I almost did not notice this bit of news, but it seems that Derek Chappell, the UN police spokesman in occupied Kosovo, has been removed from his post for interfering with the spin the media and the occupiers tried to put on the Albanian pogrom of March 17-20.
Chappell, who had previously dutifully represented the occupying authority (UNMIK), even to the tune of calling Serb reports of Albanian attacks “lies” (which they turned out not to be), may have been moved by a sliver of remaining conscience to denounce the vicious Albanian libel about the drowning boys, which most media had eagerly seized upon as explanation for what they termed “clashes.” Predictably, he was punished, reports Serbian radio B92.
Trouble with B92 is, they don’t keep static links of their articles, but bury them in archives (an evil practice, if ever there was one; must have something to do with the fact that they are often funded by foreign aid…). The full story is therefore reposted here:
UN transfers popular Kosovo police spokesman
25 March 2004 | 16:12 | ANSA
PRISTINA — Thursday — The spokesman for the UN police in Kosovo, Derek Chappell, has been transferred because of statements he had made during the bloody clashes last week, sources at the UN mission in Kosovo said today.
“No one has yet explained the real reason for Chappell’s dismissal,” the sources said.
“Quite specific charges were raised against him for controversial statements he made to the Serbian and Albanian media concerning the reasons for the clashes,” they added.
Chappell, who was spokesman of the UN police in Kosovo for four years, said that the clashes last week had been organised by certain groups. Chappell is very popular in the whole province. He has not been dismissed from the police, but transferred to another post.