Serbia's colony demands independence
The narrow victory of Boris Tadic in Serbia’s presidential election on 3 February slightly lessens the tensions over the independence of Kosova. But only slightly.
Kosova’s elected government, currently operating under UN control, was likely to declare independence immediately if Tadic’s rival Tomislav Nikolic had won the presidency. Now it will delay a few weeks.
Kosova, 90% Albanian in population, was conquered by Serbia in 1912, and again after World War Two. It was a “colony” of Serbia for most of the 20th century. Its people have a right to self-determination.
From about 1974 to 1988 Kosova enjoyed fairly liberal autonomy. Then Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic launched a crackdown, culminating in an attempt in 1999 to massacre or drive out the Albanian population.
In face of NATO bombing, Milosevic eventually withdrew from Kosova, and the following year his rule in Serbia was topped by popular revolt.
Since 1999 Kosova has been under UN control. Chauvinism still runs warm in Serbia. Tadic does not dare recognise Kosovar independence, but - unlike Nikolic - he is determined to get Serbia into the EU, and knows that most EU states will recognise Kosovar independence.
Serbian prime minister Vojislav Kostunica refused to back Tadic for president - although Tadic’s party is part of his government - because he considered Tadic too “soft” on Kosova. Kostunica is more “eurosceptic” than Tadic.
Relations are further envenomed by the persecution by Kosova’s Albanian majority of its Serbian minority.
Because most of the big powers (except Russia) are willing to accept Kosova’s independence, and Serbian imperialism is relatively small-scale and regional, some on the left are inclined to deny Kosova’s rights. But the rights of oppressed nations are not conditional on the power oppressing them being the USA, or a US ally.
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huh
If you're about to write such delicate stuffs, you should inform first. Kosovo was Serbia's center in medieval period, and was lost in 1389, while last of Serbia's states fell under Ottoman rule in 1459. Kosovo was one of the first that fell under their rule. They forced Serbs to leave in northern parts of the Ottoman empire and in Austro-Hungary, but a lot of Serbs remained on Kosovo. Serbia claimed independence in 1878, but Kosovo was one of many areas that remained under Ottoman rule until the Balkan wars (1912 and 1913). That's why it wasn't RE-CONQUERED earlier.
And Kosovo is getting the independence so that NATO could have its own muslim-loyal-state in the middle of Europe. But, sooner or later it will brake their noses.
simply not true
Serbia LIBERATED Kosovo in 1912. At that time, there WAS NOT 90% of Albanian population there. At the same year Albania was liberated and formed in the areas where most of Albanias lived.
Kosovo advanced a lot, compared to Albania, under Serbian rule. But under Yugoslavia's rule (and Croatian president Tito) Serbs were forced out of Kosovo. That's why now there is 90% of Albanians in Kosovo.
And I do not understand support for Kosovo from workers' site, if you take into consideration state of workers' and human rights in Kosovo. There are no real unions in Kosovo, and everything is solved within "family" or clans. Although, situation in Serbia is still not good, it is much, much better than in Kosovo.
Regards from Czech Republic, Igor
Trotsky on Kosova
This is how Leon Trotsky, who was a war correspondent in the area at the time, described the Serbian conquest of Kosova.
"They had fought the Turks in order to 'liberate' the Christians, they had massacred peaceful Turks and Albanians in order to correct the ethnographical statistics of population...
"All through those places a terrible tornado has raged, which has torn up, broken, mangled, reduced to ashes everything that man's labour has created, has maimed and crushed man himself, and mortally laid low the young generation... The Turks burned and massacred as they fled. The local Christians, where they had the advantage, burned and slaughtered as the allied armies drew near. The soldiers finished off the wounded, and ate up or carried off everything they could lay hands on. The partisans, following at their heels, plundered, violated, burned..."
To be sure, Kosova was mainly Serbian in 1389... But the posthumous rights of the Serbs of 1389 do not override the rights of the living Kosovar Albanians of 1912 or 2008.
I have no political sympathy for Kosova's government, and I denounce the mistreatment of the Serbian minority in Kosova. But the Kosovars have the right to self-determination.
Because they are Muslim, they will automatically be loyal to NATO? Muslims all just naturally love the USA and NATO? Not likely.
political situation in 1912 and in 2008
I would not deny the way wars were fought by the beginning of 20th century. I would just remind that at the same time more civilized nations did more or less the same (for example U.S. vs Sioux at Wounded Knee Massacre). Also, I would like to remind that during wars from 1912-1918 Serbia had more than 1 million casualties out of 4 million population.
Clarification about self-determination. By the time people of Yugoslavia started to separate (1990) Serbia proposed that everybody SHOULD have right to self-determinate. But Serbian population in Croatia was denied that right. Also, both Croatian and Serbian population in Bosnia were denied that. International community established rule that border of republics can not be changed. So just simple question: Should Serbs in Bosnia have right to self-determination? Should Serbs in Northern Kosovo have the same right?
