This was sent today to protest the silly exaggerations in the article referenced.
Dear Sir or Madam,
In an article in your newspaper yesterday “The Kosovo question”, (accessed online at http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=42653 ) S.M. Rashed Ahmed writes:
“KOSOVO’S independence is a triumph of the right of self-determination and freedom. Serbian military and security forces had for years suppressed the freedom movement of the people of Kosovo through one of the worst genocides in history”.
This is factually incorrect, and since it comes from a former Ambassador to Kosovo who should know better, this claim is serious lapse of balance, fairness and professionalism.
There was never a genocide in Kosovo. Even in Bosnia, where crimes against civilians were an order of magnitude worse, only the Srebrenica massacre is considered to be an act of genocide.
So I repeat, Kosovo was never “subjected to a genocide”, and to describe what happened there as “one of the worst genocides in history” grossly exaggerates what really happened and cheapens real genocides, like the Jewish holocaust.
Mr Ahmad goes on to make three pivotal claims to support his later statements:
“Kosovo, like Bangladesh, was subjected to genocide and won its independence through a bloody war of independence after the KLA, the “Mukti Bahini” of Kosovo, waged a heroic fight supported by its allies.
Kosovo has emerged from socialist one-party government to become a democratic multi- religious, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural pluralistic society with a market economy and a free media. It is predominately a Muslim majority country in the heart of Eastern Europe, but the Kosovo Albanian Muslims are very tolerant and firmly committed to democracy and human rights, and are against misuse of religion for political ends.
Recognition of the Republic of Kosovo is vital for peace and stability, not only for Kosovo but also for Serbia and the entire Balkans. Serbia’s fragile transition to democracy and free market economy is being threatened by the defeated Milosovic [sic] forces and the rise of radicals and extremists in former Yugoslavia, who are allegedly responsible for the assassination of the former prime minister Djindic [sic].”
Kosovo’s “independence” is very much in dispute and certainly not fait accompli.
The KLA were a US State Department listed terrorist organization and they are directly implicated in mass murder, organized crime, the abduction of civilians and the Ethnic Cleansing of up to 200,000 non-Albanians (Serbs, Roma and Gorani).
Whilst it is true that Kosovo has emerged from socialist one-party government to become a democratic multi- religious, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural pluralistic society with a market economy and a free media, so has Serbia.
Kosovo is not achieving freedom and independence from a dictatorship or colonial rule, we are witnessing the creation of an ethno-state seceding from a sovereign democracy. This is a deeply worrying for those who see the dangers of this precedent, even if they sympathize with the ambitions of the people of Kosovo.
Right now I think partition is best. Northern Kosovo will remain in Serbia, the rest will have its independence.
Sadly, ethnic partitioning is well established precedent in the Balkans and elsewhere. Bangladeshis should know this very well since their country was the child of just such a partitioning.
Kind regards,
Jonathan Davis
http://www.belgradefvc.com
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