NATO, which was supposed to be
dissolved after the Cold War, turns 75 this year. 25 years ago, around
15 tons of depleted uranium bombs were dropped by NATO on Yugoslavia. As
a result of these bombings, over 30,000 people are diagnosed with
cancer in the first 10 years since the bombing, making Serbia now the
country that has the highest rates of cancer in Europe and one of the
highest in the world. On behalf of these people and their families,
Serbian lawyer Srdjan Aleksic (Aleksic) began a legal process against NATO in 2021. In the Global Times (GT)'s Insight Talk program with reporter Wang Wenwen, Aleksic talked about this case and the role NATO now plays in the world.
GT: What do you think of NATO's role in the escalation of conflict and the cold war atmosphere in the world?
Aleksic:
It is interesting to consider the evolution of NATO from its foundation
until today, especially in the context of "tectonic" geopolitical
shifts on the world stage. As witnesses of the epochal changes that have
occurred since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which also marked
the end of the Cold War era between the Eastern and Western blocs, in
the past 35 years we have seen that there has been no improvement in
relations between the two world superpowers. In fact, with the conflict
between Russia and Ukraine, supported by NATO, which threatens to turn
into a general world nuclear conflict, the very survival of civilization
is at stake.
The collateral damage of the conflict is the
complete economic and cultural ruin of Europe led by Germany as its
strongest member, not to mention small countries. The fact is that in
1999, after the reunification of Germany and the withdrawal of all
Soviet troops from Eastern Europe, NATO accepted three countries of the
former Warsaw Pact - Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary - as
members, and now it has even reached "neutral" Sweden, thus going
against its promise of non-expansion to the East.
Instead of the
supposed keeper of peace in the world, NATO became the striking fist of
the US, and the best example of this is the illegal aggression against
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1999. After 75 years since
its founding, as the geopolitical map of the world is changing, and
China is competing with the US as the world leader with its
technological development and economic growth, the North Atlantic
alliance is still the main support of America in all the wars it has
started and is starting around the world.
GT: A quarter
of a century has passed since the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia with
depleted uranium ammunition. How did it affect the physical and
psychological status of people who were exposed to the effects of these
weapons?
Aleksic: The NATO bombing of
Yugoslavia in 1999 was extremely destructive, because depleted uranium
is a heavy radioactive material that has so far been used exclusively by
NATO countries in armed conflicts, despite knowing that the use of this
type of ammunition leaves very serious consequences. The UN General
Assembly and the European Parliament adopted several resolutions warning
of the potential harmful effects of depleted uranium on human health
and the environment, and the European Parliament even called on EU
members to adopt a moratorium on its use together with NATO.
However,
despite the initiatives of the international community, this never
happened. Therefore, the status of weapons with depleted uranium must be
considered in the light of the general rules of international
humanitarian law. Former Minister of Health of Serbia, Dr Danica
Grujicic, said that a nuclear and chemical war was waged against the FRY
in 1999 with serious consequences for people's health. These
consequences include the increase in the number of malignant diseases
and the aggressiveness of tumors, as well as the increase in sterility,
autoimmune diseases and mental disorders.
Experience shows us
that most of the people who survived the attacks, or witnessed the
bombings, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and
other psychological problems. These traumas can be permanent, which
means they require treatment and professional help.
GT:
You initiated legal proceedings against NATO for the use of depleted
uranium ammunition before the High Court in Belgrade, representing
around 4,000 victims. What motivated you to start this process?
Aleksic:
Twenty years before me, immediately after September 17, 2000, the FRY
accused the leaders of NATO member countries before the Serbian court in
Belgrade of the crime committed by using depleted uranium ammunition
due to the serious consequences for people's health, but the verdict was
soon revoked. And I am the first individual who, after considering all
possibilities, initiated proceedings against NATO in 2021. I was
motivated by the desire for justice since my mother was a direct victim
of the bombardment with depleted uranium munitions, contracted cancer
and later died. Also, many of my relatives and friends fell ill from
cancer caused by depleted uranium, and it happened that every house on
the street where my mother lived had a victim of NATO aggression.
