Ex-MUP officer testifies at Suva Reka trial

As a Serb I condemn any actions taken against civilians and it seems this was a genuine tragedy. I am sorry for your losses and for the crimes of Milosevic.

I applaud the Serbian government for making this all public and trying the perpetrators in open court for all to see. I think this proves Serbia is also capable of trying KLA members in court in a fair manner.

I do hope that we see similar trials in Kosovo for those responsible for crimes committed against the Serbian population as well.

We in Serbian are facing our demons, hopefully the rest of the region is capable of standing up and doing what’s right too.

There are no Angels in the Balkans.

Of course this will be one of the many similar news news that will be again and again ignored by our Serbian frinds regularlu posting here in b92.

And most probably in an hour or so it will be followed by an article form the Belgrade yellow press about the ‘yellow house’.
And then they will activate and my compatriots will be busy in prooving that it is lie and so one, but surely will not hide as our frinds habitualy do in front of an evidenc not speculation.

And this is one of the reasons why Kosova couldn't stay a part of Serbia anymore.

In return for the suffering of the people mentioned in the article, we today have a free and independent Kosova.

"The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.

Ben this is not something I would be willing to ignore.

This individual is typical of the yes man mentality of those that prospered under communism. You did what you were told, showed unquestioning loyalty, never thought for yourself and were then rewarded for it. The usual profile of this type of idiot is of somebody who never quite makes it to the top. Milosevic though, needed to get rid of Jovica Stanisic (profile of a man with ideas of his own who could well rise to the top) and replace him with somebody undyingly loyal. Who better than a close friend of Mirjana Markovic?
Anybody who saw Markovic's toe-curlingly servile performance towards Milosevic at the Hague would recognise this type of fool.

I don't know the degree to which he knew what was going on on the ground in Kosovo. But had he known that civilians were being killed I am certain he would do nothing about it, or at best inform his superiors, with no recommendations of his own. In short I believe him to be a liar, whose defence mainly relies on playing dumb (something that has served him well in the past, as it did another retired police minister who we all know).

But Ben because Albanian civilians were murdered does not mean that Serbian civilians were not murdered also. I think that the questions raised on the yellow house have not been cleared up yet and it is a valid story.

"The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)

Whats even more worrying is that majority of Serbs seem to believe that theory!

--I find it strange how EVERY albanian says they were a victim/witness to "ethnic cleansing". I find it strange because on DAY 1 of the bombings there was already over 1.5 million Albanians fleeing. Does that mean the Serbian army was that good that they were able to spread over the whole of Kosovo in 1 day with absolutely no resistance from the KLA to force albanians out of their homes, to set up alleged rape camps and to murder the 100,000 that was being reported all while being bombed round the clock?---

Every Albanan was victim of the deportation, because the serbian paramilitary, military and MUP worked very closely, good on that mission, that wasn't a plan maded on one hour but it was planed before the bombing started. The code name of the plan was "POTKOVICA" (horse-shoe).

So no one wants to discuss this incident?
Shame... Shame....

Yes bganon,
Serbs got unlucky in being led by these kind of leaders supported by the kind of intellectual elite and media in the 80s. And that bad luck spread to their neighbors. Good job with these trials. I hope there will be no scapegoats.

To some of the other posters: it wasn't because of the bombs or KLA that people were leaving. Read the article again: It is talking about a trial of ex state officials in Serbia, accused of killing people and hiding their bodies.

Wow, no comment to the post of Healthy American, just WOW!

But I would like to say thanks to Matthew for his comment. I would also like to agree with him that whoever commited crimes Serb or Albanian should face justice for them. Hopefully in time any ex KLA members that were involved in any kind of war crimes against civilians will get tried for those actions.

But for the whole region to truly heal Serbia and Serbs need to understand that too much damage has been done for any hope of Albanians agreeing to be part of a Serbian state

Serbia will have to accept an independent Kosovo, sooner or later, it is in all of our best interest!

Peace to all in the Balkans!

# "The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)

I find it strange how EVERY albanian says they were a victim/witness to "ethnic cleansing". I find it strange because on DAY 1 of the bombings there was already over 1.5 million Albanians fleeing. Does that mean the Serbian army was that good that they were able to spread over the whole of Kosovo in 1 day with absolutely no resistance from the KLA to force albanians out of their homes, to set up alleged rape camps and to murder the 100,000 that was being reported all while being bombed round the clock?

