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May 24, 2024 – 15:15
Written by: Prof. Ass. Dr. Haxhi Ademi – Institute of History
Serbia was declared a genocide state by the United Nations for the crimes committed in Sarajevo, an act that marked an important victory for Albanians and a chance for justice for the victims of a century of crimes committed by the Serbian state.
The United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution proposing that July 11 be an international day of remembrance and commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, which was perpetrated by Serbia’s current president, Aleksandar Vučić, who declared before the massacre: “For one Serb, we will kill 1,000 Bosnian Muslims.”
The history of the Albanian people is the history of continuous struggles to survive in their own national lands and become the main target of Serbian hegemonic policy. The first Serbian national plan was “Načertanija”, developed by Ilija Garasanin in 1843-1852, which elaborated the idea of Greater Serbia and was achieved through massacres and expulsion of Albanians from their settlements in Nishi, Vranja, Toplica, Prokupla and Leskovci in 1876-1878. The territory of Kosovo today is the result of political and historical changes. The Balkan Wars of 1912 marked the end of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, bringing about great political, economic, social and demographic changes. The Conference of Ambassadors held in London in December 1912 determined new political borders in the Balkans, creating an autonomous Albania, but more than half of the Albanian population remained outside the borders, under the rule of Serbia, Montenegro and Greece. In Serbia and Montenegro alone, at least 900,000 Albanians remained in a territory of 22,000 square kilometers, including much of the former province of Kosovo, which was administratively reorganized under Serbian and Montenegrin rules. Albanians under Serbo-Montenegrin rule faced physical and psychological violence, the destruction of their settlements, conversion to Slavic Orthodoxy, and attempts at denationalization. Repression did not cease until the arrival of Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian troops during World War I. After the end of World War I, when Kosovo fell under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia), anti-Albanian politics revived. Between 1918 and 1921, Yugoslav troops killed more than 12,000 Albanians and destroyed more than 6,000 homes.
During the interwar period, Albanians were not recognized as a minority and were denied political, national, and cultural rights. From 1918 to 1941, more than 250,000 Albanians migrated from the Albanian region to Yugoslavia.
After World War II until 1966, Albanians faced persecution and moved to Turkey, with more than 250,000 Albanians being expelled.
The 1998-1999 genocide was the culmination of a century of occupation, violence and aggression against Albanians. The massacres and crimes against Albanians included mass rape and sexual violence as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. During this period, more than 20,000 Albanian women and girls, including children, were systematically raped by Serbian troops and police. The crimes committed in Kosovo were not isolated actions but part of a plan to destroy the Albanian people and change the ethnic structure of Kosovo. Serbia’s security apparatus, including the army, police and secret services, are responsible for these crimes. The doctrine of genocide is supported and promoted by the Serbian government, the Academy of Sciences and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Crimes against Albanians included murder, torture, rape and ethnic cleansing, aimed at exterminating the Albanian population for ethnic reasons. Only 26 Serbs were convicted for crimes committed in Kosovo, a small number compared to the more than 12,000 Albanians who were murdered and more than 20,000 Albanians who were raped.
The conviction of Serbia for crimes is a step towards justice for the victims and an acknowledgement of the endless suffering they have endured over the last century. The crimes committed in Kosovo between 1998 and 1999 included horrific massacres in which thousands of innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly, were brutally killed. Rape was also a tool of ethnic cleansing, aimed at terrorizing and humiliating the Albanian people and forcing them to leave their land.
In the quest for justice, crimes must be documented and witnesses protected to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Internationalization of these crimes is an important step in holding perpetrators of atrocities accountable and preventing such events from happening again. The history of Albanians’ struggle for survival and their right to self-determination must be recognized and respected. Confronting the past and acknowledging the crimes committed are necessary to build a future of peace and coexistence in the region.
Finally, acknowledging the crimes committed and punishing those responsible is important not only to provide justice for the victims, but also to ensure that the future is built on justice and respect for human rights. The history of the Albanian people’s struggle for survival and their right to self-determination must be recognized and respected, ensuring that the crimes of the past are never forgotten or repeated.
Clarification: All opinions in this column reflect solely the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of NGB “Zeri” LLC
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