[Alb-Islam] English: "ISSUE: KOSOVA WITHIN A POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS AMBIGUITY", by Dr. Ismail Bardhi

[Mentor Cana]

ISSUE: KOSOVA WITHIN A POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS AMBIGUITY

by Dr. Ismail Bardhi

"Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change 
their own condition...." (ar-Ra’d, 11)

The main error pertaining to Kosova is our great delay and the unknowingness 
of the issue, both before as well as after the problem, either for us as 
Muslims or for the others, because we have always left it forgotten. Here 
our religious non-strategy within the political, cultural and religious 
courses of the believer in the Balkan’s area is very obvious.

This is what is happening to Kosova!?!

Although the same political and diplomatic methodology should have been 
followed up in the case of Kosova, like that of the Slovenians, Croats and 
Bosnians, unfortunately something totally different happened in Kosova. It 
is a fact that Yugoslavia, and its former republics not that didn’t give any 
importance to the issue of Kosova, but they even ignored it, while many 
humiliations, both on the national as well as on the religious aspects, 
still remain unforgettable. Nevertheless, the main error or mistake exists 
among the Albanians themselves, i.e. within the Kosova’s leadership. 
Naturally, the proclamation of the Republic of Kosova under very difficult 
conditions made the situation to become even more difficult, considering its 
recognition, functioning and officialisation. Shortcomings of the Democratic 
Alliance of Kosova and its president, Rugova, are numerous, tracing back 
since the very beginning of the dissolution of Yugoslavia, when the creation 
of new states, their foreign political support and the recognition of their 
independence started. In Kosova this method was presented by Rugova through 
imposture or, if I may say, through political defraud. As it is known, 
except for some kind of journalist politics and private diplomatic 
relations, the Kosovar politics did not offer anything else, thus allowing 
many opportunities to slip through their hands. The least it could have done 
was to defend its independence through active resistance, especially at the 
time when Bosnia was in war, and when there was a great necessity for 
inclusion in the warfare. The most dangerous of all moments was the Dayton 
accord, in which Kosova once again was melted, as if it didn’t exist as a 
problem. With Dayton Kosova was no longer a federal, but only a republican 
problem of Serbia. This kind of politics allowed the issue of Kosova and its 
people to remain under the shadow of humiliation and of numerous problems of 
division and disagreements both within the political parties, as well as in 
relation with the mother country – Albania. Naturally the cause for such a 
situation was, and still remains, the political leadership of Kosova with 
Rugova on its top, that refused any call for defense and resistance since 
1991 until 1996. This leadership by all means crushed the activity of the 
defending force and its functional participation in the course of 
concretization of Kosova’s constitution.

All of this resulted with the appearance on the scene of the defense 
apparatus of Kosova’s people under the name of Kosova’s Liberation Army 
(UÇK). The KLA, with no military experience, no diplomacy and no economic 
power was forced to take the issue of Kosova under its own care and 
protection. This army is presently holding 43% of the territory of Kosova 
and has some 30.000 armed soldiers, and more than 20.000 others awaiting and 
training to enter its ranks actively (this figure increases each day). Its 
main force is based in Albanian territory. (Albanian state is silently 
allowing this activity). It is an undeniable fact that this army alarmed the 
issue of Kosova and presented it on the international scene in a way that 
international factors had to have this issue on their tables as a hot one.

As it is well known, each day brings great changes over there. The above 
given data have to do with the period before the last huge Serbian military 
operations, in which Serbian military forces cleansed the field, by 

involving many cities in the warfare. So, today at least 50% of the 
territory of Kosova is included in it. As a result of this, the tactics of 
the KLA changed, I could say that certain fear appeared among its ranks. The 
KLA at the first stage was presented in three branches: first was the one 
put under Kosovar government’s umbrella, the second one was the one led by 
Adem Demaçi and the third one that was the independent one as presented 
above. It is necessary to emphasize that another force colored with Islam 
was also present, consisted of students and others, but after the last 
Serbian operations it became silent and, what is worst, its members were 
captured and imprisoned. It is a fact that the population of Kosova accepted 
these Muslims with sympathy, but they were not taken seriously by the KLA. 
Here must be mentioned that this Muslim army was considered with sympathy by 
the KLA that was under government’s umbrella, which sees it as necessary and 
free to exist as such. This is a genuine information.


After all that happened, the international factors requested the 
officialization and unification of the KLA with a political representative 
who would be responsible for that army. So, today the KLA, although acting 
under very difficult conditions, has taken its official form with its 
representative, Adem Demaçi.

Despite of the fact that the KLA today has its official representative, 
again a gap remains which makes us reconsider the eventual problems that may 
happen with this army. One of them is the disagreement between Adem Demaçi 
and Ibrahim Rugova. But, Adem Demaçi himself is not capable to materially 
and technically follow the events within the KLA. As a result of this the 
problems between the KLA supported by the government and the one represented 
by Adem Demaçi may reflect in the future even after the officialization of 
this army.

