Raskovic-Ivic Open Letter to Acting UNMIK's Shook

Sanda Raskovic-Ivic's open letter to Steven Schook
Radio Television Serbia
August 14, 2006

In an open letter to acting UNMIK chief Steven Schook, Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija president Sanda Raskovic-Ivic reminded him that 230,000 Serbs have been forcibly expelled from the Province and that their return to their homes has been obstructed for no less than the past seven years.
This is occurring despite Resolution 1244 which tasks the UN Mission with ensuring peace, security and respect for human rights to members of all communities in Kosovo and Metohija, said Raskovic-Ivic in a letter published by [Belgrade daily] "Politika".
Stating that "Albanian separatists are carrying out a campaign of continuous and unsanctioned terror against Serbs", Raskovic-Ivic pointed out that every unpunished crime is, in fact, a double crime and that the international community is most responsible for the miserable and tragic situation in Kosovo.
"Albanian separatists have carried out hundreds upon hundreds of attacks on Serbs without anyone being held accountable for these crimes. The perpetrators remain free, and they are interpreting this as encouragement to commit new crimes," she warned.
Raskovic-Ivic reminded School that as early as July 22, 1999 Albanian separatists in the village of Staro Gracko, Lipljan municipality, murdered and massacred 14 Serb harvesters and that the perpetrators have never been brought to justice.
In Podujevo, on February 16, 2001, Albanian separatists planted a bomb under an Nis Express bus. Four people were killed and the criminals are still at large.
An even more heinous crime was committed in Obilic on June 23, 2003 when Albanian separatists massacred the Stolic family. "You are well aware that to this day this horrible crime has not been punished," she reminded Schook.
"You are also aware that the Albanian terrorists who killed two Serbs on February 3, 2000, with a hand grenade that hit a bus transporting Serbs near the village of Cubrelj have never been found," added Raskovic Ivic.
"There has been a lot of rhetoric and worthless promises made that the hideous crime committed in Gorazdevac on August 13, 2003, would be resolved. You certainly know all the details, that criminals killed two Serb boys and wounded four other children," she emphasized.
"Mr. Schook, it is high time for clear answers for every crime committed by Albanian separatists. It is your responsibility to ensure that these criminals end up in prison. It is also your responsibility, if they are not imprisoned, to explain why not," Raskovic-Ivic wrote in her open letter to Schook.