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L-I: Kosovo: Post/1
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From: "Owen Jones" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Rechurned Ideas of 1980s Serbian Intelligentsia
Date: Thu, Feb 10, 2000, 17:22
Comrades,
Louis has just forwarded an article from a Serbian academic named
Mrs. Dragas writing on Kosovo. Though it contains some important and indeed
legitimate facts, its general theme is reminiscent of the Serbian
nationalism and chauvinism the Serbian intelligentsia capitulated to during
the 1980s when Titoism was in its death agony.
[ If you are to read my critique of it, I'd advise reading the article first
(at the bottom) or this may appear confusing. ]
I have already read something by this particular group, the "Committee for
National Solidarity" (I think comrade Michael Pugliese forwarded it to me -
people who've seen it might remember it, called "America's Orders", and was
correctly described by somebody as "racist bilge").
This document needs to be put into context. It is very much in the spirit
of the "Memorandum" produced by the Serbian Academy of Arts and Science
(SANU), which was produced in September 1986 (there were also several
petitions and other documents organised by Serbian intellectuals around this
period). It described its subject as being on "the status of Serbia and the
Serb nation"; basically it called for a reworking of the 1974 Yugoslav
Constitution to establish greater decentralisation, attacked the monopoly of
power the Communist Party had, denounced the economic structure, etc...
It stated: "Not all the national groups were equal: the Serbian nation, for
instance, was not given the right to have its own state". It hit at
Yugoslavia for "the desire to keep the Serbian people constantly under
control". Indeed, it believed the motto of the rulers was that "a weak
Serbia ensures a strong Yugoslavia." Then it cast its eyes to Kosovo and
spoke of an "ethnic Albanians' war" and a "the physical, political, legal
and cultural genocide of the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija..."
Immediately, the increasingly sidelined Titoists in the Party denounced the
document. The president of Serbia, Ivan Stambolic, in October 1986 stated:
"The so-called Memorandum is not new. It is the old chauvinist concern for
the fate of the Serbian cause with the well-known formula that Serbs will
win wars but lose the peace...In short, the so-called Memorandum, more
precisely, with an easy conscience, could be entitled 'In Memorandum' for
Yugoslavia, Serbia, Socialism, self-management, equality, brotherhood and
unity... Essentially, it is diametrically opposed to the interests of Serbs
throughout Yugoslavia."
Mr. Stambolic was scarily apt in his analysis. If we are going to pin down
any document for the obituary of Yugoslavia and Titoism, it was this
blueprint the Serbian intelligentsia had put forward.
Except, it was not a threat until it was adopted by an opportunist
political group. Though there was a nationalist movement of a sort at the
time, which whilst rightly often pointing to the oppression Kosovar Serbs
suffered, answered with chauvinism rather than anything progressive in
substance, the Communist Party was still in the grip of Titoists.
This was soon to change. A group of bureaucrats led principally by
Milosevic appeared. It was the desire of this counter-revolutionary faction,
as our dear friend Trotsky predicted back in the 30s, to have more than the
mere privileges the Stalinist system limited them to, but to have direct
ownership of property, right to inheritance, etc... In other words, there
aim was to undertake capitalist counter-revolution and form the new
bourgeoisie. Yet they needed some form of popular legitimacy; I doubt the
Serbian masses were going to cheer them on if their leaders announced they
wanted to exploit them all.
So, the Milosevic wing of the bureaucracy adopted the ideas expressed by
the Serbian intellectuals. Propagating and encouraging nationalism grew his
support base bit by bit. Soon he was able to mount a coup against the
Titoists, encouraging mass demonstrations. He ousted the party leadership,
seized control of party and state, incited nationalism throughout
Yugoslavia, and restored capitalism.
"The Committee for National Solidarity" that Mrs. Dragas belongs to sounds
like a remnant of one of the organisations Milosevic used as proxies in his
push for power, like the "Committee for the Defence of Kosovo Serbs".
