Presented July 31, 1999 at the Independent Commission of Inquiry
Civilian Casualties of NATO Bombs
By Sladjana R Dankovic
INTRODUCTION
In this summary, we examine the evidence gathered by the International Commission of Inquiry as to whether there was a deliberate effort by the NATO forces to target civilians during the bombing campaign of March 24 to June 11, 1999.
Our investigators were able to gather considerable documentary evidence of civilian casualties during the bombings of Yugoslavia, compiling a long list of names, places, and dates of innocent people killed. Refugee columns, buses, trains, bridges, markets, and apartment buildings were hit by NATO bombs, causing extensive casualties.
Investigators also looked more broadly at the war, and asked questions about the long-term impact of the bombing on Yugoslav civilians. This included the impact of the environmental devastation caused by the bombings and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, which will cause even more suffering, illness and deaths among the civilian population in the years to come.
We also looked at the actions of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which deliberately targeted civilians of all nationalities in a campaign of terror waged in Kosovo before, during and after the bombing campaign.
The extensive nature of the civilian targets would be enough to raise questions in anyone’s mind about the intent of the bombing campaign. In addition, virtually the entire press in the United States has noted the lack of damage to military targets in Yugoslavia during the bombing.
Finally, a letter from Human Rights Watch to NATO Secretary General Solana virtually accusing NATO of deliberately targeting civilians provided a useful legal reference for our work, and raised many questions about the illegal bombing campaign.