Wesley Clark warns: Crimes in Kosovo must not fade from global memory

Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe Wesley Clark stressed that the tragic events that marked Kosovo between 1997 and 1999 must remain indelibly etched in the international collective memory.

During a live interview on A2CNN’s “Off the Record” with journalist Andrea Danglli, Clark recalled the horrors of the past. “A full 27 years have passed, and some of those now in courtrooms seem to have forgotten the terror that Milošević’s repressive regime inflicted on the people of Kosovo,” he said. “I still vividly remember the summer of 1998, when more than 400,000 people were forcibly driven from their homes, while the army carried out carefully planned operations to eliminate the educated class—lawyers, professors and intellectuals. They went from house to house to steal and commit unspeakable atrocities against civilians.”

The former commander acknowledged that resistance to these acts was natural, but expressed concern that the passage of time and new conflicts, such as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the crises in the Middle East, are causing the world’s attention to fade. “People tend to forget, but that is not justified,” he emphasized.

Clark insisted that the 1997-1999 period must remain an important point of reference. According to him, remembering those years is essential to building a new civilization, a world order that zealously protects human rights. He also mentioned the historic commitment of the United States, referring to the declaration signed by America as a cornerstone of this mission, which humanity must never neglect.