Obviously they have not all entirely dissolved, though it must be noted that
the Serbian intelligentsia have mainly abandoned Milosevic these days. I
will analyse important parts of what she says (since it has been posted
without explanation it needs to be challenged, I think).
It must be stated that such a vague endorsement of Mrs. Dragas' knowledge
of the topic as "a recognised expert on Kosovo and Metohia" must immediately
be questioned. Recognised by whom? What papers has she written on the
subject? How much and what research has she done? Does she have practical
experience, like staying in Kosovo, interviewing the population, etc...? I
think what it in fact indicates is her ideas are popular amongst a
particular group of people who then proclaim her as an expert to gain wider
acceptability.
A very revealing part of this diatribe is this paragraph:
" It is almost as well - known as the Albanian love for weapons: Today, just
like it used to be the case in the past, there is hardly any Albanian house
in Kosovo that has no weapons in it. Arms are an integral part of thoughts,
hands, and characters of Albanian men. Thus the fact that in former
Yugoslavia many young Albanians had attended military schools and academies
should not come as a surprise. Young Albanians were enrolled and selected
like young men of other nationalities - according to their success on
application exams. "
This sentence is oozing with chauvinism. What she is encouraging is a
racial stereotype of Albanians - a violent, brutal, culturally backward race
that is predisposed by nature to violence. Indeed, it is the oppressors'
view of "the backward native". It is often the same with nationalists here
in England, who racially stereotype the Irish as stupid, backwards, and
predisposed to terrorism (often the first reaction a person has here to
seeing an Irish van or car parked in the street is to question whether it
contains a bomb).
But there is distinct historical link here, on the "brutish" character of
Albanians and their military enrolment. In 1987, the "Paracin Massacre"
occurred in Kosovo. A young Kosovo Albanian named Kelmendi in the Yugoslav
Army stormed his barracks and killed four soldiers - their nationalities
being Serb, two Bosnian Muslim, and one Slovene/Croat; Kelmendi then killed
himself (or so the official report concludes). Basically, there was a
massive trial in which several other soldiers (6 Albanian, 1 Muslim, 1 Rom)
would be convicted, with a rather dubious use of justice. But the newspaper
organs of the Yugoslav bureaucracy labelled this massacre a shot against the
entire country (like the newspaper "Borba", which stated the day of the
massacre, September 3rd: "...he aimed at one of the steadiest pillars of
Yugoslav stability - at the JNA [the Yugoslav army]...".
Indeed, there was a massive storm in Yugoslavia. Kosovo was made an
Albanian issue. The press screamed it was the work of "an Albanian
irrendentist". However, even though the act was politicised and presented as
an act of terror, as a shot against all of Yugoslavia, the more likely and
sane explanation was the fact he was being mistreated in the Army.
Still, the Yugoslav bureaucracy had to bow down to the demands of
nationalists in Serbs, rightly recognising them as a threat to Yugoslavia
and sensing its continued rule was in jeopardy. It boosted the arguments of
the Milosevic wing of the Stalinist bureaucracy. The reaction was closer
"monitoring" of Albanian recruits, and interviews with army recruits of both
Albanian and Serbian nationality confirm the former were given more work in
the army such as janitors and cooks, and denied arms.
This is a turning point in modern Yugoslav history, and now the Titoists
were forced on to the defensive (though in only a couple of years they were
purged of the apparatus). Yet this was the main evidence Serb chauvinists
give for the naturally violent tendencies of the Kosovar Albanians; hence
the pretty disgusting comments this woman comes up with such as "arms are an
integral part of thoughts, hands, and characters of Albanian men."
She goes on to say:
" We had talked about this subject - Albanians and Yugoslav army - with
someone who is qualified to discuss the subject, being an Albanian and
officer himself. He maintains that there had been quite a lot of Albanians
in Yugoslav army, among others there are Generals Isa Kransnici, Fadilj
Curanoli, Edhem Racica who still live in Belgrade. Some of them are still in
active military service. "
Again, much of what I have already written already is relevant to this. And
this is a pretty standard tactic of chauvinists...to claim an accusation
against a nationality is backed up by someone of that nationality. Do we
really believe that an Albanian is going to imply Albanians to be a
violence-loving race? Methinks not. It's also the same with racists;
challenge them about being a racist towards, say, Jamaicans, and they'll
protest that one of their best friends is Jamaican.
