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The Hidden Danger in Kosovo
Kosovo’s declaration of independence last month was hailed in the global media as a triumph of self-determinism and, among other things, a diplomatic triumph over the Russians. But what are the real costs of Kosovo’s independence for the international community? What is the price of endorsing this secession?
Condoning the independence of Kosovo is the worst mistake the international community has made in recent years in Europe. Kosovo is not a simple case of self-determinism of its people: It is about setting a precedent of secession that undermines the integrity of pluralistic nations everywhere. It has been a province of Serbia for about 800 years, longer than many nations in Europe could claim to have existed.
A bit of history will demonstrate that this time the liberal voices of Europe may have gone too far. Let us assume that the balkanization of Europe after World War I was a fairly legitimate effort at stabilizing the over-extended Austro-Hungarian Empire and providing a voice to Magyars, Bosnians and other nationalities. The resolution of the Polish question, which so riled Churchill and Stalin, was also about providing a homeland to the Poles now freed from Nazi aggression. Of course, over the long term, this balkanization fractured Europe’s unity and eroded its power. Through the miracle of stability provided by the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, Europe settled into half a century of peace and stability, at least until the break-up of Yugoslavia. This in turn was naively triggered by European support of Croatian independence (later endorsed by the United States) as much as anything else. The Croatian independence opened the gates for the other provinces, such as Bosnia, to seek their own independence, resulting in unimaginable bloodshed. The event was followed by ethnic cleansing by the Bosnian Serbs — and civil war.
And what was the solution proposed by European governments and the United States? It was secession, rather than reconciliation. Perhaps it was feasible in the case of Bosnia. But then came Macedonia, followed closely by Montenegro; nations either landlocked or so small that they can barely support themselves. These statelets were confident of survival as independent nations because they had an insurance company they called the European Union.
Then in 1999, the problem of Kosovo emerged. True, President Slobodan Milosevic was a despicable despot. It was fair for Europe and the United States to protect the Kosovars. But now, Milosevic is gone. Serbia is neither a dictatorship nor condones the killers like Karadzic. How do we then justify Kosovo’s secession on the grounds of protection? Instead of enabling reconciliation, once again the solution proposed was independence. Kosovo barely has any natural resources to survive on. Aid money won’t last forever, and unless Kosovo unifies with Albania, its chances for economic survival are bleak.
All in all, the very idea of creating nations to protect ethnic minorities is flawed. This is evinced by the triumph of the democratic process over ethnic conflict across the world. Indeed in Kosovo today, Serbs are an ethnic minority (120,000 Serbs out of a population of one million). And as a very senior U.S. diplomat to Kosovo attested to me, Kosovo’s Serbs are now at the receiving end of discrimination. So will Europe next advocate the creation of a mini-Serb breakaway nation or province out of Kosovo to protect the Serbs north of the Ibar River (as indeed some have proposed)?
There is no limit to this Balkanization once we’ve opened the flood gates. Kosovo has set the precedent for several ethnic struggles, legitimate and illegitimate, which can be resolved through reconciliation and dialogue, rather than secession. After Kosovo, how do we say no to Kurdistan out of Iraq and Turkey, the Basque region out of Spain, Tamil Eelam out of Sri Lanka, Transnistria out of Moldava, South Ossetia and Abkhazia out of Georgia or God forbid, Pashtunistan out of Afghanistan? Already there are statements from secessionist leaders across the world voicing triumphant optimism given the creation of Kosovo. The fragile peace in recently resolved conflicts like Aceh and Northern Ireland could also be threatened. We have all too easily forgotten the consequences of Biafra’s secession from Nigeria in the 1960s which was similarly supported by European governments but actually set off a civil war and a massive humanitarian crisis.
Perhaps whatever the cost, self-determinism should be encouraged. Perhaps the voices of liberty should triumph over reason at all times. But liberty without reason is suicide. How will these tiny landlocked nations survive? Are we not sowing the seeds for pockets of poverty that will bleed Europe’s prosperity dry? Will these not become bottomless pits for international aid that will have nothing to deliver?
Are we not creating the danger of still-born democracies whose incomplete sovereignty could create “ungoverned spaces” — the very danger we are now fighting around the world because they are the breeding grounds for poverty and terrorism?
Martti Ahtisaari, the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo, may be a happy man today to see his plan succeed, but history will prove this mistake costly for Europe and the rest of the world.
Raja Karthikeya is a first-year graduate student in the MSFS.
Breaking up of Serbia and Yugoslavia was decided by the Great Powers long before the wars started.
Minority communities need international protection against ruthless majority alien rule. Take for instance a country like sri lanka. The Tamil minority is being subjected to a brutal treatment by a Sinhalese majority, comparable only to the Nazi era. Sinhalese and the Tamils have nothing whatsoever ever physically, linguistically, culturally, religiously, or even territorially. What determines who should rule over whom? Is it the fertility rate? So why can't the minority live like the majority with freedom to mind their own business.
GENOCIDE IN KOSOVO
The West would love Serbia if only it would forget the past and accept the reality that the West has created. But accepting this reality is accepting Genocide.
