„Lord, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing“ reads a statement from Natasa Kandic of the Humanitarian Law Center to the reaction and petition of 11 NGOs from Djakovica/ Gjakova to evict the first and only Serb returnee in this town, Dragica Gasic.
Fifty-nine-year-old Dragica Gasic decided to return to her hometown of Djakovica after 22 years, thus becoming the first returnee to Djakovica since 1999.
Although Gasic is the only Serb woman currently living in this town, her return triggered protests, among both citizens of Djakovica and various NGOs and associations, which filed a petition to the municipal and governmental bodies last week to evict Gasic.
Eleven NGOs from Djakovica announced that they would submit a petition to the Kosovo government to evict this returnee as soon as possible.
The reason why Djakovica is not ready to welcome Serb returnees, the NGOs have pointed out that this municipality still has open graves awaiting the return of the remains of people who died during the war.
As KoSSev reported, the Association of Families of the Missing „Mother’s Calls“ held a press conference two days ago, at which they announced a complaint against the municipality and the mayor of Djakovica, due to the return of Dragica Gasic to the town.
The head of the Kosovo Office, Petar Petkovic, met with Gasic in Gracanica yesterday. Petkovic told Gasic that the Kosovo Office and Serbia would ensure, in any way possible, that her security and quality of life are improved.
She emphasized that attacks on her home are taking place on a daily basis and that she only goes to the store and the bakery when accompanied by the police. She added, however, that she cannot complain about the behavior of the market and bakery workers or the police.
„They threw stones at my window, broke my blinds, and hung photographs of killed people, banged on my door at night, I am scared, I am taking pills for my nerves,“ Dragica said yesterday, adding:
„I never hurt anyone and that’s why I dared to return to my apartment. Despite everything, I plan to stay here.“
Approximately 12,500 Serbs lived in Djakovica until the war. On the other hand, this town holds particular importance to Kosovo Albanians, given numerous testimonies that Serb paramilitary forces committed war crimes in the region.
The Humanitarian Law Center and Natasa Kandic have been engaged in shedding light on these crimes for years.
Read more:
Serb returnee from Djakovica: I never hurt anyone, hence the courage to return to my apartment
Several NGOs from Djakovica demand the eviction of a Serb returnee
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