Hey albanians:

serb army was not sent in for no reason. You knew very well what kind of response you would get with your cowarldy terrorist provocations. The crimes uck has committed prior to army's arrival were absolutely inhumane! Don't worry, one day all those uck terrorists will be rotting in MUP prison!

To Tex [sic] and others,

I find myself having to post the same data numerous times.

The following is a translation of a leaflet that was disseminated to Kosovo Albanians in April 1999, before the mass exodus to Macedonia and Albania proper:

FELLOW CITIZENS

We invite you to temporarily evacuate the endangered territories of the Republic of Kosova, due to the ongoing major offensive by the Serbian occupation forces. We cannot protect you, and neither can the Kosova Liberation Army.

We need to save our people and our lives. Therefore, proceed immediately towards Albania and Macedonia.

We have asked NATO to help us in our struggle against the Serb occupation forces, because these forces have launched a great offensive in the entire territory of the republic of Kosova. We are getting this help, but the KLA is not able to fully resist the offensive and defend the Albanian people.

Therefore we call on all Albanians who face danger from the Serb occupation troops to evacuate to Albania and Macedonia.

Ibrahim Rugova
President, Republic of Kosova

As you can infer. . .40,000 Serbian security forces cannot expel 800,000 civilians while fighting the KLA terrorists and evading NATO bombers!

So stop spreading lies!

Bgannon

I liked your comment.

With regard to the "yellow house", I still believe that the refusal of Ina Rama (Albanian chief prosecutor) to allow the investigation was counterproductive.

Yes, the yellow press will remain the yellow press and politics will be politics, but the Albanian side could have negotiated safeguards (e.g. all-time presence of Albanian representatives during the investigation to monitor the work of the Serbian prosecution) to avoid any politicization of this investigation.

By refusing, well, we (the Albanians) helped keep this "issue" politicized.

On a human level, whatever the outcome of the "yellow house" investigation is... families of the disappeared (Serbs and Albanians) deserve to have a definitive answer (yes or no) whenever such opportunity to answer such questions comes up.

Ment likewise your comment was good.

I think its important for us with some shared values not to be derailed by extremists from our own 'side' or from the other 'side' so I would urge you and other Serbs and Albanians to speak out as often as possible as I endevour to do.

The blind loyalty to communism that I was speaking of above has been replaced by unqestioning loyalty to ethnic group. This helps none of us.

By the way I think Matthews comment deserves respect also.

Peace.

"the truck lost control and got into Danube River. Can anybody disprove that? With the facts, please."

(Healthy american, 14 January 2009 18:59)
The truck was "found" after 3-4 years or so...

Do you like this FACT???

Surcin Airport close to Belgrade 300-400 miles north FROM Kosova was found another mass grave with K-Albanians old something like 3-4 years. Probably, "accidentaly" the bodies droped from the refrigirator truck.

Nemanja, your version of events, such as assuming that the Albanians had somehow "planned" such exodus, shows Serbs as cowards and truly blood-thirsty since they were killing fleeing citizens. What do Serbs have to hide by hiding mass graves near Belgrade?

You just need to read some of Vojislav Seselj's literature to understand how well planned Serbia's systematic operations in Kosovo were.

But still, I'll ask again. Why the mass graves?? Why systematically place Albanians in trains and send them to Macedonia?

If guilty the possible perpetrators should be sentenced,if not they should be freed,no matter if the possible perpetrators are of Serb or Albanian or Papuanewguinean nationality.
Simply as that !

It seems strange to me that people who where trying to hide a crime could carry bodies in refrigerator. The refrigerator is needed to preserve bodies for later autopsy. Anybody with the link on the type of the wounds, from a shrapnel or gunshot? So far it seems like refugees got under NATO bombs, and killed. Later MUP receives the order to pick up corpses and carry them over to local morgue, the truck lost control and got into Danube River. Can anybody disprove that? With the facts, please.

I want to add my support to the moderate intelligent voices of Bganon, Ment and Matthew. This current discussion is (mainly) polite and healthy and proves to the world that there are plenty people in the Balkans capable of recognising past tragedies and are motivated by peace and justice - and not revenge or domination as so often was the case. Please let this type of discussion live and prosper in Serbia and Kosovo/a. Peace and justice to all!

My wife is from the Krajina area and was only 16 when Operation Storm happened. I lived in Bosnia for a year, and I’ve seen the destruction in Croatian Krajina, Mostar, Sarajevo and countless small burned out villages.

