 |
The survivors of violence in Kosovo and family members of victims, as well as representatives of the Albanian-American community, held Tuesday afternoon a planned protest in front of the Serbian Embassy in Washington, where they demanded justice for wartime crimes.
The survived of sexual violence by Serbian forces Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, who testified on Tuesday morning at the US Congress, said it was very important that their voice was heard and that he hopes that will bring justice through the American Congress's engagement .
"It's a job that should have been opened earlier. A little late, but better late than never and I have the cause to fight for justice and with your stigma not only in Kosovo, but also all over the world, where crimes occurred during the wars. "
She admits that it was not easy for her to protest in front of the Serbian Embassy.
"But this is to show that we do not stop before justice and the Serbs must accept the crimes they have committed, apologizing for the crimes and punishing the criminals. So I feel proud of being in front of the Serbian Embassy, telling them that we, Albanians, want justice. Not revenge, but justice," she says.
New York City Council member Mark Gjonaj, who has just returned from Kosovo, was one of the protagonists of the protest.
"Today is a day of remembering the mistakes that have happened in Kosovo 20 years after. 20,000 women have been raped, 13,000 have died, 1,620 have disappeared. We have started a strong, constant lobbying that pressures Serbia for war criminals to appear before the court, to be judged. God will judge them in the next life," he said.
Ilir Bytyqi, who in Congress also talked about the necessity of accountability, said in protest that Serbia should arrest the perpetrators of these crimes.
In a response to VOA's concern, two members the Serbian Embassy staff in Washington told the Albanian Service that the protest "does not mean anything".
"It's a democratic country and everyone can protest," they said.