KOSOVO: PRISTINA LIBRARY RANSACKED скачать в хорошем качестве

KOSOVO: PRISTINA LIBRARY RANSACKED

(1 Jul 1999) English/Nat As thousands of refugees return to Kosovo, its not just their homes they are finding in ruins. The former director of the National and University Library of Kosovo, has returned to find the building deserted - its shelves largely empty. Serbian forces used the library as their headquarters during the war. The National and University library of Kosovo is housed here, in one of the most modern buildings in Pristina. The 55 year old institution used to be the most important library in Kosovo. But in 1990, the fate of the library changed. All the ethnic Albanian staff were dismissed when the Belgrade government imposed emergency measures in the province. Among them was the library's former director, Mehmed Geguri. SOUNDBITE: (English) "It was one of the eight national libraries in the former Yugoslavia, it was a national library, a university library, it was the central library of all sites in Kosovo" SUPER CAPTION: Mehmed Geguri, Former Director, Kosovo National and University Library With the war over, life is starting to return to normal for many Kosovans. Geguri is back but the books have gone, and the building is a mess. During the NATO air campaign the library was used by the Yugoslav military as a headquarters. Geguri says when the soldiers left, they took the books with them. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They took out of the library more than 100,000 books and as many periodicals" SUPER CAPTION: Mehmed Geguri, Former Director, Kosovo National and University Library The few remaining volumes have been left strewn over the floor and the library's entire database of membership files has been destroyed. Mr Geguri calls it another example of cultural genocide. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...