Informazione
Despite fierce opposition from Belgrade and Moscow, the UN-designated "mediator" for Kosovo, former Finnish president and ICG board member Martti Ahtisaari submitted his proposal this week to the UN Security Council. Ahtisaari told Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that "supervised independence" was the "only viable option" for the Serbian province, occupied since June 1999 by NATO and administered by a UN mission and a "provisional" ethnic Albanian government.
Washington has declared its ironclad support to Ahtisaari's proposal, rejecting out of hand any further negotiations. According to NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Alliance also fully supports Ahtisaari.
After a 78-day illegal war, followed by almost eight years of violent occupation, the Empire is finally making a move to separate Kosovo from Serbia. The decision is in line with its systematic violations of international law, NATO and UN charter, the U.S. Constitution, and even the very UN resolution that created a precarious legal cover for the occupation.
What is even worse, the reasoning invoked to justify this criminal act is cynical and duplicitous, bearing no relationship to truth or logic.
Simply Illegal
Jurist, a well-known publication of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, carried a guest column this week, in which Prof. Anthony D'Amato of Northwestern University claimed an independent Kosovo would be a "humanitarian disaster" for the remaining Serbs. D'Amato described Kosovo as having a "Serb-hating majority," and wrote that "a Kosovar-dominated (sic) independent government will lose no time in confiscating the property and rights of the Serbian minority. Some 200,000 Serbs in Kosovo could lose everything they own and maybe their lives."
Of particular interest is this observation, concerning the legality of Ahtisaari's proposal:
"If we remove the diplomatic euphemisms from Mr. Ahtisaari's report, we find that he is essentially arguing that UNMIK has conquered Kosovo! Territory-grabbing by conquest has been illegal since the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928, yet somehow the United Nations has done it, according to Mr. Ahtisaari. However, there is nothing in the UN Charter that gives the UN the power to oust an existing government by force, replace it with a United Nations mission created especially for the occasion, and then dissolve the mission and hand sovereignty over the territory to someone else. Acquisition of territory by conquest is simply illegal, whether a state does it or an international organization does it."
Sounds clear enough.
However, D'Amato continues the article by claiming that partition would be a preferred solution, and explains why; to establish at least some legitimacy for the Albanian (or "Kosovar," as he erroneously puts it) cause, he turns to a "human rights argument." Since, he claims, the Albanians were victims of an "unremitting campaign of suppression" by Milosevic, and "crimes against humanity" by the Yugoslav army and police, "the brutality of the Milosevic incursions into Kosovo may be argued as disqualifying Serbia from ever again governing the Kosovars."
Argumentum Ad Atrocitas
This "victim argument" has long been used as justification for NATO's bombing, the subsequent expulsion and persecution of Serbs ("revenge attacks") and others by Albanians, and indeed for claiming the "right" to independence. Supporters of independence have repeatedly claimed that Serbia has somehow "forfeited" its sovereignty through actions in Kosovo in 1999 and before.
As NATO bombs began raining on Serbia and Montenegro in March of 1999, media in NATO countries began manufacturing atrocity stories from the mold perfected just a few years earlier in Bosnia. Refugees, ethnic cleansing, genocide, massacres, rape camps – everything was there. In addition to propaganda injected into the mainstream media by U.S. and other NATO governments, there was also KLA propaganda directly fed to gullible reporters.
Even today, veteran propagandists dutifully repeat the claim that Serb "ethnic cleansing" of Albanians led to the NATO attack. Nothing can be further from the truth. NATO launched the attack in March 1999 after failing to coerce Serbia into accepting an occupation force, during the false negotiations in France. The official justification for the bombing was to force Belgrade to sign the "agreement" presented by the U.S. envoys in Rambouillet. Alleged atrocities are all said to have happened subsequent to the start of the bombing. Indeed, the ICTY indictment against Slobodan Milosevic included only one alleged crime dated prior to March 23, and that was the faux massacre at Racak.
