From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:53:45 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:53:45 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] INTERVIEW-Macedonia condemns ethnic-Albanian fighters Message-ID: INTERVIEW-Macedonia condemns ethnic-Albanian fighters By Elisaveta Konstantinova SKOPJE, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Macedonia said on Wednesday it hoped international diplomatic efforts would stop violence on its border it said was being provoked by ethnic Albanian fighters. But it said it would retaliate if forced to do so. "If the international community does not join Macedonia in overcoming violence, a division of the Balkans on religious grounds will be provoked due to Macedonia's geo-strategic position, which will seriously affect Europe," Defence Minister Ljuben Paunovski told Reuters in an interview. He was echoing international concerns of a looming new Balkan crisis, given that ethnic Albanians comprise a third of Macedonia's two million population and have had sometimes tense relations with the majority Slavs. A two-hour gunbattle between Macedonian security forces and what Skopje describes as ethnic Albanian "terrorists" at the Macedonian village of Tanusevci on the border with Kosovo two days ago prompted President Boris Trajkovski to seek support from the United Nations and NATO for a crackdown. "The armed group is using the village as a base and our security forces can take them out very quickly. But first we have to use all political and diplomatic means to solve the situation," Paunovski said as reports of new shootings came in. A NATO delegation arrived in Macedonia on Wednesday and went straight into crisis talks with Macedonian officials. NO PLAN TO ENTER KOSOVO Paunovski said Macedonia's plan of action did not include crossing the border into Kosovo. "If there is action, we will go only to the border, we must stop there. But any action will be coordinated with KFOR (NATO-led peace force in Kosovo)," Paunovski said. He said Macedonian forces had shown extreme restraint an effort to prevent an outbreak of a local inter-ethnic conflict. "If they have occupied a village in Macedonia, it's obvious that their political goals are to take that territory. We can not exclude the possibility that they might find support in some circles in Macedonia," he said Paunovski said the armed group of ethnic-Albanians had support from the other side of the border and were connected with other armed groups in Kosovo, some of which he said were involved in contraband and crime. Skopje signed a long-delayed border demarcation agreement with Belgrade last week, which officials said would curb a flourishing smuggling businesses in the area in the long term. Paunovski welcomed statements from ethnic Albanian political parties in Macedonia and Kosovo expressing support for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. He strongly rejected reports of harassment of villagers by Macedonian forces and accused the ethnic Albanian fighters of driving the villagers away to escalate violence. Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said earlier he had received unconfirmed reports that Albanian guerrillas were holding residents of Tanusevci as hostages to prevent the Macedonian forces from taking control of the village. Paunovski said the reports were hard to corroborate since the army and police had not set foot in the village for a week. "We cannot go there to check, because any attempt to check the village for civilians will mean armed conflict with the terrorists. That is the biggest dilemma," he said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:55:09 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:55:09 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kosovo Albanian leaders against buffer zone cut Message-ID: Kosovo Albanian leaders against buffer zone cut PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Kosovo Albanian political leaders said on Wednesday they opposed NATO's proposal to reduce the buffer zone with Serbia in which ethnic Albanian guerrillas operate. Kosovo Albanian political parties signed a declaration demanding a widening of the five km (three mile) strip, Hashim Thaci, head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, said. In comments broadcast on television he said narrowing the zone could increase tension in Kosovo if it let the Yugoslav army come closer. His views were echoed by Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the moderate Democratic League of Kosovo. "We agreed that the safety ground should not to be reduced because it can endanger the safety of Kosovo and also NATO soldiers' lives," Rugova said, referring to the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo. NATO imposed the sanitary belt around Kosovo in June 1999 as a no-go area for almost all Serbian forces, but unintentionally created a safe haven for guerrillas in Serbia's Presevo Valley just east of Kosovo. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this week said they were accelerating efforts to help Serbia peacefully regain control of the Presevo Valley, scene of repeated clashes between guerrillas and police. The allies were "prepared to implement a phased and conditioned reduction of the Ground Safety Zone" but they were "still working on the details of how this will be done," NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said on Tuesday. He said on Wednesday that Serbia must pull back troops before NATO starts ceding control of the buffer zone. "We will move as quickly as we possibly can but we will also do it with prudence and with care because this is a dangerous situation and we don't intend to make it worse," Robertson said in Brussels. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:54:31 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:54:31 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Russia worried by Kosovo-Macedonia border clash Message-ID: Russia worried by Kosovo-Macedonia border clash MOSCOW, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday it was worried by a clash between gunmen in Kosovo and Macedonian security forces and accused Albanian extremists of trying to destabilise the region. Macedonian army and police exchanged fire with gunmen shooting from ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo on Monday. The clash was north of Skopje in a largely Albanian area and came after other recent violent incidents in and around Kosovo. "The actions of the gunmen are aimed at provoking a crisis situation and destabilising the internal political situation in this country (Macedonia)," said the Russian Foreign Ministry. It said in a statement that clashes such as that which took place on Monday were part of ethnic Albanian nationalist plans. "The continuation of such a situation threatens the security and stability of the whole region," the ministry added. "Russia believes an effective hurdle to extremists' actions would be a confirmation by the international community of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all the states of the region in question," it said. Russia, long linked to Serbia by ethnic and religious ties, has worked with NATO in providing peacekeeping troops for Kosovo but has often criticised what it sees as the West's lenient attitude to Albanian nationalists. It has also called for greater steps to protect the remaining Serbs in the region. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:56:14 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:56:14 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Ethnic Albanians Meet With NATO Message-ID: <3e.821fea1.27d03b9e@aol.com> Ethnic Albanians Meet With NATO By FISNIK ABRASHI KONCULJ, Yugoslavia (AP) - Ethnic Albanian guerrillas fighting in a buffer zone between Kosovo and Serbia told NATO representatives Thursday that they were prepared for talks with the Serbs on ending the conflict. The guerrillas set the conditions that there be international mediation of the negotiations, that they be allowed to head the ethnic Albanian delegation and that the zone be demilitarized. In total, five of the nine-member Albanian negotiating team should be guerrilla representatives with the others coming from ethnic Albanian parties in the region, said Sami Azemi, the senior commander of the guerrillas. The guerrillas are operating in a three-mile-wide buffer zone between Kosovo - which is under international control - and the rest of Serbia. They have been battling Serb police and Yugoslav army troops nearby since late last year. The zone is one of two areas that have flared up with similar conflicts in recent weeks: Ethnic Albanian insurgents have been fighting in northern Macedonia near the Kosovo border. Though separated by borders, the conflicts appear similar - both sparked by insurgents apparently hoping to joining the heavuly ethnic Albanian areas to Kosovo as part of ultimate goals of independence. The latest upsurge of fighting around Kosovo has raised fears of another major crisis that could threaten the whole region, less than two years after NATO and the United Nations moved into Kosovo in the wake of a pullout of troops loyal to former President Slobodan Milosevic. The insurgents' offer for talks came after NATO began discussions with Serbia on narrowing the buffer zone, which would allow heavier Serb and Yugoslav forces into areas from which they are now barred. Now only lightly armed Serb police are allowed into the zone, and insurgents have taken control of large parts of the area. Later Thursday, a NATO team for the region met with both Serbian officials and local ethnic Albanian leaders about revising the zone and on efforts toward a peaceful solution. Serb government official Nebojsa Covic said the talks were ``constructive.'' He indicated Belgrade would not oppose inclusion of the militants in the ethnic Albanian delegation, saying ``We will talk to any ethnic Albanian representatives who have the trust of the local population.'' The Serb government has offered a peace plan to the ethnic Albanians, winning international support. Southern Serbia and northern Macedonia were reported quiet Thursday afternoon following clashes in both areas Wednesday. In a statement released in Geneva, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers warned against an ``overly hasty change'' in the buffer zone because it ``could destabilize the area and cause further displacement of ethnic Albanians from southern Serbia into Kosovo.'' NATO officials stressed that the army would be allowed to return to the zone once the Serbian government implements confidence-building measures toward the local ethnic Albanian majority. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:57:05 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:57:05 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO to press ahead with Kosovo buffer-zone cut Message-ID: <66.c9759c3.27d03bd1@aol.com> NATO to press ahead with Kosovo buffer-zone cut By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 1 (Reuters) - NATO will go ahead with plans to gradually reduce a buffer zone around Kosovo despite the united resistance of Kosovo Albanian leaders, a NATO official said on Thursday. "Standing still is no longer an option for us," he said. The Ground Safety Zone, set up in June 1999 after NATO's 78-day air war against Yugoslavia, was meant to separate Serb forces from NATO peacekeepers, not as a safe haven for Albanian rebels. "It is being abused," the NATO official said. At a briefing for reporters at alliance headquarters, he stressed that NATO was moving very carefully. "That's why we've done nothing yet," he said. The five km (three mile) wide belt around Kosovo's provincial boundary was not going to be abolished overnight, "but we cannot leave things as they are," he said. In a unique display of unity, Kosovo Albanian political parties on Wednesday signed a declaration opposing NATO's intentions and actually demanding a wider buffer zone. Even arch-rivals Ibrahim Rugova, the longtime moderate voice of Kosovo Albanians, and Hashim Thaci, former guerrilla, said narrowing or removing the buffer strip would allow Serb forces to get closer and would heighten tensions in Kosovo. Close to the zone itself, and the armed Albanian separatist strongholds that have been set up inside it, the Albanian mayor of Presevo, Riza Halimi, said the guerrillas should stay on to protect Albanians from Serbs. The statements amounted to a blunt rebuff of repeated NATO appeals to ethnic Albanians to reject military solutions, accept that Serbia under its new democratic leadership was no longer a threat, and cooperate in seeking a lasting peace. DEAD-END IDEA Kosovo Albanians who regained their homes in 1999 courtesy of NATO's 78-day air war against Yugoslavia must realise that its commitment to Kosovo has not changed, the official said. He said nobody could seriously claim there was the same risk today for Kosovo and its NATO peacekeeping force as the time when Serbian hawk Slobodan Milosevic was still in power. NATO and Serbian authorities are working out a detailed plan to defuse the tensions in the Presevo Valley and demilitarise the region, which NATO on Tuesday announced would include the "phased and conditioned reduction" of the safety zone. Movement could begin in the next few days. But NATO is concerned that Serbia has not yet implemented the confidence-building measures the allies have urged to "win the hearts and minds" of local ethnic Albanians. These include switching to a far less intimidating military presence. The official said Halimi's idea of relying on the guerrillas as a form of security was "a dead end" and a "false hope." There was no military solution available, he repeated. The issue of where NATO redraws the line is crucial. It vows to make no changes that could give rise to further violence through what NATO secretary-general George Robertson referred to as "so-called counter-insurgency operations." Asked if NATO recognises Serbia's right to counter insurgency, the official said: "It is their territory. In that sense they have the right, outside the GSZ, to act." The official played down the risk of NATO peacekeepers becoming the targets of angry ethnic Albanians or being caught in a crossfire between them and Serb forces. But if the troops did come under fire, everyone should know that they were operating under "robust rules of engagement for self defence" and were very well armed. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 18:58:02 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:58:02 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO urges Macedonian restraint in border crisis Message-ID: <6e.836b715.27d03c0a@aol.com> NATO urges Macedonian restraint in border crisis By Elisaveta Konstantinova SKOPJE, March 1 (Reuters) - NATO urged the Macedonian government on Thursday not to use force against gunmen occupying a village on the border with Kosovo, saying this could damage fragile relations between ethnic Albanians and Slavs. "This must be solved by political means because solving it by other means may solve the short-term problem, but it can create larger problems for the inter-ethnic relations in your country," Daniel Speckhard, deputy assistant to NATO Secretary General George Robertson, told reporters in Skopje. "A military response is not the best mechanism to use and a political approach is much better," he said after talks between the NATO delegation and top Macedonian officials. It was the first comment from the NATO team sent by Robertson following appeals by Macedonian officials for help in dealing with violence they say could destabilise the Balkan state and Europe. Macedonia's government said on Wednesday it was ready to launch a military operation against what it says are ethnic Albanian guerrillas occupying the border village of Tanusevci, some 40 km (25 miles) to the north of Skopje, but would prefer an internationally-backed peaceful solution. On Thursday, Defence Ministry spokesman Georgi Trendafilov told Reuters army reinforcements were complete. "The army completed deployment of reinforcements yesterday. It is positioned along the border to stop further penetration of the terrorists into the country," he said. Macedonia, one third of whose population are ethnic Albanians, borders Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and its mainly Albanian Kosovo province and is seen as vulnerable to any spillover of the recent violence in and around Kosovo. A senior Western diplomat based in Skopje who declined to be named said: "The majority of the armed groups have infiltrated the village from Kosovo. "They have taken over the village and asked the people to leave. It is a small number of people, 100 at most. From a military viewpoint they are easy to overcome, but politically it will have negative consequences." NATO SAYS REINFORCING THE BORDER Macedonia has complained that the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo does not do enough to seal the border on its side. KFOR has promised to shore up border controls. "We have already taken further measures that include increasing patrols, reconnaissance, information gathering and presence along the other side of the border," said Speckhard. Reuters reporters say the village of Debelde just across from Tanusevci on the Kosovo side is heavily patrolled by KFOR. "We have people with guns creating lawlessness in a particular small area and we have to find a solution to that. But we want to find a solution that stresses the multi-ethnic society and not to cause divisions," said Speckhard. Tanusevci is near the Presevo Valley in southern Serbia, where ethnic Albanian rebels have clashed with Serb police in a security zone adjoining Kosovo set up in 1999 to separate forces then led by Slobodan Milosevic from NATO-led troops in Kosovo. The village is completely cordoned off by Macedonian police who deny access to reporters. Hundreds of people have fled the area to Kosovo, although the refugees have differing stories about what made them go, with some talking of "Serb paramilitaries" and others of harassment by unknown armed men or fear of recent firefights. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 1 19:00:41 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 19:00:41 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Belgrade's drawn-out drama Waiting for Milosevic Message-ID: <99.115a8c34.27d03ca9@aol.com> Belgrade's drawn-out drama Waiting for Milosevic By Andrew Gray BELGRADE, March 2 (Reuters) - Increasingly bold steps by Serbian prosecutors in the direction of Slobodan Milosevic have prompted plenty of speculation that his arrest is imminent. Scenting a big story, a pack of star newshounds from foreign television networks has converged on Belgrade in anticipation that the former president will soon be behind bars. But, almost a week after the arrest of Milosevic's secret police chief, they are still waiting. That doesn't mean their wait will be in vain, although it has already lasted longer than some excited reports about an imminent arrest or his purchase of a "luxury villa" suggested. A senior source in the ruling DOS reform alliance has told Reuters he will be "disappointed" if Milosevic is not in jail by March 10. That deadline was also mentioned by an anonymous DOS source in a report by the local Beta news agency this week. But in the meantime, in the tense waiting game, any morsel of news can cause a feeding frenzy. When a prosecutor asked police on Wednesday to look into stories in the press that Milosevic sold more than a million dollars' worth of state gold, it set off a round of reports that this was the first investigation into the longtime leader. In fact, a probe into Milosevic's 1999 purchase of a house in Belgrade's posh Dedinje suburb is much further advanced and prosecutors have already decided there is enough evidence to charge him, judicial and political sources say. INVESTIGATIONS WIDENED They say they have not filed charges yet because the investigation has been widened to include more suspects. The house is in an upmarket area, just along Uzicka street from the official residence Milosevic continues to occupy nearly five months after his downfall, but it is no luxury villa. It reputedly has a total area of less than 100 square metres (1,000 sq feet) and, if you peak through the gaps between the grey wall and the high green fencing, it looks more like a little bungalow. It has one key attraction for Milosevic and his wife Mira -- the land adjoins another house they own on a parallel street, giving them a large walled compound all to themselves. Milosevic's Socialists insist he is conducting "business as usual" despite the frenzy around his future, which they have condemned as an unjustified witch-hunt. "President Milosevic is normally carrying out his functions as president of this party. There is no state of emergency," top Socialist official Ana Djurovic said on Thursday. Reform leaders are under both domestic and foreign pressure to act against the former president, who has been indicted by a U.N. tribunal on Kosovo war crimes charges. Western powers have given them a period of grace after the mass uprising which ousted Milosevic last October. But they have made clear they cannot have normal ties with a country where indicted war criminals remain free and active in public life. The U.S. Congress has given Belgrade until March 31 to start cooperating with the tribunal or see their $100 million economic aid allocation for this year frozen. Few diplomats here expect Serbia's rulers to hand over Milosevic as quickly as that. They are more hopeful the authorities might hand over a less high-profile suspect. EASE PRESSURE FROM U.S. But having Milosevic behind bars in Serbia, on whatever charge, would help Belgrade persuade the United States they are dealing with the country's troubled recent past and would make at least the logistics of a transfer to The Hague easier. "If Milosevic is in jail for any reason, it's a lot better than if he's not in jail," one Western diplomat remarked when a previous spate of arrest rumours was doing the rounds. Another diplomat suggested this week the reformers would be wise to move against Milosevic well before the U.S. deadline to avoid giving the impression of being in Washington's pocket. A judicial source has cautioned, however, that the charges he could face for allegedly giving a false picture of his assets when he applied to buy the house from the state at a knock-down price are not normally grave enough for an arrest before trial. An exception could be made in Milosevic's case. But generally investigators would need to come up with more serious offences to put a suspect in custody before a conviction. Some reformers had predicted that Rade Markovic, the former secret police chief arrested on suspicion he ordered an assassination attempt on an opponent of Milosevic, would give them the evidence they wanted. But Markovic has apparently denied any involvement in the October 1999 car crash in which opposition leader Vuk Draskovic was slightly injured and four of his associates killed. Reformers still voice confidence Markovic will cooperate with them eventually but stress they want to have a strong and serious case against Milosevic before they arrest him. "How do you think it would look if we arrested him and then had to release him?" asked one DOS official. From aalibali at yahoo.com Fri Mar 2 08:09:53 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 05:09:53 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] A view on Kosova's future Message-ID: <20010302130953.86928.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> New approach to Kosovo International community must change its ideas if it wants a solution KATHIMERINI By Evangelos Kofos, More storm clouds gathering on the borders of Kosovo are simply one more indication that the problem is not restricted to Kosovo itself but is part of a broader "Albanian question." NATO analysts recently observed that the latest terrorist attacks by armed ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, Presevo and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, apparently by offshoots of the Kosovo Liberation Army, are being directed by a single center. The risk that the crisis could spread does not permit opportunistic solutions. An explosion could be averted if the international community radically changes its approach in its attempts to resolve the situation in Kosovo. The eventual regime in this (de jure but not de facto) Serbian province should be dealt with in such a way as to serve the basic needs not only of the two main parties, Serbs and Albanians, but stability in the region as a whole. Mutual compromises A solution can only emerge from a series of mutual compromises, international commitments - legal, political and military - to safeguard the principle of conditional independence for Kosovo, and the gradual removal of Serbian sovereignty from the province. Such safeguards, however, will not emerge from any treaty imposed by victors, as in the case of UN Security Council resolution 1244/1999, but through international procedures and ratification and monitoring of the agreement by the UN. A legal framework exists, in the form of the UN Trusteeship system, which was set up to guide colonies and mandates toward "self-rule or independence." Although the system has not been used for some decades, it has not been abolished. Of course, Kosovo cannot be considered a colony nor is it a developing country. However, according to the UN Charter, the Trusteeship system can be applied to regions administered by a particular country. In Kosovo's case, this is Yugoslavia. The terms of Trusteeship are determined by the Charter and individual Trusteeship Accords signed between guarantor states and the UN. In effect, this means that the UN retains sovereign rights and appoints one or more states, usually guarantor states, to administer the region. In this case, Yugoslavia could be one of the countries participating in administering the region under a UN mandate. The Trusteeship Accord has the status of an international agreement and, in a manner of speaking, could serve as a constitution for the region. Without doubt, many of the provisions and practical applications of resolution 1244/1999 could be incorporated into the new text, giving a fuller framework for the functioning of UNMIK and KFOR which would continue to operate in the region for a short time under a different form and name. States granted a mandate could include European Union or UN Security Council member states. Local government structures, with clear provisions for minorities, should be put into effect immediately. Given the volatility of certain areas such as Mitrovica, these could be designated as protected zones - "safe havens" - under a special status of self-rule, always within the framework of the regional administration. Sites and monuments sacred to Serbs could have a special status of religious autonomy, similar to that of Mt. Athos. By joining the Trusteeship system, Kosovo would gradually move toward "self-rule or independence" according to Article 76b of the Charter. However, this process is dependent on certain conditions being fulfilled which will be in accordance with the special circumstances in each region and among its peoples, the freely expressed desires of these peoples and in accordance with the conditions of each individual Trusteeship Accord. The primary goal of the system, it should be noted, is "to promote peace and security" (Article 76a). Under these circumstances, the kind and the length of the process "toward self-rule or independence" form the basis of the drafting of the accord, although it is clear that because of prevailing conditions, the process will of necessity be a long one and will depend on the way in which the terms of the accord are implemented. If, as seems likely, independence is chosen, it will have to be in line with provisions for "promoting peace and stability," not only in Kosovo but in southeastern Europe in general. Therefore there has to be a clear commitment to avoiding inciting or supporting terrorist or separatist acts in neighbouring states, or supporting the idea of a Greater Albania. A "Cyprus clause" banning unification with third countries without the consent of the signatories to the Kosovo Trusteeship Accord could be a moderating factor. It would act as a curb on extremist elements in neighbouring countries who envision solutions similar to the one in Kosovo, and would dispel the fears and suspicions of neighbouring peoples. Give and take This proposal, however, has also led to considerable concern. The unrest that is a continuing feature of life in Kosovo and on its borders is mainly aimed at bringing about immediate independence for the province and special status for the Albanian populations in neighbouring states. However, if Kosovo joins the Trusteeship system, the Albanians will become advocates of the peace process, unless they want to see their vision of independence disappear into a nebulous future. Initially, the proposal might provoke some protests on each side, as both will be required to give up something, although this time of their own free will. But they will also be gaining a great deal, by international agreement and with guarantees. The region as a whole will become more stable, as long as the political situation remains clear-cut. And the long road to inclusion in Europe will no longer be wishful thinking. ,Evangelos Kofos is adviser on Balkan issues to the Greek Institute for Defense and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), and author of the book "Kosovo and Albanian Unification. Concern for Yesterday and Tomorrow" (Papazisis, 1998). __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kbejko at hotmail.com Fri Mar 2 10:06:29 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 10:06:29 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Economist makes Wild Claims Message-ID: (the following article claims it was the Albanian guerrilas who blew up the civilian Serb convoy, and that unrest in Mitrovica is orchestrated in "wild north Albania") Kosovo's legacy Feb 27th 2001 >From The Economist Global Agenda The unfinished business of NATO's war over Kosovo is threatening the stability of the Balkans once more The road to ethnic harmony THROUGHOUT the Kosovo war in 1999, NATO?s political masters insisted they were bombing Yugoslavia to force the country?s Serb majority to respect its ethnic-Albanian minority. But no one, it seems, has taught Kosovo?s ethnic Albanians to reciprocate. In the 18 months since the United Nations and NATO took over the administration of Kosovo from Yugoslavia (of which it remains nominally a part), ethnic-Albanian guerrillas have terrorised the province?s few remaining Serbs. Now the violence seems to be spreading: in the space of two weeks, Kosovar Albanian guerrillas have killed 11 Serb civilians in a bomb attack, overrun a village in northern Macedonia, and stepped up their insurgency in the Presevo valley, a partially Albanian-inhabited swathe of Yugoslavia along the border with Kosovo. NATO foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels on February 27th, were so alarmed by this turn of events that they promised Yugoslavia help in fending off the incursions and dispatched a delegation to investigate the situation in Macedonia. NATO?s fear is that the resurgence of ethnic violence will increase tension between ethnic Albanians and Slavs in Macedonia, stoke Serbian nationalism in Yugoslavia, and keep its own forces bogged down in Kosovo for years to come. The ultimate nightmare would be more fighting, refugees, and the dismemberment of yet another Balkan state. Given their history of indecision and incompetence in the face of the regional cataclysm of the past decade, America, the European Union, NATO and the UN are all anxious to head off fresh Balkan conflicts. The Presevo valley presents the most immediate challenge. Under the agreement of June 1999 that ended NATO?s air war, Yugoslavia agreed to respect a ?ground security zone??a five-kilometre (three-mile) strip on the Yugoslav side of Kosovo?s boundary. The agreement prevents Yugoslavia from deploying anything more than lightly armed police in the area, in effect laying it open to infiltration by Kosovar guerrillas. NATO troops inside Kosovo try to nab the insurgents as they cross the frontier, and NATO commanders have lauded Yugoslavia?s restraint in dealing with those who slip through. But the guerrillas, known as the Army for the Liberation of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac (UCPMB) after the main towns in the strip, have taken advantage of this forgiving policy to reinforce their positions both inside the security zone and even deeper into Serbia, close to the main road from Austria to Greece. Both sides agree that firmer action must be taken: hence the decision of NATO foreign ministers to begin discussions on phasing the zone out. That will cause fresh difficulties. If Yugoslav forces crack down too hard, Kosovar Albanians will see it as a renewal of the campaign of ethnic cleansing that prompted the Kosovo war in the first place. On the other hand, many Yugoslavs already consider their country unfairly put-upon. America and the EU are leaning on the government to hand suspected war criminals over to the international tribunal at The Hague. A campaign for independence continues in Montenegro, the only republic left alongside Serbia in the Yugoslav federation. Calls for Yugoslav forces to go soft on ethnic-Albanian guerrillas might drive Serbs back towards the very nationalism that NATO has long struggled to defuse. Macedonia will need to strike a similarly delicate balance. Perhaps as many as a third of its population are ethnic Albanians, while the remainder are Slavs. Tension between the two groups has been high since the Kosovo war, and Kosovar Albanian guerrillas? seizure of the village of Tanusevci will heighten them further. NATO has reinforced its troops guarding Kosovo?s border with Macedonia, but the mountainous terrain and lack of frontier defences still leaves plenty routes for determined inflitrators. Looking for a way out The threat posed by the Kosovar guerrillas depends in part on how strongly they co-ordinate their attacks. Paul Beaver, a defence analyst, recently caused a stir among Balkan-watchers by asserting that the violence in Macedonia and Yugoslavia, in addition to anti-Serb riots in the town of Mitrovica in Kosovo, formed part of an international Albanian-nationalist campaign run from the lawless wilds of northern Albania. Others accuse the guerrillas of using nationalism as cover for smuggling. Kosovo and the surrounding region are certainly major transit points for illicit traffic in drugs, guns, prostitutes and immigrants. But whatever the guerrillas? motives, their actions have kept NATO commanders guessing and their troops thinly stretched. NATO wants to reduce its commitment to the area, not increase it. Although Colin Powell, America?s secretary of state, while visiting NATO headquarters this week, said that American troops would stay in Kosovo, many of his colleagues in the new administration made noises about an American withdrawal during America?s presidential campaign. Ultimately, their chances of doing so rest on the local population, which seems as fed up with the fighting as the officials in Washington. Before the guerrillas intervened, Macedonia?s government, which includes an ethnic-Albanian party, was taking sensible measures to integrate ethnic Albanians. During local elections last October, a clear majority of Kosovar Albanians voted for moderates opposed to further violence. In Yugoslavia, too, nationalism has waned since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic. NATO?s ever more pressing task is to make sure that the peaceful majority wins the troublemakers over?and not the other way around. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From eribudo at hotmail.com Fri Mar 2 12:59:21 2001 From: eribudo at hotmail.com (ERI Budo) Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 17:59:21 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albania is doing well, the World Bank says Message-ID: This comes form the WB website-eri International community meets to review reforms March 2, 2001 ?Donors meeting in Brussels Thursday praised Albania for pushing ahead with growth-stimulating macro-economic reforms. The country's economy continues to expand by 7 to 8 percent a year in the face of regional instability. Chaired by the European Commission and the World Bank, the meeting brought Albanian officials together with representatives from 27 countries and twelve international organizations to discuss how the international community is supporting the country's reform process. The donors lauded Albania for improving revenue collection as well as for reforming and privatizing enterprises and the financial sector. But challenges remained, they said,spotlighting a struggling electricity sector and lacking public administration and legal systems. After showcasing impressive economic growth since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Albania was struck in 1997 by a financial and political crisis sparked by the collapse of widespread pyramid schemes. The next year, the country embarked on a broad recovery program addressing fundamental reform in the public administration and financial sectors, including institution-building, civil sector reform, and privatization of commercial banks. The economy soon recovered. In early 1999, the Kosovo conflict and the resulting massive influx of Kosovar refugees?which at the peak of the crisis swelled Albania's population by 14 percent?created a new crisis for the government, threatening internal security and stretching administrative capacity. Despite these considerable strains and uncertainties, the government kept its commitment to macroeconomic stability and structural reforms, aided by generous external assistance. The chairpersons of Thursday's meeting, the European Commission's Catherine Day and the World Bank's Christiaan Poortman, said in a statement that "donors expressed their satisfaction with the way in which Albania had put the crises of 1997 and 1999 (Kosovo) behind it," adding, "It is clear that the international community present at this meeting considers the ongoing reforms by the Albanian government to be based on sound policies, and we are confident that there will be important donor support for their programs." Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Paskal Milo said his delegation had briefed participants on Albania's most recent achievements in the context of the EU Stabilization and Association Process and the preparation of its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy. Finance Minister Anastas Angjeli explained the government's most recent public resource management initiative, known as the Medium Term Expenditure Framework. "The purpose of our Medium-Term Expenditure Framework", he said, "is to strengthen budget planning and achieve a more effective use of public resources, linking government policies to expenditure plans and introducing greater transparency in the budget formulation process." The donors welcomed the initiative and encouraged the government's efforts towards a more strategic prioritization of public expenditures and increased transparency in the use of budget funds. Useful links: World Bank's Europe and Central Asia website and Economic Reconstruction and Development in South East Europe website. The Consultative Group Meeting for Albania website. Back to DevNew _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:46:29 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:46:29 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] UNHCR warns NATO over Kosovo buffer zone Message-ID: UNHCR warns NATO over Kosovo buffer zone GENEVA, March 2 (Reuters) - The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR warned NATO on Friday against reducing the size of a buffer zone around Kosovo too hastily, saying it could cause armed conflict and a new exodus of ethnic Albanians. In a statement, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers reiterated his Geneva-based agency's call for the number of European Union monitors in the volatile southern Serbia area to be increased to a "sizeable number" to protect civilians. Later, Eric Morris, UNHCR's special envoy for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, said that the situation was "critically dangerous." "The threat of war is there -- armed conflict between the Albanian fighters and Yugoslav and Serbian security forces," Morris told a news briefing in Geneva. "That's what we are all trying to prevent now." "We are just cautioning that if it is not handled well, the process underway between Belgrade and NATO, there could be grave humanitarian consequences," added the Pristina-based official, who also serves as U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Kosovo. A NATO official said on Thursday the alliance would go ahead with plans to gradually reduce the five km (three mile) wide buffer zone around Kosovo's provincial boundary. In June 1999, as NATO troops occupied Kosovo, the strip was declared out of bounds to most Serbian armed forces. It is inhabited mainly by ethnic Albanians and NATO says it is now being abused as a base for Albanian guerrillas who launch attacks on Serb police in the area. To shrink the size of the zone would allow Serbia to send more heavily armed troops to police some ethnic Albanian areas. "Any rapid change of the situation in the Ground Safety Zone could destabilise the area and cause further displacement of ethnic Albanians from southern Serbia into Kosovo," said Lubbers, a former Dutch prime minister who became U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees two months ago. "This could have a negative knock-on effect on the already precarious situation of Kosovo's vulnerable ethnic minorities," he added. Ethnic Albanians account for up to 70 percent of the estimated 100,000 people living in the buffer zone and adjacent areas. Last November a rise in tension led to the exodus of 5,000 ethnic Albanians from southern Serbia to Kosovo, although most have returned to their homes, UNHCR says. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:47:16 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:47:16 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] EU, OSCE urge Albania to combat illegal migration Message-ID: <45.3019643.27d16ee4@aol.com> EU, OSCE urge Albania to combat illegal migration BRUSSELS, March 2 (Reuters) - The European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) urged Albania on Friday to step up its fight against illegal migrants trying to enter the EU from its territory. But the two organisations, meeting senior Albanian officials in Brussels in the framework of the Friends of Albania Group, also praised Tirana's efforts to stabilise its economy and tackle organised crime. "The Friends encouraged the government to continue its work...by further strengthening the policing of its borders and taking action against those engaged in the smuggling of migrants," the EU and the OSCE said in their joint conclusions. They also expressed concern about delays in preparing for parliamentary elections in June and urged all political forces to show greater civic responsibility. "Politics remains polarised and personalities rather than policies still dominate the political debate," they said. The EU and the OSCE said the small, impoverished Balkan nation had made good progress in privatising its economy and achieving strong growth with relatively low inflation. The ministers of foreign affairs, justice, public order and the minister of state represented Albania at the one-day talks. On Thursday, international donors also commended Albania's economic progress during a meeting with Finance Minister Anastas Angjeli, but urged Tirana to shake up its energy sector. Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, hopes to forge a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU, but officials say it is not yet ready. These agreements are seen as the first step towards eventual EU membership. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:48:03 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:48:03 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] West hopes Macedonians will hold their fire Message-ID: <9c.c278795.27d16f13@aol.com> West hopes Macedonians will hold their fire By Philippa Fletcher ABOVE TANUSEVCI, Macedonia, March 2 (Reuters) - Diplomats and military attaches plied a snowy mountain track between Macedonia and Kosovo on Friday, hoping to prevent nervous Macedonian forces responding to what they say are provocations from Albanian guerrillas inside their territory. Troops from the NATO-led KFOR Kosovo peacekeeping force were also on the road, officially on routine logistical work to back up the contingent over the border. Whether deliberately or not, they were also keeping an eye on things and encouraging the Macedonians, who have shouted louder and louder for help since shooting first broke out in the area on Monday, to feel they are not alone. "There's been a lot of equipment going up there," one Belgian soldier said of the Macedonians, who announced on Thursday they had reinforcements in place. "We've seen seven or eight armoured cars," he added. At the top of the mountain, overlooking the village of Tanusevci where the Macedonians say up to 100 guerrillas are holed up, special troops held their guns across their chests and would not allow reporters to approach their positions. An armoured personnel carrier nestled in a dip in the hillside, its gun pointed towards houses on the other side of the valley which police said were part of the village. Shortly before, a small group of Macedonian journalists, taken by helicopter to see a military watchtower the army says was hit by a grenade on Wednesday, retreated after hearing two bursts of machinegun fire from the village. FIVE-HOUR EXCHANGE OF FIRE The Defence Ministry said it did not shoot back when the grenade hit on Wednesday afternoon, but later acknowledged that a five-hour exchange of fire had followed. This is exactly what NATO, whose U.S. KFOR contingent is stationed just over the border, is desperate to prevent. The main problem is that no one seems to know exactly who is in the village or what they want. The Western military attaches who visited the area on Friday weren't talking, and other envoys say it is not very clear. "I think they are Albanians, I think they are people who have had links to military formations, engaged in activities before," said one Western diplomat in Skopje. Some diplomats say heavy-handed Macedonian border patrols boosted tension in an area where local Albanians are isolated from the Macedonian political mainstream, in which Albanians, uniquely for ex-Yugoslav republics, play a big part. Others say Macedonia's signing of a border agreement with Yugoslavia three days before the shooting broke out encouraged some of Kosovo's independence-minded Albanians to show Macedonia that the border is theirs, not Belgrade's. NATO sent an emergency mission to Macedonia on Wednesday in response to appeals for help in resolving a crisis Skopje said could destabilise both Macedonia and Europe. Mission members urged the Macedonian government not to respond. A response could radicalise the large Albanian minority in Western Macedonia which has so far shown few signs of wanting to break away. MACEDONIA ACCUSES KFOR Macedonia has accused KFOR of not doing enough to prevent arms and equipment getting through its side of the border and said that if NATO did not do more, it would have to use force. NATO has said it is doing what it can to increase patrols and cut the guerrillas off. Diplomats say the idea is to try to cut off supplies to the isolated village to make life so uncomfortable for the guerrillas, without firing at them or moving in, that they get tired of sitting there and leave. But one Macedonian soldier on duty overlooking the village said he had seen civilians there recently for the first time in a few days, apparently bringing in supplies along routes used by the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1998-9 Kosovo conflict. Despite the outburst of fire on Friday, the situation seems to have settled into an uneasy stalemate for the time being. "On the one hand it's good," another Western envoy in Skopje said. "On the other, it may encourage the gunmen to become more confident." From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:48:44 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:48:44 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO re-assures Macedonia on guerrilla crisis Message-ID: NATO re-assures Macedonia on guerrilla crisis By Elisaveta Konstantinova SKOPJE, March 2 (Reuters) - NATO assured Macedonia on Friday it was committed to its territorial integrity at the end of two-day crisis talks on how to resolve tension along the border with Kosovo. The alliance assured Macedonia it was taking seriously the guerrilla occupation of a border village after earlier urging the government not to use force for fear of damaging fragile relations between the country's ethnic Albanians and Slavs. An adviser to Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski criticised the alliance earlier on Friday for holding Macedonian forces back while letting the guerrillas through. "It is a matter of great difficulty to use political means when you deal with terrorists in defending your territory," security adviser Nikola Dimitrov told Reuters. "This is very irresponsible on behalf of NATO." Macedonia threatened to use military force to eject what it says are ethnic Albanian guerrillas occupying the border village of Tanusevci, some 40 km (25 miles) to the north of Skopje, but wants international backing. Responding to complaints from Skopje's worried government, alliance Secretary-General George Robertson issued a statement saying NATO was paying full attention to the situation and would receive detailed reports at the weekend. A NATO delegation wound up an emergency visit on Friday and returned to Brussels to report back. Robertson repeated that NATO was taking robust measures to increase security on the Kosovo side of the border and again commended the Balkan state for "its measured response to the situation so far and its efforts to resolve the problems through peaceful means." NATO URGES NEGOTIATIONS On Thursday, NATO told the Macedonians to use negotiation to solve the occupation, which has led to firefights between the guerrillas and the Macedonian army that have caused alarm in Western capitals fearful of snowballing violence. A military solution would damage inter-ethnic relations in Macedonia, visiting NATO delegate Daniel Speckhard, deputy assistant to Robertson, told Macedonian officials. Macedonia, with one-third of its population ethnic Albanians, borders Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and the mainly Albanian Kosovo province. It is seen as vulnerable to any spillover of recent violence in and around Kosovo. Dimitrov complained that a lack of vigorous action would allow the armed men, thought to number up to a 100, to entrench themselves along the border. "Remaining passive will allow them to strengthen their positions and go into other villages. It is only one village now but if we do not take measures now, the problem might grow out of proportion," Dimitrov said. "One or two more serious incidents along the border would destabilise the region," he said. KFOR has promised to shore up border controls, but worries over the safety of its troops have kept them away from the armed men. Diplomats say KFOR cannot intervene on the Macedonian side of the border because it lacks the mandate. "That would be a whole new deployment, a whole new mission" for which there is little appetite, one Western envoy said. On Friday, the pilot of a NATO light observation plane reported being shot at near the border between Macedonia and Kosovo. Several bursts of fire were reported during the day. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:49:23 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:49:23 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Serbian leader sees south Serbia ceasefire soon Message-ID: <72.84ce0c7.27d16f63@aol.com> Serbian leader sees south Serbia ceasefire soon BUJANOVAC, Yugoslavia, March 2 (Reuters) - A Serbian leader voiced optimism on Friday that fighting with ethnic Albanian guerrillas in the volatile Presevo Valley area bordering Kosovo would soon cease. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic, speaking after meeting NATO officials in the town of Bujanovac, said he believed talks with ethnic Albanian representatives would get under way in the near future. He said the NATO delegation had accepted virtually all Belgrade had asked for in its plan to peacefully resolve the crisis in the remote area, where Serbian forces have clashed repeatedly with the guerrillas over the last year. "I believe we will soon start a dialogue with representatives of the Albanian community and that the time will come soon when we will find that both sides have ceased fire," he told reporters. Such a ceasefire must be respected in order to implement Belgrade's peace plan, which foresees demilitarisation of the area and the increased presence of ethnic Albanian in local institutions, he said. Pieter Feith, director of NATO's Balkans Task Force, said he was encouraged by what had been achieved so far. He said he had also met ethnic Albanian representatives earlier in the day. "I think that by tomorrow we can look with confidence towards a new step in trying to resolve the problems in southern Serbia," Feith told reporters, saying he would meet Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic in Belgrade on Saturday. WEST ALARMED About 30 people have died in the fighting just east of U.N.-ruled Kosovo since it began in early 2000, alarming Western governments hoping for regional stability following the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic as Yugoslav president last October. The rebels have gained in strength since then, taking advantage of a five km (three mile) wide buffer zone next to the Kosovo boundary from which the Yugoslav army and Serb special police are banned. Belgrade wants this strip of land to be narrowed or abolished altogether to allow it to retake control of the zone. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this week said they were accelerating efforts to help Serbia peacefully regain control of the Presevo Valley by implementing a phased and conditioned reduction of the buffer zone. Both the Serbian government and ethnic Albanian political leaders say they want to solve the crisis peacefully, but they have yet to agree on place and composition of their negotiation teams. The Albanian side says the guerrillas must be represented in the talks. But Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica was quoted as saying that "Albanian terrorists" could not take part. "Would anyone in France or Spain accept to directly negotiate with terrorists? No, he wouldn't," Kostunica told the daily Danas in an interview to be published on Saturday, the independent Beta news agency reported. "...the ones who took up arms or who stood behind the latest hideous murder of three policemen cannot negotiate," Kostunica was quoted as saying, referring to the killing of three Serbian police by anti-tank landmines on February 18. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:50:48 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:50:48 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] INTERVIEW-Kosovo elections seen in October-OSCE Message-ID: INTERVIEW-Kosovo elections seen in October-OSCE By Beth Potter PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, March 2 (Reuters) - The head of the international group charged with running elections in Kosovo pointed on Friday to October as the likely date for a ballot for a provisional assembly. The exact date will be determined by how long it takes to register Kosovo Serbs and the sort of electoral system chosen, said Daan Everts, head of the mission in Kosovo of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). "The safest is to say October," Everts told Reuters in an interview when asked to give an election date. "If there's massive international registration, it would affect the timeline. We would not be able to have elections this year," he said, referring to people from Kosovo living abroad. Kosovo's Albanian majority wants elections soon to give them more of the autonomy they have been promised since NATO's 1999 bombing campaign that ended repressive Serbian policies in the internationally-run Yugoslav province. But Serbian officials have expressed fear such elections could be seen as a springboard towards independence from Yugoslavia. SERB OBJECTIONS In Belgrade, a member of Yugoslavia's new reformist leadership said the time was not yet right for such a vote. "We believe there are no conditions for real elections in Kosovo, the whole region is more than unstable, politically dangerous, it is a powder keg," said Yugoslav Telecommunications Minister Boris Tadic, a deputy leader of the Democratic Party. "As long as we still have terrorist attacks on members of our ethnic group there are no conditions for political action of Serb political parties in Kosovo, there are no conditions for objective and normal elections," Tadic told a news conference. Seventy-five thousand minority Serbs boycotted Kosovo's first post-war municipal elections last October partly out of protest at their isolation in NATO-shielded ghettos and did not register for the vote, unlike the province's ethnic Albanians. But Everts said Belgrade's new reformist government had sent general signals that it wants those Serbs to register now. Yugoslav and Serbian authorities as well as Western powers all oppose independence for Kosovo. The United Nations Security Council resolution which ended the Kosovo conflict is ambiguous on whether the territory remains part of Serbia. But it stresses the sovereignty of Yugoslavia, of which Serbia is the dominant republic. Everts said a provisional self-government body would not be able to make decisions about the final status of Kosovo and that defence and foreign affairs would also be off limits. "That would be outside their power," Everts said. The United Nation's Kosovo governor, Denmark's Hans Haekkerup, on Thursday asked the OSCE's permanent council in Vienna to step up election preparations. Haekkerup also stressed that a legal framework for a provisional Kosovo government must be in place before the vote. One of the main issues on the table is how Serbs and other minorities will be included in such a government, Everts said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:51:51 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:51:51 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic Probe Hits a Snag Message-ID: Milosevic Probe Hits a Snag By DUSAN STOJANOVIC BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) - In their drive to put Slobodan Milosevic on trial, authorities have hit a major snag - finding evidence against the former Yugoslav president. Milosevic is suspected of involvement in the atrocities arising from four Balkan wars he set off, of ordering politically motivated killings and stealing millions in state funds. But it seems the former leader was careful to erase any incriminating paper trail. Some former associates, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, say he never gave written orders, and made sure minutes of his meetings were never kept. That has forced authorities to concentrate on less spectacular alleged wrongdoing. So far, hard evidence against Milosevic supports only suspicions of an illegal real estate transaction - an offense not considered serious enough to warrant detention. ``That offense could be compared to a parking ticket,'' said Toma Fila, a Belgrade lawyer most likely to become Milosevic's defense attorney in any possible trial. Even if the former president were to ask for help, ``so far, I have nothing to defend Milosevic from,'' said Fila. Even worse, a potential key witness against Milosevic - his secret service chief Rade Markovic - had enough time to destroy or stash away incriminating evidence before his arrest last week. Markovic reportedly can implicate Milosevic in a series of murders of rivals or critics believed carried out by the secret police under the former president's orders. He kept his post for almost five months after Milosevic was ousted in October. ``Markovic's remaining in his post gave the old regime a chance to peacefully clear up the traces of its numerous criminal deeds, especially financial wrongdoing,'' said Slobodan Vucetic, a judge and Milosevic critic. ``There is no doubt that Markovic and his closest associates started destroying the evidence already in October, or moved it to a safe place.'' He said Markovic, now in investigative custody, has adopted a defense strategy of simply refusing to speak to prosecutors. The assassinations and assassination attempts are potentially the most serious crimes that Milosevic could be tried for at home. Journalist Slavko Curuvija, a Milosevic critic, was shot and killed during NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia in 1999. Ivan Stambolic, whom Milosevic toppled as Serbian president in 1988, disappeared and is presumed dead. Serbian warlord, Zeljko Raznjatovic-Arkan - a potentially dangerous witness against Milosevic- was gunned a year ago. The U.N. war crimes tribunal has charged Milosevic with Kosovo atrocities. But the leadership that replaced Milosevic and his clique is refusing to extradite Milosevic, saying he has to stand trial at home. Milosevic is also suspected of smuggling more than 380 pounds of gold to Switzerland and then transferring the money to private accounts in Greece and Cyprus. That would be tough to prove; legal experts say they believe Milosevic was not naive enough to keep any foreign bank accounts in his name. Authorities are determined to respect the law in attempts to show their government is different from the one headed by Milosevic. And that ties their hands for any quick move against the former president, senior government officials say. ``Milosevic is guilty for what he has done to his people, but that cannot be a subject of court proceedings, that is a general guilt,'' which a judge cannot decide on, said Communications Minister Boris Tadic. ``It is evident that Milosevic had forged the documents for his house,'' Tadic said. ``There are (also) indications that he may be involved in other ... crimes.'' Still, the courts must wait for evidence against the former leader, and it will take time to build a strong case against him, officials say. ``There is no doubt Milosevic will be arrested,'' said Zoran Zivkovic, Yugoslav Interior Minister in charge of police. ``The only question is when.'' From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 16:54:55 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 16:54:55 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic gold stash denied Message-ID: Milosevic gold stash denied Athens and Nicosia denied yesterday that funds from the sale of Yugoslav state gold spirited to Switzerland on behalf of former President Slobodan Milosevic were channeled into Greek and Cypriot bank accounts. "All necessary investigations were carried out, and nothing of the sort has been found," Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Panayiotis Beglitis said. He added that accounts in Greek banks belonging to close associates of Milosevic have been frozen. The amounts involved, Beglitis said, are "minimal." "The government does not know anything about the case," a Cypriot government spokesman said. A Belgrade public prosecutor has ordered an investigation into reports that Milosevic last autumn sent 173 kilos of gold to be sold in Switzerland. The proceeds are believed to have been sent to two companies in Greece and Cyprus, ending up in local bank accounts. From Gazhebo at aol.com Fri Mar 2 17:00:15 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 17:00:15 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] UN War Crimes Court Expects Milosevic by Year - End Message-ID: <4e.12366611.27d171ef@aol.com> UN War Crimes Court Expects Milosevic by Year - End AMSTERDAM, March 2 (Reuters) - The U.N. war crimes tribunal in the Hague is expecting former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to appear before it by the end of the year, its deputy prosecutor said on Friday. Before that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia predicts that the first indicted criminals from Serbia will be handed over to the Hague-based court. ``He (Milosevic) needs to be subjected to the jurisdiction of this Tribunal,'' Deputy Prosecutor Graham Blewitt told the Dutch current affairs program 'Netwerk'. ``It is not going to happen immediately but there are good chances...I hope during the course of this year.'' Blewitt said there were indications that Serbia's new reformist government headed by President Vojislav Kostunica was prepared to work with the Tribunal. ``We will give them the benefit of the doubt for a short period of time...We would expect some substantial movement by the end of this month,'' Blewitt said. ``We will probably get some persons who are indicted and are living in Serbia...It would be the first time Serbia surrendered anyone to the Tribunal.'' He noted a turnaround in Serbian public opinion, with half the Serb population wanting Milosevic to face charges in the Hague. ``There is a realization among the Serb people that Milosevic has done them a lot of harm. He has committed crimes in their name,'' Blewitt said. He said he was also hopeful that wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who has been indicted by the Hague tribunal but is still at large, would also appear before the tribunal eventually. As each day goes by, we get closer to the day that Karadzic and Milosevic are before this Tribunal. That day will happen.'' Serbia's justice authorities, purged of Milosevic's allies, appear to be closing in on the former president, having recently launched probes into his financial affairs and arrested his secret police chief on suspicion of multiple murder. But most reform leaders have so far opposed handing Milosevic over to the tribunal. They argue he should first face justice at home, and probably on corruption charges first. Prosecutors are preparing to charge Milosevic with giving false information about his assets when he bought a house in Belgrade in 1999, according to political and judicial sources. From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 3 10:28:20 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 07:28:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Zeri i Popullit, 27.02.2001 Message-ID: <20010303152820.82628.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Text of unattributed report, "Kociu and Durda: This is how we would buy politicians", published by Albanian newspaper Zeri i Popullit on 27 February Tirana: The Albanian Prosecutor's Office has discovered the political ambitions of the criminal organization of the narcotics trafficking network. "The Albanian cartel sought to control the upcoming parliamentary elections with the ultimate goal of controlling political power through further operations," said the prosecutors of the international narcotics case. After numerous investigations, the prosecutors pursuing the cocaine criminal organization succeeded in explaining the objectives of the Albanian super traffickers who were developing long-term political goals in Albania. The Albanian prosecutors, in cooperation with the Italian anti-mafia and Western secret services, discovered their detailed plan only recently. According to this discovery, the Albanian narcotics traffickers identified a group of deputy candidates to finance in future parliamentary elections. In addition, over the next four-year term, this group of drug barons would make a number of major investments in various regions of the country to launder dirty money. Apart from these investments, they intended to form a political party which would finance several deputies for their benefit, and also hold some important offices in the government and within the local authorities. The investigators and prosecutors have now discovered the names of some current politicians who have maintained strong links for quite some time with the bosses of the cocaine cartel and who, after receiving a great deal of money from them, have gone into action to realize the drug bosses' political ambitions. The task of these politicians has been to incriminate a larger number of people and to buy as many candidates as possible in order to have many of their own men in parliament with the aim of controlling all of the political life in parliament. The drug barons also strove to ensure political support. They planned to set up a powerful media network to support and promote the political and financial operations of the group led by [Frederik] Durda and [Arben] Berballa [alleged leaders of international drugs ring, arrested by Albanian police in February]. The Albanian drug cartel has long-term objectives, masterfully interpreting the well-known schemes of the international mafia which has succeeded in buying the heads of political organizations and executives in order to pursue its criminal objectives. The Durda, Berballa, and [Sokol] Kociu [former senior police official suspected of involvement in cartel] group plans to achieve the same objective here by following the notorious scheme of the Colombian mafia in setting up its own party. The investigators and prosecutors have shed light on almost everything - tasks, objectives, and further political ambitions - related to the names of persons implicated in this artfully concocted scheme. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kbejko at hotmail.com Sat Mar 3 12:14:16 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 12:14:16 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Ne mbrojtje te nacionalizmit Message-ID: Falsifikuesit e "komb?tares" dhe kozmetika e "kozmopolitizmit". ?lirimtar?t - "komb?tar?t" dhe "kozmopolit?t" Nga Ernest Luma (Kosovapress) ---------------------------------------------------- Nuk mund t? jen? shqiptar?t (t? par?t) ata q? do t? p?rfitojn? nga "koncepti i qytetaris? s? p?rbotshme" n? mishmashin nacionalist dhe ekstremist t? Ballkanit. K?shtu do t? mund t? flitej vet?m p?r gadishullin q? ndodhet n? polin e kund?rt me t? - Skaninavin?; sepse atje nuk ka Athin?, Beograd apo Shkup?, burime t? pand?rprera t? nacionalizmit dhe urrejtjes mbi fqinj?t. ----------------------------------------------------- Prishtin?, 3 mars (Kosovapress) - N? mese dhe mediume t? Kosov?s ka individ? e vizionar? q?, p?rball? fenomeneve t? reja n? dhe rreth problemit t? Kosov?s apo shqiptar?ve n? p?rgjith?si, asnj?her? nuk kan? qen? ndonj? hap p?rpara mediave sikur q? mund t? jet? "Dnevni Telegraf" apo ndonj? simot?r tjet?r n? Serbi. Ata edhe p?r Ushtrin? ?lirimtare t? Kosov?s (U?K) dhe luft?n heroike t? saj, mor?n "iz?" t? flasin vet?m at?her? kur p?r t? botoheshin reportazhe edhe n? "Dnevni Telegraf" dhe telegraf? t? tjer? t? till?. Qarqe dhe mediume t? tilla, vizionar? dhe "patriot?" t? flakt? t? fondacioneve dhe donacioneve t? ndryshme, "komb?tare" e nd?rkomb?tare, kan? qen? ata q? gjithmon? kan? menduar t? promovojn? n? Kosov? novacionet dhe ventilimet "demokratike" n? Serbi, gjat? t?r? dhjet?vje?arit t? fundit e, sidomos, tani pas "nd?rrimit" t? pushtetit n? Beograd. P?rfaq?sues t? qarqeve t? tilla, njer?z nga t? cilat n? fillimin e t? n?nt?dhjetave - viteve q? sh?nonin fundin e ish-RSFJ-s? - b?n? p?rpjekje e p?rpjekje p?r t'i zgjatur jet? dinosaurit t? "v?llaz?rim-bashkimit", koh? m? par? b?n? edhe nj? hap gjigand p?rpara: Ekskluzivisht, vrapuan ta promovojn? Koshtunic?n n? opinionin kosovar dhe arrit?n ta b?jn? k?t? me nj? sukses t? madh. Qart?, pas kritikave, tentuan t'ia mveshin me vones? edhe epitetet si "ujk" e di?ka t? ngjajshme? S? fundi, i vun? n?n thumbin e parodis? projektet ?lirimtare t? shqiptar?ve. N?se n? fillim daljen n? sken? t? U?PMB-s? e kishin quajtur "imitim t? dob?t t? U?K-s?", tani kan? filluar t'i parodizojn? vitet e sakrific?s t? shqiptar?ve t? p?rndjekur n? ish-RFJ dhe idet? e tyre p?r nj? shtet unik shqiptar, me epitetet si "harta t? vizatuara n?p?r facueleta" dhe deri n? "kartona t? trash? t? zbukuruar me ngjyra". "Kozmopolit?t" e till? kan? harruar se p?r harta t? tilla, q? ata i quajn? "faculeta", jo pak njer?z kishin ngr?n? vite e dekada t? t?ra burg nga paraardh?sit e Koshtunic?s dhe konkretizuesit e projekteve p?r shfarosjen e shqiptar?ve nga ASHA t? Serbis?. Jo vet?m kaq. Koncepti i "qytetaris?" q? u dashka ta z?vend?soj? at? t? kombit, n? mishmashet ballkanike, duket qart? se nga t? till? "qytetar? t? t? gjith? bot?s" ka tendenc?n e imponimit t? pabazuar. (T? gjith? e din? se nuk ?sht? pun? faculetash ideja serbomadhe dhe ajo p?r shfarosjen e shqiptar?ve. Projektet e akademik?ve serb? dhe veprat e nacionalshovenist?ve si Ivo Andriqi, t? cilit bota e qytet?ruar ia ndau ?mimin Nobel, nuk kishin s? brendshmi kozmopolitiz?m, por fund e krye ishin urrejtje ndaj shqiptar?ve dhe sillnin porosi p?r shfarosjen e tyre. Bota e qytet?ruar nderoi Andriqin, por jo edhe Kadaren?). Dhe kjo nuk ?sht? rast?si. Nuk mund t? jen? shqiptar?t (t? par?t) ata q? do t? p?rfitojn? nga "koncepti i qytetaris? s? p?rbotshme" n? mishmashin nacionalist dhe ekstremist t? Ballkanit. K?shtu do t? mund t? flitej vet?m p?r gadishullin q? ndodhet n? polin e kund?rt me t? - Skaninavin?; sepse atje nuk ka Athin?, Beograd apo Shkup?, burime t? pand?rprera t? nacionalizmit dhe urrejtjes mbi fqinj?t. P?r "kozmopolit?t" e bashk?koh?sis? son? jan? t? jasht?kohshme dhe t? paq?lluara k?rkesat p?r t? qen? t? lira t? gjitha hap?sirat e banuara me shqiptar? n? rajon. Lufta ?lirimtare e p?rtejlindjes s? Kosov?s (U?PMB) dhe konflikti n? p?rtejjugun e Kosov?s (Maqedoni), m? shum? se shqet?sim, qarqeve prishtinase t? "qytetaris? s? p?rbotshme", u sjellin ?aste komike. Komike p?r ta jan? edhe vitet e t?ra burg t? shqiptar?ve n? ish-RFJ p?r "hartat e faculetave", sikurse q? ishin dje edhe k?mb?nguljet p?r t? mos e tjet?rsuar flamurin ton? komb?tar dhe Hymnin. Apostujt shqiptar? t? "kozmopolitizmit" ballkanik, t? mb?shtetur n? vjeljen e fondeve dhe donacioneve t? majme, nuk ngurruan t? pohojn? se m? mir? ?sht? q? shqiptar?t n? Kosov? t? ken? flamur e Hymn tjet?r se sa t? k?mb?ngulin p?r at? komb?tar; p?r ta ishte qesharake ideja se duhet luftuar p?r liri edhe shqiptar?t p?rtej Lindjes s? Kosov?s; p?r ta ?sht? kontraverse q? shqiptar?t t? luftojn? sot p?r liri edhe n? Maqedoni - shtetin m? t? brisht? n? Ballkan. Kozmopolit?t e Kosov?s q? nuk jan? t? till? (tolerant?-liberal?) edhe nd?rmjet vete dhe mund t? ndodh? q? edhe t? grushtohen me nj?ri-tjetrin, kur ?sht? fjala p?r ndarjen (vjeljen) e sa m? shum? fondeve (nd?rkomb?tare), marrin guximin t? flasin dhe b?jn? pazarll?qe faqeve t? gazetave me opcionet dhe p?rpjekjet e atyre q?, tekefundit, sakrifikuan m? s? shumti p?r Kosov?n dhe shqiptar?t. Ata q? dikur b?n? burgun p?r Kosov?n (n? vitet m? t? mira t? jet?s), sot natyrisht se edhe do t? luftojn?, sikur dje p?r Kosov?n, ashtu edhe sot p?r Preshev?n, Tanushecin, Tetov?n, Dibr?n? Nd?rkaq, "kozmopolit?t" e fondeve dhe donacioneve nd?rkomb?tare, mund t? kuptohet drejt se (edhe n?se nuk mendojn? ashtu sikur edhe flasin) t? dalin kund?r kryengrit?sve t? Preshev?s dhe Tanushecit dhe t'i quajn? shkarravina "faculetash" idealet e tyre, k?t? jan? t? sht?rnguar ta b?jn?, jo p?r hir t? "kozmopolitizmit" m? shum? se sa p?r hir? t? kozmofondeve? Membrana e p?rpjekjeve p?r realizimin e aspiratave komb?tare t? shqiptar?ve ?sht? duke u goditur n? dy teha, dhe jo vet?m n? bot?n e mediumeve: N? nj?r?n an?, goditet nga tehu i "komb?tar?ve" q? i abuzojn? deri n? p?rbaltosje, me tendenc?n e p?rvet?simit t? k?tyre atributeve dhe tjet?rsimit special t? p?rpjekjeve dhe, n? an?n tjet?r, goditet nga "kozmopolitizmi" q? p?r fonde t? majme ?sht? n? gjendje t? mohoj? dhe periferizoj? r?nd?sin? e ?do projekti q? shkon n? favor t? shqiptar?ve dhe q? shprish? "gjeopolitik?n" nd?rkomb?tare t? donacioneve. E v?rteta e shqiptar?ve n? fundshekull po p?rp?litet nd?rmjet "komb?tarizmit" t? falsifikuar dhe "kozmopolitizmit" t? mveshur n? kozmetik?. (I nj?jti artikull ?sht? botuar edhe n? t? p?rditshmen ?Epoka e Re?) _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Sat Mar 3 21:45:56 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 21:45:56 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Event at Harvard: So you're the President? NOW WHAT!!?? Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: cgl at law.harvard.edu Subject: [STUDENTORG_FLASH] So you're the President? NOW WHAT!!?? Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 14:58:47 -0500 Size: 1695 URL: From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 07:55:30 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 07:55:30 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Ethnic Albanians Seek Autonomy Message-ID: <38.12cbd36b.27d39542@aol.com> Ethnic Albanians Seek Autonomy By DRAGAN ILIC PRESEVO, Yugoslavia (AP) - Ethnic Albanian leaders demanded autonomy Saturday for a troubled area in southern Yugoslavia, comprehensively outlining their proposals for peace talks with the government for the first time. Riza Halimi, the political leader of the 60,000-strong ethnic Albanian community in the Presevo Valley, also demanded foreign mediation in any talks aimed at ending violence between independence-minded guerrillas and Serb security forces. Much of the fighting has taken place in a three-mile-wide zone established by international forces as a buffer between the southern province of Kosovo and the rest of Serbia, Yugoslavia's dominant republic. Halimi insisted the people of the predominantly ethnic Albanian area be given a chance to decide their own future. ``We are ready to start talks immediately,'' if the government accepts the terms, he told reporters. The troubled region should have its own ``legal system with state bodies, police and judiciary,'' Halimi said. He also outlined a plan for education. Halimi said the peace talks must include local guerrillas fighting for independence and must take place outside the country. The Serb government has said it would negotiate only with civilian leaders, and the talks should be held in Yugoslavia. No talks have been scheduled yet. Yugoslav officials offered a peace proposal last month that called for demilitarization and confidence-building measures, but ruled out autonomy for the region, which includes the towns of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac. Halimi also offered a cease-fire and a demilitarization plan for the area. Militants swept through the region in November, killing four police officers and taking over key control points. The buffer zone was established as part of a 1999 peace deal that ended the 78-day war in Kosovo, which was launched to force former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to stop his crackdown on ethnic Albanians. NATO has said it would consider a ``phased and conditioned'' reduction of the zone between Kosovo and Serbia, while urging the two sides to negotiate. Serb Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic told The Associated Press that despite the apparently differing views, a cease-fire was expected next week, as well as a ``narrowing of the buffer zone ... with the help of our real partners, from NATO.'' From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 07:57:05 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 07:57:05 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] US troops boost patrols on Kosovo-Macedonia border Message-ID: US troops boost patrols on Kosovo-Macedonia border By Elisaveta Konstantinova SKOPJE, March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. peacekeepers in Kosovo have beefed up border patrols after ethnic Albanian fighters occupied a village inside Macedonia, triggering firefights with Macedonian security forces, a NATO official said on Saturday. The move followed NATO assurances to Macedonia that it was committed to its territorial integrity and would take robust measures to increase security on the Kosovo side of the border. "One U.S. platoon is deployed in the area of Debelde. It is conducting patrols and has installed an observation post. There is also air surveillance," a KFOR official told Reuters in the Macedonian capital Skopje. Macedonia appealed for help in dealing with violence it said could upset delicately balanced relations between its majority Slavs and minority Albanians. NATO reacted by sending a team to Skopje for emergency talks that wound up on Friday. Skopje has threatened a military strike to eject what it says are ethnic Albanian "terrorists" occupying the border village of Tanusevci, 40 kms (25 miles) north of Skopje. Debelde sits opposite Tanusevci on the Kosovo side of the mountainous border. The U.S. KFOR contingent is stationed in the area. There has been sporadic shooting between the ethnic Albanian gunmen and Macedonian troops. But Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitors on the Macedonian side of the border said the situation was calm on Saturday. "There are patrols on the other side of the border, and helicopters," said an OSCE official after a visit to the area. The NATO delegation urged the Macedonian government to refrain from use of force and seek political means to solve the flare-up. NATO said such strategy would help preserve fragile relations between Macedonian Slavs and Albanians. Macedonia, whose two million population is one third ethnic Albanian, borders Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and its mainly Albanian province Kosovo, and is vulnerable to any spillover of violence in and around Kosovo. MACEDONIA WANTS KFOR TO GET TOUGH Macedonia has complained that KFOR has not done enough to prevent guerrillas and supplies of arms and equipment to slip over its side of the border. Serbia, Yugoslavia's main republic, has similar grievances over the infiltration of Kosovo Albanian guerrillas into its Presevo Valley region, where sporadic fighting has killed about 30 people over the past year. After repeated Serbian protests, NATO has agreed to a narrowing of a post-war buffer strip along Kosovo's boundary where the guerrillas have flourished, as long as Serbian security forces pull back first. A security adviser to Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski said the NATO team and the government had made progress towards agreeing on joint action to resolve the border tension. "The extremists will be isolated physically and politically. We agreed that KFOR would undertake measures similar to those taken for the protection of the border between Kosovo and southern Serbia," Nikola Dimitrov told Reuters. Macedonia has, nevertheless, left open the option to use force if KFOR fails to choke off supplies from Kosovo to the village in order to force out the guerrillas, said Dimitrov. "Some Macedonian military intervention is not excluded," he said, adding there was no set time frame within which Macedonia was prepared to wait for the guerrillas abandon the village. "We cannot set deadlines, but maintaining the status quo for too long will encourage the extremists to expand their operation along broader areas of the border," said Dimitrov. In any military operation, Macedonian troops would see only to eject the guerrillas and stop at the border, he said. On Friday, Dimitrov criticised NATO for trying to restrain the Macedonian army after having let through the guerrillas. "The major achievement of NATO's visit is that they realised the situation is serious. Before the visit, our assessments of the situation were different," said Dimitrov. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 07:59:07 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 07:59:07 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Serb leader sees south Serbia ceasefire next week Message-ID: Serb leader sees south Serbia ceasefire next week BELGRADE, March 3 (Reuters) - Yugoslavia said ethnic Albanian guerrillas attacked police in the volatile Presevo Valley area bordering Kosovo on Saturday, but a Serbian official said months of violence in the area could end within days. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said he expected a ceasefire to be signed next week, Beta news agency reported. Covic told Reuters in Belgrade the report was correct but declined to go into such details as who would sign. Also on Saturday, a local Albanian political leader in southern Serbia presented a plan calling for the area, just east of U.N.-ruled Kosovo, to be put under international control. The joint programme, agreed by ethnic Albanian political and guerrilla representatives, said all military action should end when negotiations with Yugoslav authorities got underway, which it said should happen as soon as possible. But there was little sign on the ground of any imminent ceasefire. A Yugoslav official accused the rebels of two separate attacks on Saturday afternoon. Defence ministry official Milovan Coguric said Albanian "extremists" attacked with mortars and rifles Yugoslav security forces based on a hill near the southern town of Vranje. There were no reports of injuries. About 30 people have been killed in the Presevo Valley area, which has a large ethnic Albanian population, since the violence began early last year. The rebels -- who say they are fighting Serbian repression -- have gained strength, taking advantage of a five-km (three-mile) buffer zone next to the Kosovo boundary from which the Yugoslav army and Serbian special police are banned under a 1999 accord with NATO. Belgrade wants this strip of land to be narrowed or abolished to allow it to take control of the zone. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this week said they were accelerating efforts to help Serbia peacefully regain control by implementing a phased and conditioned reduction of the buffer zone. Both sides say they want to negotiate a peaceful resolution to a crisis that has alarmed Western governments hoping for an era of Balkan stability after last year's downfall of nationalist Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Covic, who has held a series of meetings with NATO officials in recent days, said on Friday he expected talks to start soon. But the two sides have yet to agree on where to meet, whether the guerillas should be represented, or whether an armed foreign force should monitor a demilitarisation of the region. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 08:09:40 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 08:09:40 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Cyprus denies knowledge of Serbian gold Message-ID: <68.c89ecec.27d39894@aol.com> Cyprus denies knowledge of Serbian gold NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus contested new accusations yesterday that it helped make Slobodan Milosevic rich by allowing him to deposit on the island the proceeds of Yugoslav gold sales during his last days in power. Swiss authorities earlier this week said they would ask Cyprus and Greece to investigate the ownership of companies where proceeds were deposited from the sale of 173 kg of gold in Switzerland. "We do not know anything about this case," Cypriot government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou told Reuters. Yugoslav media have reported Milosevic sent the gold to Switzerland shortly before he was toppled last autumn, had it sold, then deposited the cash in Greece and Cyprus. Cyprus is often named as a conduit for funds siphoned out of Serbia, but authorities consistently deny it. Western diplomatic sources based in Cyprus say that the island has all the legal mechanisms in place to prevent money laundering. "They are doing everything right. We still have our doubts, but unfortunately no evidence. Suspect financial dealings are hard to prove anywhere," one said. Another source said the alleged transaction was unlikely since it would have coincided with the close scrutiny of Cyprus by The Hague war crimes tribunal, which in October asked the island to freeze the accounts of businesses with apparently close ties to Milosevic. Cypriots angered The Cypriots have been angrily defending themselves for almost a decade against charges that Eastern European companies which set up shop on the island in the early 1990s were used to bust sanctions against Yugoslavia. Recently their irritation has been directed at reformed Serbs as well, suggesting a cooling in traditionally warm relations between the two. In January the Cyprus Foreign Ministry protested to Belgrade after Yugoslav central bank governor Mladjan Dinkic said that the island - along with Greece and Switzerland - was not cooperating with inquiries to track down funds siphoned overseas. "We have repeatedly urged those who make such allegations to provide us with evidence, but they have not," said Papapetrou. "We are ready to facilitate any investigation," he added. Last autumn the island's central bank froze the accounts of six companies at the behest of the UN war crimes tribunal. The businesses were suspected of having close ties with Milosevic. Cypriot authorities say nothing untoward has been found in the accounts, but they remain frozen pending the completion of inquiries by Hague tribunal prosecutor Carla del Ponte. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 08:13:28 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 08:13:28 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Greece finds no Milosevic accounts Message-ID: Greece finds no Milosevic accounts Greece is carrying out its duty to the international community regarding the freezing of bank accounts owned by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his close associates, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday. "We are with the policy followed by the European Union and other countries on this issue," Reppas said. He added that Athens had "an open line" with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia while the Bank of Greece was in touch with other central banks, including that of Yugoslavia. The Bank of Greece had conducted checks and found that for some aides "accounts did exist - though not for Mr. Milosevic - which have been frozen, as was our obligation and as we have done," Reppas said yesterday. Sources said the amounts in Greek banks were not substantial. Meanwhile, Cyprus yesterday denied that it had allowed Milosevic to deposit in Cypriot banks the money from sales of gold. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 08:18:32 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 08:18:32 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonian soldier dead, two hurt on Kosovo border Message-ID: Macedonian soldier dead, two hurt on Kosovo border SKOPJE, March 4 (Reuters) - A Macedonian soldier was killed and two were badly injured near a village occupied by ethnic Albanian gunmen on the border with Kosovo on Sunday morning, the Defence Ministry said. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has stepped up its observation of the border area since a firefight between gunmen in the village and Macedonian security forces a week ago, said the soldiers' vehicle appeared to have hit a mine. OSCE monitors on the same road were safe and trying to leave, an OSCE spokesman said. From where they were they could hear firing but could not tell where it was coming from. The ministry said the injured men's condition was bad. "One is certainly dead, two are in very bad condition, as far as I know. I have no full information yet," said a spokesman. He said the incident happened at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT). The OSCE spokesman said the reports he had received so far were confused, but that the mine seemed to have appeared on the road overnight because the OSCE had been on it on Saturday. He said another report said one of the three soldiers had been hit by sniper fire, stressing that the information was unconfirmed. "All sides are working on evacuating these people. There's been a discussion about using a helicopter but it is a vulnerable location, and it might be shot at if it lands there." A police source said later that one of the injured had been taken to the military hospital in the Macedonian capital Skopje. Macedonia has moved army reinforcements to the border area over the past few days to try to cut off the village. They have threatened to use force against the gunmen, and have appealed to NATO to help tackle a situation they say threatens Macedonian and European stability. NATO has said it will do what it can to help and urged the Macedonians not to use force -- fearing that this could exacerbate the situation and threaten relations between Macedonia's Slav majority and large Albanian minority. On Saturday, a spokesman for the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo said U.S. soldiers in Kosovo had stepped up patrols to stop guerrillas or supplies crossing into Macedonia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 13:52:55 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 13:52:55 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia closes all border crossings with Kosovo Message-ID: <47.83a788e.27d3e907@aol.com> Macedonia closes all border crossings with Kosovo SKOPJE, March 4 (Reuters) - Macedonia said on Sunday it had closed all border crossings with Kosovo after three soldiers were killed near a border village occupied by ethnic Albanian guerrillas. "We've closed all border checkpoints with Kosovo to tighten security and isolate the region," Interior Ministry spokesman Stevo Pendarevski told Reuters. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said earlier it would support reasonable use of force by the Macedonian security forces against the guerrillas, adding that it hoped Skopje would act in cooperation with KFOR peacekeeping forces in Kosovo. A spokeswoman for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo said U.N. police and the NATO-led peacekeeping force had reported that the Macedonians closed the border at 1 p.m. (1200 GMT). From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 13:55:01 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 13:55:01 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Two Killed on Macedonian Border Message-ID: <72.8560afd.27d3e985@aol.com> Two Killed on Macedonian Border By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - An ethnic Albanian rebellion in Macedonia intensified Sunday, with police saying government troops were battling hundreds of guerrillas in two border villages and on rugged mountain slopes. Three Macedonian army soldiers were killed, including two whose vehicle hit a land mine near the village of Tanusevci, a stronghold of the insurgents 20 miles north of the capital, Skopje. The third died within hours at a nearby location, hit by sniper fire. Despite international and Macedonian efforts to contain the violence, the fighting has spread to the village of Malina, just east of Tanusevci, and to nearby Mt. Kodra Pura, according to a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. About 200 rebels were battling government troops, he said. Macedonian police closed down both border crossings to Kosovo, a province of Serbia, Yugoslavia's largest republic. ``It's a real war,'' said Hamdi Hasani, mayor of the Kosovo border village of Debele, very near Tanusevci. He said sporadic exchanges of gunfire increased by late morning into prolonged firefights. He said heavy weapons were being used, with some rounds falling inside Kosovo. The latest upsurge of fighting around Kosovo has raised fears of another major crisis that could threaten the whole region, less than two years after NATO and the United Nations moved into Kosovo. The fighting could be an attempt to provoke Macedonian troops into a massive response that would potentially claim innocent lives of ethnic Albanian villagers in the region. The guerrillas might be hoping that could radicalize Macedonia's ethnic Albanians, who make up nearly 25 percent of the over population of two million and help their cause. Urging government restraint, the Skopje-based mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, expressed the hope that ``the inevitable and justified response to this provocation will be adequate and not excessive and possibly coordinated'' with the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski held an emergency meeting with defense officials and several ambassadors of NATO countries. The president's office said U.S. Ambassador Michael Eikin and Mark Dickenson, his British counterpart, were among those attending. Sporadic gunfire and shelling - mortar or artillery rounds - started shortly before noon, according to Capt. Marcus Evans, an American member of the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force who was observing the fighting from Debele. A dozen U.S. Army humvees crowding Debele streets attested to the increased American observer presence in the village. Watching from the air were two Blackhawk helicopters, along with an unmanned drone spy plane. Two plumes of smoke could be seen from Debele rising from Tanusevci. ``We are bracing ourselves for a new flood of refugees,'' said Hasani, the Debele mayor, alluding to the spread of fighting to the second village. Hundreds of ethnic Albanians from the Tanusevci region fled over to Kosovo last week, when violence first intensified. Ethnic Albanian insurgents have launched twin offensives south of Kosovo into Macedonia, and east of Kosovo into a buffer zone with Serbia. The two conflicts both appear to be sparked by insurgents in heavily ethnic Albanian areas in apparent hopes of joining the areas with Kosovo as part their ultimate goal of independence. Fighters in both conflicts are thought to be aided from Kosovo. Reflecting that three-way linkage, Kosovo's NATO and United Nations heads - Lt. Gen. Carlo Cabigiosu and Hans Haekkerup - arrived in Skopje and went into an emergency meeting with top government officials. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 4 13:57:10 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 13:57:10 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia shuts Kosovo border after soldiers killed Message-ID: Macedonia shuts Kosovo border after soldiers killed By Philippa Fletcher SKOPJE, March 4 (Reuters) - Macedonia closed its border with Kosovo and held crisis talks with NATO and U.N. officials from the Serbian province after three Macedonian soldiers were killed in guerrilla attacks close to the frontier on Sunday. In a clear change of line by Western officials, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it would "understand" any armed action by Macedonia against ethnic Albanian fighters operating in a border village on Macedonian territory. NATO-led peacekeepers had previously urged the government of multi-ethnic Macedonia not to respond with force, fearing violence could spread. About one third of the former Yugoslav republic's population is ethnic Albanian, culturally close to the Albanian majority across the border in Kosovo. OSCE Ambassador Carlo Ungaro said Macedonia's security was clearly being threatened but that he hoped any action would be taken in cooperation with KFOR, the NATO-led peacekeeping force in neighbouring Kosovo. "We appreciate the restraint shown by Macedonia's army and police to two weeks of provocation," he said by telephone. "After today's turn of events we will understand and support a reasonable military response by the army and police to try to control the situation." An OSCE statement issued later said a joint OSCE, European Union Monitoring Mission, UN refugee agency and British embassy patrol had encountered a Macedonian army vehicle on Sunday morning which had just hit a landmine. "One soldier was killed; a second succumbed later due to severe injuries," the statement said. A police source said a third soldier had died after being shot by a sniper. SHELLING SEEN U.S. troops have stepped up their monitoring of the other side of the border in Kosovo since a firefight between the guerrillas and Macedonian security forces near the border village of Tanusevci a week ago. "We observed shelling and weapon fire between 11 and 11.30 a.m. (1000-1030 GMT) this morning," U.S. Captain Marcus Evans told Reuters on Sunday in the Kosovo village of Debelde. Two KFOR helicopters and a pilotless reconaissance plane flew over the area. A villager in Debelde said an ethnic Albanian in Tanusevci was injured in an exchange of fire on Sunday morning. Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski met KFOR commander Carlo Cabigiosu and Hans Haekkerup, head of the U.N. Mission in Kosovo, travelled to the Macedonian capital on Sunday to discuss the next move. KFOR said it would issue a statement after the talks. Macedonia has rung the alarm bells over the past few days, calling for international help to deal with violence it says threatens its own fragile ethnic balance and Europe as a whole. Diplomats say KFOR has only a back-up logistical mission in Macedonia which is not authorised to take any military action. (Additional reporting by Shaban Buza in Debelde and Elizaveta Konstantinova in Skopje) From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:48:35 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:48:35 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Russia's Putin calls for quick Macedonia measures Message-ID: Russia's Putin calls for quick Macedonia measures MOSCOW, March 5 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Monday for swift action in Macedonia to prevent the spread of clashes between the former Yugoslav republic's army and armed ethnic Albanians. Putin, addressing senior ministers, said he and Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski had discussed "negative processes" in the region, including clashes at the weekend in a border village in which three Macedonian soldiers were killed. Putin expressed concern that the departure of Yugoslav troops from neighbouring Kosovo when U.N. KFOR peacekeepers had been deployed there had created a "power vacuum." He drew parallels with the withdrawal of Russian troops from separatist Chechnya in 1996, after which armed separatists invaded the neighbouring Russian region of Dagestan. "Things are happening there that we have long warned about. With its current status, KFOR cannot counter extremism, as was the case after 1996 in Chechnya," Putin said in comments reported by Russian media. "The potential for extremism spilling beyond Kosovo is building. The international community must quickly take active measures or the situation could slip out of control." Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, in comments earlier reported by Interfax news agency, said Russia would back any Macedonian call to debate the issue at the U.N. Security Council. Russia backed Belgrade against NATO's 11-week bombing of Yugoslav targets in 1999 in response to a crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Moscow later contributed forces to KFOR and complained of insufficient measures to protect Kosovo's minority ethnic Serbs against armed Albanian groups. Macedonian Foreign Minister Sergan Kerim said on Sunday that his country's forces would take coordinated action with KFOR forces in Kosovo to restore order to the village of Tanusevci, occupied by Albanian gunmen. But he said he saw no reason to launch a military operation against the village. Macedonia's population is about two-thirds Slav and one-third ethnic Albanian. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:51:07 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:51:07 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gunfire, shelling hits Macedonia-Kosovo border area Message-ID: <7c.127096fb.27d4f3cb@aol.com> Gunfire, shelling hits Macedonia-Kosovo border area By Shaban Buza DEBELDE, Yugoslavia, March 5 (Reuters) - Macedonian security forces exchanged fire with ethnic Albanian guerrillas occupying a village on the border with Kosovo on Monday after army chiefs consulted overnight with NATO on how to flush out the gunmen. A sporadic thump of shelling could be heard coming from the vicinity of the remote mountain hamlet, Tanusevci, which is overlooked by Macedonian security forces, after the two sides traded machinegun and small-arms fire. Tanusevci itself was not visible from the nearby Kosovo village of Debelde, where U.S. peacekeeping soldiers set up a monitoring point after a firefight between the shadowy gunmen and Macedonian forces near Tanusevci a week ago. But about a dozen armed men presumed to be ethnic Albanians could be seen taking up positions on a rock near Tanusevci. The fighters later told journalists to leave the centre of Debelde. The Macedonian government had no immediate comment. It had said earlier that any action taken against the guerrillas would be coordinated with the NATO-led KFOR peace force in Kosovo and aim only to safeguard Macedonia's territorial integrity. Five U.S. armoured combat vehicles, two armoured medical vehicles and nine all-terrain Humvee jeeps arrived in Debelde on Monday morning, and two U.S. Apache helicopters were flying overhead observing the area. Asked what was happening, one KFOR soldier told reporters: "We'll tell you at three o'clock (1300 GMT)." A group of KFOR soldiers had earlier set off towards Tanusevci. When they returned, they said they had been talking to villagers, but did not make clear whether they had reached Tanusevci or spoken to the gunmen. CIVILIANS FLEE CLASHES Most of the civilians from Tanusevci are believed to have fled after shooting broke out there on Monday. Macedonian generals held talks overnight with officers of KFOR to plan how to clear out the gunmen from Tanusevci after three Macedonian soldiers were killed there on Sunday. NATO is worried that the gunmen, emboldened by the success of the armed struggle in Kosovo, might extend it into Macedonia, a fragile ex-Yugoslav republic that escaped recent Balkan wars. Macedonia, a Slav-dominated country with a large ethnic Albanian minority, appealed for NATO's help over the emergence of the guerrillas about two weeks ago, saying they threatened its fragile demographic balance. KFOR has a back-up mission in Macedonia but says its mandate is only to provide logistical help to the peacekeepers who replaced Serbian security forces in Kosovo after 11 weeks of NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia in 1999 conducted to stop Belgrade's repression of the province's Albanian majority. The gunmen have not identified themselves or issued any demands. Ethnic Albanian politicians in Macedonia, where five government ministers are Albanian, say the clashes on the border threaten their hard-won political gains and the improvements achieved in their uneasy relations with the Slav majority. Before Monday's clashes broke out, the spokesman for the Macedonian Defence Ministry said Macedonian forces would taken only defensive action. "We are in our positions, ready to defend the lives of our soldiers and the integrity of our country. The army is prepared to take defensive action," Georgi Trendafilov said by telephone. On Sunday, Macedonia asked for an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council to approve a five-km (three-mile) buffer zone inside Kosovo on the border with Macedonia in which KFOR would strictly control any movement of people and supplies. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:52:32 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:52:32 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gunfire Erupts in Macedonia Message-ID: <60.c2416f9.27d4f420@aol.com> Gunfire Erupts in Macedonia By FISNIK ABRASHI DEBELDE, Yugoslavia (AP) - Guerrillas and Macedonian troops exchanged fire Monday in a mountainous border area, and U.S. peacekeepers stepped up patrols nearby in Kosovo, trying to stem an intensifying ethnic Albanian insurgency. Gun and mortar fire rang out in the hills near Tanusevci, a stronghold of the insurgents, where a day earlier three soldiers were killed by a mine and from which fighting spread to two new areas. Just shouting distance away, across the border in Kosovo, U.S. peacekeepers sent armored vehicles and two dozen humvees into the village of Debelde, patrolling and observing all movements on the other side of the line in Macedonia. Two American Apache helicopters and one unmanned drone spy plane swooped overhead. Journalists were ordered to leave town. ``We're just trying to increase our presence,'' said 1st Sgt. Brian Thomas. After Sunday's intensified fighting, Macedonian Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim said NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo would coordinate with Macedonia to comba t guerrilla activity. He did not elaborate, but that was likely to mean tighter NATO security on the Kosovo side of the border - since they are not allowed to cross - to prevent guerillas from entering Macedonia. Fighting by ethnic Albanian separatists has become a common occurrence along Kosovo's boundary with the rest of Yugoslavia. But violence has erupted at Kosovo's southern border with Macedonia as well. In a setback to Macedonian and international efforts to contain the violence, fighting that had been centered on Tanusevci - 20 miles north of the Macedonian capital, Skopje - spread Sunday to another village, Malina, just to the east, and to the nearby Kodra Pura Mountain. About 200 insurgents battled Macedonian troops in those areas for hours Sunday, police said. Macedonia also started calling up reservists for duty with border guard units. Macedonia is a former Yugoslav republic which had so far escaped the bloody conflicts that have marked its neighbors. Macedonian police closed down both border crossings to Kosovo. Later, they reopened them - but only to Macedonian citizens wanting to leave the province. Kerim said Macedonia was demanding an urgent session of the U.N. Security Council and the establishment of a buffer zone within Kosovo abutting the Macedonian border. The latest surge in fighting around Kosovo has raised fears of another major crisis that could threaten the whole region, less than two years after NATO and the United Nations moved into the province. The fighting could be an attempt to provoke Macedonian troops into a massive response that could claim innocent lives of ethnic Albanian villagers. The guerrillas might be hoping that could radicalize Macedonia's ethnic Albanians, who make up nearly 25 percent of the population of over 2 million, and thus help their cause. The Democratic Party of Albanians, a partner in Macedonia's ruling coalition, condemned the ethnic Albanian insurgents operating along boundary with Kosovo, saying there were damaging Albanians' interests. The U.S. ambassador to Macedonia, Michael Einik, condemned the insurgent campaign as ``aggression ... that is coming into Macedonia and threatens stability.'' He said that the United States was helping authorities in Macedonia coordinate an anti-insurgent response with NATO. He and other diplomats urged restraint on the part of government troops. ``We are bracing ourselves for a new flood of refugees,'' said Hamdi Hasani, the Debele mayor. Hundreds of ethnic Albanians from around Tanusevci fled to Kosovo last week, when violence first intensified. Macedonia's president, Boris Trajkovski, held an urgent meeting with defense officials and several ambassadors of NATO countries. Ethnic Albanian insurgents have launched offensives both in Macedonia and part of southern Serbia just outside Kosovo. The conflicts appear similar - both sparked by insurgents hoping to join heavily ethnic Albanian with Kosovo as part of the ultimate goal of independence. In southern Serbia on Monday, Yugoslavia's government-run press center in Bujanovac reported several shooting incidents. No one was injured. Serbian police reinforcements, transported in about a dozen of buses, were noted in the area Monday. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:53:06 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:53:06 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Bulgaria might offer troops to Macedonia Message-ID: Bulgaria might offer troops to Macedonia - Bulgaria said it is willing to consider sending troops to help defend neighbouring Macedonia after an ambush on its frontier with Kosovo killed three Macedonian soldiers. "The actions of Albanian terrorist groups around the village of Tanusevci may also be considered as the opening of a new front around Kosovo," the government said in a statement. Heavy firing broke out on Monday near Tanusevci between Macedonia's security forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas who are occupying the village, just inside Macedonia. The three soldiers were killed in the village on Sunday. The guerrillas are presumed to have ties with Kosovo, where about 90 percent of the population is ethnic Albanian. Macedonia, an ex-Yugoslav republic that escaped recent Balkan wars, is considered vulnerable to any spillover of violence in and around the province. Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov said he was ready to consider sending troops to help defend Macedonia during a telephone conversation with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski late on Sunday, Stoyanov's press office said. "The president said he was ready to raise in parliament the question of using Bulgarian armed forces if Macedonia requests that from its neighbours or international organisations involved in securing stability in the region," a press release said. Sofia also called on the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, to step in resolutely to prevent tensions mounting at the Macedonian-Kosovo border, which has increased concern that unrest could spread across the Balkans. Recent attacks by Albanian guerrillas in the volatile Preservo Valley area on the other side of Kosovo have also rung alarm bells about Balkan stability. The Bulgarian statement said that Prime Minister Ivan Kostov had reiterated Bulgaria's willingness to extend any technical help Macedonia might consider necessary to cope with the crisis. In a telephone conversation with Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, Kostov reassured him of Bulgaria's complete support for Macedoni a's stability, said the statement. Stoyanov, who starts a three-day official visit to Belgium on Monday, was to raise the issue during a meeting with NATO officials at the pact's headquarters. The president's proposal would be also discussed at a meeting of his advisory National Security Council which groups party leaders, key government ministers and heads of security services next Monday, the statement said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:53:54 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:53:54 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] KFOR says armed men retreat from Macedonia village Message-ID: <7a.115b7a9b.27d4f472@aol.com> KFOR says armed men retreat from Macedonia village DEBELDE, Yugoslavia, March 5 (Reuters) - Armed men presumed to be Kosovo Albanians who have engaged Macedonian security forces around an ethnic Albanian-populated village in Macedonia were seen leaving on Monday, U.S. peacekeepers in Kosovo said. Jim Marshal, spokesman for the U.S.-led contingent of the KFOR peacekeeping force, said the men appeared to be dumping their uniforms and weapons before heading towards Kosovo. "We saw a lot of men in black uniforms crossing into Kosovo, entering buildings, changing out of their uniforms, leaving their weapons and coming here to Kosovo in civilian clothes," Marshal told reporters in the Kosovo village of Debelde, where U.S. troops are monitoring the flashpoint. "We suspect there are caches of weapons and uniforms inside Kosovo." Marshal said there were believed to be between 70 and 150 men in the group. It was not clear how many had withdrawn. "We have seen machine guns and some RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and light weapons," he said. "We will disarm them and detain them and investigate each base individually. It is up to KFOR to decide about further investigations. We are talking with the civilians here in Debelde to convince the armed men to hand over their weapons and finish this thing," Marshal said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:50:23 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:50:23 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonian border violence threatens Albanians Message-ID: Macedonian border violence threatens Albanians By Philippa Fletcher SKOPJE, March 5 (Reuters) - Albanian politicians say clashes between Macedonia's security forces and an armed group operating on the border with Kosovo threaten Albanian interests in the multi-ethnic state. In a statement issued after three Macedonian soldiers were killed on the border with Kosovo near a village where ethnic Albanian gunmen are believed to be holed up, Macedonia's main Albanian party urged all Albanians to condemn what it called a bid to destabilise Macedonia. "We regard this conflict-inciting provocation as damaging, primarily for the long-term interests of the Albanians, which have become a hostage of the will, ignorance and immaturity of a still unidentified group of suspicious legitimacy," the Democratic Party of Albanians said. In Kosovo, the party led by former guerrilla commander Hasim Thaci also condemned the use of force. "At a time when all national and international mechanisms are making efforts for stabilisation of the Balkan region there are tendencies that political me ans be replaced by violent means, which is unacceptable for us," it said. The Albanian government added its voice to the chorus of criticism, saying the violence ran counter to the aspirations of Albanians in Macedonia and the wider region and calling on the Macedonian authorities to exercise restraint. VILLAGE NOT STRATEGIC Speaking in an interview before the latest outbreak of violence near the village of Tanusevci, Arben Xhaferi, the influential leader of Macedonia's Albanian minority, said it had no strategic significance. "It is a remote village abandoned by God and the devil where there are tired villagers, cows and other animals," said Xhaferi, whose party has five ministerial posts in the Macedonian government. "Tanusevci is not a metaphor for a wider destabilisation but it is a metaphor of how to destroy the image of the Albanians, making us the diabolical force sparking a domino effect in the Balkans," he said. Late on Sunday evening, Macedonian officials planned measures to clear the re bels from the village with members of the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo. At the back of alliance minds is the fear that the gunmen, emboldened by the success of the armed struggle in Kosovo, might spread their revolt through Macedonia, a fragile ex-Yugoslav republic that has escaped recent Balkan wars. Speaking in the town of Tetovo in majority Albanian western Macedonia over the weekend, Xhaferi urged the international community and the Slav-led Macedonian government not to play into the rebels' hands. He said the gunmen were not threatening Macedonian sovereignty because it never really existed in Tanusevci but were harming Albanians' uneasy but improving relations with the Slav majority in Macedonia. Without naming names, he said "somebody" was trying to gain power through what he called "revolutionary procedures" and risked polarising Macedonian society. "They want to bypass the democratic procedure. They don't want to participate in elections. They want prompt legitimacy," he said. Asked if he, as a politician commanding wide respect among the Albanian population of Macedonia and neighbouring Kosovo, felt he could go to talk to the guerrillas, he said: "If they were politicians we would have the courage to go anywhere but nobody knows who they are, who commands them." From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 08:55:04 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 08:55:04 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Greece condemns violence along Kosovo border Message-ID: Greece condemns violence along Kosovo border ATHENS, March 4 (Reuters) - Greece said on Monday it was increasingly worried about escalating violence on the borders between Macedonia and Kosovo and called for stronger international pressure to end the fighting. Clashes between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Macedonian security forces have flared in the past days. On Sunday, three soldiers were killed during the violence in a Macedonian village, close to the Kosovo border. "The international community must seriously tackle the issue...it must not allow the situation to get out of control. This could have serious repercussions," Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis told reporters. "There must be a clear message to those who attempt to destabilise the region," he said. Albanian guerrillas have also been attacking Yugoslav targets in the volatile Presevo Valley region of southern Serbia, bordering on Kosovo -- a Yugoslav province under international administration since 1999. Macedonia, where ethnic Albanians make up almost a third of the population, has beefed up security along its Kosovo border over the past week to try to contain the violence. In Vienna, visiting Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou condemned the recent violence in southern Serbia and Macedonia and said the region's problems should be resolved peacefully, through negotiation. "We condemn violence and any extremist acts. This is not the way we solve problems in the Balkans," Papandreou told a news conference after meeting Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner. Papandreou called for respect for international law and borders and said violence would only generate more violence. "Yes, the Albanians there in southern Serbia do have problems," he said. "However we have a situation where the Yugoslav government not only recognises these problems but is very willing to work to solve these problems in a democratic way." From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 09:03:12 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 09:03:12 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] On the edge: Unrest on FYROM's doorstep/Kathimerini Message-ID: <62.c6fe608.27d4f6a0@aol.com> On the edge: Unrest on FYROM's doorstep Spreading clashes between ethnic Albanians and Slav-Macedonians on Skopje's border with the province of Kosovo threaten to start another war By G.G. De Lastic Kathimerini Real battles lasting entire days have taken place sporadically during the past week in hitherto little known Tanusevci village in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The village is occupied by Albanians and is close to the Kosovo border. Rebels pushing for Albanian autonomy and the Slav-Macedonian army have clashed in this remote area. Unconfirmed sources report that the village often changes hands. Hundreds of Albanian civilians have taken refuge in Kosovo, and FYROM President Boris Trajkovski publicly denounced their flight as stage-managed. The political import of what is going on in this otherwise insignificant village is tremendous. The Albanian residents refuse to accept the terms of the agreement defining the Yugoslav-FYROM border, which the two countries signed last Friday in Skopje on the sidelines of the Balkan Summit, and they are demanding that their village be part of Kosovo. This indicates a desire for Albanian national completion, regardless of existing international borders. Taking up arms in a de facto imposition of this desire and clashes with the armed forces of the country are not "acts of terrorism" as the joint communique of the Balkan summit foolishly described them, but something much more serious. Whether we like it or not, they are the beginning of an armed national liberation struggle by a certain section of the Albanians in FYROM. As expected, the de facto consolidation of Kosovo's independence during the NATO attack on Serbia, and the ongoing process of breaking away from Serbia by Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, also tolerated by the NATO forces, has persuaded some Albanians in FYROM that it was their turn to become independent. Nightmarish prospect This is an alarming prospect. The coexistence of Albanians and Slav-Macedonians is artificial, and the armed clashes at Tanusevci reduce the desire to continue this "state marriage." If the Albanians' desire for independence is openly expressed, then FYROM will not be able to exist as a unified state because of its large proportion of Albanian citizens (30-40 percent: The exact number is not known because both sides deliberately falsify the figures). The worst scenario of all is not the potential breakup of FYROM as a state, but that our neighboring countries will almost certainly dismember it and and divide it up among themselves. The Albanian areas will sooner or later attempt to become part of Albania, while matters are more complicated in the Slav-Macedonian areas. The prevailing view in Bulgaria is that the Slav-Macedonians are a Bulgarian race, so if FYROM breaks up Sofia will be very tempted by the desire to annex Slav-Macedonian territory, which would meet the approval of some Slav-Macedonians in FYROM. There is an additional complication in the fact that similar views, though less widespread and in a milder form, are held in Serbia, where the Slav-Macedonians are seen as Southern Serbs. Within FYROM, Slav-Macedonians who oppose annexation by Bulgaria may prefer to stick with Serbia, thus bringing Belgrade into the game. Whatever happens, it would be self-deluding to think that Greece would be unaffected and would stand by and do nothing if FYROM were partitioned by two or three of its neighbors. It would be even more naive to expect this to happen peacefully and without bloodshed. The threat of such developments explains the full political support which Prime Minister Costas Simitis gave FYROM during his recent visit to Skopje, even though nothing happened, or is expected to happen, concerning FYROM's name. Everything unresolved >From the strategic point of view, the armed clashes in southern Serbia are clearly more serious than those in FYROM. "All the international observers who visited the area agree that it is only a matter of time before there is a major outbreak of violence... If there is an upheaval, it will certainly cause serious problems for the new rulers in Belgrade; it will unleash another, perhaps final, wave of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo; it will spread to sensitive areas in northern Macedonia; and it will become a major challenge for the international community," said special representative of the UN secretary-general for the Balkans, Carl Bildt, a former Swedish premier, in a dramatic letter to Kofi Annan. In fact, while the situation in FYROM is growing more critical, matters in southern Serbia are not so alarming. The new government in Belgrade has shown that it is so closely tied to US and NATO policy that it is unlikely to react violently to any secession from Serb or Yugoslav territory. Serb public opinion runs along the same lines, displaying indifference to Presevo or to Montenegro, which will probably announce the expected referendum on independence from Yugoslavia by summer. In a state of collapse Serbia has already entered a stage of political collapse, similar to that of Yeltsin's Russia after the disintegration of the USSR. Belgrade will not be able to play a leading role in the Balkans for years, but will influence them indirectly through its own weakness, which will fuel ambitions in another Balkan states. What is temporarily keeping the situation in the Balkans in check is the desire of all the countries in the area to join NATO and the European Union. In essence, however, not one Balkan problem has been resolved. NATO protectorates (Bosnia, Kosovo) are multiplying, and new states are emerging, even when they are obviously not viable. The unavoidable conflicts that are looming (such as the dismemberment of Bosnia and FYROM, and union of Albania and Kosovo) are temporarily delayed, only to return in more violent form when circumstances permit. As for Balkan leaders, they prefer to bury their heads in the sand rather than solve problems, as for example with the virtual reality communique at t he Skopje summit, which reflects nothing whatsoever of the critical situation and vital issues in the Balkans. