[Prishtina-E] US in Kosovo = Strong Ties with Kosovars

[Jeton Ademaj]

U.S. Engagement in Kosovo Created Strong Ties with Albanian Kosovars

(Interview with Dr. Alush Gashi) (1070)
By Kiersten McCutchan
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States' assistance to Kosovo when it was
threatened by the Milosevic regime has created strong ties between Kosovo
and America, and has given members of this Balkan community insight into
and sympathy for American values, says Dr. Alush Gashi, a member of the
newly elected Kosovo Assembly, a surgeon, and senior advisor to Ibrahim
Rugova, president of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).

In a recent interview with The Washington File, Gashi said he doesn't
believe American success in Kosovo is well known around the world and that
people who are hostile to America "just do not know for what you stand."

Kosovo, with a population that is 75 percent Muslim, is an example of
truly positive Muslim-U.S. relations, Gashi said.

The United States came to Kosovo's aid in response to former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic's campaign of ethnic cleansing, which sought
to exterminate any non-Serb people from the province, said Gashi, who is
also Foreign Affairs Secretary of the LDK and a past spokesman for Kosovo
to the U.S. Congress and the former Clinton Administration.

"American engagement in Kosova is unique," Gashi explained. "It was
continuous and in all phases, starting with prewar humanitarian aid and
diplomatic and political support."

"Without America's strong commitment, the western coalition [against
Milosevic] would not have taken place," he said. America sent its "sons
and daughters" to fight Milosevic and Serb troops to "save innocent
civilians, who happened to be Muslims of Western culture, and to create
conditions so Kosovars could return home, establish democracy and reshape
their future."

Gashi added that "under NATO protection Kosovars returned home, but
Americans and its allies did not go home. They stayed and continued
supporting peace-loving people who were building a postwar Kosova,"
building schools, hospitals, roads and mosques.

"I believe that Kosova Albanians love America because they are aware of
American values," he observed.

"America conveyed its ideals of democracy to Kosovo. It was the United
States of America that gave us the hope that, if we opposed violence,
worked for democracy, and stood for human and national rights for all
Kosova citizens, we would not be left alone. The United States of America
kept its promise to us."

"For many years now, we have not been left alone," Gashi continued.
"Frequent congressional delegations, diplomats, journalists, human rights
activists, humanitarian workers and religious leaders visited us in Kosova
and supported our sticking with a peaceful approach. United States
representatives worldwide helped us in raising our concerns about
violations of human and national rights. Diplomatic support for peace and
justice were evident. American institutions received us on a regular
basis."

When the Serbian regime closed down all Albanian language media, the Voice
of America (VOA) became "very important" for Kosovo, Gashi said. "Human
rights activists and political parties had very good access to VOA to
condemn the human rights violations and to promote democracy.

"The message of political leaders to the Kosova population was that peace
would work and we would gain freedom if we opposed violence and built
democracy -- and for that we had American support. In this process
Albanian-American support was very important."

Gashi said the U.S. Mission in Kosovo is very active in helping Kosovars
rebuild their country, with reconstruction efforts and with the
establishment of democratic institutions, which he calls "key factors for
stability and prosperity."

"We believe that the hard work of the American Mission in Kosova is an
essential factor to make a difference in Kosova and, as well, for regional
stability."

He said the investment of the United States and the international
community in democratic institutions "was crowned with very good local
elections" and Kosovo-wide elections last year.

Because of the successful relationship between America and Kosovo, the
Albanian Kosovar community can offer its support and a sympathetic view of
American values as well as a positive example of America's relationship
with Muslims, Gashi believes.

Kosovars show their support for the United States in many ways, he said.
There is "strong political and diplomatic support, and foremost, there is
love and care for Americans who are serving in Kosovo in different
capacities." Also, "there is strong support from Kosovars for zero
tolerance against terrorism."

Kosovars saw the attacks of September 11 not only as attacks on America,
Gashi said, but also as attacks on Kosovo and on the world.

"The pain was felt like a death in the family," he said. "Kosovars believe
in God and in America. They have not seen God. However, they have seen
what America did for Kosova. Kosova was shocked by the news that its
savior had been attacked. America had saved Kosova."

He described the Kosovars' response in those difficult moments after four
hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the
Pentagon in Washington, and a field in Pennsylvania.  "We went out into
the streets of Kosova with candlelight and American flags and visited our
American friends who are in Kosova to help us to establish strong
democratic institutions. In our modest way we showed that we care for
America."

Gashi continued: "During all the years of repression we believed that some
day Kosova would be free like America. We believe that the aim of the
attack against America was to change the American way of life. We do not
want you to change. We do not want evil to prevail."

Kosovars also support America's military actions in Afghanistan in the war
on terrorism because Kosovo was terrorized by the Milosevic regime, just
as the Afghan people were by the Taliban, Gashi said.

Now "remarkable things are taking place in Kosova," he said. For instance,
many people do not realize that "the American-Jewish community was engaged
in rebuilding the mosques like one in the village of Jablanica in the
Gjakova Municipality of Kosova."

This story and similar stories deserve to be told, Gashi said.

He believes that if people worldwide could reach out to each other a
little more -- and if audiences could tune into what the Kosovo community
has to say about the United States -- it might help "let others understand
the American sense of justice."

"The secret of Kosova's success is the continuous American engagement, and
foremost, an investment in democracy," Gashi concluded.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.  Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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