By late 1999, it was obvious that the death toll in Kosovo was much less than the alleged 100,000 – or even the more commonly used 10,000, often falsely qualified as Albanian civilians (That number was actually a wild claim by UK Foreign Minister Geoff Hoon, who sought to justify the bombing.) The total number of bodies exhumed by ICTY's investigators was 2,108, of all ethnicities and with varying causes of death. It is unclear whether that death toll included the numerous Albanians killed by the KLA, the KLA's own substantial casualties, or those of the Yugoslav Army. In any case, horror stories presented as facts in a State Department "report" were later proven false. For example, the "Trepca mines" story was debunked by Wall Street Journal's Daniel Pearl. True, several other mass graves were discovered in the province since 1999. However, the victims buried there were Serbs, so the discoveries quickly faded from memory.
Although many Kosovo Albanians suffered terribly during the KLA insurrection and the NATO bombing, their claim that "Serb atrocities" have earned them the right to independence holds very little water.
Goose and Gander
However, neither the Albanians nor their Western sponsors actually believe the "atrocity argument" on principle. For if they did, and it was universally applicable, they would have forfeited all right to Kosovo themselves!
We could start from the beginning: NATO's war itself was illegal and illegitimate. In the course of the war, NATO pilots targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure. The Alliance naturally claims those were "unfortunate mistakes" and that bombs were dropped "in good faith," yet Gen. Michael Short publicly stated that the campaign was designed to force Belgrade to surrender by terrorizing civilians.
Korisa, Grdelica, Aleksinac, Surdulica – these were just some of the NATO atrocities during the "humanitarian" war of 1999.
Once the government in Belgrade agreed to withdraw from Kosovo and allow the UN to occupy the province (in practice, it was NATO occupation), Albanian separatists began terrorizing Kosovo. Violence against Serbs has been amply documented, in photographs, in print, and on film. It is important to note that Serbs were not the sole victims of Albanian attacks; Roma and other communities in Kosovo have also been exposed to violence, intimidation, extortion and murder.
Here are just some of the more gruesome incidents of anti-Serb violence:
- July 1999: fourteen Serb farmers massacred in the fields near Staro Gracko (graphic photos);
- October 1999: Valentin Krumov, UN official from Bulgaria, slain for "speaking Serbian";
- February 2000: bus carrying Serbs to a cemetery service hit by a missile;
- February 2001: roadside bomb blows up another bus;
- June 2003: brutal slaying of a Serb family in Obilic;
- August 2003: Serb children swimming in the river near Gorazdevac machine-gunned down;
- March 2004: massive pogrom throughout the province targets Serbs; 8 dead, 4500 expelled, several villages razed.
All this was accompanied by systematic destruction of Serbian Orthodox churches, chapels, monasteries and cemeteries.
Albanian separatists and NATO leaders claim that Serbia's violent suppression of the terrorist KLA in 1998-99 merited not only an illegal aggression in response, but also forfeited Serbia's sovereignty over Kosovo. Yet the Albanians have not "forfeited" their right to Kosovo because of systematic terrorism under NATO occupation – they are being rewarded for it by independence!
The Croatian Precedent
Further proof that the "atrocity argument" was made up for the specific purpose of fabricating a reason to separate the occupied province from Serbia and make it into an Albanian state is the absolute absence of any such argument in the case of Croatia, which once had a considerable Serb population.
No "humanitarian" interventionist has ever claimed that atrocities of the Ustasha regime between 1941-1945, in which hundreds of thousands of Serbs perished (Croat and Nazi estimates were over half a million!), somehow disqualified Croatia from sovereignty over territories with majority Serb population that rebelled in 1991? Nor have any of them claimed that Croatia "forfeited" its sovereignty after the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in 1995, following a brutal Croat military incursion that ended the Serb rebellion and "reintegrated" the disputed territories. So how is Kosovo different?
