According to Bruno Vekaric, Deputy Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia to investigate war crimes, the UN would have partially masked the truth about his investigation into allegations of organ trafficking by Liberation Army Kosovo (UCK) at the end of the Kosovo war (1999). As proof, the exchange of letters between the Serbian Prosecutor's Office and United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) obtained by FRANCE 24.
The remarks by Bruno Vekaric follow the publication by FRANCE 24 of a confidential document showing that the UN investigation had been opened in 2003 by the UN about the crimes committed by the KLA after the war.But the result of research, which reported a traffic of organs taken from Serb victims, was never communicated to EULEX police mission and justice of the European Union in Kosovo.
These allegations were recently the subject of a report by the Council of Europe in December 2010 led by Swiss MP Dick Marty.
FRANCE 24 - You are investigating organ trafficking in Kosovo since 2008. Where's your investigations?
Bruno Vekaric - We have made great progress, although I can not disclose details of our work. I can only say that we could easily collaborate on an international investigation.Even if we are not yet able to apportion blame, we can demonstrate that these crimes took place on Albanian soil.
F24 - How did the cooperation with the UN and the Albanian authorities?
BV - For six months in 2008, the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, has concealed the existence of documents that we have obtained informally by a journalist. We asked to get officially, but the UN have assured us he knew nothing about an alleged organ trafficking. We then sent a second letter, accompanied by a photocopy of the documents we have.The UN office in Pristina has not responded, and we finally received the official documents directly from the UN headquarters in New York.
We could also have evidence that our Albanian colleagues have lied about the nature of the clues found in the Yellow House [the alleged secret clinic in the Albanian territory, where the harvesting of organs took place, Ed].
Finally, we have faced obstruction of the Albanian authorities. As the Albanian prosecutor Ina Rama promised us his assistance, the Ministry of Justice of Tirana hastily canceled all cooperation.
Also ask ourselves about a number of issues.Some people they try to obstruct the investigation? The UN did they really sent the EULEX all documents available to them? The conditions for a fair investigation are they met in Albania and Kosovo?
F24 - What role did other institutions?
BV - We have good relations with the International Criminal Tribunal (ICTY) in The Hague, which gave us access to its database.
As for EULEX, I do not doubt his good intentions. Today, it investigates the clandestine prison camps were established at the time in northern Albania.But why does it look only on the issue now? It's been a while since we know the existence of these camps, we determined that it was there that selected the victims. It is obvious that at one time these crimes were taboo.
F24 - Many countries, including the U.S., want the investigation into the alleged organ trafficking should be entrusted to EULEX, which the Serbian government denies the legitimacy yet. What do you think is the institution best able to lead the investigation?
BV - We support the creation of a new tribunal which is not based in the region but which can cooperate with EULEX.This would be the best way to investigators without the pressures and ensure the protection of witnesses from Kosovo. It would not be reasonable to let the investigation solely in the hands of EULEX, Justice Albanian and Serbian justice. But it is necessary for this, the UN showed more goodwill. And for now, this is not the case.
F24 - Do you think the witness protection can be achieved in Kosovo?
BV - As regards the protection of witnesses, we had a bad experience at the first trial of Ramush Haradinaj [former leader of the guerrillas of the KLA and former Prime Minister of Kosovo] to the ICTY. Of persons to testify for the prosecution during the trial have been killed.Others, once at the helm, have radically changed the meaning of their testimony. Ramush Haradinaj was finally released, and the murders of witnesses have never been elucidated [Haradinaj to appear again in The Hague because the ICTY prosecutor has appealed].
F24 - The case she made you think a political turn?
BV - There is a real political conflict about these crimes. Some leaders in the region, and the rest of the world, are afraid that their elucidation will slow recognition by the international community about the independence of Kosovo [Kosovo's independence is recognized by 75 countries including the United States and 22 members of the EU, but not by Serbia and Russia].But a crime is a crime.
More politics will interfere in this case, the more it will hurt the investigation. The facts mentioned go against the values of civilization. The political cause can not justify the silence that has long prevailed in this case. There is concern also that the pressures exerted by the Kosovo government will end up jeopardizing the existence of EULEX.
