Civil Resistance in Kosovo

Clark Howard

Description

The world woke up to the conflict between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians too late – when Kosovo erupted into full-scale war in the spring of 1999. But many Balkans watchers were surprised war in Kosovo did not happen sooner. In Civil Resistance in Kosovo, Howard Clark argues that war had been avoided previously because of the self-restraint exercised by the Kosovo Albanians and their policy of nonviolence.



Prior to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)'s taking up of arms, Kosovo Albanians had had a long history of civil resistance in the face of Serbian ultra-nationalism. They were committed to a strategy of nonviolent resistance even as they were harassed by Serbian police, vilified in racial terms, and excluded from jobs, education and government benefits. Excluded from the 1995 Dayton Agreement, Kosovo became a breeding ground for frustration and ethnic strife, ultimately leading to war and the NATO bombings.



The author traces the historical evolution of the Kosovo Albanians' struggle, from peaceful demonstrations to the KLA backlash, covering the 1980s to the present day. In assessing the achievements and limitations of nonviolence, Clark explains why the policy was ultimately abandoned and how it could have been made more effective. Importantly, this book draws on the lessons of Kosovo to provide suggestions for future peace-building.
Introduction



Notes on terms, pronunciation, glossary and acronyms



Background



Map



Chapter 1: Serbia - When a dam breaks

1. The demographic battlefield

2. After the fall of Rankovic

3. The rising swell of nationalism

4. Milosevic mobilises

5. Lazar's curse: 'Whoever does not fight at Kosovo'



Chapter 2: Albanians in Kosovo

1. The Ottoman Empire

2. The First World War and the First Yugoslavia

3. The Second World War

4. A resistant culture

5. Tito's Yugoslavia

6.. Concessions but no republic

7. 1981 and afterwards

8. An afterword on Communism in Kosovo



Chapter 3: The turn to nonviolence

1. Miners defend autonomy

2. The Party crumbles

3. Organisation and pluralism

4. The Campaign to Reconcile Blood Feuds

5. Military realism

6. Nonviolence in Kosovo Albanian identity



Chapter 4: Two sovereignties

1. A Serbian recipe for Albanian 'separatism'

2. Wholesale dismissals

3. Police and paramilitary

4. The contest for legitimacy

5. The electoral boycott

6. International support

7. Independence: a non-negotiable goal?



Chapter 5: Parallel structures

1. Schools in struggle

2. Open but illegal

3. The University of Prishtina

4. Funding education

5. The lesson taught

6. Medical care

7. The media

8. Arts and sport

9. Economic survival

10. Politics 'as if'

11. A state-in-embryo



Chapter 6: Pointers to an alternative

1. A strategy of empowerment

2. Altering Serbian will

3. New impulses: women

4. New impulses: youth

5. The Dayton effect

6. Contacts with Serb oppositionists

7. The student movement of 1997--98



Chapter 7: When the World Takes Notice

1. Diplomacy: The failure of prevention

2. Options for negotiation

3. A civil society approach

4. The crisis erupts

5. OSCE - too little, too late

6. Nato bombs for credibility



Chapter 8: Reflections on civil resistance

1. The balance sheet on nonviolence in Kosovo

2. Power and will

3. Victim behaviour

3. Leader syndromes

4. Goals and processes

5. Civil resistance and conflict resolution

6. Early warning, civil resistance and small nations



Postscript: Pristina, October 1999



Notes



Select bibliography



Index

Sujets

• Political Advocacy
• Political Process
• Political Science
• Advocacy group
• Peace
• Kosovo
• Paix

Informations

• Publié par: Pluto Press
• Date de parution: 20 août 2000
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781849640817
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Civil Resistance in Kosovo

Howard Clark

P Pluto Press LONDON • STERLING, VIRGINIA

First published 2000 by Pluto Press 345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA and 22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166–2012, USA

www.plutobooks.com

Copyright © Howard Clark 2000

The right of Howard Clark to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Clark, Howard. Civil resistance in Kosovo / Howard Clark. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–7453–1574–7 1. Kosovo (Serbia)—History—1980– 2. Albanians—Yugoslavia—Kosovo (Serbia)—History. 3. Passive resistance—Yugoslavia—Kosovo (Serbia) 4. Kosovo (Serbia)—History—Civil War, 1998– I. Title. DR2086 .C58 2000 949.71—dc21 00–0085

ISBN 0 7453 1574 7 hardback ISBN 0 7453 1569 0 paperback

09 10

08 9

07 8

06 7

05 6

04 5

03 4

02 3

01 2

00 1

01

Designed and produced for Pluto Press by Chase Production Services Typeset from disk by Stanford DTP Services, Northampton Printed in the European Union by TJ International, Padstow

To those who work for peaceful co-existence in Kosovo

‘If I were free, I would have much work, I would help those that are suffering more now. Now it is not Albanians that are suffering the most, now it is others, and I would work with all my strength in order to help them. ... I would do anything so that the Serbian community and the Albanians reconcile.’

