With the amendment to the Kosovo law on the status and rights of veterans and war victims, the victims of sexual violence have received some kind of justice. However, the law itself, and the strategy that accompanies it (which should soon enter in parliamentary procedure) recognizes the status of the victim only from 27 February 1998 to 20 June 1999, which Serbian organizations see as discrimination and flagrant violations of human rights of minority communities in Kosovo, especially Serbian.
They hope that international community will react and prevent the legitimization of discrimination of victims.
Strategy, or draft decree on establishing the position of victims of sexual violence during the war in 1999, compiled the National Council which was founded a year and a half ago by Kosovo President, Atifete Jahjaga. Council mostly consists of representatives of non-governmental sector, and not even one representative of minority communities of Serbs, Roma, Gorani, Ashkali or Egyptians is part of that Council.
“Draft includes discriminatory timeframe and thus deprive the right for recognition, and at least some compensation and financial aid to victims of sexual violence. The time frame is set on the grounds that the war ended in June 1999, but we should not forget that the actions that occurred after this period are also consequences of the war. If this strategy will be adopted, the human rights of all communities will be flagrantly violated. I appeal to the international community and all non-governmental organizations in Kosovo to react,” urged Dusan Radakovic, director of the NGO Center for Advocacy of democratic culture from Kosovska Mitrovica.
