Ethnic Clensing

1. Introduction

1.1 Topic

For the past ten years, ethnic Albanians and Serbians have been battling over the control of Kosovo. Both sides demanded control of Kosovo for cultural reasons; reasons that would eventually cause 848,000 ethnic Albanians to either flee the region or be killed.

In 1998 a UN lead NATO force began the systematic elimination of Serbian armed forces occupying Kosovo villages. After 78 days of sustained bombardment, armed forces from England, US, Pakistan, France, Germany and Russia moved into Kosovo and the extent of atrocities committed by the Serbian army was apparent. Mass graves of over 1000 Albanians were unearthed, and reports of systematic ethnic cleansing of Albanians from refuges became more evident. As the peacekeepers began to gain control of the escalating situation, Serbian terrorist attacked troop convoys and refugee camps and started skirmishes with NATO troops in villages and small towns. For the next decade, UN forces have been continuously harried with terrorist attacks and bombings in Albanian populated areas. To this day there are over 4000 peacekeepers in the Balkans and over 3000 UN personnel.

During NATO occupation, light has been shed on the many thousands of Ð''disappearances' of Albanian men women and children. Documents show a multitude of war crimes committed including: looting of homes and businesses, use of human shields, rape, violations of medical neutrality and identity cleansing (destruction of all pieces of identity such as licence plates, identification papers and birth certificates). Unfortunately, these and many more undiscovered crimes against humanity have been continuing despite NATO efforts.

1.2 Definition

(See Appendix 1)

Kosovo is located in the southern end of the Balkans, north of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and has seen countless centuries of religious and racial warfare. Its centrality has subjugated many different cultures, and wars have been commonplace for the Serbian and Albanians for many generations. These two groups consider Kosovo as their religious crux and would be no more willing to leave their religious locations, as Jews would be to abandon Jerusalem.

Ethnic cleansing is defined as: The systematic elimination of an ethnic group or groups from a region or society, as by deportation, forced emigration, or genocide (1). The Serbian Government, (Currently declared a Rogue State By the UN) and many East Bloc (2) trained terrorist groups orchestrated the forced removal of Ethnic Albanians and systematic destruction of Albanian identity.

1.3 Aims

o Reduce conflict and skirmishes in Kosovo.

o Establish stability in resident government

o Gradual withdrawal of NATO armed personnel over time.

o Reduction in street riots and terrorist activity.

o If civil unrest cannot be accomplished, division of land similar to that of Jordan should be attempted. Disarmament and prosecution of terrorist minorities.

o Reestablishment of refugees into Kosovo.

o Redevelopment of destroyed villages and buildings.

o Police and other Kosovo legal forces strengthened.

2. Findings

The following War Crimes (Outlined by the Geneva Convention) were committed by Serbian armed forces (3)

o Forcible Displacement of Kosovar Albanian Civilians: Serbian authorities conducted a campaign of forced population movement. In contrast to actions taken during 1998, Yugoslav Army units and armed civilians joined the police in systematically expelling Kosovar Albanians at gunpoint from both villages and larger towns in Kosovo.

o Looting of Homes and Businesses: There are numerous reports of Serbian forces robbing residents before burning their homes. Another round of robbery occurred as Serbian forces stole from fleeing Kosovars as they crossed the border to Montenegro, Albania, or Macedonia.

o Widespread Burning of Homes: Over 1,200 residential areas were at least partially burned after late March 1999. Kosovar Albanians have reported that over 500 villages were burned after March 1999.

o Use of Human Shields: Refugees claim that Serbian forces used Kosovar Albanians to escort military convoys and shield facilities throughout the province. Other reporting indicates that Serbian forces intentionally positioned ethnic Albanians at sites they believed were targets for NATO airstrikes.

o Detentions: Serbian forces systematically separated military-aged men from the general population as Kosovars were expelled. These men were detained in facilities ranging from cement factories to prisons. Many of these detainees were forced to dig trenches and were physically abused. At least 2,000 Kosovar Albanians remain in detention in around a dozen Serbian prisons today.

o Summary Executions: There are accounts of summary executions at about 500 sites across Kosovo.

o Exhumation of Mass Graves: Serbian forces burned, destroyed, or exhumed bodies from mass graves in an attempt to destroy evidence. Some were reinterred in individual graves.

o Rape: There are numerous accounts indicating that the organized and individual rape of Kosovar Albanian women by Serbian forces was widespread. For example, Serbian forces systematically raped women in Djakovica and Pec, and in some cases rounded up women and took them to hotels where they were raped by troops under encouragement of their commanders. Rape is most likely an underreported atrocity because of the stigma attached to the victims in traditional Kosovar Albanian society.

o Violations of Medical Neutrality: Kosovar Albanian physicians, patients and medical facilities were systematically attacked. Many health care facilities were used as protective cover for military activities; NGOs report the destruction by Serbian forces of at least 100 clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals.

o Identity Cleansing: Kosovar Albanians were systematically stripped of identity and property documents including passports, land titles, automobile license plates, identity

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