Family of missing people in Gjakova seek to punish Serb criminals

Surrounded by pictures that bring back memories with husband Halimi, Artan boys, Armendi, Ardian and Edmond, Mrs. Ferdonija Kerkezi lives alone. Very disappointed that no one was yet convicted of the crimes Serbian forces committed against its family mother, Ferdonija, considers the indictment unjust to Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers who fought only for the country's freedom.

Qerkezi, while confessing to March 27th 1999 when Serbian forces kidnapped her husband and four of her sons from home, says the international side with the people of Kosovo is behaving like a “kukulle”.

Ferdonija Cerkezi, who still knows nothing about the fate of her husband and two sons, Armend and Ardian, says that despite many statements and evidence given yet no one was brought to justice for the evil that happened to her family.

My husband and my 4 sons have disappeared, and I don't know where they are for two today. I know Anthony and Edmond that my troops have returned, but for my husband, Halim and Amendi and Ardian, I don't. There's no consideration of the punishment of the chase. Neither has EULEX done our documents, nor UNMIK... The international side is treating us like a doll playing with it, 'the Serbs' (Serbs) are being touched hard, we've given my statements with my testimony. They're holding the arm to the neighbours where the case is so they're protecting them so hard I don't even know. We and the internationals are hurting us a lot”, Qerkezi stressed.

For work and the Special Court itself, she says it's a big mistake. Frustrated among tears, the mother whose Serbian paramilitary killed her husband and four sons says the international community is making mistakes while trying to condemn Kosovo's deliverers.

It calls on the international side to put more pressure on it to show the whereabouts of thousands of missing people in Kosovo still unknown to their fate.

And now they're looking to punish our soldiers who have protected their country and their own people and so that the international community is also in the wrong way... Internationals need to pressure Serbia's missing us into killing us, there are families who have been completely burned in the house they're putting them out and they're gonna have to figure out what they're missing, killed and burned. We have to find the criminals that they are all known by name and surname in Gjakova we know that they were of Gjakova”, Mother Ferdonija said.

In the town of Gjakova, except for Ferdoje Cerkez, Serbian forces have killed and disappeared many other citizens.

Africa Dervisi now knows nothing of his brother's fate, who is still missing.

“I have Brother Ilir Riza Dervisi is still missing and four first cousins of mine have been jointly killed innocent civilians who have been passing away with their families forcibly deported by Serbs and the regular Serbian Army have fled their homes and the road have separated men from women and since then by 2004 they have all been missing, while in 2004 four have been identified, while the brother is still missing<1>, he said.

Dervishi in a confession to Kosova Prees calls the time absurd that KLA soldiers are trying to equalise with the Serb Democrats who have committed unprecedented crimes against the Albanian people.

He said as he was called, The KLA was founded for the liberation and human existence of the Albanian people in Kosovo.

To engage the KLA in war crimes is an absurd timer, because the Kosovo Liberation Army from its own name has been for liberation and not to tell of the human existence of the Albanian people in Kosovo. They have fought only to exist because we have been on to an extermination, while Serbian crimes are unprecedented... The equal to Serbian centiators is the absurd time”, Dervis stressed.

On 24 June this year's Specialised Prosecutor's Office has announced that it has filed a proposal against President Hashim Thaci and former Prime Minister Kadri Veselin for crimes against humanity. News of this indictment came days before the Kosovo-Serbia meeting at the White House was held. The head of state was announced as he was traveling to Washington, until later he cancelled his participation. On Monday, head of state Hashim Thaci has been invited to interview by The Hague prosecution.