war crimes
Chapter 25. Civilian Casualties of NATO’s War on Yugoslavia
By Vivian Martin (New York)
From the onset of NATO’s aggression from March 24 to June 11, 1999, the North
Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) flew over 35,000 combat missions over the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia. Over 1,000 warplanes (among others F-15, F-16, F-117) and 206 helicopters
were used in the air strikes. More than 20,000 laser or satellite-guided weapons were
launched and over 79,000 tons of explosives were dropped, including 152 containers with
35,450 cluster bombs, thermo-visual and graphite bombs, which are prohibited under
international conventions.1
The NATO forces justified the bombing of civilian targets as either "mistakes"
or essential to the destruction of Milosevic and the Yugoslav Army. However, these attacks
were not made solely against military targets but against the Yugoslav population as a
whole.
As a direct result of the bombings, thousands of civilians were killed
and more than 6,000 sustained serious injuries. A large number of the injured will remain
crippled for life. NATO bombings have burned amputated, wounded and disabled many
civilians of all-ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Children make made up 30% of all
casualties as well as 40% of the total number injured. In addition, approximately 300,000
children have suffered severe psychological traumas and will require continuos medical
surveillance and treatment. Children have been victims of the sprinkle cluster bombs, with
delayed effects, and will continue to be victimized until all parks, play-fields and open
areas have been made safe from the remaining unexploded bombs scattered throughout
Yugoslavia.
What follows are the most tragic instances of civilian casualties and
suffering as a result of the unprovoked aggression of the NATO Alliance on the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia as reported by the "Provisional Assessment of Civilian
Casualties and Destruction in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from March 24 to June 8
19992" and the "Overview
of the Collateral Damage in Yugoslavia."3 This is not a complete accounting of civilian casualties, which is not yet
available at this time (July 31. 1999).
Surdulica: An attack on a peaceful rural town on April 27,1999, resulted in 20
civilian deaths, including 12 children between the ages of 5 and 12, and over 100 wounded,
of which 24 critically. Several hundred civilian objects were also damaged; some of them
completely destroyed. The attacks were repeated the next day, which made it difficult to
recover bodies.
Korisa: On the night of May 14, 1999, NATO performed an attack with six missiles on
refugees situated on a farm in the village of Korisa. 87 civilians were killed and 70 were
severely injured. "NATO spokesmen blamed the deaths on Yugoslavia authorities,
claiming they had used the refugees as "human shields" by forcing them to spend
the night next to a military or police command center. Despite the report, the refugees
said that they saw no signs that the compound was being used as a local military or police
command center. Nor did they report seeing any of the artillery pieces located in bunkers
that NATO claimed were destroyed in the attack" (Washington Post, 5/21/99).
Djakovica: On April 14, 1999, a convoy of Albanian refugees was bombed four times
by NATO planes. The refugees were moving down the Prizren-Djakovica road. 75 people were
killed and 100 were wounded. All of the victims were ethnic Albanians, mostly children,
women and elderly people. Since the attack was carried out in daylight, the convoy
consisted mostly of agricultural vehicles and civilian cars, and the attack was repeated
four times with long periods of time between them. The possibility of such an attack being
accidental is highly unlikely.
Gredelica: NATO hit an international train, on regular service from Belgrade to
Thessalonki (Greece), in the vicinity of Leskovac on Monday, April 12, 1999. 55 passengers
were killed, including a ten-year-old child. More than 60 passengers were wounded. All
casualties were civilians.
Luzane: On May 1, 1999, on a bridge in Luzane, a " Nis Express" bus with
70 passengers, on a regular service linking Nis and Pristina, was hit by a missile that
directly split the bus in two. One half of the bus remained on the bridge burning for an
hour, while the other half plunged into the valley. At least 50 passengers were killed and
13 were injured. In the second wave of the attack, an ambulance was damaged and one
medical doctor was seriously wounded in the head. An eyewitness to the attack said that
the bus was filled with civilians, mostly children and elderly people.
Istok: On May 21, 1999, at 8:40 am, a prison was hit with two missiles, killing one
man and seriously injuring one woman. The attack was repeated at 9:20 am with ten
missiles. The second attack left nine people dead including the deputy governor. At least
ten people were injured. Since then, NATO has bombed this prison several times. The death
toll is now 100.
Varvarin: 17 civilians were killed while 74 were injured in an attack on a road
bridge on a busy market day.
Belgrade: Belgrade suffered the most hits during the entire two months of
NATO’s aggression. On May 20,1999 at 12:55 am NATO directly hit the "Dragisa
Misovic" hospital in the neurological ward, the gynecological ward and the
children’s ward for lung diseases were completely destroyed. NATO admitted that one
of the laser-guided bombs overshot it’s target by about 1,500 feet. Four patients
were killed and several women in labor were wounded.
The Chinese Embassy Building also suffered numerous direct hits as well. One half of the
building was destroyed. Four Chinese citizens were killed and 20 were injured.
