Serbs in K. Mitrovica court for second night

EA,
Yes you are right.
The international community should step in, assert its authority, uphold international law and tell the Albanians that their declaration of independence is illegal.
I appauld the women, children and elderly Serbs for defending their rights and their land.

This isn't hooliganism as you claim, EA. This is a perfect example of ordinary Serbs, dissatisfied with a series of events that led them to take such measures into their own hands. You know, kind of like what you guys did about a month ago?

UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker and Kosovo Albanian leaders in Priština yesterday called for police to restore order.

-And how they think to achieve this? Maybe only by using the force and if that happens then Kosovo officials will finally have chance to show its true colours and what their plans are for the Serbs. Hope they stay enough clever and resist from using any force, if not, then they will prove to be worst than Milosevic used to be with them since he did not use any force against Albanians when they began boycotting Serbian institutions and establishing their own parallel one.

What Serbs are dong now is perfectly in the line of resolution 1244 which was violated by the Albanians and the EU, so it is funny when Mr Ruecker mentions and calls on violations of the same resolution.

By the way, the picture is so nice, Serbian flag flies over Serbian Court building in Serbian province Kosovo and Metohija.

I really don't know what your beef is, EA. It's not that the Serbs are trying to take over Albanian institutions. They are primarily focusing on their own regions, and refuse to comply with a government in Pristina that they deem not theirs - very similar to your views of Belgrade.

Moreover, Albanian collective identity in Kosovo Province has for the last 20 years or so been almost exclusively built around disobedience to and a refusal to comply with state organizations. The entire reason for this so-called independence was because Albanians refuse to have anything to do with Serbs. OK, fine. But what gives you any idea that the very people you worked so hard to break away from, should suddenly find any commonality with you under this new government? In other words, how can your noncompliance be considered self-determination, and their non-compliance be deemed "hooliganism"? Why, after years of disunity and parallel governments do you now expect Kosovo Province to be some top-down unified system of government? Haven't you realized that with Pristina's UDD, nearly everything even slightly resembling something legal and legitimate is up for question and interpretation? And haven't you also realized that every attempt by Serbs to "force" you to comply only created greater resistance and determination to break away? The same holds when the roles are reversed, I'm afraid.

EA,

the international forces did not do anything when the K-Albanians chased Serbs from their lands, looted their houses, and destroyed their churches. So why should these soldiers use reasonable force against unarmed people who are ocupying a court house where they once used to work?

To the World:

Support the "Mitrovica 100"

What 'peaceful' campaign of protest did the Albanians in Kosovo do again? If by 'peaceful' you mean using terror and violence, rape and murder. If by 'peaceful' you mean displacing 75% of the Roma population, which constitutes ethnic cleansing. If by 'peaceful' you mean burned down historic churches that survived Ottoman, Austrian, and Hitlerite rule.

The KLA supporters whining about Serbs taking back offices that should have never been driven out of to begin with is highly ironic and hypocritical in the extreme.

No EA, I'm not in any way suggesting or even hinting that Milosevic was one of Serbia's angels, as you say. But at the same time, I fail to see your arguments in differentiating between Albanian resistance and Serbian.

For starters, the reason for each side's resistance was due to a belief that the government they were living under was unfair, unjust, and directly biased against them. Milosevic revoking Kosovo's autonomy and firing Albanians from government posts and replacing them with Serb loyalists is a clear sign of that. But here, the Serbs are claiming they lost their jobs at the courthouse, and are now seeking to reclaim what they feel was unjustly taken from them. As far as I'm concerned, there's no difference from the Albanian example. If you disagree, then let's at least agree to disagree.

Second, these demonstrations have been peaceful so far. Thankfully, no one has been injured or, God forbid, killed. If Serbs start attacking people, then the entire situation changes. Right now, they are focused on Mitrovica. They're not marching to Pristina. No one in Serbia is serious about reestablishing authority in Pristina, Prizren, or Pec (outside the monasteries). K Serbs have also expressed a willingness to work under UNMIK, which has a legal mandate via 1244. So in this case, we've yet to see a true break of international protocol. But if UNMIK is given the order for forcibly remove them, I fear Serb support for even UNMIK will be severely undermined, and only stoke more harsh tactics from Belgrade.

Finally, I have yet to see any real attempt by UNMIK or the EU Administration in Kosovo to show any rational understanding of the Serbian side. No efforts are being made to develop power sharing, or even politically regionalize Kosovo. I think, and I may be wrong on this but I'll stick to it anyway, that if Brussels gives a little breathing space to the K-Serbs, it will avoid much larger headaches down the road. Case in point: you say you are convinced Rugova's passive forms of protest failed and that it was only with the formation of the KLA that any serious gains were made. You may want to take this as a warning too: passive forms of resistance by the Serbian side that are rebuffed, instead of heeded, may produce the same results.

