used without permission, for 'fair use' only

Serbs in Serbia bother him

by M.Antic, Evropske Novosti, (European edition of Vecernje Novosti, Belgrade, FRY), 8/14/95

Shiptar [Albanian name for themselves; used here to differentiate between the Albanians from Albania (i.e. "real" Albanians) and those who live in Serbia and Makedonia (i.e. Shiptars)] secessionists raised their voice at Kosmet [Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian name corresponding to Albanian Kosova] against the arrival and accommodation of refugees at Kosovo and Metohija, even before a single expelled Serb from Serb Krajina arrived in this southernmost part of Serbia. While only minor shiptar political parties were speaking out against the arrival of the Serb refugees to Kosovo, no-one was paying attention.

However, yesterday, first the vice-president of the Democratic Union of Kosovo, Hidayet Hiseni, and later the president Ibrahim Rugova announced their opinions regarding this subject. Without a blink, they stated that the announced arrival of refugees to Kosovo was "nothing else but ethnic cleansing of Shiptars from Kosovo and its colonization by Serbs, a kind of serbization"; therefore they recommended that the refugees avoid Kosovo since they were, supposedly, " a great danger for peace at the south of the Balkans"!

Pathological Hate

Shiptar secessionist leaders until now haven't with a single word condemned Croatian aggression on Krajina and the genocide which Franjo Tudman's bojovnici conducted against Serb people; on the contrary, they have been gloating in their pronouncements for the foreign public; they couldn't hide their pleasure that "Serbia isn't ," as they said, "the strongest military power on the Balkans." Encouraged [with the Croatian victory] they proclaimed to, not only the Serbian and Yugoslav public, but also the world public that they wouldn't accepts Serb refugees at Kosovo, since these wretches would supposedly cause disturbances in Kosovo and light the fuse of war. The refugees would do this by occupying, as comments in Shiptar press stated, "shiptar plots, houses, apartments and jobs." They were especially frightened that a "massive arrival" of refugees, although Kosovo at the moment cannot receive more than 20,000 expelled persons from Krajina, would disturb the ethnic composition of the population of Kosovo and endanger their secessionist appetites.

Secessionists, of course, have a right on their fears; they have finally understood after everything that has happened in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, that they didn't have a slightest right on secession from Serbia and Yugoslavia. Still, they are unable to hide their pathological hatred towards those with whom and in whose state they have been living for centuries. They go as far as trying to frighten Kosmet Serbs into not receiving their brothers from Krajina in the moment of their greatest misfortune.

Anonymous Benefactors

The majority of shiptar population on Kosmet still lives under strict control of their secessionists, who hold the population firmly in their claws. The majority of shipter population, neither has a chance nor are in a situation to rebel against such inhuman behavior of the shiptar secessionists, although they actually deeply disagree with them. Nevertheless, recently, when the Serbs from Kosmet stood up to collect assistance and secure accommodations for their brothers from the other side of the Drina river, a number of shiptars from Pristina, Strbac, Prizren, Pec, Gnjilane and a few other towns joined this humanitarian action initiated by their Serb neighbors and donated money and goods. It is true that their number was small; however, the new trend was that besides individuals, private merchants, entrepreneurs and directors of larger companies appeared for the first time. All of them, and those people contacted our Pristina office asking where they can anonymously offer assistance, invariably requested to stay anonymous. Their fears should be understood, since the secessionists don't choose means or ways for revenge "for treason."

As far as the arrival of the Serb refugees from Krajina is concerned, local Serbs demand and are ready to receive as many as possible. They know what an exodus is and what it is like to be forced to flee your home under pressure. It is known that during the rule of shiptar secessionists [1974-1987], close to 500,000 Serbs were expelled from Kosovo. Shiptar secessionists, although they know about this fact, are now bothered by the arrival of a couple of thousands of refugees; in their sick secessionist imagination even a single Serb is a great danger.

Well, that's their problem. Serbian people from Kosmet, all of their political forces, as well as relevant state authorities are ready, more than ever, and united in their generous acceptance of their brothers from Krajina; they want to offer [the refugees] a roof over their heads and the secure safe and peaceful living. Besides that, they point out that the statements of the shiptar secessionists are simply their attempt to frighten the Serbs. In Kosovo and in Serbia those statements are the secessionist's only "guns".

He is celebrating somebody else's sorrow

by M. Mitric, Evropske Novosti, (European edition of Vecernje Novosti, Belgrade, FRY), 8/14/95

Bela Tonkovic, the president of the democratic union of Croats in Vojvodina asked, according to the Croatian Radio, Croatian authorities to hold on to the Serb Krajina soldiers whom they had imprisoned, until the FRY agrees to guarantee the total protection of the Croatian population in Vojvodina.

Tonkovic wrote to Nikica Valentic, the Croatian prime minister, that since a few days ago, members of Krajina units who had escaped to Vojvodina have been terrorizing Vojvodina Croats with guns.

It is true that in some villages in Srem anger has clouded the reasoning of a small number of exiles; carried away in their misfortune and pain they tried to solve their problems illegally. Their actions can be understood, but cannot be justified.

Unfortunately, Bela Tonkovic and other leaders of his party are doing everything to cause a clash in Subotica. He, together with his followers, publicly celebrated in this city the fall of Knin; also, he is politicizing the traditional harvest festival which is celebrated today. Posters for the harvest festival in the township of Mala Bosna display a picture of Ban Jelacic and sahovnica [Croatian coat of arms]; Tonkovic has recently sent members of his youth organization, "Croatian youth", all the way to Split to personally congratulate on the victory of bojovniks [pejrative for Croatian soldiers]. The expenses for this excursion were covered by certain sponsors from Subotica.

While certain political parties and individuals demanded that the todays harvest festival, "Duzijanca", be postponed for better times, Tonkovic refused and instead invited "clerks" from Zagreb and charge d' affairs from some 15 embassies in Belgrade.

While last night, a refugee convoy passed through Subotica on its way to Palic, a "festa" [celebration, fiesta] was taking place in the center of the city on a specially for this occasion built stage.

With actions like these, isn't Bela Tonkovic asking for trouble?

Translated on 11/3/95