Our campaign to demand the rights of miners and other workers is not just for Albanians but for all Trepca employees with the exception of those who have committed war crimes.
We can then inform you of our plans. Because all communications
in Kosova are damaged we ask you to contact our friends in UK:
fax ++ 44 (0)161226 0404
email work2@workersaid.org
If you can help us financially please send donations to Durham
National Union of Mineworkers, PO Box 6, The Miners Hall, Durham. DH14BB, UK.
For details of international bank transfer fax ++ 44 (0)191 2330578.
Mitrovica. President of miners' Trade Union
September 1999
Xhafer Nuli