I think both you and I are smart enough to realize that a little compromise here and there can go a long way. I can't speak on behalf of every member of Team Kosovo, but I for one am not interested in seeing Kosovo Province descend into further poverty and anarchy. Such a situation helps no one. But instability could increase because of situations like these in Mitrovica; situations where the "law" that is being enforced is questionable and subjectively imposed by a few interested people.

On a side note, I appreciate that we've been able to disagree, but still keep the comments civil.

EA, there is on such thing as "Kosova". There never was. Kosovo will never be free. Kosovo will never be independent. Kosovo will always be a part of Serbia. All this stuff that is going on means absolutely nothing. Kosovo has been part of Serbia for 100's and 100's of years. And it will be part of Serbia again. Be it within 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, 50 years or even 100 years. It doesn't matter. It will become part of Serbia again. It doesn't matter about things like Thaci and the EU and NATO. They will go away and dissappear in history. But Kosovo and Serbia will exist together forever.

So you need to take your anthem and your flag and put them away and come to terms with that. If you don't like living in Serbia, you are more than welcome to move to Albania or any country in the EU.

I am absolutely sure that the policy of peaceful resistance by late Rugova was a failed policy. Let's be honest about it. Now the Kosovar Alabanians were forced to take up the arms to fight for their freedom and rights against the repressive regime of Slobodan Milosevic.-

EA said in post # 12


So, EA is recommending us Serbs to start using the force in order to achieve our goals since, according to him/her, peaceful means are not working out (failed policy of late Rugova suggest so) .

Well, you never know EA, perhaps the situation may end up in war but not because of the Serbs who use their democratic rights to peacefully reach the goals but because of possible use of force against the Serbs. The thing is thing that USA and its EU puppet should be aware that this time we have Russia on our side and I am sure that EU and USA would like to confront with Russia. I think that USA especially can’t afford such luxury to confront military with Russia and I am sure USA would not sacrifice a bit to make Albanians happy. That you can be sure.

Mr. Rucker should be ashamed of himself. He as no authority, to ask the Kosovo Serbs to be tolerant. Why? For the simple fact, that he is not coherent with his actions. Why, he never criticized the Kosovo Albanians to host the Albanian national flag Kosovo wide in the official buildings. Even today, if you visit Pristina Municipality everyone can see the Albanian flag hosted beside the UN Flag. Why before the so-called UDI Mr. Rucker did not take the Albanian flag out from the Kosovo Parliament offices. Where is the IMPARTIALITY Mr. Rucker? Why, you have been dancing in one disco on the night of the Kosovo UDI. I remember to read that you instructed all UN staff not to be part of the UDI celebration. Mr. Rucker ti ni si dobar.

That is a Serbian modern way of hooliganism. Put the women, children and elderly people in the frontline. The Serbs really hope and wish for a victim to trigger the Serbian anger.....That would be a good excuse to destibilise more the north of Kosova and "good" argument for division.

The international community should step in and assert its authority otherwise let the Kosova's government do the job.

Plus, the situation has completely changed. Albanians used to be isolated, paranoid, poor, now Albania is open, friendly, and getting richer by the day. Serbia is going the opposite direction.
(albi, 15 March 2008 17:00)

OK. I just had to answer this one. When you talk about Albania getting richer and Serbia doing the opposite, keep in mind that Serbia has the biggest economy growth rate in Europe(6-7%), also keep in mind that I have plenty of Albanian friends, one of who was kind enough to inform me that he went to Albania on vacation, got caught by a policeman driving a motorbike withought a licence, gave him five euros and drove away. That's how rich you're getting, you can brake the law for the low price of 4$ and 99c. When you say open, what do you mean? Open to other people coming to Albania? Who would want to go live in Albania, when any smart Albanian wants to get away. And I still can't believe you can't get your economy running, seeing that you have a coast AND mountains that would be great for tourism. Not to mention trade.

I have to agree with other poster, it's a very beautiful picture!

I believe it is time that a few million Serbians from Serbia Proper take a field trip and visit Kosovo. I am certain that this peacefull fieldtrip would do Wonders in the International Media. All you anti Serb posters have your perspective backwards. There is no such thing as "Serbian hooliganism". All foreign occupiers, antagonizers and illegal Albanians should leave Kosovo immediately. Kosovo is Serbian territory and it is time for the International Community to recognize this fact. STOP forcing the Serbs to live with Albanians. It is very clear that Serbians do not want to Integrate any further with Albanians. Why doesn't the International Community respect that fact and why do they force multhiethnic society for North Kosovo.
The Serbian Military and it's International Supporters should step in and assert it's authority and let the Serbian Government do the job.

