2,000 Serbs Demonstrate Support Of Sacked Hospital Official

PRISTINA, Serbia, Nov 7, 1999 -- Some 2,000 Serbs demonstrated in the divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica in northern Kosovo Saturday in support of a Serbian hospital official suspended by the regional UN administrator, a United Nation spokeswoman said.

The rally passed off peacefully as the crowd listened to the self-appointed mayor of the Serbian half of the town, Oliver Ivanovic, defend the deputy director of the town's hospital, Milan Ivanovic, said spokeswoman Beatrice Lacoste.

The hospital official was suspended this week by regional UN administrator Martin Garrod for opposing the reintegration of ethnic Albanian staff, who walked out of the hospital a month ago after complaining of Serb hostility.

The UN also postponed the return of ethnic Albanian staff to the hospital in the Serb-dominated part of town, which had been scheduled for Wednesday.

Around 100 ethnic Albanians had been due to return but were opposed by a Serbian demonstration reportedly organized by the deputy director.

Oliver Ivanovic told the crowd the issue touched on the "survival" of the Serbian community, saying that if the hospital failed then the whole of northern Mitrovica would fail, Lacoste said.

Four Serbian doctors addressed the gathering to express support for Ivanovic. They said they were opposed to discrimination against ethnic Albanians but said the Albanians must discuss any cooperation peacefully.

Around a third of the hospital staff is non-Serbian, including Albanians, Roma and Bosnians, Lacoste said.

The town has been divided since NATO peacekeeping troops took control of the Serbian province in June after the withdrawal of Serbian forces. The main crossing point, a bridge in the town center, is cordoned off by barbed wire and manned by KFOR troops.