I feel terrible for the victims on all sides, but I believe in the goodness of people. Some of my best friends in Bosnia were Bosniaks or Croats, and the fact these this group of kids I knew there were willing to reach out and build bridges between the ethnicities always amazed me considering the terrors that occurred over the last 50 years in the region.

I know how hard it is for some Serbs that the crimes against them go unacknowledged and are often dismissed, and it’s very painful for them. I haven’t been to Kosovo but people are people and I know you guys feel the same. Who wouldn’t?

The best thing is for all us of to seek the truth and get it out in the open so we can discuss what happened in a rational way.

As long as we see one another as some faceless enemy, the situation will never be resolved and both our people will suffer.

It upsets me that things have to come down to what they have. Serbia has a rich history in Kosovo and the Albanians have played an important role in much of that. I personally believe that if we Serbs had acknowledged that properly, we would not be in the position where we might lose Kosovo forever. At the very least we could have discussed partition of some sort in a reasonable manner.

Personally I feel that the level of destruction during the 90’s was in part caused by the sweeping under the rug of the crimes that happened in WWII. I feel that unless the crimes of the 90’s are out in the open for all to see, that we will have a repeat of this kind of thing someday in the future.

I also hold deep respect for some of the moderate Albanians who post here, Ment, Village-Bey and Louie come to mind. I have more in common with them, then some of my fellow Serbs.

Loving Serbia and Kosovo does NOT mean hating all things non-Serbian, and unfortunately some people get confused over that. We are not supporting sports teams here, these are real people that suffered true indignities.

I’m not optimistic for the future, but if I can get just one Albanian to see Serbs as people too, then I’ll consider that a success. If one desires respect, then one must first be ready to give it.

Dear Alban,
Unfortunately, WOW in not a fact, it's an emotion. You, Serbs and Albanians, will never find the solution until you stop throwing emotions, not facts, into each other.
Dear ben,
It is the fact. That truck full of corpses was drifting in water for 3-4 years and nobody tried to hide it. If somebody committed such a terrible crime without any attempt to hide it that somebody is mentally retarded.
It's hard to believe that MUP employs mentally retarded people.

Well,

I remeber these days in 1999 where local Russian migrants( or descendants of Soviet occupants) were demonstrating against NATO bombings and I got enraged with such behaviour - occupants in our homeland, by the way always having very high violent crime rate among themselves, supporting similar people the Serbs in Kosovo. Now after being served in KiM during march riots in 2004 I feel ashamed being duped by Europe`s leftist propaganda. Sorry Albanians, but your mentality is far from being European - this was the overall understanding of all UN , KFOR, OSCE personnel I met in this illegal and criminal statelet. If there are including and exluding nationalism, then Serb nationalism is including and ALbos is excluding - your perception of a kind of supremacy is sickening. I cant imagine that Belorussian partisans against Germans or our Estonian forest brothers against Soviets after the WW II fighting for their freedom among their intimates by creating human shields, by the way like so called Palestinians do. Even animals try to save their kids while fighting the predators coming after food. Cold blooded crimes should be punished, but as many if not most so called killed civilians in KiM were intentionally or due to stupidity made collateral damage, then it is terrorist UCK to blame for. It is obvious that in armed fighting, if it takes place among civilians the latters suffer and if some cowards like UCK terrorists were opting for such kind of war-fare, then there is noone but themselves to blame for killed civilians. But it should not been dismissed that Albos weapon-culture is well-known and swiftly turning from legitimate, though civilian clothed, UCK fighter into innocent civilian was piece of cake. Threfore I was amazed how many UCK memorials had women`s pictures holding AK-47.
One more thing, with Serbs, even with criminals there was at least to some degree to negotiate but this was not with Albos. Read what the last international ombudsman Marek Nowitzki has said about Albos.

Hope that Serbs will one day get their stolen land back.

Art,

A leaflet distributed by Albanians to Albanians instructing them to manufacture a humanitarian catastrophe to garner global sympathy is not "an assumption", nor is it "my version of events."

It is fact.

Oh. . .so now you want to play the innocent victim?

If Serbs are "cowards" and "blood-thirsty" for killing Albanian civilians during a war. . .what are Albanians then when they:

* do the same
* rape nuns
* kill school children and farmers in peacetime
* destroy churches and monasteries
* blow up buses with civilians on board
* kidnap civilians for organ transplant

What does this make you?