EA,
there is no chance in hell the Serbians will ever be allowed back into their homes in Kosovo. YOu know that, so why would you make such a redundant statement. We all know that there is only one way for the Serbs to return to Kosovo and that is to have a Basketball Game.
Winner take all!
How is that for peacefull.

I love the picture!!! Pristina and UNMIK are loseing grip over North Kosovo. The partition has been set long ago and their tring to force the Serbs to be ruled over by Albanians. Sorry but North Kosovo is almost officaly partitoned.

What in the world do the Albanians care about K. Mitrovica for? Do they really want to force others to live with them? Kosovo's Albanians didn't want to live with Serbs yet now they want to force Serbs to live under their control? The decleration of independence from Serbia has not been recognized by enough countries to make it legal. Most important of all, it hasn't and never will be recognized by Serbia without a proper settlement. The Albanian leadership has been expecting everything to go along with their plans just because several US administrations have supported Kosovo's Albanian independence from Serbia. Now, however the Serbs are refusing to comply. I ask, even if some of Kosovo goes under Albanian control, why in the world would they want to control Serbs they could never control? Then again, not much though was given to this independence claim.

EA


My understanding is that Milosevic only got into power because the people demanded a tough response to the Albanian aggression. Aggression they were displaying against both Serbs and Albanians that supported the state.

Kosovo is Stara Serbia in my History Book.

Apparently the Serbs were driven out of the court on Aug. 11, 1999 and have continued to work WITHIN the Ministry of Justice system from their private homes and premises. They are now demanding to do their work in their respective offices. This point seems to be missing here. Where has UNMIK been, and their so-called leaders, all this time. These people are working for the Ministry of Justice, presumably being paid, but denied their offices. Would the Albanian posters please explain/comment on this.

It is the job of the UNMIK to uphold Res 1244 which implicitly states that Kosovo is sovereign Serbian territory. Any force used against the rightful owners and inhabitants of Serbia would nullify their mandate and make them illegal occupiers, to be dealt with accordingly. Only a peaceful outcome will be acceptable, the Serbs have said "no use of force" but if force is used against them self defense is the right of any human being or ethnic group in their own country!

albi,
why do the ethnic Albanians cause grief for Macedonia, Bulgaria, Montenegro. Why are there no Albanians left in Croatia and Slovenia?
I hope the next Country you infiltrate is Germany because north is the only direction left. There is no "world wisening" up against Serbia's tricks. These so called tricks are a fabrication of Germany and the USA. Are you oblivious to the fact that German Politicians rule the USA and EU. If there is a lesson to be learned from these events. It is never acknowledge an ethnic minority if you wish to lose your identity as a nation.
albi,
would you not agree that ethnic hatred in the Balkans has intensified ever since the USA and Germany split up the once powerfull Jugoslavia.
The recent illegal recognition of Kosovo's UDI and the pushing and influencing from Brussels is only the icing on the cake.
I wonder who gets to eat the cake when all is said and done?

Jan,

You are obviously a decent, moderate sort of person and that is commendable. But what you suggest in #30 would, I believe, just disipate the committment of these workers, and their protest would be ignored. If they leave the courthouse they might as well go home and forget about it all. If they were looking for a wage increase or something, then a token occupation of the building might be appropriate, but the stakes here are much higher than that. Remember, this is a peaceful act of civil disobedience. If such acts are forcibly put down, then the next one might not be as peaceful.

if someone should dare to try to remove that flag by force, and remember, it is serbian territory, he should be aware of the probable response.

Good on the Serbs in North Mitro - support them. And anyway why would UNMIK or the illegal governemnt in Prisitna want the place? They can't even get the power station working properly or the water system! What makes them think they can run a justice system?

Mike and others,

With that kind of Serbian approach and attitude I doubt any refugess will be in a position to return to their homes. Kosova's borders should be tighten until the rule of law is enforced in the independent and sovran Kosova.

to #24
> What in the world do the Albanians care about K. Mitrovica for?

Albanians who weasled Kosovo are afraid that it will get split again -- thats what this is about.

The precedent established by Thachi, US, NATO and EU is that there is no limit to how much you can parcel and carve out little countries out of existing countries. Sovrenity means nothing in the 2000's be this action.

And it is a precedent. And if anyone tries and is told, "no you can't do that, Kosovo was a special case!!". What you have to worry about is will they try to make it a "special case". Meaning, will try try a little bit of ethnic clensing on their own to get their own country. After all, it worked for the Albanians in Kosovo region.

Very very scary stuff going on.

EA

Good you brought that, I was going to type the same information about what really happend and the way the police responded, it was planned by these people to trigger any casualties and cry to the IC. Guess the plan didnt really worked out, sooner or latter they have to go home... every action plan they have tried have gone the other way around, maybe thats why the Serbian government is now on collapse, to pitty the democratic forces will lose the elections and another new era of Serbian nationalism will take over.

