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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Kosovo war crimes court to try KLA suspects in The Hague | Kosovo war crimes court to try KLA suspects in The Hague |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A special court is being set up in The Hague to try war crimes committed during the 1999-2000 war in Kosovo, the Dutch government says. | |
| It will try serious crimes allegedly committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against ethnic minorities and political opponents, a statement said. | |
| The court is set to begin operating later this year. | The court is set to begin operating later this year. |
| The conflict pitted ethnic Albanian rebels against Serbian forces. | The conflict pitted ethnic Albanian rebels against Serbian forces. |
| Until 2008, Kosovo was a province of Serbia. Years of tensions turned into open conflict in 1998, when the Serbian government launched a crackdown. | Until 2008, Kosovo was a province of Serbia. Years of tensions turned into open conflict in 1998, when the Serbian government launched a crackdown. |
| It eventually withdrew its troops from Kosovo after a two-month campaign of air strikes by Nato. | It eventually withdrew its troops from Kosovo after a two-month campaign of air strikes by Nato. |
| Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, although Serbia has never recognised this. | Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, although Serbia has never recognised this. |
| 'Freedom fighters' | |
| The Dutch statement admits that trying war crimes "is a sensitive issue in Kosovo". | The Dutch statement admits that trying war crimes "is a sensitive issue in Kosovo". |
| "Possible suspects may be seen by sections of Kosovan society as freedom fighters, and witnesses may feel threatened in Kosovo," hence the reason for cases to be heard abroad. | "Possible suspects may be seen by sections of Kosovan society as freedom fighters, and witnesses may feel threatened in Kosovo," hence the reason for cases to be heard abroad. |
| An international tribunal has tried leaders from the former Yugoslavia before, but this new court will hear cases effectively as an overseas branch of the Kosovan legal system, operating under Kosovan rather than international law. | |
| "It is important for justice to be done," Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said. | |
| "So we are pleased to be able to offer the court a home." | |
| Parliament in Kosovo approved the creation of the tribunal last year, despite protests and an opposition boycott of the vote. | |
| Kosovan Albanians make up about 90% of the population, and tensions remain with the Serb minority. | |
| Earlier this month anti-government protesters clashed with police in a demonstration against a deal giving more power to ethnic Serbs. |