Fallen Kosovan premier heads to war crimes court
Kosovo’s fallen prime minister was flying to The Hague today to face charges at the UN war crimes court stemming from his wartime role as a senior rebel commander.
Ramush Haradinaj, 36, who served as prime minister of the Serb province for just three months, quit yesterday after the indictment was revealed.
He was to surrender to the court along with two others also accused of committing war crimes.
International officials praised Haradinaj – a seasoned battlefield commander with a fiery temper and a loyal following – for his decision to cooperate and called on other countries in the region to follow his example.
Nato peacekeepers were out in force throughout the province Wednesday, after an additional 1,000 troops, half of them from the Royal Green Jackets, were flown in to prevent any violence or unrest by ethnic-Albanians, who view Haradinaj as a hero.
The top US general in the province also praised his decision and urged calm.
Hundreds of students protested peacefully overnight in the capital, Pristina. Otherwise, the situation throughout the province remained calm.
Haradinaj said his decision to face justice was a sacrifice he had to make for the sake of Kosovo’s future.
Proclaiming his innocence, Haradinaj said his actions as an ethnic Albanian rebel commander during the 1989-99 war against Serb forces were consistent with international law.
“I have behaved like an honourable man,” he said.