Kosovo's provisional government (PISG) has had eight years to show that it is mature enough to lead all citizens of Kosovo into the future, but it has miserably failed. Eight years after NATO'S Bombing campaign and four years after the massive orchestrated Ethnic Cleansing campaign against Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks, Turks, Croats and Jewish citizens in March 2004, there still is no assurance that all the citizens of Kosovo can live in peace, with security, with freedom of movement and with full participation in all the fruits of society. On the contrary, today in the capital Pristina, which had a pre war Serb population of 40000, not one single Serb resides in the capital. Can it be that all of these citizens were war criminals? Can it be that grandmothers and children were war criminals deserving retribution? However, in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, 110000 Albanians live comfortably and safely! Throughout all of Kosovo 200000 Serbs have been ethnically cleansed , another 100000 Roma have been ethnically cleansed, thousands of other minorities citizens (Bosniaks, Turks, Croats and Jews) have been ethnically cleansed, the majority of which have sought refuge in Serbia Proper! Why is that? Kosovo says its ready for Independence, but why cant it guarantee the safety of these refugee citizens? It has been eight long years! Hardly any refugee citizens have been able to return, even though NATO is there to protect them. 1000 Serbs and Roma citizens have been murdered, another 1000 are still missing. How many Albanian citizens of Kosovo have been murdered in the same amount of time relative to their demographic proportion of society? 150 UNESCO recognized Christian Churches and Shrines have been destroyed by the majority Albanian citizens. None have been rebuilt even though the Kosovo government (PISG) has explicitly agreed to this task. Not one in eight years? But, yet Kosovo is ready for Independence? Tens of thousands of minority owned properties have been illegally occupied and appropriated by the majority Albanian citizens with no prospect of return to the rightful owners. Yet Kosovo society is ready for Independence? Tens of thousands of hectare/acres of Serbia Orthodox Christian Church owned land has been illegally appropriated with no prospect of return. Yet Kosovo is ready for independence? Kosovo suffers the highest unemployment rate in Europe, some estimates as high as 70%. But yet Kosovo is ready for Independence? Rampant crime and the center of European Heroin and Human Trafficking trade. Yet ready for independence? A few western countries cower for independence siting Albanian threats of violence if independence is not recognized, but the international community and the EU is divided because recognition of a illegal Unilateral Declaration of Independence is the sanctioning of GENOCIDE AGAINST 300000 Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks, Turks, Croats and Jewish citizens of Kosovo! This is the reality the West wants Serbs to accept? No this is Genocide!
This is not he first time Serbia has suffered Genocide, in WW2 upwards of 800000 Serbs, Jews and Roma were exterminated in the Nazi and Croatian Fascist extermination camps of Jasenovac and Stara Gradiska (a camp designed exclusively for woman and children). Likewise, tens of thousand of Serb, Roma and Jewish citizens were exterminated and ethnically cleansed in small villages throughout Yugoslavia by Nazis, Albanian Fascists of the SS Skandebeg Division, Croatian Ustashi Fascists and Bosnian Muslim fascists of the SS Handžar Division. Many in Serbia have tried to explain away some of the recent atrocities committed by Serbs, such as Srebanica, as a natural result of decades of emotional suppression, due to an organized communist campaign not to acknowledge the WW2 Genocide of Serbs, Roma and Jews, in order to preserve unity among the different ethnic communities. However, regardless how this emotional suppression might have influenced the individual actors of the crimes committed, the universally accepted legal percept that one crime cannot justify another crime still is applicable. Likewise, whatever the extent of Milosevic's crimes in Kosovo (Albanians say 10 thousand dead, the UN acknowledges only 3500 on all sides) cannot justify the continued GENOCIDE of Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks, Turks, Croats and Jewish citizens of Kosovo! All 300000 ethnically cleansed Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks, Turks, Croats and Jewish citizens of Kosovo must be allowed to return to their homes. The International Community cannot sanction this GENOCIDE by recognizing a Illegal Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Kosovo. Serbia cannot acquiesce to this injustice. Serbs will invoke the anguished cry of our Jewish Brothers who have likewise suffered the indignity of Genocide....NEVER AGAIN the GENOCIDE STOPS NOW! There are over 600000 UN recognized Serb refuges in Serbia that have been cruelly cleansed from their homes in Croatia, Bosnia and KOSOVO! 250000 Serbs ethnically cleansed from Croatia, 150000 Serbs ethnically cleansed from Bosnia, 200000 Serbs from Kosovo and another 100000 Roma from Kosovo. None have been allowed to return. How is it possible that Serbs are accused of being the primary villain and purveyor of ethnic cleansing, but, yet again is the largest victim of ethnic cleansing? Is it possible that these innocent SERBS are somehow sub human not deserving of justice? The International Community must stop turning a blind eye to this GENOCIDE right in the heart of Europe. It is happening right before your eyes, with your assistance! Kosovo is the SERB's Jerusalem, they cannot agree to this GENOCIDE! Just like their Jewish Brothers who for centuries evoked the unifying cry of NEXT YEAR IN JERUSELEM, SERBS evoke THIS YEAR IN KOSOVO! All refuges must return NOW!Otherwise any recognition of a illegal declaration of independence is GENOCIDE! To the International community ALL SERBS DEMAND NEVER AGAIN, THE GENOCIDE OF SERBS STOPS NOW, THIS YEAR IN KOSOVO ! KOSOVO IS SERBIA!