When Croatia engaged in suppression of a Serb rebellion, it was an ally of the United States and NATO, enjoying their full support – military, political, intelligence and diplomatic. When Serbia tried to suppress the Albanian rebellion three years later, the U.S./NATO support was there again – on the side of the Albanians! This is why the same logic does not apply to Krajina and Kosovo, Croatia and Serbia, or even the Serbs and the Albanians. There is no logic here, no principle, no coherent concept of right or wrong – beyond the naked argument of force: whomsoever the Empire supports is a righteous victim, and its enemy an irredeemable villain.
The Final Leap
Empire's pattern of aggression has by now torn the fragile tapestry of international law to shreds. The UN has already lost so much credibility and respect in the world, unable to stop the abuses by the Washington-run "international community," the Ahtisaari Show is but a final nail in its coffin. Over the past fifteen years, many lines have been crossed. Appeasement of NATO and Albanian aggression in Kosovo might just be that last step over the edge, and into the abyss from which what remains of Western civilization may never return.
World War II, Nazi Bombing Onslaught
2) Threat To Tear Kosovo From Serbia Reminiscent Of
Events On Eve Of World War II
-“Should that [Kosovo being torn from Serbia] indeed
happen, it would be a U-turn reminiscent of the
situation on the eve of the World War II, at the time
when certain oversights led to grave consequences. We
are not talking only of Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo’s
independence would trigger an endless and
uncontrollable chain of events. That’s why
independence is ruled put.”
1)
http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/vesti/vest.php?id=33073
Government of Serbia
April 6, 2007
Observation of 66 years from beginning of Second World
War
-In massive bombings which lasted several days,
several thousands of housing and other facilities
across Serbia were destroyed, while bombing of
Belgrade included the destruction of hospitals,
densely populated neighbourhoods and the complete
destruction of the building of the Serbian National
Library. [Compare eight years ago]
Belgrade - The 66th anniversary of the beginning of
the Second World War and the bombing of Serbian cities
is being observed today with a series of commemorative
events paying tribute to killed civilians and members
of the army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Labour,
Employment and Social Policy, the city of Belgrade,
the survivors and descendants of those killed during
the April 6 bombing laid wreaths at localities in
Belgrade, at the port of Vaznesenjska Crkva, at the
monument to the victims at the shelter in Karadjordjev
park and at the Lane of the victims at the New
Cemetery.
Also, they laid wreaths to the monument of the victims
on Zemunski kej near the hotel "Jugoslavija" and at
the locality on Kosancicev venac, where airplanes of
Nazi Germany destroyed the then National Library of
Serbia on today's day in 1941.
A large number of civilians died in the so-called
April war, which started on April 6, 1941 with a
sudden bombing of Serbian towns and ended with the
signing of capitulation of the Yugoslav army on April
17 the same year.
In massive bombings which lasted several days, several
thousands of housing and other facilities across
Serbia were destroyed, while the bombing of Belgrade
included the destruction of hospitals, densely
populated neighbourhoods and the complete destruction
of the building of the Serbian National Library.
Although three days before the bombing, the army was
withdrawn from Belgrade, which the government declared
an open city, under which, according to the
international war law, should have been exempted the
capital from all war destructions, but almost 440 tons
of bombs were dropped on the Serbian capital.
The majority of Belgraders were at their homes since
it was Easter on that day. The city was bombed three
more times - on April 7, 11 and 12.
Representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Employment
and Social Policy will lay wreaths during the
afternoon at the monumental area in Jajinci.
This locality is the largest execution site from the
Second World War in Serbia and a commemorative
ceremony will be held there.
------------------------------------------------------
2)
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=04&dd=06&nav_category=90&nav_id=40556
Beta (Serbia)
April 6, 2007
“UN won’t take Kosovo away”
SARAJEVO, BELGRADE - Outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav
Koštunica has said that the UN Security Council will
never take Kosovo away from Serbia.