Dear Matthew.

Your comment was so human and fer. This is sign that we both Alabnians and Serbians can change for positively if we try.
You have to be brave to call for justice in this trouble mes which is existing in Balkan for more then two decades. I appreciate your desire for justice to take place in both countries Serbia and Kosova. I hope and believe that soon we will see trials for everybody who committed crimes whether is albanian or serbian.

what is being discussed here (the freezer trucks, etc) is a crime or actually a series of crimes of such almost unbelievable proportions; it boggles the mind. and how long is it taking for "serbia" to live up to some of her evils? and after how much ongoing outside pressure? and of all the other bodies "allegedly" buried in mass graves in serbia proper and YET to be investigated...

meanwhile there are all of those ongoing ultra-nationalist voices, here and elsewhere, continuing the utter denial and cover-up program. this is really problematic for any possibilities for future peace.

i notice that my recent postings, decrying the ongoing racist and hate-slur insults (ag. albanians)have been "lost" somewhere in the ionosphere. also very problematic for any future hope of peace in the region.
not to mention hypocritical and uterly disrespectful.

roberto
very far-away frisco

Peggy, a number of the moderate Albanian posters here have acknowledged and apologized for the crimes committed against innocent Serbian civilians. Do they get drowned out by their more nationalistic elements? Certainly, that’s why I mentioned a few in “Camp Kosova” that have expressed sympathy with our victims.

I live in the US, and the one sided propaganda against Serbia makes my blood boil.

However, this article was about crimes committed against Albanians and Serbia’s attempt to bring the people who committed them to justice.

It’s a great opportunity to take the high road, apologize and point out that the Serbian government is in fact doing something.

Feel free to do a Google search of B92 (advanced search option) for my comments on Racak (or Operation Storm or the “genocide” at Srebrenica), I happen to be highly skeptical of the “official” versions of those particular events. However, this article is not the place to be discussing that. I’ve even been censored by B92 for being “racist” for making the argument that Montenegrins are in fact Serbians, and my heritage is that of a Montenegrin! I guess I’m racist against myself.

HI Matthew, very good comments, as a victim of 90:s war i really approciate it
I just hope more people where thinking like you

Matthew, I can see what you are trying to accomplish and I hope you do, but until at least one Albanian admits that Albanians committed crimes against the Serbs it won't happen.

Yes, I can read some of their posts that say we should respect each other etc. etc. but I have yet to see a clear admission and condemnation from their side about the crimes committed by their side.

They expect the Serbs to apologize (and I agree we should) for the crimes our people have committed, but we also expect them to do the same. All I ever see from the Albanian side is denials and claims of Serbian propaganda. It's nice to read that we should try to get along, but before we can do that they also must do their bit in order to help the process. Don't you think?

It's hard to believe that MUP employs mentally retarded people.
(Healthy american, 15 January 2009 00:06)

MUP is an institution of sovreign state.

However, it was a state planed and executed operationS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/inside_kosovo/posto_selo.stm

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/kosovo/cuska/cuska_frameset.html

See also

http://www.b92.net/specijal/bitici_eng/

or this one

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=55926

and many other "incidents".

P.S. The refrig. trucks do keep the bodies freez but also DO NOT LEAK liquids.

After reading the comments here I can clearly see that at least some Serbs are willing to acknowledge their crimes and want the guilty punished.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for the Albanians. Whenever we have discussed any crimes committed by the Albanians against Serbs, all we get is denials and accusations that it's all Serbian propaganda.

Matthew, I can see your point and I too agree that all sides should look at themselves closely and try to find a solution. The problem is that you will not get Albanians to want to do this. No use preaching to the Serbs (this is what you are doing because it's clear Albanians aren't listening). You know as well as I do that Serbs are trying. Serbs are being handed over and tried in Serbian courts as well. Where is the goodwill from the Albanians. They elect their criminals to government.

So unless ALL sides want to admit and prosecute their crimes there will be no peace. You cannot seriously believe that Serbia is standing in the way of this.

" "The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)"

The problem with your assertion is that the Serb population left Kosovo from 24 March 1999 in similar proportions to the Albanians. So by the same logic they were either ethnically cleansed by the KLA or left our of fear of being killed by bombs.