If Kosovo is ready for independence based on GENOCIDE, then why isn't Abkhazia or Ossetia or Nagorno Karabakh or Transdniester or Basque region or Catalonia or Corsica or Scotland or Kurdistan in Turkey or Kurdistan in Iraq or Kurdistan in Iran or Western Sahara or Republic Srpska in Bosnia or Sir Lanka or Taiwan or Tibet or Pashtun Region in Pakistan or Kashmir or Jammu or PALESTINE!
FIRST LET ME SAY THIS YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT KOSOVO THE BALKANS AND ANYTHING ABOUT EUROPE. IF YOU DID YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIVE STABILITY IN THE BALLKANS WAS FOR KOSOVA TO GIAN INDEPENDENCE. SECOND MILOSEVIC IS DEAD BUT HIS SPIRIT IS ALIVE IN YOU AND THE SERBIAN PEOPLE WHO BURNED THE AMERICAN EMBESSY IN BELGRADE. THE SERBIAN ARMY THAT COMMITED THESE CRIMES NOT ONLY IN KOSOVA BUT ALSO IN SEBENICA BOSNIA AND CROATIA AS WELL SO YOU ASK YOURSELVE, ARE THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE OF KOSOVA GOING TO GO BACK TO SERBIAN RULE. I'LL ANSWER FOR YOU NOOOOOOOO. WHY BECAUSE THEY BURNED OUR HOUSES THEY KILLED OUR PEOPLE THEY SUPRESSED US FOR SUCH A LONG TIME THAT THE ONLY WAY WE GO BACK UNDER SERVIAN RULE IS IF ALL ALBAIANS ARE DEAD THATS THE ONLY WAY.
P.S. DO SOPME RESERCH NEXT TIME YOU WANT TO WRITTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT SOMETHING.
Sure
Tamil Eelam should also given a chance.
Tamils are daily killed by Srilankan Army,Military,Navy.
Tamil Children are killed by Army and other paramilitary groups.
No Human Rights there..
It is right time that UN should send its monitors and forces to bring peace there
regards
sen
Kosovo will go back under Serbian rule. It belongs to the Serbian people, not Albanians that swormed into Kosovo. Just because the population is about 90% Albanian doesn't justify for declaring an independence. I guess us Serbs should go into parts of Albania and take over a region and just declare an independence. That makes no sense! Albanians weren't the only one's being terrorized either buddy. They attacked Serbs and tore down their homes and churches as well! Next time YOU should do a little more research. You should also learn how to spell. KOSOVO IS SERBIA and SERBIA IS KOSOVO!
The possibility of a new war is very real given the fact that a lot of pressure is exerted by the US, Britain and Germany on the UN to reign in the Serbs who are refusing to be ruled by Pristina.
It takes repression to prevent people from living the way they choose to live. If KFOR would try to dismantle the "parallel Serbian institutions" as Pristina has requested, then the outcome is predictable: NATO will find itself fighting a another war.
Neigboring Macedonia is already feeling this domino effect as the Albanians attempt to carve a part of that country out for themselves. The dream of greater Albania is at hand along with the full conquest of Europe by Muslim terrorists.
I wonder when the world will wake up to this menace?
to alex: "I guess us Serbs should go into parts of Albania and take over a region and just declare an independence " YOU PEOPLE ALREADY DID THAT IT WAS KNOW AS THE SLAVIC MIGRATION. YOU PEOPLE CAME FROM RUSSIA. LISTEN TO YOUR LANGUAGE,IT'S THE SAME AS RUSSIAN LANGUAGE. YOU PEOPLE STARTED MIGRATING INTO ILLYRIAN(ALBAIAN)LANDS!!! YOU ASK ANY HISTORIAN AND THEY'LL TELL YOU ALBANIANS ARE DIRCT DECNDANTS OF THE ILLYRIANS, YOU PEOPLE ON THE OTHER HAND ARE DIRCT DECENDATS OF THE RUSSIANS AND MAYBE YOU PEOPLE SHOULD GO BACK THERE AND LIVE THERE. AND ASK YOURSLEV THIS QUESTION, WHY DID ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES WANT TO BRAKE AWAY FROM SERBIA SUCH AS, SLOVENIA, CROATIA BOSNIA MACEDONIA MONTENEGRO, I'LL ANSWER BECUASE THEY DIDN'T LIKE YOUR COMMUNIST WAYS OF LIVING AND YOUR SUPPRESSION OF IT'S PEOPLE. YOU SHOULD DO SOME RESERCH, IT'S A SHAME HOW YOU PEOPLE GET BRAINWASHED BY YOUR OWN LEADERS.