“Should that indeed happen, it would be a U-turn
reminiscent of the situation on the eve of the World
War II, at the time when certain oversights led to
grave consequences,” Koštunica told the daily Veèernje
Novosti.
“We are not talking only of Kosovo and Serbia.
Kosovo’s independence would trigger an endless and
uncontrollable chain of events. That’s why
independence is ruled put,” he argued.
Koštunica claimed that there were states “with
sufficient power not to let the international order
plunge into chaos.”
“I believe it is now obvious that Serbia and many
other states, including Russia and China, gave
irrefutable arguments as to why a UN member state
cannot be deprived of its territory,” Koštunica
concluded.
Ceku: Independence by end of May
Kosovo prime minister Agim Ceku says Kosovo will gain
independence by the end of May.
In an interview with the Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz,
Ceku said there was no room for disappointment and
worry following the first UN Security Council session
on Kosovo.
“The session showed that Kosovo status settlement
process goes at projected pace. It’s the first time UN
Security Council ever discussed the independence of
Kosovo, which as a great achievement,” Ceku said.
According to him, it was important that the majority
of the Council member states unequivocally backed
Martti Ahtisaari’s plan, adding that objections hat
could have been heard were already expected.
Ceku voiced hope that Russia would change its position
and “accept Ahtisaari’s plan as the only sensible and
realistic option for Kosovo.”
Commenting on Serbian prime minister Vojislav
Koštunica’s statements following the UN Security
Council session, Ceku said that “Serbia and its
leaders proved over the years they suffered from
inability to understand reality.”
When asked whether he expected the remaining Serbs in
Kosovo to emigrate in case Kosovo attained statehood,
he said it wouldn’t happen.
“Independence for the province could only signal to
Kosovo Serbs they should stay and call others to
return,” Ceku concluded.
“Serbia to seek legal protection”
Justice minister Zoran Stojkoviæ says Serbia might
seek legal protection in case of bilateral recognition
of Kosovo’s independence.
“If certain states recognized Kosovo’s independence,
Serbia might seek legal protection from the
International Court of Justice in the Hague, since
bilateral recognition of Kosovo’s statehood as such
violates fundamental principles of sovereignty and
territorial integrity,” Stojkoviæ said.
He added it was dangerous to connect Kosovo’s status
issue with Serbia’s future in the European Union.
“Is someone promised you the EU membership, and you
gave up a part of your territory, you can’t no longer
tell whether the rest of your land is secured,”
Stojkoviæ added.
“In that sense, we have already received a request for
autonomy from three municipalities in southern Serbia”
Stojkoviæ concluded.
===========================
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«lo avevo seguito da Commissario europeo le esperienze di Gino
Strada, anche in Kurdistan, e penso che abbia un atteggiamento cosi
ambiguo, tra l'umanitario e il politico, che si può prestare a
qualunque illazione». Emma Bonino, ministro per il commercio
internazionale e le politiche europee, da Radio radicale attacca il
fondatore di Emergency: «Fa un lavoro umanitario, ma ha un
comportamento nettamente politico, di parte, di un partito suo.
Scientemente o incoscientemente, che sarebbe ancora peggio, finisce
per giocare un ruolo che è ambiguo, tra torturati e torturatori.
Quando uno si mette a praticare una linea così poco limpida, si
presta a qualunque gioco altrui. Nell'illusione di tirare lui le fila
finisce che il burattinaio non è lui». (dal Corriere della Sera - 10
aprile 2007)
Sulle passioni guerrafondaie di Emma Bonino si vedano anche, ad
esempio, i testi:
ASSASSINI ALL'INGROSSO: UN UOMO CHIAMATO EMMA
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/4921
MUSKARAC PO IMENU EMA
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/3065
Dove sono finite le lotte, il dolore, le speranze?
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/4924
PER UNA VOLTA CHE NE AVEVA DETTA UNA GIUSTA
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/4766
Kosovo - le potenze imperialiste preparano la soluzione finale (nota 8)
https://www.cnj.it/documentazione/acatone05.htm