Status of Kosovo
From: Women’s Peace Coalition
Date: February 8, 2007
Subject: Support a Just and Lasting Solution for Kosovo
Dear Sir,
Women from Kosovo and Serbia established the Women’s Peace Coalition in order to monitor negotiations regarding Kosovo’s final political status. As efforts to resolve the future status of Kosovo intensify, we believe it is necessary to remind you, the negotiation teams, and the international community of some very essential points.
First, the resolution of the future status of Kosovo must take into account the will of the majority of the population of Kosovo so the population can make its way toward European integration outside of the legal framework of the state of Serbia.
Second, cultural sites should not be used as political methods for the homogenization of communities in Kosovo. These sites are the cultural heritage of all citizens of Kosova and the world. The politicization of sites will lead to the isolation and division of communities, which could contribute to future violence. Instead, cultural sites should be considered part of a heterogeneous history of all ethnic groups and be used to promote joint ownership of communities’ inter-ethnic heritage as well as their shared future.
Third, we believe that a just and lasting settlement of Kosovo’s political status can only be achieved by guaranteeing minorities’ full rights, according to international and national standards on human rights; applying the concept of decentralization based on the European Convention on Local Governance; and avoiding decentralization according to ethnic lines. This will prevent attempts to create separate institutions based on ethnicity in the name of providing assurances for minorities.
Fourth, despite our many advocacy efforts—and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325), which calls for women’s inclusion in post-conflict decision-making--we feel that our respective governments have failed to involve women as equal partners in the Kosovo’s final political status negotiation process. The Women’s Peace Coalition strongly advocates for the implementation of UNSCR 1325. Consequently, we urge the relevant bodies to involve women in all processes of building the new state of Kosovo, including drafting the constitution. Although UNMIK failed to implement UNSCR 1325, we hope that any new international presence in Kosovo will consistently involve women in all monitoring processes.
The Kosova Women’s Network and the Women in Black Network—Serbia launched the Women’s Peace Coalition in March 2006 as an independent citizens’ initiative founded on women’s solidarity that crosses the divisions of ethnicity and religion, as well as state borders and barriers.
Sincerely,
The Women’s Peace Coalition
Represented by: Igballe Rogova - Kosova Women’s Network, Executive Director and Stasa Zajovic - Women in Black Network—Serbia, Coordinator
