10 February 2007 protest in Kosovo explained

10 February 2007 protest in Kosovo
Subtitle:10 February riots
Date:10 February 2007
Place:Prishtina, Kosovo
Goals:Anti-Ahtisaari Plan
Against Kosovo-Serbia negotiations
Methods:Demonstrations
Result:Correction of the Ahtisaari Plan
Side1:Vetëvendosje
Kosovar civil society
Side2:UNMIK

Government of Kosovo until the escalation of the situation

Leadfigures1:Albin Kurti
Adem Demaçi
Nesrete Kumanova
Leadfigures2:UNMIK
Howmany1:10.000
Howmany2:5000
Casualties1:
  • 2 killed
  • 1000 injured
  • +1000 arrested
Casualties2:unknown
Fatalities:2
Injuries:+1000
Arrests:+1000

On February 10, 2007, Kosovo Albanians protested against the Ahtisaari Plan. The crowd in Pristina protested against a UN plan on the future status of Kosovo. Many ethnic Albanians were unhappy that the plan fell short of granting full independence for Kosovo. The proposals, unveiled on February 2 by chief UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, recommended a form of self-rule - which in itself was strongly opposed by Serbia. [1]

Arben Xheladini and Mon Balaj were killed on February 10, 2007, during a demonstration after the Romanian Police serving in the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, fired rubber bullets. Others were seriously injured. The international rights watchdog Amnesty International urged the UN Special Representative in Kosovo to persuade the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, to apologize for the “failure to protect the lives of Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini ... and provide the complainants with full reparation for the damage suffered”. [2]

Notes and References

  1. News: Two dead following Kosovo clashes . 7 October 2018.
  2. News: Amnesty Seeks Justice for Killed Kosovo Protesters . 7 October 2018.