[AKI-News] Where is the Democracy?

[AKI News]

Advocates for Kosova's Independence (AKI)
January 31, 2002

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  ** AKI Newsletter, Issue 7 **
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When wrestling with the current complexities in creating a stable Kosova,
it's easy for those involved on all sides to feel burnt-out, easy to ask
oneself, "why bother?"  Many geopolitical forces have come to bear on this
one tiny place.  There are so many layers of poorly-defined competing
interests.  It's especially confusing now due to the loss of U.S. leadership
and interest in the Balkans.  The original goal of creating a clear, openly
democratic, and fair strategy to determine a final status, a process that
represents the best interest of the current population being governed, seems
overwhelming.

Historically, since 1912, if not before, it had been customary to blame the
Albanians for the resulting poverty, disorder, and confusion in the UN
protectorate.  Nowadays, world leaders ignore the fact that a high
percentage of Kosova's civil population went to the polls and without ethnic
violence, calmly elected a moderate government (or so they thought).  Thus,
the current trend of US politicians and others to shout "extremism!" as a
reason to deny or delay the Albanians' a process of self-determination is
not based in reality, but fiction, reflecting a cultural bias against the
so-called "lawless Albanians" that has persisted throughout history.

In fact, the election in Kosova was conducted far more fairly than the
recent presidential election in the U.S.  And we do not need to look far to
find other such double standards.  Crime?  Kosova's myriad gas stations are
engaged in money-laundering?  What about America's Enron crisis, a scandal
in which the very highest level of our government is involved?  Will
internationals deny our right to self-expression because of Enron or the
Bush electoral process?  Of course not. Rugova is a weak president with
self-serving interests? Okay. True. But what about that invisible,
now-you-see-him-now-you-don't vice president, Dick Cheney?

What to conclude from this? That democracy must be earned by civil virtue
measured and predetermined by various outsiders' feelings and frustrations?
NO. Such a self-righteous posture is not based by any kind of socially just
principles nor by any measurable goals. Instead, we can conclude that
self-righteousness is both universal and universally self-serving, and as
present in Kosova - as in other societies. The principle we must uphold and
protect is that democracy in the 21st century is a universal right, not an
international option, inviolable by any organization or institution,
including the United Nations, whose primary mission it is to uphold this
right for those who are not yet included, those who have been colonized.

Fortunately for Americans, democracy for us is not held tantalizingly just
out of reach, jerked out of sight by a cadre of internationals at every
shortcoming our society experiences. We do not lose our Constitution or our
basic liberties because of a scandal like Enron or a confused and confusing
presidential election. We Americans do not face a future in which we have no
choice but to be linked to a nation that recently tried to kill, and did
brutally kill without a single apology or remorse, thousands of our
citizens. Imagine our distress if our political future were tied to the Al
Quaida! Imagine how this would polarize our population!  Milosevic
nationalists play a strong and enduring role in Serbia.

Nevertheless, of course, the current level of regional violence is
absolutely unacceptable. The calls for an end to murder, crime, and violence
in Kosova by international leaders are both necessary and correct and should
be echoed by civic leadership at all levels. In fact, if Kosova's political
leaders do not begin to speak out responsibly on issues of violence and
ethnic hatred, perhaps there should be real, concrete consequences imposed
on them for promulgating this kind of civic indifference and
irresponsibility.

However, the idea of withdrawing the universally guaranteed right of
self-determination and representative government from a civil population in
the 21st century is not only cruel, morally backward, and discriminatory, it
is, according to international human rights laws and charters, possibly
ILLEGAL. The citizens of Kosova deserve an open, representative process
towards a final status by which to achieve their political goals.
International leaders and local political leaders have yet to see that basic
fact. Thus, there remains no starting point to solve the problems of Kosova.
The bungling start to the Kosova Parliament is a symptom of this very grave
shortcoming.