Hey albanians:

serb army was not sent in for no reason. You knew very well what kind of response you would get with your cowarldy terrorist provocations. The crimes uck has committed prior to army's arrival were absolutely inhumane! Don't worry, one day all those uck terrorists will be rotting in MUP prison!

# "The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)

I find it strange how EVERY albanian says they were a victim/witness to "ethnic cleansing". I find it strange because on DAY 1 of the bombings there was already over 1.5 million Albanians fleeing. Does that mean the Serbian army was that good that they were able to spread over the whole of Kosovo in 1 day with absolutely no resistance from the KLA to force albanians out of their homes, to set up alleged rape camps and to murder the 100,000 that was being reported all while being bombed round the clock?

To Tex [sic] and others,

I find myself having to post the same data numerous times.

The following is a translation of a leaflet that was disseminated to Kosovo Albanians in April 1999, before the mass exodus to Macedonia and Albania proper:

FELLOW CITIZENS

We invite you to temporarily evacuate the endangered territories of the Republic of Kosova, due to the ongoing major offensive by the Serbian occupation forces. We cannot protect you, and neither can the Kosova Liberation Army.

We need to save our people and our lives. Therefore, proceed immediately towards Albania and Macedonia.

We have asked NATO to help us in our struggle against the Serb occupation forces, because these forces have launched a great offensive in the entire territory of the republic of Kosova. We are getting this help, but the KLA is not able to fully resist the offensive and defend the Albanian people.

Therefore we call on all Albanians who face danger from the Serb occupation troops to evacuate to Albania and Macedonia.

Ibrahim Rugova
President, Republic of Kosova

As you can infer. . .40,000 Serbian security forces cannot expel 800,000 civilians while fighting the KLA terrorists and evading NATO bombers!

So stop spreading lies!

It seems strange to me that people who where trying to hide a crime could carry bodies in refrigerator. The refrigerator is needed to preserve bodies for later autopsy. Anybody with the link on the type of the wounds, from a shrapnel or gunshot? So far it seems like refugees got under NATO bombs, and killed. Later MUP receives the order to pick up corpses and carry them over to local morgue, the truck lost control and got into Danube River. Can anybody disprove that? With the facts, please.

And this is one of the reasons why Kosova couldn't stay a part of Serbia anymore.

In return for the suffering of the people mentioned in the article, we today have a free and independent Kosova.

what is being discussed here (the freezer trucks, etc) is a crime or actually a series of crimes of such almost unbelievable proportions; it boggles the mind. and how long is it taking for "serbia" to live up to some of her evils? and after how much ongoing outside pressure? and of all the other bodies "allegedly" buried in mass graves in serbia proper and YET to be investigated...

meanwhile there are all of those ongoing ultra-nationalist voices, here and elsewhere, continuing the utter denial and cover-up program. this is really problematic for any possibilities for future peace.

i notice that my recent postings, decrying the ongoing racist and hate-slur insults (ag. albanians)have been "lost" somewhere in the ionosphere. also very problematic for any future hope of peace in the region.
not to mention hypocritical and uterly disrespectful.

roberto
very far-away frisco

--I find it strange how EVERY albanian says they were a victim/witness to "ethnic cleansing". I find it strange because on DAY 1 of the bombings there was already over 1.5 million Albanians fleeing. Does that mean the Serbian army was that good that they were able to spread over the whole of Kosovo in 1 day with absolutely no resistance from the KLA to force albanians out of their homes, to set up alleged rape camps and to murder the 100,000 that was being reported all while being bombed round the clock?---

Every Albanan was victim of the deportation, because the serbian paramilitary, military and MUP worked very closely, good on that mission, that wasn't a plan maded on one hour but it was planed before the bombing started. The code name of the plan was "POTKOVICA" (horse-shoe).

"The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)

Whats even more worrying is that majority of Serbs seem to believe that theory!

Of course this will be one of the many similar news news that will be again and again ignored by our Serbian frinds regularlu posting here in b92.

And most probably in an hour or so it will be followed by an article form the Belgrade yellow press about the ‘yellow house’.
And then they will activate and my compatriots will be busy in prooving that it is lie and so one, but surely will not hide as our frinds habitualy do in front of an evidenc not speculation.

Ben this is not something I would be willing to ignore.

