Serbs and Roma in
Kosovo after 1999
Mark Lee
Geography 308
Russia and Eastern Europe
Prof. Zoltan Grossman
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Spring 2005
http://www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/Yugoslavia1989.jpg
Kosovo’s Autonomy


Enjoyed
autonomy
within Serbia
under Tito
Striped by
Milosovic
WAR 1998-1999
Serbia
VS.
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_10.11.01/funny/photos/twin-b.gif
KLA
Kosovo
Liberation
Army
http://www.1uptravel.com/flag/images/y/yu-kouck.gif
War 1998-1999 cont.

At least 5,000 Kosovars had been executed
during civil war and ethnic cleansing of
Albanians
http://www.nato.int/kfor/kfor/facts.htm
Post-War Kosovo



Since Serbian forces retreated almost all of the
800,000 Albanian refugees have returned to
Kosovo
Tens of thousands of Serbs have left the area
since
NATO recognizes
KLA as Kosovo
Protection Force
(KPF)
Roma In a Pickle



Disliked by Serbs for
their Muslim religion
and Albanian names
Disliked by Albanians,
seen as willing
collaborators in Serb
abuses
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/kosov2/#_1_10
Roma
Serb and
andRoma
Serb communities
communities 1991
1991
Roma
Serb

Serb (red)
and Roma
(purple)
communities
post-war
Kosovo
Obilic



UN Reports that UN restores homes for Serb
families
Albanians force Serbs from newly restored
homes
April, 2004
Total number of
destroyed Serbian
Orthodox Churches
143
http://www.serfes.org/missionary/january2004-april2004report.htm
Serbs fleeing Kosovo


Estimates range from 65,000 to 345,000
In the capital of Pristina, there were over
40,000 and now fewer than 100
Farmer Massacre July 1999


14 Serb farmers gunned down at close range
with automatic weapons
NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) reported -revenge-seeking ethnic Albanians
http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9907/26/kosovo.02/
Farmer Massacre

Near Racak, a village of significant killing by
Serbian police and military during the war
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/yugoslavia/trial2.html
Bijelo Polje
near Pec


Site of
massacre of
Albanians
during war
After war
KFOR (NATO)
controlled area
Bijelo Polje
http://www.kosovo.com/bpolje.html
Bijelo Polje
http://www.kosovo.com/bpolje.html
Bijelo Polje
http://www.kosovo.com/bpolje.html
UNMIK Prosecutions
United Nations Mission in Kosovo

“Only a small number of Albanians
acknowledge that members of their community
persecuted the Serb minority.”
www.globalpolicy.org

The arrest on war crimes charges of Fatmir
Limaj, a former Albanian KLA commander,
spurred unrest
Airlie Declaration



Virginia 2000 Albanian and Serb leaders met
to take steps for peace
Albanians insisted on full participation of
Serbs in elections
Serbs contested they don’t have freedom of
living and movement
Airlie Declaration cont.


“We agree beginning today to a Pact Against Violence
to promote tolerance, condemn violence, prevent
negative exploitation of ethnic issues, and enable
physical integration and political participation by all.”
`
“Particular attention will be given to eliminating
ethnic hatred and violence by and among children and
to preventing the use of children to promote violence.”
http://www.kosovo.com/airlie.html
Mitrovica Riots March 2004

Kosovar Albanian media reported that three Albanian
children drown in Ibar River falsely reporting that
they had been chased by Serbs with dogs

http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom_march/mitrovica_riots/page_01.htm
http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom_march/mitrovica_riots/page_01.htm
The Riots ensued for 3 days, killing 19 injuring
thousands and destroying over 600 buildings

http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom_march/mitrovica_riots/page_01.htm
http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom_march/mitrovica_riots/page_01.htm
Stalemate





Serbs boycotted elections based on mob
violence of March 2004
Kosovar Albanians want nothing short of
independence
Independence or Integration
Both sides may want participation with Serb
enclaves joining Serbia and Albanian in Serbia
joining Kosovo
NATO opposes as new “ethnic cleansing”






Human Rights Watch
http://hrw.org/reports/2004/kosovo0704/5.htm
Serbian Orthodox Dioceses
http://www.kosovo.com/bpolje.html
http://www.kosovo.com/pogrom_march/mitrovica_riots/page_
01.htm
Grinitsas, Alkman. “Paradigm Slip, Kosovo Dispatch” The
New Republic. April 11, 2005. Found on EbscoHost
CNN.com
edition.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9907/26/kosovo.02
PBS.org
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/yugoslavia/trial2.html
Nato Website
http://www.nato.int/kfor/kfor/facts.htm