Thousands of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veterans and supporters gathered in Pristina to protest the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, a Hague-based court. Protesters accused the tribunal of bias and attempting to "rewrite history," asserting that the KLA fought a just war for liberation against Serbian repression.
Key Takeaways
- KLA veterans and supporters protested the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in Pristina.
- Protesters claim the court is biased and seeks to "rewrite history."
- The court was established to investigate alleged crimes by KLA members.
- Several former KLA leaders are currently on trial.
Protestors’ Grievances
Members of the KLA Veterans’ Organisation, joined by other war-related organizations and citizens, voiced strong opposition to the Hague-based court. They argue that the court, established on the premise of justice, is now perpetrating injustice against those who were persecuted by Serbia. Speakers at the protest emphasized that the KLA’s fight was for the very existence of the Kosovar people against ethnic cleansing, rape, murder, and the forceful disappearance of Albanian identity under the Serbian regime led by Slobodan Milosevic.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers were established in 2015 by the Kosovo parliament to investigate alleged crimes committed by KLA members against ethnic minorities and political rivals between 1998 and 2000. Although part of Kosovo’s judicial system, the Chambers are located in The Hague and staffed by international personnel. This arrangement was made due to concerns from Western allies that Kosovo’s domestic judicial system was not robust enough to handle these sensitive cases and protect witnesses from intimidation.
Ongoing Trials and Convictions
So far, two former KLA guerrillas have been convicted by the Chambers: Pjeter Shala, known as "Commander Wolf," received a 13-year prison sentence, and Salih Mustafa, "Commander Cali," was sentenced to 15 years. The court’s jurisdiction timeframe has been a point of contention, with defendants unsuccessfully disputing its scope. Recently, a motion challenging the inclusion of alleged crimes outside the defined war period, filed by the defense of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other ex-KLA officials on trial, was dismissed by a judge on a technicality. This ruling further fueled outrage among Kosovar Albanians who perceive the court as ethnically biased and as denigrating the KLA’s war for independence.
Background of the Conflict
The war in Kosovo resulted in the deaths of approximately 11,400 people, predominantly ethnic Albanians. A NATO bombing campaign eventually compelled Serbia to withdraw its troops and cede control of Kosovo to the United Nations and NATO. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move recognized by the United States and much of the West, but not by Serbia or its allies. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia remain high.
