Serbs visit southern Kosovska Mitrovica cemetery
Several hundred Kosovo Serbs were escorted by the Kosovo police for a visit to mark the All Souls' Day at the Orthodox cemetery in southern Kosovska Mitrovica, populated by ethnic Albanians.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Saturday, March 09, 2013
From northern Kosovska Mitrovica, which is home to the Serb population, the visitors were transported by buses and private vehicles under police escort to visit the cemetery where around 90 percent of tombstones have been desecrated. No incidents were recorded during the visit.
Most of the Serbs underscored that All Souls' Days are their only chance to visit the graves of their late cousins and friends safely, under police escort.
Serbs are not buried on the Orthodox cemetery in southern Kosovska Mitrovica since 1999. Not a single tombstone on the Albanian cemetery in northern Mitrovica has been damaged so far.
Protopresbyter Stavrofor Milija Arsovic of the Serbian Orthodox Church told reporters that many Serb tombstones in southern Mitrovica were destroyed and that even marble nameplates are being taken off headstones of late.
Orthodox believes are embittered over the desecrated and destroyed tombstones on the Serb cemetery in southern Mitrovica and they say that the Albanian cemetery in northern Mitrovica stands intact.
