November 1999
Kosova miners demand return to Trepca
by Xhafer Nuli, President of Miners Trade Union
Trepca, Kosova-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; 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 organized
by Milosevic, we would be able to retake control of our mines and
factories, which are our property, and resume work. We have drawn up plans
to resume production, including drawing up a budget to obtain necessary
machinery, but unfortunately the international community does not seem to
recognize 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 27 we
held a demonstration outside the mine with the slogan, "Allow 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.
Because all communications in Kosova are damaged we ask you to contact our
friends in UK at fax 44 (0)161 226 0404, or 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. DH1 4BB, UK. For
details of international bank transfer fax 44 (0)191 2330578.
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