New appeals for determining fate of missing in Kosovo

Belgrade, June 6, 2003 - The Association of Families of Missing and Kidnapped Persons in Kosovo-Metohija urged UNMIK, Kfor, the Kosovo Board for the protection of human rights and freedoms, and the Kosovo Ombudsman to put additional efforts into revealing the fate of 1,300 missing and kidnapped Serbs and other non-Albanians.

The Association handed the request to Kosovo Ombudsman Marek Nowicki in Pristina and had demanded that UNMIK head Michael Steiner and Kfor Commander Fabio Mini attend the meeting along with UNMIK and Kfor officials, but the two failed to appear.

Association coordinator Simo Spasic said that there is enough evidence to prove that people went missing during the 1998-99 conflict in the province and the subsequent period starting with the June 1999 Kfor deployment. Documents proving crimes and genocide against Serbs and other non-Albanians should be forwarded to The Hague Tribunal and the UNMIK police, Spasic added.

UNMIK's Missing Persons Unit is not doing enough to solve missing persons cases, Kosovo Board for the protection of human rights and freedoms head Pajazit Nushi said at the meeting.