Throughout, this Albanian is referred to as "our source". He is given no
identification whatsoever other than being Albanian. No age, no rank, no
history, no details, no direct quotes. In other words, this Albanian source
probably does not actually exist, and even if he does, what he has says has
certainly been distorted.
Mrs. Dragas informs us that "some Albanians officers took active part" in
the break-up of Yugoslavia. As it so happens so did some Serbian officers,
and Croatian officers, etc..., on behalf of their bureaucracies in Zagreb
and Belgrade. The Yugoslav civil war was the most disastrous and bloody
capitalist counter-revolution that occurred in Eastern Europe, but was
merely the separate bureaucracies using the forces of nationalism in their
strive for power and property. It then claims that Albanians settled
themselves in Sarajevo, though I don't know the facts behind this to make an
assessment, but I don't see the precise crime Albanians are responsible for
here. What is said about money used for the "illegal purchase of arms"
destined for Kosovo is something we can say about all the rival armies in
the Balkans' wars.
It is true that some Albanian workers and peasants were attracted to the
armies of Slovenia and Croatia. There is a reason for this. Many Albanians
felt that they faced national oppression at the hands of the Serbian State,
and naturally sympathised with other nations in conflict with Serbia and so
joined their side. Not only that, but there was a Slovenian-Albanian axis of
some sort going on, because the Slovenian bureaucracy, as part of its
struggle against the Serbian leadership, pretended to sympathise with the
cause of the Kosovar Albanians. I think here the author is attempting to
prove the Albanians are a 'traitorous' group of some kind.
It is again true that Albanian fascists who later became leading members of
the KLA were involved in atrocities against ordinary Serbs - like the murder
of 120 Serbs in Gospic in 1991 (such as Agim Ceku). Yet we must accept that,
during the war, despite the racist and fascist-leaning nature of the KLA
leadership (especially after the leftwing faction was purged), many working
class and peasant Albanian came to the KLA because they naively perceived it
as the only armed resistance available against an oppressive Yugoslav Army.
More chauvinist claptrap: "They were also lead by the old delusion
Albanians so often impose upon themselves, that Serbs are bent on destroying
them..." Yeah, and don't the Kurds whinge about being destroyed by the
Turks? Throughout the 1990s, it was the Kosovar Albanians who were oppressed
by the Yugoslav State, and no doubt the chauvinist oppressors frequently
said insulting things like this. I don't know about anybody else, but when I
was much younger I lived with my formerly very heavy handed brother.
Sometimes he would hit me, and when I got upset he would protest that he had
not hit me that hard and therefore I could not be in pain, as though he was
a better judge than me. Or we could move this to the basis of class - I've
often heard members of the bourgeoisie protesting that their workers were
whinging about their conditions and exploitation when they were treated
marvellously. Or indeed Cinderella's ugly sisters saying they treated her
too well.
Another interesting statement: "Albanians who had been living in Yugoslavia
always had a better life than their compatriots in Albania." She is implying
they are somehow lodgers, that they are guests from Albania living in
Yugoslavia who should be grateful for what they have got out of it, when in
fact they are Yugoslavs and despite their original ethnic origins had as
much right to live there as their Serb brothers - both groups have lived in
Kosovo as long as the other if that's even relevant. That's the same logic
as white supremacists telling blacks they have no right to protest against
racism when they have a far better life than they would in Africa or
wherever. And I'm not even sure if it is true; Kosovo was always the least
developed part of Yugoslavia. Many Kosovo Serbs as well as Albanians would
argue Kosovo was oppressed by the Yugoslav State. As it so happens, some
Serbs and other nationalities took part in the 1981 uprising.
Then there is the allegation of an Albanian conspiracy. "Albanians have far
more pressing goals," she proclaims - the establishment of a Greater
Albania. What, all Albanians? I certainly do not dispute that the long term
aim of the KLA's fascist leadership is an ethnically pure Greater Albania.
