Local community leader beaten and denounced as "traitor"
(Keith Jinks)Mr Todorovski (left) is interviewed by a visiting group of Portuguese
television and print journalists, Tearce, 18 January 2002. (Keith Jinks) Photo details
SKOPJE, 24 January 2002 - The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje strongly condemns the serious incident which occurred yesterday evening in Tearce, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, when a group of armed people severely beat up the Deputy Leader of the Local Community Council, Pavle Todorovski. According to preliminary information given by the victim and by witnesses of the incident, the attackers were dressed in black and wore masks. They spoke Macedonian and they called Mr. Todorovski a "Macedonian traitor".
Mr. Todorovski is a well-known and highly respected member of the community. He has stood up for reconciliation and peace, and has worked hard to bring the multi-ethnic village of Tearce, near the city of Tetovo, back together after the conflict.
This brutal attack, which left the victim with over 20 stitches in head wounds, was not only a threat to his life and an attempt to intimidate him, but undermines confidence building in the village and in the region.
Coincidentally or perhaps not, Mr Todorovski was interviewed last Friday in front of the village church by a visiting group of Portuguese television and print journalists. The intention was to illustrate a community where ethnic tensions had been easing and where mixed police patrols had been successfully redeployed with assistance from OSCE confidence-building monitors.
Florin Pasnicu, the OSCE Mission Spokesperson, said: "The Mission supports all efforts for a full investigation of this case. We trust the media will handle this matter responsibly and will not rush to blame anyone before substantial evidence is provided."
Mr. Todorovski is a well-known and highly respected member of the community. He has stood up for reconciliation and peace, and has worked hard to bring the multi-ethnic village of Tearce, near the city of Tetovo, back together after the conflict.
This brutal attack, which left the victim with over 20 stitches in head wounds, was not only a threat to his life and an attempt to intimidate him, but undermines confidence building in the village and in the region.
Coincidentally or perhaps not, Mr Todorovski was interviewed last Friday in front of the village church by a visiting group of Portuguese television and print journalists. The intention was to illustrate a community where ethnic tensions had been easing and where mixed police patrols had been successfully redeployed with assistance from OSCE confidence-building monitors.
Florin Pasnicu, the OSCE Mission Spokesperson, said: "The Mission supports all efforts for a full investigation of this case. We trust the media will handle this matter responsibly and will not rush to blame anyone before substantial evidence is provided."