Well you can tell who is who on these coments that people left on this page...I am from srbija and i am 100% srbijan. To be honest with everyone who that thinks that kosovo needs to be independent..YOU PEOPLE NEED TO READ THE HISTORY OF KOSOVO. KOSOVO IS SRBIJAN AND IT WILL BE. WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS THIS IS THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE RESOLVED IN PEACE AND THAT IS SAD..I WANT PEACE FOR MY PEOPLE AND FOR MUSLIM PEOPLE BUT IF THEY CANT LEAVE IN KOSOVO THEY CAN GO BECK TO ALBANIA NOBODY IS STOPING THEM...I LIVE IN THE US AND I LOVE IT BUT I AM A REPORTING BECK TO SRBIAN ARMY IN A MONTH BC THEY ARE GETING READY TO DEPLOY THE MILITARY TO KOSOVO. KOSOVO IS SRBIJA AND IT WILL BE. IT WOULD BE THE SAME IF MEXICO WANTED CALIFORNIA....I REALY DONT HAVE YIME FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMATURE ON THIS PAGE BUT PLEZZZZ READ THE HISTORY ON KOSOVO AND SRBIJA BEFOR U RUN UR MOUTH....CETNIK DO KOSTI
So, Mr. Illyrian (Albanian), following your logic (let's assume for second that you are right), you should also claim territory Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece?
Then... your language "MAY represent a remote descendant of Thraco-Illyrian dialects", group of Indo-European languages.
If this is correct, following part of your logic applied on Serbs, should you go back to Asia instead of staying on Europe's soil. Right?
" By valon (not verified) on 03/15/08 4:55 pm
to alex: "I guess us Serbs should go into parts of Albania and take over a region and just declare an independence " YOU PEOPLE ALREADY DID THAT IT WAS KNOW AS THE SLAVIC MIGRATION. YOU PEOPLE CAME FROM RUSSIA. LISTEN TO YOUR LANGUAGE,IT'S THE SAME AS RUSSIAN LANGUAGE. YOU PEOPLE STARTED MIGRATING INTO ILLYRIAN(ALBAIAN)LANDS!!! YOU ASK ANY HISTORIAN AND THEY'LL TELL YOU ALBANIANS ARE DIRCT DECNDANTS OF THE ILLYRIANS, YOU PEOPLE ON THE OTHER HAND ARE DIRCT DECENDATS OF THE RUSSIANS AND MAYBE YOU PEOPLE SHOULD GO BACK THERE AND LIVE THERE. AND ASK YOURSLEV THIS QUESTION, WHY DID ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES WANT TO BRAKE AWAY FROM SERBIA SUCH AS, SLOVENIA, CROATIA BOSNIA MACEDONIA MONTENEGRO, I'LL ANSWER BECUASE THEY DIDN'T LIKE YOUR COMMUNIST WAYS OF LIVING AND YOUR SUPPRESSION OF IT'S PEOPLE. YOU SHOULD DO SOME RESERCH, IT'S A SHAME HOW YOU PEOPLE GET BRAINWASHED BY YOUR OWN LEADERS."
1. Brilliant!!! Where's "SEBENICA"? Couldn't you google the word and at least get the spelling right?
2. "IT'S A SHAME HOW YOU PEOPLE GET BRAINWASHED BY YOUR OWN LEADERS" - i concede on this point, in particular those Western scholars who have been 'Milosevic-ized", brainwashed to believe in a system of rules, rules deliberated to all humans equally irrelevant of their religion or ethnicity. Albanians (and this has to be reiterated, they are Albanians not 'kosovars' as they claim to be, nor will a country as such ever exist whether it stays a part of Serbia or goes to Albania), are riding the US horse, and it is rather sad that the only proponent of liberty in this day an age of global politics is a country like Serbia, and the Cold War 'baddies'- Russia
3. Kosovo is a stinky unorganized bucket and will stay so at the expense of its neighbouring countries who are themseleves guilty for letting this plague, that is the albanian race, extend to the point it needs to be culled. To an outsider this will seem extremist, but the recent decades have shown the inability on behalf of the albanians not to only assimilate but to respect the life given to them by their 'host' countries, which they are now trying to take away, AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD for setting such a immoral precedent.
FINALLY, This precedent can only be prevented by those who enabled it, those with power and disrespect to the common institutions agreed upon by men with ideals a long time before bakers from pristina decided to throw a party. This is a shame for history and truth, which alienates all NORMAL people from the belief and hope for a better tomorrow, a tomorrow based on EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY and FAIRNESS.
What, other than war, is a legitimate avenue for the Serbs at this time?
what is your question here and are you sebian?
you are being brainwashed by your leaders...the serbian Bishop artemije of ras and Prizren Eparchy (the diocese which covers Kosova) said: " independence declaration will be "a temporary state of occupation", and that "serbia must buy arms from russia and other countries, and ask russia to send volunteers and build a military presence in serbia". a bishop asking for arms and wanting to kill people i don't have any respect for this bishop and i tell you serbps now you are already in deep sh*t you started wars all over the Balkans you killed and raped innocent women and children you burned people's houses... this is a warning most countries in Europe hate you people this time if you people make problems in Kosova you people will be reduced to rubble i guarantee it!!!