And about NATO loyality. It's simple. NATO is the only army in Kosovo (KFOR). And its a strong one (at one moment 50,000 soldiers on 2 million population). That's how "NATO could have its own muslim-loyal-state".
Further comments
Several further (lengthy) comments, mostly by Arthur Bough, can be found here.
Free Kosova
It's about time to recognize the historical right of Kosova (Dardania) to have its destiny fulfilled-That is full independence. Kosova never was a Serbian province. It was there, since the times of birth of European civilization, a very distinct Dardanian/llyrian identity. Always populated by Dardanias who, although under constant pressure of forcefully migration by Serbian shovinism, Tito's Yugoslavia & Milloshevic's Serbia, still make up 92% of the population. They speak ilirian language with the dialect GEGE. Serbs always have been a minority there. We know that Serbs appeared in Balkans (then llyria) only by the 6th Century AD, and they speak a language more similar to Ukrainian then Russian. They have always been a minority and 'the story' of Kosova being the Heartland of Serbia is just a pure Serbian nationalist fantasy. Facts Speak Louder Than Words and Serbian’s Lies Will Collapse by Themselves. Serbs always have been considered as oppressors there, not just by Albanian majority, but also by other ethnic groups too. Serbs just occupied Kosova during the rise of the Serbian nationalism early 20th century from Ottomans, who by then were loosing the Balkans after 500 years of occupation. The borders of Kosova are well established and recognized. Now Kosova should be Free!
I can’t comprehend how a minority of 7% of the population, pretend to take off the land, the language, culture and the life of the rest of Kosova. Kosovars have the right to live free and independent in their land where they are born, generation after generation, live and will die.
From Time Immemorial
There are lots of peoples that lived in particular places in the mist of history. What does this have to do with how Marxists try here and now to build working class unity across borders? The Scots, the Welsh, the Cornish, not to mention all those that lived in themany Kingdoms that came to be England, the various nationalities that came to be France or Italy or most other European nation states could say the same thing. Marxists defend bourgeois democratic rights including the right of self-determination. That does not mean advocating such rights when they conflict with our main task of building working class untiy. That is why as lenin said Marxists are loathe except under exceptional conditions to support the creation of new class states. It usually means encouraging workers to jump from one reactionary frying pan into an often worse reactionary fire, it encourages bouregois nationalism and works against the main emphasis of Marxists towards greater centralisation as the best conditions of both building workers unity internaitonally, and for workers action.
The solution to the problems of workers in Kosovo lies through socialism not through bouregois nationalism.
Arthur Bough
No to Slavic Socialism. Yes to Capitalistic Democracy
To find the answer for the question “do you think Kosovo’s independence will strengthen separatist movements elsewhere”, and what Slavic Socialism means, please refer to:
http://www.acesofww2.com/germany/aces/Hartmann.htm
Erich Hartman – top ace of all the time. German Luftwaffe Bf 109 Pilot.
Near the end of WWII, in early May 1945, Hartmann, then Gruppenkommandeur of famous Jagdgeschwader 52, and his Commodore, Hermann Graf, ground crew, family members, and other civilians, who had joined the squadron, seeking protection approaching Russian army, moved west in direction of territory already occupied by US troops. On May 8th, 1945, the soldiers and civilians surrendered to US troops in the region between Bavaria (German province) and Czech border. But on May 17th, the US Army delivered all of these German troops and civilians to the Red Army. How did the Russian troops treat the civilians? They tortured, raped German woman, children at least 12 years old. Some woman were shot after the rapes. Others were not so lucky. A twelve year old girl whose mother had been raped and shoot being raped by several solders. She died from these acts soon afterward. Then more Russian came, and it began all over again. During the night, entire German families committed suicide with men killing their wives and daughters, then themselves. This is the way the Slavic treat the human been, the innocent civilians. This is the way the Serbs treated innocent Croatian, Bosnian and Dardanian civilians. This is Slavic SOCIALISM. If any entity of human been will be treated like that, then they are in title to ask and gain the independence. Kosova will be a CAPITALISTIC - DEMOCRATIC - NATION.
Warning; Viewer discretion advised. Graphic images may be disturbing to some viewers.
http://www.gendercide.org/case_kosovo.html
http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/Kosovo/Kosovo-Massacres.htm
http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/Kosovo/Kosovo-Photographs.htm
Racist
Such barbarities had nothing to do with the Russian soldiers being Slavs to suggest so is thoroughly racist, which is one of the outcomes of bouregois nationalism. Barbarity is a function of human degradation, and particulalry in war one of the consequences of the dehumanisation that necessarily arises. The Germans that perpetrated similar and worse atrocities against the Russians, Poles, Jews, Gypsies etc. were not Slavs nor were there Croat accomplices during WWII. The Albanians that committed atrocities against Serb men, women and children in Kosovo were not Slavs. Barbarity is unfortunately not the preserve of particular peoples it is a function of class society including and especially the capitalist class society you seem to favour for Kosovo.
Arthur Bough
It is a pattern over there, from Russians to Serbians.
