It was a great honour for The Paddy Ashdown Forum to accept a posthumous award on behalf of his family in Kosovo on their 17th celebration of independence on 17th February 2025. For me this is an area I had not visited before and knew the headlines of the events, so a great opportunity to see first-hand the impact of Paddy Ashdown’s international work.
Paddy, or Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, began his professional life serving in the Royal Marines seeing action on Borneo, Hong-King and Northern Ireland. Later he worked as an intelligence officer in the UK security services and a youth worker with Dorset County Council. Before his election as the MP for Yeovil in 1983 and becoming the leader of the newly formed Liberal Democratic in 1988.
Why a posthumous award?
Paddy Ashdown played a pivotal role during the Kosovo crisis of the late 1990s, distinguishing himself as a proactive envoy, eyewitness, and advocate for international intervention. As the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Britain, Ashdown was among the first Western politicians to directly confront Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević about the atrocities being committed by Serb forces in Kosovo. His involvement was marked by a combination of on-the-ground observation, diplomatic engagement, and later, crucial testimony at the war crimes trial of Milošević.
Inaction was simply not Paddy’s style
Denied a visa to enter Kosovo in June 1998, Ashdown observed Yugoslav military movements from the Albanian border, gathering early evidence of the escalating conflict. In September of the same year, he managed to spend three days in Kosovo, where he witnessed firsthand the aftermath of Serb operations. Ashdown described seeing villages and towns razed to the ground, homes set on fire, and clear evidence of indiscriminate shelling and gunfire. He encountered Kosovo Albanians fleeing violence—many traveling on tractors or hiding in forests—some wounded, others gravely ill, all victims of a systematic campaign targeting civilians. The pattern he observed was consistent: Serb forces would order civilians to leave, then proceed to shell, burn, and destroy their villages, employing both police and military units equipped with tanks and heavy artillery.
Following his visit, Ashdown traveled to Belgrade to confront Milošević directly. In a tense meeting, he handed Milošević a letter from British Prime Minister Tony Blair, urging an end to the excessive and indiscriminate use of force. Ashdown warned Milošević that the actions of Serb forces were illegal under international law, constituted breaches of the Geneva Conventions, and could make him personally indictable for war crimes if the operations continued. Milošević initially denied the allegations but eventually conceded that such actions might be occurring, though he claimed they were necessary to combat terrorism. Ashdown rejected this justification, arguing that the tactics employed were not legitimate counter-terrorism but rather indiscriminate and punitive measures designed to drive innocent civilians from their homes.
Not just diplomacy but intervention
Ashdown’s advocacy did not end with diplomacy. He became a vocal proponent of international intervention, warning Western governments that unchecked violence in Kosovo could lead to a broader Balkan conflict. His public statements and parliamentary interventions consistently highlighted Milošević as the central problem in Yugoslavia, calling for his indictment at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). In 2002, Ashdown became the first Western leader to testify as a prosecution witness at Milošević’s trial in The Hague. He provided detailed eyewitness accounts of the destruction he had seen in Kosovo, reinforcing the prosecution’s case that Milošević was aware of, and responsible for, the actions of his forces.
To summarise this is why Paddy Ashdown was given this award
Paddy Ashdown’s role in Kosovo was defined by his early and forceful confrontation of Milošević, his documentation and exposure of Serb tactics against civilians, and his persistent advocacy for international action. Through his diplomatic efforts, public warnings, and legal testimony, Ashdown played a crucial part in bringing international attention to the crisis and in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the conflict.
…. and why his style or solution finding actions is much needed now – join us or talk to us about what we can do for you.
Lesley Batchelor CBE – Chair The Paddy Ashdown Policy Research Forum