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Calls for calm as Serbs rally

25 February 2008, 12:52PM

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© APGraphics Bank

Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to take part in a "Kosovo is Serbia" rally in Belgrade on Thursday. President Boris Tadic has called for demonstrations to be peaceful.

Violence erupted at a demonstration in Belgrade on Sunday when 30 police and 30 protesters were injured. Some demonstrators taking part in protests on Tuesday in all major cities in Serbia were reported to have called for the murder of ethnic Albanians. The demonstrations, which followed the declaration of independence by Kosovo, were attended by hundreds of people in each city.

In Kragujevac, a fast food restaurant run by members of the Bosnian-speaking ethnic Gorani minority from Kosovo was vandalised. In Bor, windows of a confectionery shop also run by a Gorani were smashed. Car windows were also smashed. In an interview with independent media B92, Minister for Infrastructure Velimir Ilic stated that breaking windows was an act of democracy.

In the Serbian Parliament on Tuesday, Ivica Dacic, a member of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), advocated the banning of all political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that recognised Kosovo as independent. He specifically singled out Natasa Kandic, a human rights activist and director of the Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade, who attended the ceremony declaring independence at Kosovo's Parliamentary Assembly on 17 February 2008.

According to media reports, the SPS are filing a criminal complaint against Natasa Kandic for inciting others to compromise the territorial integrity of Serbia.

Borko Ilic, vice president of the ruling Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), interviewed in the daily Kurir, called Natasa Kandic a traitor. Another article in the daily Vecernje novosti was headlined "Natasa [Kandic], the woman who does not exist", implying that as a non-person, her elimination would be without consequences. Other human rights activists also have concerns for their security.

We have called on the Serbian authorities and specifically Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and President Boris Tadic to urgently condemn threats against human rights activists and attacks on ethnic minorities in the country.

"Amnesty International reminds the authorities of their commitment to the UN Security Council 'to refrain from actions that might jeopardize the security situation in Kosovo and elsewhere, and not use violence, threats of intimidation'" warned Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Program Director at Amnesty International.

"The Serbian authorities must strongly condemn any attempts to victimise members of Serbian society. They should ensure that any threats against human rights activists and attacks on minorities are promptly and thoroughly investigated and those responsible are brought to justice."

Kosovo declared unilateral independence from Serbia on Sunday, 17 February 2008. Kosovo has been administered by the United Nations since 1999.

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