Post by uz on Sept 26, 2011 18:02:13 GMT -5
Kosovo: Witness describes to UN tribunal rivalries between Albanian rebels
The Hague, 26 Sept. (AKI) – A prosecution witness at retrial of former Kosovo prime minister Ramus Haradinaj Monday described to the United Nations war crimes tribunal rivalries between the Kosovo Liberation Army and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kosovo (FARK) who fought against Serbian rule during 1998/99 conflict.
The protected witness, listed as 077, told the tribunal a FARK brigade entered Kosovo from Albania in June 1998, but was ordered by Haradinaj, a regional commander of the KLA, to “go back where they came from”.
The KLA’s political leader was current Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci, while FARK was formed by a rival group headed by late Kosovo president Ibrahim Rugova.
Haradinaj came to FARK camp in the village of Papracani in western Kosovo, fired in the air and told FARK commander Tahir Zemaj to leave.
Zemaj reportedly criticised his behaviour saying: "We shouldn’t fight among ourselves”.
The FARK brigade was allowed to stay for a while and later left. The witness said he heard that Haradinaj’s aide, Idriz Balaj, known as Toger, came to the FARK camp and marched away five soldiers who were later killed.
The witness said he escaped to neighbouring Montenegro and later found refuge in a European country.
“I was faced with the prospect of being killed and that no one would know whether I was killed by Serbs of Albanians,” he said.
Haradinaj, who briefly served as prime minister after Kosovo was put under UN control in 1999, was indicted in 2005 for crimes against Serb, Roma and non-loyal Albanian civilians.
He and Balaj were acquitted in 2007 for lack of evidence, while a third accomplice, Lah Brahimaj, was sentenced to six years in jail. But the tribunal’s appeals panel ordered a retrial, saying the first trial was conducted in an “atmosphere of intimidation of witnesses”.
Several witnesses were killed or died mysterious deaths before and during the trial and many refused to testify.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move opposed by Belgrade.
Kosovo has now been recognised by more than eighty countries, including the United States and 22 out of 27 members of the European Union.
www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/Politics/Kosovo-Witness-describes-to-UN-tribunal-rivalries-between-Albanian-rebels_312488118188.html
The Hague, 26 Sept. (AKI) – A prosecution witness at retrial of former Kosovo prime minister Ramus Haradinaj Monday described to the United Nations war crimes tribunal rivalries between the Kosovo Liberation Army and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kosovo (FARK) who fought against Serbian rule during 1998/99 conflict.
The protected witness, listed as 077, told the tribunal a FARK brigade entered Kosovo from Albania in June 1998, but was ordered by Haradinaj, a regional commander of the KLA, to “go back where they came from”.
The KLA’s political leader was current Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci, while FARK was formed by a rival group headed by late Kosovo president Ibrahim Rugova.
Haradinaj came to FARK camp in the village of Papracani in western Kosovo, fired in the air and told FARK commander Tahir Zemaj to leave.
Zemaj reportedly criticised his behaviour saying: "We shouldn’t fight among ourselves”.
The FARK brigade was allowed to stay for a while and later left. The witness said he heard that Haradinaj’s aide, Idriz Balaj, known as Toger, came to the FARK camp and marched away five soldiers who were later killed.
The witness said he escaped to neighbouring Montenegro and later found refuge in a European country.
“I was faced with the prospect of being killed and that no one would know whether I was killed by Serbs of Albanians,” he said.
Haradinaj, who briefly served as prime minister after Kosovo was put under UN control in 1999, was indicted in 2005 for crimes against Serb, Roma and non-loyal Albanian civilians.
He and Balaj were acquitted in 2007 for lack of evidence, while a third accomplice, Lah Brahimaj, was sentenced to six years in jail. But the tribunal’s appeals panel ordered a retrial, saying the first trial was conducted in an “atmosphere of intimidation of witnesses”.
Several witnesses were killed or died mysterious deaths before and during the trial and many refused to testify.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move opposed by Belgrade.
Kosovo has now been recognised by more than eighty countries, including the United States and 22 out of 27 members of the European Union.
www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/Politics/Kosovo-Witness-describes-to-UN-tribunal-rivalries-between-Albanian-rebels_312488118188.html