[Prishtina-E] RFE/RL BALKAN REPORT, Vol. 4, No. 47, 23 June 2000

[Uk Lushi]

>From: "Mimoza Meholli" <mehollim at hotmail.com>
>>RFE/RL BALKAN REPORT
>>Vol. 4, No. 47, 23 June 2000
>>
>>A Twice-Weekly Review of Politics, Media and Radio Free
>>Europe/Radio Liberty Broadcasts in the western Balkans.
>>
>>SOME THOUGHTS ON KOSOVA. This week marked the first
>>anniversary of the withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosova.
>>The U.S.-based Kosova Task Force sent out a message raising
>>some important points in conjunction with the current Kosova
>>debate in some Western countries (see "RFE/RL Balkan Report,"
>>16 May 2000).
>>	The report noted that many "journalists in leading
>>newspapers are suffering from a serious bout of collective
>>amnesia. Critics in alliance with the Serbian lobby are
>>questioning whether NATO intervention on humanitarian grounds
>>was justified. Instead of acknowledging NATO's role in the
>>heroic resistance waged by the people of Kosova against
>>genocide, the focus is on whether the number of Serbian tanks
>>hit were worth the costs of intervention.
>>	"The following facts need to be remembered and brought
>>forward to the media's attention." There then follows a list
>>of nine points, which may be summed up as follows:
>>	1. Kosova still does not enjoy self-determination and
>>majority rule. Serbia continues to have political sovereignty
>>over Kosova despite the overwhelming vote for independence by
>>Kosovars in 1991. To deny the aspirations of Kosovars could
>>lead to new wars and further atrocities.
>>	2. The UN Security Council [in Resolution 1244] assigned
>>UNMIK the impossible task of creating a multiethnic Kosova
>>subject to Belgrade. Any talk of reconciliation and creation
>>of a multi-ethnic society is futile so long as there is no
>>acknowledgment of the wrongs done. Even if amends are not
>>made, then there should be at least a sense that some measure
>>of justice is being done.
>>	3. NATO went to war against Belgrade not to create some
>>multiethnic and democratic nirvana but to prevent an
>>escalation of Serbian attacks against Kosova's civilian
>>population.
>>	4. A political settlement with ethnic Albanians as full
>>partners is needed.
>>	5. The upcoming municipal elections are no more than a
>>UN plan to assuage Kosovars and a bid for time in the hope
>>that some sort of compromise short of Kosovar independence
>>will emerge.
>>	6. French forces have allowed a de facto partition of
>>the mineral-rich region of Mitrovica by the Serbs.
>>	7. War criminals have not been arrested. Kosova still
>>has no court that can deliver impartial judgments regarding
>>war crimes.
>>	8. About 1,200 Albanians are still being illegally held
>>in Serbian prisons, subjected to mock trials that make a parody
>>of justice. Last month, 143 of these prisoners were sentenced
>>to a total of 1,632 years in prison. Another 5,000 Kosovars
>>are reported missing. The weak international response has
>>fostered a profound cynicism among Kosovars regarding the
>>prospects for realizing other Western promises such as self-
>>governance or real peace.
>>	9. Kosovar sources estimate that 20,000 Kosovar women
>>were raped by Serbs. None of the guilty men have been
>>arrested. Few services are available for these women to deal
>>with their personal traumas. Local humanitarian groups,
>>including the Red Cross, have estimated that 100 babies
>>conceived through rape were born in January alone.
>>	Of course, this is only part of the story. The crimes
>>mentioned here do not justify the recent violence done to
>>Serbs and other non-Albanians who stayed on in Kosova. Any
>>moves to prevent the return of non-Albanians to Kosova are
>>not acceptable. Kosovar society itself is partly to blame for
>>the psychological and other difficulties that many of the
>>rape victims--to say nothing of the unwanted children--are
>>having. And KFOR's recent discovery of 67 tons arms in the
>>Drenica valley has cast more than a shadow over General Agim
>>Ceku and his Kosova Protection Corps.
>>	But these developments--and sometimes sterile
>>discussions about bombing raids--should not obscure the fact
>>that NATO intervened in Kosova for sound reasons and
>>succeeded in bringing the genocide to a halt. (Editing and
>>commentary by Patrick Moore)
>>

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