Fra Reuters, via "Central Europe Online".
Øistein Holen
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http://www.centraleurope.com/features.php3?id=141893
Justice Takes A Holiday In Kosovo
March 10, 2000
Last year's international intervention in Kosovo overturned many
years of injustice suffered by ethnic Albanians at the hands of
Serbs. Now there's no justice for anyone.
"The criminal justice system in Kosovo is in a state of collapse,"
said Larry Guyton, a sheriff from the United States and one of
about 2,400 policemen recruited for Kosovo from around the world
by the United Nations.
"We don't have anywhere to put the criminals. Murder and rape are
about the only crimes that land you in jail here now.
"In September we were arresting anyone with any sort of gun. Soon
we quit arresting people with handguns and just confiscated their
weapons. Then it got to where we weren't even arresting people
with long-barreled weapons like AK-47s."
"Now we only make a (weapons) arrest if someone is found in
possession of explosives. And they're unlikely to spend more than
one or two nights in jail."
Even when violent criminals are apprehended and jailed Kosovo's
prison and court systems are unreliable.
A 15-year-old ethnic Albanian youth taken into custody for the
shooting death of a Russian peacekeeper earlier this week
escaped from a French military brig in the city of Mitrovica by
crawling through a bathroom window.
A number of other prisoners accused of serious crimes have
escaped from internationally-maintained detention centres here.
ETHNICITY INFLUENCES FATE IN COURTS
Independent observers say those hauled before courts staffed by
local judges and prosecutors often are released - seemingly despite
the evidence presented against them - if they are members of
Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanian community.
By comparison, Serbs apprehended on similar or lesser charges
are almost always held in detention.
"Unacceptable pressure, in the form of threats, intimidation and
even violent attacks, is being exerted on some members of the
judiciary by extremist elements of ethnic Albanian society,"
Amnesty International reported in February.
"This pressure may be affecting the ability of some judges to take
decisions impartially and independently based on legal, rather than
political, considerations."
In an attempt to insulate the justice system from outside influence
the United Nations has begun appointing international judges and
prosecutors to hear high-profile cases.
Christer Karphammer, a Swedish judge, arrived at his unheated
office on the north side of Mitrovica this week wearing a bulletproof
vest beneath his snappy red bowtie.
As he stepped from his armoured car three heavily armed military
bodyguards crowded round and escorted him up the steps of the
courthouse.
"Now I'm dealing with the killing of the Russian soldier, but there
are many other murders to consider," the judge said.
"I have approximately 60 serious cases. I believe that 26 of those
detained in Mitrovica are accused of war crimes.
"I have been in some rough areas. For instance, I was an adviser to
the attorney general of Albania on assassinations and organised
crime. But this is the worst place I have experienced."
CRIME RATES REDUCED, BUT SO IS SERB POPULATION
Crime rates have dropped dramatically since June when NATO
forces first occupied Kosovo, but that statistical improvement
occurred directly in proportion to the flight of Serbs.
Analysts say that if Kosovo is to have the multi-ethnic future that
was the premise of international intervention here, some semblance
of law and order for all must be restored.
Instead, chaos and incongruity reign. Traffic chokes the main
streets of Pristina because U.N. police haven't the manpower to
staff key intersections.
About 60 percent of all cars in Kosovo still lack number plates.
Many are stolen. Even after plates are required later this year
police will have no way of documenting ownership.
Drugs, arms and prostitutes are smuggled to and through Kosovo
by Balkan crime rings. U.N. police are powerless to track them
because they have no connection with Interpol computers.
Local graduates of Kosovo's new police academy get a monthly
salary of only 300 Deutsche Marks ($150). The average judge
makes 600 marks. Those low rates of compensation are an
invitation to bribery and corruption, diplomats worry.
But even honest cops must chafe riding in patrol cars next to young
local translators who are paid 1,200 marks a month by the United
Nations for their often minimal language skills.
(C)2000 Copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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