But she clearly implies that this is a conspiracy waged by Albanians as a
group.
There are actually many more incidents throughout like the examples above;
but the character of this article is that of chauvinist and even racist
filth. I am not quite sure why Louis found it necessary to post this to a
Marxist list. I believe there would rightly have been an outcry against a
Turkish nationalist diatribe against Kurds, or an English nationalist
diatribe against the Irish.
I've seen other articles of the CoNS, and they're all the same. It is
clearly a racist organisation, run by remnants of a chauvinist wing of the
Serbian intelligentsia. But what deeply troubles me is that nobody seems to
have challenged this document one single bit!
Hope that's some food for thought.
Comradely
Owen
> ===========================
> The Committee for National Solidarity
> Tolstojeva 34, 11000 Belgrade, YU
>
> Dear Madam / Sir,
>
> We are sending you the article "ANGEL OF MERCY" by Mrs. Simonida Dragas, a
> recognized expert on Kosovo and Metohia, in hope that it will be of use to
> you in achieving a better understanding of the situation in this troubled
> region.
>
>
> Author: Mrs. Simonida Dragas
>
> "ANGEL OF MERCY" - THE STORY OF ONE GENERAL OF YUGOSLAV ARMY
>
> "Angel of Mercy" is the name of war that had been waged by America and NATO
> in Kosovo, where violence continues even though war is officially over and
> bombs are no longer part of the "merciful" action for "liberation" of
> Albanians. The title itself is an ironic paraphrasing of the title of well -
> known fresco from Mileseva monastery "The White Angel". But ironic
> paraphrasing of things that are held sacred by one nation is also a
> testimony to the barbarism of those who paraphrase it.
>
> Americans, Germans and Albanians: Its the old well - known story. It is
> almost as well - known as the Albanian love for weapons: Today, just like it
> used to be the case in the past, there is hardly any Albanian house in
> Kosovo that has no weapons in it. Arms are an integral part of thoughts,
> hands, and characters of Albanian men. Thus the fact that in former
> Yugoslavia many young Albanians had attended military schools and academies
> should not come as a surprise. Young Albanians were enrolled and selected
> like young men of other nationalities - according to their success on
> application exams.
>
> We had talked about this subject - Albanians and Yugoslav army - with
> someone who is qualified to discuss the subject, being an Albanian and
> officer himself. He maintains that there had been quite a lot of Albanians
> in Yugoslav army, among others there are Generals Isa Kransnici, Fadilj
> Curanoli, Edhem Racica who still live in Belgrade. Some of them are still in
> active military service.
>
> When the break - up of Yugoslavia had begun, some Albanian officers took
> active part in it. Our source claims that none of the high ranking Albanian
> officers had left Yugoslav army. Only younger Albanian officers of lower
> rank - such as captains and lieutenants - had deserted. Most of these
> deserters had left the units of Yugoslav army that had been stationed in
> Slovenia and Croatia. Some of these former officers played important role in
> settlement of Albanians in these areas before they had left the army. For
> example, colonel Beciri played important role in settlement of over 8000
> Albanians in Sarajevo, where he had been stationed. He supported settlement
> of Albanians in other parts of Bosnia as well. Colonel Beciri had been the
> President of Albanian Association in Bosnia. He had received money from his
> compatriots whom he had helped to settle in Bosnia. Part of that money went
> for illegal purchase of arms that were destined for Kosovo Albanians.
>
> As soon as the break-up of former Yugoslavia had begun, young Albanian
> officers deserting from Yugoslav army signed contracts with the newly formed
> armed forces of Slovenia and Croatia. Their monthly wages ranged from 10000
> to 15000 German Marks. Soon they became the hard core of Slovenian and
> Croatian armies.