The Slavic Socialism of Serbia during 90 ties, has killed hundred of thousands and forcefully deported millions of Croatian, Bosnian and Kosovar innocent civilians. Those Terrorist acts and Monstrous Crimes were committed not only by the Serbian Army but also by Armed Serbian Population (paramilitary Serbian Groups) to.
http://www.gendercide.org/case_kosovo.html
"Many others in the Mafia-ridden Serb regime played a crucial role in planning and perpetrating the atrocies in Kosovo. Down to the operational level, Yugoslav military commanders stood by as the notorious paramilitary forces, who had done most of the gendercidial dirty work in Bosnia and Croatia, were sent in to "cleanse" and destroy Kosovar Communities"
After Liberation of Kosova by NATO troops, those Serbian Terrorist and Criminals fled and found shelter somewhere in the core of Serbia, and now, they like bloodthirsty hyenas are getting in and out at the north of Mitrovica.
Masked Serbian Paramilitaries in civilian clothes attacked KFOR and UNMIK troops with Military RGN OFFENSIVE HAND GRENADES and small firearms, killing one and wounding many others. The UN forces were ordered not to return fire.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-23-30/appd.htm
Their strategy is to inflict damages and demoralize Law Enforcement Troops, killing and wounding UNMIK and KFOR forces.
The Terrorist State of Serbia has changed their identities and only DNA test will prove they are aliens and not Kosovar Serbian.
The Mafia-ridden Serb regime and their Terrorist State, has to be held accountable and responsible for all of theirs actions. They have to pay for more than 10000 killed Kosovars and 450000 homes, destroyed in Kosova by them. Is going to take more than 100 years for EU to change this monster from a beast to humanoid.
Nationalism and Racism
The above post illustrates how Nationalism, necessarily engenders racism. By seeing the plight, and solution of Kosovans purely in nationalistic terms, as opposed to seeing Kosovan workers be they Serb or Albanian as workers with a shared interest, it sees Kosovans ONLY as either Alabanian or Serb with necessarily antagonistic as opposed to shared interests. Unable to see the roots of the problem within class society it is forced to focus on the characteristics of the two communities, and to take sides and apportion blame. As the above post demonstrates this can result in a display of the most appalling racist sentiment as the above post does.
There is no doubt that some Serbs have been responsible for atrocoties, but it is equally true that Albanians, and Croatians have also been responsible for atrocities. That is the nature of communal conflicts. But, it is thoroughly racist to brand all Serbs, or all Croats or all Albanians as some form of monster or non-human. A solution cannot be found through such racist sentiments deriving from nationalism, but only by a rejection of nationalism in favour of proletarian internationalism, a central focus not on the ethnicity of workers, but on their common bond, as members of the world working class.
Arthur Bough
Pure Nationalism and Racism.
True and Pure RACISM & NATIONALISM.
While the world community was moving toward the democracy (events in 90’ies), only two nations tried to turn the “Wheel of History Backward”. Those two nations were Serbia and Iraq. The explanation for their actions has only two words, Madness and Insanity.
From this disease suffered Germans during the Nazis and the result is very well known.
Damages to their neighbors and destruction to their self. All of these three nations arrived at this point, after the governments succeeded in brainwashing their Nation’s People.
There is a parallel between Geman Nazis actions against Jews, and Serbian (Serbo-Centrist and Serbo-Chauvinists) actions against Croatia, Bosnia and Kosova.
Nazi anti-Semitic propaganda was an important factor - perhaps even the key psychological factor - in convincing the perpetrators that they were doing something
"good" for German society by killing Jews.
Serbo-Centrist and Serbo-Chauvinist propaganda, was an important factor - perhaps even the key psychological factor - in convincing the perpetrators that they were doing something "good" for Serbian society by killing Croatian, Bosnian and Kosovars.
The duty of German police was to protect the innocent, but it was then of the conviction that the Jews were not innocent but guilty. The propaganda that all
Jews were criminals and subhuman and that they were the cause of Germany's
decline after the First World War, brainwashed German People, and most of them participated in the extermination of the Jews.
The duty of Serbian police was to protect the innocent, but it was then of the conviction that the Croats, Bosnian and Kosovars were not innocent but guilty. The propaganda that all those people were criminals and subhuman and that they were the cause of Serbia decline, after the Collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet/Communist Control System, brainwashed Serbian People, and most of them participated in the extermination of the Croatians, Bosnians and Kosovars.
The Independence of Kosova is a Reality. The actions of the Serbia and Serbians convince everybody that they are determined to go in the same course. They are unable to change course, unable to produce positive results, and they are going to be in trouble ...
Serbia has a terrible record of protecting the rights of minorities, this is well known.
The day when Serbs will be able to visit Srebrenica in Bosnia, or Kosova with their kids just as Germans visit today Auschwitz, only then peace will come in this troubled region and the Serbian nation will move forward.
And what about
those Albanian, and Croats that slaughtered Serbs? You seem to have blinkers when it comes to atrocities, that is how come you can describe a whole people as "beasts". That is the blinkers of nationalism and racism. It is why it can offer no solution that is progressive for workers.
Arthur Bough