i am saddened that you find srebrenica funny but it's not laughing matter the fact is you people killed 8000 Bosnian men and children in that town and you killed many more all over the Balkans i heard of a story that a Muslim woman in Bosnia was pregnant and a serbian officer raped her, beat her and then shot her five times in the stomach killing her and the baby she had inside her womb same thing you did in kosova. you people are finished in that town. move on with your life you and your criminal government. you people should ask your self will God ever forgive what you people did in the ballkans and you people still support you serbian criminal soldiers and police and government. shame on you
i am european and i live in the balkans. can we not all try to live peacefully together ? the unified europe was created in order to avoid war and to have peace after world war second. europe is the product of us europeans, and it will only work if we all contribute something to it. once we will be all unified in this europe, but will we then still raise the question of boarders and religion ? lets rather concentrate on the process of unifying, then raising issues from the past and present which seem not be solvable and for which we will not find a solution that might satisfy everybody. replace the word nationalism by culture, replace the word boarder by schengen. i admit, that europe has made a lot of mistakes in the balkans and still seems not to be able to act unified as proven in the kosovo question. nevertheless churchill once said: "the balkans have more history than it can consume" and he was right.
the balkans is the challange of europe and also its achilles heel.
but we are all part of this europe and a unified europe will only work out if we want to be unified and if we want to have peace. could we imagine that albanians, kosovo-albanians and serbs are living peacefully together in a unified europe without boarders and respect the culture and religion of eachother ? i hope serbia will decide to go for europe, but i also understand serbia's reaction.
if europe cannot solve the conflicts in the balkans, these conflicts will become part of europe.
Raja, this is a great article!
As you say, “there is no limit to this Balkanization once we’ve opened the flood gates. Kosovo has set the precedent for several ethnic struggles…”
Kosovo’s independence will definitely have consequences around the world.
In the near future, we may see escalation of conflict in the Basque region of Spain, fighting for independent Kurdistan, problems in Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and many other countries. German Spiegel comments that “many countries fear that their separatist groups could choose to emulate developments in the Balkans.”
Bosnia will definitely go through a lot of uncertainty. In December 1995, Bosnia ended its three-sided bloody war that lasted for almost four years. Since then, the country is formally divided into two, and informally into three ethnically homogeneous parts. It is very possible that some ethnic groups in Bosnia could decide to follow Kosovo’s path and seek partition of the country. German newspaper Handelsblatt writes that “the West will have problems explaining why one is against Republika Srpska [Bosnian Serb entity in Bosnia] when Kosovo's secession was deemed acceptable. Keeping the artificial state Bosnia-Herzegovina together against the will of the Bosnian Serbs will, in any case, be difficult.”
SAVO HELETA
Author of "Not My Turn to Die:
Memoirs of a Broken Childhood in Bosnia"
http://savoheleta.livejournal.com
One of the great qualities of Georgetown Univresity has always been the rigor of its studies, particualrly in the field of international affairs. I am somewhat disturbed that the author of the above article did not bother to research his theme, which reads like a C plus midterm essay written after a few beers at the Tombs. I am also unhappy that the editors of the Hoya decided to publish a piece sourced primarily by the propaganda machine of the Milosevic dictatorship.
As a Serb American, I am sickened by what Milosevic did to our country and by his apologists who would seek to hold on to Kosovo after he lost it. It's time to wake up and smell the kafa. Kosovo is gone. Milosevic lost it when he tried to cleanse it of 90% of its population. Before 1998, we could have offered it autonomy and self government and kept it in Serbia. Since the conflict, no Albanian will ever feel secure under Serb rule. The only alternatives are separation of Kosovo or war between Serbs and Albanians until one or the other is cleansed.
This is the precedent Kosovo sets. The international community will only consider independence when there is no other option. Kosovo sets a rather high standard for other independence movements to meet. Marti Ahtisaari was able to resolve the conflict in Aceh without supporting spearation. In Kosovo, he found that impossible.
Finally, a thought for Americans. In our own Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes....but when a long train of abuses and usurpations ... envinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government..." Were we to oppose Kosovo independence, would we not be denying the very principles upon which our own nation was founded?
Well what can I say about this article,very biased and one sided. The fact that you started your article by stating that the war in Yugoslavia started because Eu and USa recognized Croatia's declared independence speaks volume.
Well let me remind you that it was Slovenia who declared its independence first followed by Croatia and the rest of republics, the last being Kosova. The reason why Slovenia went away was very simple, by removing Kosova's & Vojvodina's autonomy(1974's) by Serbia's forces, Serbia had 3 votes in Yugoslavia's parliament while others had one. By doing so Serbia's intentions were to rule Yugoslavia as it pleased them. Slovenia and other republics saw this and said no, followed by declaration of independence.
Serbia in other hand attacked Slovenia and then Croatia, destroying everything that was not Serb. Need I tell you the stories of Vukuvar and other towns of Croatia? Serbia then concentrated on Knin where majority were Serbs but nonetheless there were other nationalities living there as well. By Serbia's army all non Serbs were either killed or expelled from knin and then Knin declared their own Krajina(Autonomy). This was due to genocide upon non Serbs and people of Knin area.