Serbia is no Democracy if it was they would accept what they have done in the 90'es and destroyed Yugoslavia. And Not defend people like Milosevic or Arkan? What our Prime minister did was deffend his own People and UCK was army of the people?

If Serbs think Russia will start war over Serbia they are Naive the don't even can afford to feed their own People and start carrying for Serbs? LOL

"STOP forcing the Serbs to live with Albanians. It is very clear that Serbians do not want to Integrate any further with Albanians."

Most of us have no illusions about Serb feelings towards Albanians, hence insistence on independence. The question is, if Serbs didn't want to live with Albanians, why the hell did they annex Kosovo in 1912?
And how are they going to deal with Albanians inside Serbia in Presevo-Medvedja-Bujanovac?

I suggest you read the writing on the wall. The world has wisened up to Serbia's tricks. Plus, the situation has completely changed. Albanians used to be isolated, paranoid, poor, now Albania is open, friendly, and getting richer by the day. Serbia is going the opposite direction.

Mike,

I understand your sympathy towards the Serbs and that is your choice. But what is a problem your messing up the FACTS and wrong parallism with Kosova's peaceful resistance towards Slobodan Milosevic regime and the "peaceful" resistance of the Serbian minority in Mitrovica.
Let get some FACTS right.

If it was for the Kosova's Albanians disobedience to continue, Kosova would have been still under Serbia. I am absolutely sure that the policy of peaceful resistance by late Rugova was a failed policy. Let's be honest about it. Now the Kosovar Alabanians were forced to take up the arms to fight for their freedom and rights against the repressive regime of Slobodan Milosevic. I am assuming that you dont believe that Milosevic was one of the Serbian "angles".

Your paralelism is out of order and UNREALISTIC when your refer "they are primarily focusing on their own regions, and refuse to comply with a government in Pristina that they deem not theirs - very similar to your views of Belgrade".

Instead they are NOT complying with the Resolution 1244 that you and other Serbs here are crying over days and nights.

So please do not try to sell the soap for cheese in here and just get the FACTS right.

I would suggest the international forces to excercise its authority with all "reasonalbe means" to teach the lesson again to Serbs and if required to Albanians whom do not comply with the rule of law. If they can't do it let the Kosovar government do it!

Milosevic-era Serb employees storm courthouse in order to seize control over judicial system and claim control once more over majority Albanians.

This is how this story is being spinned.

P.S. Mike, Albanians practiced civil disobedience against a tyranny. Serbs are showing civil disobedience for their own self-interests (power over the majority). There's a fine line bud.

Peaceful and non-violent insubordination is the way. Civil disobedience will win.
The EU, UN and NATO are in the throes of chaos and they know it. The end of the world order has begun.

It's a sign of protest and I applaud them for their stance and non-violent approach. The fact that they are doing it non-violently is bugging the Albanins and EU the most.

The sad reality is that, if Serbia was allowed to be split up once in order to appease nationalistic and ethnic leaning, well -- I don't see why it cant be split up again and give the northern part of Kosovo to Serbia.

They obviously don't want to live under an Albanian regime and it's their land, so let them live in a Serbian regime.

If you did it for Albanians, why can't you do it for Serbians or other peoples in the world?

when albanians were concerned,unmik police shooted them causing the death of 2 of them and more than 180 victims.
In north mitrivica,unmik police even brings the flag to these serbian employées!

wait and see,how they will deal!

More pathetic violence. First the burning of the border posts, then the burning of the embassies and now the "occupation" of the court house by Milosevic-era employees. This will end in another case of cut of your nose to spite your face.

Stuart,

You just exptexed what I expressed but got censured.
B92 can you explain your attitude? Are you not pushing it to far in my case?

A little peaceful protesting, a little civil disobedience, should always be welcomed. Obviously the Serbs now occupying that court building feel they have been wronged.

Fair enough, but the honourable thing to do now would be to leave the building peacefully. The media, UNMIK, and others have heard and seen the protest.

Leave peacefully, maybe keeping a small, round-the-clock team posted outside the gates to the court building, and keep the media attention.

Have another group ask for a meeting with local government (or UNMIK representative) and explain your frustration, and see what the response is.

That will be the civil and honourable reaction.

I bet that the Ukrainian policeman voted for the Party of Regions in the last elections in his country…

Anyway, these Serbs who stormed the UN-Kosovar court are being fully bankrolled by the radicals in Belgrade and elsewere in Serbia.

But the fact on the ground is that, besides the flags, Kosovo is not Serbia anymore.

UNMIK should expel these people who worked for the Milosevic’s regime crackdown on Kosovo in 1998/1999, and if UN personell couldn’t do this job, NATO soldiers would much probably do.

