More Justice Required for Victims of Sexual Violence During recent Kosovo War

Surviving sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, Vasfije Cransiqi Goodman said that April 14, 1999, is a day that changed his life.

She added that her soul will have peace only when justice takes place.

This is April 14th. For many of you it's just a day on my calendar, but for me it's a day that changed my life, ruined my childhood. I want to talk from the soul, I know what it means to face injustice from internationals, even from our country. I was only 17 when I sought justice and never stopped. In 2013 until I was denied international justice and our country. But when I started speaking publicly in 2018 it started to change, and what a little change for someone, what a big difference it makes for others. Since then, we have four cases that have been convicted and that before this has never existed from our country or internationals so I am proud of the changes that are taking place in our country. I urge you to go public and seek justice... My soul then has peace when justice goes into place, not just in my case, but in the other 20 thousand victims of”, she said.

Meanwhile, CRC Executive Director Feride Rushiti said that even after 27 years many cases have remained unpunished.

According to her, justice is not complete without compensation for the victims.

“Today, we are gathered on April 14, on the Memorial Day of War Victims, and we honor all those women, girls, men and boys who suffered this crime during wartime circumstances, we also honor those who are not among us. We remember the courage of Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, a young girl who unjustly experienced this crime, remembering her call from the scene of the crime that this day will be a memorial to survivors of sexual violence of war and we honor all those voices, girls and men, who quietly seek healing and justice because our collective demand cannot exist without their collective calling because their trauma has no deadline and no institutional recognition can be limited with time.... This regional conference aims to advance access to justice for survivors of the sex violence of war. Justice ends not only with criminal responsibility, but with the return of dignity, acceptance of what happened and compensation for the damages experienced under war circumstances”, she stressed.

And the first vice president of the Parliament, Ardian Gola, said the challenge facing them lies in the ongoing gap between the knowledge of crime and the punishment of authors.

This part of our history is documented, confessed and sealed in the memory of survivors and in the conscience of all institutions that have chosen to take seriously responsibility for justice. The question that stands before us today is that if this crime occurred, the question is why even after it has been identified as one of the worst forms of war crimes justice remains unfortunately unattainable to many who have experienced. The challenge we face lies in the continuing gap between the knowledge of crime and the punishment of authors, between the moral acceptance of truth and its translation into concrete justice. Here lies the burden of the work of our institutions of justice”, Gola has said.

And, Justice Minister Donika Grovalla said this dictatorship she is leading has had a particular focus on surviving sex violence.

“has had a very special focus on the issue of survivors of sexual violence. The violence used as a weapon against the civilian citizens of the Republic of Kosovo... . Knowing the truth of war in Kosovo sometimes remains a challenge in our society, there are many great truths, but some small truths we are forgetting. We're forgetting that sexual violence as weapons of war against our wives, girls, children and men was an instrument that was intended to break the soul of our nation, the soul of our people. Any woman, girl, child or husband could be the victim of sexual violence in 1998-1999, it was just coincidence who so happens to be in the wrong place at that point”, has added Gervala.