Croatia and EU saw the Serbia's goals and of course helped Croatia to arm themself and defend themself, hence, Croatia, they took it back the area of Knin. Obviously the Serbs from Knin knew that what they did to their Croatian neighbors during this genocide, the Croatian army will do to them, hence when they left Knin, Serbia's Gov moved them to Kosova.
Since Serbia did not succeeded in Croatia they turned their army and genocide to Bosnia, hoping to gain some more land. Mind you, Serbia never cared for Serbians, only for land and as history show us, look at Kosova's Serbs how they being manipulated with their lives by Serbia's Gov.
By killing, raping, burning everything that was not a Serb, Serbia managed to create Republica Srpska and this was done for one reason only. To grab another part of the land and to use that for later wars. Now, after they created the self called republica Srpska, thanks to genocide, they went back to kill other nationality, which they loved to do as they did for centuries, the Albanians.
We Albanians who chose our leader Ibrahim Rugova and peaceful means for dialogue were hoping that EU and USA will not allow the same genocide as in Srebrenica and other parts of Yugoslavia. Even more, knowing that Serbs hated us so much so that one can only read comments of a Serbian poster posting as Thaci Terrorist? noooo, at 03/16/08 3:39 am. He shows quite openly and without a single shame that the Albanian race should be culled. What would one with a common sense need an explaination from such comments. And believe you me this is not just one off comment from a Serb, this is a typical Serb's vision and dream of every single Serb. Quick reminder for this poster, this shows how strong believers we Albanians are for our culture, language and heritage .
We were there for centuries before you Slavs came to Kosova and despite being occupied by you, Serbs, Turks, Italians, Germans and who not, we still protected our culture and language. Of course you Serbs and other occupiers tried every single possible means to assimilate us but you failed, and thanks God for that.
Therefore after many killings, rapes, burn houses and expels from our houses we had no choice but to defend our children, women and elderely defenceless nation. We grabbed the weapons, which by the way most of them were bought from the Serbs, this explains alot i guess, knowing that those weapons could've been used againts Serbs of Kosova. Of course we bought weapons from other sources as well, mainly from Albania.
Now, everyone with common sense explain to me, if someone comes to your house, shoots your child in the cradle while asleep, rapes your pregnant wife in front of you and then kill her, what would you do? I am sure you know the answer.
I can see another Serbian post By Slobodan (not verified) on 03/15/08 7:41 pm claiming to be peaceful and wishing peace to other muslims(I assume us Albanians). Let me ask you Slobodan, what kind of peaceful means you mean, the same as you offered people of Vukuvar in Croatia, or Srebrenica in Bosnia or Albanians in Kosova, UNMIK's police in North of Mitrovica and embassies in Belgrade? Thanks but not thanks.
One can take a shepherd from the village but never the village from a shepherd. The same with you Serbs, it is in your genes to kill defenseless children, it is in your genes and your blood to rape pregnant women and then kill them, it is in your genes to lie, as one of your very famous Serbian actor once said.
So please enough with such false offers and crocodile tears. The world knows who you are and what you stand for hence the recognition of Kosova.
Which brings me to another point. There are comments that Kosova is precedent for other regions, like Basque in Spain,Kurds in Irak and Turkey, Tibet and so on. Well I have one simple answer to that. But before I give you that simple answer let me tell you that under no circumstances should Republica Srpska claim to be the same or has the same rights as Kosova.
Why? Well because R Srpska was created upon genocide and those towns were occupied for the very same reason that you Serbs are now claiming. Knowing that one day Kosova has to be free and Independent then we(you Serbs) can always argue that R Srpska should be as wel. And since Eu and the world are not going to recognize R Srpska, we(you Serbs) can argue that they shouldn't recognize Kosova either.
Well my friends, world is not as naive as you thought will be, they saw this coming hence the recognition of Kosova and full support from major EU states(over 20) USA and most of G8 group. Nice try but far fetched. Google kosovathanksyou dot com
As for my simple answer that I promised above, well just to remind you that Basque, Quebec, Tibet, Tamils and others, they were seeking independence all the time, haven't they? They didn't appear now (as R Srpska did) just because Kosova won its freedom and independence. They were there just as it was Kosova and they will seek their independece with or without Kosova being recognised no matter what.
Therefore, I don't see the logic here, why Kosova will make precedent to the above mentioned regions? Their aim will not change at all, I mean, let's say Kosova did not win the independence, can someone , honestly, say that Tibet, Taiwan, Basque and others will stop seeking independence?
Honestly, this is an honest question which need an honest answer. Therefore my dear friends stop using Kosova's freedom for your own selfish games(read bloody wars).
What it would be precedent is if Kosova is partitioned and if the Serbs in Northern Mitrovica seeks their own way or with Serbia, then this can set a precedent for Albanians in Preshevo Valley, Albanians in Macedonia and Monte Negro and R Srpska in Bosnia. Does the world want this, does Serbia want to let Albanians from Presheva Valley go? I don't thinks so nor do I think that MonteNegro is keen to see Kosova partition for the above mentioned reason and the least such scenario wants Macedonia. Therefore, Montenegro and Macedonia will recognize us soon on current Kosova's borders which were set since 1974.( I know it is much longer than 1974 but I am using this date because since that date Kosova had the right to self govern, had its own parliament and constitution with the right to vote just like other republics in Yugoslavia)
If you ask me, all those regions that had their borders known for over 50 years or so, and did not create those borders/states upon genocide and killings , let them be free.