That is a Serbian modern way of hooliganism. Put the women, children and elderly people in the frontline. The Serbs really hope and wish for a victim to trigger the Serbian anger.....That would be a good excuse to destibilise more the north of Kosova and "good" argument for division.

The international community should step in and assert its authority otherwise let the Kosova's government do the job.

Mike and others,

With that kind of Serbian approach and attitude I doubt any refugess will be in a position to return to their homes. Kosova's borders should be tighten until the rule of law is enforced in the independent and sovran Kosova.

Mike,

I understand your sympathy towards the Serbs and that is your choice. But what is a problem your messing up the FACTS and wrong parallism with Kosova's peaceful resistance towards Slobodan Milosevic regime and the "peaceful" resistance of the Serbian minority in Mitrovica.
Let get some FACTS right.

If it was for the Kosova's Albanians disobedience to continue, Kosova would have been still under Serbia. I am absolutely sure that the policy of peaceful resistance by late Rugova was a failed policy. Let's be honest about it. Now the Kosovar Alabanians were forced to take up the arms to fight for their freedom and rights against the repressive regime of Slobodan Milosevic. I am assuming that you dont believe that Milosevic was one of the Serbian "angles".

Your paralelism is out of order and UNREALISTIC when your refer "they are primarily focusing on their own regions, and refuse to comply with a government in Pristina that they deem not theirs - very similar to your views of Belgrade".

Instead they are NOT complying with the Resolution 1244 that you and other Serbs here are crying over days and nights.

So please do not try to sell the soap for cheese in here and just get the FACTS right.

I would suggest the international forces to excercise its authority with all "reasonalbe means" to teach the lesson again to Serbs and if required to Albanians whom do not comply with the rule of law. If they can't do it let the Kosovar government do it!

"STOP forcing the Serbs to live with Albanians. It is very clear that Serbians do not want to Integrate any further with Albanians."

Most of us have no illusions about Serb feelings towards Albanians, hence insistence on independence. The question is, if Serbs didn't want to live with Albanians, why the hell did they annex Kosovo in 1912?
And how are they going to deal with Albanians inside Serbia in Presevo-Medvedja-Bujanovac?

I suggest you read the writing on the wall. The world has wisened up to Serbia's tricks. Plus, the situation has completely changed. Albanians used to be isolated, paranoid, poor, now Albania is open, friendly, and getting richer by the day. Serbia is going the opposite direction.

Serbia is no Democracy if it was they would accept what they have done in the 90'es and destroyed Yugoslavia. And Not defend people like Milosevic or Arkan? What our Prime minister did was deffend his own People and UCK was army of the people?

If Serbs think Russia will start war over Serbia they are Naive the don't even can afford to feed their own People and start carrying for Serbs? LOL

EA

Good you brought that, I was going to type the same information about what really happend and the way the police responded, it was planned by these people to trigger any casualties and cry to the IC. Guess the plan didnt really worked out, sooner or latter they have to go home... every action plan they have tried have gone the other way around, maybe thats why the Serbian government is now on collapse, to pitty the democratic forces will lose the elections and another new era of Serbian nationalism will take over.

when albanians were concerned,unmik police shooted them causing the death of 2 of them and more than 180 victims.
In north mitrivica,unmik police even brings the flag to these serbian employées!

wait and see,how they will deal!

More pathetic violence. First the burning of the border posts, then the burning of the embassies and now the "occupation" of the court house by Milosevic-era employees. This will end in another case of cut of your nose to spite your face.

EA, there is on such thing as "Kosova". There never was. Kosovo will never be free. Kosovo will never be independent. Kosovo will always be a part of Serbia. All this stuff that is going on means absolutely nothing. Kosovo has been part of Serbia for 100's and 100's of years. And it will be part of Serbia again. Be it within 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, 50 years or even 100 years. It doesn't matter. It will become part of Serbia again. It doesn't matter about things like Thaci and the EU and NATO. They will go away and dissappear in history. But Kosovo and Serbia will exist together forever.

So you need to take your anthem and your flag and put them away and come to terms with that. If you don't like living in Serbia, you are more than welcome to move to Albania or any country in the EU.

EA,
Yes you are right.
The international community should step in, assert its authority, uphold international law and tell the Albanians that their declaration of independence is illegal.
I appauld the women, children and elderly Serbs for defending their rights and their land.

It is the job of the UNMIK to uphold Res 1244 which implicitly states that Kosovo is sovereign Serbian territory. Any force used against the rightful owners and inhabitants of Serbia would nullify their mandate and make them illegal occupiers, to be dealt with accordingly. Only a peaceful outcome will be acceptable, the Serbs have said "no use of force" but if force is used against them self defense is the right of any human being or ethnic group in their own country!

