----- Original Message ----- From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 7:21 AM Subject: [STOPNATO] Kosovo a victim of 'humanitarian concerns' STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/200004/02/eng200004020101.html People's Daily (China) Sunday, April 02, 2000, updated at 12:01(GMT+8) Editorial Kosovo a Victim of 'Humanitarian Concerns' Yugoslavia was bound to lose the war from the very beginning. How could a tiny Balkan state have enough tools to challenge the US-led NATO? Not only overshadowed by military strength, Yugoslavia was "against humanity," as NATO officials observed. They were committing "ethnic-cleansing" while the NATO intrusion enjoyed the strong backup of "humanitarian concerns." After 78 days of intensive air attacks, Yugoslavia signed a treaty to hand over Kosovo at the mercy of NATO. NATO indeed won the war and that result would be denied by few. Kosovo still makes the headlines and events there continue to attract considerable media attention worldwide. But different from a year ago when the Western media helped demonize Slobodan Milosevic and trumpeted NATO's victory, the area's gloomy news is now splashed all over the world. What is happening there today? Even NATO's own high ranking officials admit that the mission in Kosovo remains difficult. Many refugees are afraid to return as security in Kosovo can hardly be guaranteed. Trouble in such ethnic flashpoints as the divided northern town of Mitrovica and Kosovo's boundary with the Presevo valley in eastern Serbia continuously threatens exodus. "We see quite an organized campaign to intimidate the non-Albanian population and drive them out of the province," said Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sergei Lavrov during his visit there last year. The New York Times also reported that the burning of Serbs' homes takes place in an organized fashion almost daily, increasing the pressure on the Serbian minority to flee the province or ghettoize itself in enclaves. Under resolution 1244, which was adopted last June 10 by the UN Security Council, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the ethnic Albanians-dominated armed rebel group, should be fully disarmed after the UN presence in Kosovo. But in reality, the residual influence of the officially disbanded KLA equals, if not exceeds, that of the international community in Kosovo. Under the connivance of NATO, the KLA has not only perpetuated the persecution of Kosovo's rapidly dwindling Serb minorities, but it has even turned hostile towards NATO-led peacekeepers. It seems that the pledge of the West to create a multi-ethnic Kosovo is an impossible mission. Worse, Kosovo has been degraded into a haven for crimes such as drug trafficking. So it is clearly a war without a victor with Yugoslavia as the biggest loser. After its loss of effective control over Kosovo, Yugoslavia is forced to face political and economic sanctions imposed by western countries. And economic reconstruction remains a formidable task for the cash-strapped country. During the war, NATO member countries, the United States in particular, did not hesitate to squander money to turn Kosovo into a showplace of their advanced weapons. However, at a time when financial support is urgently needed to rebuild Kosovo, they duck their responsibilities. In the westerners' eyes, Milosevic is to blame for all because he was and remains against the will of the West, who are the representative of justice. And many believe the Serbs deserve all their troubles because they chose to support Milosevic. NATO's deliberate attacks on civilian targets and infrastructure amounted to a serious violation of international law. NATO's recent confession that it used depleted uranium weapons during the war is but another slap on an already bruised face. The question now is how an unjustified war could have dominated media worldwide and those who were truly guilty could be free from due punishment? Power without restriction is dangerous. It is an important conception in western politics. But in regard to international affairs, western politicians do not seem to be concerned. Without certain regulations, any regional conflict could balloon into a war so long as western politicians find intervention profitable. Nothing is easier than finding an excuse - anything against their will is against reason or humanity. (China Daily) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com
