UNMIK ON AIR

WAR CRIMES ARRESTS

Thursday February 20, 2003

Luan Qorraj

CUt 1 : I would like to…through RTK…greet all Kosovar citizens, especially my supporters and tell them to be faithful since, when we knew how to defend kosovo in much harder times, I will know how to defend kosovo and the KLA again in the Hague If I had another million lives I wouldn’t change a millimeter of it and I wouldn’t change a second of my life I am proud of all I did because my work is clean and it was always in the service of the nation, in the service of Kosovo.

Hello and welcome to UNMIK on Air. That was Kosovo MP Fatmir Limaj, during a phone interview he gave to RTK a short while before he handed himself in to the Slovenian police. On Monday Mr Limaj became the first high-ranking K-Albanian to face the International War Crimes Tribunal on indictments of war crimes committed during the Kosovar war.

Ever since the end of that war there have been a lot of rumors about possible indictment of Albanians by the Hague tribunal. On Monday the rumours turned into fact when KFOR troops arrested three people accused of committing war crimes. Haradin Balaj, Isak Musliu and Agim Murtezi were arrested early in the morning on charges of illegal detention, torture and murder of Albanian and Serb civilians in a KLA prison-camp in the Llapushnik area during 1998.

It wasn’t until Tuesday afternoon when it became public that the list of the accused also included a fourth name, that of Fatmir Limaj, known as “Commander Steel” during the war, and now a Kosovo Member of Parliament and high-ranking PDK official. Although all charges made by the Hague are individual Mr Limaj has been charged with the overall responsibility for the crimes.

And, contrary to many people’s expectations, his arrest did not spark turmoil or violent demonstrations. Even Kosovar government officials and PDK party members have been keeping a pragmatic approach to the issue, a fact that has pleased the international community. SRSG Michael Steiner speaking on RTK:

CUt 2 : You know there have been indictments from the Hague , we have all the obligation to cooperate with the ICTY. I am very encouraged by Fatmir Limaj’s statement in which he expresses that he recognizes the obligations towards the Hague. I am also encouraged by that fact that the prime minister has confirmed that Fatmir Limaj is ready to come and face the authorities.

Still, the fact that four Albanians have been arrested on warrants issued by the ICTY has risen a lot of questions. The most obvious one is “how will it affect the relation between K-Albanians and the international community?” Different analyses in the daily media have ranged from predictions of catastrophe, to voices saying the arrests will have no impact. According to UNMIK’s head of information, Simon Haselock, they may even have positive effects on the relationship, taking into consideration the way in which the Albanian side has played its part:

CUt 3 : We, clearly, from time to time have differences with government and the political leaders. I mean, that’s natural, it happens in any political dynamic, but I don’t think that this will adversely affect the relationship. The fact that institutions and the individuals have behaved in the way they have will only re-enforce trust and confidence, rather than making it more difficult.

One fact that hasn’t remained unnoticed is the manner in which Mr. Limaj acted after he received the news of his indictment. Besides going public telling his supporters not to cause problems, he voluntarily handed himself over to the Slovenian police. Mr Limaj speaking for RTK shortly before he walked into a Kranska Gora police station:

CUt 4 : There is no need for anyone to make us go to the Hague. We are ready to pay off that debt too and I will go there voluntarily. Therefore I would like to call upon all the people of Kosovo not to take this matter to heart, to remain quiet and wait for the process. Because the Kosovar process, the country of Kosovo, is more important than one individual, more important than me. Therefore I appeal to everyone to take care of that process, to advance it and make Kosovo a country. The fate of individuals is of little importance.

UNMIK’s praise for the way Mr Limaj handed himself in has not been universal. ICTY’s head prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, claimed that Mr Limaj was allowed to leave the country by KFOR troops, while the ICTY spokesperson Florence Hartmann has said Mr. Limaj “did not surrender - he was arrested”. UNMIK’s head of Information, Simon Haselock, says the statement was completely unnecessary, since Mr Limaj acted in the most dignified manner:

CUt 5 : Whatever interpretation may be put on it by people outside Kosovo the fact remains that it was clear to us that Mr. Limaj had formed a clear intention to hand himself in , he made it clear publicly, he made it clear to us , he made it clear to the government and the institutions. There was absolutely no reason for going public in such an obvious way should he not wish to hand himself in.

Now, of course, it’s up to the Tribunal to determine whether the four arrested are guilty as accused. One question that remains open is will there be more arrests of K-Albanians? The Tribunal is keeping silent and everyone else seems able only to make guesses. Simon Haselock again:

CUT 6 : All I can say is that you have to go with what Carla Del Ponte herself said when she was here last. I think she was here in November or December and I think she said we should expect people to be indicted this year and, I think she mentioned four people and it seems to me that is what has happened. And therefore I think it would be speculation to imagine that there would or would not be any more. It’s possible but we will have to wait and see.

All the accused, apart from Fatmir Limaj, are due to appear this afternoon before the Tribunal.

And with this we’ll close….