This individual is typical of the yes man mentality of those that prospered under communism. You did what you were told, showed unquestioning loyalty, never thought for yourself and were then rewarded for it. The usual profile of this type of idiot is of somebody who never quite makes it to the top. Milosevic though, needed to get rid of Jovica Stanisic (profile of a man with ideas of his own who could well rise to the top) and replace him with somebody undyingly loyal. Who better than a close friend of Mirjana Markovic?
Anybody who saw Markovic's toe-curlingly servile performance towards Milosevic at the Hague would recognise this type of fool.

I don't know the degree to which he knew what was going on on the ground in Kosovo. But had he known that civilians were being killed I am certain he would do nothing about it, or at best inform his superiors, with no recommendations of his own. In short I believe him to be a liar, whose defence mainly relies on playing dumb (something that has served him well in the past, as it did another retired police minister who we all know).

But Ben because Albanian civilians were murdered does not mean that Serbian civilians were not murdered also. I think that the questions raised on the yellow house have not been cleared up yet and it is a valid story.

"The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.

Wow, no comment to the post of Healthy American, just WOW!

But I would like to say thanks to Matthew for his comment. I would also like to agree with him that whoever commited crimes Serb or Albanian should face justice for them. Hopefully in time any ex KLA members that were involved in any kind of war crimes against civilians will get tried for those actions.

But for the whole region to truly heal Serbia and Serbs need to understand that too much damage has been done for any hope of Albanians agreeing to be part of a Serbian state

Serbia will have to accept an independent Kosovo, sooner or later, it is in all of our best interest!

Peace to all in the Balkans!

Well,

I remeber these days in 1999 where local Russian migrants( or descendants of Soviet occupants) were demonstrating against NATO bombings and I got enraged with such behaviour - occupants in our homeland, by the way always having very high violent crime rate among themselves, supporting similar people the Serbs in Kosovo. Now after being served in KiM during march riots in 2004 I feel ashamed being duped by Europe`s leftist propaganda. Sorry Albanians, but your mentality is far from being European - this was the overall understanding of all UN , KFOR, OSCE personnel I met in this illegal and criminal statelet. If there are including and exluding nationalism, then Serb nationalism is including and ALbos is excluding - your perception of a kind of supremacy is sickening. I cant imagine that Belorussian partisans against Germans or our Estonian forest brothers against Soviets after the WW II fighting for their freedom among their intimates by creating human shields, by the way like so called Palestinians do. Even animals try to save their kids while fighting the predators coming after food. Cold blooded crimes should be punished, but as many if not most so called killed civilians in KiM were intentionally or due to stupidity made collateral damage, then it is terrorist UCK to blame for. It is obvious that in armed fighting, if it takes place among civilians the latters suffer and if some cowards like UCK terrorists were opting for such kind of war-fare, then there is noone but themselves to blame for killed civilians. But it should not been dismissed that Albos weapon-culture is well-known and swiftly turning from legitimate, though civilian clothed, UCK fighter into innocent civilian was piece of cake. Threfore I was amazed how many UCK memorials had women`s pictures holding AK-47.
One more thing, with Serbs, even with criminals there was at least to some degree to negotiate but this was not with Albos. Read what the last international ombudsman Marek Nowitzki has said about Albos.

Hope that Serbs will one day get their stolen land back.

"the truck lost control and got into Danube River. Can anybody disprove that? With the facts, please."

(Healthy american, 14 January 2009 18:59)
The truck was "found" after 3-4 years or so...

Do you like this FACT???

Surcin Airport close to Belgrade 300-400 miles north FROM Kosova was found another mass grave with K-Albanians old something like 3-4 years. Probably, "accidentaly" the bodies droped from the refrigirator truck.

Bgannon

I liked your comment.

With regard to the "yellow house", I still believe that the refusal of Ina Rama (Albanian chief prosecutor) to allow the investigation was counterproductive.

Yes, the yellow press will remain the yellow press and politics will be politics, but the Albanian side could have negotiated safeguards (e.g. all-time presence of Albanian representatives during the investigation to monitor the work of the Serbian prosecution) to avoid any politicization of this investigation.

By refusing, well, we (the Albanians) helped keep this "issue" politicized.

On a human level, whatever the outcome of the "yellow house" investigation is... families of the disappeared (Serbs and Albanians) deserve to have a definitive answer (yes or no) whenever such opportunity to answer such questions comes up.

Nemanja, your version of events, such as assuming that the Albanians had somehow "planned" such exodus, shows Serbs as cowards and truly blood-thirsty since they were killing fleeing citizens. What do Serbs have to hide by hiding mass graves near Belgrade?

