Kosovo: Violence in the family of nations

Dear friends,

I would not like you to understand this text as a political pamphlet, but rather as my need to speak aloud about a matter that bothers every citizen in my country since the middle of February.

All of you probably know by now that some western countries, mainly NATO members, have decided to recognize a separatists' resolution of independence in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo & Metohija.

I strongly believe that everybody is entitled to their own opinion about the rights of ethnic groups to form states. It is quite possible that I have a few favourite minorities as well, which I would like to see as independent from their current governments. Therefore, it is not a question of whether or not any or every minority should have the right to have a state of their own, but rather a question of the means and regulations on how to achieve that. Moreover, it is a question of motives, which inspire some powerful countries to enforce secessionism in our case, but at the same time, ban the application of the same principal in any other.

Although the decision is not directly yours, I have a good reason to ask help from you.

Just after Australia recognized the illegally self-proclaimed state of Kosovo, a good friend of mine from "down-under" called to tell me that the recognition was made by a single man only (the Prime Minister, I presume), and not by the people of Australia. I was appalled by the attitude that my friend had towards the authorities in his country. Australia is, I believe, a democracy and not an autocracy. In democratic countries, citizens can control the decisions of their government, unless of course, they are indifferent.

Here are some reasons why I think you should be interested in this matter:

1.       Violence produces violence.

2.       Violence cannot be justified by violence.

3.       Law must be above all.

4.       Ad hoc "vigilante" punishing is considered "mob law" and not justice.

5.       Violence in the "family of nations" has the same characteristics as the family abuse.

Therefore, I would like to remind you of some basic facts about the abuse:

1.       The abuser's goal is to achieve domination.

2.       The abuser justifies his behaviour with the victim's alleged guilt.

3.       The abuser believes that his actions are beyond judgement. Thus, he will never take responsibility.

4.       The abuser endeavours to isolate and negatively portray his victim within the community.

5.       The abuser denies his victim any personal belongings and may confiscate them at any time.

6.       For the abuser, the victim is just means in achieving his goal. Anybody could be in a role of victim. 

And even more importantly:

1.    Abuse continues until the community stops the abuser.

2.    Abuse cannot be stopped if the community enables the abusers behaviour.

3.    Only you can stop the abuser. Victims cannot do it (if they could, they would have already).

In the 21 century, the Serbian people have emerged as the victims of this sort of abuse.

Until fifteen years ago, all Serbs used to live in a country called Yugoslavia. Today, they have been forced to live as minorities in six independent countries, and in each, and every one of them, Serbs are not welcome.

My people were condemned as the guilty party in a series of brutal secessionist wars in the Balkans, only because Serbia did not approve of separation.

After every round of conflicts, the international community (a.k.a., the family of nations) have been reassuring us of their friendship and their good intentions.

Fifteen years later, nothing has changed.

Today, our country does not have borders anymore. We do not know the size of our state. We have no security.

There is not a single shelter for the countires who are victims of the violence in the family of nations.

Only you can help.

 Raise your voice against the abuse!

Kosovo is the heart of Serbia!

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