The fate of Ottoman-era monuments and institutions in the Bosnia and Kosovo wars

Foundations of the Ottoman Period in the Balkan Wars of the 1990s The fate of Ottoman-era monuments and institutions in the Bosnia and Kosovo wars. By András Riedlmayer, May 2012 (PDF)

via Balkan Witness: Reports from the Area of Conflict.

Destruction of Islamic Heritage in the Kosova War

Destruction of Islamic Heritage in the Kosova War A new book, edited by Robert Elsie. About forty percent of all the mosques in this country were purposefully damaged or destroyed. This is a tragic statistic and it is important for the world to see and understand what happened. The information and photos in this volume provide dramatic proof of the destruction wrought upon Islamic architecture and, indeed upon the Islamic community and Albanians in general by crazed Serbian paramilitaries, by the Serbian police, and by the Serbian military of the Milošević period.

Foreword to the book by András Riedlmayer. May 2014 http://interfaithkosovo.org/reports/30/andras-riedlmayer-foreword-from-the-book-on-the-destruction-of-islamic-heritage-in-the-1998-1999-kosovo-war/?lang=En

via Balkan Witness: Reports from the Area of Conflict.

Burning Secrets from the Balkans

Burning Secrets from the Balkans
Serbia still has a lot to answer for
By Robert Leonard Rope and Albinot Maloku
April 13, 2011

My long-term work partner and I set out to investigate one specific set of allegations from the Serbian-led genocides of the 1990s – namely, that the bodies of hundreds, perhaps thousands of ethnic Albanians were systematically burned and disposed of in industrial furnaces by Serbian forces during the waning days of Slobodan Milošević’s reign of terror in Kosovo.

Linked from http://balkanwitness.glypx.com/articles-reports.htm

Serbia Honors Chomsky for Criticizing NATO Bombing

Serbia Honors Chomsky for Criticizing NATO Bombing Also honored by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic was Smilja Avramov, known as a strong supporter of Slobodan Milosevic, along with Serbian army chief of staff Ljubisa Dikovic, who was recently accused of being responsible for war crimes in Kosovo. Activists from the Serbian NGO Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) staged a protest in front of the Serbian parliament and presidency on Sunday, saying that army chief Dikovic should be investigated for war crimes. A group of around 100 activists held up banners with slogans like “General, you shoot civilians,” “Investigation, not award” and “I love Serbia, but I love truth more.” “We believe this award is offensive for the whole of society and for the victims,” said Anita Mancic from YIHR. Balkan Insight, February 16, 2015

Linked from http://balkanwitness.glypx.com/chomsky.htm

Also:

• Chomsky appears at the top of a list of Seselj’s foreign supporters. (Scroll down, to find Chomsky in the company of such genocide apologists as Edward Herman, Sara Flounders, and David Peterson. At the top of the list is Smilja Avramov, the first person to testify in Milosevic’s defense at his war-crimes trial.)

New at Balkan Witness: War-crimes deniers

William Blum’s section on Eastern Europe in his book Killing Hope reads more like a series of hastily-penned notes than historical narrative. The book inadvertently exemplifies its central tenet – blind ideological adherence is as seductive as it is dangerous. The author’s view of U.S. foreign policy is so deeply entrenched that it keeps the author from recognizing the complexity of the post-Cold War period. Reviewed by Julie Muravska, London School of Economics, January 21, 2015

via War-crimes deniers.

Balkan Witness: Post-War Kosovo

Set the Trojan Horse on Fire. As Serbian influence creeps back into Kosovo, protests have rocked the young nation – and may bring its government to a grinding halt. By Valerie Hopkins, Foreign Policy, February 4, 2015

via Balkan Witness: Post-War Kosovo.

Kosovo Memory Book

Experts Greet HLC’s “Kosovo Memory Book“ International experts have praised the Humanitarian Law Centre’s database on victims of the Kosovo conflict, the Kosovo Memory Book. Natasa Kandic, founder of HLC, stated that the database will ease the work of courts to find those giving orders and those committing the crimes. “This database is a powerful weapon against liars that claim this is not true”, Kandic said. By Petrit Collaku, BIRN, February 4, 2015

Linked from http://balkanwitness.glypx.com/KosovoCasualties.htm . See that page for this and more on the Kosovo Memory Book.

New at Balkan Witness

Searching for buried truth at RTS Thirteen years after a NATO air-strike killed 16 RTS employees, Serbian officials are facing fresh criticism over their failure to address the suspicion that lives were deliberately put at risk. Campaigners want to examine whether the government of the time, led by Slobodan Milosevic, ignored warnings of an attack on the state broadcaster because it intended to use civilian casualties as propaganda against NATO. Balkan Insight, May 4, 2012

Linked from Reports from the Area of Conflict.

YIHR Serbia delivered OSCE report on Kosovo to the Government of the Republic of Serbia | YIHR.rs

Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Serbia delivered OSCE report on Kosovo to the Government of the Republic of Serbia | YIHR.rs.

YIHR delivered a copy of the OSCE reports “Kosovo: As Seen, As Told” (volumes one and two) to Serbian government ministers, along with a request that the ministers read, acknowledge, and publicly refer to these reports. January 16, 2015.

Linked from http://balkanwitness.glypx.com/articles-postwar-serbia.htm 

Miscarriage of Justice

Miscarriage of Justice Has Vojislav Seselj been provisionally released for ‘humanitarian reasons’ pending his trial judgment? Or has Seselj actually forced the Tribunal to expel him from the Detention Unit? Is the miscarriage of the 10-years-long painful search for the truth and justice the acceptable price for the punishment of a ‘disloyal judge’? SENSE Agency, November 11, 2014

Linked from http://balkanwitness.glypx.com/articles-trial.htm