You just need to read some of Vojislav Seselj's literature to understand how well planned Serbia's systematic operations in Kosovo were.

But still, I'll ask again. Why the mass graves?? Why systematically place Albanians in trains and send them to Macedonia?

Dear Alban,
Unfortunately, WOW in not a fact, it's an emotion. You, Serbs and Albanians, will never find the solution until you stop throwing emotions, not facts, into each other.
Dear ben,
It is the fact. That truck full of corpses was drifting in water for 3-4 years and nobody tried to hide it. If somebody committed such a terrible crime without any attempt to hide it that somebody is mentally retarded.
It's hard to believe that MUP employs mentally retarded people.

Yes bganon,
Serbs got unlucky in being led by these kind of leaders supported by the kind of intellectual elite and media in the 80s. And that bad luck spread to their neighbors. Good job with these trials. I hope there will be no scapegoats.

To some of the other posters: it wasn't because of the bombs or KLA that people were leaving. Read the article again: It is talking about a trial of ex state officials in Serbia, accused of killing people and hiding their bodies.

So no one wants to discuss this incident?
Shame... Shame....

Ment likewise your comment was good.

I think its important for us with some shared values not to be derailed by extremists from our own 'side' or from the other 'side' so I would urge you and other Serbs and Albanians to speak out as often as possible as I endevour to do.

The blind loyalty to communism that I was speaking of above has been replaced by unqestioning loyalty to ethnic group. This helps none of us.

By the way I think Matthews comment deserves respect also.

Peace.

Art,

A leaflet distributed by Albanians to Albanians instructing them to manufacture a humanitarian catastrophe to garner global sympathy is not "an assumption", nor is it "my version of events."

It is fact.

Oh. . .so now you want to play the innocent victim?

If Serbs are "cowards" and "blood-thirsty" for killing Albanian civilians during a war. . .what are Albanians then when they:

* do the same
* rape nuns
* kill school children and farmers in peacetime
* destroy churches and monasteries
* blow up buses with civilians on board
* kidnap civilians for organ transplant

What does this make you?

If guilty the possible perpetrators should be sentenced,if not they should be freed,no matter if the possible perpetrators are of Serb or Albanian or Papuanewguinean nationality.
Simply as that !

It's hard to believe that MUP employs mentally retarded people.
(Healthy american, 15 January 2009 00:06)

MUP is an institution of sovreign state.

However, it was a state planed and executed operationS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/inside_kosovo/posto_selo.stm

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/kosovo/cuska/cuska_frameset.html

See also

http://www.b92.net/specijal/bitici_eng/

or this one

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=55926

and many other "incidents".

P.S. The refrig. trucks do keep the bodies freez but also DO NOT LEAK liquids.

My wife is from the Krajina area and was only 16 when Operation Storm happened. I lived in Bosnia for a year, and I’ve seen the destruction in Croatian Krajina, Mostar, Sarajevo and countless small burned out villages.

I feel terrible for the victims on all sides, but I believe in the goodness of people. Some of my best friends in Bosnia were Bosniaks or Croats, and the fact these this group of kids I knew there were willing to reach out and build bridges between the ethnicities always amazed me considering the terrors that occurred over the last 50 years in the region.

I know how hard it is for some Serbs that the crimes against them go unacknowledged and are often dismissed, and it’s very painful for them. I haven’t been to Kosovo but people are people and I know you guys feel the same. Who wouldn’t?

The best thing is for all us of to seek the truth and get it out in the open so we can discuss what happened in a rational way.

As long as we see one another as some faceless enemy, the situation will never be resolved and both our people will suffer.

It upsets me that things have to come down to what they have. Serbia has a rich history in Kosovo and the Albanians have played an important role in much of that. I personally believe that if we Serbs had acknowledged that properly, we would not be in the position where we might lose Kosovo forever. At the very least we could have discussed partition of some sort in a reasonable manner.

Personally I feel that the level of destruction during the 90’s was in part caused by the sweeping under the rug of the crimes that happened in WWII. I feel that unless the crimes of the 90’s are out in the open for all to see, that we will have a repeat of this kind of thing someday in the future.

I also hold deep respect for some of the moderate Albanians who post here, Ment, Village-Bey and Louie come to mind. I have more in common with them, then some of my fellow Serbs.

