Clash in Magurë, Lipjan: Those involved give their accounts of the incident and assault claims

One day after a protest was held in front of the court in Lipjan by KLA veterans and citizens demanding the release of Bekim Meta, the people involved in the clash that took place in Magurë gave kp their versions of the event.

The incident is linked to the clash that occurred three days earlier in the village of Magurë in Lipjan, where a group of people from the Roma community are suspected of attacking Skender Shahini in front of his home, as well as KLA war veteran Bekim Meta.

In this case, the court in Lipjan ordered house arrest for KLA veteran and war invalid Bekim Meta, as well as for Skendër Shahini, with both sides involved in the incident affected by the measure.

From house arrest, Skënder Shahini gave his version of the clash in Magurë, Lipjan, for which the court in Lipjan on Friday ordered him placed under house arrest for 30 days.

According to him, he and the group he was part of did not attack anyone, but only defended themselves, as he claims that around 20 people had gone there to attack KLA veteran Bekim Meta.

Shahini said that after police intervened, everyone involved was taken for medical treatment and then detained for 48 hours.

Shahini: We only acted in self-defense, we carried out no attack whatsoever.

“Before that problem happened, they had flown the drone once, they came with several cars and observed the terrain. Then they came and attacked Bekim Meta and his father. Naser Bekteshi had come only to see what was happening and they hit him with three or four stones in the head. Then the village residents came out, and I came out too. We only acted in self-defense, we carried out no attack whatsoever…. They held us in detention for 48 hours. After that, the court placed us under house arrest for 30 days. The other side too, according to the information I have, was sentenced to 30 days in detention. Now we are waiting to see what will happen after these 30 days. I recognized around 80 percent of them. There were approximately 20 people. We had no previous conflict with them, but they are our neighbors,” he said.

He claimed that at the root of the incident was a dispute over a plot of land, which he said had been given for use with permission from the municipality. According to Shahini, the people involved tried to take that plot by force.

Shahini added that even after the incident he continues to feel at risk.

Shahini: They hit me in the head, I lost consciousness – we feel endangered

“They had iron rods, baseball bats, hoes and shovels. They hit me in the head. I lost consciousness. At the hospital they stitched my head in four places. I only defended myself, I did not attack anyone. We feel endangered, because they could come again at any time. We expect them to come back again. If they come back and behave as they did last time, we will defend our doorstep, we will defend our neighbors,” he said.

His version of the event was also given by Hysen Meta, the father of KLA veteran and war invalid Bekim Meta. He claims that the clash began after provocations and that the other side had various implements with them.

According to him, there were injured people as a result of the clash, while his son suffered serious injuries.

Meta: He said we will do worse to you than in ’99

“They provoked us, they monitored the terrain even with drones, they had with them knife handles, hammer handles, iron rods; one of them came out from behind and said, ‘we will do worse to you than in ’99, I will make it bloody.’ That is where the conflict started. The neighbors came out, we came out for Bekim, Bekim came out for us. That is how it was. With God’s help they were stopped, because they were all armed… Bekim was seriously injured in the arm, his arm is broken, they received medical treatment,” he said.

Bekim Meta’s father also said that the family still does not feel safe after what happened and that without police intervention, the situation could have taken even more serious proportions.

His account was also given by Isuf Avdullahu, a resident who lives near the place where the clash happened in Magurë. He said everything started after they had come to bury their sister and that their aim, according to him, was to carry out the attack.

Avdullahu: There were about 20 people with knives and shovels

“They had come to bury their sister and they came and told me, you will hear what will happen tomorrow. I told them, did you come to bury your sister or to do whatever it is you are planning to do? The next day, that happened. They were prepared for this event more than for their sister’s burial. There were about 20 people with knives and shovels. When they arrived, I saw them talking to Skënder, Skënder fell to the ground and they pushed him, and at that moment everyone ran,” he said.

Avdullahu also said that he has always had good relations with the other residents of the area.

Avdullahu: I have always got along well with them, even though I am from the Ashkali community.

“I have always got along well with them, even though I am from the Ashkali community. They have never seen me as different, we had no problems before,” he said.