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 5 09:12:46 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 09:12:46 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic Still a Headache Message-ID: <58.804647f.27d4f8de@aol.com> Milosevic Still a Headache BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Once united in their desire to unseat Slobodan Milosevic, Yugoslavia's pro-democracy leaders are now divided on when, how and even if their deposed president should be made to answer for his ruinous rule. President Vojislav Kostunica is urging caution. He argues that a hasty court trial could spark a backlash. Other leaders would like to see justice done more quickly -- Nenad Canak, a leading member of the 18-party alliance backing the new government, has accused Kostunica of stalling proceedings against Milosevic and other key figures. ``Milosevic ought to be tried for something that even The Hague (U.N. Tribunal) does not charge him with ... grand treason, punishable by the death penalty,'' Canak said in comments published Sunday in the daily Blic newspaper, adding the former president was responsible for turning Yugoslavia into a pariah country during his 13-year tenure. The demands for action come as other countries call for Yugoslavia to arrest and extradite Milosevic to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. The Netherlands-based court has charged him with alleged atrocities committed in the war in Kosovo, a province of Serbia, Yugoslavia's main republic. Serbia's justice minister, Vladan Batic, is among the backers of extradition, warning that the international community wants ``serious cooperation.'' On the other end of the scale is Zoran Zizic, the Yugoslav prime minister. Zizic, whose Montenegrin Socialists used to be allied with Milosevic, still refuses to completely abandon him nearly five months after a popular uprising forced Milosevic to acknowledge losing elections. Zizic pledged last month that Milosevic would not be extradited while he was still in office. Aid worth $100 million is under threat if the new administration does not begin to cooperate with the U.N. Court by March 31. The money has been earmarked by the U.S. Congress to help restore Yugoslavia's ruined economy and infrastructure. Divergent signals reflect the leadership split on Milosevic. Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic on Saturday called cooperation with the Hague Tribunal a ``top priority ... so that we can continue a normal communication with U.S. government and EU.'' But this week, Kostunica warned against what he described as ``revolutionary justice,'' saying that anything that could help the cause of Milosevic supporters should be avoided. Some 50 die-hards have been demonstrating since Thursday in the street of the former leader's residence, promising to protect him ``with all means.'' With Milosevic covering his tracks while in office, evidence of serious wrongdoing is hard to find. Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic says the only concrete evidence against him so far concerns an illegal real estate transaction. That, and a police investigation into reports that Milosevic moved millions of dollars worth of gold to Switzerland and then stashed the proceeds in Greek and Cypriot bank accounts, seem the strongest leads that judicial authorities have for now. Carla Del Ponte, the chief U.N. tribunal prosecutor argues there's no need for delay, suggesting her court has more than enough to try Milosevic on war crimes. ``If the courts in Yugoslavia are not ready, we are,'' she said recently. Such haste, however, is rejected by the Kostunica camp, which says it needs time to build a case against Milosevic at home. ``Our judiciary are not worried so much about what Carla Del Ponte thinks, but what citizens of this country think,'' Kostunica's advisor, Predrag Simic, told Blic on Sunday. From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 5 09:15:06 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 06:15:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] New census in Greece? Message-ID: <20010305141506.82280.qmail@web11502.mail.yahoo.com> KATHIMERINI 5.3.2001 Frustrated Church plans Orthodox IDs Archbishop says pope will get same welcome as 'Teheran mufti' Confronted with the government's determination to keep religious belief off state identity cards, the Church of Greece is now proposing to launch its own identification papers, to be borne by all devout Christian Orthodox, Archbishop Christodoulos said yesterday. In another surprise move, he extended a grudging welcome to Pope John Paul II, who has officially asked to visit Greece this spring - in a move regarded with great suspicion by the Orthodox Church. "I will recommend to the Holy Synod that the Church should undertake a census of its own, of its Christians," the archbishop of Athens and All Greece told callers on a Church radio program. The Synod, the Church's ruling body, is to convene today. "This will allow us to have Christian Orthodox identity cards," he added, "so that in a short time we can know exactly how many Christians Orthodox we have on our lists." Christodoulos proceeded to take a shot at Constantinos Dafermos, the head of the state Authority for the Protection of Personal data privacy watchdog, who has steadfastly upheld the government's decision last year to erase any mention of religious belief from the blue plastic cards all Greeks are obliged by law to carry at all times. "Now Mr Dafermos may prohibit this too," he said. "We sometimes get the impression that we are not living in a Christian state. The children of the Church are fighting against us, as if the Church was acting to the detriment of the nation. It is enough to drive one mad." A six-month campaign by the Church for a referendum on the police ID question, in the form of a nationwide petition, is scheduled to end on March 25. According to Christodoulos, up to 2.5 million people have signed. On Saturday, the archbishop called local parishes to step up the campaign, and attacked members of the clergy who have not signed the petition - a failure which he attributed to fear of the government. "I am in greater danger than you," Christodoulos said. Turning to the papal visit, the archbishop said he would meet John Paul II, as a matter of good manners. "If he comes, can I close the door on him?" he asked. "Even if he was the mufti from Teheran I would meet him. This is ordained by the rules of politeness." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kruja at fas.harvard.edu Mon Mar 5 09:46:50 2001 From: kruja at fas.harvard.edu (Eriola Kruja) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 09:46:50 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?Vdes_burri_m=EB_i_vjet=EBr_shqiptar_=28fwd=29?= Message-ID: kapeni pak ate pjesen "ka pasur nje jete te shendetshme dhe ka pire shume raki" :) eriola. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Vdes burri m? i vjet?r shqiptar DELVIN? - N? fshatin Vllahat, disa kilometra n? jug t? qytetit Delvin?, vdiq t? enjten, n? mosh?n 123 vje?are, burri q? jetoi n? tre shekuj t? ndrysh?m. Ramadan Lime Mihasi ?sht? konsideruar burri i tre shekujve. Ramadani u lind n? fshatin Isvor t? rrethit t? Tepelen?s m? 25 dhjetor 1888. Burime pran? Muzeut t? Tepelen?s than? se ai ka marr? pjes? n? Luft?n e Par? dhe t? Dyt? Bot?rore. Mihasi ka marr? pjes? edhe n? Dit?n e Pavar?sis?, ceremonin? e par? zyrtare q? sh?noi ngritjen e flamurit n? Vlor?, m? 28 n?ntor 1912. Ai ka marr? pjes? edhe n? luft?n kund?r pushtuesve italian? n? 1920. Mihasi ka punuar n? Tepelen? si postier. Sipas t? af?rm?ve t? tij, ai ka patur nj? jet? t? sh?ndetshme dhe ka pir? shum? raki. Albanian Daily News From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 5 10:32:06 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 07:32:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: CANCELLED:Women at the Peace Table In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010305153206.48313.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> Due to severe weather conditions the > 'Women at the Peace Table' > event scheduled for today at 1pm has been cancelled. > We apologize for any inconvenience > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From admin at albstudent.com Mon Mar 5 10:35:01 2001 From: admin at albstudent.com (Admin@ AlbStudent) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 07:35:01 -0800 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] [Fwd: Company Museums] Message-ID: <200103051535.HAA23598@mail12.bigmailbox.com> An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... Name: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 5 14:46:31 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 11:46:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Are Vlachs in Greece a Minority or Not? Message-ID: <20010305194631.63893.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Subject: PROTEST RESOLUTION BY 31 VLACH MAYORS AND COMMUNE PRESIDENTS AGAINST STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON GREECE MPA PROTEST RESOLUTION BY 31 VLACH MAYORS AND COMMUNE PRESIDENTS AGAINST STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT (original Greek text at: http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc__id=17444455) Thessaloniki, 28 February 2001 (23:27 UTC+2) The recently issued U.S. State Department report provoked a vehement reaction from 31 Vlachophone mayors and presidents of mountain communes in Greece. A resolution passed today by the mayors and community presidents cites the following: Concerning the recent report by the American State Department on our country, we the undersigned Mayors and Commune Presidents, as elected representatives of the Local Government Organization, state that: 1st We protest the direct or indirect characterization of Vlachophone Greeks (Vlachs) as a national, linguistic or other minority. 2nd We declare that we ourselves, the Vlachophone Greeks, have never requested to be recognized by our country as a minority because we have always been a historically and politically integral part of the Hellenic nation. 3rd The existence and use of a second linguistic idiom, the consequence of a protracted Greco-Roman cultural tradition on mainland Greece, does not constitute a reason to characterize it as a minority language with the familiar political and other repercussions this entails. 4th We condemn any and all exploitation of a purely cultural element for political purposes or other motives, and its conversion into a factor to ethnically or otherwise differentiate the Vlachophone Greeks. 5th We express our displeasure and question forthwith the data upon which the authors of this report have based their findings, and challenge them to produce this documentation. 6th We categorically declare that we will act as a body to oppose whomever intentionally misinforms and misrepresents the historical and current facts concerning the collective national identity of Vlachophone Greeks. This protest resolution has been forwarded to the United States State Department and communicated to the President of the Hellenic Republic, the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Official Opposition, Political Party Leaders, and the Council of Europe, and is signed by the following Mayors and Commune Presidents. 1. Ioannis Hasiotis, Mayor of Veria, Imathia 2. Achilleas Evangelou, Mayor of Kleisoura, Kastoria 3. Athanasios (Nikos) Kapsalis, Mayor of Livadi, Larissa 4. Alexandros Kachrimanis, Mayor of Metsovo, Ioannina 5. Nikolaos Yioutikas, Mayor of Axios, Thessaloniki 6. Dimitrios Koulinas, Mayor of Polykastro, Kilki 7. Yeorgios Yitsos, Mayor of Evropos, Kilki 8. Yeorgios Makris, Mayor of Prosotsani, Drama 9. Nikolaos Zacharakis, Mayor of Kleinovos, Trikala 10. Christos Malakasiotis, Mayor of Malakasi, Trikala 11. Dimitris Basios, Mayor of Ano Pogoni, Ioannina 12. Sotiris Spyridakis, Mayor of Anatoliko Zagori, Ioannina 13. Ioannis Papapoulios, Mayor of Goryiani, Grevena 14. Ioannis Filos, Mayor of Kastania, Grevena 15. Alkiviadis Lantavos, Community President of Matsouki, Ioannina 16. Dimitrios Frangos, Community President of Pefka, Thessaloniki 17. Christos Nitsiakos, Community President of Aetomilitsa, Ioannina 18. Nikolaos Mertzos, Community President of Nymphaio, Florina 19. Stergios Raptis, Community President of Greater Aspropotamos, Trikala 20. Konstantinos Moutsioulis, Community President of Fourka, Ioannina 21. Achilleas Dokos, Community President of Avdella, Grevena 22. Efthimios Goulas, Community President of Distratos, Ioannina 23. Athanasios Stangoyiannis, Community President of Vovousa, Ioannina 24. Ioannis Kapetis, Community President of Milea, Ioannina 25. Nikolaos Gatzoyias, Community President of Kalarita, Ioannina 26. Ioannis Argyris, Community President of Syrakos, Ioannina 27. Yeorgios Platsoukas, Community President of Vathypedo, Ioannina 28. Konstantinos Tzimas, Community President of Samarina, Grevena 29. Apostolos Zioboras, Community President of Perivoli, Grevena 30. Panayotis Tsakalis, Community President of Grammos, Kastoria 31. Fotis Kilipiris, Community President of Livadi, Kilki ======= Subject: STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON GREECE PROTESTED BY PANHELLENIC UNION OF VLACH CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS MPA STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT PROTESTED BY PANHELLENIC UNION OF VLACH CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS (original in Greek at: http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc__id=174756) Trikala, 1 March 2001 (22:55 UTC+2) Concerning the characterization of Vlachophone Greeks as a linguistic, national or other minority by the U.S. State Department report on our country, a protest resolution by the Panhellenic Union of Vlach Cultural Societies was issued. The Union declares that Vlachophone Greeks have never requested to be recognized by the state as a minority because they are a historically and politically integral part of the Hellenic nation. They condemn any and all exploitation of a purely cultural element for political purposes or other motives, and its conversion into a factor of ethnic differentiation. Finally, the Union declares that it will oppose and counter whoever intentionally misinforms and misrepresents the historical and current facts concerning the collective national identity of Vlachophone Greeks. This protest resolution has been forwarded to the United States State Department and communicated to the President of the Hellenic Republic, the President of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, Political Party Leaders, and the Council of Europe. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 5 14:48:38 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 11:48:38 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Minority rights in Europe Message-ID: <20010305194838.75320.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> From: McKinney [mailto:mckinney at e...] New article: Deets, Stephen. Europe and the Politics of Minority Rights. EES News, March-April 2001, p. 5 ff. The author considers minority policies and demands in the light of liberal democratic theory and European norms. According to the author, as democracies require each individual to have a multiplicity of identities and interests, there must be better differentiation on when minority policies are grounded in rights, on ideas on best practices, and on compromises to reduce tension. To obtain a copy of this issue, or to subscribe: wwics at w... Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars East European Studies http://wwics.si.edu/ees/ ********************************************* European Centre for Minority Issues William McKinney Librarian Schiffbruecke 12 D-24939 Flensburg, Germany e-mail: mckinney at e... http://www.ecmi.de Tel: +49 461 1414970 Fax: +49 461 1414969 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Mon Mar 5 14:53:02 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 14:53:02 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Call for Papers: Forced Migration Review Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: bieberf at seep.ceu.hu Subject: [balkans] CfP: Forced Migration Review Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:50:53 +0100 Size: 2344 URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 5 16:17:59 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 13:17:59 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Parate e BE-se per Korcen humbin ne Janine Message-ID: <20010305211759.67099.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> KOHA JONE Velo: "Korcaret duhet te pine raki mani me kernacka" Korce- Ceshtja e ruajtjes dhe mirembajtjes se monumenteve te kultures eshte bere me e ndjeshme, sidomos pas takimit me intelektualin dhe piktorin Maks Velo me eliten dhe ata qe e duan Korcen ne vilen "Themistoklin". Por me problematik mbetet ceshtja e pazarit te Korces si nje nga veprat me te vjetra dhe terheqese te qytetit. "Kur te ngrihen hanet e te behen hotele, kur ne kafenete do te mblidhen qytetaret pas pune, kur turistet e huaj te kene mundesi te hane kernacka dhe pace shoqeruar me raki mani dhe birre Korca, kur ne largesi te degjohen kenget e buta korcare, atehere dhe vetem atehere Korca do te jete e plote. Ringritja e pazarit te Korces eshte detyra numer nje ne fillim te ketij mijevjecari", tha Maks Velo kur pa jo me pak dhimbje qe tezgaxhinjte shisnin neper rruget e kalldremta, para dyqaneve te kycura, kur hani i famshem renkonte nga kaosi e rremuja e gjithcka kishte humbur nga pazari i vjeter. Dega e Monumenteve te Kultures, kryetari i Bashkise, prefekti Ben Blushi me projekte e ide perpiqen te rikthejne vlerat e tij te dikurshme, vec jo pa veshtiresi. Problemi do te ishte vene ne rrugen e zgjidhjes, ne qofte se zyra e RMU ne ish-Ministrine e Transportit dhe Ndertimit do te kishte marre ne konsiderate nje projekt te Deges se Monumenteve te Kultures ne Korce. Arkitekti Kliti Kallamata shprehet se kane aplikuar per sigurimin e fondeve te rrjetit inxhinierik prane programit Cruss-Border. Fatkeqesisht zyra e PMU-se ndryshon qellimin e aplikimit pa vene ne dijeni degen e monumenteve te kultures nga rikonstruksioni te rrjetit inxhinierik te ansamblit ne studim per rikonstruksionin e Ansamblit. Nuk dihet se dhe kur u zhvillua nje tender ne zyrat e PMU-se, pa dijenine e aplikuesve dhe te Bashkise se Korces per 200 mije ECU-te e caktuara per qellimin e mesiperm. Per arkitektin Kallamata, korrupsioni ka qene i pranishem perderisa ne kundershtim me te gjitha rregullat dhe ligjet tenderi jetohet nga nje zyre greke ne Janine per kryerjen e studimit, te habit fakti qe parate kerkohen per rikonstruksionin e per cudi kjo shume jepet per studim kur nje i tille priste vetem zbatimin. Nga e gjithe kjo odise humbi Pazari, heshten bashkiaket qe miratuan vendimin e PMU-se dhe fitoi firma greke. Kjo eshte nje pjese e demtimit te Pazarit per shkak te investimeve, por ka edhe nje ane tjeter qe e demton ate, perkushtimi i institucioneve shteterore, ruajtjen e asaj cka mbeti. Si problem shqetesues paraqitet dhe gjendja e ndertimeve te Pazarit. Ndertimi i pronesise ka mundesuar qe pronaret e rinj, duke mos qene koshiente mbi rregullat dhe ligjet per mbajtjen e monumenteve, kryejne ndertime pa kriter qe tjetersojne vlerat e zones muzeale te Korces. Shembulli me i keq tipik eshte ish-dyqani i Merdaneve ku nje pronar i ri, i ardhur nga rrethinat e Korces, ka shkaterruar krejt interieren dhe eksterierin e tij. Perballe kesaj gjendjeje Policia e Ndertimit, Bashkia dhe Prefektura kane heshtur megjithese neper sirtaret e tyre gjenden mbi 60 kerkesa qe kerkonin nderhyrjen emergjente. Mire se per rikonstruksionin e rrjetit inxhinierik duheshin para, po per te mos lejuar prishen e vlerave muzeale. Kush i pengoi pushtetaret? Dega e Monumenteve te Kultures ne kete qytet konfirmon se demtime vihen re edhe ne subjekte te tjera te etiketuara monumente kuturore te kategorise se pare. E njejta gje vihet re edhe ne banesat e Vellezerve Frasheri, Ballaureve e Mysafirhana e Xengove. ruajtja e monumenteve te kultures nuk duhet pare si nje preference arkitektesh. Ne Korce kthimi i tyre ne identitet shihet si vleresim i trashegimise kulturore, test i emancipimit jo vetem ne Shqiperi, por edhe ne Ballkan. Deshira nuk mungon vetem duhen gjetur shtigjet per te rritur me tej bashkepunimin ne realizimin e endrres se korcareve te vjeter. Resmi Cobarxhi 03/05/2001 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 6 10:57:57 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:57:57 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian PM lashes ethnic Albanian militants Message-ID: <6.12ff005b.27d66305@aol.com> Albanian PM lashes ethnic Albanian militants PARIS, March 6 (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta was quoted on Tuesday as describing alleged action by ethnic Albanian guerrillas in southern Serbia and Macedonia as totally unacceptable and detrimental to regional stability. "I hope the Albanians (of southern Serbia and Macedonia) will choose dialogue because otherwise they will become isolated and lose everyone's support," Meta, currently on a visit to France, told the daily newspaper Le Figaro. Gunmen widely believed to be ethnic Albanians have exchanged fire with Macedonian security forces around a border village in recent days and three Macedonian soldiers were killed on Sunday. The guerrillas appeared to have ties with the neighbouring Serbian province of Kosovo, where some 90 percent of the population is ethnic Albanian. There has also been violence in an area of nearby southern Serbia which also has a large ethnic Albanian population. Asked what his position was towards militants who sought to impose a "greater Albania" in the region, Meta replied: "We are not in favour of any border changes and we are absolutely against a resumption of violence. "The Albanians (of Serbia) must negotiate with Belgrade. As for Macedonia, the maintaining of its territorial integrity and sovereignty are as essential for us as they are for regional stability," he said. The Albanian prime minister added that the ethnic Albanian minority in Macedonia had seen its rights improve and there was "no reason to pursue the conflict." Meta said his country wanted good relations with the new Serbian authorities. He also said that he had asked ethnic Albanians in Kosovo to show more tolerance towards those Serbs who had remained in the province. From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 6 10:59:35 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:59:35 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albania condemns extremist violence in Macedonia Message-ID: <2f.11dd6296.27d66367@aol.com> Albania condemns extremist violence in Macedonia TIRANA, March 6 (Reuters) - Albanian President Rexhep Meidani has condemned all acts of violence in Macedonia blamed on ethnic Albanian extremists and reiterated Albania's support for its neighbour's stability. Meidani, in a statement on national television on Monday night, appealed to the Macedonian government to act with moderation in handling gunmen in the village of Tanusevci in Macedonia. Gunmen widely believed to be ethnic Albanians have exchanged fire with Macedonian security forces around a border village in recent days and three Macedonian soldiers were killed on Sunday. "The President of the Republic hails all international institutions and Albanian parties in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia who have backed peace and condemned the acts of violence for political ends," Meidani said. He also supported ethnic Albanian parties in Macedonia who have made clear that stoking sources of tension in the region runs counter to the interest of Albanians in their lands. About a third of Macedonia's population of two million is ethnic Albanian, the rest mainly Slav. "The Albanian state remains loyal to its stand that the stability of Macedonia...is one of the important pillars of stability in the region," Meidani said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 6 10:58:39 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:58:39 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Bulgaria urges firm stand against separatists Message-ID: <33.11939c17.27d6632f@aol.com> Bulgaria urges firm stand against separatists By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - Ethnic Albanian guerrillas trying to test the will of Balkan governments are a politically isolated group that must be stopped in its tracks, Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov said on Tuesday. "The message must be firm and categorical," Stoyanov said. Any new ethnic conflict could wreck efforts to stabilise the region after nearly a decade of wars, and set back Bulgaria's own post-communist reform programme by years. But he said NATO and other international organisations appeared to have no coherent view at the moment on how to tackle guerrilla challenges in Macedonia and southern Serbia. Stoyanov said the whole region could take heart from the unequivocal way in which the rebel actions had been condemned, by Albania and by Kosovo Albanian leaders alike. He said Bulgaria would contribute troops to a United Nations border protection force for Macedonia if the U.N. Security Council this week takes up Macedonia's appeal for the creation of a buffer zone along its northern border with Serbia and Kosovo. The message must get across to the gunmen that regional governments and the international community will not stand for a new round of ethnic violence and are "ready to go to any length" to prevent extremists from stoking one, Stoyanov said. The clearer that message the less likely a major military operation would be, the Bulgarian leader told reporters during a visit to Brussels. SLOW BUILDUP NATO has been heavily criticised for allowing ethnic Albanian separatist rebels to turn a buffer zone it controls on the east Kosovo border into a safe haven over the past year, from which they have launched attacks on Serbian police. The alliance, which has 36,000 well-armed troops in Kosovo, is now being berated for failing to stop gunmen exploiting gaps on the Kosovo-Macedonia border and for allegedly putting protection of its own forces above all else. Stoyanov, who has kept in close touch with President Boris Trajkovski of neighbouring Macedonia during a week of crisis, said ethnic Albanian guerrillas who took control of the border village of Tanusevci were not native to Macedonia. "It would be difficult to say if they're Kosovo Albanians but one thing is clear, and that is that they crossed the border from Kosovo to Macedonia," he said. Their purpose was to test the will of the region and see if there is still readiness to act vigorously "or if a certain fatigue has overcome them and they're not interested," said Stoyanov. This extremism, once confined to Yugoslavia, "has now been exported to a third country and this new nuance calls for a very firm and strong response." About a third of Macedonia's population of two million is ethnic Albanian, the rest mainly Slav. There have been a couple of attacks on police recently by self-proclaimed separatists, and gunmen who occupied Tanusevci bore the "UCK" insignia of a so-called National Liberation Army. Clarifying earlier statements, Stoyanov said it would be "inconceivable" for Bulgaria to send troops to Macedonia unilaterally. Such a step would only be taken "through international organisations of which we are members," he said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 6 11:00:29 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 11:00:29 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonian border trouble spreading, officials say Message-ID: <71.b47b5ce.27d6639d@aol.com> Macedonian border trouble spreading, officials say By Kole Casule SKOPJE, March 6 (Reuters) - Albanian guerrilla activity is spreading along Macedonia's border with Kosovo despite international efforts to contain the unrest, officials said on Tuesday. "We have unconfirmed information that there is movement of armed groups in the villages in the Kumanovo area," a police spokesman told reporters, adding that women and children had fled one village saying they had heard shooting. NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping forces reinforced control of the Kosovo side of the border, but Macedonian officials said ethnic Albanian guerrillas were stepping up activity in the tiny Balkan state where Albanians make up one third of the population. Kumanovo is a multi-ethnic area close to a motorway linking central Europe with the Balkans and about 35 km (20 miles) north of Skopje. The Macedonian capital lies about four km (two miles) south of the border with southern Serbia, where ethnic Albanian guerrillas have confronted Serb forces for more than a year. The police spokesman said 177 people, mostly women and children, had fled the village of Gosince, east of Tanusevci, where an armed group appeared more than a month ago and has clashed seriously with security forces over the past week. The Gosince villagers had heard gunfire in the area and were afraid of being hit, the official said. A Western diplomatic source said there had been some reports the villagers were told to leave by gunmen operating in the area. Most of the civilian population of the hamlet of Tanusevci fled to Kosovo after the skirmishes between Macedonian security forces and what Skopje describes as "ethnic Albanian terrorists" started more than a week ago. The crisis intensified on Sunday with the killing of three Macedonian soldiers and on Monday, Macedonian officials said it was spreading back into Macedonia and announced they had began calling up police and army reservists. INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE GROWS RAPIDLY Macedonia has issued desperate appeals for urgent help from the international community and pressed KFOR to get tough on the Kosovo side of the border. It planned to step up the pressure at NATO headquarters and the United Nations this week. The U.S. peacekeepers brought new reinforcements to the area around Debelde, a Kosovo village just across from Tanusevci, where snow and fog were hampering surveillance efforts. KFOR commander Carlo Cabigiousu told reporters in Pristina the border area was under control and said his forces were in close contact with Macedonian authorities. But he reiterated that Macedonia's territory was outside KFOR control. "My mandate covers the territory of Kosovo and we don't have military activities that are stretching over the border," he said. Western officials, who had earlier called for restraint, told the Macedonians on Sunday they would understand if they took military action against the guerrillas. But the government is clearly reluctant to use serious force in order not to increase tensions among local ethnic Albanians. Some gunmen were seen pulling out of Tanusevci after exchanging fire with Macedonian troops on Monday and dumping their arms and uniforms but KFOR says most of them had not crossed into Kosovo. U.S. soldiers, who have pledged to detain anyone who tries to cross, said they had arrested only three people so far. Macedonia has closed its border with Kosovo for what it says are security reasons, depriving the U.N.-run Serbian province of supplies coming from or through its territory and cutting off some international personnel who were stranded in Skopje. Hans Haekkerup, U.N. governor of Kosovo, said in Pristina he wanted the border open as soon as possible. On Tuesday, Albania joined an international chorus of concern that violence could again spread across the Balkans. "I hope the Albanians (of southern Serbia and Macedonia) will choose dialogue because otherwise they will become isolated and lose everyone's support," Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta told the French daily newspaper Le Figaro. Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, on a visit to Brussels, said ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia were a politically isolated group that must be stopped in its tracks. "The message must be firm and categorical," Stoyanov said. But he said NATO and other international organisations appeared to have no coherent view at the moment on how to tackle guerrilla challenges in Macedonia and southern Serbia. From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 6 11:29:06 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 08:29:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] On Kadare Message-ID: <20010306162906.43619.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> The New York Times March 6, 2001, Tuesday, Late Edition - Final Section E; Page 2; Column 3; The Arts/Cultural Desk Brazilians Love Their Wild West (in the Northeast) By Larry Rohter Just like everyone else, Brazilians enjoy seeing themselves and their reality portrayed on the screen. But most of this country's 170 million people are city dwellers, which makes somewhat surprising the extraordinary popularity of a sudden spate of films set in the poorest and most backward region of the country. Exhibit No. 1 is clearly "Me You Them," which has been the leading box office attraction here in recent months. It opened last week in New York and Los Angeles and will reach other cities in the United States in the coming weeks. In The New York Times, A. O. Scott called the film "an unexpected delight." Described by its director, Andrucha Waddington, as "a dramatic comedy," the movie tells the story of a peasant woman living deep in the interior of northeastern Brazil who cunningly manages to take three husbands and persuade them all to live with her under one roof. "This is a story based on a real situation, and it spoke to my heart when I learned of it," Mr. Waddington, 31, said in an interview at his apartment here. "But it could only happen in a place that is isolated and distant from the eye of society, like the hinterlands of the northeast." Brazilians regard the northeast, a harsh, arid area larger than Alaska that is home to nearly 50 million people, as the cradle of their national culture and identity, the most authentically Brazilian part of their sprawling nation. But not since the Cinema Novo propelled Brazilian movies to international recognition in the early 1960's has the region received this kind of sustained attention. The Cinema Novo was a socially conscious movement whose credo was that the only tools needed to make a film were "a camera in the hand and an idea in the head," to use the phrase of Glauber Rocha, the director. He and Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Ruy Guerra, Anselmo Duarte and Roberto Farias produced a stream of award-winning films like "Black God, White Devil" and "The Given Word," until a military dictatorship took power in 1964 and blunted their efforts. Mr. Waddington said that his desire to make a movie about the northeast took root in 1995 when he first saw "Barren Lives," a film by Mr. Pereira dos Santos that is a cornerstone of the Cinema Novo. "I couldn't get that movie out of my head," he said. He found a story to tell two weeks later, when he saw a television news report about a woman in the state of Ceara who lived with her three husbands. "I wanted to be faithful to the landscape and the setting, which is so bleak and inhospitable that people find themselves forced to resort to extraordinary means in order to survive," he said. The other big domestic film hit recently also addresses life in the northeast, but in a more humorous and mischievous way. "Auto da Compadecida" is based on a type of religious folk play common in the region. Its characters are archetypes ranging from swaggering Robin Hood-like bandits to the canny peasant who plays dumb to outwit the upper classes. "Auto da Compadecida," scheduled to be shown at film festivals in San Diego this month and in Miami in May under the title "The Dog's Will, was originally broadcast in 1999 as a four-part television mini-series. It proved so popular, even in sophisticated urban centers like Rio and Sao Paulo, and won such critical praise that its producers decided to risk a theatrical release. It was probably the director Walter Salles, though, who began the cultural pilgrimages to the northeast by filming the second half of "Central Station" there. That film was nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film in 1999. His new film, based on a novel by the Albanian writer Ismail Kadare and tentatively titled "Behind the Sun," returns to the region to focus on a bloody feud between two families during the first decades of the 20th century. Mr. Salles, 44, said that the "desolate beauty" of the northeast, with its "arid soil and stunted vegetation," overwhelmed him both visually and as a metaphor. He felt compelled to return, he said in an interview, because the northeast has "a unique geography that describes the aridity of the characters and is a place that seems suspended in time." Both Mr. Salles and Mr. Waddington said they were also drawn to film in the region because its vastness and stark contours reminded them of the American movies they grew up watching, like the westerns of John Ford and road movies like "Easy Rider." "Ours is a country of continental dimensions, just like the United States," Mr. Waddington said. "But outside of Brazil the image in everyone's heads is either that of the Amazon jungle or of Rio. This is a chance to show foreigners another side of Brazil, one they probably haven't seen yet but that Americans at least will recognize because it has a similar topography and is also populated by cowboys, bandits and herds of cattle." The fascination with the northeast is now leaking into other areas of Brazilian popular culture. The main prime-time slot on the Globo television network, for instance, is occupied six nights a week by a new soap opera, "Port of Miracles," based on a novel by Jorge Amado, the country's most distinguished writer and a native of the northeastern state of Bahia. But the spillover is probably most pronounced in music. The big hit of the Southern Hemisphere summer now ending here has been "Waiting at the Window," a song from the soundtrack of "Me You Them" performed by Gilberto Gil, one of Brazil's biggest pop stars and a founder of the tropicalist movement, which fused Anglo-American rock 'n' roll with indigenous Brazilian styles. "This is a natural thing for me to do, because the music of the rural northeast was my first fountain of inspiration, even before the samba," Mr. Gil said, "and I have to return to it periodically to refresh myself." The cover story of a recent issue of the Sunday magazine of Jornal do Brasil, a leading daily here, dealt with young musicians who are learning the sanfona, a type of accordion that powers much of the music of the northeast, so they can play forro, the region's most popular genre, at new clubs springing up here. Since sophisticates have traditionally dismissed forro as "music for maids and taxi drivers," this is a dramatic shift in urban tastes. "These things run in cycles," Mr. Gil said, "and there is a whole new generation of artists in film and in music appearing on the scene and discovering the northeast, just as their predecessors back to the 19th century always have." As for Mr. Waddington, his next project is to be what he describes as a "drama about two women and the solitude of city life." But he has been so gratified and stimulated by his experience making "Me You Them," he said, that he is already working on another script set in the northeast. "It is a region so rich in stories and inhabited by a people who battle to survive with dignity and pride even though they live in poverty," he said, "that any artist who considers himself Brazilian, whether a filmmaker, musician or writer, is inevitably obliged to return there again and again." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 6 21:42:18 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 18:42:18 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Per Gjirokastren Message-ID: <20010307024218.78955.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> SPECIALE Rr?nimi i Gjirokastr?s qytetar?t l?shojn?: "Sos!" Disa dit? m? par? nj? grup intelektual?sh formuan n? Tiran? "Forumin p?r Mbrojtjen e Vlerave Kulturore t? Gjirokastr?s". N? k?t? forum aderuan me k?naq?si shum? intelektual? t? njohur gjirokastrit? e jo gjirokastrit?, t? fushave t? ndryshme t? jet?s, shkrimtar? e poet?, akademik? e profesor?, arkitekt?, artist? e biznesmen?, nd?rmjet tyre shkrimtar?t tan? t? njohur, Ismail Kadare e Drit?ro Agolli. Forumi zgjodhi Kryetar Nderi t? tij, I.Kadaren?. Q?llimi i k?tij Forumi ?sht? q? t? jap? ndihmes?n e tij n? mbrojtjen e vlerave kulturore t? Gjirokastr?s e sidomos t? vlerave arkitektonike t? saj, q? jan? t? k?rc?nuara nga rreziku i prishjes e degradimit t? tyre t? p?rditsh?m. Dy fjal? p?r vlerat kulturore t? Gjirokastr?s P?r vlerat e saj, ve?an?risht ato arkitektonike, q? jan? unikale, Gjirokastra i kalon caqet e nj? qyteti t? zakonsh?m dhe hyn n? at? kategori vlerash q? jan? e mbeten monumente e simbole komb?tare t? paz?vend?sueshme e t? pavdekshme. T? tilla vlera kalojn? edhe kufijt? komb?tar? e kthehen n? t? atilla q? i takojn? gjith? kultur?s njer?zore. E ve?anta dhe bukuria mahnit?se e Gjirokastr?s q?ndron tamam n? at? q? ajo ?sht? e pakrahasueshme dhe e pap?rs?ritshme. N? sht?pit? gjirokastrite dhe gjith? mjedisin q? i rrethon sikur sintentizohen e harmonizohen t? gjitha parimet e vlerat e arkitektur?s e teknik?s nd?rtimore, n? p?rshtatje t? plot? e t? p?rsosur me terrenin, me materialin nd?rtimor, me funksionin, me klim?n, sa q? rrall? mund t? has?sh nj? qytet tjet?r, ku karakteri i ashp?r nd?rtimor t? shkrihet aq ?mb?l me monumentalitetin e pashoq. E ve?anta e nd?rtimit dhe bashk? me t? dhe jeta gjirokastrite p?rb?jn? e p?rmbajn? n? vetvete nj? enigm?, q? t? josh ta njoh?sh e ta zbulosh. S'?sht? e rastit q? vet?m duke lexuar veprat e I.Kadares? p?r Gjirokastr?n, intelektual? t? shquar t? shum? vendeve, deri ata n? Japonin? e larg?t, kan? dashur t? njohin nga af?r e ta zbulojn? k?t? "enigm?". Shum? dhimbje p?r t? Por aq sa ndjen dashuri e krenari p?r nj? qytet me vlera t? tilla, aq ndjen edhe dhimbje kur sheh se si ai qytet r?kon e kalon, ndofta, koh?t m? t? v?shtira t? historis? s? tij qindravje?are e rr?nohet ?do dit?. Dekada e fundit, bashk? me shpresat e m?dha p?r zhvillim e p?rparim t? shpejt? mbarti edhe marr?zira t? atilla q? ?uan deri n? humbjen, prishjen e rr?nimin e vlerave t? ?muara komb?tare e la n? harres? kujdesin e mir?mbajtjen e nj? perle si Gjirokastra. Asnj? qeveri e majt? apo e djatht?, deri tani, se ka ?muar si detyr? t? saj?n mbrojtjen e vlerave arkitektonike t? Gjirokastr?s, por kan? l?shuar di?ka si ndonj? l?mosh?, q? ?do qeveri e nj? vendi mund ta jap? edhe p?r nj? qytet tjet?r, t? till? si Gjirokastra, po t? ekzistonte edhe n? Afrik?. Pa folur p?r ndonj? nga qeverit? e kaluara, q? me komplekse absurde dha shenja t? atilla sikur desh t? hakmerrej me Gjirokastr?n. Pyetja tani b?het:-Si t? shp?tohet e si t? mbrohen vlerat kulturore t? Gjirokastr?s? Shp?timi fillon nga shteti Pse s'?sht? marr? shteti, deri tani, them sa duhet, p?r t? mos th?n? fare, me mbrojtjen e vlerave t? tilla si ato t? Gjirokastr?s, mund t? rendit?sh, e q? jo rrall? renditen shum? arsye, q? p?r t? qen? i sakt?, duhet th?n? q? s'mund t'i neglizhosh t? gjitha, por q? gjithsesi ato jan? t? pajustifikueshme n? at? shkall? q? jepen e vler?sohen. Midis k?tyre arsyeve, e para q? thuhet ?sht? q? shteti s'ka fonde p?r k?to pun? ose m? e pakta kaq fonde ka. Q? ?sht? i varf?r shteti yn? askush s'ka dyshim. Por, kur ka qen? m? i pasur shteti yn?, q? n? mos plot?sisht, por t? pakt?n nuk i ka l?n? deri n? rr?nim vlera t? tilla, si? ndodh tani, me Gjirokastr?n apo me k?shtjellat e monumente t? tjera t? spikatura p?r vlerat e tyre? Theksova k?t? arsye, q? jepet e para, se kjo paraqitet si tabu, t? tjerat q? thuhen pastaj jan? aq vulgare e an?sore, sa s'ja vlen t'i p?rmend?sh. Mbi t? gjitha arsyet nj? ?sht? e mbetet kryesorja: Mos kuptimi e mos vler?simi i trash?gimis? kulturore dhe i rolit t? kultur?s n? ngritjen e nj? shteti me t? v?rtet? modern. Kultura ?sht? nj? nga shtyllat kryesore t? nj? shteti t? till?. Po t? kuptohet k?shtu me ato mund?si q? ka shteti jep zgjidhjen p?r ?do gj? n? m?nyr? t? pranueshme. At?here caktohet metri, se kur duhet b?r? di?ka e kur di?ka tjet?r. Me vler?sime t? tilla afatgjata qeveritar?ve nuk u p?lqen t? merren edhe p?r arsye pragmatiste. Shum? prej tyre e quajn? veten t? p?rkohsh? dhe u leverdis m? mir? t? merren me nj? veprimtari q? siguron "nam" t? mir? aktualisht, se sa me nj? veprimtari tjet?r q? nami mund tu takoj? t? tjer?ve pas tyre. Por historia edhe jo e larg?t nuk do ti vler?soj? qeveritar?t apo politikan?t tan? nga fjalimet pompoze apo nga mitingjet q? b?jn?, por nga veprat e p?rpjekjet e tyre p?r kontributin q? japin n? rradh? t? par? edhe n? mbrojtjen e zhvillimin e vlerave tona kulturore. Pushteti vendor jo vet?m t? qahet Kur fol?m p?r p?rgje-gj?sin? e shtetit, ?sht? e kuptueshme se kjo p?rgjegj?si fillon nga pushteti vendor. P?rgjegj?sia e tij p?r Gjirokastr?n ka qen? e mbetet e madhe. Shum? veprime t? pap?rgjegjshme jan? kryer n?n hund?n e syt? e pushtetit vendor. Nga kush jan? dh?n? lejet p?r nd?rtimet pa kriter? Po nd?rtimet pa leje kush i ka lejuar? Kush e ka zbrazur qendr?n e qytetit nga shum? institucione administrative, duke i zbritur ato n? k?mb?t e qytetit? Po pazarin tradicional n? qend?r t? qytetit kush e spostoi? Kush lejoi t? prishet terreni sportiv n? qend?r t? qytetit, kur "iluminist?t" gjirokastrit? ?nd?rronin q? edhe stadiumi i qytetit duhet t? ishte n? qend?r t? tij? Sikur t? mos kish vend tjet?r, kush lejoi q? n? nj? pjes? t? terrenit sportiv t? nd?rtohej nj? shkoll? fetare e pjes?n tjet?r e ka l?n? t? kthehet n? k?net?? Kush lejoi q? nj? privat, p?r interesat e tij meskine, t? vej? dor? n? kompleksin arkitektonik fantastik t? Angonat?ve, duke z?vend?suar dritaret me qemer me arkitrar? betoni e pjes? t? murit prej guri t'i b?j? me tulla t? kuqe? (N? vitin 1991 nj? arkitekt i njohur austriak, pasi vizitoi Gjirokastr?n, m? tha, se :"Sikur t? kisha mund?si ta transferoja at? kompleks n? Austri, do t? b?hesha atje njeriu m? i pasur"). Shembuj t? till? ka dhe t? tjer?, q? d?shmojn? p?r inefi?enc?n e pushtetit vendor e t? organeve e institucioneve t? tij. Ajo q? k?rkohet ?sht? q? pushteti vendor jo vet?m t? qahet e ta lej? e k?rkoj? p?rgjegj?sin? tek t? tjer?t, por t? marr? n? dor? me t?r? forc?n morale dhe forc?n e ligjit gjithshka q? lidhet me mbrojtjen e vlerave t? Gjirokastr?s. Gjall?rimi i institucioneve vendore dhe shkundja e tyre nga plog?shtia do t? rriste shum? rolin e t yre, si n? kultivimin e dashuris? p?r qytetin e tyre, ve?an?risht t? brezit t? ri, ashtu dhe n? sensibilizimin e opinionit jo vet?m lokal, por mbar? komb?tar, si p?r t? v?n? n? dukje vlerat kulturore t? Gjirokastr?s n? fusha t? ndryshme, ashtu dhe n? nismat, idet? e alternativat p?r gjall?rimin e mbrojtjen e k?tyre vlerave. N? k?t? fush?, nj? rol t? madh duhet t? luaj? Universiteti i Gjirokastr?s, q? mban nj? em?r t? madh, at? t? Eqerem ?abejt, por q? n? fush?n p?r t? cil?n po flasim z?ri i tij duhet t? ndihet m? shum? e m? fuqish?m. Po vet? qytetar?t gjirokastrit?? E para q? duhet t? b?jn?, t? mos e prishin me duart e tyre qytetin. Shum? veprime t? pap?rgjegjshme q? kan? ndodhur, nuk i nderojn? qytetar?t gjirokastrit?, t? shquar n? historin? e tyre p?r urt?sin? dhe dashurin? p?r t? bukur?n. S'u falen atyre veprime t? tilla si ai i shpyll?zimit t? kodrave rreth kalas?, q? ?on deri n? rrezikimin e shembjes s? pjes?ve t? ve?anta t? saj; deri tek marrja e gur?ve e pllakave t? mureve n? sheshin e "?er?izit"; pa folur p?r prishjet e djegjet skandaloze n? qytet n? vitin 1997. Arkitekt?t, inxhinier?t e mjeshtrit gjirokastrit?, duhet t? mendohen mir? e ti vras? nd?rgjegja kur hedhin n? let?r vizat e projekteve dhe kur i ven? ato n? jet?. Sigurisht, nuk mendohet q? ?atit? e sht?pive t? reja t? mbulohjen me rasa guri, as mjediset e brendshme t? nd?rtohen si t? vjetrat, as q? n? vend t? grilave plastike t? vendosen tarabat? prej d?rrase n? dritaret. Por sot ka materiale t? nd?rtimit t? shum?llojshme, q? mund t? z?vend?sojn? funksionet e materialeve t? tjera me imitacione, pa prishur aspak an?n funksionale dhe at? estetike n? harmoni me materialet tradicional?. M? i fuqish?m t? ndihet roli i vet? komunitetit n? ngritjen e p?rgjegj?sis? qytetare, duke nd?rmarr? aksione konkrete, si ato t? pyll?zimit, t? pastrimit t? qytetit, etj. Edhe para "aksioneve vullnetare" t? koh?s s? diktatur?s gjirokastrit?t bashk?risht pastronin rrug?t e kujdeseshin p?r mjediset publike. Pse t? mos e b?jn? k?t? tani? Pse t? mos e ngren? z?rin t? gjith?, q? nga qytetari i thjesht? deri tek deputeti, kur shohin si rr?nohet ?do dit? qyteti i tyre. S'b?n keq nj? deputet q? ngre z?rin n? Kuvend kur prishet nj? pasarel? n? p?rroin q? lidh dy fshatra t? zon?s s? tij, por s'u d?gjuan nj? her? deputet?t e Gjirokastr?s t? flasin kur ?sht? n? rrezik t? prishet nj? qytet i t?r?, si Gjirokastra. S? fundi, do t? thoja q?, jo vet?m intelektual?t gjirokastrit?, por edhe ata jo gjirokastrit?, do t? kontribuonin mjaft po t? ngrinin z?rin n? shoqata e forume t? ndryshme, n? shtyp e n? median elektronike, p?r mbrojtjen e vlerave t? Gjirokastr?s, se ato jan? vlera komb?tare. Esht? i p?rkrahur, fatkeq?sisht, mendimi se intelektual?t tek ne si d?gjon kush. Mund t? jet? edhe k?shtu ose jo plot?sisht k?shtu. Por, pushtetar?t tan? duhet ta njohin historin?, q? thot? se edhe shum? mbret?r despot? shqet?soheshin nga z?rat revoltues t? intelektual?ve dhe vet? Cari i Rusis?, bashk?koh?s i Leon Tolstoit, vet?m nga Tolstoi kishte frik? po t? fliste ai. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:24:18 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:24:18 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO Mulling Macedonian Border Message-ID: NATO Mulling Macedonian Border By NICOLE WINFIELD UNITED NATIONS (AP) - NATO may allow Yugoslav forces to help keep ethnic Albanian rebels out of Macedonia, where violence has threatened new instability in the region, the alliance's secretary-general says. Lord Robertson said Tuesday NATO would decide this week whether to let Yugoslav troops return to a narrow strip of land along the joint border of Yugoslavia, Macedonia and the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, which is under NATO and U.N. control. The area is within a three-mile buffer zone set up in 1999 around Kosovo to prevent Belgrade's troops from launching surprise attacks against NATO-led peacekeepers who entered the province after the 78-day NATO bombing campaign, launched to stop then President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on Kosovo Albanians. However, ethnic Albanian militants have used the corridor to smuggle weapons and fighters into southern areas of Yugoslavia's main republic Serbia, which has large ethnic Albanian populations. The militants want to unite parts of Serbia and Macedonia where ethnic Albanians live. Although NATO entered Kosovo to protect ethnic Albanians, it now fears the aspirations by ethnic Albanian militants in southern Serbia and Macedonia could trigger a new Balkan conflict. Three Macedonian soldiers were killed this week in clashes with ethnic Albanian gunmen, prompting Macedonia to close its border with Kosovo. Macedonian police said about 170 ethnic Albanians fled their homes Monday. Yugoslav forces would not be allowed to return to Kosovo under the plan being considered by NATO. However, Robertson said NATO-led peacekeepers were stepping up controls along the Kosovo-Macedonian border ``to restrict the use of Kosovo as a reinforcement area.'' ``We're looking very closely now at the decision, a possible decision to allow Yugoslav forces into the ground safety zone along the border with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and I hope a decision on that will be taken this week,'' he said. Macedonia has a restive ethnic Albanian community, which makes up about one-fourth of its 2 million people. In Belgrade, Yugoslavia's interior minister, Zoran Zivkovic, said allowing the Yugoslav Army into the border area would provide the ``best protection'' for Macedonia and for southern Serbia. ``We hope that by isolating the area concerned, cutting off supply lines, we will make it much more difficult for these people to continue operating and to continue with their provocative action,'' Robertson said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:25:14 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:25:14 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonian Albanians propose Kosovo Corps patrols Message-ID: Macedonian Albanians propose Kosovo Corps patrols SKOPJE, March 7 (Reuters) - The biggest Albanian political party in Macedonia has suggested allowing the predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo Protection Corps to patrol the Kosovo side of its troubled border along with NATO-led peacekeepers. Albanian newspapers in Macedonia said Menduh Thaci, deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Albanians, made the proposal to Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who visited the country on Tuesday. They said Thaci also told Papandreou the armed men who have emerged in the Albanian-populated border village of Tanusevci and battled Macedonian security forces for the past week did not have political backing from Macedonia's large Albanian minority. "They have not found support from any Albanian political structures, starting from the government of Albania to the smallest political parties," the private Fakti daily quoted Thaci as saying. He suggested that the Kosovo Protection Corps, a civilian emergency force set up to take the place of the Kosovo Liberation Army which fought Serb rule in the province, could play a role in helping KFOR international peacekeepers. "I proposed to Papandeou a mixed option for the protection of the border from the Kosovo side where the Kosovo Protection Corps, together with KFOR forces, would protect the border because I think the KPC knows the terrain better and I think that together with KFOR they will be much more efficient." The Corps was established after KFOR replaced Serb security forces in the region as a civilian, mulit-ethnic body tasked with helping to rebuild the shattered province and providing services like fire-fighting. The international community saw it as a way of steering former guerrillas from the separatist KLA towards more peaceful activities. Many former KLA guerrillas joined the force. Thaci's Democratic Party of Albanians has five ministerial posts in Macedonia's Slav-led government, but it was not clear whether the proposal had the support of its other members. It is likely to encounter stiff opposition from Belgrade, where many officials see the KPC as just a continuation of the KLA -- a group they viewed as a terrorist organisation. It may also cause concern among NATO allies, who have long insisted that the Corps should have no military role. The leading Kosovo Albanian daily Koha Ditore echoed Thaci's proposal in its Wednesday edition. "Although such a thing would sound impossible to many, there are many very simple persuasive arguements that there are realistic chances it would be successful," it said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:26:16 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:26:16 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia's local difficulty getting out of hand Message-ID: <37.11aaca29.27d79f08@aol.com> Macedonia's local difficulty getting out of hand By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 7 (Reuters) - Western allies sought a strategy on Wednesday to end the export of armed ethnic Albanian separatism to southern Serbia and Macedonia via "safe havens" inadvertently created by NATO's Kosovo buffer zone. It was likely to mean letting Serbia to resume security patrols on a short strip of the external border with Macedonia, where NATO currently excludes Serb forces, as well as similar moves on troubled parts of the internal boundary with Kosovo. But alliance sources said it was unlikely that full agreement on a comprehensive plan would be reached at NATO headquarters by the end of the day. The 19 permanent ambassadors were meeting without Secretary-General George Robertson, who was due to hold talks with the Bush administration in Washington later on Wednesday at which the issue was expected to be discussed. NATO has been engaged in talks with Serbian authorities for weeks on how to engineer a peaceful end to the separatists' armed occupation of ethnic Albanian villages and roads in the Presevo Valley region of southern Serbia. Several hundred armed insurgents moved into the area last year, exploiting NATO orders that Serbian security forces must not enter a five km (three-mile) wide buffer zone extending into Serbia from Kosovo's internal boundary. The infiltration spread across the border last month, with gunmen using the five-km strip where the buffer zone abutts the frontier as a "gateway" from southern Serbia into Macedonia, which also has a large ethnic Albanian minority. LOCAL DIFFICULTY? NATO is urging Macedonia to use its army to resolve what some sceptical allies regard as a localised policing problem. Macedonia has criticised the alliance for allowing the situation to arise and wants a solution involving international forces. Diplomatic sources say at least one key ally is not convinced that the time is ripe for allowing Serbian forces back into the "ground safety zone," created to keep the Yugoslav Army at a safe distance as NATO peacekeepers deployed in Kosovo following the bombing campaign of 1999. NATO should first see Serbia fulfilling its pledge to implement confidence-building measures for ethnic Albanian civilians now under the self-elected "protection" of the Presevo guerrillas, such as withdrawing some Yugoslav Army units. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations on Tuesday, Robertson said: "I hope a decision on that will be taken this week." A spokesman stressed that he meant "closing the gate" where the buffer zone meets the Macedonian border, not allowing Serbia to patrol Macedonia's long border with Kosovo itself. At least one NATO member, however, is concerned that allowing Serbian forces to block the corridor created by the buffer zone along the Macedonian border could "put the cart before the horse," said a diplomat. U.S. troops of the NATO peacekeeping force KFOR, who are responsible for the province's southeastern sector, have reinforced patrols on their side of the border and have been closely observing guerrilla movements from a distance. But on Wednesday they were drawn into their first firefight in the area, when five armed men were spotted in the Kosovo village of Mijak. The gunmen aimed at the U.S. troops, who opened fire wounding two, KFOR said. The Presevo Valley, with over 30 have been killed in clashes in the past months, was reported quiet. NATO is anxious not to trigger a panic. It does not want to cope with a flood of ethnic Albanians refugees from Presevo or a mass retreat of armed groups back into peacekeeping territory from their collapsing southern Serbia and Macedonia strongholds. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:27:03 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:27:03 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kosovo Albanian leaders blast NATO buffer zone plan Message-ID: <2d.8649caa.27d79f37@aol.com> Kosovo Albanian leaders blast NATO buffer zone plan By Shaban Buza PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, March 7 (Reuters) - Kosovo Albanian leaders criticised on Wednesday a NATO proposal to let Serbian forces into a buffer zone next to the province, saying it could spark fresh violence in the Balkans. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said on Tuesday the alliance was considering letting Yugoslav forces into a pocket of land in Serbia close to borders with Kosovo and Macedonia. Robertson suggested this may help stop ethnic Albanian militants taking advantage of the buffer zone around Kosovo to carry out attacks in southern Serbia and in Macedonia, the focus of international concern after a recent series of armed clashes. But Kole Berisha, vice president of the Democratic League of Kosovo party, said the proposed role could not be entrusted to an army associated in the eyes of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority with massacres of members of their community. "The army which until recently committed massacres in Kosovo cannot return to Kosovo or to a part of the Kosovo-Macedonian border, especially not to the triangle between Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia," Berisha said. He said installing the Serbian-led Yugoslav army in that area would be a "provocation, making possible an open conflict that would include the entire region." The area is just a small part of the buffer zone set up to keep Yugoslav forces a safe distance away from the province when NATO peacekeepers deployed there in 1999 and Slobodan Milosevic was in power in Belgrade. The zone has been exploited by ethnic Albanian guerrillas, who have launched repeated attacks on Serbian security forces in southern Serbia's Presevo Valley in the past year. Similar violence has now also erupted on the Macedonian border. Hashim Thaci, head of a major Kosovo Albanian party and a former commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army which fought Serbian rule, said the NATO proposal was no way to reduce tensions. "It is a rash and dangerous undertaking for the situation in the region, and incompatible with the current circumstances in Kosovo," said Thaci, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo. "Kosovo's borders do not need to be protected by those who killed Kosovars." NATO, anxious to bolster the reformers in Serbia who replaced Milosevic last year, has been talking increasingly about dismantling the zone or allowing in army and special police units which are currently banned. The flare-up in Macedonia appears to have nudged the alliance another step in that direction and Robertson, speaking at the United Nations, said a decision could be made this week. Another Kosovo party, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, said it feared the proposal, if implemented, would "be taken as a signal by Yugoslav forces to take repressive action" against the ethnic Albanian population in southern Serbia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:29:24 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:29:24 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] US Soldiers Wound 2 in Kosovo Fight Message-ID: <7a.11777b2d.27d79fc4@aol.com> US Soldiers Wound 2 in Kosovo Fight By FISNIK ABRASHI PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) - U.S. soldiers in Kosovo traded fire Wednesday with gunmen near the Macedonian border, where American troops have been working to contain an ethnic Albanian insurgency. The U.S. military said two gunmen were wounded. The incident occurred inside Kosovo just across the border from the Macedonian village of Tanusevci, where Macedonian troops and ethnic Albanian guerrillas clashed for two days this week. No American soldiers were injured in the gunbattle, the U.S. military said in a statement. The U.S. troops - part of a NATO-led peacekeeping contingent in Kosovo - were on patrol near the border village of Mijak when a group of five or six men pointed their weapons at them. When the gunmen began moving toward the soldiers, the U.S. peacekeepers opened fire, the military said. The men shot back before three or four of them retreated back across the border into Macedonia. American troops were trying to evacuate the wounded, the military said. U.S. peacekeepers, backed with armored vehicles and helicopters, have poured into the Kosovo border village of Debelde, just east of Mijak, this week in an attempt to help Macedonia prevent the conflict with the guerrillas from spreading. NATO is to decide this week whether to allow Yugoslav forces to help keep ethnic Albanian rebels out of Macedonia, the alliance's secretary-general said Tuesday. Lord Robertson said NATO would consider letting Yugoslav troops return to a narrow strip of land along the joint border of Yugoslavia, Macedonia and the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, which remains under NATO and U.N. control. Under the plan being considered, Yugoslav forces would not be allowed to return to Kosovo. However, Robertson said NATO-led peacekeepers were stepping up controls along the Kosovo-Macedonian border ``to restrict the use of Kosovo as a reinforcement area.'' The area is within a three-mile buffer zone set up in 1999 around Kosovo to prevent Belgrade's troops from launching surprise attacks against NATO-led peacekeepers who entered the province after the 78-day NATO bombing campaign, launched to stop then President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on Kosovo Albanians. Ethnic Albanian militants - who want to unite parts of Serbia and Macedonia where ethnic Albanians live- have used the corridor to smuggle weapons and fighters into southern Yugoslavia. The guerrillas have stepped up activity in northern Macedonia - raising fears of more widespread Balkan conflict. Macedonia has a restive ethnic Albanian community which makes up about one-fourth of its 2 million people. Battles on the Macedonia side of the border - within shouting distance of Debelde - killed three Macedonian soldiers this week. Macedonian security officials reported an exodus of local population fleeing the possible widening of clashes. Macedonian police spokesman, Stevo Pendarovski, said Wednesday that about 300 ethnic Albanians, mostly women and children, fled their homes since Monday in villages along the border. ``We have noticed the movement of armed groups in the border area, not only near Tanusevci,'' said Gjorgji Trendafilov, Macedonian defense ministry spokesman. He warned of ``possible new provocations in other places on the border.'' From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:31:57 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:31:57 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO may let Yugo soldiers help defend Macedonia Message-ID: <11.10ba2eae.27d7a05d@aol.com> NATO may let Yugo soldiers help defend Macedonia By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Reuters) - NATO is considering allowing Yugoslav soldiers to help keep ethnic Albanian "extremists" out of Macedonia, where guerrilla activity has picked up markedly over the past week, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said on Tuesday. "We are looking very closely now at the possible decision to allow Yugoslav forces into the ground safety zone along the border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and I hope a decision on that will be taken this week," he said. The ground safety zone is a three-mile (five km) buffer area in southern Serbia, set up in 1999 to prevent Belgrade's troops from launching surprise attacks against NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo. It runs around the outside of Kosovo's internal boundary with the rest of Yugoslavia, from the Montenegrin border in the northwest to the Macedonian border in the southeast. But Albanian extremists have used the corridor to launch attacks in Serbia and most recently in Macedonia, which NATO fears could trigger a new Balkan conflict. Ethnic Albanians make up about a fourth of Macedonia's 2 million people. Yugoslav Prime Minister Zoran Zizic, visiting the United Nations, praised Robertson's proposal, saying that to allow his soldiers back into the buffer zone would demonstrate a new spirit of cooperation between the Yugoslav army and NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo, which is under U.N. administration. "A return of the Yugoslav soldiers to the border will help secure those borders as they know the terrain, are very professional and know the job," Zizic told Reuters. Both Robertson and Zizic were at U.N. headquarters for meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the 15-nation Security Council. The council was scheduled to discuss the clashes in Macedonia on Wednesday following a closed-door briefing by Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgam Kerim. NATO DETERMINED Robertson said NATO was determined "that the ground safety zone will not be used as a safe haven for extremists to launch attacks and to use violence against others." NATO was also sending more peacekeepers to the Kosovo side of the border and stepping up patrols to prevent the guerrillas from using Kosovo for raids into Macedonia, he added. The peacekeepers entered Kosovo in June 1999, following an 11-week NATO air campaign to force then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to stop repressing the ethnic Albanians, who are a majority in Kosovo. But Robertson criticized a Macedonian proposal that NATO peacekeepers set up a new buffer zone on the Kosovo side of the border. "I don't think another ground safety zone, frankly, is the answer here," he said in response to a question. No one is certain why the rebellion broke out but extremists appear to want to unite parts of Serbia and Macedonia where ethnic Albanians live. Robertson said the area's mountainous terrain made it difficult to estimate how many guerrillas were involved in the attacks though the Macedonian authorities estimated that some 200 to 800 were involved. Regardless of the size of the force, "any tension in this part of the world has got to be looked on gravely," Robertson said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:39:45 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:39:45 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?GREECE=20=96=20Extension=20for=20expiring=20green?= =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=20cards=3F?= Message-ID: Extension for expiring green cards? Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou yesterday tabled a series of amendments to draft legislation on immigration that will allow the extension of immigrants' temporary residence permits, while adopting stricter punishment for the exploitation of foreign prostitutes. At the opening of yesterday's debate, Papandreou distributed 37 amendments which, she said, conformed with points raised by MPs during preliminary discussion of the bill. All temporary residence permits, known as green cards, that were due to expire on December 31 will be automatically extended for another six months, or renewed, according to the draft law. Furthermore, green card holders for whom renewal applications are pending when the new law comes into effect will be automatically renewed until June 30, 2002. The ministry will establish a ceiling on work permits issued annually to immigrants according to their nationality, the part of Greece where they are to be employed, and the nature of their work. And immigrants admitted on grounds of rejoining their family members will be allowed to stay for two years, instead of one. Breaches of the law regarding immigrants working as prostitutes will lead to procurers being punished with two years' imprisonment and a minimum one-million-drachma fine. When underage prostitutes are involved, the punishment will be three years' imprisonment and a minimum fine of two million drachmas. Regional authorities will be given powers to close down bars or nightclubs involved in such cases for a minimum of 12 months. Members of immigrants' groups held a protest outside a central hotel where PMCostas Simitis was speaking last night, demanding the immediate legalization of immigrants. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:44:33 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:44:33 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Tension mounts in FYROM Message-ID: <8d.34e68ef.27d7a351@aol.com> WS & COMME Tension mounts in FYROM Suspicion between Slavs, Albanians turns to hatred as dead are mourned By Stavros Tzimas Kathimerini SKOPJE - The funeral of three soldiers killed on the border in clashes with Albanian insurgents received wide radio and television coverage yesterday in FYROM, raising tensions among Slav-Macedonians. At the funerals not a few voices called for revenge; and the next day, dozens more citizens came to the park on Macedonia Square in the center of Skopje and the lawn at the entrance to Parliament, leaving lighted candles to the memory of the fallen soldiers who have already become heroes to the Slav-Macedonians. Relations between Slavs and Albanians in FYROM have never been good, but now suspicion has turned to hatred. The Slav-Macedonians are mourning their dead, and bloodshed has separated the two sides. The Albanians have been mourning their dead since the mid-1990s, when they rose up in Tetovo and Gostivar, claiming the right to fly the Albanian flag on city halls, only to be fired on by the police. The Kosovo war and the West's intervention on behalf of the Albanians sparked fears among the Slav-Macedonians in FYROM as to what the future would bring for their own country. But now that an armed Albanian secessionist movement has emerged on their own territory, this concern has been surpassed by anxiety for the very existence of the state. Nationalism is growing rapidly among the Slav-Macedonian population, which believes that the West openly favors the Albanians, thus facilitating their secessionist plans. Following the events at Tanusevci, young Slav-Macedonians turn up every day at municipal military offices and volunteer to fight the Albanians. The American Embassy on Partizanska Avenue has become a fortress, while Slav-Macedonians who work for Western nongovernmental organizations and services are resigning in protest at what they see as Western tolerance of Albanian extremism. The Slavs are suffering from losers' complex, which triggers anti-Western and anti-Albanian feelings. The press follows public opinion, demanding that the government crush the rebels, regardless of whether that might spread the conflict. "Whatever the outcome is, Tanusevci will harm relations between the two ethnic groups," said government newspaper Nova Macedonia yesterday, warning that "the Macedonian public has lost its patience." The mass circulation Vetser took a tougher stance, saying "the line of self-control and inaction has disastrous consequences for Macedonia," and it urged the government to adopt what it says is the only alternative solution: "An immediate tough military operation to get rid of the lawbreakers." The feeling in FYROM is that it will be difficult for the two communities to coexist harmoniously in the future. Western diplomats say the crisis may be resolved at leadership level, but no solution will be viable when an unbridgeable chasm divides the two communities. Slav-Macedonians avoid shopping at Bit Pazar, the central food market in Skopje, which is controlled by Albanians. A few days ago a Slav-Macedonian police officer was killed in cold blood during rush hour by an Albanian whose identity he tried to check. None of the dozens of Albanian eyewitnesses gave the police any information. Tetovo, Kumanovo, Gostivar and other predominately Albanian suburbs have been strangely calm for the past few days. Ordinary people seem pleased by the Kosovars' struggle for national liberation, and equally moved by the achievements of the fellow-countrymen in southern Serbia. But they avoid speaking for or against the armed secessionist movement within FYROM, which they explain as a natural consequence of the oppressive policy of the Slav-Macedonian state, even if they do not support it. "I don't think any Albanian would not react if the army and police started cleansing operations on the border against one and all, as happens in such cases," commented an Albanian journalist from Tetovo. The Albanians dislike the FYROM army and the police, which they see as being in the service of the Slav-Macedonians. The government's biggest worry is how to act when they have to put their security forces on the border. The Albanian leadership seems divided. So far the party which is in the governmental coalition has maintained a cautious attitude to the dramatic developments. The other party, in the parliamentary opposition, has come out openly in favor of the extremists. Political observers predict that the party in the government will soon have to reject Prime Minister Boris Trajovski's policy on the Albanian issue, which would have the effect of further radicalizing the Albanians. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:50:52 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:50:52 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Greece=20=96=20Solidarity=20with=20Skopje?= Message-ID: <85.7c8b632.27d7a4cc@aol.com> Solidarity with Skopje Papandreou heralds joint NATO-US initiative to protect FYROM's borders Foreign Minister George Papandreou expressed Greece's full support for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the face of Albanian rebel attacks, during meetings with government officials in Skopje yesterday. Meanwhile, FYROM President Boris Trajkovski vowed to drive out Albanian rebels fighting his troops near the mountain village of Tanusevci, on the northern borders of Greece's tiny neighbor, where three government soldiers were killed on Sunday. "We will not negotiate with terrorist, militarist elements who spread racial and ethnic hatred," Trajkovski told Parliament in Skopje. "No inch of Macedonian territory will be ceded." Across the frontier in Kosovo, members of the international KFOR peacekeeping force arrested six suspected Albanian rebels, one of whom had apparently been spying on KFOR positions. Papandreou conveyed to FYROM Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski a message from PM Costas Simitis, who expressed regret at the "terrorist" killings of the three soldiers. "Greece considers the sovereignty and territorial integrity of FYROM to be essential for regional stability, and unreservedly condemns all acts of violence that aim to destabilize the region," Simitis's message read. "The Greek government is working closely with its NATO and European Union partners. It calls on the international community to urgently take suitable and specific measures in order to avoid a further escalation of the situation," the PM added. Georgievski expressed gratitude to the Greek government for its support, adding that Skopje would be pleased if Greek troops were among the international forces FYROM wants to police a buffer zone in southern Kosovo, from where the rebels are believed to be operating. Asked whether additional troops would be deployed in such a buffer zone, Papandreou said: "It is too early to discuss such measures. We have troops in Kosovo at the moment. You can count on help from Greece at any time." During his meeting with Georgievski, Papandreou heralded an impending joint NATO and US initiative intended to provide immediate support to Skopje and protect its borders with Kosovo. "It will send a message to those who believe that they can play with violence and stability in the region," he said. But Papandreou, who discussed the matter with a series of international officials before flying to Skopje, did not divulge the content of the initiative to journalists. While in the FYROM capital, he also met local Albanian leader Merdoc Thaci. Papandreou told journalists that he was encouraged by the fact that the Albanian leadership had condemned the activities of their armed fellow Albanians. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 09:58:56 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 09:58:56 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Peacekeepers Wound Gunmen, West Seeks Balkan Strategy Message-ID: Peacekeepers Wound Gunmen, West Seeks Balkan Strategy SKOPJE, Macedonia (Reuters) - U.S. peacekeeping troops wounded two gunmen on the Kosovo-Macedonia border Wednesday as Western powers sought an effective strategy to contain new turmoil in the Balkan flashpoint. NATO's 19 permanent ambassadors were meeting without Secretary-General George Robertson, who was due to hold talks with the Bush administration in Washington later Wednesday. Both gatherings were expected to seek ways to stop the export of armed Albanian separatists to southern Serbia and Macedonia via ``safe havens'' inadvertently created by NATO's own Kosovo buffer force. ``This morning Multinational Brigade East soldiers injured two armed males after brief exchange of gunfire near the village of Mijak in Kosovo. No KFOR soldiers were injured,'' KFOR spokesman Richard Heffer told reporters in the Kosovo capital. KFOR did not give the gunmen's ethnicity. It was the first engagement between KFOR and gunmen since peacekeepers started reinforcing the border following clashes between guerrillas in the hamlet of Tanusevci on the Macedonian side and Macedonia's own security forces. ``The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when KFOR U.S. soldiers identified a group of five armed men leaving a building in outskirts of the village,'' Heffer said. One of the injured was detained while the other, together with the rest of the group, escaped to the Macedonian side, in the direction of Tanusevci, he said. A U.S. military spokesman later said two gunmen were held by KFOR. MACEDONIA EXPECTS NEW ATTACKS In the Macedonian capital, a defense ministry spokesman, speaking shortly before the news of the clash, said the government expected further attacks. He said there had been no skirmishes overnight, but that security forces had seen armed groups moving on the Kosovo side of the border, away from Tanusevci. Asked whether Skopje expected an offensive, the spokesman said: ``Offensive is a strong word, but we have strong indications that provocations like the one in Tanusevci and with the same intensity will happen in other places on the northern border.'' Macedonia, where ethnic Albanians are about one third of the two million population, has escaped 10 years of Balkan conflict in Croatia and Bosnia and, more recently, southern Serbia. The latest incursion has raised fears that violence in Kosovo and Serbia's Presevo valley where Albanian guerrillas have confronted lightly armed Serbian police for over a year, could spread across the Balkan peninsula. The main problem, diplomats say, is how to prevent ethnic Albanian guerrillas from moving and operating freely across the unmarked mountain borders between Kosovo and Macedonia and Kosovo and southern Serbia. NATO's Robertson said at the United Nations Tuesday that the alliance was considering allowing Yugoslav soldiers into a buffer zone that runs around the outside of Kosovo's boundary with the rest of Yugoslavia, and touches the Macedonian border. The zone was set up after the conflict in Kosovo in 1999. Hashim Thaci, one of the top political leaders in Kosovo, angrily rejected the proposal, calling it ``dangerous.'' Kole Berisha, vice president of the Democratic League of Kosovo party, said the proposed role could not be entrusted to an army associated in the eyes of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority with massacres of their community. Installing the Serb-led Yugoslav army in that area would be a ``provocation, making possible an open conflict that would include the entire region.'' Menduh Thaci, deputy leader of the biggest Albanian political party in Macedonia, suggested that the predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo Protection Corps should be allowed to patrol the Kosovo side of its border with Macedonia along KFOR. U.S. peacekeepers have reinforced the Kosovo side of the border with Macedonia and say most of the gunmen seen leaving Tanusevci had not crossed into Kosovo. An ethnic Albanian who belongs to a shadowy group calling itself the National Liberation Army which has emerged recently in Macedonia, was buried in the presence of thousands of people in the Decani municipality in western Kosovo Tuesday, local newspapers said Wednesday. The papers said he had been wounded near Tanusevci, taken to a Kosovo hospital and died there. Western officials had been urging restraint on Skopje. But Sunday, after three Macedonian soldiers were killed in the border area, they said they would understand if the Macedonian government took military action. Skopje has been reluctant to use serious force so as not to raise tensions within its own ethnic Albanian population. Tuesday, President Boris Trajkovski appeared to harden Macedonia's stance. ``I can assure you that not an inch of Macedonian territory will be given to extremists,'' he said. ``We have enough force to deal with terrorism but every assistance from the international community is welcome.'' Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov said Sofia would send military supplies to neighboring Macedonia but not troops. ``We clearly state that we do not accept the terrorist activity in the region of Tanusevci as it undermines efforts for finding a lasting peaceful solution to the whole knot of problems in Kosovo,'' Kostov told parliament. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 10:00:52 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 10:00:52 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Peacekeepers Wound Gunmen, West Seeks Balkan Strategy Message-ID: Peacekeepers Wound Gunmen, West Seeks Balkan Strategy SKOPJE, Macedonia (Reuters) - U.S. peacekeeping troops wounded two gunmen on the Kosovo-Macedonia border Wednesday as Western powers sought an effective strategy to contain new turmoil in the Balkan flashpoint. NATO's 19 permanent ambassadors were meeting without Secretary-General George Robertson, who was due to hold talks with the Bush administration in Washington later Wednesday. Both gatherings were expected to seek ways to stop the export of armed Albanian separatists to southern Serbia and Macedonia via ``safe havens'' inadvertently created by NATO's own Kosovo buffer force. ``This morning Multinational Brigade East soldiers injured two armed males after brief exchange of gunfire near the village of Mijak in Kosovo. No KFOR soldiers were injured,'' KFOR spokesman Richard Heffer told reporters in the Kosovo capital. KFOR did not give the gunmen's ethnicity. It was the first engagement between KFOR and gunmen since peacekeepers started reinforcing the border following clashes between guerrillas in the hamlet of Tanusevci on the Macedonian side and Macedonia's own security forces. ``The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when KFOR U.S. soldiers identified a group of five armed men leaving a building in outskirts of the village,'' Heffer said. One of the injured was detained while the other, together with the rest of the group, escaped to the Macedonian side, in the direction of Tanusevci, he said. A U.S. military spokesman later said two gunmen were held by KFOR. MACEDONIA EXPECTS NEW ATTACKS In the Macedonian capital, a defense ministry spokesman, speaking shortly before the news of the clash, said the government expected further attacks. He said there had been no skirmishes overnight, but that security forces had seen armed groups moving on the Kosovo side of the border, away from Tanusevci. Asked whether Skopje expected an offensive, the spokesman said: ``Offensive is a strong word, but we have strong indications that provocations like the one in Tanusevci and with the same intensity will happen in other places on the northern border.'' Macedonia, where ethnic Albanians are about one third of the two million population, has escaped 10 years of Balkan conflict in Croatia and Bosnia and, more recently, southern Serbia. The latest incursion has raised fears that violence in Kosovo and Serbia's Presevo valley where Albanian guerrillas have confronted lightly armed Serbian police for over a year, could spread across the Balkan peninsula. The main problem, diplomats say, is how to prevent ethnic Albanian guerrillas from moving and operating freely across the unmarked mountain borders between Kosovo and Macedonia and Kosovo and southern Serbia. NATO's Robertson said at the United Nations Tuesday that the alliance was considering allowing Yugoslav soldiers into a buffer zone that runs around the outside of Kosovo's boundary with the rest of Yugoslavia, and touches the Macedonian border. The zone was set up after the conflict in Kosovo in 1999. Hashim Thaci, one of the top political leaders in Kosovo, angrily rejected the proposal, calling it ``dangerous.'' Kole Berisha, vice president of the Democratic League of Kosovo party, said the proposed role could not be entrusted to an army associated in the eyes of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority with massacres of their community. Installing the Serb-led Yugoslav army in that area would be a ``provocation, making possible an open conflict that would include the entire region.'' Menduh Thaci, deputy leader of the biggest Albanian political party in Macedonia, suggested that the predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo Protection Corps should be allowed to patrol the Kosovo side of its border with Macedonia along KFOR. U.S. peacekeepers have reinforced the Kosovo side of the border with Macedonia and say most of the gunmen seen leaving Tanusevci had not crossed into Kosovo. An ethnic Albanian who belongs to a shadowy group calling itself the National Liberation Army which has emerged recently in Macedonia, was buried in the presence of thousands of people in the Decani municipality in western Kosovo Tuesday, local newspapers said Wednesday. The papers said he had been wounded near Tanusevci, taken to a Kosovo hospital and died there. Western officials had been urging restraint on Skopje. But Sunday, after three Macedonian soldiers were killed in the border area, they said they would understand if the Macedonian government took military action. Skopje has been reluctant to use serious force so as not to raise tensions within its own ethnic Albanian population. Tuesday, President Boris Trajkovski appeared to harden Macedonia's stance. ``I can assure you that not an inch of Macedonian territory will be given to extremists,'' he said. ``We have enough force to deal with terrorism but every assistance from the international community is welcome.'' Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov said Sofia would send military supplies to neighboring Macedonia but not troops. ``We clearly state that we do not accept the terrorist activity in the region of Tanusevci as it undermines efforts for finding a lasting peaceful solution to the whole knot of problems in Kosovo,'' Kostov told parliament. From aalibali at yahoo.com Wed Mar 7 15:07:40 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 12:07:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Daily Telegraph - Leading Article Message-ID: <20010307200740.39533.qmail@web11507.mail.yahoo.com> THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) Leading Article March 07, 2001, Wednesday Pg. 29 Give Kosovo independence Two years ago, Nato went to war against Yugoslavia to counter ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Today, it is trying to protect Serbia and Macedonia against attacks by Kosovar guerrillas. The trouble started in the Presevo valley in Serbia and has now spread into northern Macedonia. As a consequence, Nato has agreed to allow Belgrade a freer hand in the buffer zone on the Serbian side of the Kosovo border, and is sending a military and political mission to Skopje. One might be forgiven for thinking that the victims of 1999 have become the aggressors of 2001. Fortunately, the situation is not as simple as that. There are sections of Kosovar society happy to work outside the law, whether conducting guerrilla warfare or engaging in mafia-type operations such as smuggling. And the Serbian minority, having persecuted the Kosovars, now finds the boot on the other foot. Criminality and ethnic discrimination are not activities which the Nato bombing campaign was designed to further. Against those negative elements must be set last October's municipal elections in which the moderate Democratic League of Kosovo under Ibrahim Rugova won nearly 60 per cent of the vote. In doing so, it trounced the Democracy Party of Kosovo, led by Hashim Thaci, former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The United Nations, which, with Nato's help, is running the province as a protectorate, therefore has a political figure round which to steer Kosovo towards self-determination. Yet there is a fundamental difference between the wish of the Kosovars and international policy towards the province. The former, whether of moderate or radical bent, want independence. But under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 the province, while being granted wide powers of autonomy, remains part of the Yugoslav federation. General elections are expected later this year. Beyond that, Kosovo's eventual status is unclear. That uncertainty breeds frustration, which in turn encourages recourse to violence. The sooner the outside powers give the province the green light for independence, the better. For their part, the guerrillas could usefully reflect that their activities are a stumbling-block to naming a date for the next round of elections, and are unnecessarily antagonising Serbia and Macedonia. The way forward for Kosovo is through the likes of Mr Rugova, not the armed advocates of a "Greater Albania". __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 15:37:17 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 15:37:17 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Balkan=20Ghosts=20Never=20Die=20=96=20NEWSWEEK?= Message-ID: <96.1105e120.27d7f5fd@aol.com> Balkan Ghosts Never Die ? Milosevic?s arrest appears to be imminent, but it?s almost beside the point. The enemy of NATO today is Albanian extremism. And the region is again becoming a tinderbox ?? ? By Rod Nordland NEWSWEEK: ?As word got out last week that Slobodan Milosevic might soon be arrested, his supporters declared they would build a ?living wall? around his house. They said they would stop police from getting him. For a moment, Belgrade held its breath?and then let loose with a collective belly laugh. ? ? AT BEST 50 ?people?s guards? showed up, most of them pensioners, the women with big hair, the men with old Lenin caps and shabby suits. Indicted war criminal Vlajko Stojiljkovic dropped by to praise ?the greatest Serb of all times,? and the demonstrators loudly cursed the press. Behind the high walls at 11 Uzicka Street, the only sign of life was the military guards assigned to the defeated president by his elected successor, Vojislav Kostunica. The protesters were too few even to encircle the walled compound, and when a cold rain set in at night they all went home. ?The chance of Milosevic regaining power is nil,? said a Western diplomat in Belgrade. ?The only thing he can do now is negotiate a better deal on his prison cell.? No one doubts that Milosevic will be arrested?it?s only a question of when, and on which charges. Behind the scenes, a furious debate raged within the Yugoslav government over just when to make a move. But the truth is that, only four months after the ?Butcher of Belgrade? was ousted from power, his fate hardly seems to matter anymore. Milosevic?s final passing from the scene, when it happens, will make dramatic headlines. But it may be the least of Yugoslavia?s problems right now. That?s an especially bitter irony for NATO, which has blamed Milosevic, with reason, for the last decade of wars in the Balkans. Yet even with a friendlier Yugoslavia, those wars may not be finished. Why? Because in an almost Orwellian flip-flop, NATO?s allies in Kosovo during the 1999 war?the ethnic Albanian guerrillas?are swiftly becoming the alliance?s chief adversary. The Yugoslavs, the enemy under Milosevic, are just as quickly turning into NATO?s new allies. The reason is that Albanian insurgents, sensing NATO?s tilt toward Kostunica, have renewed their efforts to make Kosovo an independent Albanian state and ethnically cleanse it of the few remaining Serbs. That has led to increasing conflict between the Albanians and NATO peacekeepers. Washington and its European allies aren?t ready to openly support independence in Kosovo, especially when the Serbian province is dominated by extremists who make no secret of wanting to spread their separatism. ?We?ve seen in Croatia and Bosnia what happens when we start changing boundaries in the Balkans,? says Predrag Simic, Kostunica?s foreign-policy adviser. REGIONAL REPERCUSSIONS The regional repercussions have already started. In the Presevo Valley of southern Serbia, the guerrillas? numbers have grown in five months to between 2,000 and 3,000. Last week NATO reacted by promising to phase out the three-mile-wide buffer zone around Kosovo that was once intended to protect Kosovars from Serbs?but that has proved a safe haven for Kosovar insurgents. That would permit the Yugoslav Army to crack down. And for the first time, Albanian guerrillas began fighting inside Macedonia, Serbia?s southern neighbor, which has a large Albanian minority, too. Macedonian Army counterattacks sent 500 Albanian women and children fleeing across the border into Kosovo. Against these problems, the soft-spoken, lawyerly Kostunica has been buoyed by NATO support. International opinion has soured on the Kosovar Albanians, especially after the remote-control bombing of a KFOR-escorted bus that killed 10 Serbs, including a 2-year-old boy, last month. Hardly any Albanians condemned the attack, with the notable exception of the Pristina newspaper, Koha Ditore. ?Our silence,? the paper wrote last week, would be taken ?as evidence of support of the existence of the secret idea of Greater Albania.? There was plenty of other evidence of that, as guerrillas in Kosovo crossed into Macedonia and Serbia on a campaign to stir up insurgencies there as well. Commander Remi, a former Kosovo Liberation Army commander from Pristina, last week showed a NEWSWEEK reporter patches that had just been designed for the uniforms of the Albanians? National Liberation Army in Macedonia. ?They are getting help from inside Kosovo,? Remi acknowledged. The movement of Albanian guerrillas across the U.S.-patrolled Kosovo border into Serbia?s Presevo Valley is an open secret. ?The Americans look at the stars when we go by,? one guerrilla boasted. ?The Americans in KFOR are only concerned with force protection, and they?re not willing to leave their bases to really patrol that border,? says International Crisis Group analyst James Lyon in Belgrade. Political solutions may be even more elusive. On top of all of Yugoslavia?s other problems, Serbia?s sister republic, Montenegro, is headed for almost certain se-cession, perhaps as early as this spring. Yugoslav authorities say they will not interfere with an independence referendum there. That would leave Serbia as the only remaining Yugoslav republic, and Kostu-nica as president of a nonexistent fede-ration. It would also make the Kosovars even more keen to get their own state. ? ? ? ? ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS It is also possible, though unlikely, that Milosevic and his smattering of supporters could make yet more trouble. Three of Kostunica?s top officials escaped several assassination attempts; the plots were widely blamed on gangsters close to the Milosevic regime. Many Serbs want to see Milosevic tried for a series of political murders as well as corruption. Last week officials around Kostunica signaled that the pro-nationalist president was ready to distance himself from the arrest issue. Kostunica, who badly needs Western aid, is no longer insisting on his earlier campaign pledges never to turn Milosevic over to The Hague. After a public-opinion poll on Thursday showed that 56 percent of Serbs think Milosevic should be tried by the war-crimes tribunal, Kostunica for the first time conceded he would not stop Milosevic?s extradition. He told the liberal newspaper Danas on March 3: ?We have to adjust ourselves to the realities of today?s world.? Milosevic?s halfway house on the way to The Hague is likely to be Belgrade?s Central Prison. Meanwhile he and his wife, Mirjana Markovic, rarely venture out of their gilded cage?a circular white villa built for the dictator Josip Broz Tito in the last days of his regime. The former First Couple are said to spend their time watching romantic movies in the villa?s cinema and listening to Mirjana?s favorite music: Russian folk ballads. When Milosevic goes to the regular meetings of his dwindling Serbian Socialist Party, it?s in the back seat of a Mercedes, hunched between two burly security guards?courtesy of Kostunica. Last week the Belgrade prosecutor?s office finally announced it is formally investigating Milosevic on corruption charges. They involve fraudulently obtaining a retirement home and illegally exporting state-owned gold to Switzerland in his last weeks in power. An arrest could follow at any time. The mild charges won?t please human-rights activists. But they will let Kostunica focus fully on the many problems bequeathed him by a decade of Milosevic?s misrule. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 7 15:45:34 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 15:45:34 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Greek Orthodox church says Pope can visit Message-ID: <96.1105e122.27d7f7ee@aol.com> Greek Orthodox church says Pope can visit By Dina Kyriakidou ATHENS, March 7 (Reuters) - The conservative Greek Orthodox church broke a long tradition of antagonism with the Vatican on Wednesday, saying Pope John Paul could visit Greece and realise his dream of following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. The Vatican welcomed the move, saying it had met the Pope's expectations. The decision clears the way for the pontiff's visit and signals a tentative conciliatory approach towards Roman Catholicism after centuries of hostility between the two churches. "(We) do not wish to object to granting the Roman Pontiff his wish, especially as it is primarily and solely a pilgrimage," the Holy Synod, the Greek church's governing body, said in a statement. The two churches have been split since the Great Schism in 1054 divided Christianity into Eastern and Western branches and the visit had in the past come up against Greek church objections. The 80-year-old Pope plans to travel to Syria and Malta in late April or May to follow the footsteps of Paul, who was converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus and travelled through southern Europe, including Greece, preaching the gospel. The Greek government has invited the Pope for what would be the first ever visit by a pontiff in Greece but the Vatican had asked the Greek church if it had any objections before planning the trip. In a statement, chief Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said: "Today's decision meets the expectations of the Holy Father and will be received with feelings of gratitude, even because of its ecumenical significance." The spokesman said the Vatican hoped to be able to formally announce the trip soon. STILL COMPETING The two churches still bicker over each other's influence in former communist countries, especially over Balkan churches that worship in the Orthodox manner but owe allegiance to the Pope. Greek Archbishop Christodoulos indicated on Sunday that despite the problems, the Holy Synod would not put up obstacles to a visit initiated by the Greek government. "Of course, if he wants to come, our door is open. We will not refuse," Christodoulos said. "He is not asking for our invitation. It has been secured from the Greek government. It appears enough for him. What he is asking us for is our opinion, whether he can make the trip without causing us problems." The Greek press reported that some bishops dissented during the Holy Synod meeting but the decision to lift objections to the Pope was in the end taken unanimously. Vatican sources said they were still awaiting for a formal response and the Holy Synod statement issued a veiled warning that it would not allow the visit to take on overly religious overtones. "The faithful Greek people are called to trust the church leadership...and not to be swayed by exaggerations of the real dimensions of the visit, which will possibly be attempted," it said. "(We) have never feared a challenge." President Costis Stephanopoulos extended the Pope an official invitation to predominantly Orthodox Greece, which has a tiny Catholic minority, during a visit to the Vatican in January. The Pope, who has made efforts to reconcile Christian churches, was the first Roman pontiff to visit a mainly Orthodox country since the Great Schism when he travelled to Romania in 1999. From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Wed Mar 7 14:54:41 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 14:54:41 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Job: Research Manager at CRFMS Skopje Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: bieberf at ceu.hu Subject: [balkans] Job: Research Manager at CRFMS Skopje Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 13:51:37 +0100 Size: 17961 URL: From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:31:37 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:31:37 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Greece welcomes narrower Kosovo buffer zone Message-ID: Greece welcomes narrower Kosovo buffer zone ATHENS, March 8 (Reuters) - Greece said on Thursday a narrower U.N.-imposed buffer zone between southern Serbia and Kosovo would help stifle violence in nearby Macedonia, which is fighting off bands of ethnic Albanian gunmen. "What will deflate tensions is the reduction of the buffer zone from five kms (width) to just one," Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis told reporters. Following 1999 air strikes on Yugoslavia, NATO imposed a buffer strip between southern Serbia and Kosovo to keep Yugoslav security forces a safe distance away from the ethnic Albanian province that had suffered repression by Belgrade. But ethnic Albanian extremists have exploited the zone not just to attack Belgrade's security forces in southern Serbia's Presevo region but also to infiltrate adjacent Macedonia and occupy several border villages. NATO allies agreed on Thursday to allow Serbian forces to enter the "ground safety zone" to fend off attacks. The depth of the area they will occupy will be determined by the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:32:30 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:32:30 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Bulgaria promises military supplies for Macedonia Message-ID: <7f.11395203.27d99abe@aol.com> Bulgaria promises military supplies for Macedonia SOFIA, March 8 (Reuters) - Bulgaria said on Thursday it will send hundreds of tonnes of military supplies to neighbouring Macedonia to back its campaign against separatists along its border with Kosovo. "We will send hundreds of tonnes of ammunition and other supplies. The aid was requested on Wednesday ... I cannot give further details," Defence Minister Boiko Noev told reporters. Bulgaria has condemned the activities of ethnic Albanian guerrillas alleged to have occupied areas near Macedonia's border with Kosovo, saying the flashpoint threatens to destabilise the volatile Balkans. The defence ministry said later the first trucks carrying supplies left on Thursday. Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov left for a two-day official visit to Skopje on Thursday to discuss the crisis. Macedonia, the only former Yugoslav republic to have split away from the federation without conflict, has called for help in dealing with the armed group which it says threatens the relations between its Slav majority and large ethnic Albanian minority. On Wednesday, Polish, Ukrainian, Lithuanian and U.S. peacekeepers took control of Mijak, a town in Kosovo adjoining the Macedonian village of Tanusevci that had been occupied by gunmen presumed to be ethnic Albanians. U.S. peacekeepers have shot and wounded two rebels on the frontier. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:33:11 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:33:11 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO says Serbs can enter buffer zone, on a leash Message-ID: <13.127b8689.27d99ae7@aol.com> NATO says Serbs can enter buffer zone, on a leash By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 8 (Reuters) - NATO said on Thursday it would let Yugoslav Army border guards and Interior Ministry police into a buffer zone on the Macedonian border as early as this weekend to oust ethnic Albanian gunmen. The move, signalled well in advance, was the toughest step yet ordered by the alliance to stem what Western, Yugoslav and Macedonian authorities view as an alarming upsurge of ethnic Albanian extremism on Kosovo's borders. It was likely to be criticised in Kosovo as a tilt of sympathies to Serbia just 21 months after NATO air power came to the rescue of 1.8 million Albanians facing murder and mass expulsion by the Yugoslav Army, Serb police and paramilitaries. In a statement, alliance Secretary-General George Robertson said NATO "has today agreed to certain measures including...the controlled return of (Yugoslav) forces into the Ground Safety Zone in a narrow sector next to the border with Macedonia." A NATO official said the Yugoslav Serb forces could enter the zone as early as this weekend, "ideally, hopefully, but not necessarily after the signing of a ceasefire." NO BLITZKRIEG "Do not expect an overnight blitz," a military source cautioned: NATO would oversee Serbian deployments into territory that has been off-limits since NATO fixed the buffer zone around Kosovo in June 1999, and it would be carefully regulated. The commander of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo (COMKFOR), General Carlo Cabigiosu of Italy, would keep a tight hold on the reins as Serbian forces moved in. They would be allowed to take machineguns of up to .50 calibre (12.7mm) and light mortars to an area where only police with pistols had been allowed. No heavy weapons, no regular army troops and no armour would be permitted, the official said. Detailed force proposals were expected from the Serbian authorities for KFOR approval. In theory, Cabigiosu could order the Serbs out again if they break the rules. Diplomats said Serbia, now under democratic government after the overthrow of leftist autocrat Slobodan Milosevic in a popular uprising last October, was keen to make a success of its unprecedented cooperation with NATO, but agreed it might be difficult to enforce a departure order. The Serbian forces would be given the green light to move into "Charlie East," a five-km (three-mile) wide section of buffer zone where it adjoins Macedonia, which has provided an unguarded gateway exploited by ethnic Albanian gunmen. Ethnic Albanian guerrillas occupied a stretch of the zone to the north last year and began attacks on police in the Presevo Valley of southern Serbia. Recently, gunmen seized adjacent Macedonian land, apparently abusing the gap. The authorised depth of the Serbian deployment to plug the gateway will be between one to five km, officials said. NO SHOOTING IN THE DARK Military sources noted that a carefully coordinated operation would be required in the triangle. There would be KFOR troops to the west, Macedonian forces to the south, Serbs coming from the east and a possibly hostile force in the middle. "We don't want any mistaken firefights," said one, adding that the operation would require aerial surveillance, which has been hampered by recent bad weather. Military sources estimate the number of rebels operating via the pocket at no more than 200. They are armed with heavy machineguns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. "This is a first step in a phased and conditioned reduction of the GSZ," Robertson's statement said. "Further controlled return to the GSZ should continue rapidly thereafter in defined sectors, subject to approval of the North Atlantic Council," it added. Officials said he was referring to 350 km (200 miles) of buffer zone where there has been no conflict in the past 21 months, and the Medvedja sector north of Presevo. "Access to the final sector which has seen the most conflict will be authorised by the Council at a later stage," Robertson said. Officials said this meant Zone B, the Presevo Valley region where the buffer zone is occupied by 600-800 guerrillas. NATO's decision follows many warnings to Albanian extremists that their attempts to provoke a conflict will not be tolerated. Robertson noted that three Serbian policemen were killed on Wednesday by a landmine planted in the Presevo Valley, taking the death toll closer to 40 in several months of attacks. Officials said that while links were suspected between the Presevo and Macedonia groups, NATO was treating the situations separately for the moment. Ethnic Albanian fighters in the Presevo area say their aim is to protect the local Albanian community from what they call Serbian persecution. Belgrade has denounced them as "terrorists" bent on expanding Kosovo's territory. The gunmen inside Macedonia have not stated their goals. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:33:42 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:33:42 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Confusion as KFOR takes over "safe haven" Message-ID: Confusion as KFOR takes over "safe haven" By Shaban Buza TANUSEVCI, Macedonia, March 8 (Reuters) - Confusion reigned on the Kosovo-Macedonia border on Thursday as international peacekeepers moved into part of the village of Tanusevci recently occupied by ethnic Albanian gunmen. Villagers in the remote hamlet said it was Macedonian territory, while the NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers, based in Kosovo, insisted they had not crossed the border. "You understand very well the confusion about where the boundaries are...and it is a great point of discussion between the government and all the locals," U.S. Brigadier General Kenneth Quinlan, Commander of Kosovo's Multinational Brigade East, told reporters. "We were therefore very careful to delineate this boundary between us and the Macedonian authorities, and we have identical maps and we also have the advantage of the technical means to know exactly where we are." In Skopje, a Defence Ministry spokesman said no KFOR troops had crossed the border. But on the scene, Bajram Sinani, a 55-year-old villager, was unconvin ced. "A CITIZEN OF MACEDONIA" "KFOR entered 200 metres into Macedonia," he said, showing off his Macedonian passport, which gave his place of residence as Tanusevci, Macedonia. He was worried about the implication of KFOR's move:"I don't want to be a citizen of Kosovo. I am a citizen of Macedonia." The peacekeepers moved into the area, which they called "upper Mijak" and an extension of Tanusevci, at around 10 a.m. (0900 GMT), hot on the heels of the gunmen. "They pulled out last night. They loaded stuff in a vehicle and onto several donkeys and around two o'clock (0100 GMT) they went towards Macedonia," said U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Owens, who led the operation. They had used a school building as their headquarters and the peacekeepers found food, supplies and explosives, he said. The tiny former Yugoslav republic has issued multiple calls for help since skirmishes began two weeks ago, saying the violence threatens the delicate relations between its Macedonian majority and one-third ethnic Albanian minority. KFOR said it was taking "robust" measures to secure its side of the border but could not cross into Macedonia. "HAVEN ELIMINATED" "We have just concluded a successful operation by eliminating a safe haven for armed groups here in Kosovo," said Quinlan, speaking in nearby Debelde. The peacekeepers said they had injured two gunmen on Wednesday after taking control of most of Mijak and had detained seven, two of whom had been freed after checks. He said they had tried to engage the gunmen, variously estimated to total 200 to 300, in dialogue, but without success. In "Upper Mijak," U.S. Major Jim Marshall tried to try to clear up the confusion about the border. "That's Macedonia," he said, pointing over a nearby fence. "We are in Kosovo and we are very certain where it is." "There is no doubt about the confusion the locals have with the border, but we coordinated with the Macedonians." Across the fence lay other houses that locals said were part of Tanusevci, in Macedonia. It looked deserted. I stepped over and spent a few minutes in Macedonia before troops called me back, warning of mines. A short time later a KFOR Chinook helicopter brought a container -- and deposited it on the other side. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:34:17 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:34:17 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] U.S. soldier on trial for shooting Kosovo boy Message-ID: <6f.1232bb0b.27d99b29@aol.com> U.S. soldier on trial for shooting Kosovo boy By Jan Dahinten GIESSEN, Germany, March 8 (Reuters) - Lawyers for an American soldier accused of accidentally shooting dead an Albanian boy in Kosovo told his court martial on Thursday that they would accuse his superiors of negligence. Private First Class Nicholas E. Young, who pleaded not guilty to one charge of negligent homicide and two of dereliction of duty in a pre-trial hearing, faces up to three and a half years in jail if convicted. Young, from Sacramento, California, is accused of firing his machine gun while on peacekeeping duties in the Yugoslav province last July 10, fatally wounding six-year-old Gentrit Rexhepi. The prosecution said Young let children play with his weapon and pulled the trigger to see if the safety catch was on. A member of Young's defence team, Major Mark Johnson, told the court the incident had been "an accident waiting to happen." On the first day of the trial at a U.S. base at Giessen, north of Frankfurt, defence counsel Tom Fleener said Young, who was 19 at the time, suffered from a severe learning disability and that he would prove negligence among the upper ranks. "A lot of people have been negligent in this case," Johnson said. Most of Young's colleagues in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery knew he needed "a lot of guidance," he added. NOT TRAINED PROPERLY He said the soldier, who came to Germany in December 1999 after initial training in the United States, was only qualified to use an M-16 rifle, not the M-249 SAW machine gun he was assigned after his deployment to Kosovo. Peacekeepers were helping to build a fence round a school in the southeastern village of Gornja Slatina when Young's machine gun went off as he stood guard. Ricochet shots hit the boy. "He was deployed to Kosovo with a weapon he was not qualified on -- a violation of Army regulations," Johnson told military judge William Barto and the seven jurors. "No one in his immediate chain of command gave him hands-on training on how to use the machine gun." Young also had no experience in dealing with children: "He was there alone with a lot of kids, there was no interpreter and no guidance." Johnson said the dead boy's father had forgiven Young and asked him to visit his home. But Captain Marie Anderson accused Young of negligence and lack of discipline: "He repeatedly placed his weapon on the ground and allowed children to touch it. Then he pulled the trigger to test whether the weapons safety switch was engaged." The trial could last until Tuesday, military spokesmen said. Last August, another soldier on peacekeeping duty in Kosovo, former U.S. Army Sergeant Frank Ronghi, was sentenced to life in prison for sodomising and killing an 11-year-old Albanian girl. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:34:56 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:34:56 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kostunica accepts buffer zone plan, lambasts NATO Message-ID: <92.1163ae8e.27d99b50@aol.com> Kostunica accepts buffer zone plan, lambasts NATO By Andrew Gray BELGRADE, March 8 (Reuters) - President Vojislav Kostunica accepted on Thursday a NATO plan to let Yugoslav forces enter a buffer zone next to Kosovo and Macedonia but accused the alliance of being too scared to tackle ethnic Albanian rebels. Kostunica also said he was optimistic Yugoslavia would meet a U.S. deadline at the end of this month to start co-operating with the U.N. war crimes tribunal, which wants to try his predecessor Slobodan Milosevic, or face economic sanctions. But he said the violence plaguing Kosovo and the areas around its borders was the most urgent issue facing the country and charged that the mission of the NATO-led KFOR force in the province had produced "disastrous" results. "What we are really lacking badly is more understanding, more goodwill on the part of KFOR and NATO and more readiness to risk something, maybe more courage on the part of NATO and KFOR that is so badly lacking at this moment," he said. Kostunica, a leader of the reform alliance which ousted Milosevic last October, said Yugoslav forces now faced a dangerous mission as they were being asked to deal with KFOR's failure to establish security in the buffer zone. At a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, NATO envoys proposed letting Yugoslav forces into a narrow slice of Serbia next to southeastern Kosovo, where the zone around the edge of the province hits the Macedonian frontier to the south. Ethnic Albanian guerrillas have used the buffer zone for more than a year to launch attacks on Serbian security forces. Violence also blamed by the authorities on ethnic Albanians has spilled into northern Macedonia in the past few weeks. Military sources say the pocket opened up to Yugoslav forces could be between five and 25 sq km in size. NATO said only Serbian Interior Ministry police and Yugoslav army border guards would be allowed in, not regular army troops. The five km (three mile) wide zone was set up as NATO entered Kosovo to keep Yugoslav forces at a distance in the aftermath of their war with the alliance over Milosevic's crackdown on the province's ethnic Albanian majority. MILITARY ALLIANCE OR AID AGENCY? Now Yugoslav forces are set to return to part of the zone, they could face ethnic Albanian hostility from several sides. "KFOR is abandoning protection of the border and is inviting our army to be in the crossfire," Kostunica said at his regular monthly news conference. "The army will of course do this, but it now undoubtedly has to make up for the mistakes of others," he said, adding he hoped Yugoslav forces could enter the pocket by the end of this month. He accused KFOR of failing to disarm ethnic Albanian guerrillas and of "stimulating instead of curbing" aspirations of a Greater Albania because it was too concerned about protecting its own troops rather than local people. "Is NATO a military or a humanitarian organisation? What's the reason for its presence there?" he asked. Kostunica, who describes himself as a moderate nationalist, expressed some frustration at international demands for speedy cooperation with the U.N. tribunal in The Hague dealing with the warfare of the past decade which tore the old Yugoslavia apart. The United States Congress has set a March 31 deadline for Belgrade to start cooperating with the tribunal or its aid allocation will be frozen and Washington will oppose badly needed loans from international financial institutions. Kostunica said his government was committed to cooperating with the tribunal, although he has heavily criticised it as biased against Serbs and practising selective justice. He did not say whether he favoured handing over suspects, which the court's chief prosecutor sees as the key sign of cooperation. But he said he was convinced Yugoslavia would do enough to meet the U.S. deadline. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:35:44 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:35:44 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] France, Germany condemn ethnic Albanian extremists Message-ID: <29.1188640d.27d99b80@aol.com> France, Germany condemn ethnic Albanian extremists PARIS, March 8 (Reuters) - The French and German foreign ministers on Thursday condemned attacks by ethnic Albanian guerrillas in southern Serbia and Macedonia, and said NATO and the European Union should work together to stabilise the region. France's Hubert Vedrine and Germany's Joschka Fischer said Macedonia's "policy of moderation" in dealing with the "extremists" should be supported. "The integrity of Macedonia must be respected," said a joint statement issued in Paris following a meeting between the ministers. Ethnic Albanian guerrillas have been using a buffer zone seperating Kosovo from the rest of Yugoslavia as a base for attacks on Serbian security forces in the adjacent Presevo Valley and, more recently, on Macedonia. Military sources estimate the number of rebels operating in the Macedonian border area at no more than 200. "France and Germany condemn the extremists' violent action on the northern border with Macedonia and the Presevo valley, which is aimed at destabilising the region," the ministers said. "NATO and the European Union must co-ordinate their respective efforts to help with the stabilisation of the region." NATO announced on Thursday that it would let Yugoslav security forces into part of the buffer zone adjoining the Macedonian border as early as this weekend as part of efforts to clamp down on the ethnic Albanian gunmen. When the ministers met journalists later, Vedrine rejected suggestions that it would be dangerous to bring the Serbian and Kosovo Albanian sides together. "I fully approve of this decision by NATO," he said. "I don't think you can say we are putting belligerents face to face. The situation has changed radically." Fischer added: "It's important that no new confontation is allowed to develop. This is crucial. There must be a peaceful resolution of all disputed issues." From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:36:21 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:36:21 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia Tension Played Down Message-ID: Macedonia Tension Played Down By ROBERT BURNS WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and NATO's top diplomat sought to play down the significance Thursday of renewed violence along the Kosovo-Macedonia border, where U.S. and other peacekeeping troops have skirmished with ethnic Albanian insurgents. ``We want to prevent what can be limited, localized skirmishes becoming bigger or spilling over into the wider region,'' Lord Robertson, the NATO secretary-general, said at a joint Pentagon news conference with Rumsfeld. On another topic, Rumsfeld said the Bush administration is eager to assure the European allies that its proposed defense against ballistic missiles would protect Europeans as well as Americans. He said he has stopped using the word ``national'' in the term ``national missile defense,'' which is what the Pentagon has called its program for several years. ``What's `national' depends on where you live,'' he said. ``The United States has friends and allies that we're linked very tightly to.'' The missile defense system pursued by the Clinton administration was designed to protect only the 50 U.S. states. Bush has said he wants a system that will provide broader protection, to include the European allies and other nations friendly to the United States, as well as U.S. troops abroad. Before meeting with Robertson, Rumsfeld held talks with German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, who later told reporters that his government was pleased the Bush administration is moving away from a ``national'' approach to a broader vision of defense against ballistic missiles. Also Thursday, the White House announced that Bush will visit NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, in June to discuss trans-Atlantic security issues. White House officials said his visit will include talks with Robertson and allied officials but it will not be a NATO summit meeting of leaders of the 19 member countries. The last NATO summit was in April 1999 to mark the alliance's 50th anniversary. At the Pentagon news conference, Rumsfeld said the situation along the Kosovo-Macedonia border is now ``relatively stable,'' although he described the Balkans as ``a difficult part of the world'' to keep the peace. Rumsfeld was asked whether American forces in Kosovo are running the risk of being drawn into a shooting war along the Macedonian border. ``That's one of the risks of a peacekeeper,'' Rumsfeld said. ``Shooting is shooting, and it has been going on throughout the period that (peacekeeping) troops have been there in one level or another, and it's been relatively minor and it remains relatively modest.'' Robertson told the Pentagon news conference that while the upsurge in violence is cause for concern, he believes an increase in peacekeeping patrols along the border area with Macedonia this week is having the desired effect of reducing violence. ``Their robust presence, I believe, is having an effect on those people who use that whole border area - ill-defined as it is, heavily mined as it is - as a sort of adventure playground for violence,'' Robertson said. ``Some of the upsurge in violence has been to do with the fact that these insurgents, these ethnic Albanian armed groups - and others - know that their time is coming to an end,'' Robertson added. On Thursday, Macedonian troops drove ethnic Albanian insurgents from their stronghold on the border with Kosovo. The American troops in Kosovo are part of a multinational effort to curb the flow of weapons and fighters from Kosovo, the overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian province in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia, into northern Macedonia. Although the rebels have not publicly stated their goals, it is assumed they are fighting for self-rule in areas of Macedonia near Kosovo that have large ethnic Albanian populations. Albanians make up about 25 percent of Macedonia's population. Rumsfeld said he supports NATO's decision Thursday to allow Serb troops back into a strip of the buffer zone between Kosovo and the rest of Serbia as a means of cutting off ethnic Albanian infiltrators crossing through an area where the borders of Macedonia, Kosovo and the rest of Serbia meet. On the Net: NATO Kosovo Force: http://www.kforonline.com From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:37:45 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:37:45 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia violence spreads after gunmen squeezed Message-ID: <7d.11f7a95a.27d99bf9@aol.com> Macedonia violence spreads after gunmen squeezed By Philippa Fletcher SKOPJE, March 9 (Reuters) - Macedonia faced a growing extremist threat within its territory on Friday after a second fatal attack on its security forces, apparently by ethnic Albanian gunmen pushed from their base on the border with Kosovo by U.S.-led peacekeepers. Twin moves by NATO on Thursday -- the peacekeepers' push on the ground in Kosovo and a decision in Brussels to let Yugoslav troops into part of a buffer zone alongside Macedonia -- were designed to squeeze the shadowy group from two directions. But instead of bringing calm to Macedonia, which fears the gunmen may trigger a revolt among its ethnic Albanian minority, the moves were followed by what the authorities said was a grenade attack on a convoy that killed one policeman. Yugoslav President Vojslav Kostunica, fearing similar attacks on his troops as they move into the zone at some point in the next few days, lashed out at NATO, accused it of having encouraged such extremism. "KFOR is abandoning protection of the border and is inviting our army to be in the crossfire," he told a news conference, adding KFOR had stimulated aspirations for a Greater Albania because it was too concerned for its own troops' safety. Kostunica accepted NATO's plan to let Serb troops into the buffer zone but accused the alliance of sending his forces into the crossfire instead of dealing with the problem itself. "France and Germany condemn the extremists' violent action on the northern border with Macedonia and the Presevo valley, which is aimed at destabilising the region," the two countries' foreign ministers said in Paris. Russia said it was sending its foreign minister to the region soon and neighbouring Bulgaria also stepped in, promising "hundreds of tonnes" of military supplies to help Skopje in its fight against the shadowy group that has threatened to bring a decade of Balkan ethnic conflict to a hitherto peaceful country. Macedonia raised the alarm two weeks ago after a clash between its security forces and ethnic Albanian gunmen who had occupied Tanusevci on the border with majority Albanian Kosovo, under international protection since 1999. A week later the crisis escalated when three Macedonian troops were killed, two of them by a landmine well inside the country. Thursday night brought a fourth victim, a policeman said by a police source to have been blown up in his jeep by a shoulder-launched grenade as he led a convoy of officials through the border area. In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and NATO Secretary-General George Robertson played down the significance of the renewed violence. "That's one of the risks of a peacekeeper," Rumsfeld said after talks with Robertson. "Shooting is shooting, and it has been going on throughout the period that troops have been there in one level or another. It has been relatively minor and it remains relatively modest." Robertson told reporters the skirmishes were reason for concern, but that a more "robust presence" in peacekeeping patrols in the area was reducing the violence. "Some of the upsurge in violence has been to do with the fact that these insurgents, these ethnic Albanian armed groups and others know that their time is coming to an end," he said. The United States has 5,600 peacekeeping troops in Kosovo and another 4,400 in Bosnia. Diplomats say the main problem is preventing the guerrillas operating freely across the unmarked mountain borders between Kosovo, Macedonia and southern Serbia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:38:25 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:38:25 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] U.S. Forces at Macedonia-Border Message-ID: <30.11891211.27d99c21@aol.com> U.S. Forces at Macedonia-Border By DANICA KIRKA PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) - U.S. peacekeepers pushed to the edge of Kosovo's border with Macedonia on Thursday - a move that places them in the midst of a new Balkan conflict - after ethnic Albanian rebels fled one of their strongholds. Ethnic Albanian villagers said the Americans crossed into Macedonia to take over positions held by the rebels, who have been battling Macedonian forces. U.S. officials denied those claims but acknowledged that there is confusion about the border. The controversy over the Americans' location underlined the danger that U.S. soldiers may become more involved in border disputes and the deep-seated historical animosity between ethnic Albanians and Slavs. In another move that could anger ethnic Albanians, NATO agreed Thursday to allow Yugoslav forces to help keep ethnic Albanians in Macedonia from crossing into Serbia, Yugoslavia's main republic. U.S. peacekeepers took over a hillside elementary school being used as a base for ethnic Albanian insurgents fighting Macedonian troops, cutting off a key supply base for rebels in northern Macedonia. U.S. officials said the school was in the Kosovo village of Mijak. U.S. Brig. Gen. Kenneth J. Quinlan, commander of the U.S. peacekeeping contingent, said his troops ``were very careful to delineate this border between us and Macedonian authorities.'' But residents said the school was in Tanusevci, Macedonia. ``I've been living here for more than 50 years and this place was called Tanusevci and this is Macedonia,'' said Bajram Sinani, as he showed his Macedonian identification card and Macedonian currency. He also said that Yugoslav guards who used to man the border would never allow them to go shopping in Kosovo - even though it was right next door. Meanwhile, violence flared after nightfall when ethnic Albanian rebels fired on a government convoy near Tanusevac, 15 miles north of Macedonia's capital, Skopje, police spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said. A car was hit by a rocket, killing its driver, he said. Pendarovski said that senior officials with the convoy were never in danger because they were inside a police station in the village of Brest when the incident occurred. Police and army units later secured the area, and the shooting stopped, he said. The Americans are part of a multinational effort to curb the flow of weapons and fighters from Kosovo into northern Macedonia. The present border between Macedonia and Yugoslavia was decided only last week. For a decade, the placement of the border remained the only unresolved issue between the two countries following Macedonia's peaceful split from the former communist-run Yugoslavia in 1991. After Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was ousted in October, the new president, Vojislav Kostunica, and Macedonian leader Boris Trajkovski agreed to resolve the dispute. The deal was ratified in Macedonia's parliament last week despite protests by ethnic Albanians who said they do not recognize it because Kosovo's ethnic Albanians had not been consulted. In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the situation along the Kosovo border was ``relatively stable.'' He acknowledged that peacekeeping was risky but added that shooting in the area had been ``relatively minor.'' Although the rebels have not spelled out their goals, they have issued statements indicating they want more rights for the largely ethnic Albanian areas of Macedonia bordering Kosovo. Albanians make up about 25 percent of Macedonia's population of 2 million. The Americans moved into the disputed area after 20 to 40 insurgents packed up their mules and horses and left. U.S. peacekeepers fired no shots and made no arrests, describing their capture of the area as a triumph in the effort to prevent Kosovo from being used as a staging area for rebellion. The U.S. version of events differed from that offered by the Macedonian government, which said fighting in Tanusevci started before dawn when 50 ethnic Albanian insurgents attacked Macedonian troops. The insurgents unleashed horses ahead of them to see if the area was mined, Defense Ministry spokesman Blagoja Markovski said. Macedonian troops responded ``with force,'' Markovski said. American peacekeepers, however, said mortar rounds and gunfire echoed through the valley, after the rebels had left. Hours later, no Macedonian soldiers were visible in Tanusevci. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:42:12 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:42:12 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Russian foreign minister to visit Balkan region Message-ID: Russian foreign minister to visit Balkan region MOSCOW, March 8 (Reuters) - Russia's envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday that Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov would soon visit the Balkan region in the wake of clashes on the border between Kosovo and Macedonia. Russia has protested over what it says are attacks by Albanian extremists on Macedonia, which it says are aimed at destabilising the whole Balkan region. "The Russian foreign minister will soon go there, specially to see what can be done in the Balkans," Sergei Lavrov told Russian public ORT television as he spoke about a United Nations Security Council decision on Wednesday to condemn the violence. "Russia's leadership is worried about the growing wave of extremism spreading from Kosovo into neighbouring regions of Serbia and now into Macedonia," he said. He gave no dates for Ivanov's trip to the region, nor where exactly he would go. U.S.-led peacekeepers earlier on Thursday drove ethnic Albanian gunmen from a village they had used to attack Macedonia. NATO is also to let Serbian forces into a buffer zone to stop rebels there linking with those harrying Macedonia. The Foreign Ministry said in a separate statement that the U.N. Security Council had to make sure that the Albanian extremists' actions had to be stopped. "If they continue, the Council must take the necessary measures," the statement said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:47:01 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:47:01 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO Soldiers Fire on Kosovo Albanians Message-ID: NATO Soldiers Fire on Kosovo Albanians By CARLOTTA GALL BELGRADE, Serbia, March 7 (Reuters) ? NATO soldiers in Kosovo opened fire and wounded two Albanian gunmen today, raising the prospect that the peacekeeping force could become tangled in a violent Albanian insurgency that has suddenly flared in neighboring Macedonia. American peacekeepers were in command of the 250-member multinational force that moved into the Kosovo village of Mijak at dawn in a operation to stem the flow of arms and men to Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia, the former Yugoslav republic to the south. The clash that followed was one of the strongest indications yet of the growing complications of the peacekeeping mission. The NATO-led peacekeepers already have their hands full trying to seal off Kosovo's eastern border with the rest of Serbia, where Albanian rebels have used a three-mile wide buffer zone to attack Yugoslav forces. Three Yugoslav soldiers were killed and another wounded in that area today when their vehicle ran over a mine. In Mijak, the peacekeeping unit, which included soldiers from Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania, came across a group of five armed Albanians who turned their guns toward the peacekeepers and advanced, American military officials said. Seeing a provocation, the troops opened fire. The peacekeepers wounded two of the gunmen, one of whom was evacuated to the American military base in Kosovo, Camp Bondsteel. The rest of the gunmen retreated with the other wounded man to a nearby house, where peacekeepers were negotiating with them to surrender, Col. Thomas M. Gross, commander of the unit, told a news conference, Reuters reported. In the last week, hundreds of peacekeeping troops in the American sector of southeastern Kosovo have moved toward the border to step up their patrols after the Macedonian government complained that the peacekeeping force was not preventing men and weapons from moving across the border and had allowed Albanian militants to begin an insurgency in Macedonia. Over the last two weeks, clashes have erupted in Macedonia around the village of Tanusevci between ethnic Albanians and Macedonian military forces. Three Macedonian soldiers have been killed and at least two Albanians in firefights and a mine blast. Today's peacekeeping operation in Mijak was an effort to demonstrate to armed Albanian groups in the area that they would not be tolerated, said a peacekeeping spokesman in Pristina, the Kosovo capital. In southern Serbia, hoping to persuade armed Albanians to lay down their arms, Yugoslav and Serbian officials are working on a peace package with Albanians living in the Presevo valley, near where the mine exploded today. The blast occurred near the village of Oraovica, and was the second such attack in two weeks, said Biserka Matic, a Serbian government official. The Yugoslav peace package would offer democratic reforms and greater Albanian participation in local government, while allowing Yugoslav Army and police special forces to move back into the buffer zone. Under the military agreement signed at the end of NATO's war with Yugoslavia, only lightly armed police have been allowed within three miles of the border with Kosovo. Nebojsa Covic, the Serbian deputy prime minister negotiating the plan, said he hoped to reach a cease-fire with Albanian leaders by the end of the week, yet the violence has shown no sign of abating. He has also said that Yugoslav troops could return to the buffer zone soon after, but Western diplomats say it will only be possible for them to return to areas that are not occupied by rebels. As negotiations with NATO officials stand, a stretch of 58 miles now under control of Albanian rebels will remain so, at least for now. If there is an agreement with the Albanians, then Yugoslav forces could move into areas north of that stretch that are not in dispute. NATO is considering a plan to allow Yugoslav Army forces into the southernmost tip of the buffer zone, where it borders Macedonia, the NATO secretary general, George Robertson, said on Tuesday. The area, where the Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbian borders meet, is strategically important and could enable the rebel groups both in Serbia and in Macedonia to join forces. There are Albanian villages in the area and a significant number of armed Albanians, and the Yugoslav Army would have to use force to secure control of the area, Western observers here say. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 21:53:15 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 21:53:15 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO Troops Help Macedonians Drive Away Ethnic Albanian Rebels Message-ID: NATO Troops Help Macedonians Drive Away Ethnic Albanian Rebels By CARLOTTA GALL SKOPJE, Macedonia, March 8 ? United States-led peacekeeping troops in southern Kosovo occupied a village on the border with Macedonia today, as part of a coordinated move with Macedonian military forces through the night and morning to flush out ethnic Albanian rebels from their mountain base. The operation by some 300 international peacekeepers, most of them Americans, to occupy Tanusevci was the first offensive action by peacekeepers since they entered Kosovo in June 1999. It followed a move on Tuesday to secure the village of Mijak, just short of the border, where peacekeepers traded fire with a group of rebels, wounding several. The operation signaled NATO's determination to act to help Macedonia suppress the incipient ethnic Albanian insurgency before it grows. Three Macedonians and at least two Albanians have been killed in skirmishes around Tanusevci in the last two weeks. The violence has alarmed not only the Macedonian government, but also the Atlantic alliance and Western governments who fear it could flare into a larger conflict, as has happened on Kosovo's eastern boundary with Serbia, where after more than a year it is already entrenched. Armed Albanians, thought to be local men from Macedonia who fought with their fellow Albanians against Serbian forces in Kosovo, appeared for the first time in the village of Tanusevci two weeks ago. Some of them wore uniforms and called themselves the National Liberation Army. Soon after, they engaged the Macedonian military in firefights. NATO's first concern has been to seal the border and prevent the movement of men and weapons across the border with Kosovo. But today's action was more aggressive. A United States military spokesman said the peacekeepers' aim was to eliminate any safe havens that could be used by armed groups in southern Kosovo. Tanusevci, which they found empty and abandoned today, would now appear off bounds for any armed Albanians. But the rebels seem to have just moved on to other villages, even if they have been pinched by the joint action closing in on them from the north and south. Some rebels have been reported present in the nearby village of Malino among others, according to local journalists. "They move all the time. They like to move," said Snezana Lupevska, a reporter from AI television in Skopje, who has followed the story. It is not clear what prompted the Albanians to abandon Tanusevci during the night, but American troops who took part in the operation said they had watched the rebels leave in a group through their night-vision sights. Macedonian military officials said that a group of 50 to 60 armed men headed east in the night for a military post called Kudra Fura, just a mile from Tanusevci. Just after midnight the gunmen launched an attack on the military post, shooting for two hours and then moving around and continuing the attack from the east, a Macedonian army spokesman, Gorgi Trendafilov, said at a news conference in Skopje. He said that the Albanians had opened fire first and the Macedonian troops had responded when attacked. American officers who tracked the shooting from their positions told reporters they thought the Albanians had run into an ambush. In a well-coordinated effort, United States officers maintained constant communication throughout the night with Macedonian forces, even when they were engaged in the firefight with the Albanians, and then again in the morning as American troops moved in to take control of the village. "We have been receiving logistical support from KFOR and they helped all night," Mr Trendafilov said, using the acronym for the NATO peacekeepers. "We were in contact all the time." Neither the peacekeepers nor the Macedonian troops suffered any casualties. It is not known whether any rebels were killed or wounded. The operation marks a new step for NATO in the region since it intervened in Kosovo in 1999 against Yugoslav forces. American troops have been often criticized for doing nothing to stop Albanian rebel groups in the last year from establishing themselves just beyond Kosovo's eastern border. NATO today said it decided to allow Yugoslav military and police forces back into the three-mile wide exclusion zone that runs along Kosovo's boundary with Serbia. The Yugoslav army has complained that it has not been allowed to contain the increasingly violent insurgency in southern Serbia because it was excluded from the area since the end of NATO's war with Yugoslavia in 1999. Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica reiterated those complaints today at a news conference in Belgrade, and said that NATO's decision was yet another proof that the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo had failed. But in recognition of the difficulty they face, Mr. Kostunica said it would be a dangerous job for the Yugoslav army to return to the zone. Albanian leaders in Kosovo and Macedonia criticized the decision, saying it would escalate tension in the region, since the Yugoslav army and police were hated and feared by Albanians for their repressive actions in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999. "It would a folly," said Arben Xhaferi, who heads the largest ethnic Albanian political party in Macedonia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 22:00:08 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 22:00:08 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO's Robertson Meets Top U.S. Officials Message-ID: <92.1163ae95.27d9a138@aol.com> NATO's Robertson Meets Top U.S. Officials WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson met Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday at the start of talks on Washington's role in the Atlantic alliance and peacekeeping in the troubled Balkans. After the Pentagon meeting, Robertson was to go to the White House for a meeting with President George W. Bush amid escalating violence by ethnic Albanian separatists in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo and neighboring Macedonia. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the talks would include ``a host of issues that are important to the NATO alliance,'' ranging from Bush's planned U.S. National Missile Defense -- a subject that has raised major concern in Europe -- to the European Union's plan to form its own rapid-reaction military force. Asked whether a recent flare-up of violence in Kosovo had raised concerns over a quagmire enveloping the U.S. military peacekeeping commitment in the Balkans, Fleischer said: ``The discussion with Lord Robertson will be broad and will focus on a host of transatlantic issues -- and I anticipate obligations in the Balkans will be one of those.'' KEY ISSUES OF CONCERN Two major issues of concern for the 19-member alliance have been U.S. commitment to the peacekeeping force and American support of Europe's proposed military force. But Secretary of State Colin Powell last week helped allay concern about continued American participation in Balkans peacekeeping. ``We went in together; we will come out together,'' Powell told reporters at NATO headquarters. The United States has 5,600 peacekeeping troops in Kosovo and another 4,400 in Bosnia. The Washington talks came as the NATO allies agreed in Brussels on Thursday to allow the controlled return of Serbian security forces to a buffer zone along a part of the Macedonian border where ethnic Albanian gunmen have occupied territory. NATO would oversee Serbian deployments into territory that has been off-limits to the Yugoslav Army since NATO fixed the buffer zone around Kosovo in June 1999 after driving marauding Yugoslav forces out of Kosovo with a bombing campaign. The alliance would keep a tight check on the reins as well-armed Serbian forces move back to an area where only policemen with pistols have been allowed. The Serbian forces would be given the green light to move into the three-mile (five-km) wide zone where it adjoins the border with Macedonia, leaving an unguarded gateway which has been exploited by ethnic Albanian gunmen. Ethnic Albanian separatist forces occupied a stretch of the buffer zone in southern Serbia last year and began launching attacks on police in the Presevo Valley. Recently, gunmen seized adjacent Macedonian land, apparently exploiting the gate created by NATO's no-go order to Belgrade. WELL-ARMED SEPARATISTS The rebels are armed with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. They are not believed to possess sophisticated weapons such as shoulder-launched Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Powell's comments on the U.S. commitment to keep peacekeepers in the Balkans as long as they were needed were the firmest given by the new Bush administration. In previous statements on the subject, the United States has said it would not withdraw its troops from NATO-led peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Kosovo precipitously or without consultation with its NATO allies. Bush campaign officials dismayed Europeans last year by saying Washington might withdraw the troops from the Balkans unilaterally and leave the job to Europeans. Powell also said the United States supported the European Union's plans to create its own rapid reaction force to deal with crises that NATO does not want to handle. He said the European Security and Defense Initiative would fit easily into the NATO framework and would enhance the capabilities of the alliance. Analysts have speculated, however, that the initiative could be the beginning of the end for NATO as Europe and the United States, no longer united by the Cold War threat, drift apart. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 8 22:01:09 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 22:01:09 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic's arrest will take time Message-ID: Milosevic's arrest will take time BELGRADE, Yugoslavia, March 8 (AP) -- Slobodan's Milosevic's arrest will take time, Yugoslavia's president said Thursday, lashing out at the United States and the U.N. war crimes tribunal over pressure to detain the former leader. President Vojislav Kostunica, who has been under fire for not moving quickly against Milosevic, also said that the former president's possible extradition to the Hague to stand trial for war crimes cannot be done quickly. ``This country is preparing a law on cooperation with The Hague tribunal, we cannot make a law in a couple of days,'' Kostunica said. Kostunica, who has said Milosevic should be tried first in Yugoslavia for crimes during his rule, said his arrest is not imminent. Yugoslavia's U.S. Ambassador Milan Protic said this week that Milosevic will be arrested by March 31. But Kostunica said: ``Protic's statement is not in accordance with the official stand.'' The United States has given Serbia a March 31 deadline to start cooperating with the U.N. tribunal, or put at risk $100 million in economic aid and membership in international financial institutions. ``Does anyone really believe that milk and honey will start flowing when the American Congress' demands are met,'' Kostunica said. He said that his country has more imminent problems than Milosevic -- such as an economic crisis and an ethnic Albanian rebellion. Chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte criticized Kostunica this month for apparent reluctance to extradite his predecessor, calling him a man of the past. ``It is improper to deal like this with a country which is ready to cooperate with The Hague tribunal,'' Kostunica said. ``Carla Del Ponte is discrediting not only the law, but the plain truth.'' On Thursday, the U.N. tribunal said part of a Milosevic trial could be held in Yugoslavia, but only after he surrenders to the tribunal in The Hague. In its clearest statement yet on the possibilities for trying Milosevic, the tribunal said Yugoslav courts also may be allowed to prosecute Milosevic, but the tribunal has first priority. A Belgrade venue for part of the trial would be ``one method of allowing the citizens of the former Yugoslavia greater access to the proceedings being conducted before the tribunal,'' it said. Meanwhile in a rare interview to the Vreme weekly, Milosevic's wife, Mirjana Markovic, denied all charges against him, labeling as ``sheer stupidity,'' accusations that he was behind the killing of political adversaries. A highly controversial figure, Markovic was considered the power behind the throne during Milosevic's rule and went into seclusion with him after his ouster in October. ``The ugliest of all are accusations one hears incessantly in media ... that Slobodan financially profited from his lengthy term in office,'' Markovic said. ``Any company manager has more material wealth than him ... not to mention government ministers.'' ``He never possessed a bank account abroad, he only had the one at home to which his salary was paid,'' Markovic said. ``And since October, Slobodan has not been getting his salary.'' From albi at argjiro.net Thu Mar 8 18:08:22 2001 From: albi at argjiro.net (a) Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 23:08:22 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] losers Message-ID: <000101c0a824$ad22c540$5d3c4a90@slimshady.uic.edu> lexojeni kete artikull: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1209000/1209657.stm ". . . The losers, as so often in this region, will be the Albanians themselves. Theoretically, the armed incidents of the past few months - when Albanian fighters were responsible for a rising level of violence in the Presevo valley, in northern Kosovo, and around the village of Tanusevci - are unrelated. In practice, however, all these incidents are the product of the same sense of frustration among ethnic Albanians about their nebulous legal status, coupled with their growing fear that, for the third time in a century, the West is about to sacrifice their interests in order to accommodate the Serbs. . . ." From kbejko at hotmail.com Fri Mar 9 12:16:04 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2001 12:16:04 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Tanusevc guerrilas reveled Message-ID: [19] KOSOVAR DAILY IDENTIFIES GUERRILLA LEADERS "Koha Ditore," which is Kosova's leading daily, wrote on 9 March that "Maliq Ndrecaj, Emrush Xhemajli, Ali Ahmeti, and Gafurr Elshani" are the former Kosovar guerrilla leaders behind the current "Tanusevci adventure," dpa reported. The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" wrote on 7 March that the gunmen are increasingly isolated and that their latest actions are a sign of desperation. PM [15] ALBANIA CALLS DECISION 'HASTY' Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo said in Tirana on 9 March that his government condemns the Tanusevci gunmen's "extremist acts because they are against the [real interests of the ethnic] Albanians and multiethnic existence in Macedonia," dpa reported. Milo stressed, however, that "NATO has enough forces in the region to maintain peace and stability on Macedonia's border" and does not need Serbian forces to help. "I think that this is a hasty and [poorly thought out] decision taken [in response to] the urgency of the situation," Milo said. He warned that admitting Serbian forces to the zone could promote instability in the region. PM [20] MACEDONIAN ALBANIAN LEADER BLASTS VIOLENCE Arben Xhaferi, whose Democratic Party of the Albanians (PDSH) participates in the government, said in Skopje on 9 March that "in urban parts of Macedonia, people are [aware of the fighting] but believe that the conflict will not escalate," AP reported. He added that some unnamed "political forces" based far from the urban centers are engaging in violence. He stressed that "we have to join all our efforts to make the Balkans democratic." Xhaferi appealed to Macedonian troops to refrain from "radical actions," adding that such moves will only encourage "extremist elements to continue their actions." PM _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From admin at albstudent.com Sat Mar 10 10:28:46 2001 From: admin at albstudent.com (Admin@ AlbStudent) Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 07:28:46 -0800 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] [Fwd: education, again] Message-ID: <200103101528.HAA02563@mail6.bigmailbox.com> An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... Name: not available URL: From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:40:24 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:40:24 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian guerrillas outline demands to Macedonia Message-ID: Albanian guerrillas outline demands to Macedonia BERLIN, March 10 (Reuters) - A group claiming to represent guerrillas who have clashed recently with Macedonian forces says it is fighting for "equal rights" for ethnic Albanians, according to a statement faxed to a German broadcaster. But the group, calling itself the National Liberation Army, says it respects the territorial integrity of the Macedonian state, according to the statement received on Saturday by Germany's Deutsche Welle radio and television broadcaster. At least five people have been killed in Macedonia in the past week in clashes with a guerrilla group which is presumed to be made up of ethnic Albanians. Saturday's statement appears to be the first declaration of the group's political demands. It calls for international mediation in the current conflict and for changes to Macedonia's constitution, Deutsche Welle said in a report citing the statement. The statement called for Macedonia to be defined as "a state of two peoples," Macedonians and Albanians. This would end the "discrimination against the Albanian population by the Slav-Macedonian majority." It also calls for a new census of Macedonia's population to be carried out by an international organisation. The exact size of the ethnic Albanian minority in Macedonia is a matter of some dispute, with most estimates ranging somewhere between one quarter and one third of the population of around two million people. Many ethnic Albanians have complained of discrimination by the Macedonian majority but both ethnic groups are represented in the current coalition government and the main ethnic Albanian parties have condemned recent violence involving the group. Western diplomats have praised the government for improving inter-ethnic relations in the former Yugoslav republic which has so far avoided being dragged into Balkan warfare. The aims of the group have been the subject of considerable speculation, with many Macedonians suspecting it wants to make ethnic Albanian areas part of a "Greater Albania" including neighbouring Kosovo. Another theory links them to groups of smugglers who operate relatively freely across unmarked, hilly borders between Macedonia, Kosovo and southern Serbia. The NLA has the same abbreviation in the Albanian language, UCK, as the Kosovo Liberation Army which fought against Serb rule in ethnic Albanian dominated Kosovo. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:41:46 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:41:46 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia vows to improve lot of ethnic Albanians Message-ID: <3a.11f90cba.27dcf6ba@aol.com> Macedonia vows to improve lot of ethnic Albanians By Benet Koleka PESHKOPI, Albania, March 10 (Reuters) - Macedonia pledged on Saturday to improve conditions for its ethnic Albanian minority after attacks on the Balkan state by gunmen believed to be ethnic Albanians. Foreign Minister Srgan Kerim and his Albanian counterpart Paskal Milo agreed at a meeting in this border town 180 km (110 miles) northeast of Tirana that the gunmen were extremists. "We will improve the right of the minorities," Kerim told reporters after the meeting. "We want to carry out reforms in the social and economic spheres as well. This will be our answer to extremism." He made the pledge after a request by Milo for the Macedonian government to take steps to improve the conditions of ethnic Albanians who make up one third of the population. Statistics from western sources show overall unemployment in Macedonia at 30 percent, but twice as high for the ethnic Albanian minority. Macedonia appeared calm on Saturday after a week of high tension, during which its security forces have come under attack from gunmen, believed to be ethnic Albanians from a group calling itself the National Liberation Army. The spread of the violence into Macedonia has caused international alarm as its population mix of an ethnic Macedonian majority and a substantial Albanian minority is considered potentially explosive. "We praise the steps the Macedonian government has taken to address the problems of the ethnic Albanian population but we encourage the Macedonian government to...grant more rights to the ethnic Albanian population," Milo said. He reiterated a statement by Albanian President Rexhep Meidani earlier this week condemning all acts of violence in Macedonia blamed on Albanian extremists. "We condem every group and any manfestation of extremism that runs counter to the security of Macedonia, even if these groups belongs to the Albanian nation," Milo said. "The border should be a line of cooperation and friendship, not a line of division." On Friday, Kerim urged NATO to seal off the entire Kosovo border to clamp down on guerrillas using the province as a staging post for assaults like that on a convoy on Thursday which killed a serviceman. He was buried on Saturday in an emotional ceremony at which some colleagues swore revenge on his killers. Macedonia has refrained from striking back hard at the gunmen for fear of ethnic unrest within its borders. Both ethnic groups are represented in the current coalition government and the main ethnic Albanian parties have condemned recent violence. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:43:12 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:43:12 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO resumes Balkan ceasefire efforts Message-ID: <36.12bedabc.27dcf710@aol.com> NATO resumes Balkan ceasefire efforts By Fredrik Dahl BUJANOVAC, March 11 (Reuters) - A NATO special envoy indicated on Sunday he was moving closer to a ceasefire deal between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and government security forces in Serbia's Presevo Valley bordering Kosovo. "We are hopeful," Pieter Feith, special envoy of NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, told Reuters. "It is very sensitive, there are lots of developments that run more or less parallel. We have to get it right but I would like to ask you to be a little patient for another 24 hours and see if we can get results." Both the Presevo Valley and nearby Macedonia, scenes of recent Balkan violence, were reported quiet overnight. Feith's talks with both sides on Saturday failed to produce a deal but he was still cautiously optimistic as he went into more talks on Sunday with a Serbian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic in the town of Bujanovac. Afterwards he said he would meet the Albanian side again "when the moment is appropriate and when they are ready for further contacts." The rebels said on Saturday the deal on the table was unacceptable as it included a plan to deploy a Serbian special police unit in one village. But on Sunday Tahir Dalipi, a member of the ethnic Albanian political council which backs the guerrilla group, said there were some indications a deal could be reached soon. "There was word that it might be signed today," he told Reuters by telephone. "I am very hopeful that the agreement will be reached and the ceasefire will be respected." The rebels say they are fighting Serb repression of the local ethnic Albanian population. Serbia's new reformist rulers say the guerrillas are terrorists whose only aim is to join the Presevo Valley onto ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo. NATO SEEKS END TO BALKAN VIOLENCE NATO's involvement in the peace efforts reflects Western concern at the violence on Kosovo's boundary, which has spread to the frontier with Macedonia in recent weeks. Hoping to get help in putting a lid on the violence, NATO decided last week to let Yugoslav forces into a sliver of the five km (three mile) buffer zone which runs along the outside of U.N.-ruled Kosovo's borders with the rest of Serbia. But before doing so, the alliance wants the guerrillas to sign up to a ceasefire deal which, on paper at least, would guarantee the Yugoslav forces some safety from attack. Lieutenant General Carlo Cabigiosu, the commander of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force, met Covic on Saturday to discuss details on the Yugoslav forces' deployment. A KFOR statement released on Saturday night said they had "agreed the basis for the future agreement" of how Belgrade's forces would return to the buffer zone but gave no details. "There will now be a further series of meetings between KFOR staffs and FRY (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) officials to examine the detailed co-ordination aspects to implement today's agreement," the statement said. MACEDONIA ON GUARD In Macedonia, the focus of sudden concern over the past week as Macedonian security forces were involved in two clashes with guerrillas, the situation was generally calm. But officials said they were on their guard for more violence. "We have some information that the terrorists are preparing something in the next couple of days, but we are motivated and ready, and we have no intention of leaving the area," Interior Ministry spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said on Saturday. He said guerrillas had taken up positions inside the northern village of Malino and that security forces were steering clear of the village itself for the moment. On Sunday, he said all was quiet overnight. The group itself, the National Liberation Army, appeared to reveal more details about its aims in a statement faxed to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Countering suggestions they were separatists intent on creating a "Greater Albania," the fax said the NLA respected the territorial integrity of Macedonia but was fighting for "equal rights" for ethnic Albanians, Deutsche Welle reported. At least five people, four members of the security forces and one rebel, have been killed in Macedonia in the past week in clashes with the guerrillas. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:44:03 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:44:03 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO Continues Presevo Mediation Message-ID: <3d.899330d.27dcf743@aol.com> NATO Continues Presevo Mediation By DRAGAN ILIC BUJANOVAC, Yugoslavia (AP) - NATO resumed efforts Sunday to mediate a cease-fire between ethnic Albanian rebels and Yugoslav forces after the insurgents rejected plans to allow Yugoslav police to help curb weapons smuggling around Kosovo's borders. Clashes were reported overnight in the contested Presevo Valley of southern Serbia, Yugoslavia's main republic. Government spokesman Milan Kerkovic said Sunday that Yugoslav army troops ``neutralized two bunkers'' of the ethnic Albanian ``terrorists'' but gave no details. NATO special envoy Pieter Feith met with ethnic Albanian rebels for nearly three hours Saturday trying to persuade them to agree to a cease-fire. However, the rebels objected to a Serb proposal to send special police into an ethnically mixed village near the tripartite border among Macedonia, Kosovo and the rest of southern Serbia. Feith returned to this southern Serb town Sunday for talks with Yugoslav authorities, but it appeared unlikely he would meet with the rebels until Monday. NATO wants to use the Serb special police units to help curb weapons smuggling between ethnic Albanian rebels in the Presevo Valley and other ethnic Albanian insurgents operating to the southwest in Macedonia. The Western alliance agreed last week to allow limited numbers of heavily armed Yugoslav forces into a three-mile-wide buffer zone separating Kosovo from the rest of southern Serbia. NATO set up the zone in June 1999 when NATO-led peacekeepers took over Kosovo from Yugoslav forces after the 78-day bombing of Yugoslavia to force President Slobodan Milosevic to stop his crackdown on Kosovo Albanian separatists. However, NATO troops were unable to disarm all Kosovo militant groups, and the conflict between ethnic Albanians and their Slavic neighbors appears to be spreading beyond the province's borders. In Belgrade, Serbia's new, democratic prime minister warned that sooner or later, NATO peacekepers in Kosovo must confront ethnic Albanian extremists or risk defeat and humiliation. ``The international forces need to realize that they will either confront ethnic Albanian extremism or be defeated ... and humiliated,'' Zoran Djindjic told the newspaper Glas. He said NATO ``is facing the situation in which the baby it once nursed is now beginning to bite.'' Concern has focused on the stability of Macedonia, an impoverished, landlocked former Yugoslav republic which has a sizable ethnic Albanian minority. On Saturday, ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia outlined their demands for the first time, calling for constitutional changes that would define the country as ``a state of two constituent peoples - Macedonian and Albanian'' and grant broad rights and privileges to its ethnic Albanian minority. About 25 percent of Macedonia's 2 million people are ethnic Albanian. The rebel National Liberation Army also called for international mediation to end the conflict and urged other countries to remain neutral despite broad international support for the Macedonian government. In a sign of public sympathy for Macedonia's rebels, three ethnic Albanian organizations in Macedonia accused the government Saturday of terrorizing ethnic Albanians. The Alliance of Albanian Women in Macedonia, the Association of Albanian Prisoners and the Democratic Forum for Protection of Human Rights issued a statement calling the unrest ``a consequence of discrimination.'' Albanians in Macedonia ``have no other choice but to take up arms and defend their cultural and national existence,'' they said. Some of the rebel demands, such as constitutional changes and social reform, have long been sought by mainstream ethnic Albanian political parties in Macedonia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:47:25 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:47:25 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Peacekeepers, Albanians Could Clash Message-ID: Peacekeepers, Albanians Could Clash By ROBERT H. REID VIENNA, Austria (AP) - NATO's moves to strengthen positions on the Macedonian border and allow Yugoslav troops back into the buffer zone around Kosovo could lead to the alliance's nightmare scenario: confrontation with ethnic Albanians whom the peacekeepers were sent to protect. Both moves, which took place Thursday, are aimed at preventing Kosovo from becoming a haven for ethnic Albanians fighting for self-rule in Macedonia and in parts of Yugoslavia's main republic, Serbia, that have large Albanian-speaking populations. Kosovo has been wracked by violence through the 1990s, as ethnic Albanians in the province fight to wrest it from Serbia, the largest republic in Yugoslavia. In 1998, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic ordered a bloody crackdown on the separatist movement. The crackdown stopped only after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999. After the bombing, international peacekeepers were sent in to protect ethnic Albanians, Yugoslav forces evacuated Kosovo and a buffer zone was set up around the province where only lightly armed police were allowed in. However, ethnic Albanians guerrillas have since turned the buffer zone into a staging area for attacks on Serbian and Macedonian forces. The latest measures by NATO are meant to stop the violence. But there are fears that they could also turn Kosovo's nearly 2 million ethnic Albanians against the peacekeepers themselves. Much will depend on the reaction of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders - including Ibrahim Rugova and former Kosovo Liberation Army chief Hashim Thaci. International officials fear that if Rugova and Thaci do not condemn the new ethnic Albanian unrest along Kosovo's boundaries, the situation could deteriorate with the arrival of spring - the season when fighting in the Balkans has flared in the past. So far, neither Rugova nor Thaci has spoken out publicly against the rebellion. In the worst case scenario, U.S. and other international peacekeepers could wind up perceived as enemies and an obstruction to ethnic Albanian aspirations to unite Albanian-speaking regions of the Balkans. Those aspirations - including the Kosovo Albanian dream of independence - were blunted by the NATO and United Nations move into the Yugoslav province two years ago. The U.N. resolution that established the peacekeeping missions left the issue of Kosovo's final status undetermined. In the meantime, Kosovo is still considered part of Yugoslavia's main republic, Serbia. However, the one thing that binds all of Kosovo's factious political groups together is their resolve never to come under Serb rule again. Washington and its allies had hoped that in time, ethnic Albanian passions would cool and some formula for self-rule under Yugoslav sovereignty could be found. There is little sign, however, that Kosovo Albanians are softening their opposition to remaining in Yugoslavia, despite the ouster of Milosevic by a democratic movement. Instead, ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley, just outside Kosovo's boundaries, and in neighboring Macedonia have taken up arms - clearly receiving support from their ethnic kinsmen in the U.N.-controlled province. On the other hand, neither Washington nor its allies can stand by and watch rebel activity around Kosovo's borders. The West is courting Milosevic's successor, Vojislav Kostunica, in hopes of restoring stability to Yugoslavia after a decade of ethnic warfare. Macedonia, with a large Albanian minority, is the logistical base for the Kosovo peacekeeping mission and borders NATO member Greece. NATO has long feared that instability in Macedonia could draw in Greece and Bulgaria, which had territorial claims to Macedonia that they have since officially renounced. For this reason, NATO took the dramatic step Thursday of agreeing to let Yugoslav forces back into part of the southern end of the buffer zone around Kosovo to curb smuggling of weapons and ammunition by the ethnic Albanians. That could set the stage for further clashes between the Yugoslavs and the ethnic Albanians - a repeat of the Kosovo conflict. American troops moved Thursday into a Kosovo border village after ethnic Albanian rebels evacuated the area. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:48:05 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:48:05 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian judge sacked in anti-corruption drive Message-ID: Albanian judge sacked in anti-corruption drive TIRANA, March 9 (Reuters) - Albania's judicial watchdog agency, pursuing a crackdown on corruption, sacked a judge on Friday for releasing a man found in possession of drugs and weapons. But the 13-member oversight body did not back President Rexhep Meidani's call for a second judge involved in the controversial case to be dismissed. The council ruled that judge Arta Dano had acted illegally when she freed a man caught in possession of two kilograms of illegal drugs as well as Kalashnikov rifles. The suspect, regarded by police as a key figure in the Albanian underworld, has since disappeared. The United States, Albania's main Western patron, has criticised widespread corruption in the judiciary of the impoverished Balkan nation and said judges are inexperienced, poorly trained and subject to political pressure. Justice Minister Arbem Imami hailed Friday's decision as "an important victory for the judiciary and society against injustice, crime and corruption in the judiciary." From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:48:52 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:48:52 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Djindjic calls for isolation of Kosovo guerrillas Message-ID: Djindjic calls for isolation of Kosovo guerrillas BERLIN, March 9 (Reuters) - Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic urged NATO and democratic states on Friday to isolate ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Kosovo to help resolve the crisis on the Kosovo-Macedonia border. Speaking to journalists after meeting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Djindjic said efforts to find a peaceful end to the crisis were hampered because officials in democratic states "at the highest levels" were in contact with Kosovo's ethnic Albanian guerrillas. "The NATO strategists have to make a clear decision about who is the problem here and who is the solution," Djindjic said. "I believe the moderates in Serbia and the moderate Albanians are the solution and the extremists are the problem." "We have cut ourselves off from the extremists and want them to be marginalised," he added. He said that NATO had to develop a security concept for the entire region and international organisations had not succeeded in taking the weapons out of the hands of civilians. Macedonia, one third of whose population is ethnic Albanian, raised the alarm internationally two weeks ago after a clash between its security forces and ethnic Albanian gunmen. The gunmen had occupied Tanusevci on the border with majority Albanian Kosovo, which has been controlled by NATO-led troops and U.N. officials since 1999. Djindjic said that the conflict had its roots in the 1999 Kosovo war, which he said was now being exported. "We have to try to resolve not only the consequences but the causes as well," he said. "The cause is that the extremist political forces in Kosovo are legal and received at the highest levels by democratic states. Their activists are, meanwhile, killing people and planting bombs. This has to be explained internationally." From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:49:38 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:49:38 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Bulgaria urges international help for Macedonia Message-ID: <96.11300f62.27dcf892@aol.com> Bulgaria urges international help for Macedonia SOFIA, March 9 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's parliament called on Friday for broad international engagement to to end the occupation of areas along Macedonia's border with Kosovo by ethnic Albanian guerrillas. The guerrilla activity has stirred fears of a new Balkan conflict and the Bulgarian assembly condemned attempts by extremists to spread violence across the region. "(The Bulgarian parliament) appeals to the U.N., NATO, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union to keep up their vigorous efforts to prevent the destabilisation of Macedonia, and therefore of the whole region," the legislators said in a declaration. "(We) expect KFOR (the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force) to strengthen measures for control of the border between Kosovo and Macedonia, in order to curb provocations." Bulgaria, a neighbour of Macedonia and Serbia, pledged "hundreds of tonnes" of ammunition and other military supplies for Macedonian troops now fighting armed bands inside the country after KFOR pushed the gunmen from their base on the border with Kosovo. The first shipment went on Thursday. Macedonia fears the guerrillas will try to stir revolt among its ethnic Albanian minority -- one third of its population. Kosovo, a province of Serbia with an overwhelming Albanian majority, is under interim post-war U.N. administration. Aside from economic losses, Bulgaria has remained untouched by a decade of wars accompanying the break-up of Yugoslavia. But nearby clashes along Macedonia's nearby border with Kosovo have alarmed the Sofia leadership. On Sunday, Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, in a telephone conversation with Macedonian counterpart Boris Trajkovski, offered Bulgarian troops as reinforcements. The offer was modified a day later in Brussels, where Stoyanov said Bulgaria would contribute troops to a possible border protection force under United Nations auspices. Sending Bulgarian troops to Macedonia would be sensitive, political analysts say, because of historical bitterness over occupation by pro-German Bulgarian forces during the first and second world wars. Macedonia has urged NATO to deploy troops along the border with Kosovo to prevent further infiltration by the gunmen. NATO said on Thursday it would let Yugoslav Serb security forces enter a buffer zone on Serbian territory abutting Kosovo and Macedonia to stop it being used as a guerrilla corridor. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:50:41 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:50:41 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanians Attack Macedonian Forces Message-ID: <11.10ebe961.27dcf8d1@aol.com> Albanians Attack Macedonian Forces By GEORGE JAHN SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Ethnic Albanian rebels attacked Macedonian forces near a northern village Friday, trapping senior government officials for hours, despite U.S. moves to cut the flow of supplies to the insurgents from Kosovo. About seven miles to the northeast, ethnic Albanian gunmen in the Presevo Valley of Yugoslavia's main republic Serbia launched a strong attack against Serb police, killing one officer and wounding two others, Serb officials said. Five Serb civilians were missing from the area and feared kidnapped by the rebels, Serb police said. Attacks by ethnic Albanian insurgents in Macedonia and southern Serbia - just beyond Kosovo's borders - have raised fears of a new Balkan conflict. Macedonia closed its border with Kosovo on Friday for security reasons, allowing only foreign diplomats and international organizations to pass. Most supplies for Kosovo's civilians and international peacekeepers enter the province from Macedonia. The fighting in northern Macedonia started late Thursday when insurgents ambushed a government convoy in the village of Brest, killing a driver. Shooting continued Friday, trapping up to 100 officials in the convoy - including the country's deputy interior minister, police sources said. Macedonian police evacuated the people in the convoy later in the day, police spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said. The rebels were among those who cleared the hamlet of Tanusevci, on the Kosovo border, early Thursday, Pendarovski said. The attackers later ``were joined by new forces from an unidentified area of Kosovo.'' After the rebels left, U.S. peacekeepers took over Tanusevci and promised to prevent Kosovo from becoming a safe haven for insurgents. If Pendarovski's account is accurate, it would show the difficulty faced by U.S. and other NATO-led peacekeepers in trying to seal the mountainous, forested border. The American move into the border region was the most robust response so far by the NATO-led peacekeeping force to ethnic Albanian rebel activity that is spreading from Kosovo to other nearby Albanian-speaking areas. Additionally, NATO agreed Thursday to allow Yugoslav troops to take up positions in the southern part of a buffer zone around Kosovo to curb ethnic Albanian smuggling from Macedonia into the Presevo Valley. It's an area where the borders of Macedonia, Kosovo and the rest of Serbia meet. Serb officials said Friday's attack in the Presevo Valley occurred in the village of Lucane - half of which is controlled by Serb forces, the other half by ethnic Albanian fighters. Fighting was continuing Friday afternoon. The unrest around Kosovo's borders has raised concern about the stability of Macedonia, an impoverished, landlocked country of 2 million people - 25 percent of them ethnic Albanians. Greece announced Friday it would send military aid - including five trucks, radios, medical supplies and bulletproof vests - to its northern neighbor. Bulgaria dispatched a 10-truck convoy of military supplies to Macedonia on Thursday, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov arrived for a two-day visit to show solidarity with the Macedonians. In Washington, NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson expressed confidence that Kosovo peacekeepers can put an end to attacks by ethnic Albanian rebels along the border with Macedonia. ``Their robust presence, I believe, is having an effect on those people who use that whole border area - ill-defined as it is, heavily mined as it is - as a sort of adventure playground for violence,'' Robertson said Thursday at a news conference with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Moves to strengthen border security and allow Yugoslav troops into the buffer zone represent a major change in the mission of NATO-led peacekeepers, who entered Kosovo in June 1999 after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to halt his crackdown on Kosovo Albanian separatists. At first, NATO's mission was to protect the province's ethnic Albanian population. With rebel activity spreading, the alliance now faces the task of curbing ethnic Albanian militants - a move which could put them in conflict with the province's overwhelmingly Albanian majority. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:51:25 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:51:25 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia urges NATO to seal Kosovo from strife Message-ID: Macedonia urges NATO to seal Kosovo from strife By Anatoly Verbin SKOPJE, March 9 (Reuters) - Macedonia urged NATO on Friday to seal off Kosovo to contain ethnic Albanian gunmen blamed for attacks that claimed more casualties on Friday. Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgan Kerim called on the alliance's troops in Kosovo to clamp down on guerrillas using the province as a staging post for assaults like one on a Macedonian convoy on Thursday night that killed a serviceman. The convoy of police and civilians remained trapped and under fire by presumed Albanian gunmen until Friday, when they were finally freed by reinforcements without further casualties. Angelique Kourounis, a freelance journalist, told reporters she had travelled in a part of the convoy which carried humanitarian aid -- a move she described as "a big mistake." The car in front of hers exploded some 20 minutes after entering the village of Brest near the border with Kosovo on Thursday evening and the driver was killed. A police spokesman said the jeep had first hit a landmine and then received two shots from a grenade launcher. Kourounis, still shaken from the ordeal, said she had spent an hour hiding by the side of a river. "When we thought it was finished and headed towards the car to get out of there, we were attacked by hand-held rocket grenade launchers," she said. Then came fire from machineguns. "They were obviously waiting for us. We jumped into mud and then hid inside a building. The whole time we could hear shooting outside." "In the morning, we saw men in black uniforms on the roofs of the houses in Brest shooting at us," she said. In nearby southern Serbia, a Serbian policeman was killed and several were wounded by ethnic Albanian guerrillas using mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, officials said. They were the latest casualties in a year of attacks by local Albanians from a buffer zone running along the border of the Albanian-dominated Kosovo province with the rest of Serbia. Violence there blamed on ethnic Albanians has spilled into northern Macedonia in the past few weeks, kindling international concern about renewed turmoil in the Balkans. "I travel tomorrow to Skopje to demonstrate support to Macedonia's stability and territorial integrity," French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said in Sarajevo. "France thinks that the international community needs to take control over the situation," he said. Ethnic Albanian fighters in the Presevo area of southern Serbia say their aim is to protect the local Albanian community from what they call Serbian persecution. Belgrade has denounced them as "terrorists" bent on expanding Kosovo's territory. The gunmen inside Macedonia have not stated their goals. MACEDONIA WANTS BEEFED-UP BORDER Kerim made clear that he did not expect NATO to deploy in his own country but he did want more effective monitoring of the entire 220 km (130 mile) frontier to prevent extremists sowing division within ethnically-mixed Macedonia. The ex-Yugoslav republic has a one-third Albanian minority whose relations with the Slav majority have been tense at times over the past decade, although the leading ethnic Albanian party is now part of Skopje's coalition government. NATO peacekeepers based in Kosovo have acted to seal a small segment of land near the Macedonian village of Tanusevci, occupied by presumed ethnic Albanian gunmen, but tighter control of the entire land border would be a mammoth job. Kerim suggested a formal buffer zone along Kosovo's border with Macedonia. That idea has already been rejected by NATO chiefs, but Kerim said the semantics were not important. "What matters is that we have effective measures on the border line," Kerim told reporters. Macedonia itself closed all border crossings with Kosovo on Friday because of security concerns. The closure, the second in a week, cut off supplies, forced truck traffic into huge queues and stranded dozens of international personnel. Macedonia has been ringing alarm bells, clearly heard in the West, for two weeks after a shadowy group which has not made any statements or identified itself on the ground occupied Tanusevci and engaged the Macedonian army in firefights. Kerim made clear he wanted NATO to take action on the border to demonstrate to local ethnic Albanians that Macedonia was coming under external, not internal, attack. The gunmen have been condemned by Macedonia's Albanian politicians and appear not to enjoy much local support. The violence in northern Macedonia has killed at least five in the past week, including four security force members and one rebel. The UNHCR refugee agency said in Pristina that in the last three weeks 890 mostly women and children came to Kosovo from Macedonia. Another 265 moved from the border villages to other placess inside Macedonia. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:52:03 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:52:03 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia Not Another Kosov Message-ID: Macedonia Not Another Kosovo By GEORGE JAHN ARACINOVO, Macedonia (AP) - It is a disturbingly familiar story: Police of the dominant Slav group descend on an ethnic Albanian community, beating the men and terrorizing the women and children. Fighting erupts, and villagers flee. This time it's in Macedonia - yet despite skirmishes between Macedonian troops and ethnic Albanians and concerns over ethnic hostility, the country is unlikely to become another Kosovo. More than two weeks after fighting started here, it remains localized to a small area near the Kosovo border. No one really knows what the battle is about, beyond vaguely stated demands from the rebels for more ethnic Albanian rights. But the overwhelming majority of ethnic Albanians here - 25 percent, or 500,000, of Macedonia's 2 million people - don't see the need for a revolution of the kind sparked by repression in the Serbian province of Kosovo. Still, Macedonia is not without harrowing stories. ``A soldier hit one man gathering firewood with a rifle butt,'' says Nurije Emini, an ethnic Albanian woman relating her version of what happened two weeks ago at Tanusevci - a village bordering Kosovo, where fighting has raised fears of another Balkan conflict. ``Children were slapped by police for no reason. Then, the gunfire began.'' Emini's story from her place of refuge in Aracinovo, 10 miles east of Skopje, the capital, must be taken seriously in a region where centuries-old Slav-Albanian rivalries have been accompanied by bouts of bloodshed that culminated in the Kosovo war. However, most Slavic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians describe relations as tolerable. Even ethnic Albanians with grudges say their lot in Macedonia cannot be compared to the brutal oppression their Kosovo kin suffered under Serb domination. ``Everyone I know is not for war but for peace,'' says Abdil Haruni, a teacher who was among the 70 villagers who piled into a neighbor's truck and fled gunfire approaching Lukane, just northwest of Tanusevci this week. ``Let the politicians work out their differences at the negotiating table. They're not worth dying for.'' Dusko Stojanovski speaks fluent Albanian, like many Slavs in the ethnically mixed town of Tearce, 15 miles west of Skopje. The 27-year-old steel worker grins when asked about interethnic relations, saying: ``It's not an issue - work, family, making a living, these are the issues.'' There are barriers for some. Bekhim and Maja - he Albanian, she Slav - have met once a week in a friend's apartment for six years, in a clandestine relationship neither wants made public. ``She'd be ostracized,'' Bekhim says. ``I'd be walking around with a stigma,'' says Maja. Still, Macedonia's relatively good ethnic climate reflects a comparatively unburdened history, and recent government concessions on key Albanian demands of language, education and other rights. The lid was kept on ethnic animosities by Turkish domination that lasted until the early 20th century. Albanians and Macedonians together fought to establish a free Macedonia in 1903, and Macedonia's Albanians helped their Slav neighbors during World War II. Ethnic wars erupted elsewhere as Yugoslavia started to disintegrate in the early 1990s, but Macedonia was the only republic to leave the federation peacefully. Only in the mid-1990s did Kosovo's struggle for more Albanian rights reach Macedonia. Five ethnic Albanians and a few police have been killed since then, but the violence has been sporadic and localized. And the government has opened its ranks to moderate ethnic Albanians - the justice minister is one, along with the deputy police and defense ministers. International backing of Macedonia's government also has helped contain the crisis. World sympathies were with Kosovo's Albanian rebels, but the United States and other world powers have expressed strong support for authorities here. And NATO, which sat on the sidelines for months before getting involved in the Kosovo conflict in 1999, is blocking movements of fighters and supplies by stepping up controls to the border with Macedonia. Despite Emini's story of brutality, there have been no reports of the so-called ``ethnic cleansing'' that accompanied fighting in Kosovo and other Balkan wars. More than 1,000 people have left the border region, but those interviewed say they fled from fear of fighting, not atrocities. Some say they had been back several times to check on property without problems. ``We cannot speak of an emergency situation like we had in Kosovo'' says Brita Helleland of the U.N. refugee agency. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 10:52:49 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 10:52:49 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO Chief Condems Balkan Violence Message-ID: <6a.c0636e0.27dcf951@aol.com> NATO Chief Condems Balkan Violence By PAULINE JELINEK WASHINGTON (AP) - NATO's top diplomat condemned increased violence by ethnic Albanian extremists in the Balkans but stressed the alliance still stands behind moderates who are trying to forge a new future in Kosovo. Secretary-general Lord Robertson said Friday that officials are talking with Albanian leaders to re-emphasize their commitment as NATO moves to let Yugoslav troops back into a buffer zone around Kosovo. ``If (the security arrangement) is seen by the Albanian population as a signal that we've lost interest in them, that we're doing deals over their heads, then they will become disenchanted,'' Robertson said. ``We're not doing that. We're specially not doing that,'' he said. Robertson said he talked about the subject by phone Thursday with Hans Haekkerup, the United Nations envoy in Kosovo. He said officials want to stress that they're ``not bunching together all Albanians'' for blame, but rather believe the fighting is caused by ``a tiny minority who ... use violence as a tool.'' ``The majority of the Albanians of Kosovo ... voted for Ibrahim Rugova's party ... for the moderate way forward, and we need to keep that connection,'' he said. Robertson spoke a day after NATO agreed to strengthen positions on the Macedonian border and to allow Yugoslav troops into the buffer. Both moves are aimed at preventing the Kosovo province from becoming a haven for ethnic Albanians fighting for self-rule in Macedonia and in parts of Yugoslavia's main republic, Serbia, that have large Albanian-speaking populations. At a separate news conference, the ambassador of Yugoslavia, Milan St. Protic, said his government doesn't believe that its forces ``can be effective in dealing with Albanian extremists'' only inside the buffer zone. ``It's now obvious that the Albanian extremists, whether in Kosovo, south Serbia or in Macedonia, will provoke further problems if not stopped by a mutual action of the diplomatic, political, maybe even military Yugoslav forces, Macedonian forces and NATO,'' he said. At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher said NATO and the United States had no plans to move troops outside of Kosovo and into Serb territory that's now the buffer zone. ``NATO, as part of this process, is not looking to expand its role,'' Boucher said. ``The essential arrangement is for the Yugoslavs to come in there and maintain stability in that area.'' Kosovo has been wracked by violence through the 1990s, as ethnic Albanians in the province fight to wrest it from Serbia. In 1998, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic ordered a bloody crackdown on the separatist movement - a crackdown stopped only after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999. After the bombing, international peacekeepers were sent in to protect ethnic Albanians. Yugoslav forces evacuated Kosovo and a buffer zone was set up around the province where only lightly armed police were allowed in. But ethnic Albanians guerrillas have since turned the buffer zone into a staging area for attacks on Serbian and Macedonian forces. The latest measures by NATO are meant to stop the violence. But there are fears that the move could be seen as an obstruction to ethnic Albanians who want to reunite all Albanian-speaking regions of the Balkans and that Kosovo's nearly 2 million ethnic Albanians could turn against the peacekeepers. From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 11 11:38:17 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 11:38:17 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Athens denounces Albanian 'extremists' Message-ID: <61.c1fbfe0.27dd03f9@aol.com> Athens denounces Albanian 'extremists' Kathimerini Greece denounced new attacks yesterday by armed Albanian rebels against government forces in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. "We condemn these extremist acts," Foreign Minister George Papandreou said. Speaking in Parliament, Papandreou said: "We are certain to come up against a section of the Albanian population that has irredentist and expansionist tendencies, which is why it is absolutely imperative for us to support the more moderate forces both in Albania and in Kosovo." Defense Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos, following a meeting with German MPs in Berlin, told journalists that "these developments and this crisis should have been foreseen." Tsochadzopoulos praised Albania's approach to the crisis as "constructive," but added that "the Albanian government must make it clear that it does not sanction these developments." The Associated Press reported that Greece sent further military aid yesterday to Skopje, including five military trucks, radios, medical supplies and bulletproof vests. Athens has pledged to use all means to protect the territorial integrity of its tiny northern neighbor. Albanian rebels attacked a convoy of government officials in the northern FYROM town of Breast that was touring the area to assure local residents that Skopje was in control of the situation. Some of the attackers are believed to have been part of a group that recently evacuated the northern village of Tanusevci, as well as reinforcements from within Kosovo. In southern Serbia, insurgents using mortars and automatic weapons attacked Yugoslav police in Lucane, located in the Presevo Valley, killing one policeman and wounding three, Serbian authorities said. From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Sun Mar 11 16:23:32 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 16:23:32 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Events at Harvard Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: hlsforum at law.harvard.edu Subject: [STUDENTORG_FLASH] Ted Turner to Speak 3/13/01 Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 12:20:17 -0500 Size: 1272 URL: From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Sun Mar 11 16:25:29 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 16:25:29 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Lecture: Vojislav Kostunica: From Dissident to President, Harvard, 12.3.2001 Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: Kokkalis_Program at ksg.harvard.edu Subject: [balkans] Lecture: Vojislav Kostunica: From Dissident to President, Harvard, 12.3.2001 Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2001 11:56:39 -0500 Size: 1975 URL: From ipilika at hotmail.com Mon Mar 12 15:40:16 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 20:40:16 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Rebels say Kosovo ceasefire agreed Message-ID: Rebels say Kosovo ceasefire agreed March 12, 2001 Web posted at: 1555 GMT MERDARE, Yugoslavia -- Ethnic Albanian rebels say they have agreed a ceasefire in a tense area on the Kosovo border. The Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja said the temporary agreement was signed on Monday afternoon. Sejdullah Kadriu, political representative of the group, said it would last until March 19 and was signed in the presence of NATO representative Peter Feith, Reuters news agency said. The ceasefire came as a plan which will see Serb forces take control of the Presevo Valley area at the centre of the negotiations was agreed between NATO and Yugoslavia. There was no immediate word on any ceasefire by representatives of the Serbian government, which says the rebels are "terrorists." Feith has been shuttling between the two sides for the past few days. NATO says Yugoslav troops in the Presevo Valley buffer zone would not be allowed to use armoured personnel carriers in the area, in which ethnic Albanian rebels have launched attacks. Yugoslavia said the condition made it risky to deploy its army and police, who have lost 17 men killed in the past year. It said NATO-led KFOR troops regularly travel in bullet-and-grenade proof vehicles. Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has announced that he will visit Yugoslavia and Macedonia from March 18-20 to try to help defuse tensions in the region. Violence in the area has spread out of Kosovo into Serbia proper and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Ivanov will visit Yugoslavia's capital Belgrade, Kosovo and Macedonia during his visit which Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency says is being made at the request of President Vladimir Putin. Russia has criticised ethnic Albanian rebels over recent violence on the border with Macedonia, which had previously avoided the bloodshed of its neighbours. The Presevo Valley rebels, numbering several hundreds, are armed with automatic weapons, heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. In the first stage of a "phased and conditioned" return to a no-go border zone imposed by NATO in 1999, a number of Yugoslav Army frontier guards and Serbian Interior Ministry police will enter a square of Serbian land five km (three miles) long by five km wide where the valley meets the Macedonian border. NATO has said a ceasefire would be an important but not imperative condition for the operation. General Carlo Cabigiosu, commander of KFOR, announced an accord with Yugoslav officials in the border village of Merdare on Monday to let Serb forces back into the 25 square km area "in the next few days." Cabigiosu told the Corriere della Sera newspaper: "There are both military and ethical limits. "However, we have demanded that they do not occupy houses, do not enter villages, do not receive backing from armoured cars or use rocket launchers and anti-tank weapons. "On the other hand, we have allowed them to use mortars and they will also be allowed to intervene, in coordination with our command, with artillery from behind their lines. Finally, there will be no helicopters and above all no mines." But former Yugoslav Army commander Momcilo Perisic, now Serbian deputy premier, said: "The Yugoslav Army will be in great danger since it is not allowed to enter the area with heavy arms and armoured cars. "I do not understand why the international community has not allowed this since its own troops in Kosovo are all in armoured cars." The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From albboschurch at juno.com Mon Mar 12 20:49:25 2001 From: albboschurch at juno.com (albboschurch at juno.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 20:49:25 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fw: At Artur Pergjijget Message-ID: <20010312.205618.-155105.4.albboschurch@juno.com> At Arturi Pergjijet JETA NOLIANE CLIRON DHE NUK KUFIZON Disa artikuj te botuar ne gazeta, ose te derguar me poste elektronike interneti, me kritikojne per qendrimin tim ne lidhje me urimin tim publik drejtuar Kryepeshkopit Anastas te Tiranes, me rastin e dhenies te nje cmimi per te Drejtat e Njeriut ne New York. Ne nje menyre pasionante, me fraza zemerake dhe grafike, na shajne, duke shprehur ndjenja indinjuese dhe te rrepta. Disa zyrtare kishtare shqiptare e patriote me keshilluan qe te mos ktheja asnje pergjigje, sepse kjo vetem do ti lartesonte kritikuesit e mi ne kete ceshtje. Gjithashtu duhet te kemi parasysh qe tani jemi ne nje periudhe ndjese, agjerimi dhe lutje para Pashkes. Njerin prej ketyre kritikuesve e njoh, si njeri te mire, familjar te nderuar dhe patriot te sinqerte. Kurse dikush tjeter ka shkruar me pseudonim, dhe ka abuzuar reputacionin e nje tjeter personi te pafajshem, duke u fshehur ne nje emer te rreme. Megjithate ndjej simpati per pervojen e tyre te rende gjate periudhes se persekutimit dhe i vleresoj mendimet e tyre, ndonese nuk jemi dakord me opinionet e rastit ne fjale. Meqenese ky eshte nje problem me shume rendesi, mendimet e mia duhen shfaqur. Se pari, kam nje pyetje. Per cilin Noli flisni: Patriotin apo Poliedrikun? Revolucionarin apo Realistin? Fetarin apo Flamurtarin? Poetin apo Burrin e shtetit? Vizionarin apo Egalitarin? Shqiptarin apo Nderkombetarin? E bej kete pyetje retorike sepse amaneti Nolian nuk eshte aq i kufizuar sa e pandehin disa, te cilet e perdorin emrin dhe imazhin e tij, per te justifikuar qendrimet e tyre te zjarrta. Fatkeqesisht eshte per te ardhur keq, se kete lloj keqperdorimi te gabuar dhe te pandershem e kane bere edhe te tjere per avazet e tyre. Dhe me njerez te medhenj si Imzot Noli besoj se ky trajtim do te vazhdoje. Por jeta e Nolit, i cili na ka ushqyer dhe frymezuar qe ne vogeli, kur Hiresia e Tij na vinte ne shtepi, si edhe deri me sot, per mua si prift eshte shembulli me i mire i mendje gjeresise. Ata qe kane njohuri te thelle ne historine e qendrimeve te Fan Nolit, e dine fort mire se Imzoti ka hapur shpesh marredhenie edhe me ish armiqte e tij, si edhe me opozitaret e tij ideollogjik, ne pergjithesi per te miren e Shqiperise. Nacionalist iluminues ishte me gjithe zemer; por shovinist i ngushte nuk ishte kurre.. Por me shume per mua, disa nga mesimet predikuese te Nolit, kur meshonte ne Kishe per ne besimtaret ne Amerike, kane qene keto parime kryesore: a) Qendro ne kembet tuaja, mbeshtetuni ne forcat tuaja sipas mendimit tend dhe gjykoni me kujdes dhe llogjik dhe jo si te thote tjetri; leri ?pifjet dhe thash-e-themet menjane dhe lexo argumentat; b) Vleresoje njeriun - i pasur apo i varfer, i njohur apo i perulur, mik apo armik - jo nga prejardhja, feja ose raca e tij, por nga veprat dhe meritat e tij, se armiku i sotem mund te jete miku i neserm. c) Kritika me vend duhen mirepritur, se shpesh here mund te mesosh me shume per veten nga kundeshtari qe te urren sesa nga miku qe te do dhe te ndihmon te qartesohesh me shume; d) Emocioni ( dhe ne vecanti urrejtja ) duhen balancuar me refleksion, gjakftohtesi dhe largpamesi; e) Gjykimi i fundit eshte i Zotit, per cilindo, qoft ky shqiptar, grek ose i ?faredolloj kombesie. Se dashuria hyjnore kapercen cdo mangesi njerezore. Keshtu, duke pasur parasysh keto parime, le te analizojme gjendjen e Kishes tone autoqefale dhe Kryepeshkopin Anastas. Faktet tregojne se gjer me sot ai ka qendruar shume mire dhe me respekt per traditen e Kishes se Shqiperise. Shume kisha te reja jane ndertuar, mjaft kisha te vjetra jane rinovuar, eshte hapur nje shkolle theollogjike per te pergatitur klerin vendas, jane dorezuar prifterinj shqiptare, jane hapur klinika te reja mjekesore, botohen revista fetare e gazeta ne gjuhen amtare, jane ribotuar dhe shperndare kudo librat meshtare te Imzot Nolit, jane mbledhur ne Sinod peshkope me prejardhje shqiptare, jane mbajtur seminare per te hulumtuar arkeologjine e lashte fetare te Shqipnis, jane formuar lidhje me organizata nderkombetare mireberese per te miren e kombit dhe te popullit. Me rendesi, jane pergatitur struktura per te ardhmen fetare, me respekt dhe me kujdes diplomatik per shtetin shqiptar dhe interesat e te gjithe popullit te atjeshem, pa dallim feje. Gjithashtu e pashe me syt e mi se portreti i Imzot Noli gjendet ne nje vend te nderuar ne dhomen e pritjes ne Katedralin e Tiranes. Edhe sot i vetmi kamp per refugjatet nga Kosova, qe ka mbetur ne Tirane per te ndihmuar familjet tona kosovare, mbahet me ndihmen e Kishes Orthodokse te Shqiperise dhe me iniciativen e Kryepeshkopit ne fjale, i cili ka nje emer te mire e te nderuar ne mbare boten. Gjate ketyre dhjete vjeteve ne sherbim te besimtareve te Shqiperise, kryepeshkopi eshte njohur nga zyrtaret e cdo qeverije ne pushtet, si te asaj demokratike ashtu edhe te asaj socialiste. Udheheqesit fetare te vendit, muslimane, katolike, bektashiane dhe helvetiane, e kane pritur ne faltoret e tyre, si edhe jane mirepritur ne zyrat e Kishes Orthodokse Autoqefale te Shqiperise. Me rendesi ligjore kishtare dhe kanonike, kryepeshkopi ka premtuar shpesh here publikisht dhe me qartesi, se qellimi i tij si misionar (gje qe eshte treguar prej veprave te tij te meparshme), eshte formimi i nje Sinodi vazhdues me peshkope dhe drejtues vendas. Kjo gje vazhdon ne gjurmet e te men?urit Sami Frasheri i cili tha se nje nga dy pikat me te nevojshme per nje shtet shqiptar eshte nje kishe orthodokse autoqefale e shendoshe, per shume aresye praktike, shpirterore dhe kombetare. Per hir te se vertetes, keto jane fakte qe nuk mund ti evitojme ose ti poshterojme. Perkundrazi, duhen vleresuar me mirenjohje. Ne pergjithesi, shqiptari me brohori qendron krenar per traditen e tij tolerante. Por nuk mund te jemi vetem tolerante me veten ose me fisin tone, sepse atehere kjo nuk do te kishte kuptim. Nje veprim i tille eshte i pa justifikueshem. Kur nje njeri i huaj na vjen dhe na ndihmon me gjithe shpirt ne kohe te veshtira, nuk do te ishte as humane dhe as e drejte ta menjanonim. Jo, do ishte turp ne ndergjegje dhe nje gabim moral.Tradita mikpritese shqiptare, si e di une, eshte e hapur edhe me armikun, lere pastaj me mikun apo komshiun. Nje mendim qe mund te tingelloje jashte argumentit ne fjale por qe e ndjej si te rendesishem per tu theksuar, per te kuptuar qendrimin tim, eshte si me poshte: Kisha dhe shteti duhen te jene te ndara dhe nuk duhet te nderhyjne te njeri tjetri me qellim qe te plotesojne me mire detyrat e tyre. Kisha do te kete me shume kredibilitet kur ajo eshte e fokusuar ne nevojat shpirterore dhe shoqerore. Nese disa fetare ne vende te tjera prononcohen per ?eshtjet politike, nuk do te thote qe edhe ne te bejme te njejtin gabim. Duke gjykuar si me siper, e pame te pershtateshme te rivleresonim qendrimin tone ndaj ketij personi te nderuar, i cili eshte nominuar kete vit per cmimin Nobel te Paqes, dhe ti akordojme respektin qe meriton, si fetar dhe si njeri qe e derdhi jeten e tij per te ndihmuar besimtaret tane. Ne biografine e tij, ne moshen djaloshare, Fan Noli thoshte; " E benja kete pyetje: si do te bente Jesuj? Si do ta zgjidhte punen Skenderbeu dhe si do ta gjykonte Napoleoni? " Per mua Jesui do te thoshte: "Ky njeri ka bere plot te mira per popullin tuaj dhe eshte sjelle me zemer dhembshuri pa dallim feje. Aman Nderoje." Skenderbeu, i cili shume here ne betejat e tij, ka nenshkruar traktate paqesore edhe me kundershtarin, qe te mos kishte luftra ne disa fronte, do te thoshte: "Shqiperia ka mjaft ankime dhe probleme sot; kur njeriu te vjen me ndihme ne dore, mireprite. Mund te flini me nje sy hapur, por pranoje." Sa per Napoleonin, e leme per strategjistet e historianet me te afte te formulojne pergjigjen e tij. Por, po te marrim parasysh Napoleonin e mire, ate qe ndertoi strukturat e republikes franceze, mendoj se mund te thoshte: "Kur njeriu nderton nje strukture kishtare te kombit qe ishte shkaterruar, pa tjeter vere prape ne pune te mbaroje nevojat me te rendesishme, sepse ato gjera do mbeten me tutje. Respektoje." Keshtu menduam. Keshtu beme. Sipas urimeve popullore te stines ju uroj Kreshme te lehta. Dhe ? ne vend te keqkuptimeve ? fasule te nxehta. At Artur Liolin Boston ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 12 22:01:00 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:01:00 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] ANALYSIS-Ethnic Albanian gunmen in Macedonia turn political Message-ID: ANALYSIS-Ethnic Albanian gunmen in Macedonia turn political By Philippa Fletcher PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, March 12 (Reuters) - A hitherto obscure ethnic Albanian group fighting on the border of Kosovo has signalled its ambition to become a political force in Macedonia -- exactly what the international commmunity feared. A communique faxed at the weekend to Deutsche Welle radio in Germany in the name of the group, the National Liberation Army, contained concrete demands for the first time. The shadowy group, held responsible for violence along the Macedonia-Kosovo border that has claimed at least five lives, first emerged in January when it said it carried out a grenade attack on a Macedonian police station that killed an officer. The NLA's demands were more moderate than earlier speculated -- calling for equal rights for ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while respecting the small Balkan state's integrity, countering talk they were separatists bent on creating a "Greater Albania." The gunmen and their backers are clearly aiming to tap into the political mainstream in Macedonia where Albanians, one-third of the population, see unity with ethnic kin in nearby Kosovo and Albania as more of a dream than a practical political aim. "Of course if Albanians were in one state then they would not have many of the everyday problems they have because of their ethnicity," Arben Xhaferi, leader of the Albanian party in Macedonia's ruling coalition, told Reuters last week. "But happiness does not start here because even in mono-ethnic states there are troubles with democracy and individual welfare. Very often conditions there can be even harder," he said, in an apparent reference to often-turbulent Albania. The apparent moderation of the NLA's demands will not make them any less unsettling to Western diplomats wondering why they have to be pursued with violence and concerned such agitation will tip Macedonia's fragile inter-ethnic harmony into chaos. ALBANIAN LEADERS WORRIED Xhaferi says the armed group that emerged on the border with Kosovo two months ago threatens his party's attempts to win more rights for Albanians in Macedonia through political means, just as those efforts are bearing fruit. Albanians living in the comparatively wealthy Tetovo region in the west of the country, where an Albanian now runs the police force, tend to agree with Xhaferi that the ballot box, not the bullet, is the way forward. "The best way is to get up in parliament," said Bardhyl Isa, a student at Tetovo University, an Albanian institution finally permitted to exist after years of campaigning, though the Macedonian authorities still do not recognise its diplomas. For Isa, the clashes between the gunmen and the security forces in and around the border village of Tanusevci, where the population is poor and isolated, are a source of concern. "If the situation starts to get heavy then police will go out onto the streets," he said. If things got really bad, he would fight, "but I hope it won't happen." The prospect of such people being drawn into conflict has alarmed the international community, which sees Macedonia as a beacon of hope in a region ravaged by war. The guerrillas were pushed out of Tanusevci last week by a U.S.-led contingent of the peacekeeping force that has been in Kosovo since NATO intervened to halt Serb repression of ethnic Albanians there. Low-level clashes between gunmen and Macedonian forces go on. International officials have issued a chorus of condemnation of what they call "extremists" and NATO Secretary General George Robertson has sent high-level missions to the region. SERBIA CONFLICT SEEN LINKED Diplomats fear the NLA could link with ethnic Albanian insurgents elsewhere, creating a swathe of rebel activity along the borders of the Yugoslav province. Serb police and ethnic Albanian rebels have been fighting for more than a year in a buffer zone set up in Serbia alongside Kosovo, originally to keep Yugoslav forces at a safe distance. The guerrillas there, who call themselves the Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja (UCPMB), deny any links with the shadowy group that appeared in Tanusevci. But diplomats fear weapons, supplies and the high morale of men who feel they are fighting for a cause could be filtering through to the Macedonian group. The UCPMB emerged, vowing to defend the Albanian population living just outside Kosovo, when Slobodan Milosevic was in power in Belgrade and Serbs driven from Kosovo by vengeful Albanians were taking it out on the locals. Western leaders fear that now Milosevic has gone, the conflict may undermine his reformist successors. In Macedonia the conflict would not be confined to a relatively small area like the five km (three-mile) buffer zone in Serbia but could tear the whole country apart. While the gunmen on the border kept quiet, the international community and the Macedonian government could dismiss them as smugglers and criminals marginalised by the democratic trends in both Kosovo and Macedonia. Now, as Prime Minister Ljubco Giorgevski said last week, the situation is becoming "more complex." From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 12 22:09:23 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:09:23 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO urges Yugoslav-ethnic Albanian peace talks Message-ID: NATO urges Yugoslav-ethnic Albanian peace talks By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 12 (Reuters) - Yugoslav and ethnic Albanian representatives who agreed a ceasefire for southern Serbia on Monday should hold face-to-face peace negotiations within a week, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said on Monday. He urged all people in crisis zones in southern Serbia, Kosovo and northern Macedonia to stay calm as the Yugoslav army and police prepared to enter a tense part of the NATO-ordained buffer zone exploited by ethnic Albanian guerrillas. In a statement welcoming the ceasefire, Robertson emphasised the "commitment of the signatories to the ceasefire to enter into direct dialogue within one week." He called for renunciation of violence and full support for efforts to find a peaceful long-term solution to disputes. Roberston said Yugoslav forces, by agreement with the Western alliance, would "very soon" enter a strip of the buffer zone on Kosovo's boundary line with Serbia along the Macedonian border from which they had been barred for 21 months by NATO. NATO wants to help Yugoslavia regain control of territory seized by ethnic Albanian guerrillas who have exploited its no-go order to Serbian forces after alliance troops entered Kosov in June, 1999, and whose attacks on Serb forces threaten a new Balkans conflict. "I urge all parties, within southern Serbia, Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to remain calm and to lend their understanding and support to these efforts," Robertson's statement said. "NATO will continue firmly and fairly to do all it call...to bring lasting peace, security, stability and prosperity to the Balkans region," he added. NATO HOLDS SERB LEASH Robertson also called on the ethnic communities of Kosovo to provide their full support to peace efforts in southern Serbia. The Western allies have brokered a deal with Belgrade to balance the re-establishment of Serbian authority in the buffer zone with trust-building measures to persuade the local ethnic Albanian people that they need not fear repression. NATO says it will keep tight control of the military conditions -- the numbers and the hardware -- under which Serb forces return to the buffer zone. It says it has secured Belgrade's promise that there will be no disproportionate resort to force as in Kosovo in 1998/99. Monday's ceasefire was the first step in a delicate process of returning the Kosovo buffer zone in stages to Serbian control so it no longer offers a safe haven to guerrillas believed to be seeking a wider conflict in the name of Albanian separatism. Senior Serbian officials, however, have voiced unease over NATO rules that their forces may not use the protection of armoured personnel carriers or employ artillery if engaged. Reports that Serbia will deploy the 7th Battalion of the Yugoslav 2nd Army in the operation have also raised concern. Months ago, NATO considered this unit a dangerous paramilitary cudgel of former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic for the intimidation of pro-independence parties in Montenegro. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 12 22:10:17 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:10:17 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Presevo ceasefire in effect after NATO seals deal Message-ID: Presevo ceasefire in effect after NATO seals deal By Fredrik Dahl BUJANOVAC, Yugoslavia, March 13 (Reuters) - A ceasefire between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and state security forces took effect on Tuesday in Serbia's volatile Presevo Valley region bordering Kosovo and Macedonia. The area was quiet as the truce came into force one minute after midnight. But officials on all sides acknowledged there were plenty of challenges ahead in bringing lasting peace to the area after more than a year of sporadic violence. "A great amount of work lies before us. We have to calm down the region, we must make the lives of all citizens in the region safe, give them freedom of movement and a common life," Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said. More than 30 people have been killed in or around part of the NATO-ordained buffer zone along the outside of Kosovo's border which runs through the Presevo Valley. The clashes have alarmed Western governments as they have the potential to ignite a larger conflict in the region. A NATO envoy brokered the ceasefire deal on Monday. Calm prevailed early on Tuesday morning in the flashpoint village of Lucane, where Serbian police and ethnic Albanian guerrilla lines are just 100-200 metres (330-660 feet) apart. Only barking dogs could be heard in the dark village, on the edge of the buffer strip west of the regional centre Bujanovac. "The whole day and the whole evening have been peaceful. I heard the last shot at around 11 a.m. yesterday (Monday)," said a Serbian policeman who identified himself only as John Z. "We can hear children's voices in the village again. that is a good sign," he told Reuters. He said he had suffered a pierced eardrum during heavy fighting on Friday when one of his fellow officers was killed and three others wounded in Lucane. In recent weeks, violence involving ethnic Albanian guerrillas has spilled into Macedonia. Authorities there said on Monday they had launched an operation to regain control of the border near a village which had been occupied by the rebels. In the Presevo Valley, the ceasefire is meant to be a prelude to political talks between ethnic Albanians and Serbs to resolve their grievances. It also paves the way for Serbian security forces to enter a 25-square km (9.6-sq-mile) patch of land at the bottom of the five-km-(three-mile)-wide buffer zone, marked off by the Kosovo boundary to the west and Macedonian frontier to the south. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson urged Serbs and ethnic Albanians on Monday to honour a commitment to hold face-to-face peace talks within a week of the start of the ceasefire. He also urged everyone in the region to stay calm. The rebels say they are defending the local ethnic Albanian population from Serbian repression. Belgrade says they are terrorists whose only aim is to merge the Presevo Valley with Kosovo, a province with an overwhelming Albanian majority. Kosovo has been under international rule since NATO intervened to stop a harsh crackdown on separatist ethnic Albanians by Yugoslav Serb troops and security police under the command of authoritarian nationalist Slobodan Milosevic. Before NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers moved into Kosovo in June 1999, they insisted on the buffer zone to keep Serbian forces a safe distance way from the province. But much has changed since then. Milosevic was toppled in a mass uprising last October and the West is now eager to support the reformists who have taken his place, eschewed violence and promised to give ethnic minorities a fair deal. Lieutenant General Carlo Cabigiosu, commander of the KFOR force, agreed on Monday with Belgrade officials the ground rules for the return of Serbian forces to a first part of the zone. "The aim is to allow the legitimate authorities to exercise their authority in the area," Cabigiosu declared. But serious question marks hang over the agreement. The commander of the guerrilla group has warned he cannot guarantee the safety of Serbian forces returning to the zone against "spontaneous actions of local Albanian elements," according to a source close to the rebel group. Also, some Serbian officials have expressed unease that NATO has placed so many restrictions on the returning forces that they may be unable to defend themselves properly from attack. Some are also not happy about the location of the pocket being opened up to them. They fear it leaves them potentially open to attack from Albanians to the west in Kosovo, to the north in the Presevo Valley and to the south in Macedonia. In Macedonia on Monday, authorities said they had reasserted control of the border with Kosovo at the village of Tanusevci, where clashes with guerrillas started more than two weeks ago. "We had some resistance from a small group of terrorists which we very quickly and efficiently disposed of," Defence Ministry spokesman Georgi Trendafilov told a news conference. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 12 22:11:59 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:11:59 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Serbs say NATO rules make buffer zone entry risky Message-ID: <8a.39610ac.27dee9ff@aol.com> Serbs say NATO rules make buffer zone entry risky By Douglas Hamilton BRUSSELS, March 12 (Reuters) - NATO has agreed to let Yugoslav forces take control of a Presevo valley area where ethnic Albanian guerrillas operate, but without using armoured personnel carriers, its Kosovo mission commander said on Monday. Yugoslavia said this made it risky to deploy its army and police, who have lost 17 men killed in ethnic Albanian guerrilla attacks in the past year. It noted that the troops of NATO's Kosovo peacekeeping mission KFOR regularly travel in bullet-and-grenade proof APCs, although there has been no fighting in Kosovo since they arrived in summer 1999. The Presevo Valley guerrillas, numbering several hundreds, are armed with automatic weapons, heavy machineguns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. In the first stage of a "phased and conditioned" return to a no-go border zone imposed by NATO in 1999, a number of Yugoslav Army frontier guards and Serbian Interior Ministry police will enter a square of Serbian land five km (three miles) long by five km wide where the valley meets the Macedonian border. The immediate aim is to close an unprotected border gateway exploited by the guerrillas, who can move around in the "Ground Safety Zone" with impunity. NATO has said a ceasefire would be an important but not imperative condition for the operation. General Carlo Cabigiosu, commander of NATO's KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo, announced an accord with Yugoslav officials in the border village of Merdare on Monday to let Serb forces back into the 25 square km area "in the next few days." NATO SETS CONDITIONS FOR DEPLOYMENT Cabigiosu, who has authority to set, and change, conditions under which the Yugoslav forces operate in the zone, described to Monday's Corriere della Sera newspaper the initial conditions for their deployment. "There are both military and ethical limits," he said. Local ethnic Albanians would obviously be apprehensive because of the past record of Serb forces in Kosovo. "However, we have demanded that they do not occupy houses, do not enter vil lages, do not receive backing from armoured cars or use rocket launchers and antitank weapons," Cabigiosu said. "On the other hand, we have allowed them to use mortars and they will also be allowed to intervene, in coordination with our command, with artillery from behind their lines. Finally, there will be no helicopters and above all no mines," he added. Cabigiosu said exchanges of fire could be foreseen but he hoped the Serb response would be proportionate, such as if Italy's Carabinieri police were rounding up Calabrian bandits. TWO HOSTILE FLANKS NATO diplomats said Belgrade was anxious to prove to the West that it could carry out the operation without igniting serious conflict, but senior figures in Serbia were uneasy. "The Yugoslav Army will be in great danger since it is not allowed to enter the area with heavy arms and armoured cars," said former Yugoslav Army commander Momcilo Perisic. "I do not understand why the international community has not allowed this since its own troops in Kosovo are all in armoured cars," said Perisic, now deputy premier in Serbia's reformist government, in an interview with the daily Blic. Serbian Prime Minister Zorna Djindjic also criticised the geographical limits of the return permitted by NATO, which will put Serb troops and police between two hostile forces. "On one side there will be Albanians from Kosovo, on the other Albanians from Macedonia," he was quoted as saying. NATO military sources said the conditions for the Yugoslav operation would be flexible and would not necessarily be made public. It was not clear if there were any guerrilla strong points in the zone, or if it was merely used as a corridor. Perisic told Blic he was concerned that the guerrillas could deliberately attack Yugoslav forces simply to provoke conflict. "I want to believe that the international comunity will prevent them from it, as it has the necessary mechanisms... If the international community bombed Serbs, it could bomb ethnic Albanians as well," he said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 12 22:19:27 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:19:27 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] News Analysis: NATO Adrift in the Balkans Message-ID: <104.246c34.27deebbf@aol.com> News Analysis: NATO Adrift in the Balkans By STEVEN ERLANGER The New York Times ELGRADE, Serbia, March 11 ? NATO is floundering in the Balkans, reaping the consequences of a refusal to deal seriously with the problems and aspirations of the Albanians it went to war to protect. The alliance's failure to confront the armed, organized Albanians who are fighting to drive non-Albanians out of Kosovo, enlarge the province and make it independent has allowed them to grow into a serious regional threat. There has been new fighting in Albanian-dominated areas of southern Serbia and now also, farther south, in Macedonia. The West could once blame Slobodan Milosevic for instability in the Balkans. But he is gone now, replaced by democrats friendly to the West. Yet his ouster has created new difficulties and uncertainties, and the borders of Kosovo are ringed with tension and gunfire, putting serious new pressure on the West's allies in Belgrade and Macedonia. American troops have rushed to help defend fragile Macedonia, which would disintegrate in violence if the militants get significant support from the large minority of ethnic Albanians there. But the desire of the Bush administration to reduce the American military presence in the Balkans is well known, and combined with the reluctance of American commanders to take casualties, it has emboldened the militants, other Western officials say. Some already compare Macedonia to Kosovo in early 1998, when the Kosovo Liberation Army was organizing in the hills. Other nationalisms are again resurgent. With Montenegro also pressing to secede from Yugoslavia against Western wishe s, and the Bosnian Croats insisting that the federal Bosnia-Herzegovina imposed by the 1995 Dayton accord is no longer valid, the West is scrambling to restore the stability in the Balkans it fought to establish. "With Milosevic gone and the Serbs out of Kosovo, NATO has become the single guarantor of stability and security in the Balkans," a senior Western diplomat said. "But it is not clear that NATO wants to do the job. Confronting Albanian extremists could cost lives, which is the Pentagon's nightmare, and it could make NATO forces a target in Kosovo itself." But the refusal to confront the extremists, he continued, "sends a clear signal to them to keep pushing for what they want." Slobodan Samardzic, a senior adviser to President Vojislav Kostunica of Yugoslavia, has worked with NATO on the idea of allowing the Yugoslav Army back, gradually, into the three-mile zone of separation in Serbian territory around Kosovo, intended originally to keep Yugoslav and NATO forces apart, in which the militants have found safe harbor. "We want to cooperate with NATO, and anyway, we don't have another choice," Mr. Samardzic said. "But NATO is now facing the very nature of the problem, which is the Albanian dream of Kosovo as an independent state, and the project for a greater Albania ? first to fight for autonomy and then for independence. And the method of the militant groups led by the Kosovo Liberation Army, no matter what they call themselves in southern Serbia or in Macedonia, is not to solve minority problems in a democratic way, but to make this zone of insecurity even more insecure, to step-by-step consolidate more land and make new frontiers." The United Nations resolution that ended the Kosovo war promises Kosovo substantial autonomy but leaves its final status unresolved, subject to some future negotiation, while confirming that the territory is a sovereign part of Yugoslavia. But nearly all the Albanians in Kosovo reject the idea of any future rule from Belgrade, no matter how democratic, and most support an independent state. They cannot forget the repression by the Serbs, the atrocities committed by President Milosevic's forces sent to battle the Kosovo Liberation Army in 1998 and 1999, or the mass expulsions of the Kosovo war. While many moderate Albanians do not approve of the forced expulsion or killings of Serbs, and do not condone the fighting in southern Serbia or Macedonia, they are afraid to confront the organized men with guns. "The West has never made it clear enough to the Albanians that we are not there to ensure Albanian independence and promote Albanian interests, but we're there to promote our interests, which are a stable Balkans," another senior Western diplomat said. "We're all guilty of this. The serious problems now are a result of 18 months of indecisiveness, and a lot of soft decisions dancing around the real issues, without dealing with them." He and other officials in Kosovo defined those issues as the connection between Albanian former military leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, now politicians, and the "new" militants; the connection between those same leaders and organized crime; the organized effort to intimidate the few Serbs remaining in southern Kosovo into selling their property and leaving for Serbia; the unchallenged partition of Kosovo in Mitrovica, where militant Serbs dominate the northern half of the city, and most important, the refusal or inability to punish crime when it happens. Last year, when British troops discovered a huge and recently used cache of arms in Drenica, in territory controlled by Agim Ceku, the commander of the supposedly disbanded and disarmed K.L.A., there was a debate about cracking down, the diplomats said. "There was much talk about force protection and fear of a backlash against KFOR," a senior diplomat said, using the acronym for the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo. "What happened? Nothing." Similarly last month, when a busload of Serbs, escorted by peacekeepers, was blown up by a carefully designed bomb triggered by wire, "there was a perfect opportunity for a crackdown," a senior international official in Kosovo said. "But no one did anything, and the message of impunity is loud and clear." The Bush administration has refused to let NATO troops, despite British arguments, go into the three- mile buffer zone to deal with the armed Albanians in the Presevo Valley. Instead, Washington wants the Yugoslav Army to do it, but under careful monitoring and with limited weaponry. As a start, NATO has suggested the most dangerous part of the zone, a wedge on the border between Serbia and Macedonia. Mr. Kostunica has agreed, but he is cautious, aides say, understanding that the army could be fired upon from three sides. He would prefer to see other parts of the zone dismantled at the same time, especially along northern Kosovo, which is dominated by Serbs. To date, the Albanians have not agreed to let the Serbs back into the zone. "KFOR is abandoning the border and is inviting our army into the crossfire," Mr. Kostunica said. "The army will of course do this, but it now undoubtedly has to make up for the mistakes of others." Mr. Samardzic said the Europeans and Americans should have more confidence in the ability of the new Yugoslav leaders to resolve the conflict in southern Serbia. Belgrade would allow foreign observers and journalists to report freely on the activities of the army in the zone, and is trying to bring local Albanians back into government and the police, he said. "The point is to isolate the militants," he said. "If they are not willing to have a cease-fire and negotiate, they should be diplomatically isolated. And if NATO is unwilling to intervene directly, the risks of settling the problem should be given over to us." From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Tue Mar 13 00:58:26 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 00:58:26 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fellowships Message-ID: REGIONAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM 2001-2002 REGIONAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM 2001-2002 The New Europe College in Bucharest (Romania) announces a REGIONAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM in the humanities and social sciences starting October 1, 2001. Targeted are researchers and academics (preferably young) from South-Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Slovenia, Turkey, and Yugoslavia), who are in the final stage of completing a Ph.D. program or who already have the Ph.D. title. Duration of the Fellowship: one term or a full academic year a) October through February, b) March through July, or c) October through July Location: the New Europe College in Bucharest The Fellowship consists of: a monthly stipend (basic stipend of 800 DEM - tax free), accommodation, a 1-month research trip abroad to an institution of the Fellow's choice (5,000 DEM for transportation, accommodation, and per diem), international transportation to and from the home country of the Fellows at the beginning and the end of the Fellowship, as well as for the end-of-the-year and Easter breaks. The Fellows are expected to work on a project to be published by the New Europe College after the end of the Fellowship (in English, French, or German), and to take part in the scientific events organized by the New Europe College (seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures held by foreign scholars, symposia, etc.) Working languages: English, French, and German. A good command of English is desirable. The deadline for sending the completed application is April 2, 2001 The application form and additional information on the Program and the New Europe College can be downloaded from: http://library.nec.ro/regional Contact person: Alexandru Suter, Program Coordinator, Tel. +40-1-327 0035, Fax: +40-1-327 0774, E-mail: asuter at n... Mailing address: str. Plantelor 21, 70309 Bucharest, Romania From XHUNGA at unhcr.ch Mon Mar 12 11:41:42 2001 From: XHUNGA at unhcr.ch (Mariola Xhunga) Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 17:41:42 +0100 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Ministria Shqiptare e Arsimit dhe Shkences Message-ID: An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... Name: not available URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 13 12:08:28 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 09:08:28 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fwd: DR. FLORA BROVINA TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL ALBANIAN ISSUES CAUCUS Message-ID: <20010313170828.18522.qmail@web11506.mail.yahoo.com> Note: forwarded message attached. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/ -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: Marthavedder at aol.com Subject: DR. FLORA BROVINA TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL ALBANIAN ISSUES CAUCUS Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 18:32:01 EST Size: 6046 URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 13 16:40:47 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 13:40:47 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] New York Times Message-ID: <20010313214047.81066.qmail@web11502.mail.yahoo.com> The New York Times March 13, 2001, Tuesday, Late Edition - Final Section A; Page 18; Column 1; Editorial Desk The Danger in Kosovo Two years ago this month, Slobodan Milosevic's murderous campaign against ethnic Albanians first brought NATO involvement in Kosovo. Now, in an ironic turnabout, armed Albanian fighters are emerging as the greatest potential source of Balkan instability. For months, Albanian guerrillas have exploited a three-mile-wide buffer strip just inside Serbia's border to stage attacks on Serbian police and civilians. Last week Albanian irregulars extended their operations to nearby Macedonia. The Albanian fighters responsible for the recent violence number only a few thousand out of the more than two million ethnic Albanians living in the immediate area. The West must make clear to this militant fringe that they will not be allowed to set off another Balkan war. Continued fighting could destabilize Macedonia, where a large Albanian minority uneasily shares power with the Slavic majority. It could also undermine Serbia's promising experiment in post-Milosevic democracy. In an effort to improve security along the Serbian border, NATO yesterday agreed to let Yugoslav troops re-enter a small portion of the buffer zone. NATO also won agreement from Albanian guerrillas to a one-week cease-fire in the area. Regrettably, that did not stop one guerrilla chief from warning that he could not guarantee that arriving Yugoslav soldiers would be safe from "spontaneous" attacks by local Albanians. NATO should treat any such outbursts as evidence of bad faith by the guerrillas inviting a stern response on the Kosovo side of the border. For now, Yugoslav troops will enter only the southern corner of the buffer zone, where the borders of Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia meet. If they respect the agreed ground rules, which include prohibitions on occupying houses, entering villages and using certain heavy weapons, they may later be permitted to move about other areas of the zone. Before that can happen, the new Serb government must earn back the trust of the ethnic Albanian civilians in the area, who were badly mistreated in the Milosevic era. A military crackdown against the Albanian fighters on the Macedonia border will be simpler, since no buffer zone exists there. Washington was right last week to let American forces based in Kosovo coordinate their actions with Macedonian troops on the other side of the border to repel an incursion by Albanian guerrillas. Macedonia itself must summon the political and military strength needed to blunt this challenge. In an encouraging sign, political leaders of Macedonia's ethnic Albanian community disavowed the guerrilla action. Responsible Albanian political leaders in Kosovo must now be equally forthright in isolating the armed militants and urging their fellow citizens to do the same. If they cannot do so effectively, NATO may have to increase its military pressure on the guerrillas. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 13 20:08:14 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 20:08:14 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Yugoslav forces set to enter Kosovo buffer zone Message-ID: Yugoslav forces set to enter Kosovo buffer zone By Fredrik Dahl BUJANOVAC, Yugoslavia, March 14 (Reuters) - Yugoslav forces are set to deploy in a buffer zone around Kosovo on Wednesday, two days after ethnic Albanian guerrillas operating in the zone agreed to a ceasefire. The deployment was agreed with NATO as part of measures to stop the flow of supplies and reinforcements to a guerrilla group that has emerged in adjoining Macedonia in the past two months, sparking fears of yet another Balkan conflagration. It also has great political resonance among both Serbs and ethnic Albanians, since it marks the first approach of Yugoslav troops to mainly-Albanian Kosovo since NATO air strikes forced them to withdraw in 1999. "The commander of Yugoslav united forces, General Krstic, has taken the decision that the return will start tomorrow in the morning hours," Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic told a news conference in the town of Bujanovac late on Tuesday. "We're asking citizens to be calm and not in any way disturb the return of the united forces in Sector C East in the Ground Safety Zone," said Covic, flanked by Colonel General Ninoslav Krstic, commander of army and police in the volatile area. "Citizens have no reason to be worried." The buffer zone was set up as part of the Yugoslav pullout, to separate the army from the NATO-led peacekeepers who deployed in Kosovo, now a de-facto international protectorate. The leader of the guerrilla group in the area, known as the Presevo Valley, has warned he cannot guarantee the safety of Yugoslav forces against "spontaneous actions by local Albanian elements," according to a source close to the group. MEMORIES OF REPRESSION Memories are still fresh of years of repression of the ethnic Albanians, who are in the majority in the area, under former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic. "We don't trust the Serbs," one guerrilla said. But Covic, part of a new, reformist government, said the forces, which could include soldiers and police, would not go into villages or take any measures against locals. "We expect that extremist groups will respect the statement about the ceasefire which NATO is guaranteeing and that they will not take any provocative and aggressive measures," he said, calling another news conference for 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). The deployment is to be observed by European Union monitors and the commander of NATO-led peacekeeping forces in Kosovo has said the Yugoslav forces will not be allowed to have armoured cars, rocket launchers or anti-tank weapons. Some officials in the new government in Belgrade, which has promised to improve life for ethnic Albanians in Serbia, have said NATO has placed so many restrictions on the returning forces that they may be unable to defend themselves from attack. Both the Presevo Valley rebels and those who have recently launched incursions into neighbouring Macedonia say they are fighting for more rights for local ethnic Albanian minorities. The governments of Serbia and Macedonia say they are terrorists whose only aim is to merge border areas with the ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo province. An official in Macedonia said its forces had fought ethnic Albanian gunmen on Tuesday to try to drive them out of what he said were their last strongholds near the border with Kosovo. From Gazhebo at aol.com Tue Mar 13 20:18:09 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 20:18:09 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Moderate leader urges kinsmen to peace bid Message-ID: <6b.111b776e.27e020d1@aol.com> Moderate leader urges kinsmen to peace bid SKOPJE (AP) - The top ethnic Albanian leader in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) urged his ethnic brethren yesterday to take part in a peace march reflecting that most Albanians in the country oppose recent outbreaks of violence by shadowy armed gangs in the north. In an appeal, Arben Xhaferi and his Democratic Party of Albanians said Albanians here, who make up almost a quarter of FYROM's two million people, must show the world that, "another war in the Balkans cannot be tolerated." Clashes between government troops and Albanian rebels in the north erupted with new intensity along the border with Yugoslavia's Kosovo province last week, heightening fears of a new major Balkan conflict in the making. Ethnic Albanian rebels - without clearly defined goals except demands for self rule and union with Kosovo - are also fighting Yugoslav forces across the border in southern Serbia, in a buffer zone adjoining Kosovo. Those clashes and skirmishes in FYROM threaten a tenuous stability establishe d in the region after the arrival of Nato and a UN mission in Kosovo in mid-1999. In Macedonia, three policemen were killed in fighting between Albanian rebels and state troops in the northern border village of Tanusevci last week. "The violence in Tanusevci jeopardized... the entire image of Albanians and threatened their natural alliance with the democratic nations of the West," Xhaferi said. The Albanian leader also said that the armed conflict in the north was carried out by "extremists," and was condemned by Nato, the United Nations, the United States and "all relevant Albanian politicians who have stood up in the defense of Macedonia's territorial integrity and true Albanian interests." Out of the recent violence, Xhaferi said, Albanians have "emerged as villains, as the guilty party and a destabilizing element for the region." This image must be countered, Xhaferi said, calling on Albanians to take part in the peace march today in the capital, Skopje. In a veiled warning to the northern insurgents, Xhaferi said, "no Albanian must permit such a gross mistake as another Balkan war," adding also that Nato would not allow Albanians to "win such a war." A widespread ethnic Albanian insurgency could dramatically worsen lingering tensions between Skopje's majority Slavs and the ethnic Albanian community. FYROM was the only republic to break away from Yugoslavia without war, and although ethnic tensions persisted, they had not exploded into major violence prior to the recent skirmishes. From aalibali at yahoo.com Wed Mar 14 09:40:42 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 06:40:42 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kadare per ngjarjet ne Maqedoni In-Reply-To: <20010314141904.17534.qmail@web9605.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <20010314144042.5023.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Nga ILLYRIA > > P?r ngjarjet n? Tanushec, flet nga Parisi, > shkrimtari i shquar, Ismail Kadare > > Kadare: Kombi shqiptar, p?rpara nj? rreziku t? ri! > > Shqiptar?t q? besojn? se ?do vit mund t? p?rs?ritet > epopeja e Kosov?s ose jan? shum? mendjeleht? ose > kan? > q?llime tep?r t? dyshimta > > > N? bot?n e sotme kur represioni kryesor kund?r > shqiptar?ve n? Kosov? u shtyp, shqiptar?t duhet t? > kishin mir?njohje p?r k?t? gj? dhe t? k?rkonin tani > me > mjete politike, me mjete demokratike t?i b?jn? t? > qart? bot?s, atje ku t? drejtat e tyre shkelen. Dhe > n? > k?t? m?nyr? t?i k?rkojn? ato t? drejta deri m? nj?. > Un? nuk jam aspak q? t? b?hen l?shime, por t?i > k?rkojn? vet?m me mjete demokratike - ligjore > n?p?rmjet insitucioneve demokratike, n?p?rmjet nj? > lufte politike dhe nj? dialogu politik. > > > - Si po i ndiqni zhvillimet e fundit n? Maqedonin? > veriore, konkretisht n? rajonin e Tanush?s, dhe si i > vler?soni ato? > > > KADARE: Ashtu si shumica e shqiptar?ve?i kam ndjekur > k?to zhvillime me nj? shqet?sim jasht?zakonisht t? > madh, mund?sisht do t? thoja me d?shp?rim. Si ?sht? > e > mundur q? shqiptar?t t? jen? kaq naiv?, kaq > aventurier? kaq t? pap?rgjegjsh?m sa t? nxisin > veprime? t? cilat nuk kan? deri m? tani asnj? > shpjegim, asnj? logjik? dhe vin? n? kund?rshtim, > mendoj un?, me ?do interes t? shqiptar?ve. > > - A i bashkangjitet Kadare q?ndrimeve t? > politikan?ve > shqiptar? n? Maqedoni, t? Bashk?sis? Nd?rkomb?tare > dhe > Tiran?s zyrtare, dhe t? gjitha subjekteve t? tjera > relevante politike n? t? gjitha hap?sirat, q? kjo > kriz? t? zgjidhet me mjete politike? > > KADARE: Pa asnj? m?dyshje, pa asnj? hezitim. Un? jam > plot?sisht dakord me mendimin q? ka shfaqur > Bashk?sia > Nd?rkomb?tare,Tirana zyrtare dhe politika e > shqiptar?ve n? Maqedoni. Besoj se k?t? mendim e kan? > t? gjith? shqiptar?t q? mendojn? me seriozitet p?r > fatin e kombit t? tyre. P?r mua v?rtet ?sht? e > trishtueshme se si pun?t mund t? vin? k?tu q? > shqiptar?t t? sh?rbejn? q? t? sjellin ushtrin? > jugosllave n? kufijt? e Maqedonis? n? Kosov?, sepse > n? > fund t? fundit kjo ka ndodhur, veprimet aventuriere > t? > shqiptar?ve kan? afruar ushtrin? jugosllave m? tep?r > n? Kosov?. > > A mendoni se shqiptar?t n? t? gjitha trojet e tyre > etnike ndodhen n? nj? kurth t? parap?rgatitur? > > KADARE: Apsolutisht po. Mendoj se e gjith? kjo ka dy > vjet q? ?sht? th?n? kudo q? ?sht? parap?rgatitur > opinioni me an? t? propogand?s serbe, q? shqiptar?t > do > t?i v?n? zjarrin Ballkanit. Kjo ?sht? b?r? me q?llim > kombi shqiptar t? armiq?sohet me gjith? Evrop?n, me > NATO-n t? armiq?sohet me ?lirimtar?t e vet, ashtu > si? > ka qen? p?rpara n? koh?n e diktatorit Hoxha. > Dhe k?tu dua t? hap nj? parantez?. Ma merr mendja q? > nj? pjes? e atyre q? e nxisin k?t? armiq?si jan? > prap > k?lysh? t? regjimit komunist t? Enver Hoxh?s, t? > cil?t > me sa duket jan? shp?rndar? andej k?tej n?p?r bot? > dhe > p?rpiqen ta fusin Shqip?rin? n? izolimin q? ka pasur > m? p?rpara. Me nj? fjal?, ta b?jn? Shqip?rin? q? t? > jet? e urryer nga Evropa, e urryer nga bota > demokratike, nga NATO, ta futin n? konflikt me t? > dhe > n? k?t? m?nyr? Serbia ta gllab?roj? p?rs?ri > Kosov?n?dhe t? gjith? shqiptar?t t? izolohen n? > planin > nd?rkomb?tar. > - Si do ta komentonit deklarat?n e n?nkryetarit t? > PDSH-s?, Menduh Tha?i, mbi ngjarjet n? Tanush?, > sipas > t? cilit kriza n? Tanush? duhet t? zgjidhet > politikisht dhe se ?do varinat tjet?r?do t? jete n? > disfavor t? kauz?s shqiptare? > > KADARE: Ato q? thash? m? par? ishin t? qarta. Un? > jam > konform t? nj? mendimi t? till? t? dh?n? nga > udh?heq?si politik atje. Dua t? theksoj k?tu q? > shqiptar?t kan? plot?sisht t? drejt? n? Maqedoni dhe > kudo q? ndodhen t? k?rkojn? t? drejtat e tyre. Por, > ?sht? e pap?rfytyrueshme q? si k?to t? drejta mund > t? > k?rkohen, duke rr?mbyer arm?t dhe bombat. N? bot?n e > sotme kur represioni kryesor kund?r shqiptar?ve n? > Kosov? u shtyp, shqiptar?t duhet t? kishin > mir?njohje > p?r k?t? gj? dhe t? k?rkonin tani me mjete politike, > me mjete demokratike t?i b?jn? t? qart? bot?s, atje > ku > t? drejtat e tyre shkelen. Dhe n? k?t? m?nyr? t?i > k?rkojn? ato t? drejta deri m? nj?. Un? nuk jam > aspak > q? t? b?hen l?shime, por t?i k?rkojn? vet?m me mjete > demokratike - ligjore n?p?rmjet insitucioneve > demokratike, n?p?rmjet nj? lufte politike dhe nj? > dialogu politik. > N?p?rmjet bombave dhe arm?ve, kjo ?sht? nj? koh? > bandit?sh q? i ka kaluar koha tashm? n? Ballkan. U > b? > epopeja n? Kosov?, gj?rat nuk p?rs?riten dy her?. > Ajo > epope e luft?tar?ve t? Kosov?s nxiti Bashk?sin? > Nd?rkomb?tare t? zgjidh? problemin e Kosov?s. K?ta > shqiptar? q? tani besojn? se kjo mud t? p?rs?ritet > ?do > jav?, ?do stin? dhe ?do vit, mendoj se jan? ose > shum? > mendjeleht?, ose kan? q?llime t?p?r t? dyshimta, > jan? > n? sh?rbim t? nj? loje antishqiptare, e cila si? e > that? ju. Kjo ?sht? projektuar n? zyrat m? t? egra > antishqiptare n? Ballkan dhe n? Evrop?. > > Cili do t? ishte sugjerimi i Ismail Kadares? p?r > shqiptar?t e Maqedonis? n? ve?anti dhe p?r > shqiptar?t > kudo q? jetojn? n? p?rgjith?si, pik?risht n? k?to > momente kritike? > > KADARE: Un? mendoj q? shqiptar?t n? k?t? rast duhet > t? > kuptojn? se gjith? kombi shqiptar ndodhet para nj? > rreziku t? ri, para nj? kurthi, nj? kurth nga m? > dinak?t, i cili ?sht? p?rgatitur, si? tham?, nga > forcat antishqiptare dhe i cili realizohet?me > ndihm?n > e sh?rb?tor?ve shqiptar?. Prandaj, gjith? kombi > shqiptar duhet t? jet? me syrin e ?el?, t? jet? i > vendosur q? t? mos bie n? k?t? kurth, t? mos gabohet > nga parullat pseudopatriotike, n? k?t? rast nga > mashtrimet, por n? m?nyr? t? vendosur t? ndahet nga > k?to akte t? cilat e d?mtojn? at? seriozisht. T?i > d?noj? ato pa kurrfar? hezitimi, jo vet?m forcat > politike q? ?sht? e detyrueshme q? t?i d?nojn? dhe > jo > t?i d?noj? sa p?r t? lar? goj?n, por t?i d?nojn? me > sinqeritet. Sepse, me sinqeritet duhet t? kuptojme > se > kjo ?sht? e d?mshme kund?r Shqip?ris?, pra ?sht? nj? > thik? n? shpin? kund?r Shqip?ris?. T?i d?nojm? pra, > nd?rkaq nga ana tjet?r t? theksojn? vendosm?rin? e > tyre, q? t? drejtat e shqiptar?ve duhet t? mbrohen > dhe > vendosm?rin? e tyre t? shpjegojn? para opinionit > nd?rkomb?tar q? populli shqiptar nuk ka asgj? t? > p?rbashk?t me veprimet terroriste, me veprimet > aventuriera me veprimet mafioze, t? cilat nuk dihet > se?nga ?'q?llime t? dyshimta shtyhen. Dhe vet?m > k?shtu, sepse shkelja e t? drejtave t? shqiptar?ve > nuk > mund t? justifikoj? ?do veprim t? tyre. Ata kan? t? > drejt?, si? thash? e p?rs?ris p?rs?ri, t?i mbrojn? > t? > drejtat e tyre deri m? nj?, t?i k?rkojn? ato t? > drejta, por kjo m?nyr? q? zgjidhet nga aventurier?t, > kjo ?sht? m?nyra m? e keqe p?r t? mbrojtur t? > drejtat > dhe ?sht? m?nyra m? e mir? p?r ta shkat?rruar t? > drejt?n e shqiptarve. Prandaj, k?tu un? dyshoj > gjithmon? q? ka nj? provokacion, nj? kurth, ka > dilem? > p?r nj? intrig? t? sajuar me shum? djall?zi nga > forcat > antishqiptare. Prandaj, shqiptar?t duhet ta kuptojn? > k?t? gj?, ta hedhin posht? dhe t?i sqarojn? t? > gjith? > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/ From ipilika at hotmail.com Wed Mar 14 11:40:12 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 16:40:12 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kosovo police station attacked in Mitrovica Message-ID: Kosovo police station attacked Fighting has flared in Mitrovica since 1999 March 14, 2001 Web posted at: 1113 GMT MITROVICA, Yugoslavia -- A crowd of Serbs has attacked a police station in the Kosovo town of Mitrovica, a United Nations official said. "This is a riot situation. They are behaving very aggressively. Two people are injured and one police car is burning," Dmitry Kaportsev, spokesman for UN police in Kosovo, said. He said the riot broke out after police detained two people suspected of assaulting two U.N. police officers 10 days ago in the Serb-dominated northern part of the city. A U.N. police officer and a soldier with the multi-national peacekeeping force were injured in the assault. Eleven members of the 150-strong crowd were slightly injured by stun grenades fired by the peacekeepers, the hospital said. Serbs blocked all roads leading into the area. Peacekeepers closed several bridges, which serve as an ethnic dividing line between Serbs and Albanians, Kaportsev said. A Serb leader in Mitrovica, Oliver Ivanovic, criticised the timing of the arrests, noting negotiations were under way to increase freedom of movement in the divided town. He said he would ask for a delay in talks scheduled for Thursday. Mitrovica, divided into Serb and Albanian-dominated sections by a river, is a regular flashpoint in Kosovo. Reuters contributed to this report. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From ipilika at hotmail.com Wed Mar 14 12:42:21 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 17:42:21 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gunfire in western Macedonia and demonstrations Message-ID: Balkans tension spreading Gunfire in western Macedonia was heard as Yugoslav troops enter the buffer zone in the north, along the Kosovo border March 14, 2001 Web posted at: 1617 GMT TETOVO, Macedonia -- Gunfire has been heard in an area of the Balkans previously unaffected by the recent violence in the region. Heavy machine-gun fire and occasional mortar blasts were heard on Wednesday in western Macedonia, near the town of Tetovo. The reports came as Yugoslav forces began operations to squeeze Albanian rebels out of a border area further along Macedonia's northern border with Kosovo. Reports said gunfire was heard from two different directions in the mountains along the Macedonian border with Kosovo. "Police are being shot at, and they are responding," said Macedonian Defence Ministry spokesman Blagoja Markovski. It was reported that three police officers had been wounded. The independent Beta news agency in Belgrade said Macedonian police had been sent into the area and witnesses said up to 10 ambulances were seen heading for the scene. Macedonian state radio reported "fierce clashes" between Macedonian security forces and Albanian guerillas in the mountainous area. CNN Correspondent Chris Burns was among those who heard shots in the hills above Tetovo, the main ethnic Albanian town in Macedonia, on Wednesday. He said: "Macedonian sources said that Macedonian Army troops had exchanged gunfire with about a dozen troops wearing black uniforms with Albanian rebel arm bands. "The shots heard in the hills above Tetovo came as about 1,000 Albanian demonstrators demanded that the Macedonian government provide more rights for Albanians living in Macedonia. "Some of the demonstrators cheered the firing. Two members of a Macedonian television crew were beaten up by the demonstrators." Ethnic Albanian rebels last month occupied the village of Tanusevci, north of Tetovo, and nearby areas in northern Macedonia and clashed with the police and army, leaving five dead. They were driven out less than a week ago in a joint operation between the Macedonian army and NATO-led troops operating in Kosovo. On Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Albania (DPA), Macedonia's biggest ethnic Albanian party, held a large march in the capitol Skopje demanding an end of violence along the northern border and to urge political dialogue. Meanwhile, further along Macedonia's northern border with Kosovo, Yugoslavia troops were being deployed into the buffer zone previously overrun by ethnic Albanian rebels. Under a ceasefire negotiated with the rebels by NATO, columns of trucks and armoured personnel carriers entered the southern tip of the zone, in the Presevo valley, near the villages of Norca, Trnava and Miratovac. Although NATO hopes the Yugoslav troops will calm the zone and reduce the movement of rebels and weapons into Macedonia, the rebels have said they cannot guarantee all their fighters will recognise the 20-day ceasefire. But in Miratovac, a crowd of Serbs attacked a police station. "This is a riot situation. They are behaving very aggressively. Two people are injured and one police car is burning," Dmitry Kaportsev, spokesman for UN police in Kosovo, said. The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From ipilika at hotmail.com Wed Mar 14 13:00:07 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 18:00:07 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Soldier cleared over Kosovo killing Message-ID: Young was at boys' school on a goodwill mission Soldier cleared over Kosovo killing March 13, 2001 Web posted at: 2003 GMT GIESSEN, Germany -- A U.S. soldier has been acquitted by a U.S. Army panel in the shooting death of a 6-year-old boy in Kosovo. Nicholas Young, who was 19 and serving as a peacekeeper at the time of the accidental shooting, was on trial on charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty following the death of the ethnic Albanian boy. He was facing up to 3 1/2 years in prison, dishonourable discharge, reduction in rank to private and forfeiture of all pay and allowances if convicted by the panel. Young burst into tears and threw his arms around his mother as he left the courtroom. Young was part of a group of U.S. Army soldiers visiting the Gornja Slatina school in the town of Cerkes Sadorina when his M-249 squad automatic weapon discharged. Rounds from the machine gun struck Gentrit Rexhepi in the chest and arm. The boy later died at Camp Bondsteel, where Army doctors tried to save his life. Young's unit, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery, "sponsored" the school and was on a goodwill mission at the time of the incident, the Army said, getting the school grounds ready for the upcoming school year. At the time, Army officials described the incident as an accidental shooting. The Defence counsel did not dispute that Young had fired the shots that killed the child. They argued Young?s superiors were at fault in giving him a machine gun that he had not been properly trained to use. They also added that Young suffered severe learning difficulties. One of his lawyers said he was "an accident waiting to happen" since he was not qualified to use the M-249 SAW machine gun he was assigned. The prosecution said Young let children play with his weapon and pulled the trigger to see if the safety catch was on. U.S. Army spokeswoman Hilde Patton said: "He's a free man. There may still be some paperwork to do but he was found not guilty on all charges and will be heading back to his unit." The Associated Press contributed to this report. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From kbejko at hotmail.com Wed Mar 14 13:41:23 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:41:23 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] GjermOni-Shqipri Message-ID: Kush mund te me thote se cili Boston bar do ta transmetoje ndeshjen Gjermani-Shqiperi i jap $5. check out this link about previous matches with Deutschland. http://archive.soccerage.com/s/en/09/c9304.html _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From pilika at yahoo.com Wed Mar 14 13:52:33 2001 From: pilika at yahoo.com (Asti Pilika) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 10:52:33 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Thirrje Message-ID: <20010314185233.19013.qmail@web803.mail.yahoo.com> Shoke e miq, Bej thirrje per nje diskutim lidhur me te mirat e te keqijat qe mund te vijne nga kryengritja e shqiptareve te Maqedonise. Po e hedh vete gurin e pare. Pasi shumica legjislative maqedonase kundershtoi me force per nje dekade barazimin me pakicen legjislative shqiptare, nje rryme politike shqiptare vendosi te rrise fuqine e saj kuvenduese nepermjet nje kryengritjeje te armatosur. Nuk tingellon shume keq, apo jo? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/ From albboschurch at juno.com Wed Mar 14 15:07:07 2001 From: albboschurch at juno.com (Albanian Orthodox Church) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 15:07:07 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Battling Aids: Looking for Kosovar contacts in West Europe. Message-ID: <20010314.150735.3702.8.albboschurch@juno.com> Dear Friends, Kristen Griffiths is a young woman from Missouri who served in the Peace Corps in Albania ( twice ). During the '97 problems, she was evacuated against her will. She told me: "I felt safe with the villagers in Albania; only in the city in the Embassy compound did I have fear." She then she lived in Boston & studied nursing at BU. She has been the last year in Kosova working on an Aids-prevention program. Her request to me is below. Would you have any suggested leads for her? If you wish, I can transmit the information or you may do so directly since that would expedite matters. I am also asking others who may help. Thanks, Fr Arthur ========================== --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "km griffith" To: albboschurch at juno.com Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 04:16:34 -0500 Subject: Re: hello from kristin Message-ID: Father Liolin- thank you for the response..... i am working on a project proposal for an aids education campaign (probably not exactly your specialty!!) but i really think that to implement a successful project we need not only to provide education for the kosovars living in kosova, but also the men who have emmigrated to western europe for work. i was wondering if you might have any contacts with diaspora in germany, switzerland, sweden or austria? or if you've heard of any organizations that work with kosovar albanian emmigrants in western europe?? anything you might have would be greatly appreciated. i think this is a great project for kosova, if we can get something like this going before aids gets a firm foothold here it will make all the difference. thank you, take care and keep in touch. kristin --------- End forwarded message ---------- --------- End forwarded message ---------- ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. From kbejko at hotmail.com Wed Mar 14 17:02:07 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 17:02:07 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Thirrje Message-ID: >Shoke e miq, > >Bej thirrje per nje diskutim lidhur me te mirat e te >keqijat qe mund te vijne nga kryengritja e shqiptareve >te Maqedonise. C'kryengritje? Nje grup fshataresh me te drejte te zemeruar nga neglizhenca 10 vjecare e Shkupit qe s'i njeh as si qytetare Maqedone, e i ka lene pa uje e rruge, nuk mund te quhen kryengrites (ne kuptimin politik te fjales) > >Po e hedh vete gurin e pare. > >Pasi shumica legjislative maqedonase kundershtoi me >force per nje dekade barazimin me pakicen legjislative >shqiptare, nje rryme politike shqiptare vendosi te >rrise fuqine e saj kuvenduese nepermjet nje >kryengritjeje te armatosur. Nuk tingellon shume keq, >apo jo? Rryma politike qe s'e ka haberin e rrymave te tjera politike as qe mund te quhet e tille. Arber Xhaferri mund ti siguroje te drejta shqiptareve pa dhune. Do kohe po....Kryengritja e armatosur nga Maqedonia prish me shume pune tani pasi ve ne pikepyetje te ardhmen e Kosoves. Sido qe te jete duhet bere dhe perendimi te kuptoje qe idealet multietnike jane pa vlere ne Ballkan qe eshte krijuar sipas koncepteve kolonialiste te fuqive te medha. Pa nje fuqi te tille ne ekzistence ndarjet e sotme administrative s'kane kuptim e duhen ndryshuar. Bashkohem me dr. Sam Vaknin...duhet nje Kongres i Dyte i Berlinit. O burra Asto, te dalim me nje deklarate (si organizate studentore pasi te gjehet lidershipi) e te kerkojme kete!:) >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. >http://auctions.yahoo.com/ >_______________________________________________________ >ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From mentor at alb-net.com Wed Mar 14 17:46:41 2001 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 17:46:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia: Human Rights Violation Message-ID: 1. Macedonian Police Brutality and Abuse "Police searches of the houses of ethnic Albanians in Aracinovo were characterized by the use of excessive force. On 14 January men and boys were beaten in several houses. One man had his jaw broken, reportedly with a police rifle butt. Six men and two 15-year-old boys were made to lie face down outside another house and were kicked and beaten as they lay. A 70-year-old man was allowed to sit up, but the others were reportedly kept on the ground for up to three hours. The ill-treatment was allegedly accompanied by references to their Albanian ethnicity. Old men, women and children were allegedly guarded at gunpoint by police for three hours in another house." http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/policebrutalityreport.htm http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/index/EUR650052000 http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/europe/macedonia.html ### 2. Citizenship and Constitution "Despite government promises to reform Macedonia's overly exclusive 1992 citizenship law in line with Council of Europe standards, the law remained unchanged. Drafted at the time of its independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia's citizenship law never adequately resolved the status of the significant number of Yugoslav citizens who were long-term residents in Macedonia but who were neither born in Macedonia nor ethnic Macedonian. Large numbers of ethnic Albanians, Turks, and Roma who knew no other home than Macedonia remained effectively stateless as a result of the law." http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/europe/macedonia.html ### 3. Education: "In July, the government adopted legislation to resolve the long-standing question of Tetovo University, a private Albanian-language institution that Macedonian authorities refused to accredit as an educational institution. The passage of the law on education on July 25 established a new multi-lingual tertiary institute offering training in business, education, and public management. The internationally funded institution, intended as a replacement to Tetovo University, would allow Albanians to study in their own language, although a proficiency test in Macedonian would be required before their diplomas were officially recognized. Despite receiving the backing of the Albanian party in the ruling government coalition, the new institute did not receive unequivocal support from the country's ethnic Albanian population, many of whom wanted nothing less than the recognition of Tetovo University itself." http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/europe/macedonia.html ### From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:12:47 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:12:47 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] U.S. says Macedonia extremists should be isolated Message-ID: U.S. says Macedonia extremists should be isolated By Benet Koleka TIRANA, March 14 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday strongly condemned violence by armed ethnic Albanian extremists in northern Macedonia and said they should be isolated and crushed as soon as possible. The U.S. ambassador to Albania, Joseph Limprecht, told reporters Washington applauded Macedonia's efforts to preserve peace through the rule of law and inter-ethnic cooperation. Limprecht's comments came as fighting between ethnic Albanian rebel guerrillas and Macedonian security forces spread for the first time to an area where the Balkan country's ethnic Albanians are concentrated. "I would call on everybody to focus principally on the central issue...which is providing support to the government of Macedonia and to those elements of the Albanian political community...to isolate and to put down the people of violence, the extremists, as soon and as quickly as possible," he said. "It's important that there be action taken to separate them from the political community because their actions are not legitimate," Limprecht told reporters. "And any statements that imply that there is some sort of legitimacy to the extremists and acts of violence are not helpful in this situation," he added. Ethnic Albanian rebels last month occupied the village of Tanusevci and nearby areas in northern Macedonia and clashed with the police and the army, leaving five dead. They were driven out less than a week ago in a joint operation between the Macedonian army and NATO-led troops operating in Kosovo but the fighting in the Tetovo area appeared to show the guerrillas had moved in the area west of Tanusevci. The rebels' appearance caused international concern that Albanian territorial claims may be spreading from Kosovo and southern Serbia to Macedonia, where Albanian make up one third of the population, threating its stability. Wednesday's fighting came as several thousand radical ethnic Albanians rallied in Tetovo to support the rebels, who call themselves the National Liberation Army and say they are fighting for a better treatment of Albanians in Macedonia. Limprecht also said the United States fully supported the statements of the United Nations Security Council, NATO and the international community that called for the respect of Macedonia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He praised the Albanian government of youthful Prime Minister Ilir Meta for its strong position in condemning the violence and encouraging ethnic Albanian leaders in Kosovo and Macedonia to do the same. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:14:46 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:14:46 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Troops Involved in Southern Balkans Message-ID: <98.11df55e8.27e18da6@aol.com> Troops Involved in Southern Balkans .c The Associated Press Armed struggles for more ethnic Albanian rights in southern Serbia and neighboring Macedonia threaten to draw U.S. and other peacekeepers into a new Balkans war. The main players: SOUTHERN SERBIA: The black-uniformed Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac is active in the three-mile wide buffer zone adjoining the Serbian province of Kosovo, which was set up to insulate NATO-led peacekeepers from the Yugoslav army. Because only lightly armed Serb police were allowed, the rebels had operated with relative impunity among the area's 60,000-member ethnic Albanian community. The guerrillas demand self-determination - which could include efforts to link up with Kosovo ahead of hoped-for independence for the ethnic Albanian-majority province. More heavily armed Yugoslav units moved into the southernmost tip of the zone Wednesday under a NATO-sanctioned accord meant to curb the rebel threat and the movement of fighters and supplies to guerillas in Macedonia. A cease-fire is in effect, and talks between Serbia and ethnic Albanian leaders are set for next week. MACEDONIA: Calling themselves the National Liberation Army, black-uniformed fighters have been clashing with Macedonian border troops since mid-February in a strip of land abutting Kosovo. As in the buffer zone, the fighters say they are struggling for greater rights for Macedonia's ethnic Albanians, which make up about a quarter of the country's 2 million people. But there are fears that the goal is again to link predominantly ethnic Albanian border areas to Kosovo as part of an overall independence plan. KOSOVO: The Serbian province has been spared major fighting since NATO and the United Nations established control in mid-1999. But ethnic violence is common, and Kosovo supplies fighters and weapons for both the southern Serbian and Macedonian insurgencies, reflecting the common cause of militants in all three regions. Seeking to cut off supplies, NATO moved U.S. and other peacekeepers close to the border with Macedonia in early March. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:15:40 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:15:40 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] History of Albanian Insurrection Message-ID: <77.118a2fe7.27e18ddc@aol.com> History of Albanian Insurrection .c The Associated Press The ethnic Albanian insurrection in the southern Balkans spread to a new front early this year, spreading unrest that threatens to flare into a new Balkan war: Jan. 22: Grenade attack on police station in Tearce, ethnic Albanian village in western Macedonia, kills one policeman and injures three. New group calling itself the National Liberation Army claims responsibility. Feb. 17: Border patrol exchanges fire with ethnic Albanian militants near village of Tanusevci. Feb. 26: Insurgents in Tanusevci open fire on police, drawing army units into clashes. Feb. 27: NATO sends advisers to help Macedonia contain budding insurrection and moves more observers to Kosovo boundary. March 4: Three Macedonian army soldiers killed near Tanusevci, two whose vehicle hit land mine, the third hit by sniper fire. March 5: Macedonian authorities announce plan coordinated with NATO to combat guerilla activity, start calling up reservists for duty with border guard units. March 7: U.S. peacekeepers in Kosovo wound two men in gunbattle near Macedonian border. March 8: Ethnic Albanian guerillas ambush Macedonian police convoy near Tanusevci, killing at least one policeman. March 10: Rebels call for constitutional changes and end to alleged discrimination against ethnic Albanians in Macedonian political institutions. March 13: Rally organized by moderate ethnic Albanian party draws about 30,000 people in Skopje, the capital. March 14: Rally organized by ethnic Albanian militants draws 5,000 in Tetovo, Macedonia's second-largest city. Heavy shooting erupts in suburbs in first case of fighting spreading past rural areas. State radio reports at least 10 people injured, including eight policemen. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:17:04 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:17:04 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Yugoslav patriarch warns against Albanian extremism Message-ID: Yugoslav patriarch warns against Albanian extremism BELGRADE, March 14 (Reuters) - Patriarch Pavle, the head of the Serbian Orthodox church, urged world leaders on Wednesday to contain ethnic Albanian extremism which he said was threatening to engulf the Balkans. In a letter to the United Nations Secretary General and to leaders of Russia, the United States, Germany, France and Britain, Pavle said Kosovo, now administered by the U.N., had become a centre of terrorism. "I expect you to do everything in your power to put a halt to the evil, which is growing every day, and to save people's lives and preserve the peace we all hold dear," Pavle was quoted by Tanjug news agency as saying in his letter. Pavle's letter came as Yugoslav forces moved into a buffer zone next to the Kosovo boundary in a bid to clamp down on ethnic Albanian guerrillas while violence flared inside Kosovo and in neighbouring Macedonia. Pavle said that the U.N. mission in Kosovo, which took over the province in 1999 after NATO's three-month air campaign against Yugoslavia for repression of ethnic Albanians, was not fulfilling its task of halting evil and lawlessnes. Terrorism had spread to the southern parts of Serbia, bordering Kosovo, while in Kosovo itself extremists continued attacks on the Serb minority, he said. "Now, when Yugoslav authorities are trying to resolve the crisis in a peaceful and democratic way for the good of all the citizens and the country...Albanian extremists are committing greater evils every day," he said. "Who guarntees that like a torch, this terrorism will not spread (its fire) to neighbouring countries if it is not halted?" the patriarch said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:21:19 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:21:19 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia on alert for new ethnic fighting Message-ID: <87.82ab3e9.27e18f2f@aol.com> Macedonia on alert for new ethnic fighting By Anatoly Verbin TETOVO, Macedonia, March 15 (Reuters) - Macedonia girded itself on Thursday for more of the guerrilla attacks which have prompted international fears that ethnic Albanian nationalism is re-igniting the Balkan tinderbox. Rebels apparently seeking greater Albanian rights exchanged heavy fire on Wednesday with security forces outside the city of Tetovo, bringing the newest Balkan conflict to the heartland of the Albanians who make up a third of Macedonia's population. The fighting overshadowed the deployment of Yugoslav forces in a buffer zone next to Kosovo in a NATO-backed effort to clamp down on ethnic Albanian rebels in southern Serbia and stop them linking up with the gunmen in Macedonia. Exchanges of machinegun fire and occasional mortar blasts echoed from the hills a mile (1.5 km) just outside Tetovo for much of the day, and fires spread through the woods. The local hospital said 11 police and three civilians had been wounded. Moreover, several thousand radical ethnic Albanians rallied in Tetovo in support of the rebels, who call themselves the National Liberation Army (NLA), and chanted in appreciation of every burst of shooting coming from the mountains. "NEW FLASHPOINTS" "Unfortunately, we have information that new flashpoints might appear throughout the country," Interior Ministry spokesman Stevo Pendarovski told a news conference on Wednesday. His ministry said it believed 200 "terrorists" from ethnic Albanian Kosovo had crossed into Macedonia the previous night. If the guerrillas were emboldened by the success of their ethnic kin in Kosovo in enlisting the help of NATO against Yugoslavia to establish self-rule in 1999, there was no encouragement this time from the international community. "Any claims these groups have should be put forward in a peaceful manner, in a political context and according to democratic principles," EU president Sweden said in a statement, voicing "deep alarm" at the latest violence. U.S. Balkans envoy James Pardew told reporters in the Kosovo capital Pri stina: "This is a small group of extremists who are simply trying to use intimidation and violence to pursue their own political agenda... "These people are seriously damaging the relationship between the international community, regional neighbours and Kosovars, particularly the Albanian population of Kosovo." Western governments have said there are some problems with Macedonia's treatment of its one-third Albanian minority but have praised the current government, which includes the main ethnic Albanian party, for its efforts to address them. BUFFER ZONE DEPLOYMENT As part of a NATO-backed plan to nip the fighting in the bud, Yugoslav forces moved into the southernmost tip of the buffer zone around Kosovo on Wednesday, at the point where it meets the Macedonian border. The deployment followed a ceasefire between the security forces and Albanian guerrillas in the Presevo Valley. The guerrillas have operated in the zone for over a year, saying they are protecting local ethnic Albanians from Serbian state persecution and trying to get the area annexed to Kosovo. Despite fears that the Yugoslav forces could be targeted, the deployment passed off peacefully. NATO worked closely with Yugoslav officers, their enemies in the Kosovo conflict only two years ago, in planning the deployment -- a reflection of its desire to bolster the reformers who have replaced Slobodan Milosevic in power. But events inside U.N.-ruled Kosovo on Wednesday underscored the continuing volatility in the region. Serbs threw rocks and bottles at peacekeepers, attacked three U.N. police officers in their homes and set ablaze at least one car and one house, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said. A grenade was also thrown at one house. The angry crowds, protesting against the arrest of several Serbs suspected of assaulting police officers, also entered the homes of non-Serbs and U.N. police. From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:18:37 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:18:37 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Presevo Albanians wary of buffer zone deployment Message-ID: <5a.126fdfea.27e18e8d@aol.com> Presevo Albanians wary of buffer zone deployment By Fredrik Dahl and Dragan Stankovic PRESEVO, Yugoslavia, March 14 (Reuters) - While NATO praised the Yugoslav army's move into a buffer zone along the Kosovo boundary on Wednesday, local ethnic Albanians voiced fear and mistrust at the sight of armed soldiers near their homes. "They are very nervous," said Riza Halimi, an ethnic Albanian community leader. "They have bitter memories." Serb forces stand accused by Western governments and international human rights organisations of committing widespread atrocities against Albanians in Kosovo during the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict. Halimi, mayor of the town of Presevo and leader of the Presevo Valley region's largest ethnic Albanian political party, alleged Serbian troops had also harassed Albanians in the border area during that time. His words were echoed by local people. "We think the worst. What can we expect now when they are back?" asked a man in his 30s in the rural village of Miratovac, saying he was too afraid to give his name to a reporter. But Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Barrons, a British officer with the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force observing the deployment, said that so far, the Yugoslav forces were acting correctly this time around. "So far, as far as I'm able to tell, the army has behaved perfectly well," he told Reuters outside the local school. NATO is giving Serbian forces the chance to show they can adhere to modern human rights standards now reformers have ousted Slobodan Milosevic's authoritarian regime in Belgrade. Under an agreement with NATO, the soldiers are not allowed to base themselves inside villages. But that seemed to be of little comfort to local Albanians. "NATO made a mistake to let them into the buffer zone," said Bekam Baciri, a man in his 40s, in the hillside village of Trnava inside the buffer zone. "We can't go out into the woods because the army is there with guns, pointing guns at us." Some villagers said they believed that soldiers who had been in Kosovo during the 1998-99 conflict and carried out massacres there were now among those dep loying in the buffer zone. "It is the same army that was in Kosovo," said one man in Trnava, an unemployed bus driver. Bislim Bajrami, a local shopkeeper, said villagers were afraid even though Serbian officials had vowed they would be left in peace: "They say they are not going to bother us but we are not so sure." From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:33:15 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:33:15 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Rebels in Macedonia's Woods Unsettle Region Message-ID: <5f.1238ef6b.27e191fb@aol.com> Rebels in Macedonia's Woods Unsettle Region By CARLOTTA GALL GUSINCE, Macedonia, March 13 ? A voice called through the trees, a clink of weapons sounded, and three men in camouflage appeared on the dirt track, the red insignia with the black eagle on their sleeves. In these woods, a mile or so beyond this village in the mountains of Macedonia, is the forward position of the National Liberation Army, the Albanian rebel force that appeared in Macedonia just a few weeks ago. The rebels appear to be copying an insurgency in Albanian-populated areas in southern Serbia to the east of Kosovo. The armed activity has increased the instability of the entire region, causing anxiety for the NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo, whose goal has been to protect the Albanians. The rebels control the mountains for several miles to the north, to the border with Kosovo, encompassing a number of villages and hamlets. There is the wreckage of a police car that the rebels say they blew up last week, killing one Macedonian policeman and leaving a crater in the road. Since then, no police officers or soldiers have advanced up the road. Instead, several Macedonian police officers operate a checkpoint on the road several miles down the valley. About a dozen rebels were guarding the road here today, spread out through the trees and up the rocky hillsides. They had no vehicle, just three horses with wooden saddles. But they carried mobile phones, which they used almost like walkie-talkies, checking in with their commander about their visitors. Shelling sounded intermittently from Malino, a village two miles away. As the heavy explosion of a mortar sounded through the hills, the second in command, who uses the nom de guerre Commander Mjekrra, arrived from across the river. Bearded and fit-looking, the commander, 27, wore binoculars around his neck, a walkie-talkie in one breast pocket and a cell phone in another. The shelling lasted most of the morning. It was the Macedonian military firing on rebel positions in the village of Malino, he said. "I have based myself in a house up there," pointing to the top of a steep crag, and a mortar shell came near it, "within 10 yards," he said. According to a senior Macedonian official, government forces were mounting an attack to push the rebels out of Malino and Brest, a nearby village, back toward the border. But the rebel commanders said they were not bothering to retaliate. Commander Mjekrra said the Macedonian Army was firing from two army posts in the area. They were using an antiaircraft gun that was probably acquired from the Serbian military, he said. "I know because I am an expert by now," he said. "I have been fighting Serbs since 1991." He fought for four years in Croatia against the Yugoslav Army, then several years in Kosovo, in the last year in the Presevo Valley of southern Serbia and now in his native Macedonia, he said. He said that he commanded 700 men, mostly from Macedonia and many from the immediate area along the mountainous border. "They took the women and children down the valley and then came back to take up arms," he said. "We are waging war for the liberation of the Albanian population in Macedonia. We are not trying to change frontiers. We are just fighting for the rights of Albanians here." His superior, known as Commander Hoxha, made similar demands in an interview today by cell phone, arguing that Albanians represent the largest ethnic group in Macedonia and deserve proportional representation in government. Macedonian Slavs say they are the largest ethnic group, with 60 percent of the population. Commander Mjekrra warned that the war would continue and intensify until the Macedonian Slavs, who dominate the government and power structure, recognized the Albanian demands. "We are not going to put down our arms until we get equality," he said. In Skopje, the Macedonian capital, about 10,000 Albanians marched for peace. The march was led by Arben Xhaferi, who heads the Democratic Party of Albanians, the largest ethnic Albanian party in the country, but who has condemned the rebels' action. Mr. Xhaferi said at a news conference afterward that the Albanians wanted representation in government bodies proportional to their population, and their language to be designated an official language in the country. Whatever the government does, the rebels seem determined to block out the Macedonian army and police, taking control of Albanian-populated areas to create a zone where the central government no longer rules. The villagers of Gusince appear unsure about the rebels, but they have nothing good to say about the government, or the police. They say they have spent a year trapped between the police stationed below the village and military units posted above, on the border. "It is not going to calm down," one said. "It is going to get more and more tense." From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:39:27 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:39:27 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic aide talks of cash Message-ID: <51.8bf066d.27e1936f@aol.com> Milosevic aide talks of cash Ex-chief of Yugoslavia's largest bank speaks to authorities investigating missing billions NICOSIA (Combined reports) (AP) - The governor of Yugoslavia's central bank said yesterday a key ally of ousted President Slobodan Milosevic had made disclosures of cash being taken out of the country during his years in power. Yugoslav police are investigating reports that Milosevic and his close business associates spun an elaborate web of front companies in Cyprus and elsewhere to bust sanctions against Yugoslavia, looting the country in the process. Borka Vucic, ex-chairwoman of Beogradska Banka, Yugoslavia's largest bank, has started talking to authorities investigating the whereabouts of billions of dollars, central bank governor Mladjan Dinkic told reporters. Vucic, who once headed Beogradska's offshore operations in Cyprus, is a long-time acquaintance of Milosevic. The two worked together at Beogradska before Milosevic turned to politics. Dinkic was in Cyprus yesterday, giving authorities information on suspect accounts he said were used by the Milosevic regime. "We came with key evidence because one of the key Milosevic bankers, Vucic, has started to talk with us and told us the whole procedure," Dinkic said. Dinkic, part of a group of reformers that ousted Milosevic last October, has said in the past that up to $4 billion was taken from Yugoslavia to Cyprus stuffed in suitcases. "She didn't mention the figure. That is just our estimation," said Dinkic, who replied with a simple "yes" when asked if Vucic had given the information about the suitcases. But he said he did not know where the money was now. Some of it was spent, he said, for financing "social peace, companies, sometimes buying weapons." Names and accounts The Cypriot central bank revoked Beogradska's operating license on the island last year, citing insolvency. Vucic has told authorities that everything she did was for the benefit of the state, Dinkic said. "Our mission is to check (if) the transactions were really made for the benefit of the state, which we don't believe at all, or if there was some private interest. "I think it was mixed. Some operations were made because of sanctions but some were made to enrich some of Milosevic's people," he said. Dinkic was invited to Cyprus after a barrage of press reports on the island's role in breaching the sanctions. He said he had come with "certain account numbers and news of offshore companies belonging to non-Yugoslav residents." He has asked Cypriot authorities to investigate data going back to 1989. Authorities in Cyprus have categorically denied it was knowingly a haven for illicit Serbian funds. "I can tell you that Cyprus was only one of many countries used by the Yugoslav regime, it was not the only one," said Dinkic, adding that the paper trail also led to Germany, Switzerland, Britain, South Africa and China. He praised the attitude of the Cypriot authorities, saying, "I must say Cyprus is the first country which undertook the concrete step of cooperation." At the request of the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Cyprus has frozen the accounts of six firms suspected of having close ties with Milosevic. Last week, the government froze an additional 18 offshore company accounts at the tribunal's request, Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Cassoulides said. Yugoslavia is also probing allegations that profits from gold sold illegally from Serbia during Milosevic's rule was stashed abroad. One of the companies named as handling the transactions is registered in Cyprus. Authorities have been unable to trace any of the firm's bank accounts, official sources told Reuters. The United States on Monday urged the Cypriot authorities to cooperate with Belgrade and the international tribunal in criminal investigations against Milosevic. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington was pleased that officials in Cyprus had offered to assist. "There is some cooperation which is obviously welcome, but we would look for the fullest possible cooperation between Cypriot officials and tribunal cooperation with Belgrade," Boucher told reporters. "It is a matter between Cyprus and the new government in Belgrade, between Cyprus and the international tribunal, and between Cyprus and its international obligations under the United Nations," he said. Dinkic will continue his round of contacts with officials of the Cyprus Central Bank and other government ministers until tomorrow. (Reuters, AFP) From Gazhebo at aol.com Wed Mar 14 22:41:46 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 22:41:46 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian show of force in Skopje, Tetovo Message-ID: <88.3b0a66d.27e193fa@aol.com> Albanian show of force in Skopje, Tetovo Militants claim state 'terrorism' By Stavros Tzimas Kathimerini SKOPJE - Ethnic Albanians of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia staged a peace march yesterday from the town of Tetovo to Skopje, as one of the initiatives some Albanians are taking to try overturn the image that they have acquired internationally as a destabilizing force in the region. But at the same time, fighting continued in the border region and militant groups are planning a rally in an ethnic Albanian stronghold today, warning that they "have no choice but to take up arms." The government of FYROM reported fierce skirmishes with armed Albanian rebels near the border villages of Malino Malo and Brest yesterday. Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski told the visiting leader of Greece's Left Coalition, Nikos Constandopoulos, that he rejected the demand by the rebels for a federal state. He blamed their campaign on outside intervention. About 10,000 people took part in yesterday's march, which ended in Skopje's Macedonia Square. Democratic Albanian Party leader Arben Xhaferi, who is part of FYROM's ruling coalition, said that his people had peaceful intentions. But he avoided condemning the extremists. Political observers said that yesterday's rally could not be taken as representative of the climate in the ethnic Albanian strongholds of Tetovo and Gostivar. Focus has now shifted to today's rally in Tetovo (about 30 kilometers west of Skopje). Among the organizers is the National Democratic Party, which appears to be the political wing of the armed extremists and which is supported in secret by the parties opposed to the government and Xhaferi. As the militant president of the illegal ethnic Albanian university in Tetovo, Fadhil Suleymani, told Kathimerini, the rally is aimed "at showing the true feeling of our people." This feeling has been expressed in a pamphlet that has been distributed as far as Greece. "This is the last time that we inform the international community that the Albanians who live in Macedonia are not terrorists. We want education and human rights," it said. "It is the Macedonian state, their army and their police who keep killing Albanians, chasing them out of their border villages. We are not terrorists but we are determined to defend our threatened national existence by any means. The Albanians of Macedonia, faced by Macedonian state terrorism, have no choice but to take up arms and defend themselves." From artin_spahiu at yahoo.com Wed Mar 14 23:20:48 2001 From: artin_spahiu at yahoo.com (Artin Spahiu) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 20:20:48 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Thirrje In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010315042048.63542.qmail@web10010.mail.yahoo.com> Bashkohem teresisht me idene e Nikut; nje kryengritje shqiptare tani ne Maqedoni, nuk do bente gje tjeter vecse, do i paraqiste shqiptaret si nje popull me veti shume te cuditshme katalitiko-agresive dhe do sherbente si nje evidence per krijimin me dhune te se perfolures "Shqiperi e Madhe". Asti, gjuj me gura me te vegjel :) --- Kreshnik Bejko wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > >Shoke e miq, > > > >Bej thirrje per nje diskutim lidhur me te mirat e > te > >keqijat qe mund te vijne nga kryengritja e > shqiptareve > >te Maqedonise. > > C'kryengritje? Nje grup fshataresh me te drejte te > zemeruar nga neglizhenca > 10 vjecare e Shkupit qe s'i > njeh as si qytetare Maqedone, e i ka lene pa uje e > rruge, nuk mund te quhen > kryengrites (ne kuptimin politik te fjales) > > > > >Po e hedh vete gurin e pare. > > > >Pasi shumica legjislative maqedonase kundershtoi me > >force per nje dekade barazimin me pakicen > legjislative > >shqiptare, nje rryme politike shqiptare vendosi te > >rrise fuqine e saj kuvenduese nepermjet nje > >kryengritjeje te armatosur. Nuk tingellon shume > keq, > >apo jo? > > Rryma politike qe s'e ka haberin e rrymave te tjera > politike as qe mund te > quhet e tille. Arber Xhaferri > mund ti siguroje te drejta shqiptareve pa dhune. Do > kohe po....Kryengritja e armatosur nga Maqedonia > prish me > shume pune tani pasi ve ne pikepyetje te ardhmen e > Kosoves. Sido qe te jete > duhet bere dhe perendimi te kuptoje qe idealet > multietnike jane pa vlere ne > Ballkan > qe eshte krijuar sipas koncepteve kolonialiste te > fuqive te medha. Pa nje > fuqi te tille ne ekzistence ndarjet e sotme > administrative s'kane kuptim e > duhen ndryshuar. Bashkohem me dr. Sam Vaknin...duhet > nje Kongres i Dyte > i Berlinit. O burra Asto, te dalim me nje deklarate > (si organizate > studentore pasi te gjehet lidershipi) e te kerkojme > kete!:) > > > > >__________________________________________________ > >Do You Yahoo!? > >Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great > prices. > >http://auctions.yahoo.com/ > >_______________________________________________________ > >ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com > > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Thu Mar 15 11:22:43 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 11:22:43 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Events at Harvard Message-ID: March 9, 2001 Coexistence Panel to Explore Ethnic Tension On Thursday, April 5, a panel titled "Does Coexistence Mean I have to Like You? Practical Wisdom for Dealing with Ethnic Tensions" will be presented in Langdell Hall South at Harvard Law School from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. Panelists will include Darko Jordanov, a Macedonian, and Herbi Elmazi, an ethnic Albanian, who have developed a joint project to increase communication and constructive relationships between Albanians and Macedonians in the South-Slavic region. In the last few weeks, growing tensions in Macedonia between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians threaten to precipitate a regional war not unlike the catastrophic conflict which occurred in Kosovo a few years ago. This evening panel will explore the work Jordanov and Elmazi are doing to offset ethnic strife. Other members of the panel are Drs. Sara Cobb, Executive Director of the Program on Negotiation; Roger Fisher, Director of the Harvard Negotiation Project; and Dan Shapiro, Associate at the Harvard Negotiation Project. They will join Jordanov and Elmazi in reflecting on the challenges of coexistence and conflict management among ethnic groups. In this discussion, special attention will be paid to the role of emotions in conflict management: How do groups coexist given the fears and realities of their relationship with the other? The panel is the first meeting in a series on the role of emotion in negotiation. Fisher, author of the negotiation classic Getting to YES (2nd ed. 1991), and Shapiro are working on a book on this subject. Panelists invite all members of the Harvard community to participate in this discussion of a subject with implications for peace in many regions of the world. For further information contact Dan Shapiro: dlshapir at law.harvard.edu. From mkristo1 at hotmail.com Thu Mar 15 12:40:54 2001 From: mkristo1 at hotmail.com (marko kristo) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 17:40:54 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Press: The National Herald; Anastasios meets with Epirotans Message-ID: Anastasios meets with Epirotans (from The National Herald, New York, USA, March 2001) During his stay in New York City last week, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and all Albania visited the Epirotan Federation at their headquarters in Astoria. Anastasios spoke to those present about the condition of the Albanian nation - a topic of extreme importance to Epirotans being that they can understand and relate to the issues and concerns of those in Albania as a result of their own personal acquaintance with Northern Epiros. Anastasios, who also answered questions from the audience concerning what they can do to help relatives and friends in Northern Epiros, said that Albania is very much in need of schools. The Society of Epirotans, "Anagenisis-Souliotissai", presented the Archbishop with a check to help further his work in Albania. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From ipilika at hotmail.com Thu Mar 15 14:26:53 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 19:26:53 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Time: 'Macedonia Is Going the Way of Kosovo and Bosnia' Message-ID: 'Macedonia Is Going the Way of Kosovo and Bosnia' Cell Phone From Skopje: TIME correspondent Dejan Anastasijevic sees the latest fighting as the opening scene of yet another Balkan tragedy BY TONY KARON Wednesday, Mar. 14, 2001 TIME.com: Despite the efforts of NATO and the Macedonian security forces to tamp down the Albanian insurgency along the Kosovo border, there were new clashes today at Tetovo, deep inside Macedonia. Is Macedonia headed for a civil war? Dejan Anastasijevic: It's not the beginning of a new war ? not yet, but the warning signs are there. What we have here is a spillover from Kosovo, and it's not going to go away; it's going to get worse. The "new" guerrilla force calling itself the National Liberation Army and claiming to represent Macedonia's Albanian minority is not new at all. It's simply the KLA under a new name, whose Albanian acronym, UCK, is exactly the same as it was in Kosovo. Its commanders are all former KLA commanders, who have the backing of their friends in Kosovo. And it's being funded by the same "Homeland" fund based in Switzerland that funded the KLA. So it's the same people trying to do the same thing all over again ? their immediate objective is self-rule for Albanians in whichever country they may live. That's the first step. The second step is unification of those Albanian enclaves with Albania. Does the new insurgency have the support of Macedonia's Albanians? The majority probably feel a little bit uncomfortable about these guys. They don't have overwhelming general support, but what happened today in Tetovo demonstrates that they have enough support to start serious trouble. A crowd of Albanian nongovernmental organizations was marching to protest police brutality, although there have been no recent reports of police brutality ? the incidents cited tend to have occurred some time ago. And then the moment gunfire started, this same crowd began chanting "KLA, KLA" and attacking non-Albanian journalists watching the scene. So this guerrilla force certainly has enough support to start serious trouble. It's important to note that while previous skirmishes occurred along the border with Kosovo, this was deep inside Macedonia. Joint efforts by Macedonian security forces and KFOR managed to eradicate several NLA outposts on the border. As a result of this wipeout, they've moved the theater of operations deeper into Macedonia, where KFOR cannot help. And because it's now an internal matter, the Macedonian constitution also prevents the use of the military. So the Macedonian authorities are forced to rely on lightly armed special police, who are outgunned by the NLA. What about NATO? Surely this puts tremendous pressure on the alliance to clamp down, so as to avoid yet another disastrous Balkan war breaking out? NATO's hands are tied now that the conflict has moved deeper into Macedonia. Tanusevci [the village U.S. troops helped Macedonia recapture] was in full view of NATO forces guarding the Kosovo border. But inside Macedonia, they have no leverage. They have no mandate to do anything. NATO obviously wants to avoid another Balkan war, but the trouble has started and it's not going to go away. They could crack down on the logistical support the NLA is getting from Kosovo, and on the guys there pulling the strings. NATO knows who these people are. But that would mean spoiling friendships with some key players on the Albanian political scene, and new confrontations in Kosovo, which they also want to avoid. Political and legal concerns will probably prevent NATO from doing anything. They're trying to start a peace process, but it's not really in the interests of the NLA to negotiate a solution, because if they're not manufacturing flash points, they cease to be important and the politicians take over. The politicians are also trying to exploit the situation, calling for a renegotiation of Macedonian political arrangements, and full independence for Kosovo. You covered both Bosnia and Kosovo from the beginning of those conflicts. Is what you're seeing in Macedonia following the same pattern? Macedonia is not the same as either Bosnia or Kosovo, but it has striking and depressing similarities with both. Macedonia has a lethal combination of three factors: A group of extremists who are getting away with using violence; a corrupted government here in Skopje and the absence of any government in Kosovo, which means the authorities are unable or unwilling to take the necessary steps to stamp out violence; and a dazed and confused international community whose priority is maintaining the safety of their own personnel, and starting a "peace process" that is merely an excuse for doing nothing. The same combination was present in Kosovo and Bosnia, which allowed a low-intensity conflict to blow up into serious bloodshed and, ultimately, the destruction of the country. I'm afraid the same thing is starting here. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From kbejko at hotmail.com Thu Mar 15 15:38:39 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 15:38:39 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Press: The National Herald; Anastasios meets with Epirotans Message-ID: Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!! The Archbishop is gathering funds to open Albanian schools in Greece! (because as far as I know there's no Epiros in Albania as an administrative unit). >Anastasios meets with Epirotans > >(from The National Herald, New York, USA, March 2001) > >During his stay in New York City last week, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana >and all Albania visited the Epirotan Federation at their headquarters in >Astoria. Anastasios spoke to those present about the condition of the >Albanian nation - a topic of extreme importance to Epirotans being that >they >can understand and relate to the issues and concerns of those in Albania as >a result of their own personal acquaintance with Northern Epiros. > >Anastasios, who also answered questions from the audience concerning what >they can do to help relatives and friends in Northern Epiros, said that >Albania is very much in need of schools. > >The Society of Epirotans, "Anagenisis-Souliotissai", presented the >Archbishop with a check to help further his work in Albania. >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > >_______________________________________________________ >ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From aalibali at yahoo.com Thu Mar 15 19:44:26 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 16:44:26 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kristoforidhi Message-ID: <20010316004426.40763.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> Ekspozite mbi Kostandin Kristoforidhin; do te prezantohen 120 dokumenta historike TIRANE, 15 Mars/ATSH-Klotilda Bi?aku/.- Rreth 120 dokumente historike mbi krijimtarine e studiuesit Kostandin Kristoforidhi, pjese e fondit te Arkivave te Shqiperise, do te paraqiten ne nje ekspozite ne 21 mars ne Universitetin "Aleksander Xhuvani" ne Elbasan. E organizuar ne kuader te 106 vjetorit te vdekjes se Kristoforidhit nga Drejtoria e Pergjithshme e Arkivave te Shqiperise dhe Universiteti "Aleksander Xhuvani" ne Elbasan pjese e kesaj ekspozite eshte edhe zhvillimi i nje simpoziumi ku do te trajtohet figura dhe krijimtaria e tij. Dokumentet origjinale te shkruara nga vete Kristoforidhi e paraqesin ate si nje nder themeluesit e alfabetit shqip, perkthyesin e shkrimeve te shenjta, autor te fjalorit te pare shqip-greqisht me 70 mije fjale, autor te tregimit te pare artistik ne gjuhen shqipe etj. Nje vend te ve?ante zene ne kete ekspozite edhe disa fotografi te studiuesit Kristoforidhi me veprimtare te njohur te Rilindjes Kombetare si Ibrahim Teno, Hasan Tasinin, Faik Konica, etj. Shaban Sinani, drejtor i Drejtorise se Pergjithshme te Arkivave i tha ATSH-se se, "Arqipeshkivia Katolike e Shkodres ka autorizuar mbajtjen e liturgjise mbi bazen e tekstit shqip te perkthyer nga Kristoforidhi, per shkak te cilesise se larte te perkthimit te saj". Levrues dhe studiues i shquar i gjuhes shqipe, veprimtar i Rilindjes Kombetare i arsimit dhe i kultures Kostandin Kristoforidhi dha nje ndihmese te madhe ne levrimin e gjuhes shqipe si dhe ne hapjen e shkollave shqipe. Ne vitin 1886 ai botoi perkthimin e pare gegerisht "Kater Ungjijte dhe punet e Apostujve", me pas "Psallmet", toskerisht dhe gegerisht etj. Kristoforidhi ishte gjithashtu mbledhes i shprehjeve dhe fjaleve te urta nga populli. Ne vitin 1867 ai botoi "Abetaren" gegerisht dhe me 1868 toskerisht si dhe libra te vegjel per nxenesit. Vepra themelore Kristoforidhit, per te cilen punoi gjithe jeten, eshte "Fjalori i gjuhes shqipe"./f.n/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Thu Mar 15 19:48:22 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 19:48:22 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Query: Greece and United States Relations After 1990s Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: fbieber at yahoo.com Subject: [balkans] Query: Greece and United States Relations After 1990s Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 09:43:49 +0100 Size: 1875 URL: From albboschurch at juno.com Fri Mar 16 04:18:27 2001 From: albboschurch at juno.com (albboschurch at juno.com) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 04:18:27 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] FW: Lexoje dhe shperndaje nder shqiptare! Message-ID: <20010316.041912.-483507.6.albboschurch@juno.com> -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: GMyftiu at aol.com Subject: Fwd: FW: Lexoje dhe shperndaje nder shqiptare! Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 08:41:15 EST Size: 7625 URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Fri Mar 16 07:27:28 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 04:27:28 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kathimerini Message-ID: <20010316122728.6518.qmail@web11502.mail.yahoo.com> Archbishop Christodoulos has uncovered an international Jewish plot that prompted the Greek government's controversial decision to remove mention of religious belief from state identity cards. In an interview with yesterday's Vima daily, the head of the Church of Greece backed up his claim with what he called evidence. "Do you know who is behind the identity card matter?" he asked the Vima interviewer. "The Jews, and for the first time we have evidence of that." The 62-year-old archbishop said he got wind of the plot by surfing the internet. "We found a page belonging to the World Jewish Council. But recently they got wise and removed it." Christodoulos said the site mentioned that Prime Minister Costas Simitis, during a state visit to the US in 1996, was approached by a Jewish delegation. "Firstly, they asked him for a monument to the Jews of Salonica (who died in Nazi concentration camps)," he said. "This was built. Then, they asked for religious faith to be taken off state ID cards." The Church says 2.5 million Greeks have signed a petition for a referendum on the matter. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From albboschurch at juno.com Fri Mar 16 09:44:17 2001 From: albboschurch at juno.com (albboschurch at juno.com) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 09:44:17 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Arratisja Nga Integrimi: Esai te Mentor Aganit Message-ID: <20010316.100806.-375841.5.albboschurch@juno.com> [ Nje esai te Mentor Aganit, i biri i Fehmi Aganit, ndjes pas, mejdimtar dhe zyrtar i Kosoves qe ra deshmor i pafajshem. ] Mentor AGANI ARRATISJA NGA INTEGRIMI Nj?ri nd?r mendimtar?t e m?dhenj p?r shoq?rin?, dhe n? fakt, nj?ri nd?r themeluesit e psikologjis? sociale, Erich From, q? n? fillim t? librit t? tij t? mir?njohur Arratisja nga liria (Escape from Liberty), na ballafaqon me nj?rin nd?r paradokset e m?dha q? ka t? b?j? me lirin?, e q? e kishin v?rejtur dhe shqyrtuar shum? filozof? politik?. Fjala ?sht? p?r dukurin? q? pjesa m? e madhe e atyre t? cil?t n? sken? shfaqen si luft?tar?t m? t? m?dhenj p?r liri, p?rfundojn? n? pozitat e armiqve t? saj. Pra, pasi ta arrijn? lirin? q? e kan? d?shiruar, nuk pranojn? q? at? ta ken? edhe t? tjer?t. N? k?t? m?nyr? ata, n? fakt, luftojn? p?r lirin? p?r vete dhe jo p?r lirin? n? vete. Dhe ky ?sht? thelbi i paradoksit: duke p?rfunduar n? munges?n e gatishm?ris? t? luftojn? p?r lirin? n? vete, ata shnd?rrohen n? armiq t? liris?, pra t? asaj p?r t? cil?n kishin luftuar n? fillim. Duket q? koh?t e fundit nj? paradoks n? t?r?si analog me k?t? p?r lirin? ?sht? duke u shfaqur edhe lidhur me integrimet: ata q? n? sken? shfaqen si luft?tar?t m? t? m?dhenj p?r integrime, nj? her? pasi ato t?i arrijn? p?r vete, duket sikur b?jn? ?mos t? mos u lejojn? t? tjer?ve q? ato t?i arrijn? fare. Dhe ? ngjash?m me luft?tar?t kund?r liris?, n? em?r t? liris? ? edhe k?ta ?integralist?? luft?n kund?r integrimeve e b?jn? n? em?r t? tyre. Mt: Lulja dhe rr?nj?t Treguesi i k?tij paradoksi, pra i arratisjes nga integrimet, doli n? sken? para nj? kohe, n? disa p?rpjekje p?r argumentimin e ndonj? mbetjeje t? Kosov?s n? trajt? t? nj? republike t? tret? n? Jugosllavin? e kat?rt. K?to p?rpjekje shum? shpejt u zhduk?n, thuaja ata q? i b?n? nga to edhe u frik?suan: por, e kam nj? p?rshtypje se p?rpjekjet e tilla k?t? zhdukje e kan? vet?m t? p?rkohshme, dhe se edhe shum? her?, do t? paraqiten p?r t?u zhdukur shum? shpejt, dhe do t? zhduken p?r t?u riparaqitur. ??shtja e statusit p?rfundimtar t? Kosov?s ?sht? nj? ??shtje tejet e r?nd?sishme p?r shum?k?, k?shtu q? ?sht? v?shtir? t? supozohet se ndonj? t?rheqje e atyre q? do t? kishin d?shir? Kosova t? mbetej n? Jugosllavi mund t? jet? e p?rhershme. Prandaj kam p?rshtypjen se nj? loj? e till? e tipit ftoht?-nxeht?, lidhur me statusin p?rfundimtar t? Kosov?s, do t? luhet edhe nj? koh? t? gjat?. P?r k?t? arsye p?rfaq?suesit shqiptar? do t? duhej t? jen? sa m? t? p?rgatitur q? n? t? ardhmen, t? jen? t? gatsh?m dhe t? aft? q?, secil?n her? q? fillon ndonj? muhabet p?r pavar?si t? jen? n? gjendje n? m?nyr? thelb?sore t? d?shmojn? se ashtu duhet, dhe secil?n her? q? t? niset ndonj? muhabet p?r Jugosllavin? t? jen? n? gjendje q? n? m?nyr? t? argumentuar ta d?shmojn? se ashtu nuk mundet. Prandaj edhe do t?i shqyrtoja n? vazhdim disa prova t? tilla q? m? duken m? relevantet, ku, q? n? fillim, po e theksoj se pik?risht ato d?shmi q? p?rmenden m? s? tep?rmi si argumente kryesore p?r mospavar?simin e Kosov?s, pas nj? analize m? t? thuk?t dalin t? jen? argumentet m? t? fuqishme p?r pavar?simin e saj. Po ashtu ? ky edhe ?sht? q?llimi kryesor i k?tij eseu ? do t? p?rpiqem t? d?shmoj se cilado zgjidhje q? nuk e p?rfshin pavar?simin e Kosov?s, jo vet?m q? ?sht? e pap?rshtatshme p?r pal?n shqiptare ? fundja k?t? e dim? t? gjith? ? por si zgjidhje ?sht? m? e pap?rshtatshmja pik?risht p?r bashk?sin? nd?rkomb?tare. Sado q? bashk?sis? nd?rkomb?tare mund t?i duket si nj? zgjidhje q? ?sht? m? e lehta p?r t?. Pse p?rpjekjen p?r ta ruajtur Jugosllavin? e quaj pik?risht arratisje nga integrimet? Q? t?i p?rgjegjemi k?saj pyetjeje do t? duhej ta shikonim kontekstin n? t? cilin t? gjitha jan? duke ndodhur. Integrimet n? pjes?n per?ndimore t? Evrop?s kan? arritur tep?r larg: ?sht? fakt se aty ka mbetur shum? p?r t?u b?r?, por ?sht? edhe fakti se tep?r shum? edhe ?sht? p?rfunduar. Dhe tash Evropa po p?rpiqet t? gjej? ndonj? zgjidhje p?r Ballkanin, q? do t? b?nte t? mundshme q? edhe Ballkani n? nj? t? ardhme t? filloj? t? bashk?renditet. Nd?rkaq, ndonj? Jugosllavi, qoft? edhe si konfederat?, me Kosov?n n? t?, si zgjidhje deri n? at? mas? ?sht? kund?r logjik?s, saq? me vet ekzistimin e saj do t?i frenonte proceset e integrimeve t? ardhshme ballkanike. Nuk ?sht? k?tu fjala p?r at? argumentin t? cilin aq shum? e p?rmendin ata q? d?shirojn? t?i arsyetojn? q?ndrimet e kosovar?ve, pra p?r at? se nj? zgjidhje e till? ?sht? e padrejt? ndaj shqiptar?ve pas t? gjitha krimeve t? b?ra ndaj tyre. Zgjidhja n? trajt? t? Jugosllavis? me Kosov?n n? t? do t? ishte e padrejt? ndaj shqiptar?ve edhe sikur kurr? asnj? krim t? mos ishte b?r? ndaj tyre nga Jugosllavia. Zgjidhja n? trajt? t? Jugosllavis? p?r Kosov?n ?sht? e padrejt? ndaj shqiptar?ve jo pse nuk i merr parasysh faktet, por pse nuk i respekton parimet. Apo, th?n? ndryshe, kjo zgjidhje ?sht? e padrejt?, jo pse nuk i merr parasysh krimet e b?ra ndaj shqiptar?ve, por pse nuk e respekton at? q? kosovar?t jan? ata q? duhet t? vendosin p?r ardhm?nin? e Kosov?s. E pos q? kjo zgjidhje nuk i respekton parimet ? paj po, ajo nuk i merr parasysh faktet gjithashtu. P?r ta sqaruar m? mir? k?t? t? t?r?n, do t? propozoja p?r shqyrtim k?tu edhe nj? mund?si tjet?r p?r statusin final t? Kosov?s: zgjidhjen n? trajt? t? bashkimit t? Kosov?s me Shqip?rin?. E kam t? qart? se nj? zgjidhje e till?, qoft? edhe vet?m si ide, do t?ua ngrit? flok?t p?rpjet? dashamir?ve t? Jugosllavis?: kjo zgjidhje, p?r ta, ?sht? e papranueshme madje edhe p?r t?u diskutuar. Mir?po, problemi i tyre nuk ?sht? ai q? zgjidhja n? trajt? t? bashkimit t? Kosov?s me Shqip?ri ?sht? nj? zgjidhje q? duhet shqyrtuar; dhe as ai se kjo ?sht? zgjidhja m? e mir? e mundshme; dhe as se ?sht? zgjidhja e vetme e mundshme. Problemi i dashamir?ve t? Jugosllavis? lidhur me k?t? zgjidhje n? trajt? t? bashkimit t? Kosov?s me Shqip?rin? ?sht? se kjo ?sht? e vetmja zgjidhje logjike e mundshme. Dikush, mbase, do t? mund t? habitej k?tu: si ?sht? e mundshme q? t? k?rkohet edhe politik? edhe logjik?!? Por, ??shtja mb?shtetet k?tu ? nuk e shqyrtoj zgjidhjen e problemit t? Kosov?s nga prizmi i politik?s komb?tare. K?tu problemin e Kosov?s e v?shtroj nga prizmi i integrimeve t? d?shirueshme ballkanike: integrimet e tilla mund t? b?hen jo si pasoja t? nj? ?politike t? arsyeshme?, por vet?m si pasoja t? nj? politike t? arsyeshme t? p?rcjell? me nj? gjendje t? logjikshme. Pra, nuk ?sht? k?tu pyetja e cila, nga prizmi i integrimeve ballkanike do t? mund t? shtrohej, se n? mb?shtetje t? cil?s t? drejt? mund t? k?rkohet nga shqiptar?t t? pranojn? t? mbeten n? Jugosllavi; pyetja e cila nga ky priz?m mund t? shtrohet ?sht? se n? mb?shtetje t? cil?s logjik? mund t? pritet q? shqiptar?t t? mos d?shirojn? t? jetojn? n? Shqip?ri. V?rtet ? nj? pyetje e logjikshme p?r t? gjith? ata q? do t? donin q? s?rish t? b?jn? Jugosllavi: n? mb?shtetje t? cil?s logjik? ata presin q? shqiptar?t do t? mund t? mos d?shironin t? jetojn? n? Shqip?ri, por n? Jugosllavi? Kuptohet, shum?kujt n? Evrop? nj? ide e k?till? integrimi komb?tar shqiptar do t? mund t?i dukej e neveritshme. N? koh?n kur Evropa b?n integrime kontinentale, dikush t? b?j? integrime komb?tare? Mir?po kjo ?sht? ??shtje e p?rparimit apo e ngecjes t? integrimeve n? rajonin p?rkat?s: Evropa ka arritur n? lulen e integrimeve, nd?rkaq shqiptar?t jan? ende n? rr?nj?t e tyre. Nd?rkaq, p?r dallim nga lulja e cila ?sht? e bukur dhe me arom?, rr?nj?t jan? gjithnj? t? ndyra, thjesht p?r shkak se jan? p?rbrenda n? dh?. Mir?po, po t? priten rr?nj?t, shihet ?far? do t? ndodh? me lulen. Kjo ?sht? ajo t? cil?n e mendoj kur them ?armiq?sia ndaj integrimeve?, e atyre q? n? em?r t? integrimeve, kinse veprojn?. Integrimet ? ende t? pambira ? i k?rkojn? duke ua shkat?rruar rr?nj?t. Mt: ?ka e shpie Kosov?n kah radikalizimi? Kuptohet se n? k?t? pik?, strateg?t n? Serbi, s? bashku me Koshtunic?n i cili strategjin? e tyre e zbaton, do t? thon?: ja pra ku ?sht?. A kemi th?n? ne se pavar?simi i Kosov?s ?sht? rrezik p?r Ballkanin? A e shihni n? ??m?nyr? arsyetohet bashkimi i Kosov?s me Shqip?rin?? Si nj? zgjidhje e logjikshme. E po, n? t? nj?jt?n m?nyr? do t? arsyetohet edhe marrja e hises p?rkat?se nga Maqedonia, gj? q? do t? shkaktoj? luft?ra t? reja ballkanike. E t? cilat po ashtu do t? jen? t? logjikshme. Mir?po, ?sht? nj? ??shtje q? nuk u p?rmend k?tu ? ??shtja pse bashkimi me Shqip?rin?, meqen?se na qenka i logjiksh?m, nuk k?rkohet nga shqiptar?t e Kosov?s? Faktikisht, n? k?t? koh? kur t? gjitha partit? politike t? Kosov?s pavar?sin? e saj e p?rmendin si nj? ultimatum t? veprimtaris? s? tyre, asnj?ra sosh bashkimin me Shqip?ri nuk e p?rmend si nj? pik?synim t? vetin. Si ?sht? kjo, q? t? gjith? n? Kosov?, nuk e shohin t? logjikshme ta k?rkojn? at? t? vetmen q? ?sht? e logjikshme? Shpjegimi p?r k?t? ?sht? i thjesht?: procesi n? rrjedhje ?sht?, fundja, pas shum? e shum? koh?sh, i p?rshtatsh?m p?r shqiptar?t e Kosov?s. Nuk ?sht? ndonj? gjendje n? t?r?si e logjikshme kjo, por p?r her? t? par? pas pothuaja dy dekadash, ?sht? nj? gjendje q? nuk ?sht? e palogjikshme. Prandaj, pik?risht, procesi n? rrjedhje ?sht? ai q? neutralizon ndonj? k?rkes? m? radikale nga shqiptar?t p?r bashkim. N? k?t? situat? shtrohet pyetja ? cila do t? ishte ajo q? do t? mund t?i radikalizonte shqiptar?t e Kosov?s n? k?t? drejtim, pra sa i p?rket bashkimit me Shqip?rin??! Dhe k?tu i trokatet ??shtjes kryesore: k?t? do t? mund ta b?nte pik?risht ndonj? p?rpjekje p?r l?nien e Kosov?s n? ndonj? Jugosllavi. N?se p?rkujtojm? dy dekadat e fundit, k?to do t? mund ta d?shmonin m? s? miri. Po e shtrojm?, pra, pyetjen: n? cil?n periudh? gjat? dy dekadave t? fundit, d?shira e shqiptar?ve t? Kosov?s p?r bashkim ishte m? s? tep?rmi e shprehur? E dim? t? gjith?: menj?her? pas demonstratave t? 1981-it. Pra, n? periudh?n kur Shqip?rin? e mbret?ronte regjimi i Enver Hoxh?s. Po si do t? mund t? shpjegohej kjo? Mbase dikush do t? kishte mundur, ashtu n? hamendje, t? thot? se arsyeja p?r k?t? mb?shtetet n? faktin se grushti q? at?her? iu dha shqiptar?ve t? Kosov?s ishte i fuqish?m. Mir?po, a ishte ajo goditje e at?hershme aq e fuqishme sa k?to t? fundvitevet t? 90-ta? N?se forca godit?se ishte ajo q? p?rcaktonte fuqin? e d?shir?s s? shqiptar?ve kosovar? p?r bashkim me Shqip?ri, si ?sht? e mundshme q? n? periudh?n 97-99 kjo d?shir? p?r bashkim nuk shprehej me ndonj? intensitet t? fuqish?m, por i linte vend vet?m d?shir?s p?r pavar?si? ?sht? nj? ndjenj? q? nuk u mor parasysh k?tu ? shpresa. Shpresa ?sht? ajo q? i shpjegon t? gjithat q? ndodhnin n? shpirtin shqiptar. Ndonj? d?shir? e shprehur p?r bashkim n? periudh?n 97-99 nuk u shfaq, p?r shkak se shpresa p?r daljen nga Jugosllavia ishte e madhe. Goditjet q? na jipeshin ishin t? r?nda, por shpresa p?r daljen nga Serbia dhe Jugosllavia ishin edhe m? t? m?dha. Prandaj, edhe k?rkesa p?r bashkim me Shqip?rin? thuaja nuk kishte fare. Nd?rkaq, m? 1981, goditja ishte e fuqishme, por ajo q? e d?rrmonte shpirtin shqiptar nuk ishte aq forca e goditjes, sa ajo q? shpresa p?r daljen nga Serbia dhe Jugosllavia thuaja nuk kishte fare. Dhe kjo ishte ajo q? ndikoi t? shfaqet k?rkesa p?r bashkim, dhe q? kjo k?rkes? t? ishte aq e fuqishme. ?sht? kjo ndjenj? q? s?ka nevoj? t? shpjegohet: kur ndonj? f?mij? ?sht? n? ndonj? telash nga i cili mund t? del, ai shikon si t? del nga ai telash. Nd?rkaq, kur ndonj? f?mij? ?sht? n? ndonj? telash nga i cili nuk ka shpres? se del, ai f?mij? instiktivisht shikon se ku e ka n?n?n. N? periudh?n 97-99 Kosova shikonte si t? nxirrej. M? 1981 Kosova shikonte ku ?sht? n?na. Kur t? merret parasysh kjo e t?ra, at?her? fare leht? p?rfundohet se pik?risht prirja q? Kosova t? lihet n? Jugosllavi, e shprehur nga ana e kujtdoqoft?, ?sht? ajo e cila e rrezikon, si nd?rmarrjen e bashk?sis? nd?rkomb?tare n? Kosov?, ashtu edhe d?shirat q? integrimet evropiane ta p?rfshijn? edhe hap?sir?n ballkanike. Sepse, sa m? tep?r gjas? t? ken? p?r sukses k?to p?rpjekje p?r ta l?n? Kosov?n n? Jugosllavi, aq m? e vog?l do t? jet? shpresa e shqiptar?ve t? Kosov?s se do t? dalin nga Jugosllavia. Dhe, po qe se shpresa p?r dalje nga Jugosllavia do t? zhduket plot?sisht, at?her? mbetet vet?m nj? zgjidhje: e dua n?n?n. Dhe k?tu nuk kryen pun? argumentimi se shqiptar?t e Kosov?s nuk do ta d?shirojn? Shqip?rin? n? nj? gjendje n? t? cil?n ajo ?sht?: Shqip?ria n? gjendjen n? t? cil?n ?sht?, p?r Kosov?n ?sht? nj? zgjidhje pakufi m? e mir? se zgjidhja me cil?ndo Jugosllavi. Fundja, ?sht? dometh?n?s fakti i cili dihet fare mir?, se t? ballafaquar me Jugosllavin? me t?r? ndyr?sin? e saj, shqiptar?t e Kosov?s m? 1981 e preferonin m? shum? Shqip?rin? e Enver Hoxh?s. A ka kjo ndonj? dometh?nie p?r ata nd?rkomb?tar? t? cil?t do ta d?shironin rip?rt?ritjen e Jugosllavis?? Prandaj, argumentimi q? p?rdor? Koshtunica, mbi at? se pavar?simi i Kosov?s ?sht? i rreziksh?m p?r stabilitetin e rajonit, ?sht? i pathemel. Mospavar?simi i Kosov?s ?sht? ai i cili e rrezikon stabilitetin n? rajon. K?t? argumentim t? Koshtunic?s dhe t? propaganduesve serb?, fundja, mund ta v?shtrojm? n? vazhd?n e argumenteve t? cilat propaganda serbe i p?rdor q?moti. T? p?rkujtojm? vet?m disa nga argumentet e tilla, nga k?to dhjet? vitet e fundit. Pavar?simi i Sllovenis? rrezikonte dhe k?rc?nonte stabilitetin e rajonit: ishte argument t? cilin propaganda serbe e ul?rinte kur Serbia e luftonte pavar?simin e Sllovenis?. Pavar?simi i Kroacis? rrezikonte dhe k?rc?nonte stabilitetin e rajonit: ishte argument tjet?r q? propaganda serbe e ul?rinte kur Serbia e luftonte me ngulm pavar?simin e Kroacis?. Pavar?simi i Bosnj?s rrezikonte dhe k?rc?nonte stabilitetin e rajonit: ishte tjet?r argument q? propaganda serbe e ul?rinte n? koh?n kur Serbia e luftonte pavar?simin e Bosnj?s. Dhe ??ndodhi? Asnj?ri nga k?to shtete t? pavarura, pavar?sin? e t? cilave Serbia e shihte rrezik dhe k?rc?nim p?r stabilitetin n? rajon, nuk e d?shmoi vetveten q? v?rtet t? jet? i rreziksh?m, n? koh?n kur k?to shtete u b?n? realitet. E vetmja gj? e cila gjat? dhjet? vjet?ve t? fundit u d?shmua si v?rtet e rrezikshme (dhe at? s? tep?rmi e rrezikshme), ishte prirja e Serbis? q? kund?r k?tyre pavar?simeve t? luftonte: n? em?r t? luft?s kund?r k?tyre pavar?simeve, Serbia n? dhjet? vjet?t e fundit vrau rreth gjys?m milion njer?z. Pra, kush ?sht? k?tu n? Ballkan v?rtet i rreziksh?m, zoti Koshtunica? Nga ana tjet?r, ?sht? edhe nj? argument tjet?r t? cilin propaganda serbe e p?rdor n? p?rpjekjet kund?r pavar?simit t? Kosov?s, dhe i cili, kur t? krahasohet me argumentin e sip?rp?rmendur ? k?t? mbi ?rrezikun? q? p?r rajonin e paraqet pavar?simi i Kosov?s ? e tregon t?r? ?seriozitetin? e diskursit t? tash?m serb p?r Kosov?n. Fjala ?sht? p?r argumentin se Kosova, kinse, nuk na qenka e aft? t? jet? e pavarur. Ta l?m? anash diskutimin sa mund t? jet? i sakt? nj? argument i k?till?; po supozojm? se ky argument ?sht? i sakt?, pra, po supozojm? se Kosova v?rtet nuk na qenka e aft? t? jet? e pavarur. Dhe, po i krahasojm? k?to dy argumente kryesore t? propagand?s serbe nj?rin me tjetrin. Pra, nga nj?ra an?, pavar?simi i Kosov?s rrezikon stabilitetin n? rajon, dhe nga tjetra, Kosova ?sht? e paaft? t? jet? e pavarur. Ata q? d?rd?llisin kund?r pavar?sis? s? Kosov?s n? k?t? m?nyr? na e kan? borxh nj? sqarim: si mund t? jet? Kosova e pavarur e rrezikshme p?r rajonin, n?se Kosova e pavarur ?sht? e paaft? t? q?ndroj? n? k?mb?t e saj? Dhe me t? v?rtet?, si mund t? jet? i rreziksh?m p?r rrethin e vet dikush q? ?sht? i shtrir? p?r toke p?r shkak se ?sht? i paaft? t? mbahet n? k?mb?t e veta? Prandaj, p?rfundim i krejt k?saj, propaganduesve serb? mund t?u propozojm? q?, n?se v?rtet jan? t? p?rkushtuar p?r stabilitetin e rajonit, at?her? le t?i nd?rpresin p?rpjekjet kund?r pavar?simit t? Kosov?s: pik?risht k?to p?rpjekje e rrezikojn? stabilitetin n? rajon? N?se mos tjet?r, ato mund t?i cysin shqiptar?t e Kosov?s t?i hyjn? projektit t? bashkimit komb?tar. Si zgjidhja e vetme e logjikshme e cila do t?u mbetet. Mt: Cila ?sht? gjendja e logjikshme K?tu do t?i jepja disa shpjegime lidhur me nj? nocion t? cilin e p?rmenda m? par?, por t? cilin nuk e sqarova n? holl?si, ngase nuk d?shiroja t? dilja nga konteksti i at?hersh?m. Fjala ?sht? p?r nocionin gjendje e logjikshme. Ky nocion duhet sqaruar doemos, p?r shkak se gjat? p?rpjekjeve p?r t? gjetur ndonj? zgjidhje p?r Kosov?n shpeshher? t?rhiqen analogji t? cilat ? sado q? duken t? tilla ? megjithat? nuk jan? me vend. S? pari, shpesh p?rmendet ? por edhe n?se nuk p?rmendet, n?nkuptohet ? m?nyra n? t? cil?n kan? ndodhur integrimet n? Evrop?. Gjat? vler?simit t? k?saj, madje n? kuadrin e krijimit t? analogjive nd?rmjet Evrop?s dhe Ballkanit, b?hen l?shime t? cilat shkaktojn? at? q? humb thelb?sorja. L?shimi i par? q? b?het ?sht? ai se nuk kuptohet dallimi n? p?rpjes? nd?rmjet ekonomive t? shteteve t? Evrop?s Per?ndimore dhe ekonomive t? shteteve ballkanike. Kjo pastaj shkakton moskuptimin e asaj q? shtetet evropiane n? dekad?n e fundit, thjesht, e kishin v?shtir?, n?se jo edhe t? pamundshme, t? mos bashkohen, p?r dallim nga shtetet ballkanike t? cilat e kan? edhe m? t? v?shtir?, n?se jo edhe m? t? pamundshme, t? bashkohen. Ekonomit? e shteteve evro-per?ndimore ? k?tu mendoj n? pjes?t prodhuese t? atyre ekonomive ? n? fillimin e integrimeve formale, ishin b?r? shum? m? t? fuqishme se tregjet e tyre; kjo ndikoi q? t? k?rkuarit e tregjeve t? reja t? ishte nj? domosdo e atyre ekonomive. Dhe, kjo ishte ajo q? nisi integrimet evropiane. Fundja, dihet mir? se mjaft koh? para marr?veshjes s? Shengenit, e cila b?ri t? mundsh?m qarkullimin e lir? t? njer?zve, u b?n? marr?veshjet p?r heqjen e doganave me t? cilat lejohej qarkullimi i lir? i mallrave. Pra, n? qarkullimin e lir? t? njer?zve dhe t? mallrave, t? parat qarkullimin e nis?n mallrat, gj? e cila ?sht? n? t?r?si e natyrshme: me njer?zit me t? cil?t nuk kemi ndonj? lidhje familjare apo shoq?rore, lidhje t? forta mund t? na krijoj? vet?m pazari. Nd?rkaq, p?r dallim prej k?saj, ekonomit? prodhuese t? shteteve ballkanike p?r mjaft koh?, n? t? ardhmen, nuk do t? jen? n? gjendje t?i plot?sojn? madje edhe nevojat e veta, k?shtu q? ato, jo vet?m q? nuk do t? ken? nevoj?, por aq m? tep?r nuk do t? ken? as mund?si p?r dep?rtim n? tregjet fqinje, qoft? ai dep?rtim edhe i lir?. Nuk jam duke marr? k?tu ndonj? q?ndrim radikal nacionalist t? trajt?s, ?me Serbi s?ka tregti?; por jam vet?m duke e theksuar at? e cila nuk arrihet t? kuptohet, se tregtia me Serbi edhe p?r mjaft koh? nuk do ta arrij? nj? nivel t? atill? sa t? jet? shkak, e lere m? domosdo, p?r t?u bashkuar me t?. E, n?se n? ndonj? t? ardhme me Serbin?, nuk na lidh pazari, nuk ka asgj? e cila do t? mund t? na lidhte me t?. Krejt kjo na sjell n? l?shimin e dyt? i cili b?het gjat? t?rheqjes s? analogjive nd?rmjet integrimeve evropiane dhe atyre t? d?shirueshme ballkanike. Ky b?het n? lidhje me gar?n ekonomike e cila e shkaktoi rrit?n prodhuese evropiane (dhe e cila, m?pastaj, i shkaktoi integrimet e saj): kjo gar? ka qen? e lir?. E till? duhet t? jet? edhe gara ekonomike nd?rmjet shteteve ballkanike, e cila mund t? shpjer? drejt integrimeve ballkanike. Kosova nuk do ta pranoj? dhe nuk do t? pajtohet kurr? me nj? n?nshtrim ekonomik ndaj Serbis? i cili do t? jet? pasoj? e nj? n?nshtrimi politik ndaj saj. Mir?po, Kosova do t? gjej? forc? t? pajtohet me nj? pozit? ekonomikisht t? n?nshtruar ndaj Serbis?, po qe se kjo ?sht? pasoj? e nj? gare t? lir? ekonomike, n? t? cil?n Serbia do ta d?shmoj? vetveten si m? e zonja se Kosova. Nd?rkaq, pavar?sia e Kosov?s ?sht? nj? domosdo p?r mund?simin e liris? t? nj? gare t? k?till?. Kuptohet, shum?kush do t? thot? se n? nj? model t? konfederat?s s? propozuar jugosllave do t? ekzistojn? rregulla t? cilat do ta mund?sojn? k?t? liri; por, atyre q? do t? thon? k?shtu do t?u propozoja t? p?rkujtojn? m?nyr?n n? t? cil?n Serbia e ka p?rdorur fabrik?n e t? hollave n? Top?iderin e saj t? famsh?m, dhe do t?i kuptojn? t? gjithat q? jam duke u p?rpjekur t?i them. (Dhe, mbase, do ta kuptojn? edhe t? t?r?n q? ?sht? p?r t?u kuptuar p?r tragjedin? ballkanike.) Rregullat e liris? Serbia nuk di t?i respektoj?; dhe as nuk d?shiron, sa her? t? ket? edhe dik? n? shtetin e vet. Me fjal? t? tjera, ajo t? cil?n kuazi-integralist?t ballkanik? nuk e kuptojn? (apo nuk d?shirojn? ta kuptojn?) gjat? t?rheqjes s? analogjive me Evrop?n, ?sht? se shprehja ?qarkullim i lir? i mallrave?, m? shum? se qarkullimin e mallrave n?nkupton lirin? n? at? qarkullim. Fundja, nga aspekti i sintaks?s, liria n? fjali mund t? mos jet? kryefjal?; por nga aspekti politiko-ekonomik, nuk ka fjali n? t? cil?n liria ?sht? e pranishme e t? mos jet? kryefjal?. Nd?rkaq, kur Serbia flet nga aspekti politiko-ekonomik, p?rpiqet me ngulm q? k?t? aspekt ta trajtoj? si sintaks?. Kjo e t?ra na sjell n? l?shimin e tret? q? b?het gjat? pasionit p?r ta ruajtur Jugosllavin?, dhe q? m? s? shumti ka t? b?j? me at? gjendjen e logjikshme t? p?rmendur, e cila paraqet parakushtin e integrimeve. Nga krejt q? u tha shihet se integrimet evropiane i nxit interesi i ekonomive t? shteteve evropiane p?r to; kjo ?sht? e v?rtet?, por kjo nuk ?sht? e t?r? e v?rteta. Interesi i ekonomive t? shteteve evropiane ishte kusht p?r t?u arritur integrimet evropiane, por ishte vet?m nj?ri nd?r kushtet, dhe at? kushti i nevojsh?m p?r ato integrime. Kusht tjet?r, ai i mjaftueshmi, n? Evrop? ishte i plot?suar dhe at? deri n? at? mas? saq? thjesht n?nkuptohej dhe s?ishte nevoja t? p?rmendet. Nd?rkaq, n? Ballkan ky nuk ?sht? i plot?suar, prandaj p?r rastin e Ballkanit, jo vet?m q? ?sht? e nevojshme, por ?sht? madje edhe e domosdoshme t? p?rmendet. Ky kusht i dyt?, kushti i mjaftuesh?m pra, ishte q? shtetet evropiane nuk kishin arsye t? frik?soheshin nga k?to integrime. Pra, shtetet evropiane arrit?n t? integrohen, jo vet?m p?r shkak t? asaj se n? Evrop? ekzistonte interesi p?r integrime, por p?r shkak se n? Evrop? ishte krijuar ajo gjendje e logjikshme ku pos interesit p?r integrim, nj?koh?sisht, nuk ekzistonte frika nga ai integrim. Dhe kjo padyshim ?sht? e qart?, por nuk p?rmendet se n? Ballkan nuk ekziston ende. Fundja, ? m? konkretisht ? edhe po qe se dy biznesmen? kan? nj? mij? e nj? arsye t? lidhin ortaki, ata ortaki nuk do t? lidhin po qe se nuk jan? t? sigurt n? nj?ri-tjetrin, pra po qe se frik?sohen se tjetri do t?i mashtroj?. Nd?rkaq, p?rvoja thuaja nj?shekullore me Serbin?, Kosov?s ia qart?soi vet?m nj? fakt: i vetmi send q? n? lidhje me Serbin? ?sht? p?r t?i besuar, ?sht? se Serbia nuk ?sht? p?r t?i besuar. Dikujt mbase do t?i duket radikaliz?m, por lexojeni at? paragrafin e famsh?m t? Qosiqit: i p?rmbledhur ai l? t? kuptohet se e vetmja e v?rtet? e Serbis? ?sht? rrena. Nd?rkaq, n? sfer?n ekonomike, rrenat e Serbis? jan?, th?n? me zhargonin e popullit, m? t? rrastat. I p?rmenda k?tu tri parakushte t? cilat, ndon?se jo edhe t? vetmet, jan? kryesoret p?r t?i nxitur integrimet ballkanike. K?to parakushte jan?, pra, ato t? cilat e p?rkufizojn? at? gjendjen e logjikshme p?r integrime, t? p?rmendur m? par?. Asnj?ri nga k?to tri parakushte, as forca e madhe e ekonomive t? nj?sive p?rb?r?se, t? cilat ekonomi jan? t? tilla q? k?rkojn? zgjerim, as gara e lir? ekonomike dhe liria e qarkullimit t? mallrave pa diktat apo dredhi nga politika, dhe as mungesa e frik?s s? kombeve ballkanike nga nj?ri-tjetri, k?tu nuk jan? t? plot?suara. Dhe as q? do t? plot?sohen ndonj?her?, po qe se vazhdojn? p?rpjekjet p?r ta ruajtur ndonj? Jugosllavi. Thjesht, ngase p?rpjekjet p?r ta ruajtur Jugosllavin?, n? integrimet e d?shirueshme ballkanike do ta ken? t? nj?jtin ndikim t? cilin n? integrimet e tashme evropiane do ta kishin pasur p?rpjekjet eventuale p?r ta ruajtur ?sovranitetin territorial? t? Rajhut t? Tret? menj?her? pas Luft?s s? Dyt? Bot?rore. Integrimet e tashme evropiane nuk kan? mund t? ndodhin, jo pa mposhtjen ushtarake t? Rajhut t? Tret?, por pa ?rr?njosjen e vet? idealit t? tij. Njashtu, edhe integrimeve ballkanike, mund t?u hapet rruga jo tash, pas mposhtjes ushtarake t? Millosheviqit, por vet?m pas ?rr?njosjes s? idealit n? em?r t? t? cilit ai shpallte luft?ra. Dhe, n? vijim, disa fjal? p?r idealin n? em?r t? t? cilit Millosheviqi shpallte luft?ra. Mt: ???sht? n? fakt Jugosllavia? N? dhjet? vitet e fundit n? Serbi dol?n shum? paradokse, t? cilat kap?rcyen t? v?rejtura apo edhe t? pav?rejtura; n? mesin e t? pav?rejturave ?sht? nj? i cili m? duket se shpalos shum?, dhe n? t? nj?jt?n koh? edhe e tregon nj?rin nd?r dimensionet e paradoksalitetit t? p?rpjekjeve p?r ta ruajtur Jugosllavin?. Q? t? kuptohet m? mir?, rikujtojm? m?nyr?n e rezonimit serb gjat? shkat?rrimit t? ish-Jugosllavis?. Kudo q? serb?t shikonin, ata shihnin shtete t? m?dha: Shqip?ria e Madhe, Kroacia e Madhe, Bosnja e Madhe, Bullgaria e Madhe? Vet?m Jugosllavia, sado e madhe t? ishte, u dukej e vog?l. Dhe k?tu, ndon?se jo fort qart?, ?sht? vendi t? shtrohet nj? pyetje: pse athua emrit Jugosllavi kurr? nuk i p?rngjitej atributi ?e Madhe?? Jugosllavia e Madhe? Ting?llon e ?uditshme, apo jo? Athua cili ?sht? shkaku p?r k?t?? T?i shikojm? s? pari kombet p?rreth Serbis? dhe shtetet e tyre. Shqiptar?t kan? Shqip?ri, kroat?t Kroaci, boshnjak?t Bosnj? dhe bullgar?t Bullgari. Dhe kjo fillon ta shpalos? paradoksin: pse serb?t, t? cil?t me aq t?rbim i jan? t? p?rkushtuar kombit t? tyre, nuk p?rpiqen p?r shtetin e tyre, Serbin?, por p?rpiqen p?r Jugosllavi? Ja, pra, ku jemi. P?r shkak se vet? em?rtimi Jugosllavi e n?nkupton Serbin? e Madhe. P?r ta fshehur faktin se burimi i tragjedive ballkanike nuk ?sht? as p?rpjekja e shqiptar?ve p?r Shqip?ri t? Madhe, as ajo e kroat?ve p?r Kroaci t? Madhe, as ajo e boshnjak?ve p?r Bosnj? t? Madhe dhe as ajo e bullgar?ve p?r Bullgari t? Madhe, por ?sht? pik?risht p?rpjekja e serb?ve p?r t? b?r? Serbi t? Madhe, serb?t emrin Serbi e Madhe nuk e p?rdorin dhe e fshehin si gjarpri k?mb?t dhe e ripag?zojn? at? n? Jugosllavi. Dhe ky ?sht? shkaku se pse logjikisht nuk shkon kurrsesi t? p?rdoret em?rtimi ?Jugosllavi e Madhe?. Sepse vet? em?rtimi Jugosllavi n? vete heshturazi dhe fshehurazi e p?rmban atributin ?e Madhe? p?r Serbin?, k?shtu q? s?ka nevoj? t? p?rdoret dy her?. Pra, n?se em?rtimi ?Jugosllavi? don t? thot? ?Serbi e Madhe?, at?her? em?rtimi ?Jugosllavi e Madhe? do ta kishte dometh?nien ?Serbi e Madhe e Madhe?. Gj? q? do t? ishte e palogjikshme, sado q?, duhet pranuar, serb?ve do t?u p?lqente. I p?lqejn? hegjemonis? serbe palogjikshm?rit?, apo jo? E dhash? k?t? shpjegim t? shkurt?r vet?m p?r ta b?r? me dije nj? fakt: rezonimi i disa politikan?ve nd?rkomb?tar? i trajt?s: ?shqiptar?t e Kosov?s nuk kan? arsye t? frik?sohen sepse Kosova nuk do t?i kthehet Serbis?, por do t? mbetet n? Jugosllavi? e ka dometh?nien: ?shqiptar?t e Kosov?s nuk kan? arsye t? frik?sohen sepse ata nuk do t? mbeten n? Serbi por do t? mbeten n? Serbin? e Madhe?. E di q? dikujt nj? p?rshkrim i k?till?, n? shikim t? par? tall?s, i realitetit ballkanik mund t?i bjer? mjaft r?nd?. Por ?sht? mir? q? k?tu t? mirren parasysh disa fakte q? nuk jan? t? ngat?rruara fare, aq m? tep?r jan? fakte elementare, t?i quajm? ashtu, ABC-ja e fakteve mbi Ballkanin. A e din? ata t? cil?t kan? d?shir? q? shqiptar?t t?i qet?sojn? n? k?t? m?nyr?, se sa banor? do t?i ket? nj? Jugosllavi e till?? N?se nuk e din?, ja cila ?sht? p?rgjigjja: rreth 9.5 ? 10 milion?. Dhe a e din? ata cila do t? jet? p?rkat?sia komb?tare e k?tyre banor?ve? P?rgjigjja: 0.6 milion? malazias, 2 milion? shqiptar? dhe mbi 7 milion? serb?. Pra, mbi 70 p?r qind, mbase edhe 75 p?r qind e popullat?s s? nj? Jugosllavie t? till? do t? jen? serb?. Dhe ?far? ?sht? shteti i cili, me nj? k?si marifeti u propozohet shqiptar?ve, pra me ambalazhim t? Jugosllavis?, e n? t? cilin rreth 75 p?r qind e popullat?s do t? jen? serb?? Quaje si t? duash, Jugosllavi, ?jugosllavi, Zhugosllavi, apo si ta doj? qejfi, ky shtet, realisht, do t? jet? Serbi. Dhe at? Serbi e Madhe bile. Fundja, po t? mos ishte Serbi e Madhe, serb?t kurr?n e kurr?s nuk do t? luftonin me aq ngulm p?r t?. Prandaj, n?se dikush nga bashk?sia nd?rkomb?tare, v?rtet e ka nd?rmend q? shqiptar?t e Kosov?s t? mos i l?r? n?n Serbi, at?her? le t?i nxjerr nga Jugosllavia. E, sa i p?rket qet?simit t? ndruajtjeve dhe t? brengave shqiptare, le t? mirret parasysh ajo se shqiptar?t kurr? nga mbetja n? Serbi apo n? Jugosllavi nuk jan? frik?suar. Mund?sia e mbetjes n? Serbi apo n? Jugosllavi shqiptar?t nuk i frik?son, por i ?mend. Mt: Kompromisi dhe demokracia I fundit n? varganin e politikan?ve nd?rkomb?tar? q? shpreh?n mendimin se Jugosllavia do t? duhej t? ruhet n? ndonj? trajt? (deri n? ?astin kur po e shkruaj k?t?) ishte Sekretari i P?rgjithsh?m i OKB, Kofi Anan. Kjo ishte p?r ?udi. Jo kjo se Kofi Anan na doli p?r ruajtjen e Jugosllavis?, por kjo se ishte i fundit. Nd?rkaq, ajo se Kofi Anan ?sht? p?r ruajtjen e Jugosllavis?, ?sht? n? t?r?si normale. Pse ?sht? normale kuptohet n?se mirret parasysh ?far? ?sht? organizata n? krye t? s? cil?s Kofi Anan ?sht?. Si nj? organizat? n? t? cil?n lidhur me cilindo problem t? gjith? jan? nj?z?ri p?r zgjidhje, nd?rkaq askush nuk p?rpiqet p?r t?, OKB me kalim t? koh?s filloi t?i marr? tiparet e nj? organizate n? t? cil?n kompromisi ishte ajo q? ?sht? p?r t?u ?muar. Por nj? prirje e till? ndaj kompromisit pas nj? kohe m? t? gjat? ka shkuar deri n? nj? skajshm?ri t? till?, saq? sot, OKB edhe disfat?n m? katastrofike jan? n? gjendje ta trajtojn? fitore t? shk?lqyeshme, vet?m me kusht q? ajo disfat? katastrofike t? arrihet n?p?rmes t? kompromisit. Thjesht, Organizata e Kombeve t? Bashkuara sot ?sht? shnd?rruar n? nj? Organizat? t? Kompromisaxhinjve t? Pakompromis. Dhe, si organizat? e till?, n? t? cil?n p?r t?u ?muar ?sht? kompromisi si mjet p?r arritjen e rezultatit, dhe jo ajo se a ?sht? ai rezultat fitore apo disfat?, OKB rregullisht n? ofertat e saj p?r kompromis, si t? par?n japin ofert?n q? do t? mund t? cil?sohej disfat? e OKB. Vet?m me kusht t? theksohet se kjo nuk ?sht? disfat? e OKB, por kompromis. Mir?po, ??shtja e Kosov?s nuk ?sht? aq e ngat?rruar sa Kofi Anan dhe OKB e trajtojn?. ??shtja e Kosov?s ?sht? edhe m? e nd?rlikuar. ?sht? e nd?rlikuar aq, saq? edhe vet? Rezolut?n 1244 e b?n nj?far? lloji t? ?kopilit te dera?. ?sht? kopil te dera kjo Rezolut?, sepse n? t? jan? t? futura dy k?rkesa kombinimi i t? cilave t? l? goj?hapur: edhe k?rkesa p?r demokratizimin e Kosov?s, dhe edhe ajo p?r ruajtjen e sovranitetit territorial t? Jugosllavis?. T? l? goj?hapur ky kombinim k?rkesash, sepse, nuk ?sht? problemi i Kosov?s ai q? kosovar?t nuk d?shirojn? t? jetojn? n? Jugosllavi; problemi i Kosov?s ?sht? ai q? kosovar?t ngulmojn? t? mos jetojn? m? kurr? n? Jugosllavi. Apo, th?n? ndryshe, nuk ?sht? problemi i Kosov?s ai q? kosovar?t nuk e duan Jugosllavin?; problemi i Kosov?s ?sht? ai q? kosovar?t kan? neveri ndaj Jugosllavis?. Apo, th?n? edhe m? ndryshe, dhe at? n? trajt?n p?rfundimtare, nuk ?sht? problemi n? at? q? l?nia e Kosov?s n? Jugosllavi si zgjidhje nuk e demokratizon Kosov?n; problemi ?sht? n? at? q? l?nia e Kosov?s n? Jugosllavi n? thelb, dhe me imponim nga lart?, e antidemokratizon Kosov?n. Pra, n?se n? prirjen p?r t? arritur kompromis njeriu mund t? jet? i pakompromis, n? prirjen p?r t? arritur nj? zgjidhje demokratike njeriu nuk mund t? jet? antidemokratik. Po qe se nuk arrin ta kuptoj? (apo q? t? mos e hesht?) k?t?, Kofi Anan n? fund mund t? na dal? si nj?far? lloj Sekretari i P?rgjithsh?m i Kompromisaxhinjve t? Pakompromis p?r Demokraci Antidemokratike. E kam plot?sisht t? qart? at? pse do t? mund t? mendonin ashtu si? mendojn?, si Kofi Anan, ashtu edhe shum? nga t? tjer?t q? p?rpiqen ta ruajn? ndonj? Jugosllavi: ?sht? ndruajtja se mos Bashk?sia Nd?rkomb?tare ka qen? pak si ?tep?r e vrazhd?? ndaj Jugosllavis?. K?shtu q?, n? k?to sulme t? brejtjes s? nd?rgjegjes ata frik?sohen mos po e b?jn? ?edhe nj? padrejt?si? ndaj Jugosllavis?. (Kuptohet, politikan? t? ndrysh?m kan? shkaqe t? ndryshme, por, m? duket se ky i sip?rp?rmenduri ?sht? nga m? t? shpeshtit.) Atyre q? k?t? m?nyr? mendimi e kan? motiv, do t?u p?rkujtoja vet?m nj? fakt t? cilin me nj? mendjempreht?si t? mrekullueshme e kishte v?rejtur dhe theksuar Hannah Arendt: revolucionet dhe luft?rat e brendshme q? p?rcjellin shkat?rrimin e nj? shteti, nuk jan? shkaktar? t? atij shkat?rrimi ? jan? pasoja t? tij. Apo, e zbatuar n? rastin konkret t? Jugosllavis?, luft?rat e dekad?s q? shkoi apo edhe bombardimet e NATO-s, nuk ishin shkaktare t? shkat?rrimit t? Jugosllavis?; ato ishin pasoja t? atij shkat?rrimi. Nd?rkaq, shkaktari i mir?fillt? i shkat?rrimit t? Jugosllavis? ishte ai mentalitet i cili n? Millosheviqin dhe n? armiq?simin me t? t? gjith? fqinj?t dhe t? t?r? bot?n shihte t? vetmin shp?tim p?r kombin serb. Sepse, mund t? shtrohet pyetja fundamentale: ??do t? kishte ndodhur sikur n? sken?n politike serbe t? mos ishte shfaqur Millosheviqi? ?sht? e qart?: ai mentalitet i cili e zgjodhi Millosheviqin, n? munges? t? tij do ta kishte zgjedhur dik? i cili nuk do t? dallohej shum? nga ai. Shkat?rrimi i ish-Jugosllavis? n? dekad?n q? per?ndoi ka mundur t?i ket? nj? milion verzione t? ndryshme; por nuk ka qen? asnj? verzion i mundsh?m q? do t? mund t? kalonte pa shkat?rrimin e Jugosllavis?. Apo, th?n? ndryshe, ish-Jugosllavia nuk ?sht? shkat?rruar nga jasht?; ajo ?sht? kalbur p?rbrenda. Kjo kalbje nuk do t? nd?rpritet pa nj? disfat? p?rfundimtare, t? plot? dhe t? pakontestueshme, t? mentalitetit t? lartp?mendur serb, i cili ?sht? pik?risht krimbi q? k?t? kalbje e filloi. Dhe nj? disfat? e k?till? e k?tij mentaliteti nuk do t? p?sohet pa pavar?simin e Kosov?s. Nd?rkaq, sa i p?rket shqiptar?ve t? Kosov?s, kisha p?r ta parafrazuar nj? fjali t? nj?rit nd?r ish-politikan?t kosovar?: ?Zgjidhja e cila e parasheh mbetjen e Kosov?s n? Jugosllavi i shpron?son dhe i tjet?rson kosovar?t nga Kosova.? Apo, th?n? ndryshe, nuk ka zgjidhje n? t? cil?n Kosova do t?u takoj? kosovar?ve, e n? t? cil?n Kosova do t?i takoj? edhe Jugosllavis? po ashtu. Dhe, nga ana tjet?r, po qe se Bashk?sia Nd?rkomb?tare imponon ndonj? zgjidhje me mbetjen e Kosov?s n? Jugosllavi, nuk do t? ket? asnj? argument q? Bashk?sis? Nd?rkomb?tare do t?i mbetej, p?r t?i bindur kosovar?t se Kosova ?sht? e tyre. Sepse, demokratizimi i Kosov?s dhe ruajtja e sovranitetit territorial t? Jugosllavis? e p?rjashtojn? nj?ra-tjetr?n, n? t?r?si e p?rjashtojn? nj?ra-tjetr?n, dhe nuk b?jn? asgj? tjet?r pos q? e p?rjashtojn? nj?ra-tjetr?n. Pra, kompromis apo demokraci ? ??shtje ?sht? tash? ??shtje hamletiane, apo jo? Dhe po qe se vendoset q? demokracia t? b?het ??shtje kompromisi, at?her? t? mos shtrohet m? von? pyetja ? ku na u tret?n integrimet. I ka g?lltitur kompromisi. (Janar 2001) ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. From aalibali at yahoo.com Fri Mar 16 23:29:17 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 20:29:17 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gazeta Shqiptare Message-ID: <20010317042917.18241.