[kan-l] Nato and Rambouillet

[Teresa Crawford]

**** Kosova Action Network Discussion List ****
POLITICAL ACTION STATEMENT
KOSOVA ACTION  NETWORK
APRIL 3, 1999 

DEAR FRIENDS- 

Recent statements by NATO reveal an alarming misunderstanding of the Kosovar 
Albanian's political reality. Western high-handedness is revealed once again as NATO spokesperson Jamie Shea who declared that he "likes" the Rambouillet peace plan and sees it as useful when resettling Kosova. 

He said that since the Albanians themselves signed it, it should be put into 
effect! This was on CNN, Saturday at 8:00 a.m, April 3. He apparently has not 
yet noticed that the entire political reality of the region is changed and is 
continuing to change rapidly.

All supporters of the Kosova cause need to speak out quickly and loudly and 
--while we have a degree of world attention-- publicly---Rambouillet is over. 
Genocide has replaced it. An ethnic group which has experienced the total 
breakdown of a humane and civil society into a situation ruled by despots and 
war criminals has, at the very least, the right to its own self-determination.

Genocide was not an option at Rambouillet. The Albanians did not sign a peace 
accord that included it. They very, very reluctantly signed onto a 
protectorate with guarantees for their safety provided through NATO. They did 
not trust Europe to protect them. They only signed it because of the U.S. 
They trusted in our values of justice and democracy.

That is what is meant by "AMERICAN INTERESTS." These values are the 
underpinning of economic stability, regional partnerships, and peaceful, 
lawful conflict resolution. That is what is meant by American Interests. The 
right to vote, to be part of a representative government is vital to 
developing democracies throughout the world, according to the UN, NATO, and 
Human Rights declarations that the US has co-signed.

Woodrow Wilson in 1917 promised to take a holistic look at the "Albanian" 
problem created by the London Conference in 1912, which intentionally divided 
this ethnic population into quarters. In 1992, George Bush promised a swift 
military response to any Serb military build-up in Kosova, yet we lack the 
will to give the UCK food, let alone arms, that they urgently have requested. 
Richard Holbrooke and Bill Clinton promised the Albanians their own peace 
conference in 1995. It never came. Those un-honored commitments are part of 
out "AMERICAN INTERESTS." We owe the Kosovars one.

NATO is failing them miserably. Today the UCK reports are full of small-scale 
village massacres. The Albanians have also been represented by Western journalists and analysts as "radicalized" by NATO's bombings. This is missing the point. The 
Albanians were facing genocide all during Rambouillet and the four weeks of 
"peace" talks, which the Serbs used to set up the final touches to the 
cleansing machine we are now witnessing. The West chose to turn a blind eye 
to this ominous escalation as it was going on.

The Albanians signed a deal that gave them a future that included democracy 
not despotism and brutality. Why is NATO still insisting that they have no 
right to self-determination? Every other citizen of Europe and America has 
this basic right.



Alice Mead
Kosova Action Network coordinator
April 3, 1999

contact: alooscnon at aol.com

or





contact information:
teresa at advocacynet.org
(315) 471-7790 voice mail
Syracuse, NY 13210

STOP THE VIOLENCE IN KOSOVA visit <http://www.alb-net.com/kcc> to stay informed.






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Submitted by: Teresa Crawford <tmcrawfo at mailbox.syr.edu>