Sincerely,
AKI Team


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 * A R T I C L E S *
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KOSOVALIVE.COM
weekly summary

Constitutional Framework Criticized in Follow-Up Kosova Report
January 22, 2002


PRISHTINA (KosovaLive) - The Independent International Commission on Kosova
have released a 43-page follow-up report detailing the necessary conditions
for conditional independence in the region. Their original report was
published in October 2000, and two years later, the commission has
reevaluated its original conclusions in favour of an independent Kosova. The
Independent International Commission on Kosova was established as an
initiative of the Prime Minister of Sweden, Goran Persson, to provide an
objective analysis of the events during and after the war in Kosova, and to
research the lessons to be learned. The Commission is independent of any
government or institution, national or international.

The report identifies the need for improvements such as the reduction of
nationalistic aspirations towards Kosova, yet also maintains that the region
is still considered a symbol of the Serb national identity. "Not enough
pressure was put on the new [Serb] regime, specifically in relation to
KosovaŠ to get rid of this nationalism," continued Tham. "So we are somewhat
critical towards the international community in that respect."

The Commission praised the accomplishments of UNMIK and KFOR in their
endeavors to rebuild, and improve the standards of human rights, but they
stopped short to put forward their own parallel of the United Nations as a
"protectorate" of Kosova, exercising an "imperial power" in a "colonial
relationship." The report stated, "If you are here to create a democracy, it
is somewhat paradoxical if this democracy is so restricted that the people
of Kosova cannot rule themselves but the main decisions are taken by this
imperial power."

The uncertainty of a future status for Kosova has been a source of conflict
for Kosovars since the UN established Resolution 1244 and the "illusion of
self-rule" represented in the constitutional framework. The idea of
partition has been observed as gaining popularity in arenas such as
Belgrade, though the international community has objected that ethnic
borders are not consistent with principles that negate ethnic cleansing. The
future of Montenegro plays a large role in the future status of Kosova,
though the dissolution of Yugoslavia is not an entirely sellable
proposition.

What remains to be seen is the ability to compromise within the political
environment of Kosova. As forthright as the Commission was with respect to
self-determination within the region, they also recognize that this cannot
be fully realized without the cooperation of its neighbors. "The solution
for Kosova will not work in isolation, particularly with Serbia and
Macedonia - not within the framework of a revised Yugoslavia, but within the
framework of conditional independence," read the report.

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Brayshaw: Meeting with Belgrade Not Harmful to Kosova

PRISHTINA (KosovaLive) - The latest meeting between international
representatives of the United Nations and Belgrade Government authorities
under the auspices of the FRY Working Group was the main topic on the agenda
of the Interim Administrative Council (IAC) at Tuesday's meeting. Charles
Brayshaw, the acting head of U.N. mission in Kosova, wanted to reassure the
Kosovars that his meeting with the Belgrade authorities was not harmful for
Kosova.

"Kosovra must not be concerned about UNMIK's relations with officials in
Belgrade as with all the other neighbors we have many issues to discuss with
Belgrade. I want to reassure you that UNMIK takes seriously the
responsibilities granted to it buy the U.N. Resolution 1244. We will
continue to take that responsibility until the central institutions are
established and will be careful not to harm the interest of the people of
Kosova," said Brayshaw.

Meanwhile, the member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova (AAK), Bujar
Dugolli called on UNMIK to halt the contact with Belgrade "Because they harm
the interests of the people of Kosova and damage the credibility of UNMIK
toward our people."

It is expected that an agreement will be signed shortly, which would enable
the cooperation between Serbian authorities and UNMIK Police in fighting
criminal activities such as drugs and weapon trafficking, money laundering,
and prostitution. "These activities do not recognize borders. We believe
that there is information in Serbia as there could be in Kosovo to help
tackle the phenomena," Brayshaw contended. He added they also discussed the
issue of the Albanian prisoners in Serbia. "We discussed this issue and the
head of the UNMIK First Pillar, Jean Cady, discussed procedures in detail
regarding the prisoners." Brayshaw said there was understanding that the
Albanian prisoners should be returned to Kosova within an accelerated
timetable, but he failed to provide any further details of the exact
timeframe.

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