Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Persons from Kosovo and Metohija about Clint Williamson’s report: All eyes on the European Union and creation of the tribunal for processing the responsible.
Following the report of the EU special prosecutor Clint Williamson where it is unequivocally stated that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leadership has committed grave crimes against the civilians in Kosovo and Metohija, nothing will be the same for officials in Pristina.
Williamson, himself, said that he would rise indictments if the European Union had have created the court which would try the accused, whereas Special Rapporteur of the Council of Europe Dick Marty, whose report served as the basis for setting up the investigation team, said that international community for sure didn’t expect such results from Williamson.
However, those who need the truth the most, and it is about 532 families of missing persons from Kosovo and Metohija, expected more.
“We expected better and stronger results,” said Olgica Bozanic, the secretary of the Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Persons from Kosovo and Metohija. “We expected to hear about concrete locations in Albania, mentioned by Dick Marty, that it will request identification of victims and to explain their disappearance. However, we are of opinion that this is the first time ever that international community finally did something for Serbian victims too. We all know the outcomes of Fatmir Limaj’s case and the rest who were tried for war crimes.
Bozanic stressed that Association used to cooperate, as of its foundation back in 1998 following first kidnappings, with all who dealt with destiny of the missing. With Eulex and Hague Tribunal as well, in the course of its investigations until today and, as she said, until there was a hope that they will find missing and punish the perpetrators. They even requested extension of the Hague Tribunal’s mandate in order for those crimes to be investigated too.
Now after the report was published, all eyes of families of the missing are focused on the EU and establishment of the tribunal where responsible for those crimes will be tried. Božanić hopes that KLA is not enjoying the support of the international community anymore and that court will be established soon.
Lawyer Toma Fila is not sharing the enthusiasm of Bozanic’s. He says that decision of Pristina on support of the war crimes investigation is only a tale for children and that future actions depend on the will of Washington.
“Clint Williamson is a professional, but he is an American and the official of the American government,” says Fila. “He accomplished his task and depending on what he came across, the US will decided whether the court will be set and, if so, when. If this report in any way compromises the US, than the court won’t be set, because if the EU wished to investigate it really, than it should have appointed French, German or a Brit instead.
Who is protecting the witnesses?
Toma Fila stressed that if Williamson’s report is matching the one of Dick Marty, this means that some big names from the Kosovo Liberation Army are amongst the suspects. “We all know the destiny of suspects who testified or were meant to testify in cases related to the KLA crimes,” warned Fila, whereas the question remains: how will they be protected until then, while time is passing by.
