The Int'l Community and Ethnic Nationalism in an Independent Although the International Community is ple view themselves and the Other and that By Rory J. Conces not always timely, effective, and united in University of Nebraska at Omaha and have the full support of some political par- its responses to crises in the world, it often Fulbright Scholar at the University of ties. Many Albanians as well as members does make a good faith effort at improving Prishtina, Kosovo of the IC focus on interference from Bel- the lives of at least some people. This has grade as the principal obstacle for Serb inte- been the case with the Albanian population that it breached Kosovo's sovereignty, terri- gration within a society that is predominant- in Kosovo starting in late 1998 with actions torial integrity, and constitution. Although ly Albanian. They give the impression that such as the UN Security Council Resolution the has not accepted Serbs have no good reason, including Bel- (UNSCR) 1199 demanding a ceasefire and the plan, and has responded with a four- grade's wishes, to remain disconnected from the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces that were point plan of its own, it has achieved a vic- mainstream Kosovar society. In fact, Serbs being used to repress the civilian Albanian tory of sorts for the ongoing deployment of are told that the situation for them is much population, the positioning of various mon- EULEX and transfer from UNMIK to improved. Kosovo Premier Hashim Thaci itors groups within Kosovo, and the NATO EULEX will be done only in consultation himself has recently stated that "Kosovo has bombing campaign of March-June 1999. It with Kosovo's sovereign government. all the conditions for normal life." was the signing of the Military Technical As for the peoples of Prishtina and Mitrovi- A glance around Mitrovica and Prishtina Agreement between NATO and the ca, the centers of Albanian and Serb nation- suggests otherwise, however. If the pres- Yugoslav National Army on June 9 that alist sentiments, it is up to those who are ence of the state of the Republic of Ser- ended the hostilities and that provided for looked upon as leaders within those com- bia or Milosevic calendars in storefront win- the withdrawal of Serbian forces from munities to decide whether to call for dows are any indication of how important Kosovo and the deployment of Kosovo demonstrations for or against the deploy- nationalism is for the people of North Force (KFOR). This was a period of cele- ment or the six-point plan. There have been Mitrovica; and if the huge photo of Adem bration for Kosovo's Albanian population. It both in Prishtina and it is likely that there Jashari (the KLA's first martyr) that is is arguably the case that the IC's good faith will be more. Serb leaders to the north in draped on the Sports Complex,or the Alban- effort was also meant to benefit Serb and Mitrovica are not calling for resistance to ian flag flying in greater numbers than the other minority populations, starting with the the EULEX deployment, though a stroll flag of Kosovo are any indication of the deployment of NATO-led KFOR, though through the northern portion of that city importance of nationalism for Albanians in the summer of 1999 and March 2004 were indicates that nationalist sentiments run Prishtina and elsewhere in the country; then periods during which there were serious high as a sign of the peoples' discontent. no one should be surprised by Serb reluc- lapses in security for Serbs. The benefits of Much can be said about the last nine years tance to become integrated. this international intervention can also be of nation-building in Kosovo. In some ways These cultural symbols are powerful seen in the civilian component under the UNMIK and the rest of the IC have been reminders of Serbhood and Albanianhood, direction of the UN Interim Administration successful in improving the physical infra- but they are also about both sides believing in Kosovo (UNMIK), which was estab- structure, as well as creating a parliament, that their take on what happened is "right," lished by the UN Security Council Resolu- courts, and a new legal code. There have as well as believing they know who is to tion 1244 on June 10, 1999. It was this res- been plenty of failures, however. Perhaps blame for what happened. It is because of olution that gave UNMIK its sweeping the most glaringly disappointment has been this that many from both groups are unwill- mandate of conducting all aspects of civil the inability to create the conditions for a ing to look inward for their own contribu- administration, establishing the sort of dem- multiethnic democracy. Instrumental in this tion to their current situation. Unfortunately, ocratic institutions needed for self-gover- regard is an integration