The politics of the human rights groups
Western human rights groups crisis to which we cannot subscribe, and say Serbian democratic we feel a need to clarify our position on activists should have done these issues. o more to speak out for the
The Kosovo Albanians who have arrived in Albania, Macedonia and
Kosovo Albanians. Most
Montenegro have been extensively
Serbian human rights activists interviewed by members of various saw this as a naive request,
Helsinki committees, as well as by news given the NATO bombing media. Their stories confirm beyond any against their country.
reasonable doubt that they were driven from their homes by Serbian police and
Exerpts from a difficult paramilitary forces; that seemingly correspondence:
thousands have been systematically killed, maimed, raped and robbed. This is ethnic cleansing on a horrific scale.
Letter to Serbian non-
Neither the NATO bombing governmental organizations campaign nor military actions by the from the Norwegian Helsinki
Kosovo Liberation Army are responsible for the "unprecedented exodus"
which
Committee and the Internaze you describe. Based on the extensive tional Helsinki Federation for information we have collected about the catastrophe in Kosovo, we consider it
Human Rights intellectualy and morally unsound to
Dear friends and colleagues, equate these campaigns.
We respect your lonely and
The protection of human rights courageous struggle for democratization defenders and civic activists in Serbia are in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a one of our main messages to decision makers and media in Europe, and that we struggle we have supported for years. But unfortunately—and we would very much have initiated support campaigns and letters for Serbian independents and like to be mistaken in this—it seems to us that hardly any of your fellow citizens intellectuals.
However, we are deeply disturbed have supported a just settlement to the that the Belgrade NGO Appeal of 6 April
Kosovo issue, and that the crisis has been caught in a downward spiral of
[Published in June issue of International radicalization for many years.
Viewpoint -and subsequent open
Thus when you say that "NATO letters and appeals from intellectuals in
Belgrade-reflects a view of the Kosovo military intervention has undermined all
6 International Viewpoint #313 July 1999
BUT THE WAR IS OVEK! results we have achieved, "one must ask if these results were of such a scope and significance to bring hope that the plight of Kosovo could be relieved by peaceful means.
As the Rambouillet negotiations came to a close, it seemed clear to us that there was no such hope of a political settlement. The regime scorned international-and domestic--pressure aimed at a peaceful solution, and went ahead with the preparations for the campaign which is currently unfolding in Kosovo.
Faced with preparations for grave crimes, how should one respond? That was the dilemma faced by the international community in March, and in our view you also should recognize-even though you do not support it-that, in principle, the NATO intervention was not an arbitrary act of aggression.
We are in sympathy with your extremely difficult situation, but we cannot agree with the conclusions you have drawn as to who bears primary responsibility for improving it. It is our view that your appeal should properly be addressed to the FRY and Serbian authorities which bear the responsibility for systematic and grave crimes of war and crimes against humanity in Kosovo, and for the dangers you, as members of the civil sector in Serbia, are currently facing.
We express our solidarity with you. Also, we acknowledge the sacrifices you must make, and the dilemmas and paradoxes you are faced with as victims of a government whose policies you cannot support, and bearing the costs attached to efforts to make that government act in accordance with civilized standards.
It is our hope and aim that the enormous responsibility the NATO states have tak interve whole-h in the S ever, 15 ( Europe.
Unle the need difficult actions
We This lett what we indepen in order war. We recomm outside. and hov in your Oslo a [Signec Genera Commi Executi Execut Ludmil Stein-l Holly C Krassir
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have taken on by initiating the military intervention, will entail a far more whole-hearted support of the civil sector in the Serbian society, which more than ever, is crucial to Serbia's restoration into Europe.
Unless the western states recognize the need for this kind of policy, it will be difficult to describe the current NATO actions as a humanitarian intervention.