One question arises all along: Where was the Islamic religious force of the 
Kosovar leadership? Unfortunately, although the institution of the Islamic 
Union of Kosova exists, along with its president, yet it did not utilize 
many favorable chances of taking the necessary role that every religion has, 
both on religious as well as on state-governing aspect. This leadership 
proved itself as irresponsible for itself as well as for the believers. In 
this respect it created some moments for self-defraud: at the time when the 
status of Kosova was not settled, this religious center opened the Faculty 
of Islamic Sciences and some Madrasah, all of them taking the form of a 
great privatization. Here I would not like to mention the preparation of the 
teaching stuff that is out of any academic standards. It went even further: 
from the collected charities at the most dangerous times for Kosova, this 
institution distributed the salaries only for its own theological workers. I 
may say that this Islamic Union lead by Rajab Boya, who has no religious 
organizative abilities at all, nor the vigilance for the Islamic religious 
issue of the Kosovars, has created many dangerous moments so as to be 
considered as an unnecessary institution by the Kosovar factors. This may be 
clearly noticed in the fact that it doesn’t figure anywhere, thus allowing 
some to say that there is no need for such a religious union. Its 
cooperation with the Kosovar political leadership is done only through 
telephone and private talks. To put it in one word, the functioning, as well 
as the position of the Islamic Union among the Albanians in Kosova remains 
undefined.

It is an undeniable fact that the officialization of Kosova and its high 
officials is unaccepted by the world diplomacy. Everybody, starting from 
Rugova on the top down to the common people, are absolutely non-official 
people. The difference in between is that the world policy accepted a 
political leader, not a president of a political state. In Kosova, those 
rights that Rugova has, the KLA also has. The KLA has its spokesman within 
Kosova, just as Rugova has, etc.


Now the problem remains with whom should we co-operate.

The answer is very simple – with Kosova. The diplomatic factor must have its 
diplomatic support in the East. As for the radical wing, it also must have 
its support, starting from governmental levels to various associations. But, 
the most important thing is that the religious factor must be followed in a 
permanent manner and enabled to have its own credibility both in the 
religious as well as on state aspect. Indeed, the religious factor among the 
Albanians needs an elementary preparation, with a reasonable strategy and 
full financial support, with a final objective having or creating a 
religious leader within the Albanian ethnicum.

It would not be good if our mistakes, for which we admit that we have done 
in Afghanistan, Tchechnia and Bosnia, become the cause for presumptions and 
inaction in Kosova. It would be much adequate if those mistakes that we did 
unconsciously in the above-mentioned countries, we at least repeat 
consciously in Kosova.

The people of Kosova presently are crushed, tired, without diplomatic 
experience and lobby organization, especially the religious one. We, as 
Muslim believers must establish the necessary lobby for Kosova, which would 
present this issue in all aspects. This issue has no time to wait; previous 
delays have made us, the religious factor, to be humiliated and become 
unimportant, insignificant and misfunctioning. This lobby must return its 
credibility to the religious leadership and to the role of religion in the 
cultural as well as the state aspect.


PS

Albania is taking advantage of Kosova’s problem on many aspect, especially 
recently when using as a pretext the Islamic "terrorism and fundamentalism" 
has unable the efforts and willingness of various Muslim movements for 
helping Kosova. In this direction, Albania is obeying orders given by the 
powerful world countries and towards this goal it gets material and physical 
aid. Although there are no material argument for backing up this attitude, 
lately entrances and exists of Muslims to and from Albania are thoroughly 
checked.

As it is well known, Albanian government is drawing its main force from 
Greece. Presently Greece is ensuring its physical existence. The fact that 
Greek soldiers guard the residence of the Albanian Primeminister speaks for 
itself. It is expected that if an open conflict between Sali Berisha, the 
leader of opposition, and the Primeminister Fatos Nano takes place, than the 
latter will ask for a help from Greece, be officially legalizing her 
presence in Albania.

The Islamic Union of Albania has witnessed its weakness for being unable to 
protect itself, the Muslim interests and especially those of the Albanian 
Muslims in Albania.


PPS

Although it is certain that there are difficulties in Albania, as well as in 
Kosova: Kosova in war with Serbia and Albania in war with herself, the 
Muslim interest is the one put under the question mark. Officially even the 
outside Islamic factor is not paying the necessary attention to this 
question. We must do it regardless of methods and ways; we must create and 
strengthen an institutional, professional center that would have its 
long-term strategy. Remember that with this we would compete with the 
Catholic and Orthodox Church.

Indeed, we have no right to ignore the Islamic religious issue among the 
Albanians.


PPS 2

We should think again about the humanitarian associations led by 
unprofessional persons without good background. As it is known, most of them 
were either very obeying or frightened, or irresponsible without 
institutional or state culture.

The Prophet (SAW) has said that: "The deeds are according to their intention".