UNMIK ON AIR
26 April
2003
WEEKEND
ROUNDUP
(Sputnik
Kilambi)
Hello and welcome to the weekend
edition of UNMIK on air with Sputnik Kilambi and Martin Redi.
On the program today –
Why are KS car number plates still
a bone of contention?
And
Learning to deal with stress and
trauma – the art of living foundation offers new perspectives for Kosovans
But we begin with UNMIK’s decision
to outlaw the Albanian National Army. Though the group has claimed several
attacks in the past in both Macedonia and southern Serbia, international
officials in Kosovo were hitherto reluctant to give credence to its alleged
activities in the UN administered province. The April 12 attack on the bridge
near north Mitrovica changed all that – 2 ANA members died in the incident,
which could have had devastating consequences had the explosion occurred when
the bridge was in use. The ANA was at pains to explain that their timing, 12
midnight, was designed to avoid civilian casualties, but the damage has been
done. The UN warning that sanctions will be taken against any members of the
group should be taken seriously, says UNMIK police spokesman, Barry Fletcher.
Barry Fletcher: It’s very different when the UN declares
a group to be a terrorist organization and it becomes a crime to belong to that
organization. This is not something that I think possibly that they expected
and I certainly hope that anyone around the world who might now think of
supporting them will think twice.
The attack has now been squarely condemned by the political mainstream in Kosovo, even if not as soon as the international community would have wished. And rumours have been rife that the dead men were either former or serving members of the Kosovo Protection Corps, the KPC, most of whom were fighters in the now defunct KLA. Rumours that KPC chief Agim Ceku was quick to dismiss.
Agim Ceku: We
distance ourselves from the actions of individuals or illegal organizations who
stand behind this condemnable act and all those who encourage, support or
finance similar acts. Regarding the possibility of involvement of a KPC member,
we consider the attack as an individual act, which has nothing to do with the
institution
For noted Albanian political commentator, Fatos Lubonja, such acts raise serious questions about the caliber of the political leadership in the region.
Fatos Lubonja: This
is a problem that results mostly from the inability of Albanians to govern and
organize themselves, to build clear policies with clear visions. And, from this
perspective, when extremist groups like that appear, they can be looked upon as
a failure of Albanian politicians. I think this phenomenon should incite
Albanian politicians who do not support such methods to take a look at
themselves because when people decide to resort to extremes- it usually means
that the politics have failed.
Several people were detained this past week but released without criminal charges. KFOR too is questioning alleged suspects. But, assures UNMIK police spokesman Barry Fletcher, those arrested will be prosecuted according to due law and form. Many questions remain as to where they get their money and support from, but the phenomenon itself is not new, he adds. Disaffected ex guerilla fighters who do not see a place for themselves in the changed political landscape often find homes in groups such as this.
Barry
Fletcher: If for example you’ve been a guerilla fighter for some time,
maybe before you were an ordinary person, then you joined a guerilla group and
for quite a while that’s what you’ve been doing, well if there is no struggle,
if there is no war, you have no purpose in life Its not just here, we see it
all over the world in post-conflict areas, and the UN has actually developed
mechanisms to reintegrate former guerilla fighters back into society, those
mechanisms don’t always work, but again, its because some people don’t want the
struggle to end.”
The ANA emerged out of the
Albanian insurgency in Macedonia in 2001 and is
believed to unite former fighters of the National Liberation Army, NLA, who
opposed the Ohrid deal. It also includes members of other militant groups that
have since dissolved, such as the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, and the
Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedje and Bujanovac, UCPMB, which mounted an
insurgency campaign in southern Serbia.
But the ANA’s vision for pan-Albanianism is doomed to failure if it
persists with the gun, warns Tirana based analyst Fatos Lubonya.
Fatos Lubonya: I
think that the vision of uniting Albanians, maybe as a future federation or
such as it is today but with cultural cooperation, is a vision, which can be
brought to life without violence and through democratic means. By developing a
cultural identity and adopting a European attitude, not by using violence
Though almost a year has gone
since UNMIK drafted the agreement on the free use of Kosovo KS number plates, a
positive response from Belgrade is still being awaited. The basic idea is to
improve freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens, and the free use of KS
plates would be of special significance for Serbs and other minority
communities.
Given all the good reasons in
favour, why is the agreement still unsigned? Judging from recent comments from
Kosovo Coordination Centre chief Nebojsa Covic, the deal is being held up
because of a political dispute between Belgrade and UNMIK.
