December 6, 2004 6:22 AM

Fumbling towards democracy

Ex-Rebel Named Premier In Kosovo: Albanian Accused Of War Atrocities

In the 10 years since I left Kosovo, the country that really isn’t yet a country has slowing found itself struggling to define itself. In the Balkans, where democracy hasn’t exactly had much of a track record and bloodshed is merely a cost of doing business, political stability is hard to come by- unless it is accompanied by brutal repression. Kosovo now finds itself trying to both become a functioning democracy and to find it’s own identity. Not an easy task in the Balkans.

Just when Kosovars may have begun to they were seeing glimpses of progress in their efforts to become a functioning democracy, they may have just taken a step backwards. The naming of Ramush Haradinaj as Prime Minister will do nothing to improve the credibility of their democratic process. Given that Haradinaj may soon be indicted for war crimes, this hardly sends a positive message to those of us in the West who have fervently hoped that the majority-Albanian population of Kosovo will be able to find their way to peace, stability, and prosperity.

PRISTINA, Serbia-Montenegro, Dec. 3 — Kosovo lawmakers named a former rebel commander as prime minister of their new government Friday, ignoring concerns that a U.N. war crimes tribunal might indict him.

Ramush Haradinaj, an ethnic Albanian, dismissed the possibility of war crimes charges and pledged to prepare the U.N.-administered Serbian province for what he called the “great challenge” of its future….

Kosovo Serbs, who boycotted the vote, say Haradinaj is responsible for wartime atrocities committed against Serb civilians in western Kosovo.

Some governments have also voiced concern about the post going to Haradinaj, fearing that an indictment could destabilize the province and hinder normalization.

Kosovo has been administered by the United Nations since June 1999, following a U.S.-led NATO air war that halted a crackdown by Serb forces on ethnic Albanians seeking independence. Ethnic Albanians make up 90 percent of Kosovo’s 2 million people.

U.N. investigators recently questioned Haradinaj about his role during the 1998-99 war, when he was the commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army militia in the western part of the province. Serbs in Kosovo and politicians in Serbia consider him the most notorious of the former rebel commanders in the province and have repeatedly insisted he be brought to justice.

Of course, Kosovo Serbs have little credibility when it comes to accusations of repression, brutatlity, and war crimes. Slobodan Milosevic was, after all, the Serb leader who began the 1998-99 war as a means of cleansing Kosovo of Albanians. This is not to say that Albanians were not guilty of war crimes of their own. Both sides have plenty of blood on their hands. There has never been much love lost between Albanians and Serbs. I could regale you with tales of Serb discrimination against and mistreatement of Albanians during my time in Kosovo, but I’ll spare the stories. Let’s just say that Serbs had all the rights and opportunities in 1994. Though we might not approve of Albanians turning the tables, it should be understandable to anyone who knows the history of the region why this would be the case.

Also Friday, the parliament certified the victory of President Ibrahim Rugova’s party in last month’s general elections by reelecting him as president.

Formation of the new government follows a coalition deal struck between Rugova’s Democratic League of Kosovo, which won 45 percent of the vote, and Haradinaj’s Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, which came in third with 8 percent.

The new Kosovo government is likely to represent the province in talks aimed at resolving its final status. Negotiations are expected to begin in mid-2005 if there is progress by then in improving governance, the economy and human rights.

I’ve met Rugova, and while he has historically been rather out of touch with ordinary Albanians, he has been their recognized leader since before I arrived in Kosovo. He has the credibility and unquestioned clean reputation with the West that Haradinaj lacks. While Haradinaj may turn out to be an effective leader, I’m not sure that his selection as Prime Minister is what Kosovars need at this point in time. In order to move forward, the Albanian population, as well as the Serb minority, must show a willingness to move beyond the anger and hatred of the past and work together for the common good. Of course, leaving centuries of bloodshed, repression, and hatred behind IS easier said than done. Can a man accused of war crimes effectively lead a country out of the wilderness?

Kosovo deserves the opportunity to find it’s place in Europe. Albanians and Serbs deserve the opportunity to live together free of fear and suspicion. I’m just not certain that Ramush Haradinaj is the man to lead Kosovo toward that destination.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on December 6, 2004 6:22 AM.

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