In 17 July the United States Senate passed two resolutions which declared that 'Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide' and expressed support for the 'same right of self-determination for Kosova that the international community has recognised for the other former constituent territorial units of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, some of which have become independent'. (House Concurrent Resolution 304 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 105).
By late August American envoy Christopher Hill was negotiating a deal with this same Milosevic to which would leave Kosova far short of achieving this.
At most it would give Kosova a form of the rights it enjoyed before 1989, when Milosevic forced the Kosova Parliament to agree to the repeal of Kosovar autonomy. Yet implicit in Kosova's status in 1989 was the right to secession - a positon totally rejected in the Hill proposals. The contradiction between these two positions is only apparent: the former represents the fine words about democracy and freedom US imperialism occasionally feels itself compelled to utter; the second is its real position. In the meantime the Albanian people of Kosova suffer. The US condemnation of Milosevic was backed by most of its NATO allies. These words encouraged the KLA to believe that they could rely on western support to defeat the Serbian police and army. They rather foolishly believed that NATO would offer them air-support, if not ground troops, to drive Serbian forces out.
They were also aided by a temporary hesitancy in Belgrade: perhaps Milosevic too wasn't certain to what extent the US would allow him to continue repression. As a result the KLA was able to massively increase its control of large parts of Kosova.
US special envoy Richard Holbrooke called for the inclusion of the KLA in any talks with Milosevic and insisted that there could be no solution without the KLA. OT OUTLOOK Milosevic (right) is using heavy force to crush Kosova struggle Yet within a matter of weeks US policy had undergone a noticeable change. The military successes of the KLA led to condemnation of both sides. by US officials, and the KLA was put under pressure to restrain its demands. In particular it was made clear there would be no western for Kosovar independence. This was just the green light Milosevic needed.
Once he was sure he faced no more than verbal condemnation, his troops rapidly regained most of the liberated territory. The KLA was massively outgunned. Old Kalashnikovs and other light weapons smuggled over the Albanian border were no match for Serbian heavy weapons.
The KLA was forced to retreat to the mountains. Christopher Hill was then free to negotiate with Milosevic without the inclusion of the KLA The United States' attempts to impose a solution in Kosova take place against a background of continued repression of Albanians. In the first week of September alone Albanian activists have been arrested and are awaiting trial. Large numbers of Albanian villages continue to be shelled and, after being looted, burned down. The villages of Kodrali, Drenoc, Zhabel, Krelan, Gergoc, Ratkoc, Vrajake, Ciflak, Denje, Sapnic and Patequan were all destroyed in a single day (September 4). Attacks have also been made on several towns, particularly Prizen. While KLA units have occasionally fought back against Serbian attacks, in most cases the villages destroyed were not defended.
Those fleeing the fighting have also not been spared. Serbian troops fire on refugees as they cross into Albania, while in Kosova refugees have swelled the population of villages and small LOWIls.
About 10,000 refugees have moved to Guncat, a village which normally has about 1,500 residents. Food and other basic necessities are scarce.
On 3 September Serb forces in Mitrovice banned Albanians from selling over 40 kinds of basic commodities - including flour, sugar, oil, meat, detergents and other hygiene articles.
Ironically Workers Aid for Kosova recently managed to deliver 2 tons of food, donated by the miners' union of Tuzla, Mitrovice after a five day journey to cover the few hundred kilometres from Tuzla.
For the US and its allies P this continuing repression is distinctly SCCondary to ensuring 'stability' in the region. The Albanian nation is divided between four states: Yugoslavia (with Albanian populations in both Montenegro and Serbia, including Kosova); Greece; Albania and Macedonia (where one third of the population is Albanian). Approximately 40 per cent of Albanians live outside Albania.
for the KLA in Kosova would open up the issue of reunification of the Albanian nation CvCI though KLA spokesperson Adem Demaci has recently denounced the position of unity with Albania as a product of the KLA's 'teen-age years'.
Demaci's comments illustrate one of the biggest problems in Kosova. Most Kosova political leaders - the KLA as much as self-styled President Rugova -continue to hope, despite the