Supporting NATO's War Crimes in Yugoslavia
During NATO's war against Yugoslavia in 1999, NATO warplanes flew over 35,000
combat missions. Over 1,000 warplanes and 206 helicopters were used in the
air strikes. More than 20,000 laser or satellite-guided weapons were
launched. Over 79,000 tons of explosives were dropped, including 152
containers with 35,450 cluster bombs, thermo-visual and graphite bombs. These
attacks were not made solely against military targets but against the Yugoslav
population. Thousands of civilians were killed and more than 6,000
seriously injured. NATO bombs burned, amputated and disabled many
civilians of all ethnic groups, ages and genders. Children make up 30% of
all casualties, and 40% of the injured. About 300,000 children suffered
severe psychological traumas and will require continuous medical surveillance
and treatment. Children will continue to be victimized until all parks,
play-fields and open areas have been made safe from the remaining unexploded
cluster bombs scattered throughout Yugoslavia. (Vivian Martin, "Civilian
Casualties of NATO's War on Yugoslavia.") In the Spanish paper, Articulo
20, a Spanish F-18 pilot who participated in the bombings, Captain Adolfo Luis
Martin de la Hoz, said "Several times our colonel protested to NATO chiefs
about why they select non-military targets. There was a coded order from
the North American military that we should drop anti-personnel bombs over
Prishtine and Nis. They are destroying the country, bombing it with
novel weapons, toxic nerve gases, surface mines dropped by parachute, bombs
containing [depleted] uranium [DU], black napalm, sterilization chemicals,
sprays to poison crops." (Deirdre Sinnott, "Damage to
Agriculture.")
Illegal Weapons
The Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907), the Geneva Conventions (1925 and 1949)
and the Nuremberg Charter (1945) prohibited the:
* weapons or tactics which cause unnecessary or aggravated devastation or
suffering;
* weapons or tactics causing indiscriminate harm to noncombatants;
* weapons or tactics which violate the neutral jurisdiction of nonparticipating
states;
* asphyxiating, poisonous or other gas, and all analogous substances including
bacteriological methods of war;
* weapons or tactics which cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the
environment.
Cluster bombs are prohibited under i and ii, while DU weapons are prohibited
under all 5 categories. (Benno Aichele and Andrew Nye, "Use of Illegal
Weapons.")
Civilian Infrastructure
The U.S./NATO specifically targeted schools, hospitals, farms, bridges, roads,
railways, water lines, communications facilities, factories, industries and
other objects necessary for the basic functioning of a modern society. The
outright, deliberate and extensive destruction of infrastructure is a gross
violation of Protocol 1 Additional to the Geneva Conventions (1977),
particularly Article 52 ("General Protection of Civilian Objects") and
Article 54 ("Protection of Objects Indispensable to the Survival of the
Civilian Population.") (Lois Singer, "Damage to Civilian
Infrastructure in Yugoslavia")
Industries
According to a report of the U.N. Environmental Program and the U.N. Commission
on Human Settlement "81 civilian industrial facilities were attacked
and/or destroyed in the bombings by NATO forces." Over 1,000 targets
of no military significance were attacked. NATO targets included oil
refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer factories, fuel storage tanks and
power plants. These strikes caused a severe environmental crisis. NATO's
actions clearly violated international environmental agreements and laws,
including the UN Charter, the Convention on Cooperation in the Field of the
Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River and the Rio Declaration.
(Sergei Alschen, "NATO's Destruction of the Environment in
Yugoslavia.")
Health Effects
An oil refinery, petrol chemical complex and a fertilizer plant, outside Pancevo,
in Kosovo, was targeted. After the NATO bombs exploded, huge clouds of
poisonous gas filled the sky, contaminating the air, water and soil. Many
developed rashes and blisters and/or had vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
There were twice as many miscarriages as during the next
year as in the previous year. Simon Bancov, the region's health inspector, said
"more than 100,000 tons of carcinogens were unleashed.. We have all
been poisoned." An estimated 1,500 tons of vinyl chloride burned in
the air or went into the earth and river according to a municipal
official. Other chemicals included some 15,000 tons of ammonia, 800 tons
of hydrochloric acid, 250 tons of liquid chlorine, 100 tons of mercury and vast
quantities of dioxin. Many hospitals and health care institutions were damaged
or totally destroyed by NATO bombs, including: a neuro-psychiatric ward, a
pharmacy, several dispensaries, a medical academy, a gynaecological
hospital , a maternity ward, health care centers, a gerontology center and an
ambulance
center. (Sharon Eoilis, "Damage to Yugoslavia's Health Care System.")
Education Facilities
Over 300 schools and facilities for students and children were damaged or
destroyed, including more than 20 faculties, 6 colleges, 40 high schools, 300
elementary schools, 6 dormitories and 50 pre-school facilities. (Malcolm Cannon,
"Destruction of Educational Facilities in Yugoslavia.")
Cultural & Historical Sites
NATO's destruction of institutions dedicated to religion, charity, works of art
and historical monuments is a violation of the laws and customs of war as
recognized by Article 3(d) of the ICT Statute and the Geneva Convention (1949).
By May 1, 1999, UNESCO's ICOMOS identified 12 historic monuments that were
totally destroyed, while 39 (many on UNESCO's World Heritage List) sustained
substantial damage. Churches, monasteries, mosques, forts, cemeteries,
archeological sites, museums were damaged or destroyed by NATO bombs.
Priceless ancient frescos, literature, art, artifacts and relics were damaged by
NATO explosions. (Nina Posidelow & Athanasia Mantzouranis, "Destruction
of Cultural and Historic Sites.")
Media Outlets
On April 23, US/NATO bombers destroyed Radio TV Serbia, killing 16 civilian
employees and wounding 19. Between March 24 and June 10, US/NATO bombs
destroyed more than 10 private radio and TV stations and 36 TV transmitters.
These acts violate: (1) Geneva Conventions (1949) (a) willful killing; (c) willfully
causing great suffering of serious injury to body and health; (d) extensive
destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity
and carried out unlawfully and wantonly; (2) the UN Charter, Art.2:3;Art.2:4;
Art.33:1;Art.37:1,2,39;Art.51;Art.79, (3) the NATO Charter, Art.1 and Art.7.
(Carol Holland, "Destruction of the Yugoslav Media.")
Source: Independent Commission of Inquiry to Investigate U.S./NATO
War Crimes Against the People of Yugoslavia. International Action Center.
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countries... that are involved in or under imminent threat of hostilities."
Source: Canadian government's "export control policy guidelines,"
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.