Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told Contents An analysis of the human rights findings of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission October 1998 to June 1999 The OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (OSCE-KVM) was created in October 1998 as part of the international response to events in Kosovo. Recognizing that the Kosovo crisis was in large part a human rights crisis, the mission had a mandate to monitor, investigate and document allegations of human rights violations committed by all parties to the conflict. By the time the OSCE-KVM stood down on 9 June 1999, its Human Rights Division had amassed hundreds of in-country reports, and had taken statements from nearly 2,800 refugees. This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the human rights findings of the OSCE- KVM. It gives an overview of the nature of the human rights and humanitarian laws violations in Kosovo. It looks at the specific impact of those violations on different groups in Kosovo society. It also gives a geographical human rights "map", describing events in hundreds of towns and villages throughout Kosovo. The analysis reveals a pattern of human rights and humanitarian law violations on a staggering scale, often committed with extreme and appalling violence. The organized and systematic nature of the violations is compellingly described. Surveying the entire period of the OSCE-KVM's deployment, it is evident that human rights violations unfolded in Kosovo according to a well-rehearsed strategy. [ Contents ] http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/ (1 of 2)12/5/2003 11:46:39 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told Published by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Aleje Ujazdowskie 19, 00-557 Warsaw, Poland Tel: +48-22-520 06 00 Fax: +48-22-520 06 05 e-mail: [email protected] website: http://www.osce.org/odihr © OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 1999 Maps drawn by Map Maker Ltd, www.mapmaker.com http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/ (2 of 2)12/5/2003 11:46:39 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told The human rights findings of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission Cover Next CONTENTS Acknowledgements Foreword : Justice Louise Arbour Executive Summary Glossary Maps: Kosovo administrative divisions Kosovo main road communication routes Introduction: Methodology, scope, timeframe, reporting style, terminology PART I - The OSCE-KVM human rights operation Chapter 1: Kosovo: The historical and political background Chapter 2: The OSCE-KVM human rights operation PART II - The military/security context Chapter 3: Yugoslav forces in Kosovo, and the Kosovo Liberation Army PART III - The violation of human rights in Kosovo Chapter 4: Introduction: The violation of human rights in Kosovo Chapter 5: Violation of the right to life Chapter 6: Torture and ill-treatment Chapter 7: Rape and other forms of sexual violence Chapter 8: Missing persons Chapter 9: Arbitrary arrest and detention Chapter 10: Violation of the right to a fair trial Chapter 11: Other forms of persecution: Intimidation and harassment Denial of access to health care Chapter 12: Deliberate destruction of civilian property, looting and pillage Chapter 13: Human shields and other endangerment of non-combatants during military operations Chapter 14: Forced expulsion Numbers of refugees displaced from Kosovo 23 March-9 June 1999 http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/p0cont.htm (1 of 3)12/5/2003 11:46:48 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told PART IV - The impact of the conflict on communities and groups in Kosovo society Introductory notes Chapter 15: Young men of fighting age Chapter 16: Women Chapter 17: Children Chapter 18: Elderly, Disabled Chapter 19: Kosovo Serbs Chapter 20: Kosovo "Gypsies"(Maxhupet) - Roma Chapter 21: Other national communities and minorities Chapter 22: Groups in Kosovo Albanian society particularly targeted for human rights violations PART V: The municipalities Introduction: A human rights map of Kosovo, October 1998 to June 1999 Decani/Decane Djakovica/Gjakova Glogovac/Gllogoc Gnjilane/Gjilan Gora/Dragash Istok/Istog Kacanik/Kacanik Klina/Kline Kosovo Polje/Fushe Kosove Kosovska Kamenica/Kamenice Kosovska Mitrovica/Mitrovice Leposavic/Leposaviq Lipljan/Lipjan Novo Brdo/Novoberde Obilic/Obiliq Orahovac/Rrahovec Pec/Peja Podujevo/Podujeve Pristina/Prishtina city Pristina/Prishtina, the municipality excluding Pristina/Prishtina city Prizren/Prizren Srbica/Skenderaj Stimlje/Shtime Strpce/Shterpce http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/p0cont.htm (2 of 3)12/5/2003 11:46:48 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told Suva Reka/Suhareke Urosevac/Ferizaj Vitina/Viti Vucitrn/Vushtrri Zubin Potok/Zubin Potok Zvecan/Zvecan Appendix to Part V Communities in Kosovo listed alphabetically Annex: Excerpts from applicable domestic and international standards The Gallery The gallery of pictures presented in this report