VZCZCXRO4424
OO RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPS #0853/01 2831433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101433Z OCT 06
FM USOFFICE PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6584
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0871
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
RHMFIUU/CDR TF FALCON
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUFOANA/USNIC PRISTINA SR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE 
NSC FOR BRAUN 
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KCRM PGOV PINR KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: FERIZAJ LEADERS AGREE TO REPAIR ROOF ON VANDALIZED 
CHURCH 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  On October 6 Ferizaj/Urosevac Municipal 
leaders promised visiting poloff and a U.S. sergeant involved 
in civil-military operations in the area that they would pay 
for the August theft of the copper roof of the St. Uros 
church.  (The thief, who was apprehended shortly after the 
incident, remains in custody.)  After the meeting, these 
leaders issued a statement condemning such acts and restating 
their agreement to have the municipality pay for repair. 
This incident is, unfortunately, one in a series involving 
robbery of roofing materials of Serbian Orthodox churches 
throughout Kosovo, but at least municipalities are taking 
responsibility both for repair and apprehension of 
perpetrators.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In recent months, there have been a number of acts 
of vandalism against Serbian Orthodox churches, often 
involving theft of valuable copper roofing materials.  In one 
case, Podujevo municipal authorities strongly condemned the 
incident and repaired the roof using municipal funds. 
Orthodox Church leaders have repeatedly asked for stationary 
protection at religious sites, as opposed to roving patrols. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to a U.S. sergeant involved in 
civil-military operations in the area, in August a thief 
stole approximately 25 meters of copper roofing from the St. 
Uros church, the main Serbian Orthodox church in downtown 
Ferizaj/Urosevac.  He said that a Kosovo Albanian witness 
called the police, the thief was apprehended, and remains in 
custody.  Because the theft left the church vulnerable to 
further damage from rain and weather, the sergeant said he 
personally paid for and carried out a temporary repair job 
using plastic sheeting to cover exposed areas on the roof. 
He noted that the Ferizaj Kosovo Albanian fire brigade 
willingly assisted by providing a fire vehicle with a long 
ladder to access the roof; he also brought a Kosovo Serb 
internally displaced person (IDP) living in the municipality 
who had experience with roofing to assist with the labor. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In response to a request from Father Sava, the 
moderate Serb priest in Decani monastery, poloff and the U.S. 
sergeant met with Ferizaj Deputy Mayor Gafurr Imeri and the 
municipal CEO on October 6.  Poloff explained that the Church 
Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC), which 
previously replaced the doors to the St. Uros church, can 
only use its funds to repair damage incurred during the March 
2004 riots.  She urged the municipality to take concrete 
action to repair the damage, and to use its influence to 
prevent such incidents in the future.  The sergeant said that 
based on his assessment, it would take approximately 1000 
euros worth of copper or 400 euros worth of tin (a cheaper 
substitute) to replace the stolen material. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The CEO agreed to repair the roof using municipal 
funds, and said he will do it "properly," using copper.  He 
said he would bring the issue before the Municipal Board of 
Directors on October 9, and would send an assessment team 
that same day to estimate labor costs.  He pointed out that 
other municipalities make public statements about 
multi-ethnicity and reconciliation, but said that in Ferizaj 
they would rather demonstrate such sentiments through action. 
 The CEO also mentioned that he would issue a public 
statement condemning such incidents and urging citizens to 
refrain from acts of vandalism.  He added that the best way 
to protect the church would be for St. Uros leader Father 
Gjika and other Serbs to return and bring the church back 
into regular use.  He said the municipality would welcome 
them, but currently does not have the funds to rebuild 
Gjika's home, which was destroyed during the March 2004 
riots.  (Note: On October 9, the Municipal CEO issued a 
statement condemning the vandalism and calling on residents 
to be vigilant in protecting Ferizaj's cultural heritage. 
The Board of Directors also unanimously approved the CEO's 
decision to use municipal funds to repair the damaged roof. 
 
PRISTINA 00000853  002 OF 002 
 
 
End Note.) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT.  We are gratified to see ethnic Albanian 
municipal leaders saying and doing the right thing with 
regard to vandalism of Serbian Orthodox churches.  There are 
now at least two municipalities -- Ferizaj and Podujevo -- 
which have stepped up and taken responsibility.  We will 
follow up to see not only that repairs are done, but that 
perpetrators are convicted and sentenced.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Post clears this message in its entirety for release 
to Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. 
KAIDANOW