Prishtina, 31 July 2014
The Petition Steering Board has announced, in a press conference, the outcomes of the Petition “We seek International Justice for Raped Woman during the last war in Kosovo”. Find the attached text of the petition. Find below the full statement of Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri, directed to the media:
Dear representatives of the media,
Welcome to this press conference where we will declare the official outcomes of the petition for raped women in Kosovo “WE SEEK INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE FOR WOMEN RAPED DURING WAR IN KOSOVO”
As you know, for a time now the Women Steering Board for Petition has started to collect signatures of citizens of the state of Kosovo, in support of women raped during the war in Kosovo and to give the message that Kosovo today spoke through this petition, became the true voice of this category of women who suffered most during our war for freedom and independence. Our message to them is that the Albanians fight for self-determination and independence has always been an Albanian Golgotha, with many resistances and sacrifices, to the most sublime ones, where people gave their lives for the freedom and independence of Kosovo and Albanians, but there were also phenomena of high levels of genocide, such as the rape of women as an instrument of war, used for macabre purposes by the Serb forces in Kosovo.
Therefore, we the women politicians and civil society are united to continue support for this category of women who suffered this tragedy, even through other commitments, such as the adoption of the Law on War Values, according to which the raped women gained a protected and supported status, but there have also been many initiatives and other commitments from the civil society and associations, the artists, who have found different ways to raise their voice in support of raped women during the war in Kosovo, stated the Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri.
With this I would like to say that the petition is an ongoing commitment, but we will have also other engagements. Now we will announce the Petition outcomes, I will make known the other steps that the Women’s Steering Board for the Petition will undertake, until the petition is submitted to the UN.
We intend to submit it to the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki Moon, it is directed to him, and we ask from him to prepare an official report, about what happened during the war in Kosovo, regarding women, and in particular the rape of women as an instrument of war. We hope and believe that the drafting of an official report, which has been lacking so far, will happen, because, as I have announced earlier, the UN and Mr. Ban Ki Moon have drafted many reports for countries where war or conflicts have occurred, but still have not drafted one for Kosovo and Croatia, stated Edita Tahiri.
Through this petition we will seek the preparing of the concerning report, and I am convinced that we will accomplish it, because, in the first place, the UN will show that it supports the international humanitarian law, supports women, and condemns and judges the rape of women as a instrument of war.
Allow us now to view the text of the Petition in this slide, this text will be sent to the media. The text will be signed by members of the Board, and then will be backed up by the signatures of citizens.
Now we will announce the official outcomes of the signed petition. A total of 115.759 (one hundred and fifteen thousand and seven hundred and fifty-nine) signatures of citizens are collected, from women and men of our country, who, on this occasion and through this massive support, proved not only how deep the wound of rape of women is, but also how deeply we feel this wound. Our goal has been one hundred thousand signatures, and we have successfully accomplished it. You know that the period of this petition has been from 14 to 18 July, 5 working days, where teams from all municipalities have been engaged in this event.
Allow me to provide you with the outcomes per municipality, and afterwards I will provide you information’s on all institutions, civil society structures, media and private sector, that contributed to the successful accomplishment of this Petition.
OUTCOMES:
115,759 Signatures collected throughout Kosovo by the Petition “We seek International Justice for Raped Woman during the war in Kosovo” 14 to 18 July 2014
Our goal was 100 thousand signatures, and we are aware that everyone would like to sign this petition, but we have estimated that five days are enough. However, summer holidays influenced these dynamics. Nevertheless, there was a discussion in a support forum, whether the summer is a suitable season for the petition, I told them that it is a civic obligation, everyone knows their responsibilities, and they must disrupt their summer comfort in order to support this tragedy, for this wound of ours, and I can tell you that our citizens showed how deeply they feel this wound and we will always be next to these women. Due to the fact that we, Albanians, have always been united, in war, sufferings and sacrifices, but now we shall become more united again to push forward our national and state ideal, and continue to advance our nation, our states, Kosovo and Albania, all Albanians in every field. Now, allow me on behalf of the Steering Board of the Petition to thank the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and municipal level governments, the civil society, Media, professional companies, donors, and all others who contributed to the success of this activity.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
• The Government of the Republic of Kosovo
• Cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri
• Agency for Gender Equality – AGE/ OPM, Edona Hajrullahu
• Ministry of Local Governance Administration– MLGA, Besnik Osmani, Secretary General
• Municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo- MRK- Mayors, Coordinators, Gender Equality Officials, teams
• Kosovo Agency of Statistics – KAS – Isa Krasniqi, Chief Executive
• Association of Kosovo Municipalities – AKK – Naim Ismajli, President
MEDIA SUPPORTIVE OF THE PETITION
RTK, RTV 21, KTV, Klan Kosova, RROKUM TV, and local Media
All newspapers, radios and portals that covered this activity
Other contributors
PR Solutions
Eliza Hoxha
Kube Studios
MEGAMEDIUM – Gani Ibërdemaj
Medica Kosova
In the end, I thank all members of the Board and Secretariat:
Board and Secretariat of the Petition
The Petition Women`s Steering Board
Edita Tahiri, Vlora Çitaku, Luljeta Vuniqi, Suzana Novoberdali, Edona Hajrullahu, Veprore Shehu, Luljeta Selimi, Eliza Hoxha, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, Teuta Sahatçiu, Donika Kada-Bujupi
Secretariat
Arjeta Rexhaj, Edi Gusia, Enkela Bisha, Visar Xani, Visar Piperku, Zoga Ceta, Sebahate Greiçevci.
