Even though the state of Kosovo is a decade-and-a-half removed from its
struggle for independence, the country is still seeing repercussions handed out
for war crimes committed during the conflict. Since the war's conclusion in
March of 1999, members of both sides of the conflict have gone on to pursue
careers in the political realm and many have been accused and even convicted of
having committed war crimes during the conflict. One such example is Oliver
Ivanovic.
Ivanovic is a politician in the Kosovar political system. He is also a Serb
who allegedly committed war crimes against majority population of Kosovo during
the war, ethnic Albanians, and has subsequently had criminal charges brought
against him by the European Union Rule of Law Mission, the first Kosovo Serb
political official to be charged with such. Ivanovic has been accused of
committing torture and murder against the ethnic Albanian population as a
member of a militia group known as the "Bridgewatchers" in an effort to
suppress the Kosovar insurgency.
Ivanovic's arrest has once again brought to light the refusal by Kosovo's
Serbian population to recognize Kosovo's independence that has been
internationally formalized since mid-1999. Claims to the Kosovo land present
one of the most complicated territorial debates in the entirety of the Balkan
region and even in the whole of the international realm. Having researched the
Kosovo War extensively, I think it is important to note that war crimes were
committed on all sides of the conflict. Kosovar insurgent groups were equally
guilty of wartime atrocities against the Yugoslav forces. However, the two
premiere groups involved were Kosovar insurgencies and Milosevic's army, so
this article does well to highlight some of the less-discussed Serbian
insurgency groups who attempted to fend off the Kosovar uprising.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25933153
struggle for independence, the country is still seeing repercussions handed out
for war crimes committed during the conflict. Since the war's conclusion in
March of 1999, members of both sides of the conflict have gone on to pursue
careers in the political realm and many have been accused and even convicted of
having committed war crimes during the conflict. One such example is Oliver
Ivanovic.
Ivanovic is a politician in the Kosovar political system. He is also a Serb
who allegedly committed war crimes against majority population of Kosovo during
the war, ethnic Albanians, and has subsequently had criminal charges brought
against him by the European Union Rule of Law Mission, the first Kosovo Serb
political official to be charged with such. Ivanovic has been accused of
committing torture and murder against the ethnic Albanian population as a
member of a militia group known as the "Bridgewatchers" in an effort to
suppress the Kosovar insurgency.
Ivanovic's arrest has once again brought to light the refusal by Kosovo's
Serbian population to recognize Kosovo's independence that has been
internationally formalized since mid-1999. Claims to the Kosovo land present
one of the most complicated territorial debates in the entirety of the Balkan
region and even in the whole of the international realm. Having researched the
Kosovo War extensively, I think it is important to note that war crimes were
committed on all sides of the conflict. Kosovar insurgent groups were equally
guilty of wartime atrocities against the Yugoslav forces. However, the two
premiere groups involved were Kosovar insurgencies and Milosevic's army, so
this article does well to highlight some of the less-discussed Serbian
insurgency groups who attempted to fend off the Kosovar uprising.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25933153