Belgrade –‘There are strong proofs about abduction of almost 400 Serbs from Kosovo during 1998 and 1999. Kosovo and Albanian authorities are to launch the independent and transparent investigation in order to make the fate of those people known’, Fred Abrahams, researcher of the Human Rights Watch says for ‘Blic’.
Abrahams who investigated violation of human rights in Kosovo and Albania from 1993 to 2000 says that the HRW has additional information that supports claims of abductions, over-border transfers from Kosovo to Albania and removal of body organs.
‘We got independent and credible information and documentation that prove what Carla Del Ponte has written about post-war torture in Kosovo. We talked separately with two individuals that were present during visit by the Hague Tribunal’s and UNMIK’s investigators to a house near Burel in Albania. They both confirmed claims made in Del Ponte’s book’, Abrahams points out.
He adds that Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci and Albania PM Sali Berisha have been informed on that with the request to start investigation, but no reply arrived until May 2.
‘The HRW saw the documentation collected by the Hague Tribunal. Seven Albanians that served in Kosovo Liberation Army were questioned separately and they all gave details about taking part in or attending the transfer of abducted Serbs and other prisoners from Kosovo to Albania after the war’, Abrahams says.
According to his words majority of the victims were Serbs that disappeared after arrival of the UN and NATO forces in Kosovo.
| Olga Kavran: Criminals to stand trial The spokeswoman of the Hague Tribunal’s prosecution Olga Kavran says for ‘Blic’ that in December of 2004 Tribunal’s mandate for opening new cases has expired. That is why the cooperation with the local judicial instances, i.e. prosecutions is of primary importance. ‘The prosecutions in the region have to trial these crimes’, Kavran said. T.N.Đ. |
Lawsuit against Del Ponte?
Kosovo Parliament shall decide in two weeks whether a lawsuit against former chief prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal shall be filed for ‘calumniation of the KLA’ referring to body organ trafficking of the abducted Serbs.
‘Kosovo Parliament should rather be concerned over the crimes in Kosovo than Del Ponte’s statements’, Abrahams says.
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Obviously, HRW expects a serious investigation to be carried out by Kosovo and Albania. That’s unthinkable — firstly because the investigators are party in the case, secondly these parties’ Western supporters will prevent such a probe because of their own failing.
More gloom: even if, as an addition to Del Ponte’s book more facts are published, they will be denied or simply ignored. Later, when all possibly responsible politicians have left the stage, a new start-up might be successful.
Comment by JJ — May 7, 2008 #