Stuart,

You just exptexed what I expressed but got censured.
B92 can you explain your attitude? Are you not pushing it to far in my case?

I believe it is time that a few million Serbians from Serbia Proper take a field trip and visit Kosovo. I am certain that this peacefull fieldtrip would do Wonders in the International Media. All you anti Serb posters have your perspective backwards. There is no such thing as "Serbian hooliganism". All foreign occupiers, antagonizers and illegal Albanians should leave Kosovo immediately. Kosovo is Serbian territory and it is time for the International Community to recognize this fact. STOP forcing the Serbs to live with Albanians. It is very clear that Serbians do not want to Integrate any further with Albanians. Why doesn't the International Community respect that fact and why do they force multhiethnic society for North Kosovo.
The Serbian Military and it's International Supporters should step in and assert it's authority and let the Serbian Government do the job.

EA,
there is no chance in hell the Serbians will ever be allowed back into their homes in Kosovo. YOu know that, so why would you make such a redundant statement. We all know that there is only one way for the Serbs to return to Kosovo and that is to have a Basketball Game.
Winner take all!
How is that for peacefull.

Milosevic-era Serb employees storm courthouse in order to seize control over judicial system and claim control once more over majority Albanians.

This is how this story is being spinned.

P.S. Mike, Albanians practiced civil disobedience against a tyranny. Serbs are showing civil disobedience for their own self-interests (power over the majority). There's a fine line bud.

UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker and Kosovo Albanian leaders in Priština yesterday called for police to restore order.

-And how they think to achieve this? Maybe only by using the force and if that happens then Kosovo officials will finally have chance to show its true colours and what their plans are for the Serbs. Hope they stay enough clever and resist from using any force, if not, then they will prove to be worst than Milosevic used to be with them since he did not use any force against Albanians when they began boycotting Serbian institutions and establishing their own parallel one.

What Serbs are dong now is perfectly in the line of resolution 1244 which was violated by the Albanians and the EU, so it is funny when Mr Ruecker mentions and calls on violations of the same resolution.

By the way, the picture is so nice, Serbian flag flies over Serbian Court building in Serbian province Kosovo and Metohija.

I love the picture!!! Pristina and UNMIK are loseing grip over North Kosovo. The partition has been set long ago and their tring to force the Serbs to be ruled over by Albanians. Sorry but North Kosovo is almost officaly partitoned.

I have to agree with other poster, it's a very beautiful picture!

I am absolutely sure that the policy of peaceful resistance by late Rugova was a failed policy. Let's be honest about it. Now the Kosovar Alabanians were forced to take up the arms to fight for their freedom and rights against the repressive regime of Slobodan Milosevic.-

EA said in post # 12


So, EA is recommending us Serbs to start using the force in order to achieve our goals since, according to him/her, peaceful means are not working out (failed policy of late Rugova suggest so) .

Well, you never know EA, perhaps the situation may end up in war but not because of the Serbs who use their democratic rights to peacefully reach the goals but because of possible use of force against the Serbs. The thing is thing that USA and its EU puppet should be aware that this time we have Russia on our side and I am sure that EU and USA would like to confront with Russia. I think that USA especially can’t afford such luxury to confront military with Russia and I am sure USA would not sacrifice a bit to make Albanians happy. That you can be sure.

EA,

the international forces did not do anything when the K-Albanians chased Serbs from their lands, looted their houses, and destroyed their churches. So why should these soldiers use reasonable force against unarmed people who are ocupying a court house where they once used to work?

Plus, the situation has completely changed. Albanians used to be isolated, paranoid, poor, now Albania is open, friendly, and getting richer by the day. Serbia is going the opposite direction.
(albi, 15 March 2008 17:00)

OK. I just had to answer this one. When you talk about Albania getting richer and Serbia doing the opposite, keep in mind that Serbia has the biggest economy growth rate in Europe(6-7%), also keep in mind that I have plenty of Albanian friends, one of who was kind enough to inform me that he went to Albania on vacation, got caught by a policeman driving a motorbike withought a licence, gave him five euros and drove away. That's how rich you're getting, you can brake the law for the low price of 4$ and 99c. When you say open, what do you mean? Open to other people coming to Albania? Who would want to go live in Albania, when any smart Albanian wants to get away. And I still can't believe you can't get your economy running, seeing that you have a coast AND mountains that would be great for tourism. Not to mention trade.

Mr. Rucker should be ashamed of himself. He as no authority, to ask the Kosovo Serbs to be tolerant. Why? For the simple fact, that he is not coherent with his actions. Why, he never criticized the Kosovo Albanians to host the Albanian national flag Kosovo wide in the official buildings. Even today, if you visit Pristina Municipality everyone can see the Albanian flag hosted beside the UN Flag. Why before the so-called UDI Mr. Rucker did not take the Albanian flag out from the Kosovo Parliament offices. Where is the IMPARTIALITY Mr. Rucker? Why, you have been dancing in one disco on the night of the Kosovo UDI. I remember to read that you instructed all UN staff not to be part of the UDI celebration. Mr. Rucker ti ni si dobar.