Yes you heard me right, for all those I say let them free and independent. If they live in fears, if they are being killed just because they are different from others, if they are being suppressed, raped, their houses burned, they heritage and culture destroyed/denied, their language denied, let them free NOW.
As for By legaleye (not verified) on 03/15/08 6:01 am, comments about Albanians burning churches (over 150) according to him and genocide upon Serbs. Well this is very simple aswell, did Albanian soldier came to Serbia and did this genocide or did Serbian soldiers came to our houses. You mention that Serbs are the victims of genocide hence the refugees from Croatia, Bosnia and Kosova. Well you should ask you government why they started a war and genocide on these regions and you will get the answer. The fact that Serbian government sent Serb refugees from Knin(Croatia) to Kosova, promised them houses, flats, cars and well paid jobs just so they can change the numbers of Serbs in Kosova and then started the war for very same reason, defending the Serbs because they are a lot of them in Kosova. Only for those refugees to run again, now in Serbia, because there were no place for them to go, shows how much Serbia's government cared about its own people.
Even today, if it wasn't for Serbia's Gov interference and brainwashing K-Serbs minority, the K- Serbs minority would've had a much better life in Kosova then those in Serbia. Remember it would be very stupid and suicide for us Albanians to kill a Serbian minority knowing that the whole world is watching us and we are in trial with our Independence, so to speak. Those event that happened in 2004 one should look in much greater perspective and ask one simple question.
Who benefited from those attacks on churches and Serbian minority? Definitely not us, Albanians, hence it was the hand of Serbia's Goverment which then was followed or finnished by angry, naive Albanians calling for revenge. The setting up the dogs toward 3 Albanian kids and then one or two of them drowned in the river while running for their life made Albanians angry as well but not as far as burning churches. Only when Serbia's Gov and secret services of MUP(Serbian Police) reached the magic hand did some angry Albanians fell into this trap. The result are obvious, and the fact that Serbia is mention the burning of these churches on every possible way speaks volume and tells us who is behind all this.
The same Serbia's Gov who burned embassies in Belgrade, Kosova's borders, attacked UNMIK and kFOR, killded an UNMIK Ukranian police in northern Mitrovica are the same who initiated the burning of churches. By the way this was the first UNMIK's police killed in Kosova and this was killed by the Serbs. Also, even though very sad, most of the churches that were burned are those build after 1989, when Milosevic came to power and started building churches so he can Serbianize Kosova even more.
According to your Church Leader from Kosova, the one that ask for Serbians to mobilise and buy the latest weapons, just like Slobodan above and the other Serb calling to kill Albanians, he said there were 30 churches burned or vandalised. Never the less, those churches belong to Kosova's heritage just like 600 mosques, which as we all know they were all destroyed and burned.
Other important building of Albanian heritage that were destroyed, were over 500 Kullas. Kullat are high houses build from stones and were as old as some of the churches and mosques destroyed. This were of typical Albanian heritage and architectural buildings of Albanians. Another important fact is worth mentioning, Albanians never destroyed religious objects/buildings, ever, we were majority all our life in Kosova but never touched them, in contrary we defended them many times from other occupiers.
Now all of the sudden, after Serbs destroyed all mosques in Bosnia, some Catholic churches in Croatia and later mosques and kullat in Kosova, we see Kosova's Orthodox churches burned. Why is that, one wonders? Or who would've done that? Well, I guess those who know the best and who have experience doing just that.
And another fact, it seems that there are so many facts that one need to fill 10000 of these pages. The fact that Serbia knew that one day Albanians will say enough is enough of these suppression, beatings, imprisonment, killings, rapes, expelling from schools and houses tell us how poor Kosova was compare to Serbia and other republics in Yugoslavia.
You can tell from Serbia's and other republics infrastructure why Serbia never allowed any major investment in Kosova. Because they knew that they can't keep Kosova under their boot for ever. They knew that Kosova will one day be independent, hence they invested in Belgrade and other part of Yugoslavia. They knew that Kosova will be independent, hence they created the false republic of Srpska so they can stir trouble in balkan region. They didn't say for nothing, Kosova radi a Beograd se gradi- Kosova is working but Belgrade is being build
I am sure the worl was clever enough to see this coming hence the action and their policies in region, for the sake of peace in balkan they were forced to bomb Serbia because they knew that the only language Serbia can understand is force and only if defeated, like they were, one can think and hope about the peace in the region and the world.
P.S I had a dream and still dream for certain things, therefore my dear Serb friends,one thing I will never try is to stop you dreaming, hence my message, keep on dreaming about Kosova is Serbija but as you will realize one day, this dream will never come true, EVER.
There are striking similarities between the genocidal atrocities in Kosovo and those against the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
I am part of a student-run advocacy organization that works to ameliorate the human rights and humanitarian crisis for Tamils in Sri Lanka, and I would love to collaborate with other Georgetown students on this.