of the Albanian and all this perpetuates the xenophobia and nance, and creating the basis upon which Serb communities that lends itself to a sus- chauvinism that exists on both sides, which Kosovo's political status would be resolved tainable peace and a multiethnic civil socie- promotes parallel societies and allows Bel- sometime in the future. Of course, a lot has ty supportive of democracy. Unfortunately, grade to have a disruptive influence on the changed since the passing of UNSCR 1244, Serbs who do live in Kosovo are sometimes Serb population within Kosovo. At this including the Ahtisaari plan and the inde- isolated from their Albanian neighbors in point those who manufacture Albanian con- pendence of Kosovo and its recognition by ways that allow Belgrade to support parallel sent, as well as those who are in charge of over 50 countries, as well as the replace- structures in North Mitrovica and the vari- nation-building from the IC, should partake ment of UNMIK by the EU's law-and-order ous Serb "enclaves." Although the term in a little self-examination given the prob- mission, EULEX, whose powers largely "enclave" may no longer be applicable to lems brought on by nationalism and its con- deal with policing and the judiciary. The Graèanica and some of the other communi- nection to governmentality. Or, those Koso- past several weeks have shown the deploy- ties, given the ability and desire of many vars who are being created as certain types ment of EULEX to be a hotly contested Serbs to commute back and forth between of citizen or subject by their own elites issue, first by a recalcitrant Belgrade that home and larger towns and cities, there is should become reflective agents of change. possessed a variety of concerns, one being still considerable distrust between the peo- The question that should be asked is, if the that EULEX be status neutral. However, ples that prevents them from living together. Albanian majority, who dominant society Belgrade eventually accepted a six-point Yet there is just so much the International and who consequently have more maneu- plan with the EU and the UN that would Community can do to overcome this divi- verability than the Serb minority, are unwill- allow the deployment of EULEX in the siveness and mistrust, for the problem has ing to alter their preoccupation with nation- Serb-dominated areas of Kosovo. This led its roots in ethno-national identities and ide- alism and how they use cultural symbols to Prishtina to reject the plan on the grounds ologies that continue to dominant how peo- make visible their nationalism, then why not

Bosnia Daily, December 26, 2008 10 accept partition as the solution to the prob- on Thaci's administration and the people of onto it if the goal is to improve the quality lem of a multiethnic society. Is the IC doing Kosovo by insisting that "there is no democ- of life of as many Albanians and Serbs as the Albanians any favors by enabling them racy without a multiethnic society." It may possible. Without widespread and unquali- to stay in a state of denial about who they be far more advantageous to abandon the fied acceptance of multiethnicity, maybe the are and how they are in part to blame for the idea of such a society, which may be best one could hope for is to create the con- dysfunctionality found in their country? doomed to failure given that it is not appre- ditions that would give rise to increased Perhaps the IC is putting an undue burden ciated by many in either group, than to hold quality of life within a partitioned Kosovo. EU Should Keep Up Pressure on Belgrade Relaxing conditions on integration can only invite lapses in cooperation and stalls in justice process We have heard a lot about 's new- By Simon Jennings "In particular, their failure to analyze and found appetite for international justice, and IWPR act upon information obtained in relation that the European Union should reward its to the search for the two fugitives," said recent efforts, but let's not forget that the their Brussels counterparts seem to have Brammertz. man blamed for the worst massacre on wildly misunderstood what is at stake. We However, despite the failings being attrib- European soil since World War Two is still are talking about a genocide that happened uted to the old establishment, we should living freely in the Balkans and that his vic- just 13 years ago and a supposed perpetrator resist the temptation of getting ahead of our- tims still have no justice. Thirteen years who has allegedly been enjoying the good selves and seeing last summer's arrests as a after the conflict in the former Yugoslavia life in Serbia ever since. political turnaround in Serbia. What's more, ended, former Bosnian Serb president The ICTY has a photograph of him cele- the arrest of the fugitives