West and its distorted view of Serbia

This article is translated from www.politika.co.yu (written by Ljiljana Smajlovic) and slightly moderated by me(due translation). You can read the original here. 

— 

Serbia locked in 90s

How is it possible that almost a decade of peaceful and reasonable Serbian politics, lead by people who were guided by democratic principles, didn’t changed attitude of liberal western public opinion about Serbia and Serbs? This question is arising to those who had read reports of western media about recent announcement of south Serbian province secession.

Those media pointed oppression, which Albanian minority on Kosovo and Methija had during Milosevic period, as a main reason of secession. But neither one voice from CNN or BBC found purposefully to mention that Serbs are the one that for last eight years had endangered human and civil rights, whose old people, women and children were killed and killers left unpunished, in front of the nose of tenth of thousands KFOR or UNMIK members, soldiers and officials. Those events were never mentioned in a single report.

“Death for Serbs” on Albanian, written on destroyed Serbian curch during march 2004 violence against Serbs on Kosovo and Metohija

Independent Kosovo was presented on the leading world TV stations as a logical result of Milosevic rule, without any comment that he is dead for a few years, and that Serbian people from 1999 onwards are suffering under Albanian terror. Dominant figure in these reports was Hashim Thaci, presented as a responsible statesman who establishes special department in his government for minorities’ protection. Everyone will be safe in new Kosovo, said Thaci, but none of them gave any information to the viewers about the level of minorities’ security for these past few years.

How is it possible that leading western media has so little sympathy for endangered minority on Kosovo? Why there is no sympathy for Serbian victims, if not justice, in public opinion? In The New York Times you can find analysis of Gary Bass, Princeton University professor, who reminded on commonly accepted rule of John Rolls (most important political philosopher of 20th century in USA): “there is no right for secession if it includes subjection of other nation”. That was the basis on which American south was declined right for secession – independent south will continue slavery. To earn international recognition, Albanians need to stop endangering Serbian minority on Kosovo. His recommendation is in fact the policy “standards before status”, which was promoted by international community and later abandoned when it was realized that Albanians are not even close to fulfill standards it, not even under UN governance.

It is not hard to realize that leading western countries are in a hurry to give legitimate stamp for their illegal bombing 1999, and de post facto justify it as a inevitable part of the history, as a historical need. It’s less obvious why Serbs didn’t manage to change western view? Public easily adopt idea that some nations are good and victims, and others bad and guilty, even dough everyone claims that they don’t believe in collective responsibility and guilt. It is certain that on west you can find numerous individuals that understand that picture of Serbs is wrong, and that western politics were wrong in the big portion towards Serbia. Problem is that these people are usually among politicians, diplomats and media that made this bad picture in the first place.

Their choice after Milosevic fall has two faces: it is either to admit they were wrong, that they simplified complex problem and start fixing their mistakes, or to continue as it is and retroactive justify their failures. Sadly, the right way is always harder, more expensive and request heavy effort. Approving Kosovo secession is faster and easier, than real, honest attempt to overcome Serbian – Albanian dispute, to invest lot more effort and money, so Serbs and Albanians enter EU, in the same country, together.

This is why faster and easier way is chosen, this is why is everything read through the old prism of Serbs – when news about conditions in Serbian hospitals is published, you don’t hear conclusion that this is one of the consequences of international sanctions of UN, but they conclude that Serbs are so evil and they tie children to beds.

There is no good explanation for current situation. Belgrade is today (in comparison to Pristina), morally and politically correct, not only by international policies and laws, not only by goals, but by methods of Kosovo fight. These are those that west recommend – negotiations, patiently measuring arguments, nit using force, respecting human, political and civil rights. How to explain then that west is on Albanian side?

Or how to explain that our walk to Europe is stopped because of Mladic and Karadzic, and west is giving a state to Hashim Thaci (proven criminal and convicted for terrorist actions in Serbia)? Or to call a man who lead peacefully Serbia after Milosevic fall “nationalist prime minister of Serbia”. Or even if we are disputing the meaning of the term, how is it possible that ex KLA (UCK) leader with nickname “Snake”, Hashim Thaci, doesn’t have the same problem? Him, that is identified as a man who will guaranty safety to Serbs on Kosovo, the same man responsible for death and disappearing of thousands Serbs in the last 10 years. And next to his name, you cannot find single bad attribute.

There are a lot of opened questions, but one is currently on my mind. Will this Sunday prove that world as we know it no longer exist, or there is still hope?

If you want to know more, visit

• http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/kosovo-metohija/
• http://www.kosovocompromise.com

Bookmark It

Hide Sites