Thank you again, your massive presence today shows the importance that you, as media, have given and are continuing to give to this national and international matter, stated Ms. Tahiri.
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PETITION
WE SEEK INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE FOR ALL WOMEN THAT WERE RAPED DURING THE WAR IN KOSOVO
To: United Nations Secretary General
About 20.000 women were raped and attacked from the Serbian forces during the war in Kosovo.
Even now, fifteen years after the war, this horrible tragedy and crime of genocide against humanity still was not addressed by the international justice.
Many of these women did not feel ready to speak in relation to what was done to them, and is ironic that the perpetrators of such crimes have not been prosecuted and punished yet.
Sexual violence as a weapon of the war is reported in low scale throughout the world due to many reasons, including the risks that survivors face. In fact, women’s matters in general are reluctantly known due to the fact that women are underrepresented in the processes of decision-making, peace and justice throughout the world.
We, the women of Kosovo, have decided to speak up. We are submitting this petition to the UN Secretary General to demand international justice for the women that were raped during the war in Kosovo.
At national level, we are making all efforts to provide justice and protection for women who were victims of rape during the war. As part of legal remedies in addressing the consequences of the war, the status and rights of women victims of rape were provided through the Law No. 04/L-172, which was adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo.
However, the time has come for international justice for women that were raped during the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo. Justice is a universal right of every citizen in this world. Justice and protection for victims of sexual violence during the war should be considered the utmost right since it represents the most brutal form of inhumanity. Silence on this matter is a paradox in terms of ethics and justice, whereas lack of punishment for the perpetrators is shameful and unacceptable.
Our call is legal, legitimate and ethical due to the reasons that justice is a universal value and, particularly because the international humanitarian justice, KEDnG (CEDAW) and UN Resolution on this matter clearly states that the issues of sexual violence during the armed conflicts should not remain unaddressed and unpunished.
UN Security Council Resolution 2103 of 24 June, 2013, inter alia, confirms that the sexual violence, when committed or ordered as a tactic or method of war or as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilian population, can significantly aggravate and extend the situations of armed conflict, and can impede the restoration of international peace and security.
Further on, it defines that the sexual violence as a weapon of war may constitute a crime against humanity or an act of genocide; furthermore, it recalls that the rape and other forms of serious sexual violence in armed conflict are war crimes.
Also it recognizes that the effective investigation and documentation of sexual violence in armed conflict is important in bringing the perpetrators and actors to the justice as well as ensures access to justice for the survivors.
The Report of UN Secretary General on sexual violence in conflicts, dated 14 march 2013 (A/67/792–S/2013/149) provides valid documentation on this phenomenon in many conflicts throughout the world, however, it does not include the case of Kosovo.
Furthermore, the Hague Tribunal for war crimes in former Yugoslavia (ICTY) did not address the rape of the women during the war as a phenomenon during the breakdown wars for former Yugoslavia.
Therefore, our requests are as follows:
1. We seek international justice for the women raped during the war in Kosovo
2. We request from the UN Secretary General to start investigation in relation to the rape of women during the war in Kosovo and to draw a report on this issue as soon as possible.
3. We demand that all responsible persons, perpetrators and authors of policies and actions of this crime of genocide against humanity are brought before justice and punished.
4. We request the establishment of a reliable and efficient international justice mechanisms in order to ensure access to impartial and fair justice.
Sincerely,
Women`s Steering Board for the Petition
1. Edita Tahiri, Chairpersons of the Steering Board
2. Vlora Çitaku
3. Luljeta Vuniqi
4. Suzana Novobërdaliu
5. Edona Hajrullahu
6. Eliza Hoxha
7. Veprore Shehu,
8. Luljeta Selimi
9. Mimoza Kusari-Lila
10. Teuta Sahatçiu
11. Donika Kada-Bujupi
Last modified: July 31, 2022