Albanian pacifist president apparently denounces NATO
by MC5

Serb television showed scenes of Serb President Slobodan Milosevic meeting
with Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova on April 1. President Rugova had
apparently called for the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) 
bombing to stop. 

Although some Western diplomats denied that the
footage was real, others said Rugova acted under 
"duress." He appeared to be under Serb police protection
on March 31.

Rugova has a reputation of being a pacifist. Thus
his criticism of NATO bombing would be in character.

Rugova is also known as a militant nationalist. In a 
bourgeois sense, he is the elected leader of the Kosovo
people.

Nonetheless, the Kosovo Liberation Army denounced him
as a traitor once the Serb footage came out April 1.

Slobodan Milosevic is a former member of the Yugoslavian
"Communist Party." While Yugoslav leader Tito was alive, Slobodan managed
to keep himself under control, but in 1987 he started
complaining about Albanian control of Kosovo, and he
ignited Serbian chauvinist flames.

From 1389 to 1912 the Turks ruled Kosovo. During World War I it changed
hands and Yugoslavia ended up having control-- but not without a fight by
Albanians. Milosevic is famous for invoking the loss of Kosovo to Turkey
in 1389 600 years later in 1989 and he is using such memories now against
NATO. 

We at MIM believe that civil war over historical relics is silly. At the
same time, we must counsel pacifists that they should have no illusions
about Milosevic or any other bourgeois politicians with a proven
track-record of inciting chauvinism for political benefit. The task of
Albanians to achieve their self-determination without massive killing
amongst oppressed and exploited people is very difficult. 

Prior to the Serbian television footage, speculation fueled by
U.S. Government officials arose to the effect that Uncle Sam would
drop its recognition of Rugova and in fact install Albanian leaders more
amenable to U.S. tactics. Uncle Sam has a long history of installing
whatever government leaders it wants. Such considerations are always
in play under the current imperialist system and they distort the actions
of all the people involved. The conflicts of the capitalist countries
of the Balkans are made worse by the conflicts imposed by imperialism.

Source:
http://www.oneworld.org/news/reports/special/kosovo.html