Cover Next KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told OSCE ODIHR http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/p0cont.htm (3 of 3)12/5/2003 11:46:48 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told PART V : The municipalities Contents Communities Map Previous Next THE MUNICIPALITIES A human rights map of Kosovo October 1998 to June 1999 The purpose of this section is to give a detailed "map" of human rights and humanitarian law violations in Kosovo, as they were observed by and reported to the OSCE-KVM. It indicates the impact of the conflict, as it unfolded during the time that the OSCE-KVM was operational, on hundreds of communities, large and small, throughout Kosovo. It describes changes in patterns of human rights violations over the reporting period. It also seeks to place the reported human rights violations against the background of the prevailing local security situation, and what can be surmised of the military objectives being pursued by both parties to the conflict. All 29 of Kosovo's municipalities have a separate entry here, presented alphabetically; in addition there is an entry for Pristina/Prishtina city. In the reporting period not all were affected on an equivalent scale, or in the same way. Each municipality entry opens with basic population data, followed by a brief description of the security and human rights climate prevailing at the time of the OSCE-KVM's deployment. Thereafter, events in the municipality are surveyed, location by location, drawing on the information gathered by the OSCE- KVM while deployed inside Kosovo, and on statements given by refugees to the OSCE-KVM after its evacuation. The information presented here deriving from refugee statements (indicated by the four-digit footnotes with alphabetical prefix, which is the file number of the refugee's confidential interview record, made in either Albania - prefix A/ - or the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - prefix M/) should be read with the clear understanding that this is as it was recounted to the OSCE-KVM (see also the "Methodology" section in the Introduction, and Chapter 2: The OSCE-KVM human rights operation). In many cases descriptions are based on the statements of several victims or witnesses to the same incident. Other descriptions are based on the statement of one person only. This is made clear in the text and/or by the footnotes. Where information is acknowledged by the interviewee to be hearsay, rather than the statement of a direct victim or witness, this is noted, as are inconsistencies in the details given by http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/p5intro.htm (1 of 2)12/5/2003 11:47:28 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told different interviewees about particular incidents. Efforts have been made to verify as many of the reports as possible, mainly through the activities of the human rights division of the OSCE-MiK, the OSCE-KVM's successor, which was deployed into Kosovo (initially as the Transitional Task Force) from 14 June 1999. OSCE-MiK human rights officers have visited locations previously identified in refugee statements, and have conducted further interviews. There has also been follow-up investigation in Kosovo by analysts working for the OSCE/ODIHR on this report, with the support of the OSCE-MiK. The findings of these verification efforts are cited here wherever relevant. It must be stressed, however, that it has not been possible to verify fully the mass of information available, especially as the OSCE has been confronted since its re-entry into Kosovo with the priority need to address a continuing serious human rights situation there, of a quite different but often no less grave character than the one described here. The OSCE is developing further human rights reporting on Kosovo to bring to public attention the continuing human rights violations there. The information and statements gathered by the OSCE-KVM both in Kosovo and among refugees nevertheless present a clear and credible picture of the situation inside Kosovo from October 1998 to 9 June 1999. Contents Communities Map Previous Next KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told OSCE ODIHR http://www.osce.org/kosovo/documents/reports/hr/part1/p5intro.htm (2 of 2)12/5/2003 11:47:28 AM Kosovo/Kosova As Seen, As Told KOSOVO / KOSOVA As Seen, As Told The human rights findings of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission Contents Previous Next ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is the outcome of the tireless efforts of many people committed to the cause of human rights and justice. First, the women and men of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (OSCE-KVM) Human Rights Division. With great dedication and professionalism, in often extraordinarily difficult circumstances, they documented the impact on the lives of people and communities of an unfolding crisis rooted in, and inextricably linked to, the denial and continuing violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.