Covic accuses UNMIK head Michael
Steiner of not fulfilling promises about north Mitrovica, and that, according
to him is the only reason why the agreement on KS plates has not been signed as
yet.
Nebojsa Covic: So, I’ve
come to the conclusion (that) he (Mr. Steiner) is quite a polite politician who
promises a lot, but when it comes to realization, then there is nothing from
the promises. I couldn’t care less whether Albanians put pressure on him
regarding the north Mitrovica agreement. The Serbs are putting pressure on me
as well, but he has to carry out what we agreed upon. And there was an
agreement – an advisory council to be made up of six Serbs. He can’t say now,
well, I have changed my mind; it’s going to be 4 Serbs, one Albanian and one
Roma It is not possible; the agreement will fail (in that case).
This is a shortsighted view feels
a high-ranking Serb representative in Pristina, Nenad Radosavljevic, Steiner’s
advisor on returns and minorities and will work against the interests of Serbs
in Kosovo. At any rate, he adds, it won’t be possible for a democratic
authority in Belgrade to stop cars with KS plates from entering Serbia.
Nenad Radosavljevic: Therefore
stopping or delaying the process of signing the final agreement on KS plates
entering Serbia is a total nonsense and a counterproductive move. From June
last year, when the initiative was brought in action, and when a political
agreement in principle was reached, all that period of time was used for
political games which are stupid and only damaging the interests of the Serb
community in Kosovo and Metohija, and the general situation here, as well as to
the process of integration of this region.
It appears that
many K-Serbs back Radosavljevic’s stand on this issue. An agreement here would
be of benefit not just to Kosovans, but to Serbia as well, adds Nenad
Radosavljevic - A major step towards regional economic cooperation and
development.
Nenad Radosavljevic: Looking
from the political point of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija it is a
huge interest indeed to be allowed KS plates to enter Serbia. Allowing cars
with KS plates to enter Serbia will facilitate the integration of the Albanian
population in the whole region, first of all in Serbia. And besides, they are
already linked to Belgrade and other trade and economic centers in Serbia.
Nebojsa Covic said recently he
would resign from his job as Kosovo coordinator – but the KS car-plates
agreement is still on the table, waiting to be signed. Meanwhile the
longsuffering people, fed up with the constant wrangling, have just one
hope to be able to get into their cars
and drive wherever they want.
JINGLE
Makfirete Hashani: Makfirete before the course was always a bit
aggressive, more hotheaded. I tended to be aggressive when somebody approached
me at work or in the family. But after the course, I have found inner peace, I
discovered a Makfirete I did not know before.
I have forgotten the time when I was different. I take things easily
now, I am quiet, and I am full of optimism and enthusiasm for anything I do. I
never get tired.
Makfirete Hashani is surprised at how much she changed after
attending a course organized by the Art of Living Foundation, a non-profit
NGO. The program consists of tension
releasing physical exercises and revitalizing breathing techniques as well as
an introduction to natural principles of effective living.
Believed to be
the second largest NGO in the world after the International Red Cross, the Art
of Living Foundation has branches in 140 countries and has trained millions of
people throughout the world.
The foundation started its work in Kosovo in 2000 with the
aim of helping rehabilitate war and torture victims. So far 300 people have
taken part in the course, most of them war victims and disabled KLA veterans
Art of living teacher, Snjezhana Nisevic, a volunteer from
Croatia, says breathing techniques can have a great positive effect.
Snjezhana Nisevic: We are all breathing
superficially, and using only 30 % of our lungs, and 90% of stresses, toxins,
poisons, which is physical and emotional both, can be released through breath.
A Harvard
medical team survey on the mental effects of the Kosovo war, found that 70 to
80 % of the people experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. A 4-day
stress-reduction course for participants from the Drenica region, one of the
worst affected areas was a big success says Snjezhana. They spoke of release
from pain, bad memories, insomnia and depression.
Snjezhana Nisevic: The fact is that the
problem starts in the mind, so that is the root of the problem, so if we remove
the root of the disease then the person is cured. From negative thinking many
problems in physical body are manifested.
Makfirete Hashani: I feel inner peace, I do not
know how I could live before with all that stress, I am surprised, and I could
not believe that a human can undergo such deep changes in the soul.
The Art of Living depends entirely much on donations since
it is a non-profit organization. They do not even have premises here and
organize courses in a Prishtina kindergarten after the kids go home.