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> Telini, Gjenerali italian q? u vra se mbrojti ??shtjen shqiptare Historian?t s'duhet t? heshtin, duhet t? fillojn? ta shkruajn? historin? ton? s? mbarthi, jo me falsifikime, por me t? mirat dhe t? k?qijat, q? brezar ta din? si? ?sht? e t? nxjerrin m?sime p?r t? ardhmen". Duke qen? se rasti m? ka dh?n? mund?si t? njoh disa rrethana q? hedhin drit? mbi figur?n e Telinit si mik i sinqert? i Shqip?ris?, po shkruaj k?ta rreshta q? bashkatdhetar?t e mi t? njihen me figur?n e k?tij miku t? madh e t? vlefsh?m t? Shqip?ris? dhe me denigrimin e padrejt? q? i b?ri atij regjimi komunist. Shum? vjet m? par?, kur isha nx?n?s n? shkoll?n e m?sme, nuk dija asgj? p?r gjeneral Telinin, ashtu si gjith? bashk?nx?n?sit e mi, me p?rjashtim q? nj? monument i tij , q? kish q?n? te lulishtja pran? Shkoll?s pedagogjike, te Rruga e Elbasanit, ishte hequr mbas vendosjes se regjimit komunist n? Shqip?ri dhe n? vend t? tij ishte vendosur ai i Qemal Staf?s. N? vitin 1950, kur fillova pun?n si gjeomet?r, u caktuam, bashk? me gjeometrin Simon Berisha, t? b?nim rilevimin n? fshatin Hajmel, i cili ishte i njohur n? rrethin e Shkodr?s si fshat reaksionar, si? thonin at?her? komunist?t p?r t? gjith? ata q? nuk e donin regjimin komunist. Fshatar?t e kishin tradit? mikpritjen dhe na ftonin ?do mbr?mje p?r dark?, me at? q? kishin, megjith?se varf?ria e atyre zonave t? pasura kishte filluar q? at?her?. Un? isha disa vjet m? i ri se kolegu im dhe nuk e kisha p?rvoj?n e tij nga fshati, k?shtu q? t?r? barra e bised?s binte mbi Simonin. Mua kjo m? k?naqte, se m? shp?tonte nga pap?rvoja ime ne at? l?m?. Por kjo vazhdoi vet?m p?r disa dit?, se papritur si un? dhe Simoni vum? re nj? v?mendje t? ?uditshme t? fshatar?ve p?r mua, q? s'dinim ta shpjegonim. Ky mister u zgjidh pas disa dit?sh. Nj? pun?tor i yni i vjet?r nga fshati, Zefi, m? afrohet nj? dit? dhe, pasi u sigurua q? s'kishte njeri pran?, m? pyeti se ?'e kisha Kost? Bidoshin. Kur un?, i habitur, i tregova se ai ishte im at?, ai m? tha me z? t? ul?t se e kishte par? emrin e tij n? nj? zarf q? m? kishte ardhur dhe pastaj vazhdoi se ai kishte qen? nj? nga ata q? kishin eliminuar band?n greke, q? vrau Gjeneral Telinin.Un? q? s'dija asgj? nga ato q? po thoshte, mbeta i mahnitur. K?t? e vuri re dhe ai dhe e kuptoi q? s'dija asgj?, prandaj m? tregoi se n? vitin 1923, kishte qen? ushtar n? Kufirin Jugor ku kishte patur komandant tim at?. Historia e Gjeneralit "Pak koh? pasi vran? grek?t gjeneralin italian, Telinin, vijoi ai, na mblodhi nj? mbasdite yt at? dhe na tha se i duheshin rreth 20 veta p?r nj? aksion q? do t? vinte n? vend nderin e atdheut ton?, t? p?rfolur nga shpifjet e pal?s greke. Asaj thirrje iu p?rgjigj?m t? gjith?, por ai na falenderoi dhe na tha se i duheshin vet?m 20, prandaj vendosi t'i caktonte vet?. Un? pata fatin, tha Zefi, t? caktohem i pari , se isha qit?si m? i mir? i kompanis?". "Si na vendosi n? pozicione atje ku mbaronte nj? livadh dhe fillonte pylli, ai na tha se nuk do t? kishte komand? "ndal!" ose " duar lart", por vet?m nj? "zjarr!" "Ai q? do t? qelloj? para se t? jepet komanda,_ vijoi ai,_ do t? ekzekutohet n? vend. Prandaj ai q? nuk e ka zemr?n t? fort?, t? largohet q? t? vij? nj? tjet?r".Por asnj?ri nuk u tund nga vendi" "Mbas rreth nj? ore ,u d?gjua zhurma e nj? tufe njer?zish t? armatosur q? po vinin si n? dasm?, duke folur t? shkujdesur me z? t? lart?". "Kur u afruan shum? af?r , sa d?gjoheshin shkarpat q? thyheshin n?n k?mb?t e tyre, u dha urdh?ri i prer? "Zjarr!" me z? t? ul?t, i cili i palosi t? gjith? pa p?rjashtim." Rreth 45 minuta pas k?saj,. erdh?n an?tar?t e Komisionit Nd?rkomb?tar p?r caktimin e kufirit t? im?t. Nga provat q? kishin p?rpara, ata than? se grek?t ishin ata q? e kishin vrar? Telinin me dy oficer? t? tjer? dhe po ata kishin dhunuar edhe kufirin shqiptar". Un? dhe Simoni e kuptuam se Zefi e kishte biseduar at? histori me fshatar? t? tjer?, k?shtu q?, pa e kuptuar, un? isha v?ndosur n? qendr?n e v?mendjes s? tyre.. Mbas tre muaj?sh, kur u ktheva n? sht?pi, e pyeta tim at? rreth k?saj ngjarje p?r t? cil?n ai s'm? kishte treguar asgj?. Rr?fimi i babait tim "Kur erdhi Komisioni Nd?rkomb?tar p?r caktimin e kufirit t? im?t, grek?t nuk pranonin t? t?rhiqeshin nga 16 fshatra shqiptare, me pretendimin se ato ishin greke . At?h?r? nga Konferenca e Ambasador?ve u udh?zua Komisioni t? b?nte verifikimin dhe caktimin e vij?s s? kufirit. Por bandat greke kishin shkuar fshat m? fshat dhe i kishin k?rc?nuar fshatar?t se do t'i shfarosnin me ?'kishin e nuk kishin, n? qoft? se nuk brohorisnin para komisionit "Rroft? Greqia!". Dhe k?shtu ndodhi n? tre fshatrat e par?, q? i u caktuan Greqis?, por te fshati i katert Telini p?rdori nj? dredhi, q? nxori t? v?rtet?n n? shesh." "Kur prind?rit po th?rrisnin "Rroft? Greqia!" p?r t? shp?tuar f?mij?t e tyre nga masakra greke, Telini u hodhi f?mij?v? nj? tuf? m? monedha dhe, kur ata filluan t? grindeshin nj?ri me tjetrin, ai e pyeti p?rkthyesin se n? ?far? gjuhe po flisnin ata. Nga p?rgjigjia ai m?soi se ata ishin shqiptar? e bij shqiptar?sh. K?shtu q?, pas k?saj, komisioni e rifilloi pun?n nga e para, duke i nxjerr? t? gjith? fshatrat shqiptare." "Grek?t, t? t?rbuar q? s'u eci loja, vun? prit? dhe e vran? Telinin bashk? me dy oficer? t? tjer?, brenda territorit grek, kur ai po kthehej nga Janina dhe than? se e kishin vrar? shqiptar?t q?, sipas tyre, ishin cuba q? t? vrasin p?r t? vjedhur". "Ne k?rkuam nga qeveria jon? t? na akordohej nj? fond p?r nj? informator q? do t? na ndihmonte p?r t? faktuar t? v?rtet?n. Dhe k?shtu u b?. Informatori yn? na njoftoi se ,n? fshatrat p?rtej kufirit, endej nj? band? qe terrorizonte vendasit dhe e kalonte shumic?n e koh?s n?p?r pijetoret , ku, kur dehej, kryetari i tyre nxirrte nje sahat xhepi t? art? dhe e tundte, nd?rsa an?tar?t e band?s shkuleshin s? qeshuri". "Nj? dit? tjet?r ai na njoftoi se, kur b?hej tap? fare, kryetari qante dhe thoshte se e kishte marr? malli p?r Eftiqin? (t? dashur?n e tij), q? banonte n? nj? fshat p?rk?tej kufirit." "Pas k?saj, e udh?zuam t? kujdesej mos na njoftonte p?r ndonj? shkelje t? re t? kufirit. Dhe v?rtet erdhi njoftimi se nj? mbr?mje e gjith? banda do t? vinte n? fshatin e Eftiqis? t? shoq?ronte kryetarin e saj. Pas k?saj, informatori u njoftua t? kthehej dhe ngjarjet u zhvilluan ashtu si? t? ka treguar Zefi, por po shtoj se, kur erdhi Komisioni Nd?rkomb?tar dhe kerkoi vendin se ku ndodheshim dhe, si verifikoi me hart? se ishim disa kilometra brenda kufirit t? Shqip?ris?, deshi t? m?sonte di?ka p?r identitetin e band?s, atehere me nj? shkop, sipas p?rshkrimeve t? informatorit, i hap?m kryetarit t? band?s xhaket?n, prej nga u duk sahati i florinjt?. Ky veprim u shoq?rua me thirrjen e oficer?ve italian? t? Komisionit q? than? "Kjo ?sht? ora e gjeneralit!". "Pas k?saj ngjarjeje, grek?ve dhe shpifjeve t? tyre u doli boja dhe Italia pushtoi Korfuzin q? e mbajti deri sa nj? grup greko-amerikan?sh paguan d?mshp?rblimin. Kjo qe e gjitha. Telini u vra p?r t? mbrojtur nj? ?eshtje t? drejt? ,ashtu si? b?jn? t? gjith? nj?r?zit e ndersh?m dhe me shpirt fisnik. Por fatkeq?sisht regjimi komunist e hoqi monumentin e tij, duke e quajtur me lig?si dhe injoranc? "nj? agjent t? imperializmit italian", duke turp?ruar k?shtu gjith? shqiptar?t". K?t? ngjarje ma ka konfirmuar dhe nj? m?sues i moshuar (n? vitin 1953) nga fshati T?rbuq i Gjirokasr?s, me mbiemrin Hila . E v?rteta ?sht? q? populli yn? nuk ?sht? mosmir?njoh?s. Kam d?gjuar me vesh?t e mi se si nga Kurveleshi k?ndonin keng? p?r presidentin Uillson, q? mbrojti Shqip?rin? n? Konferenc?n e Paqes. K?nga fillonte: "Fol Uilson t? lumt? goja?" dhe p?rmendeshin 14 pikat q? ai i paraqiti Konferec?s, nj?ra prej t? cilave ishte pavar?sia e Shqip?ris? q? ujq?rit fqinj? desh?n ta kollofitnin. K?saj k?nge komunist?t i mor?n rreshtin e par? dhe e transformuan "Fol Enver t? lumt? goja". Duke shkruar p?r Telinin, jo vet?m dua t? nxjerr t? v?rt?t?n n? shesh, por edhe t? v? n? vend nderin e mir?njohjen e popullit ton? p?r k?t? figur? t? ndritur, ashtu si dhe p?r kolonelin hollandez,Tomson, q? u vra p?r t? mbrojtur Shqip?rin? nga antikomb?tar?t e Haxhi Qamilit. A nuk ?sht? n? nderin e vendit ton? q? k?ta t? huaj, Edit Durhami , Fulci e t? tjer? q? e desh?n dhe sakrifikuan p?r Shqip?rin?, t? nderohen me monumente? Le t? kujtojm? se Sk?nderbeu ka monument n? Napoli, se mbrojti Ferdinandin e Napolit si mir?njohj? p?r atin e tij, Alfonsin, q? e kishte ndihmuar n? luft?n kund?r turqve. Po k?shtu e ka edhe n? Rom? si mbrojt?s i gjith? Perendimit. Amerikan?t nderojn? kujtimin e gjeneralit francez Lafaiet, q? luftoi p?rkrah kolon?ve amerikan? p?r ?lirimin e tyre. Grek?rit nderojn? kujtimin e Bajronit, poetit t? madh anglez, q? mori pjes? n? kryengritjen greke p?r ?lirimin e Greqis?, ashtu si shum? shqiptar? q? jan? heronjt? kryesor t? pavar?sis? s? Greqis?. Kurse regjimi komunist i p?rfoli k?ta idealist? t? s? drejt?s dhe t? s? v?rtet?s dhe ,n? t? kund?rt?n, i ngriti monumente ngado Marksit dhe Stalinit, atyre figurave perverse qe jan? shprehur keq p?r popullin ton?. Historian?t s'duhet t? heshtin, duhet t? fillojn? ta shkruajn? historin? ton? s? mbarthi, jo me falsifikime, por me t? mirat e t? k?qijat, q? brezat ta din? si? ?sht? e t? nxjerrin mesime p?r t? ardhmen. Sh?nim. Gjeneral Telini (1871-1923) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 17 01:21:02 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:21:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fwd: NAAC FYI: Conflict in Macedonia Message-ID: <20010317062102.86544.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Note: forwarded message attached. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: Marthavedder at aol.com Subject: NAAC FYI: Conflict in Macedonia Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 17:38:44 EST Size: 5318 URL: From mentor at alb-net.com Sat Mar 17 11:09:08 2001 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 11:09:08 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Minority Albanians Say Fight in Macedonia Is for Equity (fwd) Message-ID: Visit the new site AMCC (Albanians in Macedonia Crisis Center) for information on Human Rights Violation against Albanians. http://www.alb-net.com/amcc later, Mentor ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 04:10:49 -0500 (EST) From: Mentor Cana To: Albanians in Macedonia Crisis Center News & Information Subject: Minority Albanians Say Fight in Macedonia Is for Equity 1. Minority Albanians Say Fight in Macedonia Is for Equity 2. Discrimination: The Macedonian Citizenship Law ### 1. Minority Albanians Say Fight in Macedonia Is for Equity Rebels Demand Rights "A group of ethnic Albanian guerrillas battling for control of a hillside overlooking this frightened provincial city said today their sole aim is to win more economic and political rights alongside Macedonia's Slavic majority." "In interviews, they said their armed violence was sparked by a decade of discrimination at the hands of the Macedonian Slavs who make up nearly two-thirds of the country's 2 million inhabitants, alongside tiny communities of Gypsies, Turks and Serbs." "Although the men would not say where they were from, their accents were local, giving credence to the theory that the guerrillas had recruited members from the predominantly ethnic Albanian towns surrounding Tetovo." "But little agreement exists in Macedonia about one of the guerrillas' key demands, new schools staffed by Albanian-speaking teachers. At present, only elementary schools offer instruction in that language. While ethnic Albanians see the school issue as a matter of human rights and economic opportunity, many Macedonian Slavs consider the creation of more Albanian-language schools a recipe for enhanced Albanian nationalist and separatist sentiments." For full article visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15604-2001Mar16.html ### 2. Discrimination: The Macedonian Citizenship Law "Despite government promises to reform Macedonia's overly exclusive 1992 citizenship law in line with Council of Europe standards, the law remained unchanged. Drafted at the time of its independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia's citizenship law never adequately resolved the status of the significant number of Yugoslav citizens who were long-term residents in Macedonia but who were neither born in Macedonia nor ethnic Macedonian. Large numbers of ethnic Albanians, Turks, and Roma who knew no other home than Macedonia remained effectively stateless as a result of the law." http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/europe/macedonia.html From puka at usa.net Sat Mar 17 18:31:33 2001 From: puka at usa.net (G.S) Date: 17 Mar 2001 18:31:33 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed Message-ID: <20010317233133.8038.qmail@nwcst322.netaddress.usa.net> "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 helikopterave, sot rra njeri helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para se me dal... Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed near the scene of the clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 policemen, Macedonian and NATO sources said. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 17 23:31:20 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 20:31:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Germany - Albania Message-ID: <20010318043120.52580.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Deutsche Presse-Agentur March 17, 2001, Saturday, BC Cycle 12:33 Central European Time Albanians promised 5,000 dollars for world cup victory over Germany Tirana The Albanian Football Federation announced Saturday that each member of the national team will receive 5,000 dollars if they beat Germany in the teams' World Cup 2002 qualifying match on March 24. A federation spokesman said a draw at the match in Leverkusen would bring each player 3,000 dollars. Albanian national coach Medin Zhega has nominated 24 players for the match, most of whom play in European leagues. The coach said in a statement that he was optimistic for a positive result against the leaders of Group 9. "We have always played well against Germany in the past and the results have been very narrow. I hope we will do the same next week," he said. Zhega, an immigrant to Germany in early 1990s, said he knew enough of German football to prepare well for the match. Germany lead Group 9 with six points after two matches while Albania have three points after two games. Finland have four points and Greece three after three matches. England are last with one point after two matches. dpa ac dh __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 17 23:32:47 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 20:32:47 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Independent Message-ID: <20010318043247.52916.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> The Independent (London) March 17, 2001, Saturday First Edition; COMMENT; Pg. 3 WE CAN'T LET BALKAN VIOLENCE SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN Fergal Keane iwAT THE height of Slobodan Milosevic's expulsions of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, I was despatched to Macedonia to "watch" the situation from the border. "Watch" meant interviewing one desperate refugee after another as they came across the frontier with stories of dispossession and violence. We would watch them streaming past the Serb border guards, weeping and fearful, and then boarding buses for the refugee camps which the international community had created outside the Macedonian capital, Skopje. "Watching" also meant keeping a close eye on what was happening in Macedonia itself. There had been a few incidents of Nato vehicles being stoned; I remember particular hostility towards Westerners in some of the out-of-the-way villages leading to the border. Macedonian police had shown themselves ready to use rough tactics with the refugees. I spent two days pursuing a convoy of women and old men who had been rushed on to buses at the border and driven through the night to be dumped in Albania. The Macedonians did not want a vast Kosovo Albanian refugee population to disturb the ethnic balance inside their own borders. I vividly remember a conversation with a Macedonian driver who took me to the border one morning. We could hear the pounding of Nato bombs falling in the distance and my driver started to ruminate about the war. Like many Macedonians he had sympathy with the Serbs and resented Nato's presence. But what induced his most visceral fury was any mention of Macedonia's Albanian population. My driver was a fearful man. He had felt the tremors of Yugoslavia's collapse from Slovenia in 1991 to Croatia, through Bosnia and now Kosovo. And like many of his countrymen he prayed that the madness would be stopped at Macedonia's borders. In this past week the wars of the Yugoslav succession have, however, finally shattered Macedonia's fitful peace. There was a terrible sense of deja vu watching my colleague Angus Roxburgh's gripping report from Tetovo on the 10 o'clock news. The gunfire in the hills, the fearful faces of the townspeople... It was familiar in a sickening way to the first angry blasts of Serb nationalism a decade ago. The guns in the hills outside Tetovo are those of Albanian nationalists. They nurse an historic sense of grievance against all the ruling powers in the region. The governments of Macedonia and Yugoslavia are seen as enemies to the rights and aspirations of the Albanian people. And boy, what an irony on the borders of Kosovo and Serbia! The men the Western allies called murdering scum are now our allies, helping us defend the buffer zone against the Albanians we once called "freedom fighters". It is reminiscent of one of those Private Eye fake adverts: "In common with certain other publications we may have given the impression that the Serb army is a bunch of thieving, raping, murdering thugs the likes of which has not roamed Europe since the Thirty Years' War. We are now happy to set the record straight and say that the Serb army is in fact a loyal ally and friend in the fight against the expansionism terror of the KLA and its running-dog allies who are in fact a bunch of murdering etc etc..." The EU's special envoy Carl Bildt has spotted the similarities and warned a few days ago that we were on the brink of a new Balkan war. If that happens, guess where our troops will be lined up? Alongside the Serbs, of course. The historical absurdities are obvious and easy target for any commentator. Less simple is setting out a realistic alternative to the West's Balkan dilemma. Our policy-makers could begin by examining the causes of the crisis. They are in part a consequence of the liberation of Kosovo, but it would be foolish to think that pre-war Macedonia was a model of ethnic tolerance. There was a peace but Albanian resentment has been evident for many years. Given a choice, most Albanians - as past elections have shown - will vote for a moderate option. This was true in Kosovo after the war when Ibrahim Rugova won the vote, and it is equally true of Macedonia. But the tiger which was unleashed by Milosevic's persecution of Albanians in Kosovo cannot so easily be restrained. The Kosovo Liberation Army and its Macedonian offshoots learned some hard lessons from Milosevic, the lessons of Balkan power: with weapons and enough ruthlessness you can terrorise the other ethnic group into departing the village, the valley, the city. Perhaps the key difference - and one which Western policy-makers need to remember - is that the KLA, unlike the Bosnian Serbs in the 1990s, does not have a powerful external backer. Albania itself is in no position and has little inclination to lend military or economic assistance to the guerrillas, and in Kosovo the mass of the population has already shown that it wants peace. Nor can any of the Albanian armed groups operating in the borderlands claim to be fighting a tyrannical occupying force. Grievances need to be addressed. But not with guns and bombs. In this context, what is the West to do? One obvious possibility is for international forces to help stabilise Macedonia quickly before there is a descent into all-out war. Granted, the presence of international peacekeepers on the Kosovo side of the border has not deterred Albanian guerrillas from operating; it is wild territory and ideally suited to guerrilla operations. But without being able to move across the borders the international forces are hamstrung. We cannot say that we have no strategic or moral interest in preventing another big Balkan war. Of all the countries which have seen bloodshed in the past decade, Macedonia could prove the most dangerously placed in strategic terms. Our EU and Nato allies the Greeks, as well as the Bulgarians, have a strong interest in ensuring that the violence is contained. That could conceivably prompt a military intervention and a widening Balkan conflict. And this is without even starting to contemplate the consequences for Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo. The West messed up the immediate aftermath of the Kosovo war. By failing to provide the promised number of police it helped to foster a climate of lawlessness and intimidation. The crucial message of all ethnic wars is that winning the battles is invariably easier than managing the peace that follows. In Kosovo, the short -termism that governs foreign policy in the West - so terribly acute in the case of the Americans - gave an impression of weakness that the extremists have been quick to exploit. The news that Mr Bush is threatening to reduce the American presence in Bosnia will be music to the ears of the gunmen in the hills around Tetovo. Sarajevo may be a long journey away, but the guerrillas will understand that America under President Bush has little stomach for putting its men in the way of any Balkan danger. And so Europe must be prepared to increase its commitment in Macedonia - in terms of diplomatic and, if need be, peacekeeping support. The alternative is to watch while the violence escalates and, with the inevitable heightening of bitterness and mistrust, becomes a real ethnic war. The Albanians of Macedonia and of Kosovo do not want this. The majority of the people of the Balkans do not want it. After the last 10 years, they deserve better. The writer is a BBC Special Correspondent __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From heljo at mediaone.net Sun Mar 18 03:16:04 2001 From: heljo at mediaone.net (heljo) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 03:16:04 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fr. Arthur Liolin Message-ID: <000f01c0af83$b0872f80$07056041@ne.mediaone.net> WILL THE REAL Fr.ARTHUR LIOLIN, PLEASE, STAND UP ! Indeed, the real Fr.Arthur stood up in front of an exclusive Greek Club organized by the most influential leaders of the Greek Community in America, the Archons, and with an eloquent speech apologized to the leaders assembled at the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday, February 17, 2001. In particular, in a surrealistic setting, Fr. Liolin apologized to Greek Bishop Janullatos, the honoree of the occasion. Bishop Janullatos is one of two Greek bishops leading the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. In this position, as an ethnic Greek and a Greek citizen, he is a usurper because article 16 of the statute of the Albanian Church prescribes that the Bishops and the members of the Synod must be Albanian nationals and Albanian citizens. Fr. Arthur or Fr. Liolin apologized for having resisted in the past the successes of Bishop Janullatos, the very personification of the Greek avantguard for the cultural, political and religious invasion of Albania. Arthur Liolin, the Albanian-American Priest praised Bishop Janullatos to high heaven with phrases like "A tree full of apples is the target of stones". (An Albanian proverb). To which an Albanian Orthodox has responded: "Mr. Liolin, it is inappropriate for you to use the Albanian language to do harm to the Albanian legacy. The tree full of apples is not Bishop Janullatos. That tree is His Beatitude Fan Noli and the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church which has been and is the target of Greek chauvinists throwing stones and boulders at her". (Kohajone, March 3, 2001, "At Liolini po shkel vepren e Peshkop Fan Nolit" by Sotir Andoni). The Greek leaders present at the gathering applauded wholeheartedly. Why not? The Greeks finally and publicly conquered and subdued the pretender to the throne of the legacy of the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The Greeks reduced to ashes the boastful curator of the memory of Imzot Fan Noli, the principal founder of Albanian Orthodoxy in America as well as in Albania. The Greek Archons were celebrating the lonely infidel thrusting the sword of St.George at the heart of his Mentor and at the body of his Mother Church. Did the Greeks want anything else from Fr.Liolin? All of the above is self evident and has the value of clearing the fog that has persisted for the last twelve or more years with regard to the role that the leader of the Albanian Orthodox Church in America would play in the future revival of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Albania. In general, the Orthodox Albanians in America have been ineffectual in the revival of the Orthodox Church in Albania. Now, with the abdication and surrender of their presumed leader, their priest Arthur Liolin, they will not even bother to consider getting involved. To some extent, with justification, they will assume that it is useless. The Greek chauvinists are powerful and determined to maintain their stranglehold on the Albanian Orthodox Church. Over a year ago they added another Greek, Bishop Ignatios of Berat, to the leadership of the Albanian church. With Fr.Arthur's active non-intervention they were able to ignore the candidacy of Archimandrite Theofan Koja. With these events in front of them a good number of Albanian Orthodox may say privately that they will look at the issue of Autocephaly of their Orthodox Church, eventually, when Albania has joined the European Union and the Albanians are better off economically. In the mean time....,God help us. (The casual reader should know that this writer has functioned as an official advisor to the Albanian Orthodox Church in America and as a personal advisor to Fr.Liolin, up to 1995, on matters relating to the Autocephaly of the Church in Albania. The split occurred when this writer caused that the Orthodox Church in Elbasan be handed over to Fr. Nikolla Marku, an independent Albanian priest. This writer and Fr.Liolin have shared in all sorts of discussions and meetings, including drinking beer in local bars in South Boston as well as the official trip of the American Orthodox delegation to Albania, in 1992, all for the benefit of Albanian Orthodoxy). The only interesting question here is: what truly prompted Fr. Liolin to abdicate and give up his rich image of seeming to be all things to all people? Clearly, he is the keeper of the Noli library in Boston. Administratively, he is the Chancellor of the Albanian Orthodox Church in America. He claimed to be a defender of the Autocephaly of the Albanian Orthodox Church. Also, he pretended to be a friend of the Albanians from Kosova and from the territories of the former Yugoslavia until 1999 when the Serbs forced the massive expulsion of the Albanians from Kosova. The March 25, 1999 issue of the Boston Globe quotes Fr. Liolin speaking against NATO bombing of Serbia without a single mention of the plight of the Kosovars. By contrast, the Albanian Orthodox Fr. Spero Page spoke eloquently for the pain and suffering of the Kosovars. This pronouncement on the part of Fr.Arthur was not reported in the Albanian media, after some debate, because it was believed that Fr.Liolin must be preserved notwithstanding this questionable behavior on the Kosova issue. Note that Greek Bishop Janullatos was not spared attack in the Albanian press, here and in Albania, including debate in the Albanian parliament, for denouncing the NATO bombing in a chorus with many of his Greek compatriots. Fr. Liolin acted as a friend of all Albanian Orthodox and in particular those who were willing to labor to preserve the principles of the Autocephaly of the Albanian Orthodox Church. He attempted to appear kind, considerate and caring. He liked to appear as erudite and intellectual. Fr.Liolin was perceived as an enigma to those who got a little bit closer to him. Every shortcoming that might be gleaned of this man, Arthur, was glossed over so that he might continue to function as the sole guardian and leader of the Albanian spiritual resistance to the Greek usurpation of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Albania. And, for as long as this enigma and this perception were preserved, the Greeks actually, and rightfully so, were never sure they had indeed conquered the Church in Albania. They knew, for example, that even the government of Fatos Nano would, and did, consult with Fr. Liolin on the matter of the addition of the Greek Bishop Ignatios to the leadership of the Church. Obviously, Fr Liolin's advice to the Albanian government, through negotiator Kastriot Islami, was such that Bishop Ignatios was given the Episcopate of Berat whereas the candidacy of the Albanian citizen by birth Archimandrite Theofan Koja was rejected, the latter act being a direct responsibility of Fr.Arthur. Fr.Liolin adapted and engaged in a vicious campaign against Archimandrite Theofan that originated in Greek circles. This Greek campaign was very similar to the one fabricated against himself when he seemed to oppose Greek Bishop Janullatos. For the sinful act of engaging in rumor mongering Fr. Arthur will never be able to live with his own God. This sin alone is likely to tip the balance for Fr. Liolin's soul when he faces his Judgement Day. In addition, by this act he deprived the Albanian Orthodox and the Autocephalous Church of Albania of the services of Archimandrite Theofan Koja, who is fully a canonical priest, practicing in America, and is, at least, on an equal theological footing with former Archimandrite Jani Pelushi, the current Bishop Jani of Korca. With the abdication speech in New York, Fr.Liolin traded to the Greeks his enigma and his cultivated perception as the spiritual shield and fortress of the Albanian Orthodoxy in Albania and in America. Before that betrayal, the Albanian Orthodox would say that for as long as we have Fr. Arthur we can continue as best we can to oppose and resist the inroads of the Greeks and maintain hope for the future. Interestingly enough, the Greeks were never able to find a handle to this spiritual dilemma. A few years ago they attempted to breach the issue by pleading that Bishop Janullatos be allowed to celebrate the Holy Mass at St. George's Albanian Orthodox Church in South Boston, where Fr.Liolin is the Dean. Bishop Janullatos' request was rejected. Now, of course, the situation has changed. Bishop Janullatos may yet celebrate Mass at St. George's Church in the future. In this connection, the following quote, translated from Albanian, is appropriate: "Perhaps, you have decided to remove the bust of Bishop Fan Noli from the vestibule of St.George's cathedral just to please Mr.Janullatos who, as you well know, has removed the portrait of this giant of Albanian Orthodoxy from every Orthodox Church in Albania. If you happen to decide to do this, please, let me know so that I can take and shelter the bust of the hero who speaks with every true Albanian, but not necessarily with you". (Kohajone, op.cit.) It is fair to say that the Greeks will no longer be interested in Fr.Arthur because Fr. Liolin has nothing else to offer the Greek Orthodox Church leaders in Albania and Greeks anywhere. On the evening of February 17, in the cabal among the powerful Greek leaders, Fr.Liolin lost the essence of his existence and he lost his Christian Orthodox soul. He violated canon 34 of the Holy Apostles of the Orthodox faith. The Greeks have no reason to resuscitate him and they have no need for his corpse. On the other hand, the Albanians, Christians and Moslems alike, will disown him permanently as their Knight of the Autocephaly, the most noble and miraculous treasure of their ancestors. Fr. Arthur Liolin! In the minds of the Greeks and the Albanians, now and forever, you have lost your usefulness, you are history. March 3, 2001 Sejfi Protopapa Illyria, March 16, 2001 -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: MAY THE REAL Fr.doc Type: application/msword Size: 29184 bytes Desc: not available URL: From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Sun Mar 18 10:40:31 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 10:40:31 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Scholarship: Students from Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: fbieber at yahoo.com Subject: [balkans] Scholarship: Students from Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 11:42:26 +0100 Size: 3426 URL: From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 18 11:13:49 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 11:13:49 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fears of war in FYROM-Athens expresses concern Message-ID: <76.8aa93cf.27e638bd@aol.com> Fears of war in FYROM Athens expresses concern over situation, NATO will not be drawn in Kathimerini Open war between Slav-Macedonians and Albanians in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) now appears a certainty, and could kindle the spark that would lead to a general conflagration in the southern Balkans. As heavy fighting raged around the town of Tetovo and, according to reports, clashes spread to many parts of the country, in Athens the government expressed deep concern at events in Greece's tiny northern neighbor. FYROM Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski phoned his Greek counterpart, Costas Simitis, in a renewed appeal for Athens to press NATO to help Skopje. At the same time, NATO clearly stated that it considers the situation FYROM's internal affair, and appears unwilling to deploy outside Kosovo units from the KFOR multinational force meant to keep the peace in the occupied Yugoslav province. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, on a visit to Athens yesterday, said the alliance had no mandate to move into FYROM, and did not believe Skopje wanted it to do so. "We are determined that the stability of FYROM is not going to be threatened by a small number of extremists who prefer bullets to the ballot votes," he said, adding that NATO is planning to send a special envoy to Skopje, to ensure that its voice in the area "is heard loud and clear." Prime Minister Costas Simitis, after a meeting with Robertson, said: "It is too early for (the question of NATO military intervention in FYROM) to be raised." The government reiterated its standing position that it will support Skopje through political and diplomatic means. Athens insists that the problem should be addressed through implementation of United Nations resolutions on the disarmament of armed groups in Kosovo, although the government is aware that neither Greece nor any other European country is in a position to take action against the Albanian rebels. In an evident effort to bolster morale in Skopje yesterday, Defense Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos and Robertson announced measures for the protection of FYROM, which mainly involve tighter controls on the country's border with Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians are understood to have been fomenting unrest among the FYROM Albanian minority. Tsochadzopoulos stressed that this would not lead to involvement of Greek troops in the crisis. The minister condemned "Albanian nationalist groups," called for the international response to the clashes to be "strong and effective," and underlined the need for political support for Skopje. Government spokesman Dimitris Reppas called for "initiatives to prevent the spread of the crisis." From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 18 11:16:48 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 11:16:48 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO peacekeepers vow action against rebel threat Message-ID: NATO peacekeepers vow action against rebel threat PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, March 18 (Reuters) - The NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo told ethnic Albanian guerrillas on Sunday it would respond with force against any threat to its logistics base in neighbouring Macedonia. KFOR's commander, Lieutenant General Carlo Cabigiosu, said in his strongest statement so far that his troops were taking robust measures to seal the border between Kosovo and Macedonia in close coordination with the Skopje government. "The Albanian extremist groups need to understand that their actions may harm the stabilisation of the whole area and that this is not in the interests of the ethnic Albanian communities," he said in a statement. NATO has no peacekeeping role in Macedonia, but there are some 3,000 KFOR logistics troops based in the republic. Its German base in Tetovo came under crossfire on Saturday and Cabigiosu said that the Macedonian government had given it the right to respond to any further threat. "I warn the Albanian extremist groups that KFOR will not tolerate or allow any attacks against KFOR soldiers in the FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)," he said. "Our self-defence actions will be with proportionate force and we will respond with determination to any threat." From Gazhebo at aol.com Sun Mar 18 11:19:11 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 11:19:11 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] ANALYSIS-Macedonia not at war yet, but all the ingredients Message-ID: ANALYSIS-Macedonia not at war yet, but all the ingredients By Douglas Hamilton TETOVO, Macedonia, March 18 (Reuters) - This is not yet Sarajevo, nor Mostar, nor even Malisevo. The week's fighting around Macedonia's second city has had none of the ferocity of the past decade's epic Balkan struggles for survival in Bosnia, nor the ruthlessness of Kosovo's village-flattening anti-insurgency sweeps. The hospitals are not full, the people are not hiding in cellars. There are no overflowing graveyards, no "biblical" refugee exodus, no torched homes, no massacres, no fire of international outrage, no hapless U.N. troops. If this is what the self-styled National Liberation Army of Macedonia's large ethnic Albanian minority is seeking, it drastically misjudges the mood of the West. Discussions with NATO sources have made clear there is no longer any appetite for military intervention in another troubled ex-Yugoslav republic. It has been worn away by frustration, replaced by an increasingly angry impatience with ethnic hatred and resort to the gun. The real aim of the past week's bullet-spraying guerrilla spectacular on the slopes overlooking Macedonia's unofficial ethnic Albanian "capital" may be less reckless and more subtle than it looks. RADICAL POLITICS Politically, local analysts say, the rebels are already altering the landscape, radicalising those ethnic Albanians who chafe at what they see as a decade of skin-deep power-sharing with the Slav majority by co-opted leaders. On Sunday Ali Ahmeti, a Kosovo radical politician, was named as the political leader of the clandestine National Liberation Army, heralding a move for talks to demand Macedonia's "federalisation." A new ethnic Albanian political grouping, the National Democratic Party of Kastriot Hajireja, has already been created in Macedonia, espousing aims close to those stated by the guerrillas, though not links to them. The mainsteam Democratic Party of Albanians, with five seats in the cabinet, is accused of mildly enduring second-class status for its people and may risk marginalisation. The state, however reluctantly, must accept it faces an internal insurgency -- even if those behind it come from a variety of areas where the 10-year-old Kosovo-Macedonia border is meaningless but Albanian ethnicity is everything. "It won't go away. They must address it," said a Western diplomatic source, adding that no solely military solution was on offer in the long term. MEANINGLESS BORDERS Macedonian forces may soon succeed in pushing the rebels off their Tetovo hilltop and planting the republic's yellow-and-red sunburst flag there. But from rear bases in Kosovo well stocked with arms, the rebels can return again and again until their demands are heard. There is evidently little NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo can do to stop the guerrillas infiltrating in small groups over the lost miles of the recently established border, where a welcome, and perhaps even loose family links, may await in villages forgotten by the state. Sealing the border entirely is impossible. More to the point, there is nothing NATO troops can do to cut off political, moral and financial support for the insurgents. The rebel military aim in Tetovo was unclear from the start. Any bid to capture the city or to take territory on the plain below would surely meet with everything the security forces could throw at it. Though light by Western standards, government forces have bigger weapons, armour, better equipment and greater potential numbers to deploy. They have no combat aircraft or helicopter gunships to back an all-out assault, even if the ethnically mixed government agreed to such a politically high-risk strategy. But they have friends offering military help in Bulgaria, Greece, perhaps Yugoslavia itself. That, however, could trigger civil war or worse. GOVERNMENT MUST MAKE CONCESSIONS The NATO powers, while quietly urging the Macedonian government to address ethnic Albanian grievances, make it very clear they will not tolerate dismemberment of a state they long held up as an example of Balkan co-existence. An estimated one-third of Macedonia's two million people are ethnic Albanians. The next census is likely to find they number much more than the official 23 percent. Western diplomatic sources said the Skopje government must now use its Albanian coalition partners to seek accommodation, responding quickly to legitimate demands, such as official recognition of the Albanian language and real representation at all levels of authority. "This would enhance the credibility of the moderates and undercut what latent popular support there is for the gunmen," said one well-informed Western source. But the risks of polarisation are rising steadily. On Saturday, demonstrators outside the Skopje parliament demanded arms to defend the country. On Sunday, angry protesters insisted that the government take tough action or resign. From ipanajoti at yahoo.com Sun Mar 18 20:34:51 2001 From: ipanajoti at yahoo.com (ira panajoti) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 17:34:51 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed In-Reply-To: <20010317233133.8038.qmail@nwcst322.netaddress.usa.net> Message-ID: <20010319013451.9519.qmail@web11606.mail.yahoo.com> If it's people like these who start a war, it's a shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from comedy or the political arena! Good luck! --- "G.S" wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > se me dal... > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > near the scene of the > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > sources said. > > > > --- "G.S" wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > se me dal... > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > near the scene of the > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > sources said. > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get free email and a permanent address at > http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 18 21:00:58 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 18:00:58 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Germany - Albania In-Reply-To: <200103182326.PAA31097@mail7.bigmailbox.com> Message-ID: <20010319020058.53835.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> Ja informacioni per ndeshjen sipas kanalit televiziv gjerman ZDF. 19.25 Fu?ball: WM-Qualifikation (ZDF) Deutschland - Albanien ? Moderation: Johannes B. Kerner ? Reporter: Bela Rethy ? (Live aus der BayArena in Leverkusen) In der Halbzeitpause ca. 20.45 heute-journal, 20.55 Wetter (ShowView 220-40-927) --- "Admin@ AlbStudent" wrote: > Ndonjeri e di se ne cfare ore luhet ndeshja? ...dhe > gjithashtu nese ka ndonje vend ne Boston apo afer > tij ku mund te shikohet? > > >From: Agron Alibali > >To: Albsa-info at alb-net.com > >Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Germany - Albania > >Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 20:31:20 -0800 (PST) > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > >Deutsche Presse-Agentur > > > > > >March 17, 2001, Saturday, BC Cycle > >12:33 Central European Time > > > >Albanians promised 5,000 dollars for world cup > victory > >over Germany > > > >Tirana > > > > > > > > > >The Albanian Football Federation announced Saturday > >that each member of the national team will receive > >5,000 dollars if they beat Germany in the teams' > World > >Cup 2002 qualifying match on March 24. > > > >A federation spokesman said a draw at the match in > >Leverkusen would bring each player 3,000 dollars. > > > >Albanian national coach Medin Zhega has nominated > 24 > >players for the match, most of whom play in > European > >leagues. The coach said in a statement that he was > >optimistic for a positive result against the > leaders > >of Group 9. > > > >"We have always played well against Germany in the > >past and the results have been very narrow. I hope > we > >will do the same next week," he said. > > > >Zhega, an immigrant to Germany in early 1990s, said > he > >knew enough of German football to prepare well for > the > >match. > > > >Germany lead Group 9 with six points after two > matches > >while Albania have three points after two games. > >Finland have four points and Greece three after > three > >matches. England are last with one point after two > >matches. dpa ac dh > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________ > >Do You Yahoo!? > >Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > >http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > >_______________________________________________________ > >ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > > > http://www.albstudent.com > Albanian Student Home Page and Center of Information > Get you free email at http://www.albstudent.com > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Get your free email at http://www.albstudent.com > Forum, chatroom, scholarships, news, games, links, > and anything you want. > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk Mon Mar 19 07:40:10 2001 From: lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk (Lutfi Mjekiqi) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 12:40:10 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed In-Reply-To: <20010319013451.9519.qmail@web11606.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: You can say whatever you like about other people's sence of humor. After all, the joke is for those who know what the joke is. I just want to make clear that through history freedom fighters did not "create bad name for Albanians". Contrary. They were, are and will be the pride of nation. In principle, of course I am against all wars, and would like the earth to be a heavenly place where all people live in peace and harmony. That is not the case in Macedonia, not in Serbia, not in Greece. I do not accept the role of second class (third...) citizen enforced by these or any other government in my own fatherland. If it takes war for them to acknowledge this simple and basic fact and do something about it, than war let it be. After all, did not all the nations won liberty fighting? I do not know your nationality, but I believe your countryman did not win freedom preaching others in their career path or sence of humor. -----Original Message----- From: albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com [mailto:albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com]On Behalf Of ira panajoti Sent: 19 March 2001 01:35 To: G.S Cc: alb-club at alb-net.com; Albanian Discussion List; albanian-uk at alb-net.com; nyc-l at alb-net.com; prishtina-e at alb-net.com; prishtina-l at alb-net.com; tetova-l at alb-net.com; albsa-info at alb-net.com Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed -------- Albanian UK -------- If it's people like these who start a war, it's a shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from comedy or the political arena! Good luck! --- "G.S" wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > se me dal... > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > near the scene of the > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > sources said. > > > > --- "G.S" wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > se me dal... > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > near the scene of the > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > sources said. > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get free email and a permanent address at > http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ Albanian-UK mailing list Albanian-UK at alb-net.com http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk From besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk Mon Mar 19 08:42:46 2001 From: besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk (Besim Gerguri) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:42:46 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed References: Message-ID: <003001c0b07a$80bc59e0$02000003@oemcomputer> Ni varijante tjeter e rrezimit te helikopterit makedon osht se u kane me dirigjim prej se largu-i lidhun me konop, per mos me hupe. Keshtu qe konopi u pshtjell per telat e banderit ,ngat shpise se Osman Sutlijashit ,dhe u rrxu. "Shume keq", tash Maqedonise i kane mete vetem edhe dy helikoptera. Lutfi, mu ma merr menja se Ira osht shiptare se tregimi (hajgarja)se si ka ra helikopteri osht ne shqip-nashta ja ka perkthy najkush. Besimi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lutfi Mjekiqi" To: "ira panajoti" ; "G.S" Cc: ; "Albanian Discussion List" ; ; ; ; ; ; Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 12:40 PM Subject: RE: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > You can say whatever you like about other people's sence of humor. After > all, the joke is for those who know what the joke is. > I just want to make clear that through history freedom fighters did not > "create bad name for Albanians". Contrary. > They were, are and will be the pride of nation. > In principle, of course I am against all wars, and would like the earth to > be a heavenly place where all people live in peace and harmony. > That is not the case in Macedonia, not in Serbia, not in Greece. > I do not accept the role of second class (third...) citizen enforced by > these or any other government in my own fatherland. > If it takes war for them to acknowledge this simple and basic fact and do > something about it, than war let it be. > After all, did not all the nations won liberty fighting? > I do not know your nationality, but I believe your countryman did not win > freedom preaching others in their career path or sence of humor. > > -----Original Message----- > From: albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com > [mailto:albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com]On Behalf Of ira panajoti > Sent: 19 March 2001 01:35 > To: G.S > Cc: alb-club at alb-net.com; Albanian Discussion List; > albanian-uk at alb-net.com; nyc-l at alb-net.com; prishtina-e at alb-net.com; > prishtina-l at alb-net.com; tetova-l at alb-net.com; albsa-info at alb-net.com > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce > destroyed > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > _______________________________________________________ > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > From ipilika at hotmail.com Mon Mar 19 09:35:58 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 14:35:58 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fwd: Human Rights in Greece Message-ID: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/balkanhr/message/1824 _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Yahoo! Groups balkanhr Messages Message 1824 of 1854.url Type: application/octet-stream Size: 175 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Fisnik.Ismaili at edengene.com Mon Mar 19 09:42:52 2001 From: Fisnik.Ismaili at edengene.com (Fisnik Ismaili) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 14:42:52 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed Message-ID: <198F9D15E0A8D411BAD500508BB330D5106F72@CUBEMAIL01> That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has written. Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or does that make me a shameful Albanian, too? Easy with the accusations... ----- Original Message ----- From: "ira panajoti" > Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:34 AM Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > From kbejko at hotmail.com Mon Mar 19 12:36:41 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 12:36:41 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] UCK: Lufta e Keqe por e Nevojshme Message-ID: Bised? e t? p?rditshmes ?Fakti? me p?rfaq?suesin e luft?tar?ve shqiptar?, ?Sokolin? Bisedimet jan? t? paevitueshme sepse lufta do t?i diktoj? ato. Helikopterin e ushtris? maqedone e kemi rr?zuar ne! Prishtin?, 19 mars (Kosovapress) ? P?rfaq?suesi i U?K-s? n? intervist?n dh?n? t? p?rditshmes n? gjuh?n shqipe ?Fakti?, flet p?r luft?n e shqiptar?ve atje dhe p?r konsekuencat e saj. Ai demanton lajmin zyrtar se helikopteri i ushtris? maqedone ?sht? rr?zuar pasi ka hasur n? nj? larg?pr?ues rryme. Sipas tij at? e kan? rr?zuar pjes?tar?t e U?K-s?, pasi q? ?sht? v?rejtur se pjes?tar? t? nj?siteve speciale t? Maqedonis? q? kan? qen? n? helikopter, kan? tentuar t?i sulmojn? prapa shpine pozicionet e U?K-s??. Pyetje: Si do ta komentoni pik?n 7 t? konkluzioneve t? Parlamentit t? Maqedonis?, ku thuhet se do t? intensivohet dialogu i brendsh?m institucional p?r zgjidhjen e t? gjitha problemeve t? hapura? ?Sokoli: Maqedonia prej vitit 1992 propagandon demokraci, dialog, por shtrohet pyetja, cili ka qen? hapi q? ata kan? nd?rmarr? n? praktik?. Ju e dini ?ka ndodhi me manifestimin paq?sor t? shqiptar?ve me rastin e hapjes s? Universitetit t? Tetov?s, n? vitin 1994. At?her? ai manifestim u shua me gjak. Tani ?sht? shum? von? q? pushteti maqedonas t? nd?rmarr? hapa p?r dialog. Ushtria jon? ?sht? organizuar gjat? koh?s sa ka qen? diktatura, dhe tani ?sht? vet?m momenti kur ka dal? n? sken?. Ne e kemi p?rfaq?suesin ton? politik, dhe pushteti maqedonas duhet t'i caktoj? njer?zit e vet p?r t'i filluar bisedimet me ne, dhe e tyre ?sht? q? t'i th?rrasin edhe partit? politike shqiptare. Mir?po, platforma politike q? parashihet nga p?rfaq?suesit politik? t? U?K-s? nuk guxon t? ndryshohet, sepse nuk e rrezikon territorin dhe kufijt? e Maqedonis?, por k?rkon q? shqiptar?t t? jen? popull shtetformues i Maqedonis?. Pyetje: Edhe p?rfaq?suesit e partive politike shqiptare k?tu n? Maqedoni kan? q?llime identike me ato q? i k?rkon U?K-ja, pra ngritjen e shqiptar?ve n? popull shtetformues dhe barazin? e tyre n? t? gjitha segmentet, mir?po ata nuk i pranojn? metodat luftarake q? ju i preferoni p?r t'i realizuar k?to q?llime politike? ?Sokoli?: Edhe Evropa dhe Amerika thon? se metodat ushtarake nuk jan? t? pranueshme. Dhe ?sht? fakt se nuk jan? t? pranueshme. Mir?po, n?se nuk jan? metodat ushtarake, at?her? q?llimet politike nuk arrihen. Dihet rasti i Kosov?s kur Serbia 9 vjet prolongoi k?rkesat politike t? shqiptar?ve, madje edhe hapjen e shkollave, ku nd?rmjet?sues ishte Vatikani, por lufta ishte ajo q? e detyroi Serbin? q? t? pranoj? k?rkesat politike t? shqiptar?ve. Edhe Maqedonia patjet?r nj? dit? do t? pranoj? q? t? bisedoj? p?r k?rkesat tona. ?sht? m?kat t? luftohet, t? bien viktima kot, dhe n? fund t? pranojn? bisedimet. Pyetje: Mir?po, t? gjith? faktor?t politik? n? Maqedoni jan? t? mendimit se n? kushtet kur luftohet nuk mund t? bisedohet dhe nuk mund t? sillet kurrfar? vendimi n?n presionin e arm?ve? ?Sokoli?: At?her? ne vazhdojm? luft?n nj? vjet, dy, kat?r, dhjet? dhe nj? dit? patjet?r Maqedonia do t? ulet dhe t? bisedoj? me ne p?r k?rkesat q? tanim? i kemi b?r? publike. U?K-ja ka kondicion shpirt?ror dhe potencial njer?zor e teknik q? t? luftoj? gjat? koh? deri n? realizimin e k?rkesave t? veta. Nj? dit? Maqedonia patjet?r do t? detyrohet t? pranoj? dialogun politik dhe ?do prolongim i k?tij dialogu do t? ndikoj? negativisht n? shum? aspekte, e para s? gjithash n? shkat?rrimin e fshatrave, qyteteve, n? humbjen e jet?s s? njer?zve, ashtu si? vepruan para dy dit?sh forcat maqedonase, t? cilat kan? vrar? me snajper? civil?. Si mund t'i kuptojm? forcat maqedonase t? cilat pozicionet tona i gjuajn? nga lagjet e banuara me civil?. Ata na akuzojn? se jemi terrorist?, kjo nuk ?sht? e v?rtet?, sepse ne vet?m mbrohemi, kurse ata q? fshehen n? mesin e civil?ve jan? terrorist?. Pyetje: Na tregoni p?r kushtet atmosferike q? ndikuan n? rr?zimin e helikopterit t? policis? maqedonase? ?Sokoli?: Koha ka qen? shum? e mir?, me diell, nuk ka pasur kurrfar? ere. Helikopterin e kan? rr?zuar forcat tona, dhe sipas informacioneve tona n? t? kan? qen? pjes?tar? t? nj?sis? speciale maqedonase, t? cil?t kan? dashur q? prapa shpine t? futen n? pozicionet tona. Pyetje: Sa jan? t? v?rteta informacionet se n? Maqedoni jan? inkuadruar edhe "Tigrat e Arkanit"? ?Sokoli?: Kemi informacione edhe m? her?t, dhe k?to informacione i kan? edhe partit? politike shqiptare se n? territorin e Maqedonis? jan? fshehur shum? kriminel? t? luft?s, nj? pjes? e t? cil?ve jan? edhe n? ushtrin? e rregullt t? Maqedonis?. K?ta jan? kriminel?t q? kan? b?r? masakra edhe n? Kosov?. Prandaj, ?sht? e mundshme q? n? radh?t e forcave maqedonase t? jen? inkuadruar edhe "Tigrat e Arkanit". Pyetje: Koh?ve t? fundit nga Tetova dhe Gostivari jan? hetuar shp?rngulje t? popullat?s civile, t? cil?t zhvendosen n? drejtime t? ndryshme, madje edhe n? Turqi. Cili ?sht? apeli juaj q? kjo dukuri t? nd?rpritet? ?Sokoli?: Shqiptar?t e Maqedonis? e kan? par? luft?n n? Kosov? dhe tani jan? duke e kopjuar ekzodin si metod?, por mendoj se kjo ?sht? metod? e keqe, sepse nuk kan? nevoj? t? largohen, ata duhet t? q?ndrojn? n? vatrat e tyre shekullore. Pyetje: ?ka pritet n? t? ardhmen n? planin ushtarak nga ana juaj? ?Sokoli?: N? baz? t? p?rmbajtjes s? komunikat?s num?r 5, ne do t'iu p?rgjigjemi t? gjitha sulmeve t? ushtris? dhe policis? maqedonase, dhe ne tani p?r tani nuk jemi t? interesuar q? t? zgjerojm? zon?n e luft?s. N?se forcat maqedonase vazhdojn? me sulmin ne do t? jemi t? detyruar q? ta zgjerojm? luft?n n? t? gjitha qytetet, ku jan? t? banuara me shqiptar? dhe maqedonas, ku lufta civile do t? jet? e paevitueshme. N?se ushtria maqedonase nuk e nd?rpret ofensiv?n me armatim t? r?nd? q? ka filluar tani, dhe n?se ne e humbim durimin at?her? do t? ket? nj? zgjerim t? konfliktit edhe n?p?r qytete. Dit?ve t? fundit kemi pasur edhe ballafaqime t? af?rta me pjes?tar? t? sigurimit t? Maqedonis? dhe kemi v?rejtur se disa prej tyre flasin edhe serbisht. Pyetje: Cilat jan? humbjet n? njer?z dhe teknik? nga t? dyja pal?t? ?Sokoli?: Forcat maqedonase deri tani kan? humbur 13 automjete t? blinduara, pes? prej tyre i kan? z?n? forcat tona. Mir?po, ka edhe humbje t? m?dha n? an?n e pjes?tar?ve t? ushtris? dhe policis? maqedonase. Pyetje: A ka p?rfaq?sues t? partive politike shqiptare, t? cil?t kan? treguar ndonj? shenj? t? nd?rmjet?simit p?r t'i nd?rprer? k?to konflikte? ?Sokoli?: Deri m? tani vet?m p?rfaq?suesit e Partis? Demokratike Komb?tare jan? ofruar si nd?rmjet?sues, por edhe si p?rfaq?sues tan? politik?, edhe pse nd?rkoh? ka dalur p?rfaq?suesi yn? politik, Ali Ahmeti. Pyetje: P?rfaq?suesit e partive politike shqiptare mendojn? se mund t'i b?het d?m i madh ??shtjes komb?tare n?se vazhdohet me konfliktet e armatosura dhe k?t? q?ndrim t? tyre e kan? mb?shtetur edhe diplomat?t e huaj. Kjo do t? thot? se ka hap?sir? politike p?r zgjidhjen e t? gjitha problemeve t? hapura? ?Sokoli?: Jo. Nuk ka hap?sir? p?r politik?, sepse ne jemi t? vendosur q? t? bisedohet p?r k?rkesat t? cilat ne i kemi b?r? publike. N?se nuk pranojn? bisedime, at?her? ne do t? hudhemi n? prapavij? dhe me metoda guerile t? sulmojm? pozicionet e ushtris? dhe policis? maqedonase. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From puka at usa.net Mon Mar 19 12:44:22 2001 From: puka at usa.net (G.S) Date: 19 Mar 2001 12:44:22 EST Subject: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] Message-ID: <20010319174422.2487.qmail@nwcst284.netaddress.usa.net> To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate the Macedonians even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). The only thing that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful compared to the Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope the war ends today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on for extended Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on will only make us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has >written. >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or >does that make me a shameful Albanian, too? >Easy with the accusations... > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 From kbejko at hotmail.com Mon Mar 19 15:05:56 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 15:05:56 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Intriguing article from The Economist Message-ID: Another Balkan civil war? Mar 19th 2001 >From The Economist Global Agenda The biggest threat to Balkan stability is now Albanian, not Serbian, nationalism In context: Macedonian mission creep A FEW months after NATO's air war against Yugoslavia in 1999, a senior American policymaker made a prediction about the Balkans. For the previous decade, he said, the main challenge to western policy in the region had been posed by Serbian nationalism; for the next decade, the biggest challenge would come from Albanian nationalism. Guns... On March 18th, as Macedonia's prime minister accused NATO of standing by while ethnic-Albanian guerrillas plunged his country into chaos, the forecast seemed all too prescient. When NATO took control of Kosovo from Yugoslavia after the war, its commanders knew they would have a hard time reining in the nationalist feelings of the province?s ethnic-Albanian majority, which had suffered discrimination and then pogroms at the hands of Yugoslavia?s Serb-dominated government. But now, in addition to keeping the lid on Kosovo itself, western governments are struggling to contain the challenge from ethnic-Albanian guerrillas in two other places: the Presevo valley in Yugoslavia and (with less success, evidently) in Macedonia. Days after NATO officials negotiated a truce in the Presevo valley, there were reports of fighting in parts of Macedonia which had not previously been affected. For almost a week, a gun battle has raged in the city of Tetovo, Macedonia's biggest ethnic-Albanian stronghold, between government forces and a group called the National Liberation Army. The latter wants, at a minimum, to turn the country into a sort of segregated, bi-national state of Slavs and Albanians. Many of the NLA's fighters are veterans of the better-known Kosovo Liberation Army and its battle against the Serbs. These and the other armed Albanian groups which have emerged in different parts of the southern Balkans co-operate in some respects, but are also riven by local rivalries and feuds. That is one reason why keeping them under control has been such a headache for western policymakers. On the face of things, it might seem extraordinary that a couple of thousand lightly-armed fighters, dedicated to the Albanian-nationalist cause but with no other coherent ideology, should pose an insuperable and apparently growing challenge to Kosovo's supposed protectors: a 44,000-strong force led by NATO, 4,000-plus foreign and local policemen, two dozen intelligence agencies and a team of well-paid bureaucrats seconded from the United Nations and the European Union. In fact, Kosovo's guardians have not proved as formidable as their numbers and firepower would suggest. They are keen to avoid casualties among their own soldiers; they are wary of actions that would alienate the ordinary people in Kosovo whom they are supposed to be shielding from the Serbs; and they want to avoid rocking the province's political boat too hard. This strategy appeared to pay off last autumn in internationally-supervised local elections, which brought an impressive success for the relative moderates among the Kosovar-Albanian community. But Kosovo?s NATO and UN commissars failed to follow up with a crackdown on the nefarious activities of harder-line politicians and warlords: smuggling, racketeering, intimidation and racial violence. In part, this passivity stems from the different priorities among the western governments involved in policing Kosovo. French officials, for example, complain that as long as Slobodan Milosevic was in power, America tried to needle him by quietly condoning ethnic-Albanian militants?including those who are now causing such a headache in the Presevo valley. ...guns... The guerrillas active there?at least some of whom very reluctantly entered a ceasefire arrangement with NATO on March 12th?describe themselves as the Liberation Army for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, after the biggest towns in the region. Their main commanders?Shefket Musliu and Muhamet Xhemaili?are both veterans of the anti-Serb struggle in Kosovo, and are bitterly at odds with one another. In total, the guerrillas in Presevo, who occupy a maximum of 120 square miles, are divided into at least four factions, which compete over criminal spoils, control of funds and weapons procurement. In the bizarre and ruthless underworld of southern Balkans, almost everything is available from anyone at the right price. The guerrillas apparently have no difficulty obtaining anti-aircraft guns (which are then used as crude ground-to-ground weapons) from renegade Serbs. Their arsenal also includes Kalashnikovs from all over the ex-communist world, mortars and rocket-launchers. As for the guerrilla movement which has sprung up in Macedonia, they are mostly of local origin but many are veterans of the fighting in Kosovo two years ago. Ramush Haradinaj, a warrior-turned-politician who exercises huge clout in western Kosovo, has denied any connection with the NLA in Macedonia?though several of his former lieutenants have been spotted in its ranks. In fact, the ethnic-Albanian guerrilla movement is neither a centrally-controlled monolith nor a disparate, fragmented mixture of opportunists. There is an elaborate network of alliances and rivalries between fighters on different fronts. And with unemployment running at 60% in Kosovo, and something close to that figure among ethnic-Albanians in Macedonia, there is no shortage of bored young men to recruit. ...and more guns NATO faces growing pressure to dismantle that network at its centre, in Kosovo, rather than leaving Macedonia and Yugoslavia, with their frail governments and baying nationalists, to bear the brunt. America is still squeamish?but its NATO allies are losing their patience: a senior Norwegian official recently declared, ?There is a feeling that America could and should do more.? In the meantime, NATO and UNMIK, the United Nation?s civilian administration in Kosovo, are taking some practical steps to stem the violence. They have recently drafted harsh new anti-terrorist laws and set up a new criminal-intelligence unit. From the beginning of next month, anybody found in possession of a weapon faces up to ten years in prison or a DM20,000 ($9,200) fine. And to help gather evidence against arrested suspects amid Kosovo?s intimidatingly criminal climate, suspects can now be held 30 days without charge. Whether such a crackdown will be fierce and fast enough to prevent a serious conflict in Macedonia or Presevo remains open to doubt. Macedonia's President Boris Trajkovski, whose administration includes a moderate ethnic-Albanian party, recently announced that his country could cope with the guerrilla challenge. ?We will isolate them politically and militarily,? he predicted?just moments before the fighting spread to Tetovo _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk Mon Mar 19 16:21:07 2001 From: lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk (Lutfi Mjekiqi) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 21:21:07 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed In-Reply-To: <20010319180446.619.qmail@web11605.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Nuk eshte ketu ceshtja. Replika ime ishte ndaj "namit te keq per Shqiptaret" qe po shkaktuakan luftetaret. Nese keni dicka te shtoni rreth kesaj mund te vazhdojme debatin. Sa i perket shakase, juve (apo edhe dikujt tjeter) mund t'ju duket e pakripe, ofenduese apo edhe e peshtire. Ky eshte mendimi juaj dhe keni cdo te drejte ta shprehni ate. Une nuk dua te deklarohem lidhur me shakane (apo nese fitohen lufterat me to!) se ky nuk ishte qellimi i shkrimit tim. Ndoshta nuk eshte pune e imja se ne cfare gjuhe shkruani ju por nje mesazhi te shkruar shqip une do i pergjigjesha shqip, aq me pare nese jam Shqiptar krenar. -----Original Message----- From: ira panajoti [mailto:ipanajoti at yahoo.com] Sent: 19 March 2001 18:05 To: lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk Subject: RE: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed Rightfully so, They didn't win wars by making fun of others dying either! FYI, I AM ALBANIAN and proud of it too! --- Lutfi Mjekiqi wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > You can say whatever you like about other people's > sence of humor. After > all, the joke is for those who know what the joke > is. > I just want to make clear that through history > freedom fighters did not > "create bad name for Albanians". Contrary. > They were, are and will be the pride of nation. > In principle, of course I am against all wars, and > would like the earth to > be a heavenly place where all people live in peace > and harmony. > That is not the case in Macedonia, not in Serbia, > not in Greece. > I do not accept the role of second class (third...) > citizen enforced by > these or any other government in my own fatherland. > If it takes war for them to acknowledge this simple > and basic fact and do > something about it, than war let it be. > After all, did not all the nations won liberty > fighting? > I do not know your nationality, but I believe your > countryman did not win > freedom preaching others in their career path or > sence of humor. > > -----Original Message----- > From: albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com > [mailto:albanian-uk-admin at alb-net.com]On Behalf Of > ira panajoti > Sent: 19 March 2001 01:35 > To: G.S > Cc: alb-club at alb-net.com; Albanian Discussion List; > albanian-uk at alb-net.com; nyc-l at alb-net.com; > prishtina-e at alb-net.com; > prishtina-l at alb-net.com; tetova-l at alb-net.com; > albsa-info at alb-net.com > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > Macedonia's Airforce > destroyed > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > Macedonians > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > author > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > _______________________________________________________ > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From ipilika at hotmail.com Mon Mar 19 17:28:16 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:28:16 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fwd: NAAC Press Release Message-ID: > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: "F_L_I _R_I" Subject: Fwd: NAAC Press Release Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 20:53:22 -0000 Size: 3552 URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 19 18:01:31 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 15:01:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Germany - Albania Message-ID: <20010319230131.38651.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Bogdani Dropped From World Cup Squad TIRANA - Albania have dropped Italy?s Serie A Reggina forward Erion Bogdani from the 22-man squad for their World Cup qualifier against Germany. Coach Medin Zhega said on Monday he planned to rely on locally-based players for Saturday?s match against European group nine leaders Germany in Leverkusen.ADN __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From dardan at alb-net.com Mon Mar 19 18:53:27 2001 From: dardan at alb-net.com (Dardan Blaku) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] In-Reply-To: <20010319174422.2487.qmail@nwcst284.netaddress.usa.net> Message-ID: Did any of you wait in the Kosova/Macedonia border for over 6/7 hour while the jackass macedonian official played around with you and your passport just because you were albanian? On 19 Mar 2001, G.S wrote: > === NYC-L: New York City Discussion Forum === > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very > negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate the Macedonians > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). The only thing > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful compared to the > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp > contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope the war ends > today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on for extended > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on will only make > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has > >written. > > >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or >does > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > >Easy with the accusations... > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > --------- > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > - > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > se me dal... > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > near the scene of the > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > --------- > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > - > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > se me dal... > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > near the scene of the > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > ____________________________________________________ > NYC-L: A discussion and information list of the > Albanian community in the New York City Metro Area. > To post to the list: NYC-L at alb-net.com > For more information: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/nyc-l > From avelinahr at yahoo.com Mon Mar 19 19:33:56 2001 From: avelinahr at yahoo.com (A. Springhetti) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 16:33:56 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] (no subject) Message-ID: <20010320003356.35875.qmail@web11003.mail.yahoo.com> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BLACK HAND OVER EUROPE by Henri Pozzi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bulgarian Scene The Valley of the Vardar Let us peep behind the barbed wires. What impresses one immediately upon entering Macedonia is the immense calm, and the absolute order which reigns there. In this Valley of the Vardar, under an implacable sun which makes the red alluvial soil smoke, men and women by thousands move about without a word, without a cry, not even one of those songs which everywhere else mounts into the sky. The countryside, as far as the eye can reach, is without a human noise. The atmosphere seems fixed in a peaceful seclusion. Something indefinable, inexplicable, makes people and things here unique on the earth. One has the sensation of entering an unknown world. This sensation never leaves you, no matter where you may go in the annexed provinces. Even the streets of the cities, where housewives press before the butcher's shops, where bands of children pass to and from school, remind one of nothing that one has seen before in the Balkans. Even the noise, if I may so express it, is silent. The crowds going for a walk in the evening hours speak in monotones, as if murmuring, and the footsteps suggest the sober movement of a procession. They walk under the eye of the gendarmes who, rifle in sling and revolver at the belt, pace up and down the pavement. The people seem to have retired into themselves. To whatever class they may belong, all the Macedonians whom you will encounter in Macedonia, from Ochrida to Bitolj, from Veles to Guevgueli, in the cities and in the country, are the same. "They are like poor people who are on a visit to rich relations," said a young doctor to me at Skoplje. The attitude of this people, whom he had imagined to be exuberant, amazed him. Macedonia, which was for so long a field of agitation and violence, to-day reposes in the Pax Serbiana. At Nisch the coaches of the international train, which had already been inspected before leaving Belgrade, were searched again from top to bottom. Passports were checked again with an exasperating minuteness. As for the baggage, an hour after our departure from Nisch the occupants of the compartment next to mine, Jews from Salonika, still wept with rage before the disaster which had overtaken their travelling bags. And Nisch was nothing compared with what awaited us at Leskovatz(Leskovac) ! The women in the third class coaches were half undressed. The men had to take off their shoes. The railways are guarded by soldiers as in Croatia; but infinitely more severely. There are sentries everywhere visible, and others who are not visible because they hide behind bushes at the approach of the trains: At every step on the narrow roads which cut the bright verdure of the plains, horsemen appear, advancing two by two like war-time patrols. >From Leskovatz to Skoplje, from Veles to Bitolj or Chtip or Ochrida, I must have seen a hundred massive gendarmes, riding frisky little horses with their carbines placed before them on the saddle. Children and old men bow low as they pass. Only old women sometimes turn their heads. Near Priboz(Priboj), two young lads fled into a cornfield upon seeing the khaki uniforms. They were chased by the horsemen and harshly beaten in the face with riding whips because of their suspicious conduct. "Anything we can do to facilitate your investigations in South Serbia, we will do ! " Dr. Radovanovitch had said to me. He kept his word. My coming was announced everywhere. In all the stations after Nisch special commissioners were the very incarnation of politeness when examining my passport. My valises were not searched, and, as a result, travelling companions, whose vest- pockets even were turned inside out, conceived an immense respect for my person. At Skoplje, Mr. Jovanovitch, the representative of the Press-Bureau, took possession of me. He had been telephoned the night before by Radovanovitch. He and his friends did not leave me for a minute. I was presented to a crowd of amiable people, civil and military, and I had the pleasure of encountering them at each step afterwards. They followed me to the mosque where I thought I was alone ; to the old Macedonian quarters where their occupation hardly appeared to call them ; even to the French military cemetery, three miles from the city, where, without me, surely they would never have gone. I did not, however, remain long under this supervision. On the evening of the fourteenth of July a terrible storm kept me very late at the Cercle Francais on Peter the First Street. When it rained the hardest I insisted on leaving. There was no reason to hesitate any longer. My cover was complete, for the electric current had been cut off far fear of accidents, and my all-too-faithful escorts had sought shelter. My guide, I will not give his name, took me to a house where I found a mother nursing a little girl of ten or twelve years of age. I learned that this child, having been surprised talking Bulgarian with one of her little friends, had been bound to a bench before the class, and whipped until the blood came. Her back, her hips, and her thighs were covered by great sores. She could hardly walk, and she cried with pain when she sat down. They had warned her, however, that if she missed school or arrived late the punishment would be renewed. "Do you employ corporal punishment in your schools?" I asked Jovanovitch that same evening at the Grand Cafe. "Never!" he replied. "Do you take us for Germans ? " " Sir," the father of the wounded child had said to me when I was getting ready to leave, "you see how they treat our children ! What they do to our children they do to us all. A Macedonian woman who enters a police station or a gendarmerie is received as a prostitute ; a Macedonian merchant who gives credit to a Serb official will never be paid, and if he demands payment he is asking for ruin ; our peasants succumb under the burden of taxes and if they are one day late in paying them, they are seized and thrown out of their homes. The shepherds who go to the mountains are allowed to take only one day's provision with them ; and one of them must come for provisions each morning and give an account to the police of what he has seen, what he has heard, and what he and his companions are going to do during the day. Our letters are opened, our children questioned at school on what takes place in their homes ; we cannot even have the right to go from one village to another without permission. But never have our people been more faithful to Macedonia! When she finally falls on the Serbs our vengeance will be as pitiless as the justice of God." "What that man told you," said a Frenchman to me (one whom a long stay in Macedonia had familiarised with things), "is, unfortunately, the truth. There is not a word you can strike out. Nothing can give you an idea of the atrocious regime inflicted by the Serb administration on the Macedonian populations. I knew the bashi-bazouks. They were lambs compared with the Serbs ! " The father of the little girl took me through the storm to the end of the Turkish city on the other side of the Vardar. He took me to the home of some people whose address had been given me at the French consulate by one of the guests staying there. "My God, sir," said a woman to me as we went in, "we are lost if anyone has seen you enter." Her husband and she looked at me curiously in the light of a flickering lamp on the corner of the table. They were puzzled by this "Franski" who did not fear the police. They plied me with questions. "Are you going to Veles? To Chtip? To Negotin? To Bitolj? You will be well received because the Serbs fear the French, but you will see nothing." The man hobbled about painfully, and his fifty years appeared seventy. His legs had been broken with the butt-end of a musket in the prison where he had been put for two years simply because his brother had fled from Macedonia. In this prison he had to polish pencils and metal penholders. He had to polish a thousand each day, and was not allowed to sleep until he had made the count. Twice a week, in the dead of night, the gendarmes would lead him to the torture chamber where each prisoner was given twenty-five cudgel blows on the balls of the feet and on the hands, which had been previously soaked for half an-hour in warm water. Food consisted of two pounds of black bread each day, and two glasses of water at noon. The chains on his ankles weighed forty pounds. His deformed feet and hands bore frightful scars. The broken bones had knitted together above the knee without having been set in place, and they protruded through the skin. The man who gave me the address of these poor people asked me next day what I thought about it all. "If it were not so dangerous for them I would have given you ten or twenty other addresses," he said. "All those who leave prison are in the same state, and half of them, at least, leave it only to be cast into a common grave. What takes place in these ?houses of death,? as the Macedonians call them, is unimaginable. But you can make a pretty good guess if you have ever seen an accused man return from a questioning by the police magistrate. I saw an accused at Ochrida who had had his natural issues ? buckled? both before and behind , and was then forced to eat and drink copiously for three days. He howled with pain, but he confessed nothing-which is of little importance, since, probably, he had nothing to confess. Then they beat him unconscious in such a manner that not a tooth remained in the front of his mouth." Dr. Trumbitch, former minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Stefanitch and Meslitch, at Belgrade, and a high Serb personality of the opposition with whom I dined at the home of a common friend at Zemoun, had furnished me such details of the penitentiary regime that I was ready to listen to anything. "If it were known," they had said to me, "what takes place in our prisons, a cry of horror would resound all over Europe. The offices of police magistrates are torture chambers. The prisons are hells of suffering and ignominy. Thousands of human beings, men and women, even children, are tormented there and suffer without hope. Political prisoners are packed into cells too small to permit of any movement, and there they are left for weeks in an unbreathable atmosphere with their own mess rising up to their ankles. They take them out only to beat them to death or to subject them to ignominious outrages. The Valaque abomination, for which the Turks have been so much reproached, is a favourite resort when all else has failed to make the suspects confess. Even old men and women are subjected to it." The Serbian language is enforced in the schools, yet at home the children speak to their parents in Bulgarian, for their parents know no other. Yet which language moulds their souls, and their secret personality? Which of the two languages do they employ when they reflect, when they speak to themselves? That of the mothers, or that of the schoolmasters? All the Macedonians have had to Serbianise their names by ending them with "itch" instead of "off." From one end of the country to the other all traces of "Macedonianism" have disappeared; store-signs, menus, inscriptions on tombs, all are in Serbian. You will not find a paper, a magazine, a book, a pamphlet, or a single inscription in the Bulgarian language throughout all Macedonia. And yet fifteen years ago it was the only language spoken there. The swiftness of this change may be due to enthusiasm for Serbia, but it may not be entirely uninfluenced by the fact that the smallest letter in Bulgarian may cost its writer anything from six months to five years in prison, and a dose of cudgel blows before, during, and after. The "loyalty" of Macedonians in impeccable. Their deference towards all who have the slightest authority is touching. They express their joy in a loud voice at having "become Serbs again." But this loyalty, this deference, this joy, becomes a little ironic when one discovers what it hides. "No one needs to preach hatred of the Serbs to our compatriots," Macedonian refugees in Bulgaria said to me. "They have only to open their eyes to become filled with it." It is true. I have returned from Macedonia stupefied, revolted, disgusted, by what I saw there; by what I heard and learned there, thanks to the special means of information of which I was able to avail myself, in spite of the immense effort on the part of Serbian agents to prevent my discovering the truth. I am a Frenchman who profoundly loves Serbia, and has sufficiently proved it for twenty years, yet I declare unhesitatingly that the officials, judges, priests and police who represent Yugoslavia in Macedonia are a dishonour to their nation. Before going actually to the spot and seeing things with my own eyes, I refused to admit the reality of the accusations made by the Macedonian organisations of Bulgaria against the Serbian administration in Macedonia. But now I know that they do not contain a word that is not true. All the cases of atrocity, violence, despotism and immorality that I have been able to check have, without a single exception, been true. Materially and morally, the annexed peoples are crushed, plundered and martyrised beyond all belief. And there is no chance of their getting justice, aid, or protection. In Macedonia the Serbs confiscate, imprison, torture, violate and assassinate, continually, tranquilly and abominably. Last August, at Topsider, a French official, whose name I cannot, to my great regret, publish, said to me : "They send down there the scum of the Yugoslav administration, all those whom it has been impossible to break or maintain elsewhere. They are a rabble of thieves, of sadists and extortioners. Their ignorance, their vanity, and their immorality is unimaginable." Here are a few more of the things I saw in Macedonia. In one of the busy streets of Bitolj I heard frightful cries coming from the open window of a primary school. Two masters were beating half a-dozen young boys, who were tied to their benches " Dirty Bulgars ! " yelled the masters. " Sons of Macedonian sows ! I'll teach you Serb, I will ! " A Croat lieutenant from Zagreb was with me at the time. " What these chaps are doing here, they would like to do with us at home," he said. "Devils, they are, not men ! " Near the village of Orasac, between Kumanovo and Novoselo, I saw a peasant attached to a tree with his trousers down. His face, his back, and his belly were covered with blood. Three gendarmes and a non-commissioned officer stood round him. A fourth gendarme came out of a house. He was carrying a cat in a sack. They tied the cat above the peasant's knees, and then pulled his trousers up over the furious cat. All the village, men, women and children, looked on in silence. The man, his flesh torn by the enraged beast, screamed in agony. " Let's get out of here ! " said the Frenchman who had driven me there in his car. " If we intervene they will let him go, but they'll only blow his brains out as soon as we have turned our backs." In 1915 when the armies of Belgrade retreated beaten towards Albania, after having occupied Macedonia for two years, the Macedonians fell upon the wounded and stragglers. There were atrocious reprisals. I was one of those who denounced them to the world. To-day, knowing what I know, seeing what I have seen, I should no longer have the force to condemn them. In 1918, when she became a Serbian province, Macedonia had more than 700 churches; she also possessed 86 colleges or secondary schools, with 2,800 students and 460 professors ; 556 primary schools with 33,000 scholars and 850 teachers. The convents and churches contained inestimable treasures--the fruits of a thousand years of Mace- donian culture and thought. The churches, monasteries and schools have been confiscated, all the priests, all the teachers have been expelled, imprisoned, or deported into Old Serbia. The churches and monasteries, which even the Turks themselves had respected, have been pillaged from top to bottom. At Skoplje, at Chtip, at Veles, in twenty villages around these cities, in the region of Ochrida and of Guevgueli, I found Serb masters in the schools and Serb priests in the churches. When I asked the latter what had become of such and such a precious ikon, statue or wainscoting, the existence of which had been known to me in advance, they replied with-out exception, "They have sent them to Belgrade." In all the cemeteries and churches of annexed Macedonia, Belgrade has removed all the Bulgarian inscriptions from the altars, from the walls and from the tombs. In many cases they have emptied the tombs and the crypts of their contents. At Skoplje, for example, more than forty corpses were torn from the Church of Saint- Dimitri. " What have they done with them? " I asked Mr. Jovanovitch's assistant who was showing me the church. "They heaved them into the Vardar," he replied. At Veles, the Bulgarian officers who fell in the course of the last battles of the Franco- Serb offensive of September, 1918, had been interred in the old Church of Saint- Pantaleimon. Their remains were exhumed by the Serbs and cast on to the rubbish heap. I saw cemeteries at Chtip, at Krivolak, at Veles, at Kratovo and at Ochrida in which all the Macedonian funeral monuments had been pillaged, the names and the inscriptions in the Bulgarian language effaced, and all the tombstones torn out and shattered. These places of rest now resemble demolition works. One of the most insistent claims made by the propaganda of the Pan-Serbs is the work of sanitation and hygiene. "In Macedonia, where malaria, typhoid and the worst venereal maladies raged, where the whole population stagnated in ignorance and filth," Dr. Radovanovitch had said to me, "we have created one of the healthiest and most prosperous regions of Europe, thanks to the millions that France has had the generosity to advance us." What I saw was rather different. At Skoplje, for example, hundreds of millions of dinars have gone in the construction of a colossal Military Casino, greater than the Cercle des Armees de Terre et de Mer in Paris. A gigantic branch bank of the National Bank of Belgrade has been built, and luxurious villas have been erected for officials and officers. Yet clouds of mosquitoes still breed out of the slime of the Vardar; from the sewer-mouths, and from all the stagnant pools scattered about the old city and its suburbs. The centre of Skoplje is relatively clean ; but the old quarters, where more than fifty thousand people are piled upon one another, are never sprinkled, never swept, and remain covered with decomposing refuse. A fine "Institute of Research and Prophylaxy" is situated behind the railway station. I saw herds of syphilitics, malarials, consumptives, and women and children in the last degree of exhaustion and anaemia, file through its door. The staff were devoted, the buildings spacious, but the equipment was lamentably inefficient and filthy. I saw bed-sheets there which had not been changed for fifteen days. Even quinine and disinfectants were missing. "There is no money ! " the director said to me. At Veles, at Chtip, at Novoselo, at Kradsko(Gradsko), at Krevolok, and all along the valleys of the Vardar, the general mortality by malaria and tuberculosis and the number of syphilitics is shocking. The misery of the peasants, of the workers, and even of the merchants, defeats the imagination. Everywhere the water which the population consumes is contaminated by the worst infiltrations. I had left Skoplje, declaring to Jovanovitch that I was going to Bitolj, from where I would go by car to Ochrida. I hoped in this manner to free myself from official supervision. However, this was expecting too much. I had not been in my hotel at Veles five minutes before the Inspector of Police, Djaganetitch, saluted me on the doorstep. The Intelligence Service functions very well in Macedonia ! He was a charming man, this Inspector Djaganetitch. He took me to his office later on and told me of his campaigns against the comitadjis of the ORIM. "Do they still come as far as Veles?" "We took the last nearly three years ago, near the village of Katzibego(Kacibeg)," he replied. "Fourteen men and two women. Fine slips of girls they were too. They kept us company all night ! " " That must have amused you ! " I said tactfully, but ironically. "Oh yes! In the morning when we had to get en route they couldn't stand up. But we knew the remedy for that ! A few cracks of a horsewhip on the seat, and they ran like she-goats ! "The main thing, however, was to make the dirty curs talk. You can bet they hadn't come all the way from Bulgaria without being hidden and aided along the route. We wanted the names and addresses of their friends. " Well, believe me, sir, we tried everything ; iron wire twisted round the head or the knees with a stick, big toes crushed with a hammer. It's a rar e thing if a chap doesn't confess before the second foot. It's even better than the one with the teeth! You know the one, I reckon. It's this way! You put the man in a chair with his head bound to the back of it. You pry open his mouth and drill one, two, three teeth. I've seen huskies collapse at the second tooth ! At the third they tell you all you want to know. It's worth more than fifty cudgel blows. "But this last gang we caught simply wouldn't talk. No, sir. They made a sign to stop, and then when we stopped they said nothing. The women were the worst ! We drilled four teeth, two in front and two big ones. They went a bit white, but that's all. One of them spat in my face ! I could have killed her ! I wanted to set them on burning coals, as M. Lazitch had us do near Kratovo. " Well, all of a sudden, I found this." He plunged his hand into a drawer and held out to me an old rusty razor. " With that in two hours I made the dirty curs denounce more than twenty traitors ; peasants, shepherds, women, even kids ! I didn't have the time to write it all down. You tell M. Chiappe (French Prefect of Police in Paris) this method when you get back to France, it'll be useful to him." Hastily, all that had been said to me at Zagreb, at Sofia, at Belgrade, about the procedure of interrogation in the Serb prisons came back to me. I remembered the stories I had heard of noses and ears slashed, palms of the hands and balls of the feet beaten, points of the breast ripped out with pincers, the genital parts twisted, red-hot irons applied to the loins and under the feet. I cited these to the Inspector. He laughed. "Good Lord, no, sir. We had to do worse than that. Do you think that a chap whose big toes have been flattened, and who suffers the thunder of God with his teeth gives a damn about that sort of thing. " I had them all piled there in the corner, stark naked, and one of them I had held before me, his legs spread out, a weight of twenty kilos on each foot. . . . I was sitting there where you are. "'` You don't want to say anything? "' I said. "Each time that he said `No' with his head, the sergeant gave him a rap on the nose or the eyes with his fist, whilst I advanced my chair a notch. The third notch, and I was near enough to touch him. " ` Well, you see this razor? If you refuse to reply, I am going to use it on you. After that the rope ! But if you tell us which way you came in, who took you in and informed you on the road, we will take care of you and set you free. Understand?' "First, I made two slashes on his loins. He talked when I took up my razor again-two pages of it." "And you gave them their liberty?" I heard myself saying the words as a man in a ghastly nightmare. The fiend before me laughed. "Gave them their liberty? Why, what are you thinking of! It was that, sir, that made them talk! When the first one had said all he had to say, they took him downstairs ?to see the doctor?. At the door they put a rope around his neck and strung him up the tree in front of the little coffee-house, on the square there. The whole fourteen went like that. "That affects you, eh? I can see that you don't know these curs !They had killed a dozen of our men, and at Kratovo and at Krupiste they had burned the homes of Serb colonists with the people inside. The comitadjis of the ORIM! It?s wasting rope to hang them !A bullet in the belly, two or three strokes of the butt-end of a musket on the head, that's all they're worth ! They are brutes, good for nothing." "And the two women," I asked. ?They died without having confessed?" "Without having confessed? Ah! I guarantee you that it didn't take long to settle them. We gave them the candle." And so this also was true !This ghastly atrocity which Dr. Trumbitch told me about at Zagreb, and Professor P___at Belgrade. "Why, yes, the candle!" went on Djaganetitch. "Naturally, the woman is warned. If she persists, they stand her up, light a candle or a good pocket- lighter, and raise the flame little by little until it is thrust into her genitals." "And then?" "And then they were strung up with the rest of them. But we have never seen another comitadji in this region since, not one. They know what's waiting for them. The sub- prefect could go alone as far as Karaslar, by deserted roads, as safely as if he were on the terrace of Kalemeigdan." I had a talk with this sub-prefect, M. Nikolitch. He also was full of " information. " "Do you intend to visit Kratovo?" he asked. "When you get there go and see Lieutenant Mina. He's a veteran of the armies of King Peter who dared go all alone to a region infested with revolutionaries and traitors. A real Serb ! He had a score of his old comrades at Kratovo. He installed them on the abandoned lands and in the houses. M. Jovanovitch didn't tell you the story of the marriages, did he? Ah! you must hear it. It's one of the things for which His Majesty complimented Mina. "Mina and his bachelor comrades at Kratovo could find no one to marry, because the women would not have a Serb. But that wasn't for long! One Sunday, Mina assembled the village and told his comrades to choose a girl each. They took eleven women whose husbands had fled to Bulgaria, and who cried that they were already married. " ? I annul your marriage !? said Mina. They refused. So Mina had them tied to benches. They were whipped by their future husbands until they could cry no longer. Then Mina warned them that they would do it again the following Sunday, and each Sunday after, until they gave in. " For three Sundays Mina thrashed them thus, and then they said ?Yes.? Mina had a minister come from Serbia, and they were married." I met one of the "re-married" women. She was playing on the doorstep with the son of her Serb husband, a fine lad of three or four years of age. She showed such a tenderness for him that I, knowing the story from my guide, was stupefied. In answer to my question she replied : "I want my son to love me so much that it will be I, living or dead, who aims his rifle on the day of our liberation." "Whatever you see you must plainly tell," Dr. Radovanovitch had said to me at Belgrade. "We do not fear the truth ! " I have accepted his challenge as the challenge of the Pan-Serbs. I have been, I have seen, I have heard. ... And now I am telling the world ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Home]] [[Previous]] [[in Bulgarian]] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Books about Macedonia/ "War is coming again" by Henri Pozzi/ The valley of the Vardar __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:50:21 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:50:21 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Bush troubled by Macedonia clashes with guerrillas Message-ID: Bush troubled by Macedonia clashes with guerrillas WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday condemned continuing violent attacks by ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia and said it was studying "non-military" ways to help the Balkan nation, even as NATO sent more troops to Kosovo's southern border with Macedonia. "The United States rejects and condemns the continuing violence from ethnic Albanian extremists in Macedonia. These extremists have no legitimacy and do not represent the vast majority of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a strongly worded statement. The White House said President George W. Bush is concerned about clashes between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Macedonian forces, and Washington is studying "non-military" ways to help Macedonia. NATO said on Monday it was sending more troops to Kosovo's southern border as Skopje battles the rebellion by guerrillas it believes are infiltrating from Kosovo, where the Western security alliance has 38,000 peace-keepers station ed. "The president is concerned about the actions taken by Albanian extremists and that's another reason why the president and NATO authorized stepped-up patrols of ... KFOR," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, referring to the Kosovo Force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "The president is concerned about the level of violence there," he added. Boucher said the ethnic Albanian extremists were "causing serious harm to the interests and image of those they claim to represent in the ethnic Albanian community in Macedonia, Kosovo and the region." Ethnic Albanians make up one-third of Macedonia's 2 million population. Both Skopje and the West are worried about the risk of a slide toward ethnic conflict that could not only tear the tiny Balkan republic apart but ultimately drag in neighboring Bulgaria, Greece, Albania or Yugoslavia. On the ground in Macedonia, government tanks and truckloads of troops headed for the mainly ethnic Albanian city of Tetovo, where paramilitary police pou nded rebel targets for a sixth day with mortar and machine-gun fire. National Security Council spokeswoman Mary Ellen Countryman said Washington was "looking at non-military actions" to help, adding, "We support the Macedonian government's efforts to defend their border." Boucher welcomed the Macedonian Parliament's unanimous statement on March 18 condemning the violence, and said the United States unequivocally supported Macedonia's territorial integrity and the "legitimate efforts of the Macedonian government to protect the rule of law." "Political grievances of the ethnic Albanian community should be addressed through the democratic structures of Macedonia's multi-ethnic civil society, not through destabilizing violence," he said. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:51:09 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:51:09 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanians Seek Refuge Across Border Message-ID: <5a.12acbb49.27e82dad@aol.com> Albanians Seek Refuge Across Border By MERITA DHIMGJOKA QAFE THANE, Albania (AP) - Driven from his home by the fighting in Macedonia, Beki Jonuzi and hundreds of other ethnic Albanians sought refuge Monday just across the border. But Albania isn't home, and Jonuzi said he'll do whatever it takes to go back to his village of Pallatice, just north of Tetovo where the fiercest battles have been waged. ``We will take the women and children to a safe place, and then will return to our homes,'' said Jonuzi, 35. ``Our land is there. Our property is there. And we'll die for it, if there's no other solution.'' The Macedonian government has been unleashing artillery and mortar strikes in the wooded foothills outside Tetovo, Macedonia's second-largest city, in an effort to repel ethnic Albanian rebels seeking greater rights and recognition. Scores of ethnic Albanians have fled across the border, mainly women and children. Most live in or near Tetovo. Although the fighting has been centered there, many fear the conflict soon will spread throughout the former Yugoslav republic. Some of the refugees said tensions were rising between ethnic Albanians, who make up at least a quarter of Macedonia's 2 million people, and the Slav majority. ``A group of Macedonians beat up two of my girlfriends last week,'' said 17-year-old Albana Mehmeti, one of about 50 ethnic Albanians who fled the Macedonian capital, Skopje. The refugees said they were afraid to use public transportation and their children had dropped out of school for fear of attacks. Albanian authorities have called on ethnic Albanians in Macedonia to refrain from violence and concentrate on political negotiations. They fear an escalation of the violence in Macedonia could lead to a flood of refugees similar to the crush in 1999, when about half a million Kosovo Albanians crossed borders into Albania. The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees was monitoring the situation at the Qafe Thane border crossing, though agency officials said those arriving were not refugees in the usual sense. ``They don't ask for political asylum, for shelter or humanitarian assistance,'' said Zakaria Kawi of the UNHCR. Some of those who crossed the border said they planned to go to Kosovo, where they had relatives. Others said they would stay in Albania with their families and friends. Few knew much about the rebel National Liberation Army. But they said they would be willing to join if their homes and lives in Macedonia were threatened. ``We have paid for the Macedonian army and police these last 10 years,'' said Zeni Ramadani, 21, a medical student at Pristina University in Kosovo, who was visiting his parents in the town of Kumanovo when the border crossing back was closed. ``Now, they are shooting us,'' he said, ``and we will not sit and watch.'' From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:51:46 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:51:46 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] EU vows help for Macedonia, no troops Message-ID: <70.8ca2f46.27e82dd2@aol.com> EU vows help for Macedonia, no troops By Gareth Jones BRUSSELS, March 19 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers vowed strong political support for Macedonia on Monday as it battles ethnic Albanian guerrillas, but rejected a call to send troops to the tiny ex-Yugoslav republic. Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgan Kerim briefed his EU counterparts and NATO Secretary-General George Robertson on the situation in his country and later left for Skopje with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. Both the EU and NATO have been alarmed by the clashes between Macedonian security forces and the ethnic Albanian fighters around the town of Tetovo, near the Kosovo border. They fear the clashes could strain the often tense relations between Macedonia's majority Slavs and its large ethnic Albanian minority to breaking point, sparking a wider Balkan conflict. "There is a very strong convergence between all EU member states, all NATO states and all the countries of the region that we should not let a handful of extremists provoke a spiral of violence," said French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine. Vedrine and other ministers also commended Albania for distancing itself publicly from the Tetovo guerrillas, whom many suspect of wanting to establish a "Greater Albania" in the Balkans taking in Kosovo and parts of Macedonia and Montenegro. Solana said he would urge ethnic Albanian leaders in talks on Tuesday in Skopje to help isolate the guerrillas. "Violence has no place here. All the countries of the region are now democracies and must move forward through dialogue and diplomacy, not violence," said Solana. TEST OF EU CREDIBILITY The latest clashes are seen as a key test of the EU's efforts to build a more effective foreign and security policy. But while offering political and economic support, the EU still lacks the military muscle to help combat the guerrillas. Its planned rapid reaction force will not be operational until 2003, leaving NATO as the key military player in the region. At Monday's meeting, Austria raised the possibility of extending the mandate of NATO peacekeepers based in Kosovo to Macedonia, but diplomats said only Greece -- which shares a border with Macedonia -- backed that proposal. Earlier, NATO's Robertson also ruled out any extension of the alliance's mandate and noted that the Macedonian government had made no such request. Any change in NATO's mandate would need approval by the U.N. Security Council, where it would be sure to provoke a veto from permanent member China, which is still smarting from Macedonia's diplomatic recognition of its arch-rival Taiwan. Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said NATO would focus for now on beefing up its policing of the border between Macedonia and Kosovo. Lindh also said she would travel to Skopje and to Pristina, capital of Kosovo, on Thursday with other senior EU officials to assess ways in which the Union could help alleviate the crisis. Diplomats said the EU was worried that bold steps like sending foreign troops could seriously complicate relations between the Slav and Albanian communities in Macedonia. But Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou told Reuters the EU had not completely ruled out the possibility of sending troops to Macedonia at a later date, if it proved necessary. "It is not off the agenda," he said. "If the measures taken are not enough to stop the terrorist activity, then other options will come to the fore." TEST OF MACEDONIAN "MODEL" Kerim said the clashes were a test of whether a multi-ethnic society could survive in the war-ravaged Balkan region. About a third of Macedonia's two million population is ethnic Albanian. The majority has close ethnic and linguistic ties to Bulgaria. "We need to show all the peoples of the Balkans that the inter-ethnic model such as we have in Macedonia needs not only to be protected but to be promoted," Kerim told reporters. European Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten said the EU was providing financial help to projects like the Albanian-language university in Tetovo. EU financial help earmarked for Macedonia in 2001 totals 41 million euros ($36.9 million). Macedonia will also sign a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU next month -- the first step towards eventual EU membership. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:53:10 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:53:10 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO to step up Macedonia border presence Message-ID: <102.7d11b9.27e82e26@aol.com> NATO to step up Macedonia border presence By Ian Geoghegan BRUSSELS, March 19 (Reuters) - NATO said on Monday it will send more troops to Kosovo's southern border with Macedonia to seal off supply routes used by ethnic Albanian rebels. Secretary-General George Robertson told reporters after talks in Brussels with Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgan Kerim that the international community would not, however, seek an extended United Nations mandate to operate within Macedonia itself. "We'll be asking individual (NATO) members to add to the troops they have in Kosovo in order that more flexibility can be given to the task," Robertson said. He declined to detail how many troops could be redeployed into the mountainous and forested border area where ethnic Albanian guerillas have exchanged fire with Macedonian forces over the past six days. "The number of troops in the border region will be adequate to the task that is set out and the objective will be pursued with considerable vigour," he said. Robertson said NATO had sent a very strong message to the rebels, whose attacks have sparked fears of a new ethnic conflict in the region, "to stop and stop now." "This is the time in the Balkans when decisions should be taken by the ballot box and not by the bomb or by the bullet." The NATO chief said the alliance's remit did not extend into Macedonia and stressed that Skopje had not asked for intervention on their side of the border. "What is necessary...is to interdict as much of the supplies, the traffic that might be going into Macedonia, so NATO is committed to tightening its controls of the border and additional troops will be put in place in order to do that. "We are determined that we will starve the limited number of localised extremists from being able to carry out their mischief and we will take what measures are necessary on the military front," Robertson said. "There's no question of new mandates. What is required...is political calm, the isolation of those who are undermining the democratic process...and we can do that with KFOR on the Kosovo side of the border, cutting off lines of supply, increasingly patrolling and interdicting those who might use that territory. Robertson, who later on Monday will join Kerim in talks with European Union foreign ministers, said NATO ambassadors would travel to Skopje on April 3 and to Pristina the following day to take stock of the situation. The alliance's ambassadors, sitting as the North Atlantic Council, were due to meet at 1600 GMT on Monday to review the escalating crisis. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:52:28 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:52:28 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Russia wants international action on Macedonia Message-ID: Russia wants international action on Macedonia BELGRADE, March 19 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday violence involving ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia was getting out of control and only decisive international action could stop the fighting. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov handed over a letter from Putin to Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica in which he said conflict could spread across the Balkans unless the violence in Macedonia was halted. Kostunica, after talks with Ivanov in Belgrade, stressed his strong criticism of NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo. He said the ethnic Albanian province had become "a real breeding ground for terrorism" since Serbia was forced to cede control there to international authorities in June 1999. Ethnic Albanian guerrillas began fighting government security forces in the south of Serbia, Yugoslavia's dominant republic, more than a year ago and a similar rebel group has emerged in the past few weeks in independent Macedonia. Putin said Ivanov would try to co-ordinate Russia's position on the violence with Balkan states on his visit to the region. "The situation is gradually getting out of control, both the countries of the region and Russia are worried about this fact," Putin said in comments televised in Russia. "Only decisive political and, if the need comes, military actions by the international community can prevent the conflict from spreading over the whole Balkan region," his letter to Kostunica said, according to a Kremlin statement. The statement did not make clear under what circumstances Putin was ready to support a military operation. NATO, keen for Balkan stability but wary of being sucked into conflict, has said it is beefing up border security in Kosovo but has no mandate to act militarily inside Macedonia. Russia -- a traditional ally of Serbia and Yugoslavia -- has been a regular critic of NATO and U.N. policies in Kosovo, arguing that both bodies have failed to isolate and clamp down on ethnic Albanian radicals. The guerrillas say they are fighting for greater rights for ethnic Albanians. But Kostunica said the rebel groups were simply terrorists and should be condemned as such. "There are people using euphemisms for this -- they speak of extremism but terrorism remains terrorism. People don't get killed by extremism, while terrorism kills people," he said. "We spoke about how the real exporter of this terrorism is Kosovo," he said of his talks with Ivanov. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:56:02 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:56:02 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Macedonia army readies for push as concern deepens Message-ID: <4f.8fe2989.27e82ed2@aol.com> Macedonia army readies for push as concern deepens By Anatoly Verbin TETOVO, Macedonia, March 20 (Reuters) - Macedonia, trying to end the ethnic Albanian rebellion on its doorstep and avoid yet another Balkan conflagration, was on Tuesday poised to begin what it called "a final operation to destroy the terrorists." Six days of pounding of guerrilla positions outside the town of Tetovo, close to the border with Albanian-majority Kosovo, have failed to quell the rebels, whom many suspect of wanting to establish a "Greater Albania" in the Balkans taking in Kosovo and parts of Macedonia and Montenegro. Macedonia, one-third of whose people are ethnic Albanians, wants to get the fighting over as soon as possible, and its army has brought up 10 Soviet-built tanks and a dozen truckloads of troops for its final assault. Meanwhile the European Union, NATO, Russia and the United States all expressed concern and support, as did U.N. chief Kofi Annan in New York, but despite Russian urging the West was only too eager to let Macedonia do the actual fighting. NATO, already deeply committed in Kosovo, announced troop reinforcements on the border with Macedonia to stop further infiltration of guerrillas. Secretary-General George Robertson vowed "decisive action" but declined to give numbers, locations or timing. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the situation in the region was starting to "spiral out of control" and urged the international community to use all means, including force, to prevent a new Balkan conflagration. But U.S. President George W. Bush's administration said it was studying "non-military" ways to help Macedonia. "The president is concerned about the actions taken by Albanian extremists and that's another reason why the president and NATO authorized stepped-up patrols of...KFOR (the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force)," said spokesman Ari Fleischer. EU, RUSSIAN OFFICIALS FLY IN European Union security chief Javier Solana flew to Skopje on Monday evening in company with Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgan Kerim, who had been in Brussels to brief EU and NATO officials on the situation. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov was also expected to fly to Skopje on Tuesday and was expected to try to coordinate Russia's position with Balkan leaders and with the West. Solana will also have talks in the Macedonian capital, but the EU has reacted coolly to suggestions that Western troops should be sent to Macedonia. Solana said he would urge ethnic Albanian leaders in Skopje to help isolate the guerrillas. "There is a very strong convergence between all EU member states, all NATO states and all the countries of the region that we should not let a handful of extremists provoke a spiral of violence," said French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine in Brussels. NATO's Robertson told reporters that the aim of sending more alliance troops to the Kosovo border was to cut the rebels' supply routes, but that the international community would not seek an extended mandate to operate within Macedonia itself. In Skopje, government spokesman Antonio Milosovski said Macedonian security forces had destroyed the main guerrilla stronghold on a hill overlooking Tetovo, a town of around 70,000 people. "The Macedonian security forces will soon start a final operation to destroy the terrorists," he said. "That will happen when our commanders in the field decide that there will be minimum risk of losing lives of security forces." Macedonian forces have mortared and machine-gunned guerrilla positions since Wednesday in a bid to dislodge what they say are several hundred guerrillas of the self-styled National Liberation Army (NLA). There has been little return fire in the past 48 hours and a Macedonian spokesman said guerrilla attacks were subsiding. In a statement obtained by Reuters on Monday, the NLA appealed for financial contributions from "Albanians wherever they are," adding that they had decided to create a fund to support the fighting financially. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 22:57:42 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:57:42 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] ANALYSIS-Worried Greeks see Balkan domino fears coming true Message-ID: <46.122cc9c8.27e82f36@aol.com> ANALYSIS-Worried Greeks see Balkan domino fears coming true By Jeremy Gaunt ATHENS, March 19 (Reuters) - Ask a Greek what he thinks about the flare-up of ethnic violence in Macedonia, his country's northern neighbour, and chances are he will say: "We told you so." The fiercest European opponents of NATO's bombing campaign of Kosovo are watching in horror as Balkan turmoil approaches ever closer to their own border. Fears in Athens that the West, particularly the United States, does not understand the Balkans and that supporting ethnic Albanians against Serbia in the 1999 war would only aggravate the problem appear to be confirmed daily by fighting in hills around Tetovo. "Unfortunately, our concerns and our positions...are being justified," Prime Minister Costas Simitis said last week as Macedonian troops battled ethnic Albanian guerrillas only a couple of hours north of the Greek frontier. Greece officially supported its NATO allies during the Kosovo war, despite vehement public opposition. But it argued strenuously against the bombing and insisted that separatists should not be encouraged to dream of border changes. Officials say that, as predicted, the wrong message was given -- that violence would bring Western intervention and effectively assist guerrillas to reach their goals. "We responded as an alliance, in a sense legitimising the violence of the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army)," Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said. "Now they feel they have a carte blanche. "Whatever happens we cannot give in to this tactic." DEEP CONCERN Greece, which sees itself as the EU's natural political and commercial leader in the Balkans, is now repeating the Kosovo chant with Macedonia, albeit this time closer in tune with its allies. It has pledged political support to the government in Skopje and has embarked on a round of talks with its European Union and NATO allies on the crisis. There have also been undefined offers of assistance for its poor neighbour through various bilateral agreements. A meeting may take place next week between the Greek, Macedonian and Albanian foreign ministers. Simitis, however, has been quick to rule out any talk of Western intervention in the new trouble spot. "It is too soon even to raise the question," he said on Friday. But worry in Athens is palpable that the violence will spread and that Macedonia will be dragged into a civil war destroying what little political and economic stability has been built in the southern Balkans. "We are very much concerned and it is just the beginning of the crisis," said one senior Greek official who asked not to be identified, noting that to date the Macedonian fighting was only limited. "If there is this kind of panic and concern now, can you imagine if a situation develops like Kosovo." From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 23:01:22 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:01:22 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] FYROM faces dangerous dilemma Message-ID: <102.7d11bb.27e83012@aol.com> FYROM faces dangerous dilemma As protesters, opposition demand stronger action, government fears crackdown will radicalize Albanians By Giorgos Kapopoulos Kathimerini TETOVO - All indications are that the conflict between government forces and armed Albanian separatists in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is out of control and continually intensifying. The government of Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski fears that if it steps up repressive measures, this will provoke a rift with the ethnic Albanians who are part of the ruling coalition - which would provoke a general conflict across the whole country. FYROM's only hope is for the international community to help deal with the problem. However, there is little hope of assistance from NATO given that the primary concern of the international force in Kosovo (KFOR) is to avoid a conflict with local armed Albanians and those in Kosovo as well. Consequently, as Georgievski told Greek reporters on Saturday, the government's hopes lie with neighboring countries, especially Greece and Bulgaria. In contrast to the wariness displayed by the government and the problems it faces, the separatists enjoy several advantages. The Sar Planina mountain range in whose foothills Tetovo nestles, is a continuous 140-kilometer barrier separating FYROM from Kosovo. It is an impregnable sanctuary for guerrillas which cannot be controlled by any forces -?neither those of Skopje, nor of KFOR in the unlikely event that the NATO forces suddenly lost their reservations and began to work actively to seal the border. Tetovo is the front line of this new battle today, with the government's special forces on one side and the guerrillas with their machine guns and mortars on the other. Tomorrow, the fighting could spread across the whole country. In the capital Skopje itself live 120,000 ethnic Albanians. But in western FYROM, which includes Tetovo, Gostivar, Kicevo and Debar and stretches down to Lake Ochrid, state power is non-existent. The Greek Foreign Ministry is exploring all possibilities to help keep open a channel of communication between Skopje and Tirana and has undertaken an initiative for a meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers soon. But the conflict has begun to take on a dynamic of its own. In demonstrations in Skopje on Saturday and yesterday, Slav-Macedonian protesters called for harsh repressive measures against the separatists and accused the government of inaction. In Tetovo, 40 kilometers west of Skopje, if the gun battles turn into mopping-up operations by the security forces, then the Albanians (80 percent of the population in that area) might be forced into a bloody conflict. NATO's fear of being drawn into the dispute, the Georgievski government's wariness over ordering widespread operations and the rugged territory that is favorable to the guerrillas all across northwestern FYROM have made both sides inflexible, leaving little or no room for domestic or international initiatives to ease the tension. The situation is aggravated by the leadership problem among ethnic Albanians, with their historical leader (and government coalition member) Arben Xhaferi very ill and either unable or unwilling to influence events. In addition, Georgievski's coalition is involved in clashes with the social democratic opposition, which is demanding to know whether the government is capable of protecting the country's territorial integrity. Athens backs Skopje fully . The crisis in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has prompted strong statements of support from Greece, which, along with Bulgaria, has been one of the countries to offer Skopje military materiel as well. The government has undertaken an initiative - sending emissaries to Skopje yesterday - to arrange a meeting of the Greek, FYROM and Albanian foreign ministers in the next few days. "There is permanent and constant communication between Greece and the government in Skopje," Prime Minister Costas Simitis told his PASOK party's central committee on Saturday. "The situation in the Balkans today is fluid. Stabilizing this situation demands insistence on certain principles," he said, listing them as adherence to international law and the preservation of current borders. The Balkans needed a policy of development and cooperation, he said. "Wherever Greek troops are present, they are there to establish peace. That is why we condemn violence, we condemn and oppose separatist tendencies. That is why we claim that every possible effort at dialogue must be made in order to solve differences by democratic means," Simitis said. "I hope the government in Skopje will get the situation under control and stability will return to the region," he said. Addressing a party gathering in Patras yesterday, opposition New Democracy party leader Costas Karamanlis called on the Greek government to take initiatives. "What we see taking place is especially dangerous," he said. "That country finds itself one step from civil war." Meanwhile, 14 journalists from Skopje and 11 from Athens and Thessaloniki met in Skopje on Friday and Saturday and decided "to establish links... in order to exchange experience, ideas and skills and to find common ground on the basis of professional journalism, the principles of a pluralist society and the two countries' European future." From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 23:05:21 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:05:21 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] "Guns may well have the final say in Tetovo" Message-ID: <10.a53edd4.27e83101@aol.com> "Guns may well have the final say in Tetovo" Fadil Suleyimani, ideological leader of Albanian irredentism and dean of an illegal university in FYROM's second city, conveys the tone of the conflict By Stavros Tzimas Kathimerini TETOVO: "Our nation is experiencing its historical moment, which was a long time coming. If nothing happens now then tomorrow might be too late. I am afraid that if the moment is lost that guns will have their say!" Fadil Suleyimani, rector of the Albanians' illegal university in Tetovo, speaks with passion of the rights of the Albanians, which he says the state of FYROM continues to trample on. He comes across as a fanatic radical. For Slav-Macedonians he is the extreme nationalist, the dangerous troublemaker, the personification of extremism, but his fellow countrymen see him as something of a national hero. They shed blood for him and his ideas in 1995 when the police intervened to prevent the illegal Albanian university from operating. An Albanian was killed and Suleyimani was jailed for two and a half years. He now heads a university that is perfectly organized but not recognized by the state, with 10,000 students to whom he passes on his radical principles in connection with the national question. 'Xhaferi became a traitor' When he appeared at the rally in support of the KLA last Wednesday, he was given a tremendous reception. Not a few people see him as the future leader of the Albanians in FYROM. "I don't belong to any party," he says. "Our politicians are frauds, they are interested in establishing themselves, and most of all Xhaferi, who sold out. He became a traitor to the people and the Albanian nation, apart from the fact that he is involved in smuggling. They have sold out our national question." We met Suleyimani in the four-story university building, which is quite luxurious by the standards of the Albanian quarter on the west side of Tetovo. The university, the "secret school" of Albanian irredentism, has been in operation for the past seven years, and has 10,000 students, 29 departments and 400 teachers. "Where do you get the money to run this institution?" we asked him. "Operating costs come to 10 million marks a year, which are met by Albanian migrants abroad and the Albanians of FYROM, each of whom contributes one mark a month," he says, seizing the opportunity to attack the state which he says "undermines in every way" the operation of the university. "The state distinguishes between Macedonian and Albanian citizens. Thus it finances their two universities with large sums, but it doesn't give us even one mark, insulting 10,000 students." Legalization of the Tetovo university is a leading Albanian demand, and with the current troubles it has been brought to the fore by Albanian hardliners, who do not recognize the Van Der Stoel Institute which the international community is setting up as a tertiary education institute in Tetovo. "It is nothing but a shack which was set up to undermine the attempts to legalize our university," he claims. 'Things have come to a head' When discussion touches on the armed clashes on the border and around Tetovo, and we point out that the Albanians are seen by some people abroad as a destabilizing factor, Suleyimani becomes angry. "The Macedonia state oppresses us. Things have come to a head. Their idea is one state, one nation - the Macedonians - and one religion. No - so far and no further. We Albanians are here too, about a million of us, and we want the rights they have deprived us of for so many years, and that's why we have turned to armed struggle. If the government doesn't change the constitution and provide for us as an equal nation, and if the terrorism doesn't stop, then this state has no future." When asked about those fighting in the nearby hills and whether they were former KLA members from Kosovo, Suleyimani responds: "That's a joke. I don't know, perhaps some of them have come from Kosovo, but most of them are our people, from the cities and villages, who took up arms against the terrorism of the Macedonian state, for our freedom. Now whether all those who took up arms for that purpose are terrorists, as the Macedonian state calls them, then the 1 million Albanians and I their leader are all terrorists!" This final phrase of his is to be heard everywhere in the Albanian areas of FYROM, and there is no doubt that it signals a wave of radicalism that is sweeping across the population and which acts to build tension. Albanian flags are flying on many houses, and people in villages and towns are following events with bated breath, ready to put themselves at the service of the national question, if need be. "We warn the Macedonians that we cannot accept the violence and terrorism of the army and police. The clashes on the border result from the oppression of the Albanians by the Macedonian state, and the government must realize that the Albanian people and its heroes, who have taken up arms did so to put across the message that equality and freedom are the most important things for us," says Mikereme Rusi, president of the Albanian Women's Union of Macedonia, one of the three organizations which ran last Wednesday's rally. This rally took place in the main square where Xhaferi's DRA (Democratic Albanian Party) has its offices. The party is a member of the ruling coalition. At the sight of the party's offices and slogans, the 5,000 demonstrators shouted "Down with the traitors!" So is Xhaferi, until recently the unquestioned leader of the Albanians, a traitor? "Their passion for power has blinded them to the national question, and Xhaferi most of all," says Rusi. Those who hoped that Xhaferi, Medoch Thaci, Imer Imeri - the current Albanian political leaders - would defuse the crisis, have probably been disappointed. Public opinion has gone past the traditional Albanian parties and society is following its own path. As in Kosovo, where Rugova failed to put across the message of peaceful resistance to his fellow countrymen, so in FYROM the voices of reason are not being heard, it seems. The Albanians feel powerful now. The Kosovo Albanians have come out on the winning side. So far, their armed struggle in southern Serbia has brought them positive results, so why should the same not happen in FYROM? 'We demand recognition' "Your demands for equality and an end to terrorism are not very specific; what exactly are you asking for?" we asked Suleyimani. "We want NATO to intervene so as to start a dialogue on revision of the constitution to establish us as an ethnic group. We also want recognition for the Tetovo university; official status for the Albanian language; and analogous representation in the state mechanism and services." In other words they want to co-administrate the state, which in 10 years' time, given the rapid growth of the Albanian population, would mean rule by the Albanians, the very though of which alarms the Slav-Macedonians. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 19 23:08:52 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:08:52 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian War Cry Rises Half a World Away, in Staten Island Message-ID: <67.1148db51.27e831d4@aol.com> Albanian War Cry Rises Half a World Away, in Staten Island By CHRIS HEDGES New York Times he Ideal Night Club, a haunt of ethnic Albanian ?migr?s from the Balkans on Midland Avenue in Staten Island, was flush Saturday night with several hundred eager men preparing for war. Most wore black leather jackets and had short, razor-edged haircuts. The air was thick with the acrid odor of cigarette smoke under pink, blue and green neon lights. Waiters in blue shirts and ties hustled drinks to the tables. "Once again there is war," said Agim Mati, 33, as he stood with his brother in the back of the hall, "but this time I will not sit it out. There are four brothers from my family in the United States. The two oldest of us will leave soon for Macedonia to fight. The two youngest will remain to take care of our families. I called my father in Macedonia and told him we were coming. He does not want us to come. He does not want us to die. He wants to fight himself, but he is 59. This is our job. And we accept that freedom will only come when we are willing to give up our lives for it." Ethnic Albanians, who make up at least a quarter of the two million people in Macedonia, complain of discrimination and harassment from Macedonia's Slav majority. Late last month, under the banner of a rebel movement operating inside Macedonia called Ushtria Clirimtare Kombtare (the National Liberation Army), ethnic Albanians began an insurrection. The guerrilla force, which is closely linked with the Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought the Serbs in Kosovo, says in official communiqu?s that it will respect the territorial integrity of Macedonia as long as the rights of Albanians are recognized. But those who are preparing to fight said they would not put down their guns until all pockets of ethnic Albanians, especially those in western Macedonia and Serbia, are united in one nation that includes Kosovo and Albania. They also say they will seek to topple the government in Skopje, dominated by Macedonian Slavs since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. "We have waited patiently, since the Macedonian state was created, for equal rights, and they have never come," said Bekim Shanen, 25, who will depart soon to join the rebel movement. "Each day someone we know leaves, although it is always done quietly, in secret. We turn around and they have gone. There are many of us who have waited years for this chance. We will not stand by and watch." The National Liberation Army, in ads that appeared for the first time on Saturday in such Albanian-language papers as Bota Sot called for volunteers and donations. And those who raised money and helped send recruits to fight in Kosovo have begun reactivating old networks. On Thursday a senior National Liberation Army leader, who arrived from Macedonia to hold a invitation- only meeting at the nightclub, a block from the water, made an impassioned plea for volunteers and funds. It was the first such appeal made in New York. "We asked him what the vision of the movement was," said Baudin Sela, 48. "He read us a list of demands that included changing the constitution, making our language an official one in Macedonia, letting us have state- run Albanian-language education, economic development and freeing our political prisoners. There were about 400 people in the room and only one person got up to say we should not go to war. The rest of us supported the cause." The rebel leader, who did not give his name to the group, left the next day with five volunteers, promises by many more to join in the coming weeks, and a half-million dollars in cash, said those who were present. From arianit at nortelnetworks.com Tue Mar 20 05:35:19 2001 From: arianit at nortelnetworks.com (Arianit Celaj) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 10:35:19 -0000 Subject: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airfor ce de stroyed] Message-ID: Dear G.S You, obviously, are not from former yugoslavia and, if that is the case, I don't blame you, too much. Where do you think "macedonian jackass police" came from? I don't think that macedonians separated all their jackasses on one side and decided that, they and only they can become policemen. For every jackass macedonian policemen there are , at least 10 non-police jackasses who really hate everything Albanian including you(I'm sorry to disappoint you). The only good thing in this situation is that (as you pointed out), macedonians aren't/weren't as powerful as serbs are/were. They would've made serbs look like good guys, in comparison. If I had a choice between "looking bad" and feeling/living bad (as a third rate citizen if human at all) I'd always go for a "bad look". Our "looking bad" can be improved later on, exactly as serbs are doing now. Images are in the heads and are not real (easier to change) while death, torture, oppression, lack of bright future,... are very real. You can't undo a 20 years in prison, can you? Arianit Celaj > -----Original Message----- > From: G.S [mailto:puka at usa.net] > Sent: 19 March 2001 17:44 > To: Fisnik Ismaili; alb-club at alb-net.com; > albanian at listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu; albanian-uk at alb-net.com; > nyc-l at alb-net.com; prishtina-e at alb-net.com; prishtina-l at alb-net.com; > tetova-l at alb-net.com; albsa-info at alb-net.com; puka at usa.net; > ipanajoti at yahoo.com > Subject: Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's > Airforce de stroyed] > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very > negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate > the Macedonians > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). > The only thing > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful > compared to the > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp > contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope > the war ends > today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on > for extended > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on > will only make > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 20 08:38:34 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 05:38:34 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Anti-Terror Act against Albanian Americans Message-ID: <20010320133834.55899.qmail@web11504.mail.yahoo.com> ...From US State Department Press Conference 18.03.2001 Q: There are news reports on the activity of the Albanian community in the US, both financially and as far as volunteers are concerned going to Macedonia to fight on the Albanian side. Would you comment on that? MR. BOUCHER: I don't really have any knowledge of that or any information on that. I will have to check on it for you. Q: If you have any proof of that, will you apply the Anti-Terror Act to the Albanians getting money here and sending it there? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Tue Mar 20 08:39:20 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 05:39:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Anti-Terror Act against Albanian Americans Message-ID: <20010320133920.53976.qmail@web11507.mail.yahoo.com> ...From US State Department Press Conference 18.03.2001 MR. BOUCHER: Okay, let's finish with this, and then go on. Any more Macedonia questions? Q: There are news reports on the activity of the Albanian community in the US, both financially and as far as volunteers are concerned going to Macedonia to fight on the Albanian side. Would you comment on that? MR. BOUCHER: I don't really have any knowledge of that or any information on that. I will have to check on it for you. Q: If you have any proof of that, will you apply the Anti-Terror Act to the Albanians getting money here and sending it there? MR. BOUCHER: That depends on a whole lot of things, so let's deal with the facts first and then we'll deal with the interpretation afterwards __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From ipilika at hotmail.com Tue Mar 20 11:41:17 2001 From: ipilika at hotmail.com (Iris Pilika) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 16:41:17 -0000 Subject: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] Message-ID: Well, many of us from Albania proper see things in a different perspective. Take our experiences at the Greek-Albanian border. The Greek police can have you wait for hours, can decide for no reason (just because you are Albanian) that the visa you have is false and refuse to let you through. If you persist, they can tear apart your passport. Or they can scream at you that if you want to touch Greek land, you should go back to Tirana and overthrow the government, because he (the Greek) does not like it (this being true for the previous government). If you get a chance to go into their office (an official immigration office) you will see a sign in the wall saying that Northern Epirus is Greek. There, you learnt something you did not know before, half of your country is not Albanian, but Greek, and it holds a name it might have had at the time of Pirro. If they ask you about your religion, which will be the first question, and you happen to be Orthodox, then you will learn something else about your identity you did not know before, that you too are Greek or put in a more seemingly civilized word, Epirote. And this is probably half of what Albanians really go through. But just so we Albanians "don't look bad", not only will we and our government never complain, but we will still welcome these Greeks, look at them as role models, and let them do whatever they want in our country. If they want to fill our churches with Greek inscriptions, we won't complain, we'll just learn Greek, even though that wouldn't take us anywhere. We will do every effort in our part not to look bad, because we value tolerance, and that's why we are better, no, I'm sorry, more "civilized", than those Albanians in Kosova or Macedonia, who don't stop talking about some kind of human rights. Did someone say we have a deep inferiority complex? No, we are just tolerant and civilized. It's wonder how we have not become part of the EU yet, because the French and the Germans still hold grudges from World War II. We better give them some lessons from what the Greeks have taught us about democracy and tolerance, especially in this era of globalization. >From: Dardan Blaku >To: "nyc-l at alb-net.com" >CC: Fisnik Ismaili , >"albanian-uk at alb-net.com" , >"prishtina-l at alb-net.com" , >"tetova-l at alb-net.com" , "albsa-info at alb-net.com" >, "puka at usa.net" >Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of >Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) > >-------- Albanian UK -------- > >Did any of you wait in the Kosova/Macedonia border for over 6/7 hour while >the jackass macedonian official played around with you and your >passport just because you were albanian? > > > >On 19 Mar 2001, G.S wrote: > > > === NYC-L: New York City Discussion Forum === > > > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very > > negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate the >Macedonians > > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). The only >thing > > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful compared to >the > > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp > > contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope the war >ends > > today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on for >extended > > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on will only >make > > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > > > >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has > > >written. > > > > >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or > >does > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > >Easy with the accusations... > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > ____________________________________________________ > > NYC-L: A discussion and information list of the > > Albanian community in the New York City Metro Area. > > To post to the list: NYC-L at alb-net.com > > For more information: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/nyc-l > > > >_______________________________________________ >Albanian-UK mailing list >Albanian-UK at alb-net.com >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From imerprishtina at hotmail.com Tue Mar 20 18:20:44 2001 From: imerprishtina at hotmail.com (Imer Berisha) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 18:20:44 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Things are changing though.... Message-ID: Dear friend and compatriots, It is not as bad as it looks A part from an article in the Guardian that shows the changes as anticipated towards undersending the reasions why the Albanians are fighting and, that a solusion is for Macedonian Govrnment to accept negotioations and change its policy. _________________________________ Nowhere near the brink (Guardian, March 19, 2001) Posted Monday, March 19, 2001 http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,458971,00.html Nowhere near the brink Ignore the hysteria. Macedonia is not about to spark a Balkan conflagration Jonathan Steele Monday March 19, 2001 The Guardian ____________________________ ............................. If the gunmen are to remain isolated, a heavy responsibility now rests on the local politicians of both sides as well as, to a lesser extent, on western governments. The Albanian leaders in Macedonia and in Kosovo must go beyond their public condemnations of the gunmen and start serious discussions with them and their leaders for a ceasefire. The gunmen have made a point but they must now leave room for political talks by elected leaders to go forward. By the same token, the Macedonian military and police must avoid any escalation. It is clear that Nato is not going to get involved with troops, beyond a belated tightening up of security on the border between Kosovo and Macedonia. It is also apparent that the Macedonian security forces do not have the men, the equipment, or the sophisticated training to take the gunmen on by themselves. Blasting mortar rounds into forested hillsides serves little purpose other than as a temporary, though spurious, morale-booster for Macedonia's Slav majority. But it carries the risk of civilian casualties which would only serve to radicalise a wider segment of the Albanian population. The Macedonian military must avoid the use of excessive force which the Serbs wielded in Kosovo in 1998, turning the whole Albanian community against them. If a ceasefire can be achieved quickly, then all sides must be ready for wide-ranging talks and reasonable concessions. A decade after its hasty and unprepared independence, Macedonia needs to take a deep breath and work out a new dispensation. Albanian leaders must make anunequivocal declaration that they do not want to split the state. Theymust also renounce federalisation, at least for a 10-year period, in return for progress in opening public service jobs to Albanians. The constitution needs to enshrine multiracialism instead of its current assumption of Slav supremacy. Albanian must be recognised as an officiallanguage for parliament, the courts and public service. A minority as large as a third of the population, as the Albanians are thought to be,deserve no less. With common sense in Macedonia, and less hysteria outside it, solutions can be found. _____________________________________________________ Yes, more and more people do understand the reasons, and the way out from this crises, Macedonian Gov., will sooner or later change its mind too. It might only "need" more time, because for them it is difficult to talk with Albanians as equal negotiating party, but they will learn this, I'm sure. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From albanianpride at hotmail.com Tue Mar 20 13:33:30 2001 From: albanianpride at hotmail.com (ardian kanina) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:33:30 +0100 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Ndeshja Gjermani-Shqiperi Message-ID: Ndeshja Gjermani-Shqiperi transmetohet-live prej kanalit televiziv shteteror Gjerman ZDF ora 19.25 te Shtunen.Ky eshte kanal-televiziv satelitor pra personat qe disponojne nje antene satelitore e shikojne ndeshjen ne cdo vend te botes ku ndodhen. p.s Neper alb-forume vazhdojne spekullimet se qysh u rrezua 1/3 e flotes ajrore Maqedonase : me llastiqe,dyfeke apo rakete, relevante eshte te rrezohet edhe pjesa tjeter 2/3 . ardi... _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From xhevat.meha at kpmg.co.uk Tue Mar 20 14:22:49 2001 From: xhevat.meha at kpmg.co.uk (Meha, Xhevat) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:22:49 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Vlera Shqiptare Message-ID: <61F661FFB482D211AFFF0008C7A40D7D0A5A83EC@ukssqexc02.uk.kpmg.com> Jam ma teper se i kenaqur me kesi lloj shkrime. Kontributi i tyre ne thesarin e njohjes sime ne lidhje me sistemin e vlerave ne shoqerine shqiptare eshte i pa mateshem. Vlera e tyre eshte aqe e lart sa sdi si t'i pershkruaj. I kam pase disa njohuri mbi vlerat e internaciaonalizmit shqiptar te nderkombtarizuar por keto shtjellimet e fundit me bejne te kuptoj sa pak paskam ditur. Xhevat Meha -----Original Message----- From: Iris Pilika [mailto:ipilika at hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 4:41 PM To: dardan at alb-net.com; nyc-l at alb-net.com Cc: Fisnik.Ismaili at edengene.com; albanian-uk at alb-net.com; prishtina-l at alb-net.com; tetova-l at alb-net.com; albsa-info at alb-net.com; puka at usa.net Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] -------- Albanian UK -------- Well, many of us from Albania proper see things in a different perspective. Take our experiences at the Greek-Albanian border. The Greek police can have you wait for hours, can decide for no reason (just because you are Albanian) that the visa you have is false and refuse to let you through. If you persist, they can tear apart your passport. Or they can scream at you that if you want to touch Greek land, you should go back to Tirana and overthrow the government, because he (the Greek) does not like it (this being true for the previous government). If you get a chance to go into their office (an official immigration office) you will see a sign in the wall saying that Northern Epirus is Greek. There, you learnt something you did not know before, half of your country is not Albanian, but Greek, and it holds a name it might have had at the time of Pirro. If they ask you about your religion, which will be the first question, and you happen to be Orthodox, then you will learn something else about your identity you did not know before, that you too are Greek or put in a more seemingly civilized word, Epirote. And this is probably half of what Albanians really go through. But just so we Albanians "don't look bad", not only will we and our government never complain, but we will still welcome these Greeks, look at them as role models, and let them do whatever they want in our country. If they want to fill our churches with Greek inscriptions, we won't complain, we'll just learn Greek, even though that wouldn't take us anywhere. We will do every effort in our part not to look bad, because we value tolerance, and that's why we are better, no, I'm sorry, more "civilized", than those Albanians in Kosova or Macedonia, who don't stop talking about some kind of human rights. Did someone say we have a deep inferiority complex? No, we are just tolerant and civilized. It's wonder how we have not become part of the EU yet, because the French and the Germans still hold grudges from World War II. We better give them some lessons from what the Greeks have taught us about democracy and tolerance, especially in this era of globalization. >From: Dardan Blaku >To: "nyc-l at alb-net.com" >CC: Fisnik Ismaili , >"albanian-uk at alb-net.com" , >"prishtina-l at alb-net.com" , >"tetova-l at alb-net.com" , "albsa-info at alb-net.com" >, "puka at usa.net" >Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of >Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) > >-------- Albanian UK -------- > >Did any of you wait in the Kosova/Macedonia border for over 6/7 hour while >the jackass macedonian official played around with you and your >passport just because you were albanian? > > > >On 19 Mar 2001, G.S wrote: > > > === NYC-L: New York City Discussion Forum === > > > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very > > negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate the >Macedonians > > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). The only >thing > > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful compared to >the > > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp > > contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope the war >ends > > today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on for >extended > > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on will only >make > > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > > > >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has > > >written. > > > > >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or > >does > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > >Easy with the accusations... > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > ____________________________________________________ > > NYC-L: A discussion and information list of the > > Albanian community in the New York City Metro Area. > > To post to the list: NYC-L at alb-net.com > > For more information: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/nyc-l > > > >_______________________________________________ >Albanian-UK mailing list >Albanian-UK at alb-net.com >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com _______________________________________________ Albanian-UK mailing list Albanian-UK at alb-net.com http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk Email Disclaimer The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. When addressed to our clients any opinions or advice contained in this email are subject to the terms and conditions expressed in the governing KPMG client engagement letter. From saimir_1 at yahoo.co.uk Tue Mar 20 14:45:32 2001 From: saimir_1 at yahoo.co.uk (=?iso-8859-1?q?Saimir=20Celo?=) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:45:32 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed In-Reply-To: <198F9D15E0A8D411BAD500508BB330D5106F72@CUBEMAIL01> Message-ID: <20010320194532.28749.qmail@web4006.mail.yahoo.com> Jam dakort 100% me Fisnikun e do thoja se nuk e di si e perkufizon shqiptarine Ira po shqiptarizem i shumices nuk eshte. Te me kuptosh Ira, nuk me vjen per te qeshur qe vdiq nje njeri por edhe per te qare nuk qaj se ky njeriu ishte ne nje helikopter ushtarak e keta te fundit si rregull e pergjithshme nuk i sherbejne paqes, perkundrazi. Nese nuk te dhemb per shqipetaret e Maqedonise atehere ajo eshte tjeter pune por ata nuk jane asnje gram me pak shqiptare se ne dhe nuk kane pse te bien dakort me asnje gram liri me pak se ne shqipetaret e Shqiperise. Nje verejtje edhe per Besnik Gergurin: E para punes flit shqip o bure i dheut se anglishten se kuptojme te gjithe. E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? Pershendetje te gjitheve Saimiri --- Fisnik Ismaili wrote: > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text > the poor guy has > written. > > Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a > sense of humour or does > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > Easy with the accusations... > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "ira panajoti" > > Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:34 AM > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > Macedonia's Airforce > destroyed > > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > shame because they put a bad name for all > Albanians! > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny > that > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > Macedonians > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > author > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a > sense > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > --- "G.S" > > wrote: > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > --------- > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > - > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > para > > > se me dal... > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > crashed > > > near the scene of the > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > > wrote: > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > --------- > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > - > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > para > > > se me dal... > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > crashed > > > near the scene of the > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie From besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk Tue Mar 20 19:41:01 2001 From: besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk (Besim Gerguri) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 00:41:01 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed References: <20010320194532.28749.qmail@web4006.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <004a01c0b19f$a2092a80$02000003@oemcomputer> Samir, quhem Besim e jo Besnik. Me siguri m'ke perzi me dike tjeter se une nuk kam shkruejt anglisht. Krejt email-at e mi jane shqip. Kur kam thane: "Lutfi, mu ma merr menja se Ira osht shiptare se tregimi (hajgarja)se si ka ra helikopteri osht ne shqip-nashta ja ka perkthy najkush", nuk e kam dite se cfare kombi i takon Ira, se ajo ka shkrue n'anglisht, per arsye te cilen nuk po muj me e kuptu. Ndoshta ka pase qellim me na tregu se din me fole gjuhe te huja, apo me u paraqite internacionaliste e kunder dhunes para anetareve te listes qe nuk flasin shqip. Besim Gerguri ----- Original Message ----- From: "Saimir Celo" To: "Fisnik Ismaili" ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 7:45 PM Subject: Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > Jam dakort 100% me Fisnikun e do thoja se nuk e di si > e perkufizon shqiptarine Ira po shqiptarizem i > shumices nuk eshte. > > Te me kuptosh Ira, nuk me vjen per te qeshur qe vdiq > nje njeri por edhe per te qare nuk qaj se ky njeriu > ishte ne nje helikopter ushtarak e keta te fundit si > rregull e pergjithshme nuk i sherbejne paqes, > perkundrazi. > > Nese nuk te dhemb per shqipetaret e Maqedonise atehere > ajo eshte tjeter pune por ata nuk jane asnje gram me > pak shqiptare se ne dhe nuk kane pse te bien dakort me > asnje gram liri me pak se ne shqipetaret e Shqiperise. > > Nje verejtje edhe per Besnik Gergurin: > > E para punes flit shqip o bure i dheut se anglishten > se kuptojme te gjithe. > > E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte > shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? > > Pershendetje te gjitheve > > Saimiri > > > > > --- Fisnik Ismaili > wrote: > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text > > the poor guy has > > written. > > > > Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a > > sense of humour or does > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > Easy with the accusations... > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "ira panajoti" > > > > Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:34 AM > > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > > Macedonia's Airforce > > destroyed > > > > > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > shame because they put a bad name for all > > Albanians! > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny > > that > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > > Macedonians > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > > author > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a > > sense > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > --- "G.S" > > > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > > > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > > ____________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk > or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > From lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk Tue Mar 20 20:19:32 2001 From: lutfi at mjekiqi.fsnet.co.uk (Lutfi Mjekiqi) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 01:19:32 -0000 Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed In-Reply-To: <20010320194532.28749.qmail@web4006.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: A nuk mundet njeriu te supozoje se cfare kombesie tjetri i takon pa prejudikuar kombesine e vet? P.sh. nese une them se besoj se Besimi eshte Finlandez, kjo nuk prejudikon faktin se une jam apo jo Finlandez- s'ka te beje fare me ate se cfare jam une. >E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte >shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? From deti at ont.com Tue Mar 20 23:31:13 2001 From: deti at ont.com (etel) Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 22:31:13 -0600 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Learning about people Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.20010320223113.00687968@mail.ont.com> Have you ever thought how fascinating it is to try to understand people, or listen to their stories? Well, I have, because it amazes me how much your lips can stratch from smiling when you listen to people. As a two-times immigrant in the course of four years I have had the chance to learn a lot from people of different cultures and mentalities. I have lived in Albania, Greece, and now United States, three countries so radically different from each other, yet when it comes to people I have come to the conclusion that no matter where you go you are going to come across three very amusing types of people: the arrogant the shallow, and those never happy no matter what. Now, I find arrogant people entertaining because they really think they are something. You know how the saying goes, "Listen to the fool. EVen they have something to teach you." You can easily recognize these people by what they say: Key word: "I". The interesting thing about them is that they so strongly believe they are the best and they know everything than when you talk to them you can feel how desperately they need attention. They usually are very critical of others and I believe they have developed some type of inferiority complex which they try to hide by coming out as very presemptuous, and terribly amusing for that matter. Whenever I have conversations with these people I've noticed I nod quite a bit; they won't notice if you dont by the way; they're too busy taking care of their perfect image. Remember: Attention is what they need from you. If you ever feel the need to become their friend, please remember you have to learn to be humble. Dont get me wrong: YOU WONT LEARN THAT FROM THEM. It's just that when they notice you are the humble type they will like you. Another thing that I have noticed is that you have to develop the virtue of being patient. They will talk forever about the perfection in them...I think they really like to hear their own voice, and I've always suspected to them it probably sounds like a nightengale's voice. If you are expecting them to remember your name, age or social status: YOU'RE WRONG. That means you are going to gather so much information about them that you might as well start writing their memoir. Like this girl who works with me. Absolutely sophisticated. Modesty is a word whose meaning fades if mentioned in the same sentence with her name. By the second day I had learned by heart her favorite classical composers, painters, poets, and the names of all the guys who thought she was ubelievably interesting. In the short time we talked I was told I was cute, but I needed to work on fixing my hair, buy another purse, and wear different make-up. I only smiled and released an innocent sigh thinking "Oh my god, what was going to be of me without her." You think you've had your share of interesting people. Wrong. There's more for yours and mine entertainment. Shallow people. These are the folks whose world is as big as the area from their eyes to the tip of their nose. Things to look for in these people: Materialism, egoism, no sensibility, and if you add some arrogance you get a fine mixture. Most people would think of politicians and rich folks as such, but really if you think of it you meet these characters everywhere. YOu might have known someone who you thought was really mature, whose only big worry was her nails, and the split ends of her hair. Not to mention that there are girls as old as 11 years old being sold as prostitutes and being sexually mutilated in other parts of the world. Oh yeah, I forgot, we dont really have time to think of these things during our busy lives, but Im hoping most of us at least care. Shallow people dont know how to care. Suffering is an unknown notion for them and if someone is in need....too bad life is not fair for everyone. What really makes me find them interesting is the fact thet they are oblivious to little things that make me smile; like the rising of the sun, a spring day, a smile. SOmetimes you look into their eyes and wonder if they ever feel thankful they have a roof aboove their head, a bed to sleep in,and some food for the day. Probably not. A little trick here. If you ever thinking of making fun of them tell them their best friend has bought the best car ever, and he's dating the hottest girl in town, and dont' forget to mention she owns a private jet. A piece of advice. It's always safe to keep a small fan in your pocket just in case they faint from the most worrisome piece of information they have ever received. If you tell them there's more important things in life than having money stacked under your pillow they will probably think there's a need for an interpreter due to language differences between the two of you. Don't forget: "I dont care" is what makes up most of their vocabulary. Last but not least, these are the people who I love the most. They are never happy with anything. What distinguishes them from others is the fact that they walk around carrying a serious face, and if you happen to smile in front of them, they'll think you dont know the real meaning of life. I laugh at these people when they come to eat at the restaurant I work at as a waitress. You can distinguish them from the furthest corner of the restaurant. At the dinner table they sit without looking at me when I approach them with a smile asking about their order. I have never thought I have an intimidating figure, but I have started to doubt they are scared of smiling waitresses. I call them Franksteins. How does a waiter know they're going to have an interesting evening? When these people sit in their section and after all the service they get, they will ultimately want to complain to a menager. After all is done for them, they will walk out furious threatening they will never come back. Big loss for the restaurant....for me too, I wont have anybody to make fun of. Like this lady I served to once. She seemed to be unhappy even of her own shadow. After all the service she got, I realized it was not me, or my service, it was the fact that she couldn't find one more thing to complain about. I forgot to suggest she could complain about my height. Then, there's your cooworkers. Those who work hard and never complain, and those who drag their feet in total unhappiness because they are carrying two plates from the kitchen door 10 feet to the dishpit. If you tell them maybe they need to get another job, they will despise you. If you tell them maybe it's not as bad, at least they're taking some money home, they will give you this "go-to-hell-look". I try...but it's never easy to make these people happy. At least I can entertain myself when Im having a bad night. So, what do you guys think? Life is not as boring after all. I have realized that there is so much you can learn about human nature from every person you meet. If you only mastered the skill of listening more carefully you'll find people so interesting, you will be amazed at how different yet fundamentally similar we all are. In the end there should be no prejudices...we all have our own things people laugh at. The arrogant, the shallow people, and those never happy irritate us most of the times, but what would life be without the lessons they teach us? The point is: Have fun while learning about yourself and others. It's not as bad as it seems. Texas, 2001 Etel H. From kruja at fas.harvard.edu Wed Mar 21 10:56:54 2001 From: kruja at fas.harvard.edu (Eriola Kruja) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 10:56:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Learning about people In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.20010320223113.00687968@mail.ont.com> Message-ID: liri thote: paske pas dite te keqe me tipsa. :)))) On Tue, 20 Mar 2001, etel wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: http://www.albstudent.org - > > Have you ever thought how fascinating it is to try to understand people, or > listen to their stories? Well, I have, because it amazes me how much your > lips can stratch from smiling when you listen to people. As a two-times > immigrant in the course of four years I have had the chance to learn a lot > from people of different cultures and mentalities. I have lived in Albania, > Greece, and now United States, three countries so radically different from > each other, yet when it comes to people I have come to the conclusion that > no matter where you go you are going to come across three very amusing > types of people: the arrogant the shallow, and those never happy no matter > what. > > Now, I find arrogant people entertaining because they really think they are > something. You know how the saying goes, "Listen to the fool. EVen they > have something to teach you." You can easily recognize these people by what > they say: Key word: "I". The interesting thing about them is that they so > strongly believe they are the best and they know everything than when you > talk to them you can feel how desperately they need attention. They usually > are very critical of others and I believe they have developed some type of > inferiority complex which they try to hide by coming out as very > presemptuous, and terribly amusing for that matter. Whenever I have > conversations with these people I've noticed I nod quite a bit; they won't > notice if you dont by the way; they're too busy taking care of their > perfect image. Remember: Attention is what they need from you. If you ever > feel the need to become their friend, please remember you have to learn to > be humble. Dont get me wrong: YOU WONT LEARN THAT FROM THEM. It's just that > when they notice you are the humble type they will like you. Another thing > that I have noticed is that you have to develop the virtue of being > patient. They will talk forever about the perfection in them...I think they > really like to hear their own voice, and I've always suspected to them it > probably sounds like a nightengale's voice. If you are expecting them to > remember your name, age or social status: YOU'RE WRONG. That means you are > going to gather so much information about them that you might as well start > writing their memoir. Like this girl who works with me. Absolutely > sophisticated. Modesty is a word whose meaning fades if mentioned in the > same sentence with her name. By the second day I had learned by heart her > favorite classical composers, painters, poets, and the names of all the > guys who thought she was ubelievably interesting. In the short time we > talked I was told I was cute, but I needed to work on fixing my hair, buy > another purse, and wear different make-up. I only smiled and released an > innocent sigh thinking "Oh my god, what was going to be of me without her." > > You think you've had your share of interesting people. Wrong. There's more > for yours and mine entertainment. Shallow people. These are the folks whose > world is as big as the area from their eyes to the tip of their nose. > Things to look for in these people: Materialism, egoism, no sensibility, > and if you add some arrogance you get a fine mixture. Most people would > think of politicians and rich folks as such, but really if you think of it > you meet these characters everywhere. YOu might have known someone who you > thought was really mature, whose only big worry was her nails, and the > split ends of her hair. Not to mention that there are girls as old as 11 > years old being sold as prostitutes and being sexually mutilated in other > parts of the world. Oh yeah, I forgot, we dont really have time to think of > these things during our busy lives, but Im hoping most of us at least care. > Shallow people dont know how to care. Suffering is an unknown notion for > them and if someone is in need....too bad life is not fair for everyone. > What really makes me find them interesting is the fact thet they are > oblivious to little things that make me smile; like the rising of the sun, > a spring day, a smile. SOmetimes you look into their eyes and wonder if > they ever feel thankful they have a roof aboove their head, a bed to sleep > in,and some food for the day. Probably not. A little trick here. If you > ever thinking of making fun of them tell them their best friend has bought > the best car ever, and he's dating the hottest girl in town, and dont' > forget to mention she owns a private jet. A piece of advice. It's always > safe to keep a small fan in your pocket just in case they faint from the > most worrisome piece of information they have ever received. If you tell > them there's more important things in life than having money stacked under > your pillow they will probably think there's a need for an interpreter due > to language differences between the two of you. Don't forget: "I dont care" > is what makes up most of their vocabulary. > > Last but not least, these are the people who I love the most. They are > never happy with anything. What distinguishes them from others is the fact > that they walk around carrying a serious face, and if you happen to smile > in front of them, they'll think you dont know the real meaning of life. I > laugh at these people when they come to eat at the restaurant I work at as > a waitress. You can distinguish them from the furthest corner of the > restaurant. At the dinner table they sit without looking at me when I > approach them with a smile asking about their order. I have never thought I > have an intimidating figure, but I have started to doubt they are scared of > smiling waitresses. I call them Franksteins. How does a waiter know they're > going to have an interesting evening? When these people sit in their > section and after all the service they get, they will ultimately want to > complain to a menager. After all is done for them, they will walk out > furious threatening they will never come back. Big loss for the > restaurant....for me too, I wont have anybody to make fun of. Like this > lady I served to once. She seemed to be unhappy even of her own shadow. > After all the service she got, I realized it was not me, or my service, it > was the fact that she couldn't find one more thing to complain about. I > forgot to suggest she could complain about my height. Then, there's your > cooworkers. Those who work hard and never complain, and those who drag > their feet in total unhappiness because they are carrying two plates from > the kitchen door 10 feet to the dishpit. If you tell them maybe they need > to get another job, they will despise you. If you tell them maybe it's not > as bad, at least they're taking some money home, they will give you this > "go-to-hell-look". I try...but it's never easy to make these people happy. > At least I can entertain myself when Im having a bad night. > > So, what do you guys think? Life is not as boring after all. I have > realized that there is so much you can learn about human nature from every > person you meet. If you only mastered the skill of listening more carefully > you'll find people so interesting, you will be amazed at how different yet > fundamentally similar we all are. In the end there should be no > prejudices...we all have our own things people laugh at. The arrogant, the > shallow people, and those never happy irritate us most of the times, but > what would life be without the lessons they teach us? The point is: Have > fun while learning about yourself and others. It's not as bad as it seems. > > > > Texas, 2001 > Etel H. > > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > From kbejko at hotmail.com Wed Mar 21 10:59:41 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 10:59:41 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Zhega wants $$$$ for caps! Message-ID: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 Albania coach in cash-for-caps row By Dom Raynor Albania manager Medin Zhega has found himself at the centre of a cash-for-caps scandal only days before his sides vital World Cup qualifier against Germany. Defender Clirim Bashi has claimed he has not been included in Zhega's squad because he refused to pay ?3,500 to Zhega. Bashi, who plays his club football for German second division side Alemania Aachen, said he was contacted by someone acting on behalf of Zhega and asked to forward the money. Bashi said he was informed that he would not receive any further caps unless he gave in to the monetary demands. Zhega vehemently denies the accusation and suggests Bashi's comments are all down to bitterness. 'These are the reactions of a frustrated player,' he said. 'He was never a regular and always on the fringes. Even the last time we played, against Greece, he only played a few minutes. 'Bashi has not spoken to me the last few months. He has not contacted the Albanian FA. Why not?' The Albanian squad, who also play England on March 28, are currently training in Cologne ahead of their match in Leverkusen on Saturday - they are third in the UEFA Group Nine. Bashi said a meeting has been arranged with Zhega and a government representative on Friday, but Zhega denied a meeting had been set up. Albania captain Rudi Vata, the former Celtic defender, said he was bemused by the allegation. 'I have not heard anything about it,' he said. 'Our coach has so much money he doesn't need that.' Zhege surprisingly also dropped Italy's Serie A Reggina forward Erion Bogdani from the 22-man squad saying that he planned to rely on locally-based players. 'I won't take Bogdani even though he plays in (Italy's) Serie A,' Zhega said. Zhega called up SK Tirana forward Ingrid Fortuzi, who with 24 goals is the top scorer of the Albanian first division. Full Squad: Goalkeepers: Foto Strakosha (Ionikos), Arian Beqaj (OFI Crete) Defenders: Rudi Vata (Energie Cottbus), Geri Cipi (Ghent), Arian Xhumba (PAS Ioannina), Ervin Fakaj (Enosis Paralimni), Nevil Dede (SK Tirana) Midfielders: Altin Lala (Hanover 96), Devi Muka (Varteks), Bledar Kola (AEK Athens), Fatmir Vata (Waldhof Mannheim), Arian Bellai (PAS Ioannina), Besnik Hasi (Anderlecht), Ervin Skela (Waldhof Mannheim), Edvin Murati (Lille), Klodian Duro (Vllaznia Shkoder), Artion Poci (Apolonia Fier) Forwards: Altin Rraklli (SpVgg Unterhaching), Igli Tare (Brescia), Alban Bushi (Instanbulspor), Indrit Fortuzi (SK Tirana), Vioresin Sinani (Vllaznia Shkoder). _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From tema at albaniaonline.net Wed Mar 21 11:45:53 2001 From: tema at albaniaonline.net (Mero Baze) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 17:45:53 +0100 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: ALBSA-Info digest, Vol 1 #379 - 5 msgs References: <200103211449.f2LEnC229711@alb-net.com> Message-ID: <001101c0b226$6600be40$b494fea9@mero> Kush ?sht? i interesuar p?r cop?timin e Maqedonis?? Mero Baze Tre nga kat?r shtetet q? rrethojn? Maqedonin?, ende nuk e kan? njohur at? plot?sisht, nd?rsa po p?rpiqen t'i ofrojn? asaj, nj? solidaritet t? dyshimt?, kund?r kriz?s m? t? fundit me gueril?t shqiptar?. Bullgaria, shteti me t? cilin partia maqedonase n? pushtet ka m? s? shumti af?rsi historike dhe politike, e njeh Maqedonin? si shtet, por nuk e njeh si komb dhe nuk i njeh si gjuh? zyrtare maqedonishten. Greqia, e cila deri von? ka qen? luft?tare e vetmuar kund?r ekzistenc?s s? shtetit maqedon, e njeh Maqedonin? si komb, por nuk e njeh si shtet, pasi emri Maqedoni, i krijon problem historik me krahin?n e Thrak?s dhe Selanikut. Serbia e njeh pavar?sin? e Maqedonis? nga ish-Jugosllavia, por nuk njeh ende kufijt? e saj shtet?ror?, t? cil?t s? fundi u b?n? molla e sherrit p?r plasjen e konfliktit. I vetmi shtet fqinj me Maqedonin?, q? i njeh asaj shtet?sin?, komb?sin?, gjuh?n, flamurin dhe kufijt?, ?sht? Shqip?ria dhe shqiptar?t e Kosov?s. Pik?risht ky faktor q? ia njeh t? gjitha gjeneralitetet shtet?rore Maqedonis?, ?sht? vendosur tani n? qend?r t? akuzave p?r prishjen e Maqedonis?. Situata po degradon me shpejt?si t? till? sa konflikti civil n? Maqedoni po kthehet n? nj? konflikt etnik dhe Maqedonia po i konsideron prish?sit e rendit shtet?ror brenda saj, si ushtar? t? ardhur nga ndonj? shtet armik. Po kush jan? n? t? v?rtet? gueril?t q? po trondisin t? ardhmen e Maqedonis??! Sipas t? gjitha informacioneve t? deritanishme p?r gueril?t shqiptar?, mendohet se nuk kemi t? b?jm? me nj? grup kompakt luft?tar?sh, por me nj? vullnet kompakt p?r t? luftuar n?n emblem?n e nj? ushtrie ende t? paform?suar mir?. Ajo q? quhet Ushtria ?lirimtare Komb?tare, e q? duket si grupim kryesor, ka p?r drejtues nj? oficer shqiptar nga Maqedonia, i cili dihet se ka marr? pjes? m? par?, edhe n? ish-U?K-n? q? u angazhua n? Kosov?. Prania e k?tij komandanti n? t? dy ushtrit? guerile, ?sht? i vetmi argument q? kan? deri m? sot autoritetet maqedonase p?r akuzat q? b?jn? n? adres? t? importimit t? kriz?s nga Kosova. N? fakt ky oficer ?sht? nj? shtetas maqedonas dhe si i till? angazhimet e tij ushtarake kund?r shtetit t? vet, jan? problem i brendsh?m i Maqedonis?. Dy grupet e tjera jan? m? pak influente, por p?rb?hen gjithmon? nga b?rthama luft?tar?sh q? ekzistojn? n? Maqedoni dhe kan? prirjen t'i bashkohen nj? komande. N? k?t? luft? do t? ket? natyrisht spekullime dhe nga pala shqiptare, do t? ket? s?rish komandant? q? do t? shpallen si t? till? nga Tirana apo nga Prishtina, do t? ket? falsifikator? t? historis?, do t? ket? dezertor? t? saj, por do t? ket? edhe luft?tar? dhe ata tani jan? duke luftuar n? Tetov? e qytete t? tjera t? Maqedonis?. Ata nuk jan? as t? eksportuar nga Tirana, dhe as nga Prishtina. Mediokriteti dhe diletantizmi i ngrehin?s q? quhet Akademia e Shkencave t? Shqip?ris?, ?sht? nj? fije kashte me t? cil?n Maqedonia nuk kalon dot Vardarin p?r ta hedhur fajin n? bregun tjet?r. S? paku ambasadori maqedon n? Tiran? e njeh mir? 'aft?sin?' dhe tuhafll?kun e pleqve t? Akademis?, t? cil?t at? q? ai e quan platform? t? Bashkimit Komb?tar t? Akademis?, ata e kan? lexuar t? joshur nga ndonj? honorar "patrioti" si Idajet Beqiri, q? gjysm?n e vitit shet patenta t? vjedhura, gjysm?n tjet?r platforma t? vjedhura. Dhe duke qen? kaq i pasinqert? n? spekullimin me pleqt? tan? t? Akademis?, diplomati i Shkupit n? Tiran?, duket se nuk ?sht? duke k?rkuar shkaqet reale t? kriz?s, por detaje q? t? ilustroj? fajin e shqiptar?ve. Faji yn? i vet?m si shqiptar? ?sht? q?: Akademia e Shkencave, e cila m? s? paku ?sht? Akademi, m? s? paku ?sht? shkencore dhe m? s? paku ?sht? shqiptare. Bile n? rastin konkret t? asaj q? ai e quan platform?, ka vet?m element? folklorik? t? patriotizimit, t? cilat jan? t? rrezikshme vet?m p?r munges?n e seriozitetit t? shtetit shqiptar q? vazhdon t? paguaj? pleq t? till? p?r akademik? dhe vazhdon t? ket? nj? president q? i pret k?ta pleq dhe i quan ideator? t? ??shtjes komb?tare. Penalizimi apriori i faktorit shqiptar si destabilizues i Maqedonis? ?sht? vet?m spektak?l mediatik, pasi ?sht? nj? arsyetim m? i thjesht? dhe m? bind?s p?r qytetar?t q? nuk e njohin nga af?r problemin. Por realisht shqiptar?t me k?t? pozit? q? kan? n? Ballkan, nuk kan? arsye t? jen? promotor? t? cop?zimit t? Maqedonis?. M? t? interesuar se shqiptar?t, shihet se jan? bullgar?t, grek?t dhe serb?t, t? cil?t i kan? l?n?, t? tre, di?ka mangut, njohjes s? gjeneraliteteve t? Maqedonis?. Dhe nuk ?sht? ?udi q? pas zellit t? presidentit bullgar p?r t? sjell? trupat n? Maqedoni, gatishm?ris? greke p?r t? ?uar trupat n? kufi, gatishm?ris? serbe p?r t? ?uar trupat n? kufi, t? fshihet d?shira e fsheht? p?r ringjalljen e hartave t? vjetra. Vet?m Shqip?ria dhe shteti shqiptar nuk ka deklaruar se n? k?t? eskalim t? situat?s e shikon t? udh?s t? p?rforcoj? kufirin me Maqedonin?, pasi vet? Shqip?ria vazhdon t? mbetet i vetmi fqinj? i Maqedonis? q? nuk ka ndonj? plan p?r destabilizimin e saj. Gatishm?ria e Serbis?, Greqis? dhe Bullgaris? p?r t? afruar trupa ushtarak? n? kufi me Maqedonin? dhe deklaratat e qeveritar?ve t? Shkupit se NATO duhet t? siguroj? vet?m kufirin verior, shtojn? dyshimet se Shkupi mund t? jet? i p?rgatitur p?r nj? ofensiv? kund?r faktorit shqiptar dhe nj? q?rim hesapesh me popullsin? e atjeshme pa pasur n?p?r k?mb? forcat nd?rkomb?tare, ?ka mund t? ?oj? Shkupin brenda dy jav?sh n? skenat e Sarajev?s. Paniku q? po shtohet dita dit?s n? Maqedoni nga snajper?t e vendosur n? nd?rtesat e Tetov?s dhe Shkupit, dhe p?rhapja e luft?s guerile, jan? element? q? nxjerrin jasht? loje ushtrit? e m?dha dhe luft?n frontale, po mbajn? konfliktin brenda dhe e tresin shtetin duke e kthyer n? g?rmadh?. N?se ka v?rtet rrezik nga ata q? Maqedonia i quan nacionalist? shqiptar?, ajo duhet t'i identifikoj? ata dhe t'i jap? problemit nj? rrug?zgjidhje politike. N?se mendon se bisedimet me ta mund t? destabilizojn? Maqedonin?, at?her? Shkupi duhet t? gjej? nj? forc? neutrale, e cila t? siguroj? status quo-n? e sovranitetit t? vendit dhe ajo ?sht? vet?m NATO. Afrimi i tri ushtrive t? tjera t? fqinj?ve n? kufi me Maqedonin?, nuk ?sht? aspak nj? k?rc?nim p?r shqiptar?t, por nj? k?rc?nim p?r t? ardhmen e Maqedonis? dhe sovranitetin e saj. Asnj? iluzion nuk duhet pasur se Maqedonia ?sht? n? konflikt etnik me nj? grup luft?tar?sh q? jan? pakic? n? Maqedoni. ?sht? e v?rtet? se ata sot mund t? num?rohen me gishta, por n?se Shkupi zyrtar vazhdon t? defaktorizoj? dy partit? politike shqiptare n? parlamentin maqedonas dhe t'i kthej? lider?t e tyre n? njer?z pa autoritet, at?her? autoriteti kryesor shqiptar, brenda dit?s, b?het njeriu q? askush nuk ia di em?rin dhe mbiem?rin t? plot? dhe gueril?t q? sot mund t'i num?rosh, nes?r mund t? jen? t? barabart? me votuesit shqiptar? n? Maqedoni, p?rfshi dhe ata q? kan? mbetur pa u regjistruar. Deri tani vullneti m? i plot? p?r ekzistenc?n e Maqedonis? ka qen? n? an?n e shqiptar?ve bile po t? llogaris?sh dhe deklaratat politike t? guerilasve, t? cil?t jan? nj? hap p?rpara Bullgaris?, Serbis? dhe Greqis? n? njohjen e integritetit territorial t? Maqedonis?, sovranitetit t? saj dhe element?ve shtet?ror?. P?r k?t? arsye, urgjente ?sht? zgjidhja e problemeve t? tyre dhe jo lufta me ta. ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 3:49 PM Subject: ALBSA-Info digest, Vol 1 #379 - 5 msgs > Send ALBSA-Info mailing list submissions to > albsa-info at alb-net.com > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > albsa-info-request at alb-net.com > > You can reach the person managing the list at > albsa-info-admin at alb-net.com > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of ALBSA-Info digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Vlera Shqiptare (Meha, Xhevat) > 2. Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed (=?iso-8859-1?q?Saimir=20Celo?=) > 3. Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed (Besim Gerguri) > 4. RE: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed (Lutfi Mjekiqi) > 5. Learning about people (etel) > > --__--__-- > > Message: 1 > From: "Meha, Xhevat" > To: Iris Pilika , dardan at alb-net.com, nyc-l at alb-net.com > Cc: Fisnik.Ismaili at edengene.com, albanian-uk at alb-net.com, > prishtina-l at alb-net.com, tetova-l at alb-net.com, albsa-info at alb-net.com, > puka at usa.net > Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:22:49 -0000 > Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Vlera Shqiptare > > Jam ma teper se i kenaqur me kesi lloj shkrime. Kontributi i tyre ne > thesarin e njohjes sime ne lidhje me sistemin e vlerave ne shoqerine > shqiptare eshte i pa mateshem. Vlera e tyre eshte aqe e lart sa sdi si t'i > pershkruaj. I kam pase disa njohuri mbi vlerat e internaciaonalizmit > shqiptar te nderkombtarizuar por keto shtjellimet e fundit me bejne te > kuptoj sa pak paskam ditur. > > Xhevat Meha > > -----Original Message----- > From: Iris Pilika [mailto:ipilika at hotmail.com] > Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 4:41 PM > To: dardan at alb-net.com; nyc-l at alb-net.com > Cc: Fisnik.Ismaili at edengene.com; albanian-uk at alb-net.com; > prishtina-l at alb-net.com; tetova-l at alb-net.com; albsa-info at alb-net.com; > puka at usa.net > Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > Well, many of us from Albania proper see things in a different perspective. > > Take our experiences at the Greek-Albanian border. The Greek police can > have you wait for hours, can decide for no reason (just because you are > Albanian) that the visa you have is false and refuse to let you through. If > > you persist, they can tear apart your passport. Or they can scream at you > that if you want to touch Greek land, you should go back to Tirana and > overthrow the government, because he (the Greek) does not like it (this > being true for the previous government). If you get a chance to go into > their office (an official immigration office) you will see a sign in the > wall saying that Northern Epirus is Greek. There, you learnt something you > did not know before, half of your country is not Albanian, but Greek, and it > > holds a name it might have had at the time of Pirro. If they ask you about > your religion, which will be the first question, and you happen to be > Orthodox, then you will learn something else about your identity you did not > > know before, that you too are Greek or put in a more seemingly civilized > word, Epirote. And this is probably half of what Albanians really go > through. > > But just so we Albanians "don't look bad", not only will we and our > government never complain, but we will still welcome these Greeks, look at > them as role models, and let them do whatever they want in our country. If > they want to fill our churches with Greek inscriptions, we won't complain, > we'll just learn Greek, even though that wouldn't take us anywhere. We will > > do every effort in our part not to look bad, because we value tolerance, and > > that's why we are better, no, I'm sorry, more "civilized", than those > Albanians in Kosova or Macedonia, who don't stop talking about some kind of > human rights. Did someone say we have a deep inferiority complex? No, we > are just tolerant and civilized. It's wonder how we have not become part of > > the EU yet, because the French and the Germans still hold grudges from World > > War II. We better give them some lessons from what the Greeks have taught > us about democracy and tolerance, especially in this era of globalization. > > > >From: Dardan Blaku > >To: "nyc-l at alb-net.com" > >CC: Fisnik Ismaili , > >"albanian-uk at alb-net.com" , > >"prishtina-l at alb-net.com" , > >"tetova-l at alb-net.com" , "albsa-info at alb-net.com" > >, "puka at usa.net" > >Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > >Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] > >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) > > > >-------- Albanian UK -------- > > > >Did any of you wait in the Kosova/Macedonia border for over 6/7 hour while > >the jackass macedonian official played around with you and your > >passport just because you were albanian? > > > > > > > >On 19 Mar 2001, G.S wrote: > > > > > === NYC-L: New York City Discussion Forum === > > > > > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war since it is having a very > > > negative effect on our public relations, and I do not hate the > >Macedonians > > > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the police that is). The only > >thing > > > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were so powerful compared to > >the > > > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit amusing (which is in sharp > > > contrast to the image they try to portray). All in all I hope the war > >ends > > > today, the message has gotten through and the pressure is on for > >extended > > > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day the war goes on will only > >make > > > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > > > > > >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text the poor guy has > > > >written. > > > > > > >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a sense of humour or > > >does > > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > > > >Easy with the accusations... > > > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, Macedonians > > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The author > > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > ____________________________________________________ > > > NYC-L: A discussion and information list of the > > > Albanian community in the New York City Metro Area. > > > To post to the list: NYC-L at alb-net.com > > > For more information: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/nyc-l > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Albanian-UK mailing list > >Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > >http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > _______________________________________________ > Albanian-UK mailing list > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > > Email Disclaimer > > The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. > It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this email by anyone else > is unauthorised. > If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution > or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited > and may be unlawful. When addressed to our clients any opinions or advice > contained in this email are subject to the terms and conditions expressed in > the governing KPMG client engagement letter. > > --__--__-- > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 19:45:32 +0000 (GMT) > From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Saimir=20Celo?= > Subject: Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed > To: Fisnik Ismaili , > "'alb-club at alb-net.com'" , > "'albanian at listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu'" , > "'albanian-uk at alb-net.com'" , > "'nyc-l at alb-net.com'" , > "'prishtina-e at alb-net.com'" , > "'prishtina-l at alb-net.com'" , > "'tetova-l at alb-net.com'" , > "'albsa-info at alb-net.com'" , > "'puka at usa.net'" , > "'ipanajoti at yahoo.com'" > > Jam dakort 100% me Fisnikun e do thoja se nuk e di si > e perkufizon shqiptarine Ira po shqiptarizem i > shumices nuk eshte. > > Te me kuptosh Ira, nuk me vjen per te qeshur qe vdiq > nje njeri por edhe per te qare nuk qaj se ky njeriu > ishte ne nje helikopter ushtarak e keta te fundit si > rregull e pergjithshme nuk i sherbejne paqes, > perkundrazi. > > Nese nuk te dhemb per shqipetaret e Maqedonise atehere > ajo eshte tjeter pune por ata nuk jane asnje gram me > pak shqiptare se ne dhe nuk kane pse te bien dakort me > asnje gram liri me pak se ne shqipetaret e Shqiperise. > > Nje verejtje edhe per Besnik Gergurin: > > E para punes flit shqip o bure i dheut se anglishten > se kuptojme te gjithe. > > E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte > shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? > > Pershendetje te gjitheve > > Saimiri > > > > > --- Fisnik Ismaili > wrote: > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text > > the poor guy has > > written. > > > > Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a > > sense of humour or does > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > Easy with the accusations... > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "ira panajoti" > > > > Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:34 AM > > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > > Macedonia's Airforce > > destroyed > > > > > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > shame because they put a bad name for all > > Albanians! > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny > > that > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > > Macedonians > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > > author > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a > > sense > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > --- "G.S" > > > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > > > wrote: > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > --------- > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > para > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > crashed > > > > near the scene of the > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > > ____________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk > or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie > > --__--__-- > > Message: 3 > Reply-To: "Besim Gerguri" > From: "Besim Gerguri" > To: "Saimir Celo" , > "Fisnik Ismaili" , , > , , > , , , > , , , > > Subject: Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed > Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 00:41:01 -0000 > > Samir, > quhem Besim e jo Besnik. Me siguri m'ke perzi me dike tjeter se une nuk kam > shkruejt anglisht. Krejt email-at e mi jane shqip. > Kur kam thane: "Lutfi, mu ma merr menja se Ira osht shiptare se tregimi > (hajgarja)se si ka > ra helikopteri osht ne shqip-nashta ja ka perkthy najkush", nuk e kam dite > se cfare kombi i takon Ira, se ajo ka shkrue n'anglisht, per arsye te cilen > nuk po muj me e kuptu. Ndoshta ka pase qellim me na tregu se din me fole > gjuhe te huja, apo me u paraqite internacionaliste e kunder dhunes para > anetareve te listes qe nuk flasin shqip. > > Besim Gerguri > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Saimir Celo" > To: "Fisnik Ismaili" ; ; > ; ; > ; ; ; > ; ; ; > > Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 7:45 PM > Subject: Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de > stroyed > > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > Jam dakort 100% me Fisnikun e do thoja se nuk e di si > > e perkufizon shqiptarine Ira po shqiptarizem i > > shumices nuk eshte. > > > > Te me kuptosh Ira, nuk me vjen per te qeshur qe vdiq > > nje njeri por edhe per te qare nuk qaj se ky njeriu > > ishte ne nje helikopter ushtarak e keta te fundit si > > rregull e pergjithshme nuk i sherbejne paqes, > > perkundrazi. > > > > Nese nuk te dhemb per shqipetaret e Maqedonise atehere > > ajo eshte tjeter pune por ata nuk jane asnje gram me > > pak shqiptare se ne dhe nuk kane pse te bien dakort me > > asnje gram liri me pak se ne shqipetaret e Shqiperise. > > > > Nje verejtje edhe per Besnik Gergurin: > > > > E para punes flit shqip o bure i dheut se anglishten > > se kuptojme te gjithe. > > > > E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte > > shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? > > > > Pershendetje te gjitheve > > > > Saimiri > > > > > > > > > > --- Fisnik Ismaili > > wrote: > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > > > That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of text > > > the poor guy has > > > written. > > > > > > Dare I say that it is you who seem to be lacking a > > > sense of humour or does > > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > > > Easy with the accusations... > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "ira panajoti" > > > > > > Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:34 AM > > > Subject: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > > > Macedonia's Airforce > > > destroyed > > > > > > > > > > -------- Albanian UK -------- > > > > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > > > > shame because they put a bad name for all > > > Albanians! > > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny > > > that > > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > > > Macedonians > > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > > > author > > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a > > > sense > > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > > --- "G.S" > > > > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > > para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > > crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > > > > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez > > > para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > > > crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________ > > > > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk > > or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie > > _______________________________________________ > > Albanian-UK mailing list > > Albanian-UK at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanian-uk > > > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 4 > Reply-To: > From: "Lutfi Mjekiqi" > To: "Saimir Celo" , , > , , > , , , > , , , > > Subject: RE: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed > Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 01:19:32 -0000 > > A nuk mundet njeriu te supozoje se cfare kombesie tjetri i takon pa > prejudikuar kombesine e vet? > P.sh. nese une them se besoj se Besimi eshte Finlandez, kjo nuk prejudikon > faktin se une jam apo jo Finlandez- s'ka te beje fare me ate se cfare jam > une. > > >E dyta: E c'do te thuash "Ma merr mendja qe kjo eshte > >shqiptare" , po ti c'je pastaj? > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 5 > Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 22:31:13 -0600 > To: albsa-info at alb-net.com > From: etel > Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Learning about people > > Have you ever thought how fascinating it is to try to understand people, or > listen to their stories? Well, I have, because it amazes me how much your > lips can stratch from smiling when you listen to people. As a two-times > immigrant in the course of four years I have had the chance to learn a lot > from people of different cultures and mentalities. I have lived in Albania, > Greece, and now United States, three countries so radically different from > each other, yet when it comes to people I have come to the conclusion that > no matter where you go you are going to come across three very amusing > types of people: the arrogant the shallow, and those never happy no matter > what. > > Now, I find arrogant people entertaining because they really think they are > something. You know how the saying goes, "Listen to the fool. EVen they > have something to teach you." You can easily recognize these people by what > they say: Key word: "I". The interesting thing about them is that they so > strongly believe they are the best and they know everything than when you > talk to them you can feel how desperately they need attention. They usually > are very critical of others and I believe they have developed some type of > inferiority complex which they try to hide by coming out as very > presemptuous, and terribly amusing for that matter. Whenever I have > conversations with these people I've noticed I nod quite a bit; they won't > notice if you dont by the way; they're too busy taking care of their > perfect image. Remember: Attention is what they need from you. If you ever > feel the need to become their friend, please remember you have to learn to > be humble. Dont get me wrong: YOU WONT LEARN THAT FROM THEM. It's just that > when they notice you are the humble type they will like you. Another thing > that I have noticed is that you have to develop the virtue of being > patient. They will talk forever about the perfection in them...I think they > really like to hear their own voice, and I've always suspected to them it > probably sounds like a nightengale's voice. If you are expecting them to > remember your name, age or social status: YOU'RE WRONG. That means you are > going to gather so much information about them that you might as well start > writing their memoir. Like this girl who works with me. Absolutely > sophisticated. Modesty is a word whose meaning fades if mentioned in the > same sentence with her name. By the second day I had learned by heart her > favorite classical composers, painters, poets, and the names of all the > guys who thought she was ubelievably interesting. In the short time we > talked I was told I was cute, but I needed to work on fixing my hair, buy > another purse, and wear different make-up. I only smiled and released an > innocent sigh thinking "Oh my god, what was going to be of me without her." > > You think you've had your share of interesting people. Wrong. There's more > for yours and mine entertainment. Shallow people. These are the folks whose > world is as big as the area from their eyes to the tip of their nose. > Things to look for in these people: Materialism, egoism, no sensibility, > and if you add some arrogance you get a fine mixture. Most people would > think of politicians and rich folks as such, but really if you think of it > you meet these characters everywhere. YOu might have known someone who you > thought was really mature, whose only big worry was her nails, and the > split ends of her hair. Not to mention that there are girls as old as 11 > years old being sold as prostitutes and being sexually mutilated in other > parts of the world. Oh yeah, I forgot, we dont really have time to think of > these things during our busy lives, but Im hoping most of us at least care. > Shallow people dont know how to care. Suffering is an unknown notion for > them and if someone is in need....too bad life is not fair for everyone. > What really makes me find them interesting is the fact thet they are > oblivious to little things that make me smile; like the rising of the sun, > a spring day, a smile. SOmetimes you look into their eyes and wonder if > they ever feel thankful they have a roof aboove their head, a bed to sleep > in,and some food for the day. Probably not. A little trick here. If you > ever thinking of making fun of them tell them their best friend has bought > the best car ever, and he's dating the hottest girl in town, and dont' > forget to mention she owns a private jet. A piece of advice. It's always > safe to keep a small fan in your pocket just in case they faint from the > most worrisome piece of information they have ever received. If you tell > them there's more important things in life than having money stacked under > your pillow they will probably think there's a need for an interpreter due > to language differences between the two of you. Don't forget: "I dont care" > is what makes up most of their vocabulary. > > Last but not least, these are the people who I love the most. They are > never happy with anything. What distinguishes them from others is the fact > that they walk around carrying a serious face, and if you happen to smile > in front of them, they'll think you dont know the real meaning of life. I > laugh at these people when they come to eat at the restaurant I work at as > a waitress. You can distinguish them from the furthest corner of the > restaurant. At the dinner table they sit without looking at me when I > approach them with a smile asking about their order. I have never thought I > have an intimidating figure, but I have started to doubt they are scared of > smiling waitresses. I call them Franksteins. How does a waiter know they're > going to have an interesting evening? When these people sit in their > section and after all the service they get, they will ultimately want to > complain to a menager. After all is done for them, they will walk out > furious threatening they will never come back. Big loss for the > restaurant....for me too, I wont have anybody to make fun of. Like this > lady I served to once. She seemed to be unhappy even of her own shadow. > After all the service she got, I realized it was not me, or my service, it > was the fact that she couldn't find one more thing to complain about. I > forgot to suggest she could complain about my height. Then, there's your > cooworkers. Those who work hard and never complain, and those who drag > their feet in total unhappiness because they are carrying two plates from > the kitchen door 10 feet to the dishpit. If you tell them maybe they need > to get another job, they will despise you. If you tell them maybe it's not > as bad, at least they're taking some money home, they will give you this > "go-to-hell-look". I try...but it's never easy to make these people happy. > At least I can entertain myself when Im having a bad night. > > So, what do you guys think? Life is not as boring after all. I have > realized that there is so much you can learn about human nature from every > person you meet. If you only mastered the skill of listening more carefully > you'll find people so interesting, you will be amazed at how different yet > fundamentally similar we all are. In the end there should be no > prejudices...we all have our own things people laugh at. The arrogant, the > shallow people, and those never happy irritate us most of the times, but > what would life be without the lessons they teach us? The point is: Have > fun while learning about yourself and others. It's not as bad as it seems. > > > > Texas, 2001 > Etel H. > > > > --__--__-- > > _______________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list > ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > > End of ALBSA-Info Digest From ipanajoti at yahoo.com Wed Mar 21 12:19:19 2001 From: ipanajoti at yahoo.com (ira panajoti) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 09:19:19 -0800 (PST) Subject: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010321171919.63506.qmail@web11601.mail.yahoo.com> Some others of us, also from "Albania proper" would like to note a couple of things: 1. People with Albanian passports are carefully scanned everywhere. Often they are abused even when they come with regular visas. E.g. I recently made a trip to Germany. The immigration inspector not only checked all sides of my passport, but also employed two hand lenses to detect any fraud in my visa, which luckily was issued from the German consulate in Boston. As an employee with INS in Logan airport, i could tell you that we get daily two or three cases of fraud whereby Albanian citizens enter with Albanian passports and computer altered visas. It is the job of every immigration inspector, everywhere in the world to assure that individuals are not entering fraudulently in their countries. Since Albanians have a given talent and reputation for faking visas, passports etc, I don't blame anyone that wants to enforce the law. After all, that's what they get paid for. That DOES NOT make it legitimate that they should abuse people like yourself who are law abiding citizens and enter a country legally, however as the number of people entering a country through fraud far exceeds that of people entering legally, every individual would be predisposed to assume the worst. In these cases, the rule of "guilty until proven innocent often applies." Luckily, for us Albanians, we don't have many Greeks, Serbs, Macedonians, Americans, Italians etc entering the country fraudulently. Yes, they do a lot of dirty business there, but what does our government or law enforcement agencies do: NOTHING! THey close one eye not to see the one hand receiving the bribe. Others, just couldn't care less about enforcing the law as long as they receive their monthly stipend. So you see: We should definitely ameliorate our country, enforce legislation and create a strong state before fighting abroad for rights! As far as I know Albanian citizens do not have rights under Albanian law. They are daily threatened by criminals, thiefs etc. and often they are forced to emigrate out of their country, even if it means a recourse to illegal means. 2. The mistake nr. 1 that Albanians make is look up to Greeks as role models! That is definitely a pitty! However, the Albanian role models is yet unborn, with the exception of the intelligent graduates of Boston who preach self-determination to their suffering fellow Albanians in Albania proper and its vicinity! Perhaps it is time that all of us start to think on how to make Albania a better place to live in, so that we all did not have to leave the poor country and be maltreated by Greeks, Italians, Serbs, Macedonians and the like. 3. While some wait on lines at the border, being abused and yelled at by Greek idiotic guards, why don't they just raise their voice and demand justice! Why don't they note that it is wrong to treat Albanians this way and that Greek claims for Northern Epirus are totally unbased and ridiculous? Why do they shut up and take it? Is it out of tolerance or fear? If they are so disgusted by the behavior of these imbeciles at the border, what do they care about going to such a country as Greece, citizens of which abuse human rights? Why don't they just tear up the bloody visa right in their face and show them how noble Albanians really are? Wars in Macedonia and Serbia should be an example to how people should stand up for human rights and advocate them as passionately as possible, especially if in their own country there aren't any! 4. As regards the war in Macedonia, I think demanding independence has been the biggest mistake ever. It is going to cost us, Albanians the loss of Kosovo's independence and will make enemies out of all powers of the world. Claims for better conditions of living, better enforcement of human rights etc, perhaps would have drawn a more sympathetic support. Even though some of you do believe that fighting is the best way to get something, when the whole world is against you all you get is sanctions, as the Iraq-Kuwait case should clearly illustrate. True, the Big Powers intervened as Kuwait was full of oil, but lack of oil in Kosovo and Macedonia is not going to stop powers from intervening to retain peace in the Balkans as its a distraction to the process of concluding oil transactions with Kuwait, while already watching out for Iraq. 5. I wonder whether Albania proper will give any contribution to assisting the brothers in Kosovo and Macedonia win their quest for independence. If yes, when is the final word going to be? 6. Perhaps all answers to these questions would have been easier had Albania been a stronger country, with a much better organized economy, a less corrupt government, a thinner net of criminals, drug-dealers, prostitution promoters. Perhaps if it were a more consolidated country it could give the Greeks the finger, the Serbs and the Macedonians a good kick in the ass, and a real scoff to the rest of the powers. But we all know this isn't possible, is it? Perhaps then, it's time for all of us to stop jabbering about how the world treats us and start looking at how we treat ourselves. Konica said, "The biggest enemy of Albanians are Albanians" and we should try to prove him wrong. Once we have done so, and if this is possible at all (decades have proved the opposite) then we could search for respect! Once we have begun to quit poking each other's eyes, mentioning to each-other their biographical stains (like saying "us from Albania proper" since IRA PANAJOTI does not sound quite Albanian) then maybe we can talk about respect! 7. Not once did I stop being Albanian, despite my unfortunate Greek name (I did not have a choice when they named me--talk about human rights--can't even chose my own name) and not once did I stop helping Albanians (who enter the U.S. both legally and illegally) in my line of work to get every right they deserved! We should all be proud of being Albanian, yet we should make sure that our pride is based on truth and not on empty cockiness! 8. When talking about tolerance, cooperation and understanding, please take a look at how a simple e-mail (be it mine in regards to the Macedonian helicopter joke, or all of yours in response to mine) can be turned into an internet everlasting debate without solution! Don't we all have an innate love of fighting? Where is the tolerance people? If Albanians can't find a common language between themselves, alas, they will never find it with the neighbors or the world! 9. Having said all this, I apologize to all if I somehow raised your blood pressure too much! I was always good at doing that and apparently can't seem to avoid it! Between being a patriot (although some of you might not think so) and a realist, the latter often tends to win! I apologize in turn to all patriots as well as my patriotic side for any injustice done! 10. Have a nice day everybody and try not to make too much out of my lengthy discussion! Take care. Ira Panajoti --- Iris Pilika wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > Well, many of us from Albania proper see things in a > different perspective. > Take our experiences at the Greek-Albanian border. > The Greek police can > have you wait for hours, can decide for no reason > (just because you are > Albanian) that the visa you have is false and refuse > to let you through. If > you persist, they can tear apart your passport. Or > they can scream at you > that if you want to touch Greek land, you should go > back to Tirana and > overthrow the government, because he (the Greek) > does not like it (this > being true for the previous government). If you get > a chance to go into > their office (an official immigration office) you > will see a sign in the > wall saying that Northern Epirus is Greek. There, > you learnt something you > did not know before, half of your country is not > Albanian, but Greek, and it > holds a name it might have had at the time of Pirro. > If they ask you about > your religion, which will be the first question, and > you happen to be > Orthodox, then you will learn something else about > your identity you did not > know before, that you too are Greek or put in a more > seemingly civilized > word, Epirote. And this is probably half of what > Albanians really go > through. > > But just so we Albanians "don't look bad", not only > will we and our > government never complain, but we will still welcome > these Greeks, look at > them as role models, and let them do whatever they > want in our country. If > they want to fill our churches with Greek > inscriptions, we won't complain, > we'll just learn Greek, even though that wouldn't > take us anywhere. We will > do every effort in our part not to look bad, because > we value tolerance, and > that's why we are better, no, I'm sorry, more > "civilized", than those > Albanians in Kosova or Macedonia, who don't stop > talking about some kind of > human rights. Did someone say we have a deep > inferiority complex? No, we > are just tolerant and civilized. It's wonder how we > have not become part of > the EU yet, because the French and the Germans still > hold grudges from World > War II. We better give them some lessons from what > the Greeks have taught > us about democracy and tolerance, especially in this > era of globalization. > > > >From: Dardan Blaku > >To: "nyc-l at alb-net.com" > >CC: Fisnik Ismaili , > > >"albanian-uk at alb-net.com" > , > >"prishtina-l at alb-net.com" > , > >"tetova-l at alb-net.com" , > "albsa-info at alb-net.com" > >, "puka at usa.net" > > >Subject: Re: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: > [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of > >Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] > >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:53:27 -0500 (EST) > > > >-------- Albanian UK -------- > > > >Did any of you wait in the Kosova/Macedonia border > for over 6/7 hour while > >the jackass macedonian official played around with > you and your > >passport just because you were albanian? > > > > > > > >On 19 Mar 2001, G.S wrote: > > > > > === NYC-L: New York City Discussion > Forum === > > > > > > To tell you the truth I do not like this war > since it is having a very > > > negative effect on our public relations, and I > do not hate the > >Macedonians > > > even though a lot of them are jackasses (the > police that is). The only > >thing > > > that I find interesting is that the Serbs were > so powerful compared to > >the > > > Macedonians, so I find their weakness a bit > amusing (which is in sharp > > > contrast to the image they try to portray). All > in all I hope the war > >ends > > > today, the message has gotten through and the > pressure is on for > >extended > > > Albanian rights in Macedonia. Every extra day > the war goes on will only > >make > > > us look more like the Serbs(the media that is). > > > > > > >That's one hell of a conclusion from 3 lines of > text the poor guy has > > > >written. > > > > > > >Dare I say that it is you who seem to be > lacking a sense of humour or > > >does > > > that make me a shameful Albanian, too? > > > > > > >Easy with the accusations... > > > > > > > If it's people like these who start a war, > it's a > > > > shame because they put a bad name for all > Albanians! > > > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny > that > > > > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > Macedonians > > > > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > author > > > > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a > sense > > > > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away > from > > > > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > > > > --- "G.S" > > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger > mengjez para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring > 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" > > wrote: > > > > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > > > > --------- > > > > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > > > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > > > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger > mengjez para > > > > > se me dal... > > > > > > > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter > crashed > > > > > near the scene of the > > > > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring > 12 > > > > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > > > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From dorin.gheciu at sympatico.ca Wed Mar 21 13:15:49 2001 From: dorin.gheciu at sympatico.ca (Dorin Gheciu) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 12:15:49 -0600 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Alb-Club] People please References: <000401bd5673$d65a1ea0$35c2dc3e@nic.mpt.com.mk> Message-ID: <002001c0b232$f6036360$650aa8c0@sympatico.ca> Dear Sasko, I believe there are not many Slav Macedonians living in Albania. However, you are right, Albanians do enjoy some political rights in Macedonia, and the Macedonian administration has treated the Albanians better than the Serbs did. However, there is still inequity in Macedonia regarding the Albanians. Many foreign, impartial observers have noticed that there is a rather crass job discrimination against them, and they do not receive a proportionate share of government services. Also, Albanian language should be an official language in Macedonia, due to the very large proportion of Albanians. The government should fund an Albanian-speaking University, the same way it funds the Macedonian-speaking Universities, since Albanians also pay taxes. Albanians should enjoy the same rights as sizeable minorities in all civilized countries, for instance the French-speaking Canadians, Swiss or Belgians. Treating minorities fairly and with the utmost respect has not led to the disintegration of those countries. On the contrary, it is the main reason for their prosperity and social peace. In spite of this, I don't believe there is deliberate, malevolent persecution of Albanians in Macedonia (like it used to be in Kosova). It is more a case of nepotism: in a poor country, people tend to take care first of their relatives and friends. Also, there is unjustified fear about the disintegration of Macedonia. Actually, Albania and Albanians have a vested interest in the survival of Macedonia. The two peoples should be natural allies: both have suffered a lot in the past. They have been victims of the most brutal persecution from their rapacious neighbors, like Greece and others. In fact, I am sure that the Macedonians will end up granting the Albanians their legitimate, minority rights, and Macedonia will prosper. Additionally, Macedonia will have no better friend and supporter than Albania. Unlike other Balkan nations, Albanians are not inclined towards occupying and oppressing other peoples. Yours sincerely, D. ----- Original Message ----- From: Sasko Karakulev Hi my dear frinds I'm apologise for my comment but I'll say, PLEASE DONT BE BLIND !!! Here are three facts 1. Macedonia have 17 sectors in goverment, in those 17 five of ministers are Albanines, minister of justice, minister od Economy minister of Works and social politics, etc, etc... Also alabnies have 7 vice ministers in goverment. Where in the world is same as here. Please tell me how much Macedonian ministers had Albanien gouverment?? No one !! it is the thruth. It is very very sorrow for You my dears. 2 Few mounth ago was the election in the Macedonian parliament for president of parliament. In those elections was proposed Mr. Haliti from PDP "Also where in the world the situations is the same." Tha fact that Haliti is not the president of Macedonian parliament is that alabninas from PDSH in parliement voted against Haliti. It is the truth my sorrow dear. Please tell me, is possoble someone from Macedonian hwo lives in Albania to be president of albanian parliament.??? Ha Ha HA I'm sure taht You think and will say never never never. 3 As the situatin going on, the situation is worsed in Monetenegro also the problem are You my dear. The world finaly can not understand how only the Alabanian people cant live with none around him. It is possible to for example for me to hate someone but to hate everything around me then the problem is inside me. Now the situation in Maceedonia is the beeg shame for us Alabaniens people so please be patient and give peace a chance, every problem need to be soved trough the institution of system. I dont like to give my brother live or my live for someone hwo work on the black market and now fight for his own interest. Sali Macedonia -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From albert_hyseni at hotmail.com Wed Mar 21 17:24:18 2001 From: albert_hyseni at hotmail.com (Albert Hyseni) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 17:24:18 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Albanian-UK] People please Message-ID: Dear Sasko, First things first. Your English is extremely poor. Do not use it in future if you want to be understood. This is not supposed to be an insult. It is rather a valuable advice. Now back to your e-mail. Those that you dare to call facts are blunt speculations of your government. Albanian ministers in the FYRM government are there just to make up the numbers (as it were) and more importantly to reflect the minimum possible percentage of Albanian voters. Let's be frank, they don't have any executive powers in the government. They are puppets. I am not quite sure what you mean but it seams to me that you are trying to imply that there is no government in the world that has government sectors run by people whose ethnic origin is different to that of the majority population of the country. I don't agree with you. In a multi-ethnic democracy (and I believe you claim that FYRM is democratic) government sectors should be proportionally divided amongst ethnic groups that make up the total population of the country. This is not and has never been the case in FYRM. I think there should be at least 6 Albanian ministers in the government of FYRM. I agree that there aren't any Macedonian ministers in either Albanian or Kosovan governments. The reason is rather simple - there are fewer that 0.1% Macedonians living in Albania and Kosova together. Whereas there are more 700,000 Albanians (accounted for) that live in FYRM. I can not come to terms with your shortsightness. It is not Albanians that can not live with others. We have proved many times in the past that we want to live with others but be equal to all others. What we don't want is to be treated like second class citizens. Even during the communism we were treated as second class citizens in Kosova, Montenegro, Serbia proper and Macedonia (although in Macedonian case we were probably third class citizens). I do not wish to dwell any more on this subject because it is rather difficult to be reasonable with someone that has ignorance as an attribute. I will only tell you this. The current conflict in your country could have been avoided. Your government chose to ignore legitimate requests of 1/3 of its population for a very long time. Until these legitimate requests are not met, I am afraid your police officers and soldiers will continue to die because of the ignorance of your government. I fear that if your government doesn't decide to resolve this peacefully you might end up without a country in a very near future. Best wishes, Albert >From: "Sasko Karakulev" >To: , , >, , , > , , >, , >Subject: [Albanian-UK] People please >Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 16:52:11 +0100 > >Hi my dear frinds > >I'm apologise for my comment but I'll say, PLEASE DONT BE BLIND !!! >Here are three facts > >1. Macedonia have 17 sectors in goverment, in those 17 five of ministers >are Albanines, minister of justice, minister od Economy >minister of Works and social politics, etc, etc... Also alabnies have 7 >vice ministers in goverment. >Where in the world is same as here. Please tell me how much Macedonian >ministers had Albanien gouverment?? No one !! >it is the thruth. It is very very sorrow for You my dears. >2 Few mounth ago was the election in the Macedonian parliament for >president of parliament. In those elections >was proposed Mr. Haliti from PDP "Also where in the world the situations is >the same." Tha fact that Haliti is not the >president of Macedonian parliament is that alabninas from PDSH in >parliement voted against Haliti. It is the truth my sorrow dear. >Please tell me, is possoble someone from Macedonian hwo lives in Albania to >be president of albanian parliament.??? >Ha Ha HA I'm sure taht You think and will say never never never. >3 As the situatin going on, the situation is worsed in Monetenegro also the >problem are You my dear. >The world finaly can not understand how only the Alabanian people cant live >with none around him. >It is possible to for example for me to hate someone but to hate everything >around me then the problem is inside me. > >Now the situation in Maceedonia is the beeg shame for us Alabaniens people >so please be patient and give peace a chance, every >problem need to be soved trough the institution of system. I dont like to >give my brother live or my live for someone hwo work >on the black market and now fight for his own interest. > > >Sali >Macedonia > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From aalibali at yahoo.com Wed Mar 21 14:32:11 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 11:32:11 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kadare Message-ID: <20010321193211.87361.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Gjirokaster - Shkrimtari i shquar Ismail Kadare ?sht? propozuar nga dega e Partis? Demokratike t? Gjirokastr?s, si nj? nga kat?r kandidat?t e mundsh?m p?r deputet te kesaj partie, n? zon?n elektorale nr.89. Lajmin e b?ri t? ditur t? m?rkur?n kryetari i deg?s s? PD- s? lokale, Roland Bejko. Ai tha p?r ATSH-n? se me konsensus t? plot? t? kryesis? s? deg?s, shkrimtari Ismail Kadare u propozua si kandidat p?r deputet, pasi ai ka vizionin e duhur p?r t? ardhmen e Shqip?ris?, si dhe ka dh?n? kontributin m? t? madh n? zhvillimet e para demokratike n? vend. Krahas Kadares?, n? zon?n elektorale nr. 89 u propozuan si kandidat? p?r deputet? t? k?saj partie kryetari aktual i deg?s s? PD- s?, Roland Bejko, ish- kryebashkiaku Ylli Asllani dhe mjeku Batri Kokona. N? zon?n elektorale nr.90, PD propozoi kat?r kandidatura t? tjera: biznesmenin minoritar Florenc Kalivopulli, n?nkryetarin e PD- s? Xhelil Beqiri, pedagogun Rexhep Shkurti dhe ish-kryetarin e bashkis? t? Libohov?s, Bexhet ?obani. "Me propozimet tona pretendojm? se e kemi gjetur t? pap?rgatitura partit? e tjera politike, pasi n? k?to propozime p?rfshihet ajka e elit?s intelektuale gjirokastrike", p?rfundoi z.Bejko. /an (ATSH/BalkanWeb) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Wed Mar 21 14:27:05 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 11:27:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Harvard Events - Seminar: The Wall Around the West In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010321192705.8295.qmail@web11502.mail.yahoo.com> > > Thursday, March 22, 2001 > 4:15 p.m. > > Special Seminar > Sponsored by the Harvard Academy For International > And Area Studies > > to discuss The Wall Around the West: State Borders > and Immigration Controls > in North America and Europe (Rowman and Littlefield, > 2000) > > Samuel P. Huntington (Chair), Director, Harvard > Academy for International > and Area Studies;Albert J. Weatherhead III > University Professor > John H. Coatsworth (Discussant), Director, David > Rockefeller Center for > Latin American Studies; Monroe Gutman Professor of > Latin American Affairs > Keith Darden (Discussant), Assistant Professor of > Political Science, > Yale University; Academy Scholar, Harvard University > Peter Andreas (Editor), Assistant Professor of > Political Science, Reed > College > Timothy Snyder (Editor), Assistant Professor of > History, Yale University; > Academy Scholar, Harvard Academy > > Reception to follow > > Harvard University > Center for European Studies, Lower Conference Room > 27 Kirkland Street, Cambrdge, MA > > (See attached file: 22marchevent.doc) > > ATTACHMENT part 2 application/msword name=22marchevent.doc __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Wed Mar 21 14:59:25 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 11:59:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] MPA - 21.03.2001 Message-ID: <20010321195925.91905.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> [10] ETHNIC GREEK ASSOCIATIONS CALL FOR GREEK GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE ALBANIAN POPULATION CENSUS Thessaloniki, 21 March 2001 (16:30 UTC+2) The ethnic Greek Minority Associations in a request submitted to the Greek parliament by right-wing main opposition party of New Democracy parliament deputy Sotiris Kouvelas call on the Greek government to persuade the Albanian government to accept their demands concerning the imminent population census that will be held in Albania. Specifically, the ethnic Greek Minority Associations want the nationality, language and religion to be included in the population census questionnaire, the Albanian government to stop the policy it follows against the ethnic Greek minority, one person per family in each household to be enough on the day of the population census, the Albanian government to announce the date of the population census in time, the population census to continue for 2-3 days including a weekend, and finally, they want the movement of immigrants at the Greek-Albanian borders to be facilitated. [13] TWO ETHNIC GREEKS WERE INJURED IN A HAND GRENADE ATTACK IN HIMARA Himara, 21 March 2001 (16:22 UTC+2) Two ethnic Greeks were injured in a hand grenade attack targeting a Greek coffee-shop in Himara, Albania last Sunday night. One of the two brothers, who own the coffee-shop, was injured as well as an ethnic Greek customer and an Albanian. The last two were seriously injured. The attack was launched after a brawl between the perpetrator, who is Albanian, and ethnic Greeks living in the region. The Himara Residents Association mentions, in a statement issued on the occasion of the imminent population census and parliamentary elections in Albania, that the Albanian government has launched a terror campaign against the ethnic Greek minority and calls on the Greek government to demand from the Albanian authorities to protect the ethnic Greeks in the region as a token of appreciation for the contribution of the Greek state in the Albanian state reconstruction efforts. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kbejko at hotmail.com Wed Mar 21 17:14:36 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 17:14:36 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Alb-Club] Re: [Albanian-UK] People please Message-ID: Ok, it's about time to stop attacking these people based on who they feel they are. If a Macedonian feels Macedonian that's his/her business. If a Macedonian tramples on the Albanians' right THEN it is our business. Time has come to put our heads together and figure out a way for a brighter future for all Albanians now that changes in Kosova,and Macedonia seem inevitable, and Albanian politics is more fractured then ever in all of the Albanian entities in the Balkans. Time has come to end parochialism and look forward to a great future in Europe (which, incidentally, in our folk tradition is referred to as The Old Whore). >From: "Valon Hamiti" >Hi Sasko, I'm afraid that these facts presented by you don't make any sense at all. I've been may times in so called Macedonia, I'm saying this because the name of this Balkanic state is not defined as is is called FYROM, this means the there is not at all macedonian people, but you must admit that you are just a sllav, maybe of bulgarian or serbian origin, and "macedonian language" as far as I understand is just a combination between serb and bulgarian words that make up sentences, that match enough to communicate properly, thus they make up "macedonian" language. So after all your natiaonal identity as is uncertain. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: unknown sender Subject: no subject Date: no date Size: 8829 URL: From besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk Wed Mar 21 19:58:41 2001 From: besim at gerguri.freeserve.co.uk (Besim Gerguri) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:58:41 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Alb-Club] People please References: <000401bd5673$d65a1ea0$35c2dc3e@nic.mpt.com.mk> Message-ID: <004401c0b26b$4fc92140$02000003@oemcomputer> Sasko, A i ke pi ilaqet!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: Sasko Karakulev To: alb-club at alb-net.com ; albanian at listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu ; albanian-uk at alb-net.com ; nyc-l at alb-net.com ; prishtina-e at alb-net.com ; prishtina-l at alb-net.com ; tetova-l at alb-net.com ; albsa-info at alb-net.com ; puka at usa.net ; ipanajoti at yahoo.com Sent: Monday, March 23, 1998 3:52 PM Subject: [Alb-Club] People please Hi my dear frinds I'm apologise for my comment but I'll say, PLEASE DONT BE BLIND !!! Here are three facts 1. Macedonia have 17 sectors in goverment, in those 17 five of ministers are Albanines, minister of justice, minister od Economy minister of Works and social politics, etc, etc... Also alabnies have 7 vice ministers in goverment. Where in the world is same as here. Please tell me how much Macedonian ministers had Albanien gouverment?? No one !! it is the thruth. It is very very sorrow for You my dears. 2 Few mounth ago was the election in the Macedonian parliament for president of parliament. In those elections was proposed Mr. Haliti from PDP "Also where in the world the situations is the same." Tha fact that Haliti is not the president of Macedonian parliament is that alabninas from PDSH in parliement voted against Haliti. It is the truth my sorrow dear. Please tell me, is possoble someone from Macedonian hwo lives in Albania to be president of albanian parliament.??? Ha Ha HA I'm sure taht You think and will say never never never. 