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Urata · 22-01-06, 04:15

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Ibrahim Rugova — a statesman without a state

By Matthew Robinson

Six years on, his death coincides with United Nations-led talks, which the Albanian majority expects to bring Kosovo independence in 2006

KOSOVO Albanian President Ibrahim Rugova, who died on Saturday, spent the last 15 of his 61 years pursuing the dream of independence from dominant Serbia.

Architect of a parallel Kosovo state in the 1990s to defy Serb oppression, the Sorbonne-educated literature expert led a decade of passive resistance after Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic revoked the province’s autonomy in 1989.

The “Gandhi of the Balkans” clung to the same tactics in the 1990s while Croatia and Bosnia were consumed by ethnic war. Kosovo Albanians tolerated a form of Balkan apartheid, but ran their own underground schools and hospitals.

But Rugova underestimated his people’s readiness to die for independence. He was sidelined by the 1998-99 guerrilla insurgency of the Kosovo Liberation Army - which drew NATO into its first, “humanitarian”, war to drive out Serb forces.

Rugova rebounded to become interim president twice and stayed at the helm of the province’s largest political party, winning elections with relative ease.

Six years on, his death coincides with United Nations-led talks which the Albanian majority expects to bring Kosovo independence in 2006.

A native of fertile and picturesque western Kosovo, Rugova was thrust into politics in the 1980s as president of the Kosovo Writers’ Association, the traditional heart of the ethnic Albanian opposition movement.

His politicisation coincided with the rise to power in Belgrade of Milosevic, a former communist apparatchik riding a wave of Serb nationalism rooted in the defence of Kosovo as the sacred birthplace of the Serb nation.

Responding to Serb anger at the “Albanianisation” of Kosovo, nearly 90 percent of whose population were by now ethnic Albanians, Milosevic in 1989 revoked the autonomous status granted it under former Yugoslav dictator Josip Broz “Tito”, promising Serbs their pre-eminence would never be threatened.

Rugova’s Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) simply turned the other cheek, systematically ignoring the state institutions of their Serb masters. He twice became president in elections not recognised beyond Kosovo’s mountainous borders.

But as war ripped through Yugoslavia in the 1990s, ethnic Albanians saw the secession of Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia as a sign pacifism had failed.

Quick comeback: The popular mood swung in favour of armed struggle and the guerrillas who came down from the mountains in 1997.

Their war and Milosevic’s brutal response culminated in a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to drive out Serb forces accused of killing 10,000 civilians and expelling 800,000.

Criticised for spending most of the war in the West, Rugova hit rock bottom when he appeared on Serbian television grinning nervously and shaking hands with Milosevic in Belgrade.

Rugova said he had been kidnapped. He fled to Italy, his credibility crushed.

The war ended in June 1999 and Albanian attention turned to creating a new society under temporary UN stewardship.

Popular support swung back to Rugova, the benevolent, charismatic and widely known elder statesman. He was helped by a perception of the guerrillas-turned-politicians as corrupt and mired in organised crime.

Instantly recognisable by his silk scarf - often in the red and black colours of the Albanian national flag - Rugova sometimes seemed a rather doddery, other-worldly figure.

The government he formed in December 2004 with burly former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj, who became prime minister but then surrendered to the Hague tribunal on war crimes charges, was a marriage more of convenience than of minds.

Riven by factionalism and with no apparent successor to Rugova, the LDK seems destined for a messy power struggle that could see the former rebel commanders coming to the fore again. reuters
merrne me mend çka thuhet ne fund/deshirohet nga shume vete...!
Kosove, deshira/mundi i tij infinit te shpetofte nga e keqja...
Humbja e tij fizike kercenon Kosoven/popullin!

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22-01-06, 04:15	#50
Urata Jeta vazhdon...! Anëtarësuar: 26-06-04 Vendndodhja: Bote Postime: 12,882	Sunday, January 22, 2006 Ibrahim Rugova — a statesman without a state By Matthew Robinson Six years on, his death coincides with United Nations-led talks, which the Albanian majority expects to bring Kosovo independence in 2006 KOSOVO Albanian President Ibrahim Rugova, who died on Saturday, spent the last 15 of his 61 years pursuing the dream of independence from dominant Serbia. Architect of a parallel Kosovo state in the 1990s to defy Serb oppression, the Sorbonne-educated literature expert led a decade of passive resistance after Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic revoked the province’s autonomy in 1989. The “Gandhi of the Balkans” clung to the same tactics in the 1990s while Croatia and Bosnia were consumed by ethnic war. Kosovo Albanians tolerated a form of Balkan apartheid, but ran their own underground schools and hospitals. But Rugova underestimated his people’s readiness to die for independence. He was sidelined by the 1998-99 guerrilla insurgency of the Kosovo Liberation Army - which drew NATO into its first, “humanitarian”, war to drive out Serb forces. Rugova rebounded to become interim president twice and stayed at the helm of the province’s largest political party, winning elections with relative ease. Six years on, his death coincides with United Nations-led talks which the Albanian majority expects to bring Kosovo independence in 2006. A native of fertile and picturesque western Kosovo, Rugova was thrust into politics in the 1980s as president of the Kosovo Writers’ Association, the traditional heart of the ethnic Albanian opposition movement. His politicisation coincided with the rise to power in Belgrade of Milosevic, a former communist apparatchik riding a wave of Serb nationalism rooted in the defence of Kosovo as the sacred birthplace of the Serb nation. Responding to Serb anger at the “Albanianisation” of Kosovo, nearly 90 percent of whose population were by now ethnic Albanians, Milosevic in 1989 revoked the autonomous status granted it under former Yugoslav dictator Josip Broz “Tito”, promising Serbs their pre-eminence would never be threatened. Rugova’s Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) simply turned the other cheek, systematically ignoring the state institutions of their Serb masters. He twice became president in elections not recognised beyond Kosovo’s mountainous borders. But as war ripped through Yugoslavia in the 1990s, ethnic Albanians saw the secession of Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia as a sign pacifism had failed. Quick comeback: The popular mood swung in favour of armed struggle and the guerrillas who came down from the mountains in 1997. Their war and Milosevic’s brutal response culminated in a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to drive out Serb forces accused of killing 10,000 civilians and expelling 800,000. Criticised for spending most of the war in the West, Rugova hit rock bottom when he appeared on Serbian television grinning nervously and shaking hands with Milosevic in Belgrade. Rugova said he had been kidnapped. He fled to Italy, his credibility crushed. The war ended in June 1999 and Albanian attention turned to creating a new society under temporary UN stewardship. Popular support swung back to Rugova, the benevolent, charismatic and widely known elder statesman. He was helped by a perception of the guerrillas-turned-politicians as corrupt and mired in organised crime. Instantly recognisable by his silk scarf - often in the red and black colours of the Albanian national flag - Rugova sometimes seemed a rather doddery, other-worldly figure. The government he formed in December 2004 with burly former KLA leader Ramush Haradinaj, who became prime minister but then surrendered to the Hague tribunal on war crimes charges, was a marriage more of convenience than of minds. Riven by factionalism and with no apparent successor to Rugova, the LDK seems destined for a messy power struggle that could see the former rebel commanders coming to the fore again. reuters merrne me mend çka thuhet ne fund/deshirohet nga shume vete...! Kosove, deshira/mundi i tij infinit te shpetofte nga e keqja... Humbja e tij fizike kercenon Kosoven/popullin! Home \| Foreign __________________ Kur ndegjoj qe vdes ne bote, Nje njeri i Vendit Tim, Jam ne zemer i piklluar, Vdes nje cope e shpirtit tim. Ibrahim Rugova