From the final statement of Flora Brovina, Kosovo Albanian doctor and founder of the League of Albanian Women, to the court in Nisˇ on 9 December 1999. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Contents

Acknowledgements Maps Acronyms and Abbreviations Brief Chronology Background on Kosovo

Introduction

1

2

3

4

When a dam breaks The demographic battlefield: 1912–66 After the fall of Rankovic´ The rising swell of nationalism Milosˇevic´mobilises Lazar’s curse: ‘Whoever does not fight at Kosovo’

The Albanians in Kosovo The Ottoman Empire The First World War and the First Yugoslavia The Second World War A resistant culture Tito’s Yugoslavia Everything but a republic 1981 and afterwards An afterword on Communism in Kosovo

The turn to nonviolence Miners defend autonomy The Party crumbles Organisation and pluralism The Campaign to Reconcile Blood Feuds Military realism Nonviolence in Kosovo Albanian identity

Two sovereignties A Serbian recipe for Albanian ‘separatism’ Wholesale dismissals

x xii xiv xv xix

1

7 8 12 15 18 20

24 24 26 29 31 37 39 41 45

46 46 52 54 60 64 66

70 71 74

viii

5

6

7

8

Civil Resistance in Kosovo

Police and paramilitary The contest for legitimacy The electoral boycott International support Independence: a ‘maximalist’ goal?

Parallel structures Schools in struggle Open but illegal The University of Prishtina Funding education The lesson taught Medical care The media Arts and sport Economic survival Politics ‘as if’ A state-in-embryo

Pointers for an alternative strategy The Dayton effect A framework for ‘active nonviolence’ A strategy of empowerment Altering Serbian will Empowerment: women Empowerment: youth The student movement of 1997–98

When the world takes notice Principles and interests In the absence of a peace process International solidarity takes time International support for peacebuilding The crisis erupts OSCE – too little, too late NATO bombs for credibility

Reflections on civil resistance The balance sheet on civil resistance: the Kosovo perspective The balance sheet on civil resistance: the international

77 80 84 89 92

95 96 99 100 102 104 106 108 111 112 115 117

122 122 128 131 138 145 149 151

158 158 163 168 169 172 178 181

186

186

debate Victim behaviour and nonviolence Leader syndromes Goals and transitions Civil resistance and conflict resolution Early warning, civil resistance and small nations

Appendix I: Tables Appendix II: Notes on Terms, Pronunciation and Glossary Appendix III: Leading Characters Notes and References Select Bibliography Index

MAPS

1. 2.

Regional map Kosovo

Contents

ix

189 193 198 203 206 210

215 217 220 223 258 262

xii xiii

Acknowledgements

There are some people who do not wish to be thanked by name for the help they have given me in bringing this book to publication, both in Kosovo and in Madrid. Almost every chapter in the book shows my debt to the writings of Shkëlzen Maliqi, who I have managed to visit on most of my trips to Kosovo. I would also like to thank Afërdita Saraçini-Kelmendi, her family and colleagues in the Women’s Media Project/Radio 21; Albin Kurti and others in the Students’ Union, UPSUP, especially the woman on whose organising they all relied (she and they know who I mean); Burim, Jetish, Vallon and their generation of LDK Youth; Fadil Bajraj and Ylber Hysa were also repeated points of reference; and in the diaspora Isa Zymberi and colleagues at the London Kosova Information Centre. From other parts of former Yugoslavia, I should acknowledge the encouragement I received to get involved with Kosovo from friends in Ljubljana, especially Marko Hren, and in Belgrade, especially Vuk Stambolovic´andStaˇsaZajovic´,plusthecontinuedhelpandencour- agement of others in Women in Black in Belgrade, especially Indira Kajosˇevic´whoaccompaniedtheBalkanPeaceTeam’sApril1994 exploratory visit to Kosovo. This book has grown out of political work that began when I was Coordinator of War Resisters’ International and which I have subsequently carried on through the Balkan Peace Team. I have greatly benefitted from my involvement with both these bodies. I should thank my friends throughout the WRI network for the oppor- tunities they gave me. The Balkan Peace Team has a policy of ‘non-partisanship’ and in no way can be associated with the opinions I express in this book. Nevertheless, as a member of its Coordinating Committee and through my frequent contact with volunteers, I am grateful for many insights. I would like to thank Ken Simons for the maps and the following individuals for other types of help: Alberto L’Abate, Denisa Kostoviˇcová,MartynLowe,MaryMotes,BobOvery,MichaelRandle, Mark Salter, Antonia Young and especially Andrew Rigby. This book would not have been possible without a grant from the Albert Einstein Institution (Cambridge, Mass) to research nonviolent

x

Acknowledgements

xi

struggle in Kosovo. This institution is devoted to the development of strategic nonviolence, and I specifically thank Bruce Jenkins, Ron McCarthy and Gene Sharp for their support. Two other groups have provided useful opportunities for discussion: the Committee for Conflict Transformation Support (London) and the Nonviolent Action Research Project (Bradford). Finally, I must thank everyone at Pluto Press for their under- standing about the difficulties of writing a book about an episode of nonviolent struggle in a situation that has turned into war.

