The decision by the Special Court against the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army has not changed the conviction of Kosovo’s once-oppressed people regarding the KLA’s war.
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This was emphasized on Friday in Podujevo, during a protest organized by the Organization of KLA War Veterans.
Veterans, citizens and institutional representatives took part in the rally, opposing the verdict and expressing their support for the former KLA leaders while calling for unity.
During the protest, civilian victims and the consequences left by the war in the Llapi region were discussed. Participants stressed that these historical truths cannot be changed by any court decision.
Podujevo Mayor Shpejtim Bulliqi described the KLA’s war as “just, pure and liberating.”
Bulliqi: The verdict does not shake our conviction in the justness of the KLA’s war
“This unjust decision cannot shake our conviction that the KLA’s war was just, pure and liberating. The crimes in these lands were committed by the Serbian occupiers, led by the chief criminal Slobodan Milošević. Any attempt to equate the crimes of Serbian forces in Kosovo with the liberation war waged by our sons and daughters is not only unjust, but also absurd. For this reason, not in my name.
There are hundreds of innocent civilian victims in the Llapi region alone, including women, children and the elderly. Tens of thousands of homes were completely destroyed. If crimes were to be judged on ethnic grounds, then this should apply to Serbia, not Kosovo. These facts cannot be undone by this unjust decision of this court. Nothing can tarnish the pure war of the KLA.
We believe that the former KLA leaders will win this battle as well. Once, they fought for the freedom of this people, while today we have gathered together for their freedom,” Bulliqi said.
Rafet Llapashtica, chairman of the Organization of KLA War Veterans, said that younger generations must learn about the sacrifice made to liberate Kosovo.
Llapashtica: The sacrifice for freedom must not be forgotten
“A generation that does not know the sacrifice of its predecessors may fail to understand the importance of freedom. When we speak about the KLA today, we remember the long journey toward freedom and the people who fought against the criminals who came to our country to rape and kill.
We speak of the KLA as the voice of the people, of the families, mothers and fathers who hoped for their children but were left without the embrace of parents killed by Serbian criminals. We also speak of the child who today goes peacefully to school.
We have gathered to make it clear to everyone that years and generations may change, just as times may change, but the price our people paid for freedom does not change and will never fade.
As always, today, more than ever, we must ensure that our differences do not turn us into enemies. Kosovo needs unity, because the KLA united us during the war and continues to unite us today,” Llapashtica said.
Speaking on behalf of civil society, Rexhep Zeka said that opposition to the verdict should be expressed through the mobilization of citizens.
Zeka: No decision can change the truth
“It is not only individuals who are being tried at that Court; the KLA is being condemned there. It stands above each one of us and above every party that has existed, exists or will exist in the future. The KLA is the light through which we enjoy freedom today.
Therefore, every citizen has a duty to do something about this injustice committed against our state. We must gather at protests and all declare together: Not in my name.
We are here because we believe that no decision can change the truth that lives in the memory of a people. The sacrifice made for this country cannot be erased,” Zeka said.
The protest in Podujevo was one of many rallies organized by the Organization of KLA War Veterans on Friday in different cities across Kosovo, in opposition to the verdict of the Special Court.
This mass mobilization is being accompanied by nightly protests in Pristina and reactions from municipal assemblies in various parts of the country.