aside, Belgrade Radovan Karadzic and ex-police chief Sto- brating a wedding at a Belgrade restaurant lags behind in several other areas, such as jan Zupljanin were arrested last summer, in 2002 and media reports suggest he was providing the tribunal with necessary docu- setting EU chiefs gushing about Serbia's still receiving a pension from the Bosnian mentary evidence as well as undergoing long awaited "full cooperation" with the Serb army seven years after Srebrenica. A wider political reform. International Tribunal for the former second court, the Interna- Continuing to apply EU leverage in full is Yugoslavia, ICTY, and its readiness for EU tional Court of Justice, ICJ, in The Hague, the surest means of seeing Mladic in The membership. But Ratko Mladic, the Bosn- also ordered Serbia to hand over Mladic to Hague. And that is what should be the bloc's ian Serb military commander charged with the ICTY in February 2007. That was ultimate goal, not coming up with creative orchestrating the 1995 Srebrenica genocide almost two years ago. strategies to skirt around the problem to sat- - when nearly 8,000 Bosniaks were carted isfy Belgrade and Brussels. Proponents of off for slaughter - continues to evade justice. unfreezing the integration process argue that The ex-Serb leader in Croatia, Goran Hadz- the pro-European government in Serbia will ic, also remains on the run. lose support if they do not receive more Given the recent arrests, not to mention the encouragement from Brussels. seriousness of the charges against Mladic, it Although not in favor of ratifying any is regrettable that European chiefs are look- agreement until full tribunal cooperation is ing to relax their strict conditions on move- achieved, they see opening up trade talks ment towards integration just when they are as an effective way to do this. The Demo- starting to work. cratic Party-led government was elected in The EU told Serbia last week that pre-mem- Maxime Verhagen May on the back of its promises of Euro- bership negotiations remained frozen until pean advancement and has repeatedly there was full cooperation with the ICTY, There can be little doubt that a tough stance voiced fears of a nationalist backlash if but it is no secret that most member states on EU progress has helped generate the does not deliver. But this is a actually want movement now. According to improvements in Serbia's cooperation with deceptive message, long repeated by Ser- one European diplomat, "the vast majority" the ICTY we have seen in 2008. Indeed, the bian governments in the hope that the of EU members support initiating a trade evidence suggests that the arrests were more international community will buckle with- agreement with Serbia before any more down to Serbia finding the political will to out it having to cooperate. arrests are made or full cooperation with the act than actually finding the fugitives them- "We have been hearing this song [from Ser- tribunal is achieved. selves; they had been both living right under bia], 'you have to help us but we're not going "We think that the Serbian government has Belgrade's nose. Zupljanin was arrested in to help ourselves', for over a decade. The shown some very serious pro-European atti- the town of Pancevo, a stone's throw from policy was used by [late President Slobo- tude and approaches recently," he said. Belgrade, while Karadzic was finally cap- dan] Milosevic. It's now being used by the "What they have shown to us, European tured on a bus in Belgrade itself. He had post-Milosevic group and the parliament politicians, merits some kind of gesture been living a relatively normal life in the and government aren't producing reforms," from the European Union side." city, practicing alternative medicine under a said James Lyon of the Democratization Only The Netherlands and Belgium remain false name, disguised by a long white beard Policy Council in Belgrade. rightfully adamant that justice for the war's and pony tail. Relaxing EU conditions can only invite monstrous crimes should not be exchanged In his address to the UN Security Council lapses in cooperation and stalls in the justice for morale-boosting trade deals. Dutch for- last week, ICTY chief prosecutor Serge process. The Netherlands' long-term stance eign minister Maxime Verhagen has stuck Brammertz said that in searching for Mladic shows that the EU could and should prevent admirably to his guns and, it is said, will and Hadzic, Serbia needed to "overcome this and, in so doing, help bring Mladic to continue to do so until Mladic is in The shortcomings of the previous management The Hague. It is a worry that other Euro- Hague. Meanwhile, other EU statesmen and of the civilian intelligence services". pean members do not see it that way.

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