Therefore, everything I have done so far has been in the interest of
protecting the rights of my clients, with the aim of achieving not only
justice but also the right to compensation for the victims in terms of
achieving the necessary financial assistance for expensive treatment. I
also wanted to prevent similar incidents in the future. I made the
decision thanks to the fact that all Italian soldiers, who fell ill and
died of cancer during their stay in Kosovo and Metohija in the service
of NATO, received high compensation claims by the decision of the
Italian court.
GT: It has already been four years since
the first lawsuit was filed, and there are still no results. What
complicates and delays this court process?
Aleksic:
Proceedings against organizations such as NATO can be extremely complex
and challenging for several reasons. First of all, proceedings against
international organizations include the application of international
law, which means that the issue of jurisdiction and immunity may be
raised, which may be decisive for the outcome of the proceedings. At the
same time, it is not only necessary to prove the use of depleted
uranium ammunition, but also to confirm that this ammunition directly
led to the damage alleged by the prosecutors. In the case of the Serbian
victims, this is very expensive, and usually requires that analysis be
done abroad, which requires additional time. Therefore, it is necessary
to secure financial resources and arm yourself with exceptional patience
for this long and demanding process.
GT: Did you feel
any kind of pressure from NATO structures during the activities on the
preparation and submission of lawsuits to the competent court?
Aleksic:
No, I was not exposed to any pressure from NATO structures, either from
the media or politics. I believe that I would feel the slightest
attempt at pressure of that kind, just as I believe that NATO is
counting on being exempt from these lawsuits as it has immunity. And on
the other hand, I received support, above all from my family and my
friends. Moreover, my legal team and I have great help and support from
our colleague, the Italian lawyer Angelo Fiore Tartaglia, whose
experience in court proceedings in the defense of sick soldiers who fell
ill with cancer during the mission in Kosovo and Metohija is valuable
to us. We are also helped by doctors, physicists and numerous other
experts who dealt with the impact of depleted uranium on human health
and the natural environment, as well as the people who survived 78 days
of NATO aggression. I have to admit that the expected help from our
Serbian lawyers, to my great regret, was absent.
GT: How do you rate the chances of getting through all these processes? What effect do you expect it to have around the world?
Aleksic:
Of course, I am aware of the power of an organization such as NATO. But
this does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to win against
NATO in court, which is also confirmed by the case of Italian soldiers
who received high compensation claims. The outcome depends on various
factors, including the evidence, legal arguments, jurisdictional rules
and other circumstances of the case. Their success will depend on the
quality of the legal strategy, argumentation and presentation of the
case before the court.
If I could win the case against NATO and
prove responsibility for the use of depleted uranium ammunition and the
consequences it caused, it could have a significant demonstrative effect
around the world. Such an outcome could send a strong message about the
need to respect international law and humanitarian principles in
military actions. It could also serve as an example of research and
presentation of human rights in the context of international conflicts.
However, it should be kept in mind that legal proceedings can be
uncertain, given that the most powerful countries in the world trample
international law for the sake of their own interests. I am determined
not to give up the lawsuits, because that option is not acceptable to
the Serbian people. I believe that the judicial authorities of the
Republic of Serbia will conduct the proceedings in accordance with the
law and conduct the process on the principles of justice and
independence.
GT: How are funds provided for this
process, which includes high court fees and expensive analysis necessary
in the evidentiary procedure?
Aleksic:
Unfortunately, all the funds necessary for conducting court proceedings
are provided exclusively by my clients, that is, cancer patients who
also pay for the court fees, the costs of necessary analysis and expert
cases. My law office does not charge for their services, because I want
to contribute to the protection of the rights to life of my 4,000
clients who suffered from cancer as a result of the use of depleted
uranium ammunition. According to the NATO alliance itself, as many as 15
tons of this dangerous radioactive material were dropped on the FRY,
which would be enough to create 170 nuclear bombs, similar to those
dropped on Hiroshima, according to scientists. After all, this is best
evidenced by the results of blood analysis of our sick clients conducted
in the relevant laboratory in Turin, because we could not find a
laboratory in Serbia that would do this. And the results show that some
people have 500 times more uranium in their bodies than is allowed, and
100 times more heavy metals that are toxic and dangerous to our clients'
lives.
Source: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202406/1314956.shtml
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