> What we are is uniformly
>concerned more about the threat of genocide by Serbs against Kosovari than
>the converse, and even in the latter case we have advocated peace-keeping,
>not simple-minded support for the KLA and/or anti-Serb military operations.
The Kosovans have been campaigning for autonomy since the 1970s. But somehow their cause only seems to catch anyone's attention when Nato starts a war against the Yugoslav federation. It is always preferable to dress up your endorsement of the full might of the US and British military in bogus sympathy for a benighted minority. But who now writes about the plight of the Kurds, Marsh arabs, Miskito Indians? The victim status of these minorities was of interest to the Western Press only for so long as it was a convenient stick to beat the Yugoslavs, Iraqis, and Nicaraguans.
An interesting insight into the British Labour government's concern for the Kosovans can be gleaned from these comments of Immigration minister Mike O'Brien, before the current conflict, attempting to label Kosovans as 'bogus asylum seekers' and hence refuse them entry to the UK: 'there is no distinct nationality of Kosovan' and 'those claiming to be Kosovan are usually found to be among the nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.' (Quoted in the Guardian, 3 April, p21).
I leave aside the obvious point that the Nato bombing raid upon the very country that they are supposed to be liberating has worsened the situation of the Kosovans; and also that the KLA is primarily the military wing of a US-based public relations firm. -- Jim heartfield