I cannot help but follow the news and events which are taking place in Kosovo and realize that there are lessons to be learned for us, as Iranians. I feel connected to these events because I taught for a short while in Bogared (Belgrade) many years ago. I lived in old Yugoslavia; now see how the Eastern block is disintegrating. During my time there, the Dallas serial of late 1970s and early 1980s was shown there too. It is believed that this show had something to do with the disintegration of the Eastern block. In the show people watched the nice and big houses, cars, jewelry, and of courses J.R., who, no matter what horrible things he did, always prevailed over the others who were his victims and far better than he. The question remains why their television did not show where there was no wealth in many parts of the Western world, only simple people who worked hard to make ends meet? Had people read or watched other shows, all this should have countered “Dallas.” Every so often, I hear from an old colleague who is teaching there; he thinks people are losing more than they imagined. The country of Yugoslavia has suffered more division than any other country in its region. As people, it is not wise for us to accept promises that better days are ahead, for it is very possible that not only will the promises fail to be delivered, but, even worse, we lose much of what we cherish. The text below, which was recently published, is well-worth reading. February 21, 2008
Workers World
Kosovos independence
Washington gets a new colony in the Balkans
by Sara Flounders
In evaluating the recent declaration of independence by Kosovo, a province of Serbia, and its immediate recognition as a state by the U.S., Germany, Britain and France, it is important to know three things.
First, Kosovo is not gaining independence or even minimal self-government. It will be run by an appointed High Representative and bodies appointed by the U.S., European Union and NATO. An old-style colonial viceroy and imperialist administrators will have control over foreign and domestic policy. U.S. imperialism has merely consolidated its direct control of a totally dependent colony in the heart of the Balkans.
Second, Washington’s immediate recognition of Kosovo confirms once again that U.S. imperialism will break any and every treaty or international agreement it has ever signed, including agreements it drafted and imposed by force and violence on others.
The recognition of Kosovo is in direct violation of such law specifically U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, which the leaders of Yugoslavia were forced to sign to end the 78 days of NATO bombing of their country in 1999. Even this imposed agreement affirmed the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, a republic of Yugoslavia.
This week’s illegal recognition of Kosovo was condemned by Serbia, Russia, China and Spain.
Thirdly, U.S. imperialist domination does not benefit the occupied people. Kosovo after nine years of direct NATO military occupation has a staggering 60 percent unemployment rate. It has become a center of the international drug trade and of prostitution rings in Europe.
The once humming mines, mills, smelters, refining centers and railroads of this small resource-rich industrial area all sit silent. The resources of Kosovo under NATO occupation were forcibly privatized and sold to giant Western multinational corporations. Now almost the only employment is working for the U.S./NATO army of occupation or U.N. agencies.
The only major construction in Kosovo is of Camp Bond steel, the largest U.S. base built in Europe in a generation. Halliburton, got the contract. Camp Bond steel guards the strategic oil and transportation lines of the entire region.
Over 250,000 Serbian, Romani and other nationalities have been driven out of this Serbian province since it came under U.S./NATO control. Almost a quarter of the Albanian population has been forced to leave in order to find work. . . .
“CONNECT THE DOTS”, READ FULL TEXT at
http://www.twf.org/News/Y2008/0215-Kosovo.html
