Germany's National Radio with coverage of 20th anniversary of NATO intervention in Kosovo

Germany's national radio “Deutschlandfunk” (DLF), in the case of the 20th anniversary of the end of the war in Kosovo, broadcast several reports concerning the whitening of the past and war crimes.

Under the title “, we were able to select in Serbia”, deutschlandfunk portrays activist Marko Milosavlevic, who is active in the Youth Association for Human Rights.

Following the attack on the Albanian baker in Belgrade recently, he organised a manifestation of solidarity against baker Mon Duraj in Belgrade. The fact that he was attacked, Milosavlevic explains: “The attack on this baker has to do with what we are not today able to talk about Albanian war victims in Kosovo. We in Serbia do not see the entire conflict in general from 1998 to 1999, but consider only its end, the NATO bombings. And that's a general problem. Only the Serb victims of NATO attacks are mentioned, but not the victims that preceded this fight”, DW reports.

Marco Milosavlevic was born in 1991 when the war against Croatia had just begun. Although he still understood nothing, over the years he grew in a spirit of nationalism until 2008 Kosovo declared independence. He himself says he was part of nationalist folklore, until he realized “that something doesn't go”, Milosavlevic says and remembers: “When I was a student at school, we were urged to protest on the street against it. To me, that was quite normal, until the moment I heard such calls from a group of protesters: {Thika, razor wire, Srebrenica”.

It was this battle call of the hooligan group, which cloned the Srebrenica massacre, the moment it led to reflect the young Milosavlevq: “TexA which I heard, it became clear that something was wrong and that this is a call for violence. I have to leave”.

A turning moment for Marco, although he did not know what had happened at Srebrenica. But then he got informed.

Today he organises activities for young Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo. During such cultural activities, he finds out how many gaps young people have. “20 years after the war we haven't learned anything about it yet. When youths come to these activities and we explain to them what happened, they remain shocked! No one has told them until this day, that these things have happened. So a generation of prejudiced against other nationalities grows, especially against Albanians, and this is a trigger for such attacks as the one on bakers”.

But for Marko, the problem in Serbia is, not only silence, but also the fact that war crimes convicts after the suffering of punishment have taken influential leadership positions today.

Harassment for victims of sexual violence in Kosovo

Rapes have also occurred during the Kosovo war, according to estimates against some 20,000 children, women and men. Survivors silence sexual violence stigmatized in Kosovo. But that could change, because now victims of this violence can demand compensation.

Victims of sexual violence keep silent, so that even their families don't know about their trauma. That's because rape is considered a shame. Over the course of 20 years, this subject has been taboo, but from now on it can change something with the program for damage.

One of the affected, Blerta says, that “for us women is important to continue dawning. All women in Kosovo will be injured. They should no longer feel the anxiety they are fighting. They should gain their rights and be treated correctly”.

At the relevant commission in Pristina have so far submitted 1,000 requests for damage.

It is a success even in relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many victims, however, will not apply for injury because their fears are too great, that the world around them will learn about the trauma they have experienced. However, the issue is handled in full discretion.

Organizations like “Medica Gjakova” help, where survivors of violence can present documentation. Survivors of sexual violence such as Blerta or Faithful (changed names) hope that in the future they will no longer have to hide. The respective commission and reprobation pensions are an important step, making it clear that the dawning of the past and damage should start as soon as a war ends.

“Should be freed from criminal network”

Thus, the next coverage is entitled dedicated to power and influence rivalries in Kosovo. The KLA in Kosovo fought for secession from Serbia. But the crimes supposed to have committed this formation have not become completely white - witnesses have been threatened and even killed. Hope now lies with the new Special Court in The Hague.

In this report, the author refers to rivalry and post-war power attacks between former KLA members and LDK activists.

When memory places become provocation”, DLF refers to the Bosnian war. In the camp near Prijedor, torture, rape, and murder were committed. “The memory of the victims is not simple in this part of Bosnia controlled by Serbs”, says activist Ervin Blazevic. It refers to obstacles in the dawning of the past and collective amnesia.