Self-determination for Kosova

Bob Myers, Workers' Aid for Kosova

The formation of the Yugoslav Federation after the anti-fascist struggle of World War II began to fulfil the national aspirations of the different peoples of the region. This process was often stifled from above. In particular the Kosova Albanians remained in a state of colonial servitude to Belgrade. However, in 1974 they won changes to the Yugoslav constitution giving the Autonomous Region of Kosova, with its 90% Albanian population, equal status with the six republics.

In 1989, as the Soviet empire collapsed, Milosevic, who had risen to power through a campaign of anti-Albanian hatred, struck a mighty blow against the Partisan legacy by ordering the military occupation of Kosova and the suppression of its parliament. Twenty thousand Kosova miners were locked out for striking and 170,000 other Albanians were also sacked. This aggressive advance of greater Serbian nationalism signalled the end of Yugoslavia as a free and equal federation.

Since 1989, Kosova Albanians have lived under a regime of terror. Aware of the genocidal capabilities of the Serbian regime, they pursued a policy of passive resistance - encouraged by speeches of support from US and UN representatives over the following years.

For eight years, 20,000 miners remained locked out, living in utter poverty. When a Workers' Aid delegation went to Kosova in 1996 we were the first people from the workers' movement to visit them and express concern. It was hard to explain the idea of international working class solidarity. Where was this class?

So with a hope born of desperation, the Albanians looked towards the UN and NATO who had the power to halt their persecution. They had to learn the hard way about "western democracy".

Last November, NATO convened a conference on Balkan security with the leaders of Albania, Greece, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. A resolution on Kosova stated that it was a "Yugoslav" (ie. Serbian) problem. This was the coded language used by the great powers to support Serbia's claim to Kosova. This conference gave the green light for Milosevic's campaign of ethnic cleansing in Kosova this year, as a reaction not - as the Serbian regime claims - to the actions of the Kosova Liberation Army.

Earlier this year Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd said "the international community does not support separatism in Kosovo. We do demand that Belgrade provides enhanced and real autonomy for Kosovo, without which the demands for independence are too likely to grow."

The Kosova people know that the Serbian regime, driven by the social crisis inside Serbia, has to have somebody to be at war with to survive. Autonomy under such a regime is impossible. Yet opposition to the right to self determination of the Kosova people is the cornerstone of all NATO activity. Their present actions are not intended to liberate Kosova. They stood by as 300,000 people were driven from their homes. NATO's concern is to prevent self determination which they fear will encourage people throughout the region to seek control of their own lives free from imperialist robbery.

Kosova contains gold, silver and platinum mines. In 1997 Milosevic privatised the mines and sold the Kosova mineral rights to a Greek company Mytilinaeos for $500 million. Self determination for Kosova would stand in the way of this and many other similar deals.

Contact Workers' Aid for Kosova on 0161-226 0404. WAFK managed to get food through to Kosova miners in August. They are planning a bigger convoy in December.

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