We will soon face new challenges This letter is meant to open a dialogue on what we can do together to preserve the independent forces in the Serbian society in order that they may resurface after the war. We would very much welcome your recommendations as to how we, from the outside, should address the new situation and how we can continue to support you in your current plight. Oslo and Vienna 18 May 1999 [Signed] Bjorn Engesland Secretary General The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, and Aaron Rhodes Executive Director on behalf of the Executive Committee of the IHF: Ludmilla Alexeyeva Ulrich Fischer Stein-Ivar Aarsaether Sonja Biserko Holly Cartner Bjorn Emgesland Krassimir Kanev Andrzej Rzeplinski.
BALKAN CRISE BALKAN CRISIS
ARDS CARDS
80003 #0002
"REGRETTABLE "HERO OF
NECESSITY" SOCIALISM" Response of Serbian NGOs, Dear Friends, Esteemed Colleagues,
You are our associates and friends of long standing, with whom we cooperated for a number of years on the long-term and far-reaching programme of building a civic society in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia.
Your request, which we received in the midst of war, "humanitarian intervention" and NATO aggression, that is, in the midst of a collapse of the legitimate spheres of public and political life, at a time of extraordinary decrees, military rule and summary trials in Yugoslavia, asks of us to raise our voices and sharpen political criticism and moral condemnation of the regime in Belgrade.
Moreover, in this assault of severe western Alliance action, which has transour society into a military barracks and enthroned Milosevic a charismatic leader and Supreme Commander, we are expected, it possible, to approve, even greet with understanding the militarist interventionism of NATO in the Federal Republic (FR) of Yugoslavia.
Let us say immediately: from the beginning of the destruction of former Yugoslavia our "civic position" has been clear and unambiguous. We have been equally opposed both to the ethnic cleansing in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and today in Kosovo and to NATO's intervention in the FR of Yugoslavia. In other words, we fought with equal decisiveness against the lethal political self-will of the Belgrade regime and the pernicious militarist self-will of the western alliance.
In this context, we cannot be expected to unilaterally denounce local totalitarianism and, at the same time, express solidarity with the pretensions of global
ANCRISIS CREDIBILITY CARDS CREDIBIL IN CARDE #0003 30004 "FATHER "ACCEPTABLE
CHRISTMAS" INTERNATIONAL
FORCES hegemonism. It is our principal belief that the civic society should function as a permanent corrective to the state reason, and that NGOs should be supportive of peace and not war option of their governments.
It is unfounded to expect that the chain of violence and an expansionist military option will lead to a rational political solution in Kosovo, in the FR of
Yugoslavia and in the Balkans. On the contrary, we fear that in the name of so- called "humanitarian intervention" we are witnessing the revival of the old, archaic "figure of war", which we hoped long banished from our culture.
Finally, let us remind you: the brutal disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, and the related nationalist conflicts which culminated in the ethnic catastrophe in Kosovo, took place "in collusion" with European policies and international diplomacy. It has been precisely these unexpected shocks that have dangerously threatened the ideals and norms of international democracy, which is still the successor to the liberal and social heritage of defence of autonomy of the individual, groups and peoples.
In spite of all circumstances, we shall continue to fight persistently and enduringly for freedom of the individual, for those individual, civic, collective and human rights which this war has again brought into peril. Belgrade, May 21, 1999
Signed: Alternative Academic Educational Network, Association of Citizens for Democracy, Social Justice and Support for Trade Unions, Belgrade Circle, Belgrade Women Studies Cente, Center for Policy Studies, Nezavisnost trade unions, Center for Transition to Democracy, Civic Initiatives District 0230, Kikinda, EKO Center, European Movement in Serbia, Forum for Ethnic Relations and Foundation for Peace and Crisis Management, Foundation for Peace and Crisis Management, Group 484, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Society for Peace and Tolerance (Backa Palanka), Sombor Peace Group, Student Union of Yugoslavia, Trade Union Confederation, Union for Truth About Anti-Fascist Resistance, Urban Inn (Novi Pazar), VIN, Weekly Video News, Women in Black, YU Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights.
noc
Net
Working
Inprekorr
Our German sister publication has moved. The website now includes the full index (to December
1998)
http://webserver.comlink.org/inprekorr/
Last but not least
Check out our own website, archive and links, at www.internationalen.se/sp/ivp.htm
International Viewpoint #313 July 1999 7
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