EA


My understanding is that Milosevic only got into power because the people demanded a tough response to the Albanian aggression. Aggression they were displaying against both Serbs and Albanians that supported the state.

Kosovo is Stara Serbia in my History Book.

A little peaceful protesting, a little civil disobedience, should always be welcomed. Obviously the Serbs now occupying that court building feel they have been wronged.

Fair enough, but the honourable thing to do now would be to leave the building peacefully. The media, UNMIK, and others have heard and seen the protest.

Leave peacefully, maybe keeping a small, round-the-clock team posted outside the gates to the court building, and keep the media attention.

Have another group ask for a meeting with local government (or UNMIK representative) and explain your frustration, and see what the response is.

That will be the civil and honourable reaction.

I bet that the Ukrainian policeman voted for the Party of Regions in the last elections in his country…

Anyway, these Serbs who stormed the UN-Kosovar court are being fully bankrolled by the radicals in Belgrade and elsewere in Serbia.

But the fact on the ground is that, besides the flags, Kosovo is not Serbia anymore.

UNMIK should expel these people who worked for the Milosevic’s regime crackdown on Kosovo in 1998/1999, and if UN personell couldn’t do this job, NATO soldiers would much probably do.

Apparently the Serbs were driven out of the court on Aug. 11, 1999 and have continued to work WITHIN the Ministry of Justice system from their private homes and premises. They are now demanding to do their work in their respective offices. This point seems to be missing here. Where has UNMIK been, and their so-called leaders, all this time. These people are working for the Ministry of Justice, presumably being paid, but denied their offices. Would the Albanian posters please explain/comment on this.

I really don't know what your beef is, EA. It's not that the Serbs are trying to take over Albanian institutions. They are primarily focusing on their own regions, and refuse to comply with a government in Pristina that they deem not theirs - very similar to your views of Belgrade.

Moreover, Albanian collective identity in Kosovo Province has for the last 20 years or so been almost exclusively built around disobedience to and a refusal to comply with state organizations. The entire reason for this so-called independence was because Albanians refuse to have anything to do with Serbs. OK, fine. But what gives you any idea that the very people you worked so hard to break away from, should suddenly find any commonality with you under this new government? In other words, how can your noncompliance be considered self-determination, and their non-compliance be deemed "hooliganism"? Why, after years of disunity and parallel governments do you now expect Kosovo Province to be some top-down unified system of government? Haven't you realized that with Pristina's UDD, nearly everything even slightly resembling something legal and legitimate is up for question and interpretation? And haven't you also realized that every attempt by Serbs to "force" you to comply only created greater resistance and determination to break away? The same holds when the roles are reversed, I'm afraid.

To the World:

Support the "Mitrovica 100"

Good on the Serbs in North Mitro - support them. And anyway why would UNMIK or the illegal governemnt in Prisitna want the place? They can't even get the power station working properly or the water system! What makes them think they can run a justice system?

Jan,

You are obviously a decent, moderate sort of person and that is commendable. But what you suggest in #30 would, I believe, just disipate the committment of these workers, and their protest would be ignored. If they leave the courthouse they might as well go home and forget about it all. If they were looking for a wage increase or something, then a token occupation of the building might be appropriate, but the stakes here are much higher than that. Remember, this is a peaceful act of civil disobedience. If such acts are forcibly put down, then the next one might not be as peaceful.

This isn't hooliganism as you claim, EA. This is a perfect example of ordinary Serbs, dissatisfied with a series of events that led them to take such measures into their own hands. You know, kind of like what you guys did about a month ago?

No EA, I'm not in any way suggesting or even hinting that Milosevic was one of Serbia's angels, as you say. But at the same time, I fail to see your arguments in differentiating between Albanian resistance and Serbian.

For starters, the reason for each side's resistance was due to a belief that the government they were living under was unfair, unjust, and directly biased against them. Milosevic revoking Kosovo's autonomy and firing Albanians from government posts and replacing them with Serb loyalists is a clear sign of that. But here, the Serbs are claiming they lost their jobs at the courthouse, and are now seeking to reclaim what they feel was unjustly taken from them. As far as I'm concerned, there's no difference from the Albanian example. If you disagree, then let's at least agree to disagree.

