UN's
Kosovo Rules of Engagement Questioned as Chain of Command is Retraced,
Rossin to NY
Byline:
Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS, March 18 -- In the
aftermath of the UN Mission in Kosovo sustaining at least one death
while battling ethnic Serbs, questions are multiplying about who gave
the order to retake the contested courthouse in northern Mitrovica, and
what the UN's rules of engagement were. At Tuesday's noon briefing at UN
headquarters,
Inner City Press asked "who
in UNMIK said, let's retake the courthouse?"
Spokesperson Michele Montas said,
"we can try to retrace the chain of command. But, the fact that UN
police left and KFOR stayed is part of the standard procedures we have
on our agreements for escalating violent circumstances, where police
alone cannot maintain law and order. And UNMIK and KFOR will consult on
when to end the temporary departure of UN police from north Mitrovica."
While still waiting
for this retracing of the chain of command -- sources tell Inner City
Press that some high in UN Headquarters are questioning UNMIK's judgment
-- the
follow-up noted
both Ihor Kynal, the "Ukrainian UNMIK police officer who is dead and
that's terrible" as well as a "Serb who was shot in the head and is in
critical care. Is it known who shot? Is that within UNMIK? Is that
part of the UNMIK action or KFOR action?"
Spokesperson Michele Montas said,
"I cannot confirm this at this point." And 12 hours later, whose bullet
it was remained unconfirmed. The shot "Serb demonstrator" has been
identified by the local press as a former Kosovo police officer with
three children.
In terms of the "chain of
command," deputy SRSG Larry Rossin has said "I authorized the operation
that took place early Monday morning." And he has pointed the finger, or
the chain, right back to New York, saying "We have instructions from our
Secretary-General that we are to maintain the exclusive executive
authority of the SRSG throughout Kosovo." Watch this site.
* * *
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Reuters AlertNet
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$200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.
Video
Analysis here
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