HLC – Kosovo presents data on the killed and missing in the municipalities of Gnjilane/Gjilan, Viti/Viti, Kamenica/Kamenica and Novo Brdo/Novobërde

On February 9th 2010, in the Gnjilane/Gjilan Municipal Assembly, the Humanitarian Law Center – Kosovo (HLC – Kosovo) presented the interim results of the record of killed and missing Albanians in the municipalities of Gnjilane/Gjilan, Viti/Viti, Kamenica/Kamenica and Novo Brdo/Novobërde in the period from January 1st 1998 until June 14th 2000. Seventy family members of the killed and missing, media representatives from Serbia and Kosovo and representatives of KFOR attended the presentation.

At the beginning of the presentation Bajram Nevzat, the President of the Gnjilane/Gjilan Municipal Assembly, said the Municipal Assembly would always support any initiative that is for the benefit of families of fallen soldiers and victims. Mr. Nevzat also thanked HLC – Kosovo for all its efforts in gathering evidence and documentation related to killings and disappearances during the war and urged the families of the killed and missing to help HLC Kosovo collect data.

In his opening speech Bekim Blakaj, HLC – Kosovo Head of Office, said that the killed and missing are not just numbers but have names and surnames and they should be noted and preserved for future generations, adding “they are important for us and for our history and our future.” Bekim Blakaj then presented the interim results of the record of killed and missing that relate to the municipalities of Gnjilane/Gjilan, Viti/Viti, Kamenica/Kamenica and Novo Brdo/Novobërde.

At the end of the presentation, family members of the victims checked the data held in the HLC – Kosovo’s database and submitted dozens of photos of victims and relevant documents.