01892321076545432987613298105476

67450189890122311032547632547698

21103928547698108967452367452301

32219810109876546789234545670123

98103221765410982345678901234567

10982321674501894523896723016745

89014567123765432109876543220189

54761032769832542890167450189231

45678901123321076545432987601892

10325476325476988901232110987654

13298105476896745236745230121098

67892345456701232392811076541098

45670123678923452981010987654321

13254769810452389672301674510982

62734512301081986976475425321098

98105476132230167454523896710982

01234567234567899810276541098321

54769810132987654327654321020189

76983254547610322231890101896745

12389014567543298763210765401892

32547698103254768901223167450189

12345678901298104567012367892345

10987654398211020123456723456789

21098674523018967452398105476132

72654819009183217698325454761032

10982230167454523896754769810132

28930112018967453254769810325476

12230189890145679876543276543210

01891223456789015432987632107654

18900918276543213254769810325476

ALBANIA

12230189890145679876543276543210

28293011674501897698325454761032

01891223456789015432987632107654

34561212127890563490787856129009874321216543

34567890789012120921436521436587907856341221

21870924136534567890123456780921436587092121

90125678123478904365211290786543212109876543

43210987654321907856341290785621870943652121

43122187652109654309872112216556433409908778

43658709212143657890123456789012654321907812

87094365658721431209876543215634129012129078

78561290563490782121654309872143652121438709

12907856348765432165432109121278907890345621

12907812563465870921870921431212345634567890

09872121210965431256349078215678123478903456

12123456789012658709214365870912563490783412

Sarajevo

4321876521097890345656781234214309216587

3412785612903412876512346587092143658709

8765341287094365092165871234901256781234

2910019281726354453627187856341290785634

23167450189325476981032547689012

54329876321076540189298105476132

23101896745769832545476103228901

98765432765432102011829345678901

76541098321012345672345678998102

26734051061784954523289367110982

10987654321456701236789234529810

67452301896745232109854769810132

1032769832541

2132165430987

3901256781234

7856129032143

98102012345672345678912389014567

54769810109813222301674545238967

76541098293821104567012367892345

98105476132210986745230189674523

1098322316745

KOSOVO

Skopje

20189765432109876543245678901123

82394051647586970112233456798102

21098809168976475425326374152301

01896745223189015476103276983254

11039282981054764523896723016745

32219810109876546789234545670123

CROATIA Zagreb

ROMANIA

21210987098765241378563412563412902187094365

BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA

HUNGARY

Approximate scale (km)

Tirana

Civil Resistance in Kosovo

212109876543210978563412907856341234

Map 1 Regional Map (Ken Simons)

ITALY

8901231234567 6587092132143 MACEDONIA 8967452311032 6543213129078 1233210987654

8765210965430987341265871234567890121234

1290341278568709436565872143123490125678

8765432143212109129078569078563412345678

6587092121431234567834567890876521094321

5768758612909012132431422143658743658709

7856210943214321876578903456901256782143

1290785690785634876543214321281706952143

7856341290785634210987654321658721430921

1234394011227856152697086543098743218765

5678901234567890214365870921214378564321

2143092165879078563478563412432121098765

5678123412349012658743215634907878561290

3456789012345678092121436587432121098765

6587123409876543210987653412129078563412

1234092165878709436578563412341212908765

6587214387094365567812349012214365870921

2313298105476

3129078563412

3210987654321

GREECE Thessaloniki

7654109832231

7890123216543

2301896745231

3412785612903

6745231230189

0987654312321

1032123456789

2143658709213

1329813025476

0987321216543

0123678954321

3092156781234

1325476890123

3456789012321

2301145238967

3341265870921

28901547610327698325401896745231 Podgorica 98103221765410982345678901234567 13254726091881907654321098765432

2138709345612

3412312907856

1230176983254

2134365870921

7654321 321098

1234567821093

1325467890123

9078312125634

7654109823321

2143390125678

1013276983254

0987654321312

4567123321098

60594837049328172817652651403990781212125634 09214365214365873456789012215634907890781212 No 2187094365121278903456 v 9012 i Sad 43652178901265432121098765431290785634129078 563490783412785621 56789012345678902143658709214321216543098721