Please contact me at tdm33 if this is something you may be interested in helping with.
Many thanks,
Tasha
Sorry but seems that u dont hawe any idea whats happened,...I was raising in ex.Yugoslavia and i must say that Albans did lots of damage and nationality haist (And still do. There was a many deferent nations who lived together for a 50 years and every nacionality troubles in my town has been maid from Albans they allways behawe provocative and make troubles...i dont want to spit ower the whole nation but its true in Slovenia they teach us tu stay away from them because they are dangerous a little mistake and ull get a knife in ur back ,..Im not owereacting the most biggest mafia organizations are Albans and somehow of all the nations that lives in Slovenia they are only ones who dont speak Slovenian lenguage or they dont want to speak. They are living here for 20 years and still infecting others with Alban proud and big antiserbian movements youst last week a Serbian boy was killed in a center of the capital city, u can guess by who. Same thing happened in Serbia a long time before Nato shows up. There was a blood family revenges in Kosovo from ages ago, i know because i was in Leskovac(city near Kosovo)last year and the people tells me lots of things that happened. They plan this and they build battlefield in kosovo like the tunels under the Kosovo because they planed to eticly clean kosovo for Albans. U see now whats hapening when Carla del ponte found evidences that Americans cover up killings of Serbs youst that they can attack serbs. This kinda strategy tells u that Americans hawe their own plans.Why they didnt stop killing 200000 of Serbs in croatia or in bosnia they youst turn Serbs as agressor but the true is far from this. Now they want to ban carla and shut her down,...so think obout that and dont forget that in history biggest threat was Albans in every war, they was with the enemy(World war 2)The biggest SS command centers was in Albania. When the Turks attack they were again against Serbs. The history is repeating.....U can see the population of Serbs in Kosovo and do the Math who killed who.I joust want to say one last thing, as a wisitor in Serbia i meet lots of Albans, i travel lots of serbia and every where i went i saw Albans,... Why then the Serbs cant live in Kosovo. And for all the readers understanding, im not Serb so i am strictly observer.
That is i was talking obout,.....u cant change the primitive mentality,...its in ur genes, and u know what they say obout biggest raipist and murderes in history,....Its like Hittler blaming others for murders,...And did the Slovenian State brainwash us to??
Obout haiting i think u r i the 1st place in the Europe lol not Serbs,...
To valon u dude dont hawe no idea obout history. Do u even know where are Ilirians come from ?? And ill give u some clue who do u think came with turks when they evading europe,..
Dr. Sabrina P, Ramet have written a article titled "Under the holy lime tree" and who is or is not familiar with the Albanian, Croatian, Slovenian, Bosnians in one side and Serbian in the other it will be very helpful. You with find many answers to your question into this genocidal mentality. It is well documented and researched although it is little bit long but it is worth every letter of it. I will give you a synopsis
Six pivotal themes in Serbian propaganda:
1. Victimization, in which Serbs were constructed as collective victims first of the NDH, then of Tito’s Yugoslavia, and more specifically of Croats, Albanians, Bosnians, and other non-Serbs.
2. Dehumanization of designated ‘others’, in which Croats were depicted as ‘genocidal’ and as ‘Ustaše’, Bosnians were portrayed as ‘fanatical fundamentalists’, and Albanians were represented as not fully human. These processes of dehumanization effectively removed these designated ‘others’ from the moral field, sanctifying their murder or expulsion.
3. Belittlement, in which Serbia’s enemies were represented as
beneath contempt.
4. Conspiracy, in which Croats, Slovenes, Albanians, the Vatican,
Germany, Austria, and sometimes also the Bosnians as well as the U.S. and other foreign states, were seen as united in a conspiracy to break up the SFRY and hurt Serbia. In this way, the Belgrade regime’s obstinate disregard for the fundamental standards of international law was dressed up as heroic defiance of an anti-Serb conspiracy.
5. Entitlement, in which the Serbs were constructed as ‘entitled’ to create a Greater
Serbian state to which parts of Croatia and Bosnia would be attached, under the motto,’ All Serbs should live in one state.’
6. Superhuman powers and divine sanction. The Serbs were told that they were, in some sense, “super”. They were the best fighters on the planet, they could stand up to the entire world, and they were sanctioned by God himself, because of Tsar Lazar and the fact that Lazar had chosen the heavenly kingdom. Moreover, since Lazar had chosen the heavenly kingdom, the Serbs, encouraged to view themselves as Lazar’s heirs, were entitled to the earthly kingdom which Lazar had repudiated, as their patrimony.
Janez I'm sorry but you seem very primitive to me. First conceptually, second historically, third personality fraud (you seem very Serb to me not even a shred of Slovenian in you) and finally terribly primitive linguistically. (Please learn some English before posting here so we can understand your point)
I’m an Albanian living in USA and proud. My name is Alban.
No comment albiqete, Thats my story u shoud see whats happening to Serbs and Roms in kosovo then u talk. It doesent mather what is my nationality and how good my english is, important thing is that people hear from someone who has been there and see the real true.
And u shoud be proud my friend youst dot write lies,.....Good luck
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