>
> Beside participation in armed conflicts in Slovenia and Croatia, many
> Albanian officers who had received the training and military education of
> highest standard in Yugoslav army prior to their desertion, started leaving
> for Albania as early as 1991. There they began training their compatriots
> from Kosovo and Albania. CIA and BND were well acquainted with their
> training camps in Tirana and Kux. Acting on orders of their sponsors,
> Albanian officers who had at one point taken the solemn oath of allegiance
> to defend Yugoslavia now lead the units made up of terrorists against the
> same country. This breach of oath had begun as early as early as 1991 and
> lasted until the very end of operation "Angel of Mercy". The fact that gangs
> of terrorists had been continuously crossing Yugoslav - Albanian border is
> no big secret. Sometimes during "Angel of Mercy" operations the groups
> numbered as many as 10000 or even 15000 terrorists armed with German weapons
> and trained by former officers of Yugoslav army. NATOs aircraft and
> artillery had been providing support for these terrorist groups. Terrorists
> often tried to penetrate Yugoslav territory from Macedonia, going across
> Sara mountain.
>
> Our source maintains that UCK / KLA had been formed primarily thanks to the
> efforts of Albanian officers who had received training in Yugoslav army,
> prior to their desertion. UCK / KLA commander Agim Ceku was the most
> ruthless and fierce among those officers. He used to be stationed in
> Yugoslav armys garrison in town of Gospic in Croatia. He and another former
> officer of Yugoslav army, major Oreskovic, had planned and carried out the
> brutal murdering of 120 Serbs in Gospic late in 1991.
>
> Our source maintains that Albanian officers who had deserted Yugoslav army
> and took part in actions against Serbs were mainly motivated by money they
> had been receiving from their employers. They were also lead by the old
> delusion Albanians so often impose upon themselves, that Serbs are bent on
> destroying them; thus, Albanians should try to destroy Serbs in turn.
> According to our source, members of UCK / KLA often show inclination to
> criminal activities, such as pillaging, looting and random violence against
> civilians, even fellow Albanians. He maintains that former allies - NATO and
> UCK / KLA - may become enemies in the future. UCK / KLA had been only
> nominally disbanded. However, it exercises effective control in Kosovo and
> shows more and more resentment against KFOR, which may gradually lead to the
> open conflicts as former members of UCK / KLA continue to pursue their
> inclination towards criminal activities described above.
>
> UCK / KLA had been in fact set up in order so the Americans, Germans or the
> British would not have to die in the Balkans, maintains our source. Today
> Albanians believe that their "task" in Kosovo is finished, and since they
> had also gained strength, they are no longer ready to be obedient pawns of
> the "foreigners". Thus the increased tensions between Albanians and members
> of NATO forces in Kosovo.
>
> Our source believes that most of the young Albanian officers who had
> received military education in Yugoslav military schools, have deserted from
> Yugoslav army and fought with UCK / KLA are no longer among the living. They
> had perished in conflicts with Yugoslav army and Serbian police since their
> CIA and BND mentors kept pushing them into the foremost front lines. That
> was part of their "allies" strategy: Use and then dispose of cannon fodder!
> Albanians who had been living in Yugoslavia always had a better life than
> their compatriots in Albania. Over the past several years, the "great
> allies" of Albanians and UCK / KLA had maintained a state of chronic chaos
> in Albania and Albanians born in Yugoslavia are slowly getting tired of
> their foreign mentors. Our source maintains that none of the members of UCK
> / KLA, not even Hasim Taci, who had received his training from fellow
> criminals in German underworld, would be willing to risk their lives in
> realization of new projects of American and German geostrategists. These
> projects include plans for subjugating Russia and cutting its population
> down to between 30 and 40 millions of Russians by year 2010.
>
> Albanians have far more pressing goals. These include occupation of parts of
> southern Serbia and creation of Great Albania in cooperation with their
> compatriots from Macedonia. Center of this Great Albania would be Pristina.
> UCK / KLA does not want to have Albanians from Albania run such a state. One
> cannot help wondering whether CIA and BND will continue supporting and
> financing these plans of UCK / KLA...
>
> Secretary General
> Mrs. Jela Jovanovic
> Art historian
> ===========================
>
>
> Louis Proyect
>
> (The Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org)
>
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