On April 23, 1999, around 2 am, the Serbian National Broadcasting Network was destroyed
just a few hundred feet from a children’s theater, the City Children Center and the
local market. A transmitter used by foreign journalists situated in Belgrade was also
destroyed. More than 15 civilian employees of the TV station were killed.
A three-year-old girl named Milica Rakic was killed in the NATO attack on Batajnica, a
satellite suburb of Belgrade. Her death became a symbol of the meaningless loss of life of
innocent civilians in this war.
The Administrative Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was hit several times.
Several civilians passing by at the time of the attack were killed.
Nis: On May 7, 1999, at least 16 civilians were killed when cluster bombs fell on
the town market. 80 civilians were also injured in a repeated attack on housing blocks in
central Nis. Cluster bombs are used for the destruction of people and are forbidden by the
Geneva Convention.
Savine Vode: On May 3, 1999, during a NATO attack, another civilian bus on
the route between
Djakovica-Podgorica was hit. At least 20 people were killed and 43 injured. There were
large numbers of women and children among the victims. During the attack, cluster bombs
were used. Several civilian cars were also destroyed. Rescue teams and ambulances were not
able to help the victims due to the prolonged attack.
Aleksinac: Five NATO missiles hit Aleksinac, a small mining community on April 6,
1999. 17 civilians were killed, although there is no military infrastructure in the
residential area that was bombed. More than 400 homes were destroyed.
Kursumilija: In NATO attacks on Kursumilija, a small town in Southern Serbia, 13
citizens were killed and more than 25 were severely injured.
Novi Pazar: 13 civilians were killed and 35 were wounded in an attack on the
residential area in the center of the town during which 25 buildings were completely
destroyed.
Nagavac: 11 civilians were killed and 5 wounded in an attack on a rural area.
Pristina: 10 civilians were killed including 7 children during an attack with
cluster bombs upon a peaceful rural village.
Murino: 6 civilians including two children were killed and 8 injured in an attack
on a village predominately inhabited by Albanians.
Merdare: 5 civilians were killed, including an 11-month-old baby, and several
wounded when 8 containers holding, 1,920 cluster bombs were dropped in an attack on the
Prokuplje-Pristina road.
Doganavici: 5 Albanian children were killed and two wounded when they came upon an
unexploded cluster bomb in a field.
Grijilane: 4 civilians were killed and 19 wounded in an attack in the Argicultural
Complex "Mladost" and transport company "Kosmet Prevoz."
Pancevo: On Saturday May 1, 1999, 3 civilians have been killed and 4 wounded in
attacks on commercial and industrial facilities.
Ralija: 3 civilians were killed and 3 injured, two of whom were children, in an
attack on the village of Ralija.
Kragujevac: More than 120 workers, who were forming a live shield, were wounded in
a deliberate attack on the "Zastava" car factory.
Vranje: 2 civilians were killed and 23 wounded in an attack on central Vranje.
Kraljevo: In an attack upon civilian target in Vitanovac, Varca, and Bogutovac, 14
civilians were killed.
Novi Sad: NATO attacked an oil refinery in Novi Sad more than 10 times. Due to the
smoke from burning refineries, normal breathing for the people of Novi Sad is now very
difficult. Water from the public water supply is no longer drinkable. As a result of the
bombings, one civilian was killed and 45 injured.
Trstenik: In an attack on a bridge, one civilian was killed and 17 injured.
Vladcin Han: 2 civilians were killed and wounded in an attack on a road bridge on
the Juzna Morava river.
Village Rodosta: 2 two children were killed and one wounded in a NATO cluster bomb
attack on this peaceful village near Orahovac.
Cuprija: One civilian was killed and 14 injured in an attack on the central
residential area of the town. Over 800 housing units were demolished during the attacks.
Krk Bunar: One civilian was killed and 3 injured (French philosopher Daniel
Schiffer, "Times" reporter Eve-Ann Prentis and "Corriera della Sera")
in an attack on the central residential area of the town. Over 800 housing units were
demolished during the attacks.
Mijatovac: 4 Romanian humanitarian workers were wounded in an attack on a bridge
near Mijatovac.
Zlatibor: The recreational center on the mountain of Zlatibor was attacked by NATO.
As a result, three civilians were killed.
Cacak: A residential area near the factory was also destroyed. Two persons were
killed, one of them a 74-year-old woman, and 7 were injured.
Urosevac: A residential suburb of Urosevac was demolished in a NATO attack. Several
people were killed.
Many of NATO’s targets were in clear violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949,
which prohibits bombing that is not justified by clear military necessity. Under the
protocols of the convention, if there is any likelihood that the target has a civilian
function, bombing is prohibited.4
For instance, in the case of the targeting of bridges that were used primarily by
civilians, it is not enough to say that NATO was merely reckless as to the fate of
civilians. NATO targeted not just the military apparatus of Yugoslavia, it sought to
devastate and did devastate the civilian infrastructure of Yugoslavia. Electricity power
stations, water supplies, schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, train tracks, factories,
offices and thousands of homes and families were torn apart.
Commission of Inquiry
c/o International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@iacenter.org
http://www.iacenter.org/
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
Table of Contents: Selected Research Findings