Second, these demonstrations have been peaceful so far. Thankfully, no one has been injured or, God forbid, killed. If Serbs start attacking people, then the entire situation changes. Right now, they are focused on Mitrovica. They're not marching to Pristina. No one in Serbia is serious about reestablishing authority in Pristina, Prizren, or Pec (outside the monasteries). K Serbs have also expressed a willingness to work under UNMIK, which has a legal mandate via 1244. So in this case, we've yet to see a true break of international protocol. But if UNMIK is given the order for forcibly remove them, I fear Serb support for even UNMIK will be severely undermined, and only stoke more harsh tactics from Belgrade.

Finally, I have yet to see any real attempt by UNMIK or the EU Administration in Kosovo to show any rational understanding of the Serbian side. No efforts are being made to develop power sharing, or even politically regionalize Kosovo. I think, and I may be wrong on this but I'll stick to it anyway, that if Brussels gives a little breathing space to the K-Serbs, it will avoid much larger headaches down the road. Case in point: you say you are convinced Rugova's passive forms of protest failed and that it was only with the formation of the KLA that any serious gains were made. You may want to take this as a warning too: passive forms of resistance by the Serbian side that are rebuffed, instead of heeded, may produce the same results.

I think both you and I are smart enough to realize that a little compromise here and there can go a long way. I can't speak on behalf of every member of Team Kosovo, but I for one am not interested in seeing Kosovo Province descend into further poverty and anarchy. Such a situation helps no one. But instability could increase because of situations like these in Mitrovica; situations where the "law" that is being enforced is questionable and subjectively imposed by a few interested people.

On a side note, I appreciate that we've been able to disagree, but still keep the comments civil.

albi,
why do the ethnic Albanians cause grief for Macedonia, Bulgaria, Montenegro. Why are there no Albanians left in Croatia and Slovenia?
I hope the next Country you infiltrate is Germany because north is the only direction left. There is no "world wisening" up against Serbia's tricks. These so called tricks are a fabrication of Germany and the USA. Are you oblivious to the fact that German Politicians rule the USA and EU. If there is a lesson to be learned from these events. It is never acknowledge an ethnic minority if you wish to lose your identity as a nation.
albi,
would you not agree that ethnic hatred in the Balkans has intensified ever since the USA and Germany split up the once powerfull Jugoslavia.
The recent illegal recognition of Kosovo's UDI and the pushing and influencing from Brussels is only the icing on the cake.
I wonder who gets to eat the cake when all is said and done?

What in the world do the Albanians care about K. Mitrovica for? Do they really want to force others to live with them? Kosovo's Albanians didn't want to live with Serbs yet now they want to force Serbs to live under their control? The decleration of independence from Serbia has not been recognized by enough countries to make it legal. Most important of all, it hasn't and never will be recognized by Serbia without a proper settlement. The Albanian leadership has been expecting everything to go along with their plans just because several US administrations have supported Kosovo's Albanian independence from Serbia. Now, however the Serbs are refusing to comply. I ask, even if some of Kosovo goes under Albanian control, why in the world would they want to control Serbs they could never control? Then again, not much though was given to this independence claim.

What 'peaceful' campaign of protest did the Albanians in Kosovo do again? If by 'peaceful' you mean using terror and violence, rape and murder. If by 'peaceful' you mean displacing 75% of the Roma population, which constitutes ethnic cleansing. If by 'peaceful' you mean burned down historic churches that survived Ottoman, Austrian, and Hitlerite rule.

The KLA supporters whining about Serbs taking back offices that should have never been driven out of to begin with is highly ironic and hypocritical in the extreme.

if someone should dare to try to remove that flag by force, and remember, it is serbian territory, he should be aware of the probable response.

to #24
> What in the world do the Albanians care about K. Mitrovica for?

Albanians who weasled Kosovo are afraid that it will get split again -- thats what this is about.

The precedent established by Thachi, US, NATO and EU is that there is no limit to how much you can parcel and carve out little countries out of existing countries. Sovrenity means nothing in the 2000's be this action.

And it is a precedent. And if anyone tries and is told, "no you can't do that, Kosovo was a special case!!". What you have to worry about is will they try to make it a "special case". Meaning, will try try a little bit of ethnic clensing on their own to get their own country. After all, it worked for the Albanians in Kosovo region.

Very very scary stuff going on.

Peaceful and non-violent insubordination is the way. Civil disobedience will win.
The EU, UN and NATO are in the throes of chaos and they know it. The end of the world order has begun.

It's a sign of protest and I applaud them for their stance and non-violent approach. The fact that they are doing it non-violently is bugging the Albanins and EU the most.

The sad reality is that, if Serbia was allowed to be split up once in order to appease nationalistic and ethnic leaning, well -- I don't see why it cant be split up again and give the northern part of Kosovo to Serbia.

They obviously don't want to live under an Albanian regime and it's their land, so let them live in a Serbian regime.

If you did it for Albanians, why can't you do it for Serbians or other peoples in the world?