By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BELGRADE, Serbia – Serbia announced today that it has unearthed a mass grave of Albanians killed in Kosovo during that region’s independence war in 1998.

The grave was found in the southern Serbian town of Raska during the early stages of construction on a new parking lot and building.  Based on the conditions of the ground where the grave was found, it is likely that the bodies were moved to their current location from another spot inside of Kosovo.  The grave was initially found as a result of efforts by the European Union Rule of Law Mission In Kosovo.

Bruno Vekaric, the Serbian Deputy War Crimes prosecutor, indicated that an investigation would be opened in the new grave site.  Vekaric estimated that there were somewhere between 150 and 350 bodies.  “Serbia is for the first time openly facing its bad past.”

Another prosecutor, Vladimir Vukecevic, also noted the importance the pending investigation held for Serbia in coming to terms with its role in the Kosovo war.  “This is more proof that Serbia does not shy away from its dark past and is ready to bring to justice all those who have committed crimes.”

Initial conclusions from investigators indicated that the persons found in this grave, mostly ethnic Albanians, were killed by Serbian soldiers during the war.  Slobodan Milosevic was President of Yugoslavia at the time of the killings.

The Raska location is not the first mass grave that can be traced to victims of the Kosovo war.  Five others were found in recent years, two in Kosovo and three inside of Serbia.

For more information, please see:

AP – Serbia plans to open mass grave – 14 May 2010

BOSNEWLIFE – Serbia Discovers Largest Mass Grave In Years – 13 May 2010

AFP – Serbia uncovers Kosovo Albanian mass grave – 10 May 2010

BBC – Mass grave find shows Serbia slowly facing up to past – 10 May 2010