09872112125634563490786587092187092143123456 56341290121290780987654387654321121234567890 Belg 654321 rade 12563490783412345612121278900921658787094365 12098721216543098712345678901234562143658709 90125678123478904365212187094365870921

78901243658709212143659078341278561290216543 34569012121278908709436565872143126543098721 87092143214365563412121290782109876509876543 SERBIA 21345678907890121221096543432187655634907812 43652121870943659012567812347890654321907812

MONTENEGRO

8967230167450189543298761210678903123456789013254769810123254543212

8765432109876543121290785634211290658721438709436531212789034569012

1098543232127654674501892839261723019810325413254764567890167890123

8901212310325476325476986745018901892321321076545432987689014567123

4321876565430987785612903412214365874365870956789012901212343121290

0819809645172123809162734455627332189014567678923455476103212329810

5432109876543210899867764523112103232549810547610326789234501216789

9078341278561290216543789012345678901243658709212143650987654332121

90781212129056342165430987122143658743658709

5162334451627980341290782109876532134569012123478900921658765872143

xii

43652121870943651278906543211290785634129078

12345678192034569012567812348709436521218709

09874321876521091256342187097890345634561212

21436587436587097890121290123456210987654312

87652109654309871212563490781212345678901234

34129078563412098765432109876578901212123456

21098765437856341256341290870921214365870912

21098721654321438709092165877890345634561212

43658709211265430987432187651290563490781212

12214365874365870912129078563412902109876543

65872143436509211212789078903456121290785634

21436578901234567890120987654365432121129078

12563490781209214365870921213456789012345678

12907856341212098765432109876512347890345612

78901212123456907834121256346543098787652109

124356341290121290780987654387654321

901256787890345643652121438709121234

21123456789043218765210965439078121256349078

21201987654391027182596037487586536431421920

43652121438709901256787890345665432121210987

789012341211223453644365870965870921

098765438765432156341290121290783412

125634214387090921658778903456341212

432187652109654390781212341234567890

214387094365216587092143658709121234

431212789034569012876543210987654312

658709218709214312345634121290785634

347890121221096543432187655634907812

5476981032547698011032276983254112389674523018967453210987654321210

0921436521436587785612909078341221096543432187659012567812347890213

907812123443218765210965431278903456

345678901122123546348709214365870921

354634112212341290780921658787094365

123468574635423120190291827160594837

345364121122907856340921658721438709

563493047812121728902109654343218765

9810321234567

8901456723321

4321876521093

1452389672301

3122143658709

1234567890123

5476981032123

3211256349078

1543298763210

0189235476132

0921658712343

6789234510123

2313201896745

654321 3210987

8709213214365

5678910213243

4321876512903

0123123456789

3298105476132

6745018932231

2345198763210

2112378903456

9876543212301

2143653210987

3413271825906

1290785634123

3211265430987

1543289672301

 0 50 150 200

34127856563490780987212121096543123456789021

21907856347856341243650921212187097890345612

65430987211287094365212187093456901256781234

43210987654321789034569012567821870943652121

09874321876521095634907812125634870921345612

12789087094365436521211234566587092187092143

60594837261524132102918079685734129078563412

90785634121290782121436587091234567890123456

12905634341278566543098721128709436521218709 04938675221112123456345678906587092187092143 VOJVODI 123412 N 78905634127856129056340987212165430987 A 34569012121278908709436521120987654387654321 12345678901234658709214365870956341212129078

12789034562112129078907856348765432165432109

121234870943650921658712347890345612

210965434321876556349078123478901212

212143436587097856129090783412216543

123456783456789021342121098765432109

658709214365870912123456341234129078

123456789043218765210965439078121234

870943654321216587092187092143123456

217890345656781234654321092121098734

789012341234564365870965870921121234

785634129304785634212211098765432109

563490781221403965430493827128172615

901256781234789043212187094365125634

BULGARIA

Prizren

Vranje

Gjakova

S a n d j a k Trepça M O N T E- Mitrovica Podujeva N E G R O Vushtrri D r e Sk n e i n c de a raj Istog P l a i n o f D u k a g j i n i Obiliq PRISHTINA Peja Kosovo Polje Klina Gllogovc Janjevo Deçan Malisheva Lipjan

Shtime Rahovec Ferizaj Suhareka

Leskovac

Leposaviq

Gjilan

Tetova M A C E D O N I A

0

SKOPJE

Kaçanik

Map 2 Kosovo – Albanian spellings, except Kosovo Polje (Ken Simons)

Vitia

Novi Pazar

S E R B I A

APPROXIMATE SCALE

Maps

xiii

50km

Gostivar

Dragash

Kukes

A L B A N I A