Loving Serbia and Kosovo does NOT mean hating all things non-Serbian, and unfortunately some people get confused over that. We are not supporting sports teams here, these are real people that suffered true indignities.

I’m not optimistic for the future, but if I can get just one Albanian to see Serbs as people too, then I’ll consider that a success. If one desires respect, then one must first be ready to give it.

Dear Matthew.

Your comment was so human and fer. This is sign that we both Alabnians and Serbians can change for positively if we try.
You have to be brave to call for justice in this trouble mes which is existing in Balkan for more then two decades. I appreciate your desire for justice to take place in both countries Serbia and Kosova. I hope and believe that soon we will see trials for everybody who committed crimes whether is albanian or serbian.

As a Serb I condemn any actions taken against civilians and it seems this was a genuine tragedy. I am sorry for your losses and for the crimes of Milosevic.

I applaud the Serbian government for making this all public and trying the perpetrators in open court for all to see. I think this proves Serbia is also capable of trying KLA members in court in a fair manner.

I do hope that we see similar trials in Kosovo for those responsible for crimes committed against the Serbian population as well.

We in Serbian are facing our demons, hopefully the rest of the region is capable of standing up and doing what’s right too.

There are no Angels in the Balkans.

After reading the comments here I can clearly see that at least some Serbs are willing to acknowledge their crimes and want the guilty punished.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for the Albanians. Whenever we have discussed any crimes committed by the Albanians against Serbs, all we get is denials and accusations that it's all Serbian propaganda.

Matthew, I can see your point and I too agree that all sides should look at themselves closely and try to find a solution. The problem is that you will not get Albanians to want to do this. No use preaching to the Serbs (this is what you are doing because it's clear Albanians aren't listening). You know as well as I do that Serbs are trying. Serbs are being handed over and tried in Serbian courts as well. Where is the goodwill from the Albanians. They elect their criminals to government.

So unless ALL sides want to admit and prosecute their crimes there will be no peace. You cannot seriously believe that Serbia is standing in the way of this.

Matthew, I can see what you are trying to accomplish and I hope you do, but until at least one Albanian admits that Albanians committed crimes against the Serbs it won't happen.

Yes, I can read some of their posts that say we should respect each other etc. etc. but I have yet to see a clear admission and condemnation from their side about the crimes committed by their side.

They expect the Serbs to apologize (and I agree we should) for the crimes our people have committed, but we also expect them to do the same. All I ever see from the Albanian side is denials and claims of Serbian propaganda. It's nice to read that we should try to get along, but before we can do that they also must do their bit in order to help the process. Don't you think?

" "The Albanians had left out of fear of being bombed" ..... ah man i cant believe what i am reading here, as a witness and a victim of ethnic cleansinc this is the most hideous lie/propaganda i've come across.
(theKosovar, 14 January 2009 14:05)"

The problem with your assertion is that the Serb population left Kosovo from 24 March 1999 in similar proportions to the Albanians. So by the same logic they were either ethnically cleansed by the KLA or left our of fear of being killed by bombs.

HI Matthew, very good comments, as a victim of 90:s war i really approciate it
I just hope more people where thinking like you

I want to add my support to the moderate intelligent voices of Bganon, Ment and Matthew. This current discussion is (mainly) polite and healthy and proves to the world that there are plenty people in the Balkans capable of recognising past tragedies and are motivated by peace and justice - and not revenge or domination as so often was the case. Please let this type of discussion live and prosper in Serbia and Kosovo/a. Peace and justice to all!

Peggy, a number of the moderate Albanian posters here have acknowledged and apologized for the crimes committed against innocent Serbian civilians. Do they get drowned out by their more nationalistic elements? Certainly, that’s why I mentioned a few in “Camp Kosova” that have expressed sympathy with our victims.

I live in the US, and the one sided propaganda against Serbia makes my blood boil.

However, this article was about crimes committed against Albanians and Serbia’s attempt to bring the people who committed them to justice.

It’s a great opportunity to take the high road, apologize and point out that the Serbian government is in fact doing something.

Feel free to do a Google search of B92 (advanced search option) for my comments on Racak (or Operation Storm or the “genocide” at Srebrenica), I happen to be highly skeptical of the “official” versions of those particular events. However, this article is not the place to be discussing that. I’ve even been censored by B92 for being “racist” for making the argument that Montenegrins are in fact Serbians, and my heritage is that of a Montenegrin! I guess I’m racist against myself.