3 As the situatin going on, the situation is worsed in Monetenegro also the problem are You my dear. The world finaly can not understand how only the Alabanian people cant live with none around him. It is possible to for example for me to hate someone but to hate everything around me then the problem is inside me. Now the situation in Maceedonia is the beeg shame for us Alabaniens people so please be patient and give peace a chance, every problem need to be soved trough the institution of system. I dont like to give my brother live or my live for someone hwo work on the black market and now fight for his own interest. Sali Macedonia -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From aalibali at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 00:01:07 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 21:01:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Deutchland - Albanien Message-ID: <20010322050107.78145.qmail@web11504.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.zdf.msnbc.de/news/74357.asp?cp1=1 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 00:17:11 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 21:17:11 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] FIFA Announcement Message-ID: <20010322051711.80007.qmail@web11504.mail.yahoo.com> FIFA asks Greek government to refrain from interfering with football Z?rich, 20 March 2001 - Following examination of all relevant documents, having taken evidence from a variety of sources and having received a report from David H. Will, Vice-President of FIFA, on his visit to Athens from 11 to 13 March 2001, FIFA has reached the conclusion there is ample proof of past and ongoing governmental interference in the affairs of the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF). For this reason, FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen sent a letter dated 19 March to the Greek football association, pointing out that an undertaking from the Greek government will be needed to the effect that it will immediately refrain from interfering with the affairs of the HFF. This refers specifically to the regulations passed by the HFF, football coaching, disciplinary and appeal committees, removal or suspension of members of the board and all matters regarding referees and refereeing. All these tasks are of the exclusive responsibility of the HFF. "It is an essential requirement of membership with FIFA that a National Association must be totally autonomous and independent of all outside interference, whether governmental or otherwise", FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter added today. "The heads of state and government of the EU countries have acknowledged this autonomy in their declaration on the specificity of sport made at the summit in December 2000 in Nice and it is of crucial importance that all parties concernced live up to this acknowledgement." In order to maintain the membership of the Greek association, FIFA asks that Greek Sports Law be amended to ensure the independence and autonomy of the HFF. This undertaking has to be made by the Greek government not later than 30 March 2001. Furthermore, FIFA requests that the required provisions or amendments to Greek sports legislation should be carried out and be in place by 25 April 2001. In the event that this undertaking is not forthcoming or the provisions or amendments are not made within the deadlines indicated, then FIFA will be forced to suspend the Hellenic Football Federation with immediate effect from all international football activities. ### Enquiries to be addressed to: FIFA Media Office Tel: +41-1/254 9800 Fax: +41-1/384 9696 FIFA Communications Division Z?rich, 20 March 2001 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:21:13 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:21:13 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Russia blames West for Macedonia turmoil Message-ID: Russia blames West for Macedonia turmoil SKOPJE, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Wednesday that the West's tolerance of ethnic Albanian rebels has helped fuel the conflict in Macedonia. "Passive reaction by the West to the spread of the Kosovo conflict to the Albanian-populated regions (of Macedonia)...only helps the separatists (to) go unpunished and be more radical in their actions," Ivanov told reporters in the Macedonian capital Skopje. He said that neither air bombardment nor a massive military presence - which NATO used in the Kosovo crisis to protect the majority ethnic Albanian community there from Yugoslav forces - could solve the region's problems. It was up to the Balkan states to forge a pact under international auspices saying that borders could not be changed and that territorial integrity would be respected. The regional states, he said, should also take up an obligation to prevent use of their territories to prepare "terrorist or similar activity" against neighbours. In Geneva, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ordzhonikidze said in an address to the United Nations Human Rights Commission the NATO action in Kosovo against the Yugoslav army and police "did not solve a single humanitarian problem." He said it had instead "served as a catalyst for human rights violations and led the extremists to believe that they can reach their selfish goals by means of weapons and terrorist acts on the one hand and unscrupulous manipulation of public opinion on the other." "The evolution of the situation in the Balkans reaffirms the fact that 'humanitarian intervention' by means of force without sanction from the (U.N.) Security Council and in breach of the principles of the U.N. Charter is contrary to strengthening human rights protection and protecting national minorities," he said. Ordzhonikidze added that the international community "needs to take immediate and decisive measures to prevent a new conflict and its spreading over the entire Balkans region...." The Macedonian government says the guerrillas it is fighting in the hills around the town of Tetovo for the past week are ethnic Albanians infiltrating from Kosovo, a Serbian province run by a U.N. administration. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:34:55 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:34:55 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] UN council condemns extremist attacks in Macedonia Message-ID: <5a.12c98e74.27eae8ff@aol.com> UN council condemns extremist attacks in Macedonia By Irwin Arieff UNITED NATIONS, March 21 (Reuters) - The Security Council on Wednesday denounced ethnic Albanian extremist attacks in Macedonia and Yugoslavia and urged NATO to step up efforts to prevent guerrillas from smuggling in weapons from Kosovo. Action by the 15-nation council came hours after ethnic Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia declared a unilateral cease-fire and asked for peace talks in the week-old conflict which has triggered fears of a new Balkan war. The resolution, approved unanimously by the council, "strongly condemns extremist violence including terrorist activities" in Macedonia and southern Serbia, a part of Yugoslavia. It asks the rebels to "lay down their weapons and return to their homes." Though the rebels say they are fighting to improve the rights of the large ethnic Albanian minority in Slav-dominated Macedonia, Macedonia has blamed ethnic Albanian insurgents from the neighboring Serbian province of Kosovo for the attacks. Macedonia's U.N. ambassador Naste Calovski said on Wednesday the guerrillas' goal was to seize part of Macedonia's territory and annex it to Kosovo in the event the province ever gained full autonomy from Yugoslavia. "Their agenda has nothing to do with the human rights of Albanians," Calovski told a news conference. "They are fighting for a lost cause. There is no chance of changing the borders." The resolution, however, does not directly blame guerrillas from Kosovo, stating only that "such violence has support from ethnic Albanian extremists outside these areas and constitutes a threat to the security and stability of the wider region." It also calls on the NATO force in Kosovo "to continue further to strengthen its efforts to prevent unauthorized movement and illegal arms shipments across borders and boundaries in the region" and to confiscate weapons inside Kosovo. Kosovo has been under U.N. and NATO control since June 1999 after the Western alliance conducted an 11-week bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, launched to stop a crackdown by now-ousted President Slobodan Milosevic on ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo. The ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army declared its cease-fire just hours before the expiration of a Macedonian government ultimatum to the rebels to give up their positions or face a full-scale offensive by the army any time after midnight. The guerrillas had taken up positions in the mountainous terrain near the Macedonian city of Tetovo, scene of heavy bombardment by government forces for the past week in anticipation of an assault. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:35:28 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:35:28 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] U.S. Won't Send Troops to Macedonia Message-ID: U.S. Won't Send Troops to Macedonia By ROBERT BURNS WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration is sticking to a strategy of trying to help the Macedonian government deal with ethnic Albanian violence without expanding U.S. military involvement in the Balkans. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday the administration has no plans to put troops in Macedonia or send more peacekeepers to Kosovo despite NATO calls for more international troop support. Rumsfeld said the administration is concerned about the violence in Macedonia but he indicated no sense of alarm. One of the themes of President Bush's campaign was that the Clinton administration had overcommitted U.S. military forces in the Balkans and that he would try to pull back. Asked whether he believed the stability of Macedonia was a vital national interest of the United States, Rumsfeld said, ``Those are decisions that are made by the president of the United States.'' A few hours later a spokesman for the Albanian rebels offered a cease-fire, but it was not immediately clear how the gesture would affect the tensions. British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon, appearing with Rumsfeld at a Pentagon news conference, spoke pointedly of the potential for escalating violence. ``We would not want to see Macedonia as another tinderbox,'' he said, noting the recent civil conflicts elsewhere in the former Yugoslavia. Hoon said his government shares the U.S. view that the best approach, for now, is to assist the Macedonian government in its efforts to quell the violence, without introducing foreign troops. ``Clearly it is a matter for Macedonia in the first place to resolve,'' Hoon said. He said Britain is sending more military advisers and would consider sending troops if Macedonia asked. Hoon made clear that Britain, like the United States, is reluctant to expand its military commitment in Kosovo, where an international peacekeeping force of about 20,000 troops - including about 5,600 Americans - has been patrolling since the end of the Kosovo war in June 1999. Asked about NATO's decision in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday to ask member countries to provide an extra 1,400 troops for the international peacekeeping force, Rumsfeld said the U.S. government is not considering additions. He also said he was not familiar with the details of NATO's decision. In a statement issued at NATO headquarters after a meeting of the alliance's governing North Atlantic Council, Secretary-General Lord Robertson said peacekeepers have recently increased their patrols along the border to disrupt the flow of men and weaponry into Macedonia. ``A further review has shown such activities can be further increased, and more troops will now be sent to the border area,'' he said. Rumsfeld said American military hardware has been provided to the Macedonian government to aid in countering the ethnic Albanian insurgency, but he provided no details. On Capitol Hill, U.S. Air Force Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, the supreme allied commander in Europe, argued against a NATO combat role in Macedonia and noted that the Macedonian government has not requested it. He told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense panel that help should be limited to such things as intelligence and advice ``for them to solve this problem which, by the way, is a political problem, not a military problem.'' However, Ralston opened the possibility of a combat role when he said the supply route for NATO forces in Kosovo is being threatened by Albanian extremists in Macedonia, where the route runs through a valley. ``We obviously have to reinforce them with troops,'' said Ralston. Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the potential for escalating violence is worrying. ``If our troops are threatened or interfered with in their mission (in Kosovo), that would open a whole new chapter,'' Skelton said. The United States has had a cooperative relationship with Macedonia for years. U.S. forces on peacekeeping duty in Kosovo have been using Camp Able Sentry, just outside the Macedonian capital of Skopje, as a staging base. There are presently about 400 American troops at Able Sentry. On the Net: Kosovo peacekeeping at http://www.kforonline.com NATO at http://www.nato.int From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:35:09 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:35:09 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kosovo Albanians rally for ethnic kin in Macedonia Message-ID: <37.1266d66c.27eae90d@aol.com> Kosovo Albanians rally for ethnic kin in Macedonia By Beth Potter PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, March 21 (Reuters) - Thousands of ethnic Albanians gathered in the Kosovo capital Pristina on Wednesday night in support of their kin in neighbouring Macedonia and a peaceful solution to the crisis there. Members of the crowd also chanted "UCK," the initials for both the ethnic Albanian guerrilla group fighting in Macedonia and the Kosovo Liberation Army on which it is modelled and which fought Serb rule in the province in the 1990s. The demonstrators in the city centre, estimated by police to number at least 4,000, carried banners with slogans such as "Stop Macedonian terror against Albanians." The guerrillas said on Wednesday evening they had declared an unlimited, immediate ceasefire to allow talks for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The Macedonian government said it did not want to comment on the rebel ceasefire. It earlier said it had planned a military onslaught if the rebels did not lay down their weapons or withdraw by midnight local time. The new guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, has emerged in the past few weeks, saying it is fighting for greater rights for Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority. Macedonian authorities have branded them terrorists and major diplomatic powers have rallied behind the government, saying there is no cause for an insurgency and Albanian grievances can be resolved peacefully. Albanians at the protest complained their ethnic kin were treated as second-class citizens and subjected to repression by the ethnic Macedonian majority. It was unclear who was behind the rally. Rajon Morina, a 21- year-old student in the crowd, said he had not known the protest was going to take place. "I looked out the window and thought I'd like to join people supporting Albanians in Macedonia. There's brutal repression by Macedonian police," he said. Another protester, 20-year-old Kudret Selmani, said he was worried by seeing ethnic Albanian refugees who had left Macedonia. "This is starting the same was as it did two years ago in Kosovo," he said. From artin_spahiu at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 00:36:46 2001 From: artin_spahiu at yahoo.com (Artin Spahiu) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 21:36:46 -0800 (PST) Subject: [NYC-L] Re: [Re: [Albanian-UK] Re: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce de stroyed] In-Reply-To: <20010321171919.63506.qmail@web11601.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <20010322053646.65497.qmail@web10006.mail.yahoo.com> Actually I "noticed" that you noted more than a couple of things in your speech... I was just wondering though regarding you experience in Germany, it looks like, that the fact that the immigration inspector treated your documents in a "different way" from other people ONLY because you were Albanian meant nothing to you?! Don't tell me now that you even liked that, maybe because let say you like attention, any kind of attention do you? :), I'm just kidding... Certainly is that story of ""guilty until proven not-Albanian, I mean innocent! How about all the people are equal therefore should be treated the same UNTIL proven innocent? So you are the one who is saying that "Since Albanians have a given talent and reputation for faking visas, passports etc, I don't blame anyone that wants to enforce the law" I agree with you about the last three words, how about having that law enforcement thing applied to everybody.... The last thing was about your paragraph number three? You are saying: "While some wait on lines at the border, being abused and yelled at by Greek idiotic guards, why don't they just raise their voice and demand justice! Why don't they note that it is wrong to treat Albanians this way" Hem let me think, maybe because in USA at Logan they get daily two or three cases of fraud whereby Albanian citizens enter with Albanian passports and computer altered visas, so who cares for such people anyway, than can get as many visas as they want! Also you say: "If they are so disgusted by the behavior of these imbeciles at the border, what do they care about going to such a country as Greece, citizens of which abuse human rights? Why don't they just tear up the bloody visa right in their face and show them how noble Albanians really are?" Why they want to go to Greece at any cost? Maybe for the same reason you are in USA, for a better economical situation. People would do anything for money?. I will better assume that it was a rhetorical question from a girl who lives in Boston, USA and works for INS. Regards, Artin Spahiu --- ira panajoti wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > Some others of us, also from "Albania proper" > would like to note a couple of things: > 1. People with Albanian passports are carefully > scanned everywhere. Often they are abused even when > they come with regular visas. E.g. I recently made > a > trip to Germany. The immigration inspector not only > checked all sides of my passport, but also employed > two hand lenses to detect any fraud in my visa, > which > luckily was issued from the German consulate in > Boston. As an employee with INS in Logan airport, i > could tell you that we get daily two or three cases > of > fraud whereby Albanian citizens enter with Albanian > passports and computer altered visas. It is the job > of every immigration inspector, everywhere in the > world to assure that individuals are not entering > fraudulently in their countries. Since Albanians > have > a given talent and reputation for faking visas, > passports etc, I don't blame anyone that wants to > enforce the law. After all, that's what they get > paid > for. That DOES NOT make it legitimate that they > should abuse people like yourself who are law > abiding > citizens and enter a country legally, however as the > number of people entering a country through fraud > far > exceeds that of people entering legally, every > individual would be predisposed to assume the worst. > > In these cases, the rule of "guilty until proven > innocent often applies." Luckily, for us Albanians, > we don't have many Greeks, Serbs, Macedonians, > Americans, Italians etc entering the country > fraudulently. Yes, they do a lot of dirty business > there, but what does our government or law > enforcement > agencies do: NOTHING! THey close one eye not to > see > the one hand receiving the bribe. Others, just > couldn't care less about enforcing the law as long > as > they receive their monthly stipend. So you see: We > should definitely ameliorate our country, enforce > legislation and create a strong state before > fighting > abroad for rights! As far as I know Albanian > citizens > do not have rights under Albanian law. They are > daily > threatened by criminals, thiefs etc. and often they > are forced to emigrate out of their country, even if > it means a recourse to illegal means. > > 2. The mistake nr. 1 that Albanians make is look up > to Greeks as role models! That is definitely a > pitty! > However, the Albanian role models is yet unborn, > with > the exception of the intelligent graduates of Boston > who preach self-determination to their suffering > fellow Albanians in Albania proper and its vicinity! > > Perhaps it is time that all of us start to think on > how to make Albania a better place to live in, so > that > we all did not have to leave the poor country and be > maltreated by Greeks, Italians, Serbs, Macedonians > and > the like. > > 3. While some wait on lines at the border, being > abused and yelled at by Greek idiotic guards, why > don't they just raise their voice and demand > justice! > Why don't they note that it is wrong to treat > Albanians this way and that Greek claims for > Northern > Epirus are totally unbased and ridiculous? Why do > they shut up and take it? Is it out of tolerance or > fear? If they are so disgusted by the behavior of > these imbeciles at the border, what do they care > about > going to such a country as Greece, citizens of which > abuse human rights? Why don't they just tear up the > bloody visa right in their face and show them how > noble Albanians really are? Wars in Macedonia and > Serbia should be an example to how people should > stand > up for human rights and advocate them as > passionately > as possible, especially if in their own country > there > aren't any! > > 4. As regards the war in Macedonia, I think > demanding > independence has been the biggest mistake ever. It > is > going to cost us, Albanians the loss of Kosovo's > independence and will make enemies out of all powers > of the world. Claims for better conditions of > living, > better enforcement of human rights etc, perhaps > would > have drawn a more sympathetic support. Even though > some of you do believe that fighting is the best way > to get something, when the whole world is against > you > all you get is sanctions, as the Iraq-Kuwait case > should clearly illustrate. True, the Big Powers > intervened as Kuwait was full of oil, but lack of > oil > in Kosovo and Macedonia is not going to stop powers > from intervening to retain peace in the Balkans as > its > a distraction to the process of concluding oil > transactions with Kuwait, while already watching out > for Iraq. > > 5. I wonder whether Albania proper will give any > contribution to assisting the brothers in Kosovo and > Macedonia win their quest for independence. If yes, > when is the final word going to be? > > 6. Perhaps all answers to these questions would > have > been easier had Albania been a stronger country, > with > a much better organized economy, a less corrupt > government, a thinner net of criminals, > drug-dealers, > prostitution promoters. Perhaps if it were a more > consolidated country it could give the Greeks the > finger, the Serbs and the Macedonians a good kick in > the ass, and a real scoff to the rest of the powers. > > But we all know this isn't possible, is it? Perhaps > then, it's time for all of us to stop jabbering > about > how the world treats us and start looking at how we > treat ourselves. Konica said, "The biggest enemy of > Albanians are Albanians" and we should try to prove > him wrong. Once we have done so, and if this is > possible at all (decades have proved the opposite) > then we could search for respect! Once we have > begun > to quit poking each other's eyes, mentioning to > each-other their biographical stains (like saying > "us > from Albania proper" since IRA PANAJOTI does not > sound quite Albanian) then maybe we can talk about > respect! > > 7. Not once did I stop being Albanian, despite my > unfortunate Greek name (I did not have a choice when > they named me--talk about human rights--can't even > chose my own name) and not once did I stop helping > Albanians (who enter the U.S. both legally and > illegally) in my line of work to get every right > they > deserved! We should all be proud of being Albanian, > yet we should make sure that our pride is based on > truth and not on empty cockiness! > > 8. When talking about tolerance, cooperation and > understanding, please take a look at how a simple > e-mail (be it mine in regards to the Macedonian > helicopter joke, or all of yours in response to > mine) > can be turned into an internet everlasting debate > without solution! Don't we all have an innate love > of > fighting? Where is the tolerance people? If > Albanians can't find a common language between > themselves, alas, they will never find it with the > neighbors or the world! > > 9. Having said all this, I apologize to all if I > somehow raised your blood pressure too much! I was > always good at doing that and apparently can't seem > to > avoid it! Between being a patriot (although some of > you might not think so) and a realist, the latter > often tends to win! I apologize in turn to all > patriots as well as my patriotic side for any > injustice done! > > 10. Have a nice day everybody and try not to make > too > much out of my lengthy discussion! Take care. > Ira Panajoti > --- Iris Pilika wrote: > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:36:07 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:36:07 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Chronology of Macedonia Conflict Message-ID: <18.a848170.27eae947@aol.com> Chronology of Macedonia Conflict 1991 - Macedonia declares independence from Yugoslavia and secedes, the only republic to do so peacefully. Members of the ethnic Albanian minority join the first government. Their first demands for equal rights are voiced - and generally ignored. 1993 - A new government is formed, again with ethnic Albanian participation. Ethnic Albanians are appointed to the ministries of labor and welfare. But demands for equal rights are again ignored. Radicals start pushing for more: cultural and political autonomy. 1994 - Police announce the discovery of an ``attempt ... to form an Albanian paramilitary,'' complete with bunkers, weapons depots, maps and other intelligence material. Twelve people are arrested in Tetovo and nine are sentenced to prison for conspiracy and related charges. 1995 - Ethnic Albanians proclaim the formation of an Albanian-language university in Tetovo. The government declares it illegal, and clashes follow. Three Albanians are killed and 10 policemen wounded in a village close to Tetovo. President Kiro Gligorov survives an assassination attempt. One theory is that Albanian criminal elements were involved. 1997 - Ethnic Albanians take down the Macedonian flag and raise the Albanian flag above public buildings in Tetovo and Gostivar. Police are sent in. Clashes ensue in Gostivar, and the mayors of the two cities are temporarily detained. 1998 - A series of bomb attacks rocks Macedonian police stations and court buildings and the National Liberation Army makes its presence known for the first time by claiming responsibility. Six Albanians are arrested and sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison for terrorism. The Supreme Court later orders them retried. 1999 - The Kosovo crisis sends 360,000 ethnic Albanians fleeing the Serbian province and into neighboring Macedonia. Ethnic tensions rise, with the Slavic majority fearing a huge increase in the ethnic Albanian population if the refugees stay. Most end up going to third countries or returning home. 2000 - Isolated attacks on police continue. Fraud and violence mark local elections in western, ethnic Albanian parts of the country, leading to lack of final results in some areas, despite multiple reruns. 2001 - Rebels attack police in the border village of Tanusevci on Feb. 18, triggering the conflict that is now in its fifth week. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:37:00 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:37:00 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Milosevic sees threat from Albanian separatism Message-ID: <42.12621873.27eae97c@aol.com> Milosevic sees threat from Albanian separatism JERUSALEM, March 21 (Reuters) - Ousted Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic said in an interview printed in an Israeli newspaper on Wednesday ethnic Albanian guerrilla violence could be the prelude to similar separatism elsewhere in the Balkans. Milosevic said Yugoslavia's territorial unity was in danger from ethnic Albanian rebels, who have been fighting in southern Serbia and nearby Macedonia, the former Yugoslav republic. "I fear other separatists will also present their true terrorist face and demand autonomy in the multinational areas of Serbia, or even to separate from Serbia," Milosevic told the Ha'aretz newspaper in a rare interview. "The goals of the terrorist Albanian separatists are spreading from the Kosovo region and covering other areas in southern Serbia," Milosevic said. Milosevic, who has been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal, was ousted as Yugoslav president in a mass uprising last October. He remains leader of his Socialist party, despite Western calls for him to be removed from public life and transferred to the tribunal in The Hague for trial. He has given only two other interviews since his ouster. Milosevic slammed the tribunal, which has indicted him for crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1999. He denied the charges. The Hague is also probing Milosevic's legal responsibility in the 1991-92 Croatia war and the 1992-95 Bosnia war. "The Hague's charges are lies. Everyone knows this," Milosevic said. "Before they published the indictment they told the public there were satellite pictures in which mass graves were seen in Kosovo. But no one asks where the pictures are." The tribunal's investigators have spent much of the past two years examining scores of mass grave sites across Kosovo, often observed by journalists and other witnesses. The Israeli newspaper printed excerpts of its interview, which it said would be published in full on Thursday. Milosevic said he was disappointed Israel had not supported the Serbian people in their struggle, saying newly elected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was one of the few Israelis to speak out against the Albanian separatists. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:36:50 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:36:50 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] (no subject) Message-ID: INTERVIEW-University is core of Macedonia crisis says OSCE By Sean Maguire WARSAW, March 21 (Reuters) - A festering dispute over university instruction in Albanian lies at the heart of the rebellion by guerrillas in Macedonia, the OSCE's Minority Rights commissioner said on Wednesday. Radical Albanians running an unrecognised university in Tetovo, the centre of Macedonia's Albanian community, are backing rebels in the hills and some pupils have joined the fighters, said Max van der Stoel. A long-running struggle to persuade Macedonia to allow Albanians to learn in their own language has spiralled into a broader fight for greater rights, just as the university issue was on the verge of being solved, said Van der Stoel. But the radicals, led by the rector Fadil Sulejmani, were unwilling to compromise, ignoring international efforts to address their complaint by paying for a private Albanian university that will be recognised by the Macedonian state. "Mr Sulejmani is well known for his extremist views and his dislike for Macedonia," said the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Van der Stoel in a telephone interview from the Balkans. "There are close links between him and the new party that backs the rebels, the National Democratic Party (PDK)," said Van der Stoel, the driving force behind the new "South East Europe" university due to launch in October with $21 million in backing. Van der Stoel said Sulejmani was at a PDK-backed rally in Tetovo last Wednesday that coincided with the launch of the armed rebellion by ethnic Albanian guerrillas that has lasted more than a week. The rally crowd cheered each burst of gunfire. The unofficial university has been the focus of Albanian resentment at perceived mistreatment by Macedonia's majority since violent riots against police efforts to prevent it opening in 1995 left one protester and several policemen injured. There were further riots in July 1997 when Macedonians refused to allow ethnic Albanians to fly their flag from official buildings. The PDK was formed on March 11 and is calling for Macedonia to become a federation, effectively splitting it into Slav and Albanian sectors, a call abhorrent to the West, worried such an ethnic division would spark bloodshed and regional instability. MORE RIGHTS Van der Stoel said that while Macedonia's Albanians had their own primary and secondary schools, media, seats in parliament and were part of the government the small Balkan state could go further in extending them rights. He proposed decentralising authority to allow Albanians to run their own municipalities and giving the community, making up between 25 and 35 percent of the population, further linguistic rights. "If peace can be restored then further steps could be taken to satisfy Albanian demands, but only once the rebellion comes to an end," said the Commissioner, a frequent visitor to Macedonia. Making concessions was impossible while violence continued, he added, saying it was essential that the current ruling coalition of Slav Prime Minister Ljbuco Georgievski's VMRO and Arben Xhaferi's Democratic Party of Albanians stick together. "The nightmare scenario is that the rebels could stir up trouble in towns other than Tetovo but so far they haven't managed to do so. That's why it's crucial the current coalition sticks together." Analysts say both parties risk being outflanked by hardliners from their communities, putting their alliance at risk, if violence continues and a planned Macedonian army assault to flush out the guerrillas causes major casualties. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 00:36:30 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 00:36:30 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NATO to step up Kosovo, Macedonia border patrols Message-ID: <94.11c8824f.27eae95e@aol.com> NATO to step up Kosovo, Macedonia border patrols By Ian Geoghegan BRUSSELS, March 21 (Reuters) - NATO said on Wednesday it would send more reinforcements to southern Kosovo to help cut off ethnic Albanian rebel supply routes across the border into Macedonia. The alliance had already announced on Monday that it was boosting its troops in the area. Now it will further increase its presence in the mountainous and forested border country as tensions continue to escalate. Alliance ambassadors, meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, approved a package of measures to try to stabilise the southern Balkans and give international backing to Macedonia's multi-ethnic government. Guerrilas have launched attacks against Macedonian forces to win more rights for the country's ethnic Albanians who they say are treated as second class citizens. Alliance Secretary-General George Robertson said in a statement that NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers had been reinforced since the attacks began and had increased patrolling to "improve our ability to detect, disrupt and deter any flow of men and material from Kosovo to...Macedonia." "A further review has shown such activities can be further increased and more troops will now be sent to the border area," he said. The rebels have used Kosovo as a rear supply base, but NATO has started making good on promises to cut that route off. Men and mules carrying weapons were stopped on Tuesday night, a U.S. military spokeswoman said. Peacekeepers seized two AK-47 rifles, three machineguns, three bolt-action rifles, a sniper rifle, four land mines, a rocket-propelled grenade, 12 mortar bombs and ammunition. In Brussels, NATO reiterated its condemnation of attacks by "extremist groups" and ruled out any prospect of redrawing the regional map to alter boundaries. KFOR SEVERELY STRETCHED NATO ambassadors meeting as the North Atlantic Council also endorsed the need for further troops for KFOR, whose 42,000 soldiers in Kosovo are "severely stretched." Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday that NATO members had failed to heed a call for additions to that number, effectively forcing NATO to redeploy its existing resources. NATO has declined to detail how many troops will be moved from elsewhere in the region. Other measures approved by the council were: -- strengthened NATO co-operation with Skopje government, -- improved military co-ordination and exchange of military information, -- NATO to send a senior representative, Ambassador Hans-Joerg Eiff, to Skopje to boost its existing Liaison Office, -- boost the military liaison team at the defence ministry in Skopje, to be run by a senior NATO military officer, and -- call for direct bilateral assistance by NATO allies to Macedonia, and co-ordinate efforts in Brussels and in Skopje. Robertson said he was confident these measures, backed by the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations, would have a significant impact on the security situation. "What is needed now is restraint and cool judgment," he said. "Ultimately, the solution to problems in the area can only be found through political means. We are determined that the men of violence will not succeed." From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 02:39:07 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 02:39:07 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] US May Send Spy Planes to Macedonia Message-ID: <1e.12fecd49.27eb061b@aol.com> US May Send Spy Planes to Macedonia By ROBERT BURNS WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon is likely to approve a request by NATO's top commander to send more unmanned spy planes to monitor the Kosovo-Macedonia border where ethnic Albanian rebels have fought a four-week insurgency, U.S. officials said. Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, the supreme allied commander in Europe, told a Senate panel Wednesday that more unmanned aircraft are needed to provide Macedonian authorities - as well as U.S. and allied peacekeepers in Kosovo - with a clearer picture of rebel activity in the unmarked border area. U.S. defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity said Ralston's request was likely to require the approval of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, which he probably would give. American forces have been operating Predator unmanned reconnaissance aircraft over Kosovo for much of the time NATO has led peacekeeping operations there. Predators are capable of feeding real-time photographic images not only to U.S. commanders in the area but also to the Pentagon. Rumsfeld on Wednesday made clear that the Bush administration is sticking to a strategy of trying to help the Macedonian government deal with ethnic Albanian violence without expanding U.S. military involvement in the Balkans. Rumsfeld told a Pentagon news conference the administration has no plans to put troops in Macedonia or send more peacekeepers to Kosovo despite NATO calls for more international troop support. Rumsfeld said the administration is concerned about the violence in Macedonia but he indicated no sense of alarm. One of the themes of President Bush's campaign was that the Clinton administration had overcommitted U.S. military forces in the Balkans and that as president, he would try to pull back. Asked whether he believed the stability of Macedonia was a vital national interest of the United States, Rumsfeld said, ``Those are decisions that are made by the president of the United States.'' A few hours later a spokesman for the Albanian rebels offered a cease-fire, but it was not immediately clear how the gesture would affect the tensions. British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon, appearing with Rumsfeld at the Pentagon, spoke pointedly of the potential for escalating violence. ``We would not want to see Macedonia as another tinderbox,'' he said. Hoon said his government shares the U.S. view that the best approach, for now, is to assist the Macedonian government in its efforts to quell the violence, without introducing foreign troops. ``Clearly it is a matter for Macedonia in the first place to resolve,'' Hoon said. He said Britain is sending more military advisers and would consider sending troops if Macedonia asked. Hoon made clear that Britain, like the United States, is reluctant to expand its military commitment in Kosovo, where an international peacekeeping force of about 20,000 troops - including about 5,600 Americans - has been patrolling since the end of the Kosovo war in June 1999. Asked about NATO's decision in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday to ask member countries to provide an extra 1,400 troops for the international peacekeeping force, Rumsfeld said the U.S. government is not considering additions. He also said he was not familiar with the details of NATO's decision. In a statement issued at NATO headquarters after a meeting of the alliance's governing North Atlantic Council, Secretary-General Lord Robertson said peacekeepers have recently increased their patrols along the border to disrupt the flow of men and weaponry into Macedonia. ``A further review has shown such activities can be further increased, and more troops will now be sent to the border area,'' he said. In an appearance before the Senate Appropriation Committee's defense panel, Ralston argued against a NATO combat role in Macedonia and noted that the Macedonian government has not requested it. He said help should be limited to such things as intelligence and advice ``for them to solve this problem which, by the way, is a political problem, not a military problem.'' On the Net: Kosovo peacekeeping at http://www.kforonline.com NATO at http://www.nato.int From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 02:40:15 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 02:40:15 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian Students Ready to Figh Message-ID: <3a.128249fd.27eb065f@aol.com> Albanian Students Ready to Fight By BURT HERMAN PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) - Saying they were ready to fight, thousands of ethnic Albanian university students marched through Pristina to show support for the rebel campaign in neighboring Macedonia. ``Our brothers are not alone,'' said Afrim Hoti, a student leader who organized the Wednesday night protest - the first major show of public support in Kosovo since the ethnic Albanian insurgency began in Macedonia a month ago. Asked if the Pristina University students were ready to take up arms, Hoti said: ``Of course, at any moment.'' ``We are ready to do everything that's needed of us,'' he said. The demonstration ran peacefully, with student monitors in red armbands guiding the crowd through the city, escorted by U.N. police and small groups of NATO peacekeepers. But the tone of the crowd's chants was anything but calm. Students chanted the war cry ``UCK'' - the initials shared by the Kosovo Liberation Army that battled Serbian troops here as well as the rebel National Liberation Army fighting in Macedonia. Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia claim they are discriminated against despite forming at least a quarter of the country's population of 2 million. The army and police have launched a campaign to break the rebels around the city of Tetovo. ``All who are here are saying stop the terror of Macedonian police for Albanians in Macedonia,'' said Blerim Arifi, a 20-year-old student who was leading the march with his body draped in the Albanian national flag. Students formed a strong support base for the KLA during the Kosovo conflict that culminated in 1999 with NATO's 78-day bombing campaign. ``If they call us, we will go. I'm ready to go,'' said Agron Bajgora, a 19-year-old from Podujevo who is studying English. ``But I hope that we won't need to go there.'' From begra at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 04:55:49 2001 From: begra at yahoo.com (Besnik) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 09:55:49 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Alb-Club] People please References: <000401bd5673$d65a1ea0$35c2dc3e@nic.mpt.com.mk> <002001c0b232$f6036360$650aa8c0@sympatico.ca> Message-ID: <006701c0b2b6$47eed3c0$20549284@dhcp.msn.bt.co.uk> Dear Dorin, I generally like your postings and believe that you are trying to be very objective when putting your arguments forward, I commend you for this. It is because of this that I am responding to your posting, which I think is generally correct with the exception of the following. "...In spite of this, I don't believe there is deliberate, malevolent persecution of Albanians in Macedonia (like it used to be in Kosova). It is more a case of nepotism: in a poor country, people tend to take care first of their relatives and friends..." This is not as simple as you are portraying it here. Your statement is true to a degree, but you can not rule out completely the deliberate persecution. The reasons behind this deliberate and coordinated persecuting against Albanians I believe is the result of deeply rooted albanofobia. Add to this the racism (most Macedonians believe that they are better nation than Albanians, sentiment shared with the Serbs) and it explains a lot in official Macedonian behaviour towards Albanians. To illustrate what am I saying I will ask anyone to recall the treatment Kosovar Albanian refugees received from the Macedonian border guards and the police. However having been, albeit very briefly, to Macedonia couple of times last year, I must say that Macedonians have moved in positive direction in their attitude towards Albanians. But the speed and the breadth of this movement is obviously not satisfactorily for Albanians who live in Macedonia. And who can be a better judge of this than the Albanians who live daily under that regime. While your above paragraph can be a matter of opinion, that can not be said for the following one, which is what really prompted me to reply. "...In fact, I am sure that the Macedonians will end up granting the Albanians their legitimate, minority rights, and Macedonia will prosper..." If you have followed what is going on in Macedonia, you should have noticed that this is one of the crucial elements of Albanians discontent. They are not a minority in Macedonia, when an ethnic group constitutes over 30% of the population it is not a minority any more. That is why they are asking that Macedonian constitution should be change to state that Macedonia is a state of all its citizens and not only Macedonian speaking population. Albanians is Macedonia are not asking for a minority rights, they are asking for the rights that every Macedonian citizen is entitled to. I do not wish to elaborate any further because I believe that you understand most of the issues, I just wanted to draw your attention to this very important oversight. best regards Besnik -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 08:18:47 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 08:18:47 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Shooting erupts, EU tries to prevent new Balkan war Message-ID: <50.1318ac2a.27eb55b7@aol.com> Shooting erupts, EU tries to prevent new Balkan war By Fredrik Dahl TETOVO, Macedonia, March 22 (Reuters) - Two ethnic Albanians were shot dead by police in Tetovo and one policeman was wounded in shooting not far from the Macedonian capital on Thursday as European powers tried to avert civil war. A Reuters cameraman said Macedonian police stopped a car and opened fire when its occupants appeared to hurl an object which looked like a hand-grenade. Macedonian guns started firing on rebel-held hills, ignoring a unilateral truce declared by the guerrillas on Wednesday in an effort to delay a threatened government assault. A rebel commander told Reuters rebel forces were respecting the ceasefire in the Tetovo area because they had received no orders to return fire. "The situation in the Tetovo area has been quiet. They only started shelling a while ago. But we shall attack if they try to climb up the hill to take our positions," he said. A delegation from the European Union arrived in Skopje for talks as the firing resumed. The boom of heavy dentonations could be heard at the airport 40 kms (25 miles) away. Referring to the guerrilla truce, EU security chief Javier Solana -- on his second visit in three days -- told reporters he believed the situation was getting better and wanted to "check that impression" with Macedonian president Boris Trajkovski. SHOOTING CLOSER TO CAPITAL In the village of Gracani, northwest of the capital Skopje, police said gunmen had appeared and one officer was wounded in the shooting that ensued. Latest reports said clashes were continuing. The village is close to the border with Kosovo, some 15 km (10 miles) from Skopje and well away from the town of Tetovo, the unofficial capital of Macedonia's Albanian minority. Artillery fire in the stretch of mountainous territory bordering Kosovo began at 0900 GMT and appeared to be a rejection of the "unilateral, unlimited ceasefire" proposed by the rebel National Liberation Army on Wednesday night. Reporters heard a steady series of impacts, apparently targeting rebel rear positions in the Sar Planina range. The rebel offer had stopped short of meeting Macedonian demands that the guerrillas pull out of villages and a stretch of the mountain ridges they have occupied. The shells were striking in two directions, towards the Beltepe and Drenovats mountains, but one hit the slope immediately above the city, raising a plume of smoke. The resumption of violence will complicate the job of Western politicians seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis, which threatens to ignite a new Balkan civil war. Solana said it was not his role to advise the Macedonian government but added: "I always prefer for the guns to stay silent." The Belgian and Swedish foreign ministers were also in Skopje as part of an EU "troika" mission ahead of the EU summit in Stockholm this week. REBELS WANT TALKS The guerrilla truce, on the heels of truculent statements of defiance, was a surprise. It presented the government and the West with the difficult choice of acquiescing in rebel control of territory for the sake of calm, or carrying on fighting and risk alienating the Albanian community in fragile, multi-ethnic Macedonia. President Boris Trajkovski said the main political parties "agreed on the need to neutralise the terrorist threat quickly. "After the end of the operation to neutralise the armed terrorists, we have agreed to intensify the political dialogue with all legitimate political parties on the open questions in inter-ethnic relations," the president said at midnight. The government appeared to have been given a green light for tough action earlier this week by Western powers, who have strongly condemned the rebels as a small group of extremists bent on fomenting civil war in pursuit of separatist aims. Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini said six major powers that have dealt with Balkan crises for most of the past decade would show "zero tolerance" for deliberate ethnic violence. On Wednesday the U.N. Security Council denounced ethnic Albanian attacks in Macedonia and Yugoslavia and urged NATO to step up efforts to prevent guerrillas from smuggling in weapons from internationally-supervised Kosovo. Although the rebels say they are fighting to improve the rights of the large ethnic Albanian minority, Macedonia has blamed insurgents from neighbouring Kosovo for the attacks. The guerrillas insist they are ready to talk peace. "We think it is better to talk rather than start a fight between the two peoples because blood will be shed and then there will be no room for talks," said Ali Ahmeti, the political spokesman for the National Liberation Army (NLA). In Brussels on Thursday, a NATO official said the alliance gave permission to its top commander in Kosovo to allow Serbian forces back into several tracts of the buffer zone surrounding the province, an alliance official said. "The commander of KFOR now has released authority on Charlie West and Zone A," the official told Reuters. He said the Serbians would be allowed in on Saturday at the earliest. From Gazhebo at aol.com Thu Mar 22 08:16:15 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 08:16:15 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Kosovo=20Albanians=20must=20condemn=20uprising=20?= =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=96=20Fischer?= Message-ID: <81.8815ba1.27eb551f@aol.com> Kosovo Albanians must condemn uprising ? Fischer BERLIN, March 22 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer was quoted on Thursday as urging Kosovo Albanian leaders to condemn the uprising by rebels in northern Macedonia. "The entire Albanian political leadership must decide whether they wish to be a part of this region which is moving in the direction of Europe, or whether they wish to stay on the sidelines," Fischer told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper, which said the call was specifically directed at Kosovo leaders. While noting "the Albanian question was both virulent and open," he said any moves to create a greater Albania would be strongly resisted. "The international community will not permit any alteration of borders by force." The German government was disappointed that Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova, in Berlin last week for talks with Fischer and others, markedly failed to condemn the uprising by ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia. In an apparently concerted counter-attack, Macedonian forces began on Thursday pounding rebel ethnic Albanian positions in the hills above the northern city of Tetovo despite a guerrilla offer of a unilateral ceasefire. German troops serving with the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo exchanged fire with arms smugglers on the border with Macedonia in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the German defence ministry. From albanianpride at hotmail.com Thu Mar 22 10:31:20 2001 From: albanianpride at hotmail.com (ardian kanina) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 16:31:20 +0100 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] "Wir wollen in Leverkusen gewinnnen" Igli Tare Message-ID: "Kicker" reviste prestigjoze sportive Gjermane: Intervju me sulmuesin Shqiptar Igli Tare: **** Ne duam te fitojme ne Leverkusen **** Kicker: ?fare parandjenje ka ekipi-kombetar Shqiptar per ndeshjen e te shtunes z.Igli Tare? Igli Tare : Ne presim te zhvillohet nje ndeshje interesante ,naturlich eshte kombetarja Gjermane favorite,por ne ndeshjet e fundit qe kemi luajtur ndaj Gjermanise ndryshimi midis dy ekipeve ka qene shume i vogel.Ndoshta tingellon pak si arrogant por ne nuk udhetojme drejt Leverkusenit (Gjermani) per te humbur . **** Ne duam te fitojme ne Gjkermani **** Kicker:Ju jeni pak si i kujdeshem ne analizat tuaja apo ndoshta i referoheni dy humbjeve te Gjermanise ne ndeshjet e fuundit miqesore qe ekipi Gjerman ka zhvilluar. Igli Tare: Jo! Ndeshjet miqesore te ekipit Gjerman kunder Danimarkes dhe Frances nuk kane ndonje rendesi te vecante .Ndersa keto ndeshjet e verteteta , pra per kualifikim ,Gjermanet jane shume te motivuar.Ekipi Shqiptar duhet te jete 90 minuta 100% i koncentruar dhe te shfrytezoj anet ,krahet e fushes. Kicker : Ku e gjeni gjithe kete optiomizem z.Tare? Iglki Tare: Lojtaret tane jane te ambjentuar mire me njeri tjetrin ne ekip,berthama e ekipit kombetar Shqiptar eshte prej 6vjetesh pothuajse e njejte.Gjithashtu kemi lojtare te mire si Besnik Hasi i cili ka luajtur tek "1869 Munchen", apo Fatmir Vata i cili eshte rikthyer mbas 3 vjetesh pause dhe ka perforcuar gjithashtu ekipin tone.Ne kemi fituar shume eksperience sidomos ne keto vite kur shume lojtare luajne ne Bundesliga (kampionatin Gjerman ) apo Seria A (kampionatin Italian). Kicker : Ne te kaluaren Shqiperia ne ndeshjet qe luante ne vend pra ne Shqiperi ka qene e forte ndersa jashte shtetit nuk diskutohej si ekip? Igli Tare : 'Situata ka ndryshuar.Ne ndeshjet e meparshme ne Norvegji kemi luajtur 2-2 ndersa ne Finlande pa fat humbem 1-2.Ne do te zhvillojme lojen tone dhe jo si ne te kaluaren kur shkonim pas kundershatrit.Gjithashtu ndeshja do te vizitohet prej 10mije Shqiptareve ,pra sikur do te luajme ne Tirane dhe jo Gjermani. Kicker : Ku shikoni pikat ne te cilat ekipi Kombetar Shqiptar ka nevoje qe ti permiresoje? Igli Tare : Ne disponojme teknike te larte sidomos ne lojen me top, gjithashtu ne kombinacione.Por ne fushen taktike ne duhet te permiresojme . Kicker: ?fare deshironi te realizoni ne ndeshjet kualifikuese per Kampionation Boteror 2002? Igli Tare: Padyshim Gjermania dhe Anglia jane favorit per tu kualifikuar.Ne duam te kapim vendin e trete ne grup .Kjo do te ishte nje sukses. Das Interview f?hrte Manfred M?nchrath ! HTTP://WWW.KICKER.DE me nderime ardi.... _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From aalibali at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 15:52:51 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 12:52:51 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Response from ZDF on Germany - Albania Football Match Message-ID: <20010322205251.4300.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> ........ thank you for your E-mail dated 22nd of March. Unfortunately I have to tell you that there ist no possibility to receive our programme in the US. I'm sorry that I can't give you a positive answer. Kind regards Daniela Heinemann Daniela Heinemann ZDF Sekretariat Produktionsdirektion D-55100 Mainz Tel.: +49 (0) 6131-703000 Fax: +49 (0) 6131-703450 E-Mail: Heinemann.D at zdf.de __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Thu Mar 22 17:22:04 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 14:22:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Information resources on Macedonia In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010322222204.17290.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> > > In regard to the current crisis in Macedonia a > number of information > resources provide up-to-date information. > > An email briefing is published by the Fondation for > an Open Society in > Macedonia. To subscribe send an email to > ebalkan at soros.org.mk > > Information (in English) on the Macedonian crisis > can be found at > http://www.ok.mk > This website is a joint effort of the Forum's Center > for Strategic Research > and Documentation (content provider) and the > Macedonian Association of IT > Companies (technology providers). > > Also the following Macedonian media resources in > English can be consulted > www.mia.com.mk and www.makedonija.com > > Background on interethnic relations in Macedonia can > be found at: > > Farimah Daftary > "Inter-Ethnic Relations in the Former Yugoslav > Republic of Macedonia and > the role of the local NGO sector in promoting > inter-ethnic communication" > http://www.ecmi.de/publications/jemie/data/macedonia.html > > Farimah Daftary > "NGO Roundtable on Inter-Ethnic Relations in the FYR > of Macedonia" > First Meeting, Flensburg, Germany, 10-13 December > 2000. Flensburg: ECMI > January 2001, 79 pp., appendix. > http://www.ecmi.de/publications/working_papers_reports.htm#Report6 > > Incore Country Guide to Macedonia: > http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/cds/countries/macedonia.html > > In addition, regular reports are published and/or > distribted by the > following mailing list (they do not cover Macedonia > exclusively, but have a > strong focus currently, distributing western > newsreports, etc.) > > In English: > "Kosovo Daily News": > http://www.groups.yahoo.com/decani > > "Albanians in Macedonia Crisis Center (AMCC)" > http://www.alb-net.com/amcc > > "Albanews" > http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/archives/albanews.html > > In Italian: > "I Balcani" - http://www.ecn.org/est/balcani > > In French: > Le Courrier des Balkans http://bok.net/balkans/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at law.harvard.edu Thu Mar 22 17:40:06 2001 From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu (aalibali at law.harvard.edu) Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 17:40:06 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Call for Papers: Refugee Conference, Staffordshire University, 17-19.4.2002 Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: a.kempster at staffs.ac.uk Subject: [balkans] CfP: Refugee Conference, Staffordshire University, 17-19.4.2002 Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 10:47:30 +0000 Size: 3828 URL: From aalibali at yahoo.com Fri Mar 23 12:00:16 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 09:00:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] RFE-RL Message-ID: <20010323170016.40053.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> 16] SERBIAN PREMIER'S VISIT TO U.S. INCONCLUSIVE Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic told reporters in Washington on 22 March that the U.S. government still "needs time" before deciding by 31 March on whether to extend the rest of a $100 million aid package to Belgrade (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 March 2001). Djindjic stressed that he met with a wide range of people from public life, including Secretary of State Colin Powell. A State Department spokesman said that Powell "welcomed the steps that have been taken [by Belgrade] since their last meeting and stressed the importance of continued progress. The administration has not taken a decision on certification [on whether Belgrade meets Washington's conditions]. We expect to address the issue next week," Reuters reported. Djindjic faced tough questions during his visit. These included: Is the Serbian government really so busy that it cannot arrest one man -- former President Slobodan Milosevic -- and put him on a plane? Another question was: Why does Serbia continue to have an indicted war criminal -- President Milan Milutinovic -- as head of state? PM __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kbejko at hotmail.com Fri Mar 23 16:49:05 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 16:49:05 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Excellent Analysis from The Economist Message-ID: >This is the best analysis of the situation in Macedonia >I've read to date. It is argued that a strong link exists >between Kosova's unresolved status and the guerrila's in >Macedonia. The Albanian nationalists seeing no clear >prospect of self-determination in Kosova threaten destabilization, but they >can't risk a NATO withdrawal and a return of the Jugoslav Army in Kosova so >they logical choice is Macedonia having a only fraction of the Jugoslav >firepower. I think this is a rather cunning move >indicating a carefully devised strategy. Understandably >the Western powers don't like to be pressured which would >explain the vociferous condemnation of the guerrilla's action. It might >seem >like a win-win situation for Albanians if they have the appropriate exit >strategy. > >http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=541782 > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > >__________________________________________________________________________ > Maps of Albania, Albanian Lands and Balkans > http://www.albanian.com/main/maps/index.html > >__________________________________________________________________________ >Opinions expressed on ALBANIAN do NOT necessarily reflect the views of the >owner, co-owners and/or moderators, nor any of their host institutions. >**>>> Technical support: albanian-request at listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu <<<<** _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From endril at rocketmail.com Mon Mar 19 14:45:45 2001 From: endril at rocketmail.com (Endri Leno) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 11:45:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] 1/3 of Macedonia's Airforce destroyed In-Reply-To: <20010319013451.9519.qmail@web11606.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <20010319194545.17453.qmail@web2903.mail.yahoo.com> Nuk e kuptoj se pse Ira Panajoti shqetesohet per emrin e keq te shqiptareve kur vete (mbi)emri i saj sugjeron se nuk shqiptare, por ... greke. S'dime si t'ia bejme kesaj, po na e qajne hallin edhe greket. --- ira panajoti wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > If it's people like these who start a war, it's a > shame because they put a bad name for all Albanians! > > The joke was not funny and neither is it funny that > the shedding of blood of either Albanians, > Macedonians > or Serbs provokes laughter in some people. The > author > of the e-mail, I am sorry to say, has either a sense > of humor or a career in politics! Stay away from > comedy or the political arena! Good luck! > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > --- "G.S" wrote: > > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > > --------- > > - ALBSA Web Site: > > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > > > > "Macedonian Airforce" eshte e perbere prej 3 > > helikopterave, sot rra njeri > > helikopter sepse piloti nuk ka hanger mengjez para > > se me dal... > > > > Earlier Saturday night, an army helicopter crashed > > near the scene of the > > clashes, killing the army pilot and injuring 12 > > policemen, Macedonian and NATO > > sources said. > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Get free email and a permanent address at > > http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > _______________________________________________________ > > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 24 08:55:08 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 05:55:08 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Football Message-ID: <20010324135508.69614.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> Financial Times (London) March 24, 2001, Saturday London Edition 1 Albania eager for action By SIMON KUPER Albanian football has never had such a big week. Albania play Germany today and host England on Wednesday, which adds up to one more match than they played in a seven-year stretch in the 1970s after Enver Hoxha, the then dictator, had broken with the rest of the world. International matches were never common in communist days. Mehdi Zhega, now Albania's manager, remembers playing for the team that held West Germany to a 0-0 draw in 1967. Four years later, the German manager, Helmut Schon, came to watch them against Turkey. "Have you been playing much recently?" Schon asked the Albanians afterwards, to which the reply was: "This is our first match since we drew against you." When the Communist regime fell 10 years ago this week, Albania emerged from isolation and the football team got better. Last year Albania won five of their eight matches, their best record since the early 1980s. Best of all was October's 2-0 home win against Greece, a country that treats its hundreds of thousands of Albanian immigrants with less than total respect. That match, says Gramoz Pashko, a leading figure in the Albanian revolution of 1991, now economic adviser to the prime minister, "was fantastic. Even a liberal like me all of a sudden became an Albanian patriot". Playing Germany and England will not mean quite as much. Virtually every Albanian expects their team to lose both games. Indeed, some of them will be supporting the opposition: German and English football yield in popularity in Albania only to the Italian game, which means that they are very popular indeed. On England's previous visit to Tirana, in 1989 when they won 2-0, their training sessions were guarded by the Sigurimi, the Communist secret police. This time Beckham and Co might relish similar protection from their teenage Albanian fans. Even an Albanian player might be tempted to try for Beckham's autograph. But awe of the west has lessened since Zhega's playing days. The coach says that when he pulled on an Albania shirt, "we didn't believe in a victory, because (Franz) Beckenbauer or (Kevin) Keegan or Bobby Charlton were so great". Now most of the best Albanians play for foreign clubs (or at least sit on their substitutes' benches) and no longer regard western footballers as beings from another universe. Boosting Albanian confidence further is the curious fact that they stand above England in the group table. Albania have three points from their two World Cup qualifying matches, and England only one, a discrepancy that has been noted many times by each of the half-dozen Albanian sports newspapers. Simon Kuper __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sat Mar 24 09:01:48 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 06:01:48 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Boston Globe Message-ID: <20010324140148.54688.qmail@web11507.mail.yahoo.com> The Boston Globe March 22, 2001, Thursday ,THIRD EDITION NATIONAL/FOREIGN; Pg. A26 AS PREDICTED, OLD DIVISIONS COME TO FORE OVER ALBANIA By Charles A. Radin, Globe Staff A striking aspect of the bloody drama that has consumed the Balkans over the past decade is that diplomats and scholars thought from the beginning that they knew how the play would end - and they were right. The struggle for a Greater Serbia foundered in the eastern reaches of Croatia, stalemated in Bosnia, and went down to crushing defeat in Kosovo. Now, just as was feared and predicted a decade ago, the struggle for a Greater Albania has begun. All the previous conflicts - Serb versus Slovene, Serb versus Croat, Serb versus Bosnian - involved a numerically and historically dominant group, Slavic Serbia, bending much smaller groups of Slavs and others to its will. In contrast, Slav versus Albanian is a matchup of the true heavyweights of the Balkan peninsula, both in terms of numbers and historical competitions. While the Serbs and other Slavs trace their roots in the region to the 7th Century, Albanians arose from the ancient Illyrian people who inhabited the Balkans in classical Greco-Roman times. By the 14th century, much of the homeland of the ethnic Albanians - present-day Kosovo, Albania, and western Macedonia - were part of the Serbian Empire, which was then at its height. Serbia declined after its defeat by the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Kosovo, in 1389. Both peoples then were subjugated by the Ottoman Turks, who governed the region through vassal regimes for the next 500 years. It was in this period that Albanians and Serbs took radically different courses that still resonate today. The Serbs clung to Orthodox Christianity, while most of the previously Christian Albanians converted to the Islamic faith. "The Ottomans were not into converting people forcibly," says Igor Lukes, a specialist in central European history at Boston University. "If you chose to be an infidel dog, so be it. But if you wanted to advance, to progress, it was very much in your interest to convert." Advance and progress the Albanians did, to the point, according to Dimitris Keridis, director of the Central and Eastern Europe program at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, that they rose to positions of power and wealth throughout the Ottoman Empire. A prominent example was Mehmet Ali, who, as Ottoman viceroy of Egypt in the 19th century, was the first modernizer in the Middle East and founded a dynasty that endured until after World War II. Had the British Navy not intervened, Ali might well have taken Istanbul in the late 1830s. The difference in status of Albanians and Slavs had consequences when the Ottomans went into their final decline. National movements in all the Christian societies pushed for full independence; Albanian nationalists sought only autonomy. Independence was virtually foisted on the Albanians in 1912, after the first Balkan war, by Austria and Italy, which saw Albania as a block to Serbian and Greek expansionism. Kosovo, which was about half Serb and half Albanian, was awarded to Serbia, and the Serbs began dispossessing the Albanians, who had become the dominant landowners during the Ottoman period. A few years later, the Albanians struck back, harassing Serb armies retreating after their epic yearlong stand against Austria at the beginning of the First World War. The rival perspectives grew farther and farther apart, until, on the eve of World War II, "if you asked a Serb, he'd say Albania was an insignificant appendage of a great Serbia, whereas if you asked an Albanian he'd say it was all part of Albania and the Serbs were sort of their stable boys," Lukes said. After the war, both the nation of Albania and the new Yugoslav state that took in Kosovo and Serbia were communist. However, since Albania sided with the Chinese and the Yugoslavs with the Soviet Union when Moscow and Beijing fell out, Kosovar and Macedonian Albanians were cut off completely from the Albanian state. This division and earlier religious and social schisms are profoundly important today, as Albanians in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Albania proper have wide differences in their levels of economic and political development, and are unable to reach consensus on what Keridis calls "the ultimate, most virulent nationalist question in the Balkans." Charles A. Radin can be reached by e-mail at radin at globe.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From elton80 at hotmail.com Sat Mar 24 21:51:57 2001 From: elton80 at hotmail.com (Elton Pepivani) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 21:51:57 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albanian Club @ U Mass Boston Message-ID: Hello everybody. I am glad to let you all know that after many efforts the goal of having an Albanian Club at the University of Massachusetts Boston is fulfilled. The U Mass Senate approved the club as the first Albanian Club in its history. The CLun at U Mass is open to colaborate with all Albanian organizations around USA especially with ALBSA organization. The purpose of the club is to promote the Albanian Culture. From now on we will inform you on every activity of the organization. If you have any ideas about different sponsors that can sponsor our activities or any ideas of colaboration let me know ASAP. Your help is highly appreciated.For any i nformation contact me at My email elton80 at hotmail.com Phone# 617-625-0038 Sincerely Elton Pepivani VP. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From imerprishtina at hotmail.com Sun Mar 25 04:41:03 2001 From: imerprishtina at hotmail.com (Imer Berisha) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 04:41:03 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] A Macedonian says:Let's give the same rights we have to Alb. Message-ID: There are Macedonians that do understand and say where the problem/solution is. This text was taken from "talking pint" at yahoo. ________________________________________ Why can we Macedonians not understand that it is the human right of everyone to enjoy his life? Let's give Albanians in Macedonia the same rights as we have and the conflict will end. Dialogue and understanding may allow us to live together. Goran, Skopje, Macedonia ________________________________________ Regards, Imer _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From artin_spahiu at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 01:05:50 2001 From: artin_spahiu at yahoo.com (Artin Spahiu) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 22:05:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Excellent Analysis from The Economist In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010325060550.49161.qmail@web10002.mail.yahoo.com> Yes indeed it does exists a link between the conflict in Macedonia and in Kosova, but it's not the one that the author thinks. He is stating that: "If the warning of a ?return to war? is understood as a threat to ruin Macedonia?s fragile equilibrium, then it sounds all too plausible?and it looks very much as if the threat is being carried out." Well, I think he is giving to much credit for such a "fine strategy". Because it is totally senseless. If NATO would find a such a connection between both wars, all they have to do is move their troops from Kosova to Macedonia, and leave the serbs deal with the Albanians. (The allowance of the recent deployment of the Serb military close to the Kosova border and the recent improvements in the relations between Serbs and Europe, should be a strong warning for Albanians) If NATO really finds this strategy plausible, then they just cut down their expenses and troubles in Kosova under a "strong reason", and shift the same troops to keep the "fragile equilibrium" in Macedonia if the situation presents itself. Everybody wins except Albanians! Well where is the link then? It's very simple; Albanians got to much excited from the results of the war in Kosova, although they paid a big price for that (and it was the right time). Since the Victory was carried out by a war, they think that RIGHT NOW another one would bring them the same supportive reaction from NATO. They forget three things; First, how long did it take NATO to interfere in the Kosova war, though the situation on that time was incomparable to this one....! Second the fact that the situation of Macedonia is QUITE different from Kosova, in terms of human rights and demographic proportions! Third that NATO might like to get used but certainly not abused! Now, people don?t get me wrong, certainly I?m for a better situation of Albanians in Macedonia, but I think that right now, the way that things are moving the ?war weight? would be unbearable for ALL Albanians! --- Kreshnik Bejko wrote: > ----------- ALBSA-Info Mailing List > --------- > - ALBSA Web Site: > http://www.albstudent.org - > > > >This is the best analysis of the situation in > Macedonia > >I've read to date. It is argued that a strong link > exists > >between Kosova's unresolved status and the > guerrila's in > >Macedonia. The Albanian nationalists seeing no > clear > >prospect of self-determination in Kosova threaten > destabilization, but they > >can't risk a NATO withdrawal and a return of the > Jugoslav Army in Kosova so > >they logical choice is Macedonia having a only > fraction of the Jugoslav > >firepower. I think this is a rather cunning move > >indicating a carefully devised strategy. > Understandably > >the Western powers don't like to be pressured which > would > >explain the vociferous condemnation of the > guerrilla's action. It might > >seem > >like a win-win situation for Albanians if they have > the appropriate exit > >strategy. > > > >http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=541782 > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com > > > >__________________________________________________________________________ > > Maps of Albania, Albanian Lands and Balkans > > http://www.albanian.com/main/maps/index.html > > > >__________________________________________________________________________ > >Opinions expressed on ALBANIAN do NOT necessarily > reflect the views of the > >owner, co-owners and/or moderators, nor any of > their host institutions. > >**>>> Technical support: > albanian-request at listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu <<<<** > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com > > _______________________________________________________ > ALBSA-Info mailing list: ALBSA-Info at alb-net.com > http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albsa-info __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From albi at argjiro.net Sun Mar 25 05:26:33 2001 From: albi at argjiro.net (albi) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 10:26:33 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] BBC gem Message-ID: <000301c0b516$11357d40$373c4a90@slimshady.uic.edu> Marre nga BBC: "Then the men in the caf? listen to the gunfire, and shake their heads. But do they take up arms? No, they sip more coffee." Perkthimi ne shqip: "Burrat ne kafene e degjojne zhurmen e luftimeve, dhe tundin kokat. Po a ngrihen ata te marrin armet e te luftojne? Jo, ata pine ca me shume kafe" http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1240000/1240014.stm From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 16:34:45 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:34:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Independent - Football Message-ID: <20010325213445.97796.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> Independent on Sunday (London) March 25, 2001, Sunday SPORT; Pg. 4 FOOTBALL: JUST TOO KLOSE FOR GERMAN COMFORT; GERMANY 2 DEISLER 50, KLOSE 88 ALBANIA1 KOLA 65 HALF-TIME: 0- 0 ATTENDANCE: 22,500 Peter Fischer In Leverkusen MIROSLAV KLOSE came off the bench last night to score a controversial winner two minutes from time and rescue Germany from the embarrassment of failing to beat England's next World Cup opponents, Albania, at the BayArena. Klose marked his first cap by diving in at the far post to head into an empty net following Marco Rehmer's right-wing cross. But it appeared that three German players - including Klose - were in offside positions when the ball was played through to Rehmer. The goal was allowed to stand and Germany moved five points clear of England at the top of group nine, with maximum points after three games. Germany's coach, Rudi Voller, was not impressed by his side's struggle. "We played as if afraid and did not take enough risks, especially in the first half," the former World Cup striker said. "Still, such wins are very important for a team's morale. Now I just hope Albania have not used up too much energy in this game and play equally well against England." His side was forced on to the back foot by the impressive Albanians despite taking the lead after a goalless first-half. Sebastian Deisler broke the deadlock five minutes after the interval with a speculative 25-yard shot, which should have been saved. The Albanian goalkeeper, Foto Strakosha, alllowed the ball to go in despite getting both hands to it. Instead of using their good fortune as a platform to sweep the Albanians aside, the Germans looked nervous and paid the penalty when Albania, who previously beat Greece 2-0, scored an equaliser through Bledar Kola's fierce 25-yard shot in the 66th minute. The winner two minutes from time was difficult to swallow as Albania, pushing up for what they though was a clear offside, were cruelly punished. Meanwhile, the Football Association are in continuous contact with the British consulate in Tirana and, although bulletins suggest that the game on Wednesday will go ahead as planned, a final decision will not be made until tomorrow. England's coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, said he had not yet viewed the videos of Albania's recent games his assistants have gathered. If he watches the tape of this match, he might be tempted to try to persuade the FA that England should not travel to Tirana. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 16:37:40 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:37:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] LA Times Message-ID: <20010325213740.88896.qmail@web11507.mail.yahoo.com> Los Angeles Times March 25, 2001, Sunday, Home Edition Opinion; Part M; Page 2; Opinion Desk THE WORLD / YUGOSLAVIA; BUSH BACKTRACKS ON HOLDING KOSTUNICA'S FEET TO THE FIRE Susan Blaustein, Susan Blaustein writes frequently about the Balkans DATELINE: WASHINGTON BODY: Last fall, Congress laid down three conditions in order for the new government in Yugoslavia to receive $ 100 million in U.S. aid and, more crucially, to be eligible for loans from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Thus far, Yugoslavia has met none of these conditions. Should President George W. Bush nevertheless certify to Congress that Belgrade has complied, he would undermine not only Serbia's progress toward democratization but also U.S. policy throughout the region. The conditions require Yugoslavia to cut off support for Serb extremists in Bosnia's Republika Srpska, respect minority rights and the rule of law, and cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia by turning over evidence and indicted war criminals to The Hague. They were crafted by Congress to nudge Belgrade's new leaders toward institutionalizing democratic values and to give them political cover for taking difficult, perhaps unpopular steps toward purging the government of its entrenched criminal elite, reaching out to minorities to build a genuinely civil society and giving up all territorial aspirations for a "Greater Serbia." Problem is, many of Belgrade's new democrats have been eager to take U.S. dollars and international loans, but not to earn them. Yet, the Bush administration appears poised to offer Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica a way out. Earlier this month, the U.S. Belgrade envoy, William D. Montgomery, handed Kostunica a three-page list of watered-down criteria that, if met, would enable the Bush administration to certify that Yugoslavia has made a good-faith effort to fulfill Congress' conditions and merits U.S. aid. Specifically, he reportedly reassured Kostunica that the arrest of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and the transfer to The Hague of one other indictee would suffice. But the law requires "the surrender and transfer of indictees," a condition hardly met by the recent voluntary surrender of one relatively low-level Bosnian Serb official or by vague promises to hand over additional non-Yugoslav indictees. Moreover, should Milosevic actually be arrested--which Serb reformers have wanted to do for some time, being held back only by Kostunica's resistance--Yugoslav officials insist that it would be for economic crimes committed against the Serb people and nation, for which he would be tried domestically. While such charges are serious and credible, only the war-crimes tribunal has the authority to determine whether local trials for local crimes should take precedence over an international one for war crimes. In other words, Milosevic must first be transferred to The Hague, a sine qua non to which the Bush administration has not asked the Kostunica government to commit. The Bush administration assented to Belgrade officials' insistence on revising Yugoslav law to facilitate cooperation with the tribunal, including the extradition of Yugoslav indictees. But the extradition issue is a red herring that has only served to delay cooperation. Nowhere does the Yugoslav constitution preclude the transfer of indicted nationals to an international institution. Revising the law could take months, during which time Milosevic could not only exert a toxic influence on Serbian political developments, but also could manage to get his hands on some of his stashed assets and flee to a third country even less likely to hand him over to The Hague. The Bush administration also reportedly advised Kostunica that Yugoslav support for Bosnia's Republika Srpska should be made transparent. But Congress explicitly calls upon Belgrade "to end"--not to render transparent--"Serbian financial, political, security and other support" for separate Bosnian Serb institutions, which include the Bosnian Serb army and the extreme nationalist party of the indicted former Bosnian Serb president, Radovan Karadzic. The cutoff has not taken place. To the contrary. As one of his first official acts, Kostunica attended a campaign rally in the Republika Srpska for Karadzic's party. Three weeks ago, he signed an agreement for special relations with the Serb republic, bolstering Bosnian Serb aspirations to reunite with Serbia. Belgrade still pays the salaries and pensions of officers in the Bosnian Serb army, state security and counterintelligence forces, many of whom are alleged war criminals. Should the administration sign off on Belgrade's performance to date, U.S. tax dollars may subsidize the retirement plans of those who brought the world the Bosnian war. While non-Serbs are no longer being murdered or forced from their homes, the Serbian branch of the International Helsinki Foundation reports that oppression of minorities persists under Kostunica among the largely Hungarian population in the Vojvodina, the Muslims in the Sandzak, Albanians, Roma and Jews. Upon assuming office, Kostunica squandered the opportunity to release the hundreds of Albanians illegally detained in Serbian prisons since the Kosovo war. Instead, the Yugoslav president implicitly accepted Milosevic's travesty of a criminal-justice system by taking a legalistic approach to the prisoners' fate, which has prolonged Kosovo's agony and exacerbated Albanian-Serb tensions. After buying international goodwill by releasing a few prominent prisoners, Kostunica took months to come up with an amnesty law that permitted the release of 150 more; he has insisted on personally reviewing each of the remaining cases, several hundred of which he, like Milosevic, insists were "terrorist" acts that merit severe punishment. This special treatment for Serbia has endangered the new democratic government in Croatia, which has braved considerable risks to win U.S. assistance and international loans by complying with an almost identical set of conditions. In Croatia, as in other East European countries in transition, democrats have welcomed such quid pro quos to justify much-needed reform and political change. The opposite has been true of Yugoslavia. During and since last summer's election campaign, Kostunica has been backed by the same alliance of army, church and intellectuals who first devised the "Greater Serbia" project in the 1980s. A far more committed nationalist than the opportunistic, power-hungry Milosevic, Kostunica has, thus far, in his personnel and policy choices, exhibited more continuity than disjunction with the former regime. Should Bush join European nations in their unconditional embrace of this singularly unrepentant, nationalist government, his move will likely stoke radical nationalist aspirations in a precariously maintained Bosnia-Herzegovina and push Albanian extremists to escalate their guerrilla actions in Kosovo, southern Serbia and Macedonia. Without being too onerous, Congress' three conditions afford Belgrade the opportunity to define its operating standards simply by adhering to democratic principles and the rule of law. The Hague tribunal's chief prosecutor has found the U.S. law so helpful that she recently asked the European Union to replicate it. With a clear interest in starting off on a strong foreign-policy footing, the Bush administration would do well to applaud Congress' caution and foresight, encourage its European allies to follow suit and not undermine the law at this critical juncture by giving Belgrade a pass where none is due. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 16:43:24 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:43:24 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Sunday Telegraph Message-ID: <20010325214324.3338.qmail@web11504.mail.yahoo.com> SUNDAY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) March 25, 2001, Sunday Pg. 29 Rebels fight for creation of a Greater Kosovo state BY ASKOLD KRUSHELNYCKY in Selce AND PHILIP SHERWELL in Tetovo ETHNIC ALBANIAN rebels who have brought Macedonia to the brink of another savage Balkan war aim to achieve independence for neighbouring Kosovo, eventually carving off Albanian-populated areas of Macedonia to form a de facto Greater Kosovo, The Sunday Telegraph has learned. The guerrillas of the National Liberation Army, who are battling Macedonian forces around the city of Tetovo, have publicly insisted that they are fighting to secure equal rights for the country's Muslim Albanian minority. A Sunday Telegraph investigation has discovered intricate links between powerful Albanian clans in Macedonia and Kosovo. The clans that launched the rebellion in Kosovo are now behind the insurgency in Macedonia. Emrush Xhemali, the former security chief of the Kosovo Liberation Army leader Hashim Thaci, is masterminding the rebel campaign around Tetovo, a guerrilla commander disclosed last week. The Albanian ultra-nationalists will eventually offer peace in Macedonia as the price for international recognition of an independent Kosovo, according to a Western intelligence agency that has been tracing clan links between the Balkans and central Europe. Although the West is resolutely opposed to redrawing of borders in the Balkans, Albanian radicals are hoping to force through independence for Kosovo as the only alternative to another war. While the strategy has little hope of success, it is fuelling the conflict. Cannon and machinegun fire rang out around Tetovo yesterday, but the ill-equipped 11,000-strong Macedonian army is wary of launching an all-out offensive against the NLA fighters who control several villages in the surrounding hills. There seemed little hope of an immediate end to the crisis as NLA leaders vowed to continue their rebellion, despite widespread condemnation of their "terrorist" activities. The EU gave strong backing to Macedonia at the Stockholm summit, while President Bush later assailed the Albanian extremists. Albanian emigres committed to Kosovan independence have been raising money, recruits and guns for years for the rebels in Switzerland, Germany and North America. The ultra-nationalists' Swiss-based leader, Fazli Veliu, has close family ties to Ali Ahmeti, the political representative of the Macedonian insurgents and a KLA founder. The two men, both from the Macedonian village of Zajas, also have close links with Mr Thaci and the powerful Jashari clan who spearheaded the KLA's early operations before most were wiped out in a Serbian offensive in spring 1998. NLA commanders based in Tetovo's mountainous hinterland dismissed claims by Western officials that their movement was a young one of only a few hundred ill-prepared fighters. Instead, they described the insurgency as an operation carefully planned over several years. Most of the rebels are ethnic Albanians from northern and western Macedonia whose commanders learned their battlefield tactics fighting for the KLA two years ago. Official boundaries, however, mean little in a part of the world dominated by clan loyalties and blood ties. In the long run, the rebels hope to create a Greater Kosovo with the de facto secession of the predominantly Albanian northern and western regions of Macedonia. Fellow Albanian rebels in southern Serbia's Presevo Valley harbour similar dreams. Talk of Greater Albania, by contrast, has dwindled among the Albanians of Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. Many spent time in Albania proper for the first time as refugees in 1999 and were shocked to discover how backward and impoverished the "mother country" had been left by xenophobic communist rulers of the past. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 16:45:08 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:45:08 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Shqiperi - Angli Message-ID: <20010325214508.98737.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> SUNDAY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) March 25, 2001, Sunday Pg. 04 Eriksson turns to Albanian spies Colin Malam on how the coach will ensure England are not travelling into the unknown By Colin Malam Only now will England's coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson, turn his attention to Wednesday's match in Tirana, his team's second World Cup qualifier in five days. Eriksson, who has never been to Albania, intends to make a start today on the video evidence and spying reports with which he has been furnished. After yesterday's game against Finland, Eriksson said: "I don't know very much about the place and, to tell you the truth, I don't know anything about their team. We have a lot of tapes and analyses, but I haven't seen any of them yet." Even when it came to talking about Albania's progress so far in the qualifying competition, Eriksson was struggling a bit. "I know the results they've got. They beat Greece at home 2-0 and they lost 1-0 away in Finland, I think," he said, when in fact the result in Finland was 2-1 to the Finns. The more significant of those results was the victory over Greece. It not only made England's 1-0 defeat by Germany at Wembley less damaging in the overall scheme, but also gave Eriksson and his men fair warning that Albania are not likely to be the pushovers of old. Last night's narrow defeat in Germany underlined the fact. Eriksson could call in Nicky Butt if Liverpool's injury-prone Steven Gerrard is unavailable. "Nicky Butt did extremely well against Spain," the England coach said. "We know all about his defensive qualities - a ball-winner and very tough player. "He is, I suppose, a little bit unpleasant to play against. He's always there, in the thick of the action, but he's also a good passer of the ball. I think he's improved a lot from what I remember of seeing him on TV last season. So I was surprised about that. He's a very good player." [PS]Sport: [ES] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Sun Mar 25 16:48:23 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 13:48:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gjermani - Shqiperi Message-ID: <20010325214823.99027.qmail@web11505.mail.yahoo.com> SUNDAY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) March 25, 2001, Sunday Pg. 04 Albania serve early warning to England By Roy Collins in Leverkusen Germany2 Albania1 ALBANIA'S courageous performance should convince England that of all the basic necessities they will find lacking in impoverished Tirana this week, bananas, and more crucially, their skins, may not be among them. Germany, the most sure-footed qualifiers in World Cup history, were two minutes from slipping humiliatingly on one when they pulled themselves upright with a debut goal from substitute Miroslav Klose that somehow escaped an offside flag. Germany had been reduced to such desperation that five minutes earlier, Klose had been booked for diving in the area. But Albania, who have expunged much of the naivety which once made them the Bradford of international football, played well enough to convince themselves that, against England, they can recover from the loss of a deserved point here. Albania will be dangerous not just because they are a neat, tidy side with outstanding individuals in Biedar Kola and Igli Tare but because they still believe that they can upset England's expectations in the group, which now realistically stretch to no more than runners-up spot. Albania will leap over England into second spot if they win. And if they can reproduce the form they displayed here in Leverkusen's Bay Arena, they will certainly have an important say in the outcome of a group in which the only certainty would seem to be Germany's advancement to the 2002 World Cup. Kola, 28, who plays for AEK Athens, capped a dominating midfield performance by scoring the 65th-minute goal which appeared to have rescued a point for his country. That in itself was spectacular, a left-foot volley which struck the ground and bounced over the helpless goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. Striker Tare, who plays for Italian side Brescia, said beforehand that he believed his country were capable of competing with Germany. But even given the decline in German standards - "like England before Eriksson" joked a journalist at half-time - it was remarkable that they could do so for the full 90 minutes. Afterwards, Tare said: "We are all disappointed because we thought the winning goal was offside. It always seems to be the same for us. It always seems to go for the big nations against the small nations. I don't know whether it is experience or just luck. "We will try to be even more offensive against England but it will be difficult for us because I saw their game and it is clear they are motivated under their new coach." Coach Mehdi Zhega's face was as long as a bloodhound's as he said: "We are all very, very sad. We were sure the last goal would be ruled out for offside." The tall, muscular Tare was a threat to the Germans all night, as was winger Edvin Murati, who forced more acrobatics from Kahn, who could not have imagined he would have been so fully employed. But England will believe they can exploit Albania down the right wing, where Arjan Xhumba occasionally looked like Phil Neville in disguise, which will welcome news to David Beckham. And England will surely also attempt to develop a higher tempo than the often metronomic Germans. Germany scored their first goal in the 49th minute, a long-range effort from Sebastien Deisler which Foto Strakosha was furious not to save after getting within glove-waving distance of it. The Germans only improved after taking off skipper Oliver Bierhoff at half-time. German coach Rudi Voller praised the patriotic spirit of the Albanians: "They would fight to the end for their country." They demonstrated their togetherness by high-fiving each other seconds before the game kicked off. And had there been any justice, they would have been celebrating more spectacularly at the end. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From kbejko at hotmail.com Sun Mar 25 17:54:22 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 17:54:22 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Quote of the day Message-ID: "I hope the Albanians are not exhausted and that they will play as well against England as they did against us," German coach Rudi Voller _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From albanianpride at hotmail.com Mon Mar 26 07:39:21 2001 From: albanianpride at hotmail.com (ardian kanina) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:39:21 +0200 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] **** IGLI SETS SIGHTS ON SHOCK **** Message-ID: **** IN FOR A NIGHT-TARE ... win will ease war hell ***** **** IGLI SETS SIGHTS ON SHOCK **** By NEIL CUSTIS [The SUN] ALBANIA are determined to beat England to lift the spirits of their countrymen. The war-torn nation is suffering again as ethnic Albanians fight Macedonian troops on the border between the two countries. But football provides an escape for the people ? and that is why England's visit on Wednesday has extra significance. Striker Igli Tare said: "The Albanian people have gone through a lot. Now there are more problems. "I go home regularly and know what life is like there. It is my country and I still love it. "For them, Wednesday night will not be just a football match but a celebration, something to take their minds off the troubles. "As a team, we want to give them something to enjoy, a result against what I consider one of the greatest nations in world football. "It will be a great atmosphere. I saw against Germany how much our fans enjoyed our goal ? and we want to give them more to shout about." The Albanians showed in their 2-0 home win over Greece they are no pushovers. They lost 2-1 in Finland but were very unlucky not to get at least a point out of Saturday's trip to Germany, going down 2-1 to a late goal in Leverkusen. As far as World Cup qualifying goes, Albania need a victory to keep their own hopes alive. And they are warning England not to expect an easy ride. When the two met in qualfication for Italia 90, England won 5-0 at Wembley and 2-0 in Albania. Yet the standard of team England will be facing this time is very different. Albania's players are now at decent clubs throughout Europe. Tare added: "This is not the same Albania that met England last time. We are a better and stronger footballing nation. "If they saw us against Germany, they will know we should have got a result. Luck was not with us but will be against England." Tare, with Brescia in Italy, also wanted to dispel any concerns the England stars might have about travelling to his country. He said: "I have heard some do not want to come. But I can tell them there will be no problem. They will be made very welcome." ardi... _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From albanianpride at hotmail.com Mon Mar 26 07:56:54 2001 From: albanianpride at hotmail.com (ardian kanina) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:56:54 +0200 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Gjermanet vjedhin fitoren !!!! Message-ID: Shqiperia shpalos spektakel ne Gjermani !!! Shqiperia trondit futbollin Gjerman !!! Dy gabime te pafalshme te gjyqtarit Italian shkaktojne humbjen . Goli i dyte i ekipit Gjermane ishte 100% pozicion jashte-loje. 4lojtare Gjermane ishin dukshem ne pozicion jashte-loje por ata nuk morren pjese aktive ne shenimin e golit por...por ... lojtari Gjerman Klose ne krahun e majte i cili shenoj golin ishte gjithashtu pozicion jashte-loje ne kundershtim me 4 lojtaret qe nuk vazhduan sulmin ai vrapoj drejt portes ku dhe shenoj.Dukej qarte qe ai lojtar ishte mbi 1m apsajt.Sipas rregullores se FIFA-s goli eshte 100% i padrejte. Pse nuk respektohen rregullat kur luan Albania??? Pjesen e pare gjyqtari nuk denoj me kartonin e kuq lojtarin Gjerman Sholl per nje nderhyrje shume te rende. Po t'ju referohemi statistikave te ndeshjes ekipi shqiptar e dominoj ndeshjen.Numri i larte i korneve tona dhe encat qe shkaktuan Gjermanet flasin per dominimin e ekipit tone ne kete ndeshje. Rudi Feller (trajneri gjerman) para ndeshjes: Ekipin Shqiptar do ta fusim ne dare. Albania do te perballohet me nje stuhi te papare ndonjehere. Rudi Feller mbas ndeshjes: Ekipi gjerman lujti me shume frike por jemi te gezuar qe morrem tre piket. Shtypi Gjerman (para ndeshjes) :Fitorja eshte e padiskutueshme por kerkojme festival golash. Shtypi Gjerman mbas ndeshjes: **** Ekipi Gjerman pati fat ne fitoren e ndeshjes*** *** Vleresohet shume futbolli Shqiptar*** Thuhet qe ekipi Gjerman eshte i dobet ne keto momente.Nuk eshte e vertete sepse ekipi Gjerman i ka fituar te gjitha piket ne grup gjithashtu fitoj shume kollaj edhe ne Angli por ekipi Shqiptar po i afrohet klasit te larte te futbollit Evropjan dhe disa analiste sportive Evropjane nuk e pelqejne kete zhvillim pozitive te futbollit Shqiptar . Spektakli qe dhuroj kombetarja Shqiptare ne Gjermani u mbyll gojen gazetareve Evropjane te cilet nenvleftesonin dhe diskriminonin futbollin/popullin Shqiptar. Edhe Greket keshtu mendonin se do vinin ne Tirane dhe do fitonin kollaj por iken me nje dush te ftohte : Albania 2 Greece 0 . Kam mendimin qe ndaj Anglezeve fitojme po luajtem te koncentruar sepse futbollistet Shqiptar sot jane te nje kualiteti me te larte sesa futbollistet Angleze.E shtuna e tregoj gjendjen e larte te ekipit Shqiptar .Tare ,Kola,?ipi etj jane te papermbajtshem si lojatre dhe keta bije na bejne krenar qe te ndjehemi Shqiptar. me nderime ardi... _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From DIELLIDD at aol.com Mon Mar 26 10:08:18 2001 From: DIELLIDD at aol.com (DIELLIDD at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 10:08:18 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Prishtina-l] Re: [Alb-Club] People please Message-ID: <44.c6a80f0.27f0b562@aol.com> sasko, TI QENKE NJE BASHIBOZUK, INJORANT DHE ELEMENT JO I DESHIRUESHEM PER SHQIPTARET. ME VJEN TURP QE JETOI NE TE NJEJTEN BOTE ME TY, MILLOSHEVIQIN DHE ME MAQEDONET ''E MIRE'' SIPAS TEJE. -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From DIELLIDD at aol.com Mon Mar 26 10:26:42 2001 From: DIELLIDD at aol.com (DIELLIDD at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 10:26:42 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Re: [Prishtina-l] Re: [Alb-Club] People please Message-ID: <71.bd819f3.27f0b9b2@aol.com> RESPEKT PER REAGIMIN TEND. KISHA ME SHTU NJE TE VERTETE: SLLAVET NUK MUNDEN ME U PAJTU ASNJEHERE ME QENE TE BARABART ME SHQIPTARET. QE PSE DUHET ME I LUFTUE. NE SHQIPTARET MOMENTALISHT JEMI TE SHKRETE SEPSE KERKOJME TE DREJTA TE BARABARTA ME TE TJERET E BOTA ESHTE KUNDER....HAH CFARE IRONIE!!! -------------- next part -------------- HTML attachment scrubbed and removed From admin at albstudent.com Mon Mar 26 10:37:16 2001 From: admin at albstudent.com (Admin@ AlbStudent) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 07:37:16 -0800 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Albania fears foot-and-mouth from English fans Message-ID: <200103261537.HAA08453@mail18.bigmailbox.com> An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... Name: not available URL: From meleq_shehu at hotmail.com Mon Mar 26 10:49:56 2001 From: meleq_shehu at hotmail.com (Meleq Shehu) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 15:49:56 -0000 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] I need your help! Message-ID: Hello everybody, Does anyone know what is the best to do about asylum? I want to apply for asylum but I don't have money to pay a lawyer, so do I have any chance to get asylum without him. Or can any lawyer, that any refugee organization may offer me, be of help, can he do the same job as when you pay a lawyer? If yes, could you please let me know who should I contact! Which is the best organization to contact about refugee-asylum issues? I am a student from Kosova, currently studying in the USA but I wann stay here to graduate and to live here. My house was totally burnt during the war, my father was wounded and I lost all of my wealth in that war. Last year I had a full scholarship, but next year it's not going to be available so I need to do something to continue my education. If anyone can help me I will really appriciate it! Thank you in advance! _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. From kbejko at hotmail.com Mon Mar 26 11:58:01 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 11:58:01 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Excellent Analysis from The Economist Message-ID: >From: Artin Spahiu >> > >Well, I think he is giving to much credit for such a >"fine strategy". Because it is totally senseless. If >NATO would find a such a connection between both wars, >all they have to do is move their troops from Kosova >to Macedonia, and leave the serbs deal with the >Albanians. I can say with 99% certainty (a claim I am sure will be disputed) no such thing will happen for the following reasons: NATO action on Macedonian ground w/o a UN mandate would be yet another violation of international law. The Bush administration, itching to lower its presence in the Balkans, would not want to risk casualties, and the rest of allies....well we all know how long it takes for them to get their act together w/o US leadership. >Well where is the link then? It's very simple; >Albanians got to much excited from the results of the >war in Kosova, although they paid a big price for that >(and it was the right time). Since the Victory was >carried out by a war, they think that RIGHT NOW >another one would bring them the same supportive >reaction from NATO. You make it sound this is an all-Albanian uprising which most clearly it isn't. Victory euphoria can't be the link. Euphorias dont last long and it's been 2 years since the NATO strikes. Besides the Allies have made it clear they don't support 'extremist groups'. The Kosova link can only be found in the uncertainty over its status, and the fear of a pullout of NATO forces (if Kosova were to be destabilized by disgruntled armed Albanians), and of an imminent return of the Jugoslav Army. The are other interests at stake here but the bottom line is that the Albanians in Macedonia have showed resolve to resort to bullets if the ballot box doesn't work. Parity with the Slavs can only make things better for both communities, unfortunately the Slavs dont understand this notion due to their own racial bias against the fast multiplying Albanians, the bearers of 'the filthy legacy of the Turks.' _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:20:04 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:20:04 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] A War?s Hidden Tragedy Message-ID: <7e.12bdeff9.27f0f065@aol.com> A War?s Hidden Tragedy Albanian women raped during the war By Donatella Lorch and Preston Mendenhall CENTRAL KOSOVO ? These days Drita rarely enters her former home, destroyed by Serbs during the Kosovo war. Only one and a half walls still stand; slabs of scorched concrete cast shadows across a floor littered with broken red bricks. Drita, 29, comes here to be alone, to escape the inquisitive eyes and ears of her extended family. As she tells her story, Drita?s eyes constantly dart over her shoulder. She is worried that someone in the family will hear. Yet being alone-or, in this case, accompanied by a foreign reporter she got to know last year-also makes her nervous. She squats on a pile of bricks, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and stares straight ahead toward rolling green hills. The real damage, she seems to be saying, is not the debris around her; it?s the ruin within. Drita recalls wartime memories with as much overt emotion as she?d muster to read a grocery list. A Serb policeman dragged her away from her children, out of a room in a private house where she and other women and children were being held. He taunted her and ordered her to strip. When she screamed, he laughed and clamped a hand over her mouth. Then he pinned her arms behind her and raped her. Another man stood by, waiting his turn. As she tells her story, Drita?s eyes constantly dart over her shoulder. She is worried that someone in the family will hear. Children are playing in the ruins of another house 20 feet away, and the rest of the family is sitting and talking under a nearby apple tree. She tugs at her mass of curly black hair. "For over a year I have not told anybody about it," she admits. "I can?t. No one here talks about what happened to the women." The Kosovo war ended in June last year when, after a 78-day pounding by NATO bombers, Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic withdrew his forces. As correspondents covering the war, we came to know some of the women quoted in this article, including Drita. (The women?s names have been changed at their request.) They told us last year in a refugee camp, in hushed tones, about the abuses they had suffered. Recently, in a joint reporting project by NEWSWEEK and MSNBC, we returned to their isolated village in Central Kosovo to find out what had become of them. What we found was a mostly wrecked place, where even the closest relationships are plagued by fear, suspicion and shame. Since the war?s end, the ethnic Albanians who make up the vast majority of Kosovo?s population have been picking up the pieces with help from Western countries. Justice, though, remains elusive, particularly in cases of sexual abuse. A study issued in March by Human Rights Watch reported 96 documented cases of rape against Kosovar Albanians; the organization believes the actual number of rapes committed by Serbs during the NATO bombing was much higher. The majority of the documented rapes, the report says, were committed by Serb paramilitaries "who wore various uniforms and often had bandannas, long knives, long hair and beards." Other sexual assaults were committed by uniformed police and soldiers. "Rapes were not rare and isolated acts committed by individual Serbian or Yugoslav forces," Human Rights Watch concluded, "but rather were used deliberately as an instrument to terrorize the civilian population, extort money from families and push people to flee their homes." Drita?s village, miles from the nearest paved road, sits on a ridge overlooking forests and other hamlets. Brick houses with intricately carved wooden gates are connected by narrow dirt paths. Haystacks crowd the backyards and chickens scamper underfoot. In all, the village is home to 300 people. Most of them have known Drita for many years, and most would ostracize her if they knew her secret. Yet in private, several women told us the same basic story. On April 21 last year, Serb police and Army units marched into the village and herded women and children into three houses. For two days and nights they pulled out women one by one and sexually assaulted them. At least 10 women were raped here and human-rights investigators believe the number is much higher. In Kosovo generally, women fear speaking about sexual assault, terrified that they will be blamed for what happened to them. A married woman risks being expelled from her husband?s family and forced to give up her children. An unmarried victim will probably never find a husband. "The stigma of rape is so deep that it is often stated that a ?good? woman would rather kill herself than continue to live after having been raped," states a report by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Drita once considered telling her husband the truth. "I did not want to tell him directly so I asked him ?what would happen to us if I were to be raped?? " she recalls, staring at the ground. "And he answered: ?I would never keep you?." So silence became a barrier against further disaster. Drita?s mother-in-law repeatedly reminds visitors that Drita only "served coffee" to the Serbs and never did anything "wrong." Other women may have, she says, but definitely not the ones in her family. "All the girls here are good girls," she says. "Nothing happened to them." Drita says she still screams in her sleep. Investigation of war crimes now lies in the hands of the International Criminal Tribunal at The Hague. Patricia Sellers, legal adviser for gender-based crimes at the Tribunal, says the aim is not to prosecute individual cases of rape but rather to build a case against the top commanders and leaders who gave the orders. But to do that, investigators need witnesses who can identify the rapists by their uniforms and units. This information will help the Tribunal track Yugoslav troop movements and lead them to those in charge. It?s a huge task, and the women in Drita?s village say tribunal investigators have yet to talk to them (although other human-rights researchers have come). Individual prosecutions are being left to local courts. But the victims aren?t likely to find justice. For more than a decade, the Serb government in Belgrade controlled the courts in Kosovo and Albanians rarely used them. The war left a judicial vacuum. Now the United Nations civilian administration has ! just begun the process of rebuil ding a legal system. But even then, finding and identifying the men who committed assaults is nearly impossible. Serb forces have long ago withdrawn from Kosovo. A handful of foreign-funded grass-roots organizations run programs to help women in Kosovo. But none of these efforts have reached Drita?s village, where the war continues to cast a pall on everyday life. The village no longer has its own water source, for instance: when Serb forces entered the area, they executed 11 men and dumped their bodies in the village well. "It?s impossible to forget what happened because everything we do, everywhere we go, we are reminded of it," says Sheriffe, one of the villagers who witnessed the abductions of women. Drita?s extended family, which includes 30 people, lives in three rooms. Almost all of the adult men are gone, working menial jobs in Western Europe and only occasionally sending money home. With no phones in the village and no working postal system, contact is sporadic. One husband left seven years ago. It is a struggle for his wife to persuade him to send money for his nine children. Still, the family proudly displays pictures of the men working in Germany. In one snapshot, two men stand ramrod straight, visibly proud of the tuxedoes they wear. In the village, their children?s toes poke through tattered sneakers. The women say they are racked by anxiety, stress and depression. Symptoms include sleeplessness, chronic backaches, headaches and palpitations. One woman said she refrained from talking about the war at all so as not to upset her children. "You are forced not to remember and yet not to forget," she said. Because the Serbs in this village raped women out of public view, people can only suspect who the victims are. One rape victim, Esma, points to other women and stresses that what happened to her was not unique. Women and children were packed into rooms, she says. The Serbs came with flashlights to pick out the prettiest. The women had covered their faces with dirt and hair to appear unkempt and pinched their children to force them to cry and distract their captors. For two nights in a row, Esma was taken out of the room where the women were being held and repeatedly assaulted. When she fainted, Esma told a human-rights investigator, one of her tormentors carried her back to the other women and handed her an aspirin before leaving. Even within families, the wall of silence is firm. Arjeta, 28, is one of at least two women in one family who were raped, but neither woman acknowledges what happened to the other. For her, the bitter memories of war began long before that April. Several times that winter, scared of Serb patrols, the villagers had escaped into the nearby forests. Arjeta gave birth to her youngest child in the woods. Later, while a captive in her village, she was twice raped by the Serbs. Now she battles constant and severe headaches. "Every two or three nights I have the same nightmare," Arjeta says. "Someone is coming into my tent to eat me." She suffers in silence, her anxieties seemingly without end. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:27:53 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:27:53 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fire in the Mountains Message-ID: <9.12e34c76.27f0f23a@aol.com> Fire in the Mountains Former warlords in the Balkans are building an international criminal empire. Will they drag Macedonia and the West into another bloodbath? By Rod Nordland NEWSWEEK Sulejman Ramadani, 41, was opening his garage door one day last week when a sniper?s bullet pierced his forehead. Now the engineer?s two sons, 4 and 2, have no father. The Ramadanis are ethnic Albanians, like most of their neighbors in Macedonia?s second largest city, Tetovo. The same is true of the guerrillas who control the heights above the city. THAT AWKWARD FACT hasn?t stopped the sharpshooters and mortar crews from raining death onto their ethnic kinsmen below. The gunmen may eventually go after the Slavs, who make up two thirds of Macedonia?s population and largely control the former Yugoslav Republic?s economy and government. Right now, though, the fighters have implicitly declared war on a more helpless foe: moderate Albanians. That ruthless tactic seems to be working. Thousands of moderate Albanians are abandoning their homes in Tetovo and fleeing in fear of their lives, despite appeals for calm from both Albanians and Slavs in Macedonia?s ruling coalition. Meanwhile, more and more young Albanians are talking about joining the "liberation" forces in the hills. In Macedonia the insurgents call themselves the National Liberation Army. But their uniforms look exactly like those of the old Kosovo Liberation Army, now supposedly disarmed, disbanded and living in peace under NATO protection, across the Serb border a few kilometers to the north. Even the two groups? Albanian initials are the same: UCK. Macedonia has been the only former Yugoslav Republic to escape the horror of ethnic war. Now it is on the verge of losing that distinction. For Europe and the United States the fear is that NATO may be dragged even deeper into the Balkan mess?or that the West would have to live with yet another abject failure to prevent a bloodbath. Although Western observers have praised the government?s coolheaded response to the crisis, a local police officer or an angry young Albanian could overreact at any moment, possibly setting off a disaster. The conflict could ultimately be an even worse disaster for the West than Somalia was. If peacekeepers try to stop the new KLA, they will inevitably incur the Albanians? wrath. Sooner or later that would mean a body count?and a very difficult political problem for George W. Bush. More than that, if NATO loses its will and pulls out, it could call into the question the alliance?s very legitimacy. Meanwhile, the new KLA seems intent on spreading the conflict across the region. ?PEOPLE ARE RUNNING? "Criminals and pseudopatriots," Rauf Ramadani angrily calls the rebels. An ethnic Albanian himself (no relation to Sulejman), he is Tetovo?s chief of police. "For me the most disappointing thing is that a lot of people are running," he says during an interview. The phone rings. Another relative is leaving town. "Don?t worry about me! Do what you want!" Ramadani barks into the receiver, then slams the phone down. Kosovo?s UCK hard-liners have said they are fighting to create a Greater Albania?an objective that has been publicly repudiated even by the Albanian government?or a Greater Kosovo, a goal Kosovo?s own political leaders have renounced. Last week in Macedonia, the guerrillas claimed to be fighting for equal rights in the form of better schools and perhaps even a constitutional rewrite to establish an ethnic federation. But foreign and local officials on both sides of the Kosovo-Macedonia border say the conflict is largely about control of a growing Albanian-run criminal empire. This is a syndicate with a difference. Its kingpins are actively seeking to destabilize the entire region. Few civilians dare to talk even anonymously about the rackets. The Balkans have always served as a back door to Europe. But the region?s fastest-growing industries?smuggling of prostitutes, drugs and other contraband of every description?have exploded since NATO drove the Yugoslav Army out of Kosovo in June 1999. The bosses are the enclave?s former "freedom fighters": the KLA. In a sense they got into the business legitimately, at first creating covert networks that imported guns to fight the Serbs and exported refugees who were trying to escape Serb ethnic cleansing. Much of that traffic went through neighboring Albania, a nearly lawless place since the collapse of government authority in 1997. THUGS AND INSURGENTS Now the KLA has officially put down its guns and regrouped as the peacetime Kosovo Protection Force. But it?s supporting and fomenting insurgencies not only in neighboring Macedonia, but also in the Presevo Valley of southern Serbia. "Some of these folks started as thugs, became insurgents and now run both ?businesses?," says a senior Bush administration official. "They are profitable businesses. Clearly they [have fomented] an upsurge of activity in Macedonia." TOP POLICE OFFICIAL IN PRISTINA, KOSOVO To the kingpins, peace is bad for business. "Once you establish the rule of law and start collecting taxes, or import duties, it threatens the smugglers," says a top police official in Kosovo?s capital, Pristina. "So what do they do? They go out and kill Serbs. Stability isn?t profitable, conflict is." Murders of minority Serbs and Gypsies in Kosovo are widespread, and draw scant condemnation even from moderate Albanians. Gunmen are increasingly fond of taking potshots at NATO?s Kosovo Protection Force (KFOR) peacekeepers as well. One such incident led to a shoot-out between KLA fighters and the U.S. Army?s 82d Airborne on March 8. The crime lords have redrawn Kosovo?s internal map. Officials of the U.N. Mission in Kosovo say the enclave has been carved into seven mafia-style fiefdoms, roughly conforming to the KLA?s seven operational zones during the war, run mostly by former KLA commanders. Most of the bosses are now "generals" in the Kosovo Protection Corps, the supposedly weaponless militia created under the 1999 peace agreement. The lawlessness of Kosovo has allowed these former misfits to grow rich and powerful as never before in their communities. "This is a postwar or postconflict society with large population movements, a new political landscape, a cash economy and easy access to firearms," says Christopher Albiston, the United Nations? top law enforcer in Kosovo. "All that leads to a dangerous and unstable environment." SURPASSING NEW YORK?S FINEST Albiston heads a police force of roughly 8,000 officers. They have the assistance of some 38,000 KFOR troops who also perform many routine police duties. All told, that?s more peace officers than New York City has. Their job is to patrol an area whose population is roughly 1.6 million?about a fifth the size of New York. But Kosovo?s crime rate is as bad as any city?s in America, and the mob?s tentacles are spreading. Drug trafficking has become so prevalent that German and Scandinavian police now say Kosovo Albanians are their countries? leading suppliers of heroin and other drugs. And in Italy, police there say, Albanian gangsters from both Albania and Kosovo are now the leading importers of prostitutes from Eastern Europe and Russia. Not surprisingly, no one knows when it will become possible for any of the KFOR troops or the U.N. police to go home again. Even so, some foreign observers are refusing to despair. "Over time we?ve created basic security here," insists one Western diplomat in Pristina. "Now comes the hard part?organized crime. For NATO, the key to an exit strategy is getting the law-and-order part right. And organized crime poses a threat to institutions of statehood. They?re a kind of antistate." They have made violence the rule, not the exception. Few Serbs remain anywhere in Kosovo, except a few pockets under 24-hour KFOR guard. NATO even runs a special train, guarded by troops and escorted by helicopter gunships, to transport besieged Serbs from one enclave to another. Last year KLA fighters started fomenting trouble in the neighboring Presevo Valley, along Kosovo?s eastern border with Yugoslavia. NATO had declared a ground safety zone (GSZ) there, off-limits to Yugoslav troops. Although the area was inside Serbia, it had a majority of Albanians, many of them complaining that Serb authorities had mistreated them. But many of the valley?s rebels were actually KLA hard-liners imported from inside Kosovo to fight under the name of a local Albanian group. By this year, the Presevo insurgency had grown to 2,000 fighters. Efforts by moderate Kosovo leaders to restrain the KLA?s forays were futile, and American KFOR troops, whose first priority was officially their own "force protection," refrained from trying very hard to stop the traffic of troops and arms across the border. Last week, spurred by the fighting in Macedonia, NATO finally agreed to let Yugoslav troops occupy a small slice of the GSZ on the Macedonian border. U.S. officials say the insurgents in Macedonia are clearly neither raw farm boys nor ill-disciplined street-corner toughs. There?s no doubt they have been soldiering a lot longer than a few weeks. "These boys were not your average locals," says a Western official. "[They] were organized as a unit. They tried to conduct a flanking maneuver. They had sufficient training to be at least militarily capable." After two weeks of border skirmishes, members of the U.S. 82d Airborne moved up to block the Kosovo border, and Yugoslav forces regained control of their Macedonian frontier. Macedonia-bound groups of insurgents kept their cool and quietly backed off without panicking. "They left in an orderly way," says the official. Meanwhile, their comrades inside Macedonia launched a provocative attack on Tetovo, after local Albanian radicals organized an emphatically pro-guerrilla demonstration, with young men shouting "U-C-K! U-C-K!" Macedonian police didn?t overreact, even when KLA snipers in the hills around town opened fire. "They did everything right," says an approving Western diplomat. But many locals are rooting for the other side. A 19-year-old Tetovo Albanian proudly says: "People were really surprised at how well-planned the KLA action was." The diplomat agrees it was all carefully calculated. "Clearly, the objective is to make the police break, and overreact. So far they haven?t." After three days of inconclusive fighting, one civilian had been killed and 15 policemen wounded in Tetovo alone. Six other policemen and troops have been killed in border violence since January. To some Albanians it?s all one big war. NEWSWEEK journalists traveling with the rebels have seen many of the same faces under more than one banner. Some of the Albanians in Tanusevci, the Macedonian mountain village where the fighting started in February, were locals?but others were Kosovars who were seen only a few weeks earlier fighting beside the Presevo Valley insurgents. "When we?re finished with Macedonia," they like to promise, "Montenegro will be next." That Yugoslav province, preparing for a vote on independence soon, has its own sizable Albanian minority. "Kosovo has become the combined Afghanistan and Colombia of the Balkans." It?s no accident that Macedonia?s fighting began in Tanusevci, a high mountain village on an old road that for years has been used to smuggle contraband to and from Kosovo. One of the town?s native sons is Xhavit Hasani, who claims to have been a founding member of the KLA and is wanted in Macedonia for shooting a policeman and a civilian in a property dispute in 1998. American KFOR troops arrested him on suspicion of murdering ethnic Serbs in Vitina, Kosovo, where he had been the local KLA commander. He was extradited to Skopje and then released on bail. Macedonian officials accuse him of being a main orchestrator of the recent fighting. "A normal border regime threatened their smuggling interests," says Nikola Dimitrov, national-security adviser to Macedonia?s president, Boris Trajkovski. "Kosovo has become the combined Afghanistan and Colombia of the Balkans." FLAUNTING U.S. SUPPORT NATO officials are alarmed. "This is really dangerous stuff," says one U.S. official. Macedonia has been offered new Western military advisers, and the Americans have set up a military-liaison office to coordinate patrols on the troubled border. U.S. officials have also made a concerted effort to disavow any support for the KLA or its aims. No one is quite sure the message is getting through. The rebels have been featuring American flags on their posters to create the illusion that Washington supports them. For Albanian moderates, the prospects are glum. They dominated the polls in Kosovo last October when municipal elections were held under international supervision. Moderate politicians trounced the hard-line nationalists. But the defeat only strengthened the extremists? resolve?and nothing can stop them from stirring up violence and unrest at home and outside their borders. "The danger is that the extremists will delegitimize moderate Albanian leaders," warns a U.N. official in Skopje. "And that could bring down the government." ?COLLECTIVE MADNESS? A lot of Macedonians aren?t waiting to see what will happen next. Thousands of Albanians and Slavs have already fled Tetovo. Passport offices across the country are mobbed. "The situation itself isn?t really all that bad," insists Chief Ramadani. "But the panic is. Albanians are leaving because they?re afraid they have no protection from the police, and Macedonians are leaving because they?re afraid they have no protection from the Albanians. This is a collective madness, and I don?t know how to stop it." In the end the biggest loser will almost surely be Kosovo. No one wants the thankless job of redrawing the borders. And NATO and the United States has been reluctant to support independence for Kosovo. Now the insurgents in Macedonia are squandering international support for the Albanians in Kosovo. "Milosevic lost his legitimacy in Kosovo, but now his victims have lost their legitimacy," says Dimitrov. "There?s no rule of law, no ethnic tolerance, no human rights. Not even an economy, except foreign aid and organized crime." A year ago, that sweeping denunciation would have been easy to dismiss as Slav rhetoric. Now it has begun to sound plausible. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:30:04 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:30:04 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] A Troubled Dream - NEWSWEEK Message-ID: <14.118ce078.27f0f2bd@aol.com> A Troubled Dream How do Albanian rebels see their future? The answer, says a veteran Balkans watcher, can be found in their past. By David Binder NEWSWEEK March 22 ? The Albanian insurgencies in southeastern Serbia and northwestern Macedonia on the fringes of Kosovo should come as no surprise to anyone acquainted with these regions and with the turbulent history of the widely scattered Albanian people. THEY ARE TAKING PLACE exactly in areas that were home to Albanians, among other ethnicities, for centuries. They are also omens of the troubled dream some call "Greater Kosovo," which ultimately means "Greater Albania." In southern Serbia, Albanians were indigenous to territories around Nis and Leskovac, major Serbian cities some 25 miles from the present frontier of Kosovo. In the harsh winter of 1877-78 about 100,000 were driven out of the region?where they were in several places the ethnic majority?by the Serbian Army, then the victorious ally of imperial Russia in its war with the Ottoman Turks. Remarkably, the one region the Turks held onto, permitting native Albanians to remain following the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, was the Presevo Valley, an 87-square-mile sliver where an Albanian rebel band calling itself a "liberation army" has been fighting for the last 16 months to attach it to?and enlarge?Kosovo. Following the end of the bombing of Serbia in June 1999, that Connecticut-size province was uneasily occupied by NATO and administered by the United Nations. The Kosovo Albanians, thanks to NATO now an overwhelming ethnic majority, are demanding total independence, as they have for more than 30 years. Now comes Macedonia, a Slavic-majority territory which has also been home for centuries to Albanians. There, a "National Liberation Army" numbering several thousand has seized the villages and slopes of the Sar Mountain range adjacent to southern Kosovo. Ali Ahmeti, a senior commander of the rebel band occupying the heights above the largely ethnic Albanian city of Tetovo said: "Our aim is solely to remove Slav forces from territory which is historically Albanian." Again, let history be the guide. In 1879 Macedonia had became a temporary resting place for 200,000 Albanians expelled from Serbia. Many were subsequently sent eastward to traditional Turkish lands, commencing an expulsion/exodus of more than 300,000 Albanians over the next eight decades. The traffic was not all one way. In places and times when Albanians were locally supreme, hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Montenegrins were driven out of their ancestral homelands: 100,000 in World War II and 200,000 in the months after NATO?s Kosovo occupation. he fount of this restiveness, starting 130 years ago, was always Kosovo, whose Albanians were traditionally the wealthiest and most politically ambitious. Not by accident, the first expression of ambitions for Greater Albania occurred in the southern city of Prizren, where clan chieftains gathered in 1878 to form the League for the Defense of Rights of the Albanian Nation. They sought the union of all Albanian lands under the protection of Turkey. They came too late. Turkey was not strong enough to make meaningful concessions and was wary of people who had already begun attacking Ottoman troops. Meanwhile, Europe?s Great Powers had already decided to divide up the southern Balkans among Slavic clients and Greece. They ignored an Albanian petition at their Congress of Berlin. When the Great Powers?principally the Russians, the British and the Austro-Hungarians?convened again on the Albanian question in 1913 in London they once more ignored Albanian wishes in favor, said Britain?s foreign secretary Edward Grey, of preserving agreement among themselves. Instead they created a state on the Adriatic that placed more than half of the Albanians outside its borders. The remainder were left to the none-too-tender mercies of Greece, Serbia and Montenegro. Basically, that dilemma persists today, with 3.2 million people in Albania proper; 1.5 million in Kosovo; 500,000 in Macedonia; 500,000 in Greece; 100,000 in Serbia, and 50,000 in Montenegro. Add to this a farther-flung diaspora of 1.2 million Albanians in the United States, Germany, Switzerland and other Western European countries. By the twists of history, geography and their own clannish traditions, Albanians have never been able to create a state by themselves. Their only larger polities in the last 140 years functioned?and not very well?under foreign tutelage: Turkish, German, Italian, American and now, NATO. In place of skilled statesmen, the Albanians of Kosovo, Macedonia, South Serbia and Montenegro are today largely dominated by gunmen. The Liberation Army of Kosovo (UCK) of the 1990s was created with $163 million in voluntary and involuntary contributions from the huge Albanian diaspora and $250 million from the profits of the Albanian heroin cartel that dominates Europe?s drug traffic, according to Ralf Mutschke, assistant intelligence director of Interpol. The UCK, embraced by the NATO countries during the 78-day bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and then formally disbanded by NATO, has now spawned both the South Serbian and the Macedonian Liberation Armies that are now causing NATO such grief. "Greater Albania" is only whispered by the militants as a more distant goal. But near Tetovo they already talk openly about a "Greater Kosovo." "This is Kosovo," said a young man in the Macedonian town of Germo, welcoming a Western correspondent to his home on March 21. Maybe it is time for another conference of today?s Great Powers on the subject of Greater or Lesser Albania. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:31:57 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:31:57 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Kosovo: Not Under Fire ? NEWSWEEK Message-ID: <17.137b20f6.27f0f32d@aol.com> Kosovo: Not Under Fire Hot coffee, stray chickens and errant pepper spray. American peacekeepers are finding life isn?t quite as they expected on the Balkans frontline. By Juliette Terzieff NEWSWEEK March 21 ? Pfc. Peter Amico looks out over a small valley that separates Kosovo from Macedonia. Along with his fellow American GIs, who sit atop an Avenger outfitted with a thermal tracking facility, he watches an elderly man and three donkeys struggling to cross the rugged landscape. "It?s been pretty quiet actually," says the 19-year-old Virginia native. "Much better than I thought it would be." AMICO AND HIS BUDDIES are part of KFOR, the NATO-led peacekeeping force sent to protect Kosovo?s ethnic Albanians from the security forces of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. Their current mission: to help seal the porous border area and prevent armed guerrillas from using the Kosovo side as a staging base for insurgencies into Macedonia, where a growing rebellion is threatening to plunge the region into another war. A month ago KFOR troops barely paid any notice to the quiet mountain village of Debelde. But when clashes erupted between Albanian guerrillas and Macedonian forces in February, members of the 82nd Airborne were sent in to close down the pocket. "Our mandate, and that of all peacekeeping forces in Kosovo, is to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone living here. Whatever the reasons behind violence it simply can not be tolerated," says Capt. Marcus Evans of U.S. efforts to help the Macedonians push National Liberation Army (NLA) fighters out of the area. This joint attempt failed when rebel groups simply moved to other villages inside Macedonia. The NLA is an offshoot of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Its initials in Albanian, UCK, are the same as those of the KLA, and they share similar uniforms, flags and shoulder patches. The group, which battled Yugoslav forces here, is now fighting to win equal rights for the ethnic Albanians who make up at least 30 percent of Macedonia?s mostly Slavic population. "For 10 years the politicians have had their chance to solve the problems. They have failed," says the NLA fighter known as Commander Hoxha from the village of Malina Mala, some three miles from Debelde. While Macedonian security forces pound rebel positions along the border area, KFOR has promised increased control of its side of the border. The beefed-up presence will be an international effort, but for now it?s the members of the third platoon, Charlie Company, 1st battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment who are assigned with monitoring this mountainous territory. Most of the American soldiers stationed along the tense border area find Kosovo a welcoming place. "The people are remarkably friendly and open," says commanding officer Second Lt. David Hodges of Gainsville, Fla. "They are always inviting us in for coffee." A career soldier who has spent more than 12 years in the Army, Hodges has served in the Persian Gulf, Haiti, and the Sinai Peninsula. So far, he says, Kosovo has been "a nice change." Driving up and down the muddy winding roads in and around Debelde in an all-terrain SUS-V, Hodges waves to small children playing in the fields. "My favorite part is the chickens in the road!" he shouts over the engine?s roar slamming on the brakes and sending the passengers flying in four different directions. "Not much like Florida is it?" So far, the GIs? most dangerous encounter in the last three months has been a growling stray dog. Pfc. Gregory Armstrong, of Gary, Ind., confronted the potential attacker by whipping out his standard-issue pepper spray?and firing into his own face accidentally. It took more than a half hour?and many pints of water?before he could see again. The incident earned him a new nickname and a degree of notoriety among his fellow soldiers. "Tell ?Pepper? we?re gonna make him famous," Hodges smiles into his radio. Down at the guardhouse, where soldiers check those coming and going from the village, Pepper steps outside and points a finger to his head before flashing a sarcastic salute at his commander. In spite of the joking, American soldiers here know life could become much tougher for them if the almost 2 million Albanians in Kosovo lose their trust in NATO. "My father is very proud, but mom is a little worried," says Amico, whose father is a retired major. Amico tries to speak with his parents every two or three weeks by telephone, but relies primarily on e-mail as a means of communication. "I can?t tell them very much of what is going on here, so they have to rely mostly on the regular news services." With Albanians here sympathetic to the plight of their brethren in Macedonia, they are not likely to look kindly on KFOR efforts to shut down guerrilla operations. "We are all one people, despite the borders," explains NLA Commander Hoxha. Against this backdrop, American GIs say they are prepared for the worst. "None of us want to be in the position of fighting these people," says Amico. "But if it comes to it, we have the training and the weapons to defend ourselves." From kruja at fas.harvard.edu Mon Mar 26 14:34:04 2001 From: kruja at fas.harvard.edu (Eriola Kruja) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:34:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] abl. linguistics Message-ID: Hi all, I'm looking for information on Albanian dialects. I mainly need dialect information for the cities of Gjirokastra, Berat, Peqin, Durres and Tirana. I'm looking for specific dialect features and not general conclusions. For example differences in word meaning, word usage and word pronounciation, or differences in grammatical constructions etc. etc. What are the shibboleths (give-aways) of these dialects? If you know of any books that might have this information or you yourself have done similar linguistic research please send me some information at kruja at fas.harvard.edu. much thanks!! eriola. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:36:26 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:36:26 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Breathing Room in the Balkans ? NEWSWEEK Message-ID: Breathing Room in the Balkans NATO?s battle to keep the peace may be stifling the people it?s trying to protect. Here?s a way out By Fareed Zakaria NEWSWEEK Here we go again. like clockwork the latest crisis in the Balkans has produced the usual flurry of calls to action. NATO is urged to crack down on the separatists in Macedonia and reinforce its government. In other words, to get things back to normal. But the situation in the Balkans right now is far from normal. DESPITE THE RECENT LULL in the fighting, Macedonia is unraveling. In many ways it?s a wonder it hasn?t happened sooner. Unlike Bosnia, where Muslims, Serbs and Croats lived and worked together and even intermarried, the Slavs and Albanians of Macedonia have always coexisted separately and uneasily. The Albanians, making up about a third of the country, are persecuted in myriad ways (their unemployment rate is a staggering 60 percent, twice that of the Slavs; the Army and police top brass are all Slavs; access to education is highly inequitable). Most Slavs speak of Albanians in deeply racist terms. Albanian involvement in crime and heroin trafficking doesn?t help the country?s image much. In other words, once lit, this tinderbox has plenty in it to keep the fire burning. The arsonists in this case are Albanians from Kosovo, who are supplying their Macedonian brethren with arms and secessionist support. Things have not been going well for Kosovar militants. They have been driven into Macedonia because they cannot operate out of Kosovo, which is now an armed camp of NATO?s. The greater tragedy for them was the fall of Slobodan Milosevic. As long as Slobo was in power in Belgrade, independence for Kosovo seemed likely and even imminent. But once he was replaced by a constitutional, pro-Western regime, everything changed. Now the West?s principal goal in the region is to support the fragile democracy in Yugoslavia. Kosovo?s independence might have to wait. Apparently some Kosovars won?t. Of course moderates on all sides might prevail. But the recent history of the Balkans has been that, when ethnic tensions and violence rise, extremists prosper and moderates lose support. In a crisis, Leninists tend to win. There is little doubt that NATO?s forces could crush the rebellion in Macedonia. And in the short term they should do so, to prevent violence from emboldening the rebels and weakening the Macedenonian government. But NATO has to ask itself, what are its longer-term political goals? Like the Ottomans and Habsburgs before it, it is now the dominant power in the Balkans. Also like those other empires, it preserves peace among dissenting nationalities. But in the process NATO has become the principal obstacle standing in the way of the national aspirations of virtually all its subject populations. In Bosnia, the Serbs and Croats wish to be freed from a unitary Bosnian state but cannot do so because of NATO. The Kosovars want independence but are prevented from doing so by NATO. (The Serbs of Kosovo also wanted self-determination, but that problem has mostly been dealt with by ethnic cleansing; 200,000 of them have fled into Yugoslavia since NATO?s occupation.) And now the Albanians of Macedonia might well see NATO as standing between them and their desire for greater freedom. Of course, NATO sees itself not as an imperial power but as a trustee, helping its wards along until they become democratic, capitalist and peace-loving. These forces might well come to the Balkans, but it might take a while. In the meantime, is NATO helping matters by preserving the fiction of multiethnic states? The recent history of the Balkans?indeed, of much of Europe?is sad but clear: multiethnic states have broken down into civil war. Ethnically homogeneous states have more often lived in peace with one another. Why not create arrangements that, while giving up on the ideals of religious and ethnic coexistence, might actually keep the peace? Besides, by clinging to old borders that few inside them support, NATO is thwarting people?s political aspirations. This is an awkward stance for an alliance that has made the promotion of democracy one of its goals. And even if it were desirable, is it feasible? In an age of nationalism no imperial mandate?however benign?can last long. People soon decide that they prefer their own government, however bad, to foreign rule, however good. NATO should begin to think seriously about giving power to any community that wants it?in Bosnia, in Kosovo?and perhaps privately urge the Macedonian government to do the same. The Albanian enclave in Macedonia could easily be detached into its own entity. Then if the Albanians of Kosovo and Macedonia want to stay separate or join hands, it?s their choice. If the Serbs of Bosnia want to join hands with Belgrade, good luck. If the Croats want to get in on the new Croatia, mazel tov. As long as it is done through negotiations and in peace, what difference does it make how many new statelets arise? All we need is a few new chairs at the United Nations. Of course, NATO forces will have to stick around to keep things peaceful. This crisis should not produce a fresh round of questions about America?s interests in the region or about its "exit strategy." Over the past three years our commitments have created interests (even though in foreign policy it should usually be the other way around). NATO is now primarily a Balkan policing and reconstruction organization. The point is not that it needs an exit. The point is that it needs a strategy. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:33:50 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:33:50 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Gangsters? Paradise ? NEWSWEEK Message-ID: <38.13e53765.27f0f399@aol.com> The Gangsters? Paradise The motherland is a nest of drug traffickers, weapons dealers and people smugglers. No wonder nobody talks any more about a Greater Albania By Joshua Hammer NEWSWEEK Nestled on Albania?s southern coast just 45 miles across the Adriatic from Italy, the crumbling port of Vlore is a smuggler?s paradise. Countless sandy coves hidden along the rugged shoreline provide ideal loading bases for high-powered speedboats laden with heroin, hashish, guns or human cargo. An underequipped, underpaid police force is nearly powerless to catch them. "We seized three boats last month," boasts Police Chief Gjovalin Lohja, guiding his van along a decrepit road cut into the cliffs. Minutes later he pulls up to the police department?s only patrol boat, which cruises at 25 miles an hour?about half the speed of the smugglers? craft. The crew tries to start the waterlogged engine. After half an hour Lohja finally shrugs, "Maybe we?ll try again tomorrow." WELCOME TO GROUND ZERO of the great Balkan breakdown. A decade after the collapse of Communism opened Albania to the world, this small, destitute state continues to spread trouble far beyond its borders. Many observers trace the whirlwind now roaring through the region to the collapse of Albania?s weak central government in 1997, when a million weapons passed into the hands of the country?s angry and desperate population. Tens of thousands of those arms wound up in the hands of the Kosovo Liberation Army, ratcheting up the Kosovo conflict and drawing NATO into the fight. In the four years since then, Albania has continued to play a destabilizing role. Albanian criminal gangs in league with the Italian and Kosovo mafias have helped to fuel a lucrative trade in drugs and arms throughout the Balkans. Two years ago, many Kosovar refugees were so dismayed by glimpses of their southern neighbor that they put aside dreams of a Greater Albania?and began focusing their efforts on their! ethnic confreres in Macedonia a nd Serbia instead. Ironically, as the flames of ethnic Albanian nationalism again threaten to engulf the Balkans, the poorest nation in Europe is struggling to reverse the meltdown that it set in motion. The Kosovo war woke its leaders up to the fact that they could be vital players in the region, and that by pushing Balkan stability Albania could reap massive doses of Western aid. Last week, in a clear signal of Albania?s new role on the regional stage, former KLA commanders Hashim Thaci and Agim Ceku traveled to Tirana, where Albanian leaders urged them to pressure the guerrillas to seek a political settlement. While trying to play peace broker, Albania is also acting to erase its reputation for lawlessness: the government has moved to crack down on contraband, root out corruption and collaborate with Western drug agents. "The government is gradually taking control," says a Western official in Tirana. "The space of the bad guys to operate is getting smaller." But Albania remains poor and weak?! and its credibility as a regiona l force is consistently undermined by the huge number of criminals in its midst. Nowhere is that more obvious than in Vlore, a sultry port of palm-lined boulevards, outdoor cafes and crumbling Italianate architecture three hours south of Tirana. The town?s descent into lawlessness began in 1992 when local gangs formed partnerships with Italian mafias to smuggle desperate Albanians by sea to Italy. After the 1997 implosion of a government-endorsed pyramid scheme (in which tens of thousands of investors lost their life savings), Vlore?s citizens rose in revolt. Police and soldiers fled their posts, throwing open the city?s armories. In the power vacuum, criminal gangs carved out a lucrative trade. The biggest business: people smuggling. Kurdish refugees from Turkey and Iraq pay as much as $1,000 to be brought by Albanian gangs across the Macedonian or Greek borders. The gang bosses have invested heavily in high-powered German and Italian-made boats that can skim across the Adriatic in 45 minutes, and hire local boatmen, known as skafisti , to pilot the craft! s. A ?COWBOY? FOR POLIECE CHIEF The Albanian government has tried, fitfully, to regain control of Vlore. In 1998 the Interior minister made what seemed an inspired move: he appointed Sokol Kociu, 41, police chief. A burly career cop from northern Albania, "Kociu was a cowboy," says one colleage. Three months after arriving in Vlore, Kociu?s team swept down on a beachfront garage and captured six mafia speedboats. In revenge, gangsters kidnapped the chief and held him at gunpoint on an island until he agreed to release the boats. The kidnapping made Kociu a legend in a country starved for heroes. A few months later his longtime friend and colleague, Prosecutor General Arben Rakipi, hired him to be the country?s top judicial investigator, based in the capital, Tirana, where he would lead the government?s fight against corruption. His career flourished: Kociu broke up a scheme by airport officials to extort fees from Kurdish refugees to land in Albania. His family spent Sundays with Rakipi cavorting at a heavily guarded beach complex once used by top officials from the regime of Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha. But like many Albanian officials, Kociu apparently succumbed to the same shadowy forces he had pledged to destroy. Early last year, say Italian investigators, he was enlisted in a scheme by two Albanian businessmen to ship Colombian cocaine to Albania?then smuggle it out to Western Europe and Russia. Kociu allegedly secured phony passports for the businessmen, met secretly with Colombian drug traffickers and made visits to Porto Palermo, an old naval base near Vlore, allegedly to secure a landing point for the cocaine. But Italian authorities discovered the plot and in late February Rakipi issued an arrest warrant for Kociu. The former hero fled his favorite Tirana coffee shop as the police moved in. For three weeks, he led his erstwhile colleagues on a cat-and-mouse game through Tirana, taunting them with mobile phone calls to the media from his hiding places. Last week police finally arrested him in a Tirana villa. Kociu has denied his guilt. "I feel betrayed," says Rakipi. ! "I need to forget this whole epi sode." That won?t be easy. Albania is full of men like Sokol Kociu, and the pervasive criminality that runs through society makes rot difficult to contain. In Vlore, meanwhile, the new police chief struggles to escape from Kociu?s tainted legacy. In the last year his force has made slow progress against traffickers. Backed by a unit of the Italian Guardia di Finanza, they seized 11 speedboats in the first two months of the year, along with 1.5 tons of marijuana and hundreds of Kurdish boat people. But the battle is frustrating. "The skafisti have all the advantages?cash, electronics and cell phones," says Lohja. "We don?t have anything." The cops say revelations about Kociu?s corruption have demoralized them, and prompted many to reassess the hero cop?s record in Vlore. "It wouldn?t surprise me if he staged his own kidnapping," says one longtime colleague. "He was always an adventurer." Exactly the kind of character whom Albania?s reformers will have to contend with as they try to br! ing their country some respect. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 14:35:12 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:35:12 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] In the Thick of It ? NEWSWEEK Message-ID: <36.137a8776.27f0f3eb@aol.com> In the Thick of It A reporter?s firsthand account of being shelled in the Tetovo hills as violence between Macedonian Slavs and Albanians escalates By Joshua Hammer NEWSWEEK The attack came with little warning. We had just arrived in Selce, an idyllic cluster of red-tile-roofed houses packed tightly on the steep eastern slopes of a river gorge. For the past week this strategically located hamlet high above the Macedonian town of Tetovo had been occupied by ethnic Albanian rebels of the National Liberation Army, and, with two other correspondents, I had set out early that morning on a five-hour trek through the mountains to meet the rebel command. THE STREETS were nearly deserted when we pulled into town, except for a few clusters of civilians who were worriedly discussing the day?s deployment of tanks and artillery pieces around Tetovo. Moments later a camouflage-painted Lada screeched to a halt, and four black-bereted insurgents spilled out, retreating without a word into their adjacent headquarters. Suddenly the air seemed to grow deathly still. A handful of villagers, somehow sensing danger, dashed toward a flatbed truck parked beside a wall and squeezed under it. Sandwiched with them inside the narrow crawl space, we had only a few seconds to wonder what the panic was about. Then came the first explosion. With a deafening crash, the 120-mm tank shell slammed into the ground about 100 meters away from us, shattering windows and rocking the earth. Boys and men hugged one another as they wedged their bodies further beneath the truck, bracing themselves for the next blast. Seconds later we heard a high-pitched whine, and then came the second explosion, this one even closer than the last. Two more shells landed in the space of a minute, each preceded by the same terrifying drone. I wormed myself beneath the truck chassis, just inches from two large fuel tanks. During the next 40 minutes, a dozen more shells slammed into Selce, apparently fired from Macedonian Army positions in Tetovo. Although I?m not a believer, I found myself praying?and cursing the Albanians for not having cellars. The bombardment tailed off as darkness descended, leaving one civilian injured, several houses partially destroyed?and our nerves shattered. Last week?s shelling of Selce and other rebel-held villages provided a frightening glimpse of where Macedonia?s war against Albanian rebels may be heading. The government declared a 24-hour ceasefire after the attack and issued an ultimatum to the insurgents to lay down their arms or face a full-scale assault. Intense diplomatic pressure on ethnic Albanian leaders in the region initially raised hopes that the rebels would give up?but those hopes collapsed within a day. On Friday the Macedonians said they had fired on rebel positions across the country?s northern border with Kosovo?placing NATO, which occupies the Serb province, even closer to the fighting. Sandbagged police checkpoints and armored personnel carriers now line the highway between Skopje and Tetovo. And as the Army resumed its bombardment of the hills above Tetovo, government spokesman Antonio Milososki vowed: "We will destroy the heart of terrorism." MURKY DEMANDS As a two-day journey into the heart of rebel territory confirmed, the National Liberation Army is spreading rapidly through ethnic Albanian parts of Macedonia. The rebels? demands remain murky. Some want improved opportunities for ethnic Albanians in a united Macedonia, while others seek to merge with Kosovo. Still others want Albanian autonomy within Macedonia. But their call to arms has attracted hundreds of poor and jobless young men. And the government?s tactics, including cutting electricity, sealing villages and lobbing tank shells indiscriminately into rebel-held communities, are strengthening civilian solidarity with the NLA and radicalizing the population. Moments after the bombardment in Selce, we took refuge in a nearby coffee shop where village men gathered and shouted imprecations against their attackers. "You know the Slavs," an old man named Azem told me. "They?re trying to destroy us." Selce has borne the brunt of the Macedonian siege. Since the fighters took up arms here last week, the village has been largely cut off from the world, and pro-rebel sentiment is growing throughout the area. Getting into Selce requires a dangerous hike up trails that wind through forest and pastures, some in direct range of Macedonian guns; along the way we passed men and boys on horseback, bringing in food and blankets for the fighters, who are firing back at the Macedonians from a nearby former Turkish fort known as Qale. Electricity and phone service have been cut off for a week, food supplies are running low, and the presence of the rebel command makes the town an inviting military target. Yet Hassan Zelili, Selce?s deputy mayor, who owns a grocery store in Tetovo, insisted that nobody in the village was contemplating leaving. "I?ll stay here with my people, with my family. I don?t want to flee to Kosovo," he told us over a supper of bread, goat cheese and chicken soup prepared by candlelight. "Everyone?s morale is high." Locals are rallying behind the rebels out of fear and frustration. Relations between the two ethnic groups have long been hair-trigger tense, much like the tensions between the Serbs and Kosovar Albanians. The Albanian minority has been denied basic rights, including use of their own language in schools and other institutions. In 1998, Arben Xhaferi?s Democratic Party of Albanians joined Macedonia?s ruling coalition, and the party won key minority rights. Albanian police chiefs now serve in many towns, and dozens of schools teach an Albanian-language curriculum. Even so, inequities remain: Macedonia?s special police units and the Army top brass are almost exclusively Slavic. Cyrillic remains the country?s official alphabet, and Albanians lack a state-funded university. Albanians also claim that their unemployment rate is 80 percent, and that jobs for them are almost nonexistent in the public sector. "Macedonia is a false democracy," Zelili told me. "We?re not equal citizens." DRUGS AND GUNS The slow pace of reform played into the hands of Albanian hard-liners. The fighting first broke out in Tanusevci, a remote mountain village near the Kosovo border. For decades the hamlet has been an important point on the Balkan contraband route, through which millions of dollars worth of weapons and narcotics pass annually. Embarrassed by a TV report drawing attention to the lack of government control there, Macedonian police entered Tanusevci in mid-February to seal the frontier. Three were killed in a confrontation with ethnic Albanian gunmen. The incident apparently provided a pretext for a wider war of Albanian "liberation." Militant leaders swiftly mobilized hundreds of young men in mountain villages around Tetovo, who had fought with the Kosovo Liberation Army against the Serbs two years before. Their wartime experiences, observers say, heightened their Albanian nationalism. Jobless, bored, armed and trained for a fight against their Slavic enemy, many of these Young Tu! rks were eager to pick up their weapons again. Now the fighters seem determined to continue the struggle. Meanwhile, NATO and European officials debate how best to shore up the Macedonian government?and stay out of another Balkans war. Visiting Skopje last week, Javier Solana, the European Union?s high representative for common foreign and security policy, said that "it would be a mistake to negotiate with terrorists." There is room for discussions with political parties, but not with extremists, EU officials explained. And in a show of European solidarity, later this month Macedonia will become the first Balkan country to sign a stabilization and association agreement with the EU, which will further isolate the rebels. NATO has asked member states for another 1,000 to 1,200 troops for the 40,000-strong Kosovo contingent, but only to tighten up border controls to Kosovo?not to fight in Macedonia. They?ll have to contend with a rapidly growing rebel force. The morning after the bombardment of Selce, we were escorted by two boys evacuating a wounded 21-year-old fighter named Azem on horseback to his family?s home in the village of Sipkovica. He had taken shrapnel in his calf while firing on Macedonian police from the Turkish fort. After a two-hour climb down the valley and back up the other side, we dropped him off at his house on Sipkovica?s outskirts, where his sobbing mother rushed outside to embrace him. Just down the road, a black-bereted guerrilla opened the back door of a van and passed out a dozen weapons?including belted heavy-caliber machine guns?to a cluster of eager recruits. Still, the wartime fervor has not infected everyone. In front of a home half-destroyed by a Macedonian shell fired the day before from Tetovo, I met Nejazi Kadrija, a fluent English and German speaker who had returned to Sipkovica last week from a job in London to rescue his young son. Now he found himself trapped in the village, hemmed in by Macedonian sharpshooters perched in the Sar Mountains by the Kosovo border, and by police snipers down in Tetovo. "These rebel fighters in the hills are jobless, angry," he said. "The European countries are full, there is no work for them, so the only solution they found was guns." Kadrija said that many people in Sipkovica had been educated or worked overseas, and frowned upon the path taken by the armed men in their midst. "We don?t support the NLA, and we don?t support the Macedonian Army," he said. "We are angry at everybody. We are just hoping that we can survive the nightmare." For one day, I did. From kbejko at hotmail.com Mon Mar 26 16:49:16 2001 From: kbejko at hotmail.com (Kreshnik Bejko) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 16:49:16 -0500 Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Radicals are the winners Message-ID: >Follow this link: >http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir010326_1_n.shtml > >Or simply read this: > >26 March 2001 Radicals are the winners in Macedonian fighting > >By JIR Special Correspondent Zoran Kusovac > >The upsurge of ethnically motivated fighting in the Former Yugoslav >Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has brought into the limelight the >ethnic-Albanian organization calling itself the National Liberation Army >(Ushtria Clirimtare Kombetare - UCK). Although sharing the same >Albanian-language acronym as the better known Kosovo Liberation Army, now >disbanded, the NLA appears to be an indigenous force, created in a matter >of weeks since fighting started on the Macedonia-Kosovo border in late >February. > >Despite repeated allegations made in Macedonia throughout last year, no >ethnic Albanian armed organisation existed in Macedonia. Both >ethnic-Albanian parties of Macedonia, although mutually competing, have >remained peaceful. > >However, when the agreement on borders, signed by FYROM and the federal >Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 23 February, threatened to endanger the >unique position of Tanusevci as a smuggling haven straddling both sides of >the Kosovo-Macedonia border, local gangs tried to keep the contraband >routes open with guns. Cut off from the hinterland in Kosovo by KFOR troops >and unable to match the superior numbers and equipment of the Macedonian >Army (Armija na Republika Makedonija- ARM) in the open, the smugglers >retired into the hills. > >The hasty response of FYROM's leadership and the international community, >who referred to the smugglers as insurgents, opened a window of opportunity >for radical Albanians in Macedonia who have long been waiting for a chance >to radicalise the Albanian population. They made a grand entry onto the >scene, with loud gunfire during a peace rally in the predominantly Albanian >town of Tetovo. > >As a result, moderate Albanian politicians were discredited and humiliated. >Macedonian authorities over-reacted, ordering a strong Interior Ministry >(Ministerstvo na vnatresnji raboti - MVR) force to 'defend Tetovo', later >augmenting it with ARM units with T-55 tanks and 105mm howitzers. > >It came as little surprise that the MVR/ARM joint force, ultimately >numbering nearly 3,000, adopted the tactics reminiscent of its predecessor, >the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), and for days shelled Kale hill >overlooking Tetovo, from where there was very little return fire. Constant >pounding caused concern among civilians; minority Macedonians fled Tetovo >as a precaution, while better-off Albanians sent their families abroad, >mindful of previous Balkan sieges. Every shell strengthened radicals on >both sides of the ethnic divide and provided them with a 'justification' to >call for guns. > >Within days the NLA increased its membership from a two-digit figure to >some 600. Encouraged, the NLA announced it now had a political wing, >represented by Ali Ahmeti. Kastriot Haxhirexha, a defector from the >moderate Democratic Albanian Party, formed the National Democratic Party to >cater for the growing radicalisation. On the Macedonian side, Prime >Minister Ljubco Georgijevski talked tough but, somewhat surprisingly and >possibly fearing failure, allowed President Boris Trajkovski - hitherto >considered a political lightweight and a figurehead - to spearhead calls >for tough measures. > >After five days shelling Kale hill, the government announced that its >forces would finally advance, but before they had a chance to move, the NLA >announced a unilateral cease-fire and offered to start political >negotiations; Trajkovski refused and responded with a 24-hour ultimatum to >surrender. > >When the combined ARM/MVR force finally scaled Kale hill on 22 March it >found that the NLA, its main aim of coming to the limelight achieved, was >gone. Driven by the politicians' need to claim a victory rather than sound >military judgement, Macedonian forces are continuing the mop-up operation, >but, untrained and inexperienced, they will have to stop well below the >2,700m peaks of Mount Sar. > >There are already reports that the Macedonian force has done little to >differentiate between NLA members and civilians as it has entered remote >villages, and allegations of its heavy-handedness and use of >'scorched-earth' tactics are likely to increase in future, further >deepening the rift between the two ethnic groups. > >The first weeks of April will be crucial for the fate of Macedonia. >Apparently content with its new-found prominence, the NLA has dispersed >into the civil community. Unless ARM over-reacts, it is still possible that >political means may be used to resolve the situation in Macedonia. If >Macedonian forces do not demonstrate self-restraint on Mount Sar, however, >the NLA is likely to retaliate in other parts of the country, possibly even >the capital, Skopje. That would be the point of no return, as radicals on >both sides would probably take up arms - readily available at an affordable >price - and start another Balkan civil war. > > > >Copyright 2001 Jane's Information Group. All rights reserved. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 16:49:47 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 13:49:47 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] KOHA JONE Message-ID: <20010326214947.91782.qmail@web11502.mail.yahoo.com> Ismail Kadare, Presidenti 2001-2005 Gjithcka duhet te kete nisur ne nje takim me nxenesit e shkolles se mesme artistike "Jordan Misja" ne Tirane. Dhjetera artiste adoleshente, idhulli i te cileve eshte shkrimtari i njohur Ismail Kadare, e thirren mes tyre per ta pare nga afer dhe per te biseduar me te. Pas bisedave "te thjeshta" per librat, legjendat e Kadarese, bisedat u perqendruan tek politika. Dikush nga liceistet leshoi nje pyetje te papritur; "Zoti Kadare, pse nuk beheni President?" Pergjigjja ishte aq e shpejte dhe e shkurter saqe liceistet nuk e priten. Shkrimtari i madh u duk teper i sinqerte kur u pergjigj: "Nuk ma kane propozuar". I intervistuar nga lloj-lloj gazetaresh per politiken dhe kontributin e tij ne te, Kadare asnjehere nuk e ka zbuluar ate qe fshihte perbrenda dhe kete mesa duket e kane arritur me naivitetin e tyre vetem disa adoleshente. Rruga neper te cilen duhet te kaloje Kadareja per t'u bere President kalon nga Parlamenti. Pasi ne Kushtetute kandidati per President duhet te jete deputet. Te jesh deputet ne Parlamentin shqiptar per nje emer te tille si kandidati i "Nobelit" nuk eshte aq e veshtire. Dhe rrugen e lehtesoi nje propozim qe doli nga nje seksion i PD ne Gjirokaster; "Kadare te jete njeri prej kandidateve per deputete ne Paramentin e ardhshem". Propozimi duket si i rastesishem dhe nisur nga simpatite qe shqiptaret kane per shkrimtarin e njohur. Ne fakt Kadare, edhe pse ka dashur te shfaqet si emancipuesi i politikes shqiptare, nuk ka mundur t'u shpetoje qendrimeve personale. Ne deklaratat publike Kadare e ka bere te qarte qendrimin e tij politik dhe e ka vertetuar cdo alibi qe vete e krijon, me takimet e shpeshta qe ka preferuar te beje gjate qendrimeve te shkurtra ne Shqiperi. Kush i ka ndjekur kronikat televizive kujtohet mire se jo vetem nje here, Kadare dhe Berisha kane pire kafen e mengjesit ne Rogner. Nje shkrimtar i njohur edhe ne bote per veprat e tij, njekohesisht deputet i PD-se ne Parlamentin shqiptar eshte nje figure e kompletuar, qe e "meriton" te jete edhe me shume. Ndersa Berisha duhet te ndryshoje Kushtetuten per t'u bere President per here te trete dhe Nano nuk do te arrinte ta merrte kurre voten e opozites nese kandidon, kandidatura e Kadarese do te gjente miratimin e tre te pestave te Parlamentit dhe do te shmangte krizen e rizgjedhjes se Presidentit, qe pas nje viti pritet te jete shume e veshtire dhe te rrezikoje edhe zgjedhjet e parakohshme. Anila Jole __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 17:04:50 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:04:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Fwd: [balkans] Query: Church and Nationalism Message-ID: <20010326220450.60064.qmail@web11507.mail.yahoo.com> Note: forwarded message attached. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: aalibali at law.harvard.edu Subject: [balkans] Query: Church and Nationalism Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:02:18 -0500 Size: 5266 URL: From kruja at fas.harvard.edu Mon Mar 26 17:37:52 2001 From: kruja at fas.harvard.edu (Eriola Kruja) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:37:52 -0500 (EST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] NAAC on News Hour with Jim Lehrer Monday Night (fwd) Message-ID: ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "Lukaj, Richard (Exchange)" Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:02:18 -0500 Please broadcast this to everyone who cares about what is going on in Macedonia. Rich Lukaj Please Note: NAAC President Ilir Zherka will be appearing on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer tonight. The topic of discussion will be the current situation in Macedonia. The program appears at 6:00 or 7:00 pm on your local PBS station, but you should check your local listings for the exact time. Thank you. From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 17:40:16 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 14:40:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] New Books Message-ID: <20010326224016.71931.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> HOLLIS# BPC5027 /bks AUTHOR Brondsted, P. O. (Peter Oluf), 1780-1842. TITLE Interviews with Ali Pacha of Joanina in the Autumn of 1812 : with some particulars of Epirus, and the Albanians of the present day / Peter Oluf Brondsted ; ed. by Jacob Isager. PUB. INFO [Athens] Danish Institute at Athens ; Arhus : University of Arhus Press, 1999. DESCRIPTION 88 p. : ill. SUBJECTS *S1 Ali Pasa, Tepedelenli, 1744?-1822--Sources. *S2 Albania--History--1501-1912--Sources. *S3 Ioannina Region (Greece)--History--Sources. LOCATION Widener: Ordered--received __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 18:57:44 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 18:57:44 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] ANALYSIS-Albanians say insurgency rooted in discrimination Message-ID: <6a.c75cbec.27f13178@aol.com> ANALYSIS-Albanians say insurgency rooted in discrimination By Benet Koleka TETOVO, Macedonia, March 26 (Reuters) - Macedonia, as an oasis of peace in the war-torn Balkans, seemed to be a success story for inter-ethnic coexistence thanks to cooperation between the majority Macedonian Slavs and ethnic Albanians. Now the country has been pushed suddenly to the brink of civil war, apparently over long-simmering grievances that were obscured by the more violent dramas in Bosnia and Kosovo. On Sunday, the Macedonian Army launched the first combat offensive in the 10-year history of the landlocked republic's independence, aiming to dislodge ethnic Albanian guerrillas from the hills above the city of Tetovo. Albanians want more rights, and they want them now, say the rebels and many radical political voices. The further you go into the countryside from Tetovo -- the unofficial Albanian capital in Macedonia's northwest -- the stronger their voice becomes and the closer they feel to the people of Albania proper. "We are discriminated against in education, employment and politics," said Nail Shabani, a middle-aged ethnic Albanian. "No Albanian can get a job in the government administration." NOT OUT OF THE BLUE Road signs may be written in both languages, but the armed guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (NLA) say their friends are languishing in jail for demanding university education in Albanian. Since independence from old socialist Yugoslavia in 1991, Albanians have cooperated with the main Macedonian Slav parties and the Democratic Party of Albanians led by Arben Xhaferi tips the balance of power in favour of President Boris Trajkovski's coalition government. Xhaferi is credited with gaining more rights for minority Albanians -- but even he admits it does not go far enough. Thanks to the participation of Xhaferi's party in government, the Albanians hold five of the 15 cabinet posts and 25 seats in the 120-member parliament. Albanians are entitled to primary and high school education in their own language and have their own papers and media. "When you compare the human rights and life conditions in this region, you can reach a conclusion that an ethnic Albania would rather choose to live in Macedonia than in Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo or even Albania," government spokesman Antonio Milososki wrote in a letter to the media. This month's violence, say some Albanians, did not come out of the blue. Macedonian Slavs suspect the real agenda is separatist, and reject any bid to claim legitimacy for the pursuit of constitutional reform with Kalashnikov rifles. WAR FOR DIPLOMA RECOGNITION? Even Xhaferi says Albanians still face discrimination and rejects the government line that the current insurgency by ethnic Albanian guerrilllas was fomented by extremists in neighbouring Albanian-dominated Kosovo. "The sources of discontent are domestic, we have 10 years of dissatisfaction with this state, we are completely marginalised," he told CNN television at the weekend. Thousands of ethnic Albanian Macedonian citizens who went to study in Albania's University of Tirana returned home only to find that Macedonia did not recognise their diplomas. "Our movement started spontaneously -- ever since the protests in 1995 for the creation of an Albanian university," said a NLA regional commander, Sadri Ahmeti. Eventually, after years of hard lobbying by Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta, degrees were recognised a few months ago. But ethnic Albanians, who say they account for more than 40 percent of Macedonia's two million people although official figures say they are just 23 percent, say there is still some way to go. REMITTANCE ECONOMY "Albanians here suffer a repression that is not clear to a visitor on the surface," said NLA commander "Kusha." The Macedonian government points to the fact that Tetovo's police chief is an Albanian, proof, it says, of its policy of non-discrimination. But locals are not impressed. "He may be Albanian but he takes all his orders from Skopje," said Shabani. Albanians complain they are still excluded from jobs in the state sector and unemployment among their number is high, forcing them to go abroad to seek work. "Our houses look nice but they have been built with money sent from our people who roam the roads of Europe with a sack on their backs," Shabani said. "We build our houses here with money sent from every country in the world. Now they want to destroy them," said a businessman called Shaqir. Veton Surroi, the highly respected Kosovo newspaper publisher, doesn't buy this emotional line of argument. "It's madness, it ought to be stopped now by a negotiated effort ," he said in a BBC interview on Monday. There was no way in which Macedonia could be compared to Kosovo under the harshly repressive regime of ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 18:59:20 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 18:59:20 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Solana says EU will urge restraint in Macedonia Message-ID: <102.d8e01b.27f131d8@aol.com> Solana says EU will urge restraint in Macedonia By Christine Hauser JERUSALEM, March 26 (Reuters) - European Union security chief Javier Solana said he will press Macedonia's government on Monday to act with restraint and pursue talks with ethnic Albanian leaders following its army assault on rebels. Solana, speaking after a visit to Jerusalem, was due in the Macedonian capital Skopje later on Monday for talks with the Balkan country's government, which said it had driven the Albanian guerrillas back to Kosovo during an assault on Sunday. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson was also due to attend the talks with Macedonia's President Boris Trajkovski to evaluate the situation, which NATO allies fear could spin out of control because of the country's delicate ethnic balance. Asked what the EU message would be, Solana told Reuters in a telephone interview: "We are for their territorial integrity, we are for the sovereignty of the country. We do not accept anything that can be obtained politically through violence." But he urged that if violence had to be used, that it should be used in a "reasonable manner." Solana spoke after the end of a visit in which he met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Israel and then Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah late on Sunday. Solana said the discussions had touched on how Europe could help put the Middle East peace process back on track. He was also due to meet U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Jordan on Monday to discuss the Balkans and the Middle East. At least 349 Palestinians, 66 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed in a six-month uprising against Israeli occupation. STRUCTURE OF POWER The Macedonian government says the insurgency is fomented by ethnic Albanian extremists from the neighbouring U.N.-governed province of Kosovo seeking to create a greater Albania. Solana said the European Union would strengthen its engagement in the conflict by working for improvements for the one-third Albanian minority. The minority is struggling for equal rights in the ethnically mixed Macedonian republic. He said the EU wanted to create a framework which would allow all communities, including the ethnic Albanians, to participate in the structure of power. "I think that a sensitive dialogue has to start with the Albanian leaders (who) I have met, and they have been very positive," Solana said. Solana said he and Robertson would discuss how the border area could be controlled. Asked if he feared the conflict could resurge, resulting in high numbers of casualties, Solana said: "I don't see that is going to happen. In any case, that is not the aim of anybody." From artin_spahiu at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 19:12:08 2001 From: artin_spahiu at yahoo.com (Artin Spahiu) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 16:12:08 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Excellent Analysis from The Economist In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20010327001208.27895.qmail@web10005.mail.yahoo.com> I can say with 99% certainty (a claim I am sure will > be > disputed) no such thing will happen for the > following reasons: NATO action > on Macedonian ground w/o a UN mandate would be yet > another violation of > international law. The Bush administration, itching > to lower its presence in > the Balkans, would not want to risk casualties, and > the rest of > allies....well > we all know how long it takes for them to get their > act together w/o US > leadership. --> 1)Is that 1% left out, in case we have the same "violation of the international" law that we had in Kosova? :) 2)Regarding Bush administration, you are proving my point, I said moving/shifting troops not adding troops, and since in Macedonia they would need less troops they are actually lowering their presence, read between the lines! :) Your last paragraph sounds very familiar to me check my last paragraph of my first e-mail :) Above all, I said this was a probable scenario in case NATO reasons in the same way with the author of the article, but "it's a 99% probability" that they will not, because i said " that was senseless":) > You make it sound this is an all-Albanian uprising > which most clearly it > isn't. Victory euphoria can't be the link. > Euphorias dont last long and it's been 2 years since > the NATO strikes. --->Nik, firstly all-Albanian uprising thing was the idea of the article on the magazine, that YOU found as a good explanation for the situation in Macedonia. Secondly, I was not talking about euphoria which is caused by drugs! :) I' wasn't even talking about euphoria at all, I was saying that the first NATO intervention might serve as a good argument to fuel the old fire and to convince THE PEOPLE that in a war scenario they will be supported again, therefore.... Right now the situation is very tense and people might thing that they can challenge the limits because they will be supported again, which is not true! > Besides the Allies have made it clear they don't > support 'extremist groups'. ---> This is one more reason for NATO not to interfere, which is what I was trying to explain, I think we both agree about the result, It's just that annoying reply feeling :) > The Kosova link can only be found in the > uncertainty over its status, and > the fear of a pullout of NATO forces (if Kosova were > to be destabilized by > disgruntled armed Albanians), and of an imminent > return of the Jugoslav > Army. -->That's what I wrote in the first e-mail, once again! If you do reply next time with "the same line" probably I will just do copy & paste with "no comments"! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 19:14:57 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 19:14:57 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] U.S. Moves Closer To Macedonia Aid Message-ID: U.S. Moves Closer To Macedonia Aid By BARRY SCHWEID WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration is moving a few steps closer to intervening in Macedonia's escalating crisis while urging the government there not to overreact in trying to suppress ethnic Albanian insurgents. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday, ``We are looking at things that the United States might be able to do to enhance the capability of the Macedonian armed forces to deal with this crisis.'' Powell, at a news conference, said the Macedonian army seemed to be making headway against the ethnic Albanian rebels, who launched a siege March 14 against Tetovo, a northwestern Macedonia city of more than 50,000. The army responded Sunday by bombing the rebels. ``It seems they've had some success getting partway up that hill,'' Powell said. In a telephone conversation Sunday, Powell said he told Macedonia's president, Boris Trajkovski, that ``we support him, and we'll do what we can.'' Even so, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said last week the Bush administration had no plans to send American troops to help the Macedonian push. The United States already has 400 noncombat logistics troops outside the capital Skopje at a camp used as a staging area by U.S. peacekeepers in Kosovo, about 40 miles east of Tetovo. In contacts with Macedonian officials, Powell said, ``We made the point to them that we hope that they would use proportionate military strength in order not to create an even more difficult problem to deal with.'' So far, the fighting appears limited, with the rebels Powell called extremists and terrorists last Friday limited to a few hundred men. That's far fewer than the number of ethnic Albanian separatists who fought the Serb army next door in the Serbian province Kosovo and gained U.S. help to expel Serb forces. Powell said the United States and its NATO allies ``have taken action within Kosovo to do what we can to interdict supplies and terrorists who might be moving through that area into Macedonia.'' Powell held tactical sessions by telephone over the weekend with U.S. Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, NATO's top commander, and with Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and with ``other colleagues in the national security community.'' In tightening coordination with NATO, Powell said he spoke twice with Lord Robertson, the alliance's secretary-general, and Robin Cook, the British foreign secretary, among others. On Monday, he met in Washington with the French foreign minister, Hubert Vedrine. Vedrine said his government agreed with Powell's approach and has provided the Macedonia armed forces with several drone airplanes. Powell urged the Slav-dominated Macedonian government Friday to reach out to the country's ethnic Albanian minority, who make up about 25 percent of the former Yugoslav republic's 2 million population, to deny extremists and terrorists ``fertile ground'' for guerrilla warfare. Specifically, Powell suggested possibly changing the Constitution and providing schooling in the Albanian language. Ivo Daalder, a Balkans specialist at the Brookings Institution, said the preamble to the Constitution effectively limits the Albanian minority to second-class status, and the Albanian language is not recognized as official. No university education is given in Albanian, Daalder said in an interview, but a new university is being built to do that. ``The question is whether the Macedonia security forces are capable of defeating the insurgency without at the same time causing massive damage to the surrounding area,'' Daalder said. ``If they are capable of doing that, and if the Macedonia government engages in a serious dialogue with the Albanian community on the questions that have roiled the community for 10 years now, it may be possible to resolve this conflict short of a much larger U.S. and NATO intervention,'' he said. ``We think there is a way to deal with this that would not cause yet another Balkan war,'' Powell said Friday. At a European Union conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a different prescription. He said ethnic Albanian insurgents in Macedonia should be dealt with in a ``robust manner'' - much as Russia deals with rebels in Chechnya. Otherwise, he said, continuing unrest in Macedonia ``will create the conditions for shaking Europe in its very heart.'' Meanwhile, the White House issued a statement, in President Bush's name, ``strongly condemning the violence perpetrated by a small group of extremists determined to destabilize the democratic, multiethnic government of Macedonia.'' The insurgents are not advancing the cause of the Albanian minority, the statement said. On the Net: CIA World Factbook on Macedonia: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mk.html From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 19:18:51 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 19:18:51 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Neighbors offer support to FYROM Message-ID: <78.12704b5a.27f1366b@aol.com> Neighbors offer support to FYROM Encouraged by unequivocal stance of international community, Skopje strikes back at separatists Inspired by the strong support coming from the international community, the government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia yesterday sent troops, armored personnel carriers and tanks into the hills surrounding Tetovo in its boldest action to quell separatist Albanians since their insurgency began earlier this month. At the same time, in a way not seen since the outbreak of NATO's war on Yugoslavia over Kosovo two years ago (which raised fears that the conflagration could spread) the Balkan countries hastened to ensure each other that all were working for the stability of the region. Even the Albanian government condemned its ethnic kin in FYROM and expressed support for the country's territorial integrity. In comments after attending the annual March 25 independence day parade in Athens, where some of Greece's sophisticated weaponry was on display, Prime Minister Costas Simitis said, "The Greek armed forces are a force of peace, and the EU summit in Stockholm yesterday and the day before showed that the members of the EU but also the whole world expects Greece to guarantee cooperation and peace in the region. This is what we have done and will continue to do, effectively as always." Athens has provided Skopje with armored personnel carriers and, reports said, two military transport helicopters. Greece was instrumental in having FYROM President Boris Trajkovski invited to Stockholm where he met with EU leaders before the EU issued a statement strongly supportive of Greece's small northern neighbor. Simitis met privately with Trajkovski in Stockholm. At the end of the summit on Saturday, he told reporters that Greece's and the EU's positions on the issue were the same. "We support the territorial integrity, the security, the sovereignty and the inviolability of FYROM's borders," Simitis said. "We condemn - we all condemn - the acts of violence and terrorism on the part of some Albanian groups and we recognize that these actions undermine the country's stability and create conditions for the violence to spread. We are opposed to the logic of faits accomplis. We are opposed to extremist nationalism and irredentism." But Simitis expressed support for FYROM's moderate Albanians and said that the ethnic Albanian community could be given support, such as opening an Albanian-language university in Tetovo. "When I visited Skopje a few months ago I had said that Greece is willing to provide some funds for this university to function," he said. Simitis said that the EU and the United States had shown such a firm stand "that there is no room for anyone who would like to achieve changes... and so this situation will return to normal, sooner or later." Simitis has been in contact with his Bulgarian counterpart, Ivan Kostov, since the FYROM crisis began, as well as the leadership in Skopje. On Friday, Kostov said that the two were urging all parties in FYROM's Parliament to start talks on a political solution to the problem. On Thursday, Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos called on Ankara, saying that the region's peoples depended on Greece and Turkey to help stabilize the region. Just as the Turkish and Greek earthquakes of 1999 had helped break the ice between the two nations, so should the current Balkan "earthquake" lead to stronger ties, Tsochadzopoulos argued. On Friday, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit wrote to US President George W. Bush, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson and the prime ministers of FYROM, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia and Greece. He condemned the separatists and called on the international community to "act with determination to overcome as soon as possible this crisis which can have negative effects on the security and stability of the region." On Saturday, Tsochadzopoulos paid a quick visit to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for talks with his Bulgarian counterpart, Boiko Noev, to discuss the developments in FYROM and preparations for a meeting of Balkan defense ministers in Skopje on April 5. Balkan peace force to debut? Greece has suggested that the nascent southeastern European military force aimed at achieving stability in the region could be called on to help ease the tension in the Balkans. In a brief visit Saturday to the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, the headquarters of the brigade, Defense Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos suggested that an upcoming meeting of Balkan defense ministers, slated for Skopje on April 5, should also include the defense ministers of the United States and Italy, whose countries are part of the brigade. Other participants are Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, FYROM and Romania. "Everyone must realize that we all have an obligation and the right to build a peaceful southeastern Europe that will be based on the principles of democracy and freedom," Tsochadzopoulos said after returning from Bulgaria. "There is the possibility of including the brigade in the Kosovo region, but there are other ideas as well," he said. The brigade has been ready operationally since the beginning of the year. From Gazhebo at aol.com Mon Mar 26 19:22:55 2001 From: Gazhebo at aol.com (Gazhebo at aol.com) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 19:22:55 EST Subject: [ALBSA-Info] =?ISO-8859-1?Q?The=20creation=20of=20a=20collective=20conciousne?= =?ISO-8859-1?Q?ss=20=96Kathimerini?= Message-ID: The creation of a collective conciousness Former President Kiro Gligorov accuses the FYROM government of negligence, NATO of reticence and the Albanians of intemperate nationalism By Stavros Tzimas Kathimerini SKOPJE: From the eighth floor of an apartment block in the largest shopping center of Skopje, ex-President Kiro Gligorov follows the dramatic developments in FYROM and writes his memoirs. The state which the experienced politician founded in 1991 and successfully led until last year, has now run into a major storm. Gligorov is worried, but what can he do, now that he is out of the political game? The thoughts and concerns he expressed in an interview with Kathimerini are of great interest, since the Slav-Macedonian leader is one of the most important political figures in the Balkans. During the Yugoslav wars I asked you if you were afraid for the integrity of your state and you told me then that there was no such risk. But now the foundations of the house that you yourself built are creaking. In this particular case it is a question of a small portion of FYROM's territory. It is our right and obligation as a state to drive out the terrorists, otherwise the consequences may be extremely serious. In my view the government was negligent in that respect. Very many people in NATO, the EU, OSCE and a number of states, starting with the US, Germany and France, thought that if we responded with war measures it would lead to a broader insurrection by the Albanians. But we saw no willingness on the part of NATO or the EU or KFOR in Kosovo to take measures to neutralize the ugly situation which was created in Macedonia. The conviction of the official heads of our state that the invaders would be politically isolated with the help of all the above did not produce the desired results. The fear that we would have a general uprising proved groundless. The population of Tetovo and the border villages did not rise up and side with the terrorists. They want a dual state I remind you that in Tetovo 5,000 Albanians shouted pro-NLA slogans, demonstrating their support for the armed extremists, whom they called heroes of the Albanian people, and condemning "Macedonian terrorism." This is a matter for discussion. Macedonia applies a policy which respects all the minority rights provided for in international conventions. What the armed bands and others are asking for now is something else. They are demanding that the Albanian minority be regarded as a co-equal people and that we have a state of two ethnic groups, the Macedonians and the Albanians. That the Albanian language be introduced to all of Macedonia as the second official language. But this is not a demand that has to do with respect for minority rights. The Albanians want to introduce a new system into Macedonia. That is why they say they are not a minority in the territory where they live, but that it is their own national territory. And we ask them, since you ask for such rights, what are we supposed to do with the ot her minorities, the Serbs, the Vlachs, the Turks, the Roma and so on. Shouldn't they ask for the same? It isn't exactly the same. The Albanians comprise 30 percent, maybe 40 percent of the population, while the Serbs, for instance, are not more than three percent. Is it so bad, after all, to give them constitutional equality? If this demand were met, then the state would not be the Republic of Macedonia, but a dual state. All decisions would have to be made on the basis of general agreement. Not one law would be passed if these two groups, the Macedonians and the Albanians, could not agree. We would end up with a system where decisions are not made by the majority, but which is subject to the veto of each. The state cannot function that way. I don't know of any state that has this system. How did things get to this stage? Did you make make mistakes as well? Perhaps, but that was not decisive in this case. In my opinion, the basic problem is the creation of a collectivist consciousness. We started out from the principle of a civil society which obtains for every state in which individuals have rights, which must be the same. The Albanians start out with the view that they are an Albanian collective, and they demand rights for the whole group. Thus they ask for proportional representation on the basis of the population, and not as individuals, as citizens. This is impossible because that strikes at another principle, according to which anyone who wants to participate in a state organization must possess certain abilities, certain qualifications, and to demonstrate he has them. He might, for example, become the president of the state. But it is not right for him to rise through the agencies and organizations of the state solely because he is Albanian or Macedonian. I have here some statistics which the Albanians cite, according to which in 1994-95 at the universities of Skopje and Monastiri there were 24,998 Macedonian students and only 764 Albanians. Also, that in the army 50 percent of the simple infantrymen are Albanians, and they do fatigue duty. Only 63 of them are junior officers and none of them officers. Are they wrong, then, to complain that you are not doing them justice? First of all, it isn't quite like that, that there are no Albanian officers. The Albanians have a member on the General Staff. The commanding officers of various units and departments are Albanians. Albanian soldiers have their own cuisine for their own manners and customs. They have the right to carry out their religious duties freely and any other rights concerning their identity. Efforts are also being made to increase their participation in the state mechanism. For instance, until recently our ambassador to Paris, Copenhagen and Zurich was an Albanian. So, we do not have any desire to discriminate against them. The situation is dangerous. Are you afraid there will be a war? I can't say at the moment that there is a danger of war. From the experience of Kosovo and then of southern Serbia we had to expect something like this here. The police proved incapable and it was a mistake not to have used the army at the outset, with a reasonable use of firepower. It had to happen, because the terrorists have heavy weaponry. Nationalism I expect you would agree that recent events have brought about a split between the two ethnic communities. We can't say that there were no disagreements before this. The state has done a lot. No government for 10 years has been without Albanians. They were also given the right to create ethnic political parties. From nursery school to primary and junior high school they have special classes in the Albanian language with their own teachers and a lot more besides. After all, we have to live together; there is no other way. Macedonia was and is a multiethnic country. We must fight together against Albanian and Macedonian nationalism. I don't claim that there are no such tendencies among the Macedonians. Nor do I believe we will be driven to civil war. If there were such a danger, it would have become apparent by now. Since you mention nationalism, many people criticize the West for having raised the monster of Albanian nationalism, which they are now trying to keep in check. It is true that they did not censure Albanian nationalism sufficiently, they tolerated it, perhaps because of the unacceptable things Milosevic did in Kosovo. I don't think they support them now as they did previously. The events in southern Serbia, what is going on in Macedonia, have had repercussions in the West. The Albanians want to show the international community that the Albanian problem has not been solved. Anyone you ask will tell you it is good for all the Albanians to be in one country. This is the same policy that Milosevic himself employed, namely having all the Serbs in one greater Serbia. But this is extremely dangerous for the stability of the Balkans. The intention Bulgaria expressed of sending troops to your country surprised many people, and horrified many more, who suspected the revival of historic ambitions and plots. What is your comment? We had no need of Bulgarian military assistance. If our army is not able to deal with these terrorists, then our state has a big problem. But I believe it can. As for Greece, we have very good relations. Its stance, the maintenance of the sovereign territorial integrity of Macedonia, is of the greatest importance to me. From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 19:46:31 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 16:46:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Shqiperi - Angli Message-ID: <20010327004631.94219.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> The Independent (London) March 27, 2001, Tuesday First Edition; SPORT; Pg. 24 FOOTBALL: ALBANIA CAST OFF ISOLATION'SIRON CAGE; ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP QUALIFYING OPPONENTS HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM THEIR NATION'S NEW-FOUND FREEDOMS. John Sinnott OVER THE past decade Albania's football team, like the country's fledgling democracy, has begun to come in from the cold. That was clear on Saturday when Albania were decidedly unlucky not to come away with at least a draw in their World Cup qualifying game against Germany in Leverkusen. The 2-1 defeat included plenty of warning signs for England as Sven Goran Eriksson's team prepare to face Albania in Tirana tomorrow. The impressive performance against Germany had been preceded by an even more encouraging result: the 2-0 win over Greece last October in another World Cup qualifier, Albania's first victory over their neighbours in a competitive match. It was a win which created such a feel-good factor in the country that the Albanian Prime Minister, Ilir Meta, Europe's youngest premier, gave the players $ 10,000 (pounds 7,000) each. How times have changed. In the second half of the 20th century Albania, under the dictators Enver Hoxha and, to a lesser extent, his successor Ramiz Alia, had pursued a brand of communism so hard-line that it might have even made Joseph Stalin blanch. It was a model of communism that embraced every walk of life. Between 1954 and 1963 Albania played just two international football games; against China and East Germany, who were deemed to be of a politically acceptable hue. Since Alia's fall, Europe's poorest country has not had it much easier. Externally bedevilled by the problems associated with its international borders, internally it has been dogged by crime and corruption. Those difficulties have spilled over into the sporting arena. The most recent example of which came last summer when the club president of Tomorri Berat, Ardian Cobo, and a referee, Luan Zylfo ,were shot in the back of the head as they shared a coffee. At the time Berat were challenging SK Tirana for the Albanian title, though Gjergji Thaka, the deputy general secretary of the Albanian football federation, said the killing was unrelated to football, implying Cobo's death was linked to matters of a more criminal nature. Even Albania's coach, Medin Zhega, has not been able to escape allegations of corruption. Last week the defender Clirim Bashi, who plays for the German Second Division side Alemannia Aachen, alleged that he had been left out of Zhega's squad because he had been unwilling to pay $ 5,000. Zhega said the allegations were untrue, although he had also controversially left out the Serie A forward Erion Bogdani, of Reggina. Zhega, who played for Vllaznia Shkoder and Dinamo Tirana as well as the international team, took charge of the Albania side just over a year ago. He replaced Astrit Hafizi, who had been sacked after leading his country to their best performance, finishing second-last in their Euro 2000 qualifying group. Albania have never qualified for the final stages of a major competition. Mico Papadhopulli, the Albanian football federation president, explained his decision to sack Hafizi by saying that he had expected his country to finish at least fourth in the six-team group rather than fifth. The Albanian captain, Rudi Vata, who misses tomorrow's game after receiving a second yellow card in the qualifying tournament, during the Germany game, remained diplomatically non-committal when asked to compare the relative merits of Zhega and Hafizi. "I believe that the players play and the coach gets the credit, or gets punished if things go wrong," he said. "Our work makes him big. I know Zhega because he was my coach when I was an Under-21 player. He's quite straightforward and he tells you the score, though he's not the best coach in the world. Under Hafizi we worked well, we played some good games and we were very unlucky. He deserves a lot of credit because he made this team." According to Vata, in the aftermath of the fall of communism, the Albania team struggled to focus on the job in hand. "Some players didn't treat the national team properly," he said. "The demands weren't high and players came to the squad to take a few days off. When we played, nobody had any determination. Nobody cared whether we won or drew. Maybe some of the players had the feeling that they had been mistreated by the communists." A relative thaw in Albania's political landscape during the 1990s allowed the country's best footballers to leave. As a result there has been a great improvement in the international team's performances and Vata says that, with most of the squad now playing abroad, the national team no longer suffers from an inferiority complex. "Playing overseas helps because it shows that nobody is better than you if you work hard at the game," Vata, once of Celtic, said. "You see you have two legs like everybody else. You see that nobody can hit the ball better than you can and that nobody can run faster than you. Before we felt inferior to the West. That's not the case any more. Now we play with everything we have. The team has been together for many years, so we know each other's game very well. We can run, we can pass it around, we can score goals, we just have to be a bit more disciplined." However, Albania's improvement has not been matched by progress at club level as the country's economic and political problems have taken their toll. In the 1980s a study on European attendances threw up the curious statistic that, as a percentage of the population as a whole, more people went to football matches in Albania than anywhere else. Now the average attendance is down to fewer than 2,000. A lack of money and facilities has also hindered progress in European club competitions. Flamurtari have had the most success; in 1988 they reached the Uefa Cup third round, knocking out Partizan Belgrade and beating Barcelona in the home leg. Last November Sepp Blatter, the president of Fifa, the world game's governing authority, made a two-day visit to the Balkan state. He promised financial aid to both improve the country's stadiums and to set up an academy in Tirana. The current Albanian squad is made up of players who perform in, among others, the Italian, German, French, Belgium and Turkish leagues. That is remarkable progress when considering that 10 years ago Vata sought political asylum as a means of furthering his career. Vata's organisational ability in defence and ability to score from set pieces will be much missed tomorrow. The Albania captain, who won the Scottish Cup when at Parkhead, now plays for the Bundesliga club Energie Cottbus, whose coach is, ironically, Eduard Geyer, the last man to train the East German national team. In 1997 Vata scored in Albania's famous 4-3 defeat by Germany in Hanover in another World Cup qualifier. He also claimed the winner in the historic 3-2 win over Moldova in 1995 in a European Championship qualifying match. That was the first time Albania had won a competitive away game for almost half a century. The Albanians look more comfortable in attack than they do in defence. The midfielder Bledar Kola, of AEK Athens, who scored against Germany on Saturday, links well with the two strikers, the tall Igli Tare, currently on loan with Brescia, and Alban Bushi of the Turkish club Istanbulspor, who Vata believes is his country's most dangerous player. Albania, as well as their captain, will be without the talented midfielder Edvin Murati, who plays for Lille in France. Murati also picked up a second yellow card during Saturday's qualifier. === FOOTBALL: ERIKSSON SEEKS STEEL FROM SENIORITY BYLINE: Glenn Moore In Tirana BODY: ENGLAND'S FOOTBALLERS arrived in Albania last night, walking through the foot -and-mouth disinfectant mats at the fir-tree lined airport on the way, very much aware that their opponents tomorrow are likely to be a vast improvement on the team which Bobby Robson's side beat on England's last visit here in 1989. Twelve years ago this month, Robson's England won 2-0 in Tirana on the way to Italia 90. They followed up with a 5-0 victory at Wembley seven weeks later and Sven Goran Eriksson would be delighted with a similar set of results. However, the Albanian side which lost at home to goals from Bryan Robson and John Barnes did not have a single player employed outside its own, then closed, borders. The current one has players based all over Europe including Italy, Germany, France, Greece and Turkey. The difference is evident from Albania's contrasting results in the two eras. While the 1989 team endured a 12-year run with one victory, the current side have become relatively familiar with the experience. Last year they even won its first trophy since 1946, Malta's Rothmans tournament, while in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2000 they defeated Georgia and gained draws in Norway and Latvia. So far in this qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup they have defeated Greece 2-0, lost by a single goal in Finland, and, on Saturday, were within two minutes of holding Germany to a draw in Leverkusen. "They could easily have drawn against Finland and Germany, said Tord Grip, Eriksson's assistant, yesterday. He added: "You have to have a bit of respect for every country now. Look at Malta's recent draw with the Czech Republic. In one game anything can happen." Unbeaten at home since June 1999, Albania will thus host England with more confidence than might be anticipated. Not that England, after coming from behind to win for the first time since 1996, will be short of belief. "We arrive in Albania in the right spirit," said Eriksson. "To have four points rather than one is very important." Sol Campbell added of Saturday's match with Finland: "Sometimes you panic when you go one down, but we didn't. We were all mad at each other for a moment when they scored but we just kept plugging away, got our two goals and got the win we needed desperately. We need to build on that against Albania because we need to keep on winning to stay in the hunt. The whole nation is looking at us to qualify for the World Cup . I don't want to have a summer off. I'd rather be with England." Campbell stressed that England would have to override such concerns as hotel accommodation, food and the quality of the pitches, but none should be a worry to the senior team. Their hotel, if not exactly George V or the Dorchester, is perfectly adequate and the team have brought their own food and caterer. The pitch in the Qemal Stafa stadium is better than some in the Premiership. The one change Eriksson has to make for the senior side is finding a replacement for Steven Gerrard. Grip yesterday suggested Michael Carrick as a candidate but intimated that Nicky Butt remained the more likely choice. Another possible change is at centre-forward, but since Grip said Eriksson would be sitting down to have a long one-to-one chat with Andy Cole, the Manchester United striker seems likely to retain his place. Grip added: "It's important for a player to feel confident and to feel secure. The staff can always help any player. Cole's first goal will come sooner or later. I think he will be OK." While Cole searches for form, Eriksson will be looking for his senior players to lead the way, just as they did on Saturday. "Maybe being captain is bringing the best from David Beckham," said the coach. "He is only 25 but already captain of England and very proud to be so. He really wants to perform as captain. "I don't think he is worried that it is not a long-term appointment . That is because I don't like to say this' is that' for a year. I cannot say, for example, that Gary Neville will be right-back for the next five games. But there is no reason to change Beckham as the captain." The team's oldest, and most-capped, member, played an equally important role. David Seaman is expected to win his 60th cap tomorrow and Eriksson said of the 37-year- old: "I always said age is not important for me. He made some very important saves. It was a difficult decision for me to decide between four good goalkeepers - I always find goalkeepers are hardest to assess - but I think I made the right decision. I think Seaman has played very well for Arsenal recently and he has experience to spare." Campbell, who will face Seaman in Saturday's north London derby, added: "David is a fantastic keeper. He wants to keep playing internationally for as long as he can. He's good enough to be playing for England in the next World Cup finals." Given that Seaman has, reportedly, said that when he is finished with England he will also be finished with Arsenal, this was a rare case of a Tottenham captain's words being music to Arsenal fans' ears. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 19:55:06 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 16:55:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Independent Message-ID: <20010327005506.63939.qmail@web11506.mail.yahoo.com> The Independent (London) March 26, 2001, Monday COMMENT; Pg. 3 LEADING ARTICLE: FINE WORDS ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE BALKANS MUST BE MATCHED BY ACTION THERE IS a war being fought in Macedonia, not just between two armies but between two versions of the facts. On one account, the democratic government of this troubled part of former Yugoslavia faces an insurgency from neighbouring Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians, emboldened by the "success" of their guerrilla war against the Serbian tyrant Slobodan Milosevic, are fighting for a "greater Albania", which would extend through Kosovo and into the Albanian-dominated western part of Macedonia. On this version, the fighters in the hills around Tetovo are terrorists and must be crushed. The other story of the same events relates how Macedonia is a state in which the Slavic majority controls the government, army and police, which in turn tolerate or even take part in intimidation and oppression of the ethnic Albanian minority. On this version, the terrorists in the hills are freedom fighters desperately defending the human rights of their people and deserve the support of the international community. Both versions contain truths, but neither is the whole truth, and the problem is that the European Union, at its summit in Stockholm, and the United States seem to have leant too far towards one version of reality. It was right to express support for the Macedonian government, which is different from Milosevic's former regime in Serbia. Macedonia's leaders are not intent on "ethnic cleansing" and do not want to drive the Albanians out of the country. But the Albanian-speakers, about 30 per cent of the population, are treated as second-class citizens. The EU and US expressions of support for Macedonia, and condemnation of the rebels, should have been balanced by a firm insistence that the rights of Albanians be respected. It was notable that, while EU leaders backed Macedonia's military action, George Robertson, the Nato secretary general, said there could ultimately be no military solution to the problem - unless the justified grievances of the Macedonian Albanians are met. It should be pointed out that many of the fighters are Macedonians, not invaders from Kosovo. On the other hand, the rebels must be condemned. Ibrahim Rugova, the pacifist leader of the largest party in Kosovo, has done so. While his moral authority is great, the condemnation from former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army should carry more weight with the militants of the forest. They are wrong in principle to resort to violence to assert their rights, but also risk making the position of Albanians in Macedonia worse by strengthening the hand of the hard men of anti -Albanian thuggery. The Nato alliance is right, therefore, to try to seal the border between Kosovo and Macedonia to prevent arms and supplies reaching the rebels and right to offer cautious and conditional support to the Macedonian government's military action. But this must be balanced, forcefully and visibly, by a consistent message in defence of human rights. It is curious, after the alliance fought a successful and just war to liberate the Albanians of Kosovo from their oppression, vindicated last year by the democratic overthrow of Mr Milosevic in Serbia, that Tony Blair in particular has not said more about the defence of human rights of other ethnic groups, such as the Roma. It cannot be expected that Europe and America can defend a "universal" law of human rights in all circumstances and in all places. But a little more consistency from some of the leaders of the international community in their moral support and condemnation would be welcome. That, we believe, was the point Mary Robinson was making when last week she announced her departure from the UN after four years as human rights commissioner. Fine words on human rights must be backed up first by consistent judgements and then by action. In Macedonia it is vital to get the judgements right: condemn the rebels and support the government by all means; but insist too, above all, that every Macedonian's human rights be respected. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 20:00:31 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:00:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] Football Comments Message-ID: <20010327010031.3113.qmail@web11504.mail.yahoo.com> International Herald Tribune (Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) March 26, 2001, Monday Sport; Pg. 22 Kiss From Lady Luck Blesses 2 Europowers; England and Germany Win Cup Qualifiers By Rob Hughes ; International Herald Tribune LIVERPOOL, England It was, I believe, Napoleon Bonaparte who asked of his generals that they be lucky on the field of battle. Today, both England and Germany can be thankful for that quality in their soccer teams following victories in Group 9 World Cup qualifying matches on Saturday. England, playing its first meaningful ''home'' match outside Wembley Stadium since 1962, created history at Anfield, the home of Liverpool. It beat Finland, 2-1, hanging on against a visiting team full of the spirit that, for decades, has distinguished Finland's independence and individuality. Luck, indeed, was a major player in a triumph that kept alive England's hopes of reaching the 2002 World Cup finals in Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, as the more than 44,000 fans in Liverpool bit on every fingernail until the final whistle blew on Finland's bravery, the Germans were waiting in Leverkusen. Their match kicked off after England's had ended. And surely, the pundits said, Germany would easily dispense with the unheralded Albania. Ah, but there are no certainties in modern soccer. Albania threw body and soul at Germany and seemed to outplay the mighty opposition at times. But Albania succumbed, 2-1, to a late and dubious German goal in which three men were surely offside. So much for the supremacy of Europe's soccer powers. Finland, big, strong and athletic, rattled England's cage for huge spells of the 90-minute contest. Albania, running from the heart, was quick and elusive, shaking Germany until the home crowd in torrential rain shivered with fright. And this is just a game. These are ''unequal'' forces. The generals - Sven-Goran Eriksson for England, Rudi Voller for Germany - were lucky. At Anfield, this was a new experience in many aspects for England. Eriksson, of course, is Swedish, a mercenary hired at l2 million ($2.8 million) per year to teach the oldest soccer nation how to blend its renowned physical and spiritual tenacity with modern cunning. He sat, seemingly passive, behind his rimless spectacles while others - English by birth - jumped, gesticulated, and fretted. Finland had come to blockade, with Jonatan Johansson soldiering on in a solitary attacking role. Behind Johansson, Jari Litmanen, the captain and playmaker, was locked in a thrilling dual against Steven Gerrard, England's ''baby'' midfielder, a 20- year-old whose body has grown two inches to 6-foot-2 (1.86 meters) in the past year - and who suffers rebellious pains in his back, his thighs, his groin. England needs Gerrard's combative, yet gifted, force. He should, if his body holds together, grow into the natural leader of his country because he relishes responsibility and challenge. On Saturday, he was a Liverpool FC player set against another Liverpool player since Litmanen is employed by the same club. How engaging, then, to view them in opposition. How interesting, when England's defense carelessly ceded the opening goal, to see Gerrard shouting from midfield at more experienced Englishmen to fight the good fight. The goal followed a corner kick. Aki Riihilahti was allowed the freedom of the air to head it toward the net, and the ball deflected into the goal off the kneecap of an English defender, Gary Neville. Now we would see the meat of the contest. Michael Owen, rejuvenated, struck a marvelous equalizer, even if it also took a slight deflection. And David Beckham, the Manchester United celebrity and nominally the England captain, scored a heavenly goal. A sinuous run by Steve McManamen, a judicious flick from Paul Scholes and a tumultuous right foot from Beckham put the ball past the goalkeeper. Beckham and Owen were lauded, but in the dying moments England was under siege. Litmanen, despite a suspected broken wrist, had the chance to equalize. Six yards from goal, unmarked, he headed the ball down, but David Seaman, England's 37-year-old goalie, dived to his ankles to block the shot. On Wednesday, politics permitting, England is expected in Tirana to face Albania in the second group game of the week. Unless the Albanians used up all their energy in Leverkusen, that won't be easy. ''I am not satisfied with the way we played,'' said Voller, the Germany coach. ''We played fearfully, especially in the first half, but such wins are very important to a team's morale.'' Maybe they are. Maybe Albania, by all accounts the better team for spells, will draw strength - and some indignation - by coming so close. It had clawed back into the game after Sebastien Deisler's strike gave Germany the lead. Bledar Kola, with an even more handsome, cleaner shot, leveled and Germany fretted until the last seconds. Then Miroslav Klose, a substitute for the fading Oliver Bierhoff, struck. Already yellow-carded for diving in the penalty box, Klose and two other Germans were yards offside, but in the eyes of Graciano Cesari, the Italian referee, ''not interfering with play.'' Klose interfered so much that he stooped almost on hands and knees to head in the winner. So, at the top of Group 9, Germany leads and England is second, at least until Wednesday. Elsewhere, Italy impressively beat Romania in Bucharest, 2-0, thanks to the opportunism of Felippo Inzaghi. The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland all soundly thrashed opponents they were expected to beat. The tightest game was the 2-2 draw between Scotland and Belgium in Glasgow, where the Belgians showed commendable spirit in coming from two down (and with Eric Deflandre sent off) to square the contest. And, arguably, the weekend's most telling scoreline was: Norway 2, Poland 3. The game was played in Oslo, and the Polish hero was Emmanuel Olisadebe, born in Nigeria, abused in some parts of his adopted homeland for being black. His two goals destroyed the defense of the Norwegians and took Poland a significant step closer to the World Cup finals. Poland is lucky to have him, and it isn't only generals who can use that trait. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 20:08:06 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:08:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] The Times Message-ID: <20010327010806.53410.qmail@web11501.mail.yahoo.com> The Times (London) March 26, 2001, Monday Sport Albania prove they have ability to worry Eriksson Bill Edgar IF ENGLAND needed convincing that Albania are no longer the weaklings that Bobby Robson's men brushed aside en route to the World Cup finals in 1990, it could be found in the reaction yesterday from Rudi Vata, the central defender, to his team's 2-1 defeat away to Germany. "Everybody is hurt from this game," the captain said. "We didn't get what we deserved." Albania will face England in Tirana on Wednesday lamenting their third successive failure to grasp a golden opportunity to draw with Germany. In Leverkusen on Saturday evening, just as happened when the teams met in qualifying for the last World Cup, Albania were level with the former world champions with ten minutes remaining, only to suffer defeat. "It is the same story of the last few games against Germany," Vata, whose side conceded an 88th-minute winning goal by Miroslav Klose, said. "We spoke before the game about having to concentrate until the last minute. We spoke a lot about discipline, but we gave it away at the end." Nonetheless, the swift inter-passing that cut through the Germany defence on several occasions was a further indication of Albania's progress in recent years. "We are playing much better than when we played England in 1989. We are stronger than ever," Vata, who played for Celtic between 1992 and 1996, said. "We do not feel inferior against the big teams. Most of us play abroad and that has helped us to make progress in our careers." "We always had the talent in our country, but we did not learn a lot because the coaching and facilities in our country was just not good enough. In Europe we work with good coaches and clubs. We have learnt a lot." Albania's entire starting line-up in Leverkusen is based abroad: three are in Germany, two each in Belgium and Greece and one each in Italy, France, Turkey and Cyprus. Sadly for Vata, a booking on Saturday meant that he was flying back yesterday to rejoin club colleagues at Energie Cottbus, the Bundesliga side, having been suspended for the match against England. However, Sven-Goran Eriksson's team will face Bledar Kola, the AEK Athens midfield player, who scored the 66th-minute equalising goal from 20 yards against Germany, and Igli Tare, the imposing Brescia striker. Tottenham Hotspur fans may remember Tare ruefully as the substitute who helped Kaiserslautern to turn the Uefa Cup meeting between the sides on its head last season. While Albania's first qualification for the finals of either World Cup or European Championship still seems some way off, they have produced many impressive results under Medin Zhega, the former under-21 coach. Their other two group nine matches have brought a 2-1 defeat away to Finland and a 2-0 home win over Greece. Albania have progressed despite upheaval at home. The domestic league was suspended for six months in 1997 when the country descended into civil war after the collapse of a pyramid savings scheme, political tension in the region has caused several international home matches to be played on neutral territory and, towards the end of last season, the nation's most famous referee and the president of a title-chasing club were shot dead. Albania's performances have lifted spirits at home and Rudi Voller, the Germany coach, is keen for a repeat on Wednesday. "I hope the Albanians are not exhausted and that they will play as well against England as they did against us," he said. Vata is hopeful, too. "It is going to be a difficult game, but we are not going to give in to England." I was there, page S13 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 20:13:59 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:13:59 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] That was then - March 8, 1989 Message-ID: <20010327011359.97860.qmail@web11503.mail.yahoo.com> The Times (London) March 26, 2001, Monday Sport I was there... Compiled Gary Jacob March 8, 1989 VENUE: Qemal Stafa stadium, Tirana OCCASION: Albania 0 England 2. Horror stories precede the trip to Albania, which was the poorest country in Europe at that time. John Barnes and Bryan Robson score to take England to the top of group two in the World Cup qualifying campaign for Italia 90. BOBBY ROBSON (England manager): We just had to go in, play the match, and get out. I went to watch Sweden win 2-1 in Albania the year before. They were the luckiest team to win. ANDY LYONS (editorial staff at When Saturday Comes): The Albanian authorities had granted 125 visas for English supporters. We organised a trip for 47 supporters to publicise the magazine. We wore T-shirts, which on the back said in Albanian: "Friendly English football fans salute Albanian comrades on the occasion of the first meeting between their two sides." BRIAN SCOTT (England travel manager): Bobby Robson and I visited Tirana beforehand to look at the hotels and stadium. Of the two main hotels in Tirana, the Tirana International was supposedly the best one. I don't want to be rude, but it was of a pretty poor standard. It has since been upgraded an enormous amount. BOBBY ROBSON: Compared to the Western world, it was black and white. An awful place to go to and an ordinary hotel. The people in the main square in Tirana just walked round and round and there was nothing for them to do. No television. I felt sorry for the people who lived there. They had no life, no luxury. It was a poor country and they had no money. The guys were still walking around in long flared trousers, which were certainly out of fashion. There was nothing for the people to do. So what do you do? Turn to football. A bit of waste ground and you can play with a ball. It's the best foundation of all. ROGER NARBETT (England team chef): I was the first team chef and it was my first game. Bobby and Brian had realised that we were going to have to take our food. I went out shopping in Birmingham and got everything that one associates with their own kitchen. More than 300 litres of bottled water, salt and pepper, bread, jam, milk, fruit juice, cornflakes, pasta, meat and fruit. We left nothing to chance. CHRIS WADDLE (England winger): Albania is just about the worst place I have visited in my life. It almost made my previous trips to Eastern Europe seem luxurious. I had long hair in those days and I was advised to get it cut short just to be allowed in the country. LYONS: Passport control at the Albanian border searched through our luggage to check for anything that would present the Yugoslav perspective on politics, such as maps of the country borders. The people in Tirana, who dressed in 1970s clothes, were quite friendly and intrigued to see Westerners there. ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER (aka John Baine, socialist performance poet and poet in residence at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club): We knew the Albanians were interested in English football, so I took over lots of Brighton & Hove Albion programmes and was absolutely mobbed by hundreds of young Albanian kids who wanted a copy of a Brighton versus Crewe Alexandra 1984 programme! We also went to the Dynamo Tirana stadium and played a match on the pitch and visited a tractor factory. SCOTT: The car registration numbers only had three digits because there were not more than 1,000 cars. That has changed a lot now. There were no taxis and people walked or used horse and cart. NARBETT: I worked with the hotel chefs to prepare the food. There was a language barrier but cooking is a universal language. The staff at the hotel looked on in wonder as I opened huge tins of baked beans. They tasted the bread and butter. There was no salamander or a grill, so I had to use the oven to make the toast for 50 people. The other difficulty I had was that my wife had given birth to our son the night we left for Albania. It was a little daunting to sit on the table with Bobby Robson and Don Howe. But once I got into my work, I forgot I was cooking for Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne. The rice pudding went down well. ATTILA: I had a tongue-in-cheek interest in Albania from when I listened to Radio Tirana as a kid. There was this awful Albanian instrumental band in the hotel doing cover versions of Beatles songs. We borrowed their instruments and performed an illegal punk rock concert in the basement of the hotel to most of our English group and some bemused Albanians, most of whom were probably the secret police. We played Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones. ROBSON: The game was an afternoon kick-off as they had no lights. Around midday, the team doctor said: "I have bad news for you. Bryan Robson has been up all night with gastroenteritis. He has had no breakfast, is as weak as water and is not feeling great." I said: "What? Oh God, doctor. Let's talk to him." It was a World Cup qualifier. Robson was our most influential character then. So we told him to have some lunch - cornflakes and milk - and we then asked him how he felt. He said: "Not much better, but I will have a go." He went out and was magnificent. On his 50th international as captain, he headed the second goal from a free kick. As England will find out, it isn't necessarily a hostile atmosphere, but it isn't friendly and they aren't a bad team. ATTILA: I remember the incredible way in which the crowd scattered when they saw a member of the secret police, who were hardly secret, as they wore knee-length leather raincoats. ROBSON: We left behind at the hotel anything that we did not need - the chocolate, fruit, cornflakes. The chambermaids and waitresses cried; they thought we were such wonderful people. THAT WAS THEN __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ From aalibali at yahoo.com Mon Mar 26 23:23:50 2001 From: aalibali at yahoo.com (Agron Alibali) Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 20:23:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [ALBSA-Info] A point of view on Macedonia Message-ID: <20010327042350.19503.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.ihf-hr.org/appea