On March, 5th, just after Kosovo has declared independence, we talked about Kosovo in Women in Black premises. Later on, activists of Women in Black Network of Serbia sent us answers to the questions we had previously mailed them. Our attitudes were already known, but the dialogue articulated them further on. Staša asked the following questions:
- Has Kosovo been independent from Serbia since 1999?
- What is the purpose of current propaganda of Serbian regime?
- What should be the position of civil society when it comes to independence of Kosovo?
- How will independence of Kosovo influence the relations between civil societies of Kosovo and Serbia, and the relations with Kosovo Women Network?
Independence of Kosovo has been reality since 1999.
- In my opinion, independence of Kosovo is the only justice, since there is no other. I am glad that Kosovo people used their human right – right to self-determination. (Milos, Belgrade)
- Kosovo has been independent from Serbia ever since 1999. (Ljilja, Belgrade)
- De facto since 1999, now de iure as well, but in relation to Serbia, Kosovo has been and is independent. But it is still under the protectorate. Kosovo authorities will insist on respecting human rights because of the protectorate. Frustrations concerning the issue of status still remain, since protectorate remains unchanged. (Marija, Vrbas)
- Since 1999. Kosovo has been informally independent, and now it is de iure independent too. The question of Kosovo independence is about justice, because of the crimes against Albanian population, being committed by Serbian regime for many years. (Violete, Belgrade)
- It is clear to all of us that independence of Kosovo has been a fact even before 1999. Over 800.000 people driven out and countless other crimes can not be forgotten, and I have to say that it moved me a lot, but I also have to add that (after 1999) I had high expectations from Albanians, expecting them not to repeat ethnic cleansing pattern toward minorities, which then happened. (Stasa, Belgrade)
- Kosovo is independent because government of the state of Serbia was nonexistent on Kosovo, and now, after declaration of independence, it is legally speaking out of Serbia. (Snezana, Krusevac)
- Kosovo has been independent from Serbia since 1999. (Nada, Novi Sad)
- I am rather sure that Kosovo Women Network will discover that Kosovo is still a nonfunctional state and that nothing has changed. Very soon there will be no consensus on other issues, although everyone fully agreed about independence of Kosovo. I have an impression that independent status will not relax anything, nothing will become more functional, Kosovo will not be well regulated state, and the chaos that prevented them to pay more attention to human rights will go on. The case is unique: there is a protectorate, but there was no sovereign authority over the territory, so it got separated. It is different than other separatist movements in Europe and the world. (Snezana, Belgrade)
- Informally, Kosovo has been independent since 1999. (Ivana, Leskovac)
- It has been independent since 19993, and now the fact became official. (Milka, Leskovac)
- Kosovo has been independent since Kumanovo agreement was signed, in June 1999. (Mirce, Leskovac)
- Kosovo has been independent since 1999, and, afterwards, newly elected democratic governments of Serbia have never invited Albanian people to any dialogue. Only territory, church and monasteries are of any importance for them. Deeply inside, I support independent Kosovo, if it respects human rights of all its’ citizens. I am sure that sooner we accept this reality, we will better understand the path we are following. (Goca, Leskovac)
- Informally, Kosovo has been independent since 1999, since Serbian government has had no power there. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
- Kosovo has been independent since the state of Serbia has had no competence over the territory. In previous period, the state took care of only one ethnic community, while wanting the whole territory. (Nena, Leskovac)
- Independence is the word citizens of Kosovo should get used to, regardless of their ethnicity. We should set an example through our relations to Kosovo Women Network, and should go on promoting policy of peace and continue realization of many common peace activities with women from Kosovo Women Network. (Svetlana, Vlasotince)
- Kosovo has been informally independent from Serbia since 1999. I think for many years Albanians have not felt as part of this state, and it matters when it comes to living in a state. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
Undeclared/unannounced state of emergency as low intensity war is a strategy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia
- The Government of Serbia was looking forward for Kosovo to become independent, for somebody else to do it, since it ceased being their burden to give it independence. (Persa, Nis)
- Public opinion manipulation by RTS is incredible. For example, now they keep visiting graveyards. The graves were demolished on March, 17th 2004. They are showing the reports again, so it seems as it happened recently. Those not informed believe it is happening again. Those are the worst Goebels-like mechanisms of propaganda. (Ljiljana Gakovic, Belgrade).
- The government is fighting against internal enemies. It is not the question whether something will happen to us there, but here. It is necessary to show civil sector solidarity. (Zorica, Belgrade)
- They are working on homogenization, for different reasons, and it goes well – brainwashing during last year was rather successful. In one moment they successfully produced hysteria and violence outbreak. They imposed the state of emergence they were threatening us with. In fact, they imposed some sort of internalized state of emergency. They imposed a horrible selfcensorship. And civil society in Serbia should be free, more open, to keep winning over public space in any way. They made it all forbidden. For us, nothing is forbidden and we will go on. (Slavica)
- The situation we are in is terribly dangerous, we have no idea whether we are going to face dictatorship. No one has compared the violence of youth here with the violence that occurred on Kosovo on March, 17th 2004. It was identical, because of horrible dissatisfaction of youth. They were instigated to violence, thanks to the social tensions among young people. The government produces such a state, heading toward destruction of political pluralism. (Lina, Belgrade)
- I think this is just a continuation of their war policy and it is the same pattern of ethnic cleansing organized by the state, they used to practice against Albanians on Kosovo. And now they somehow want to clean the reality, everyday life, streets, cities of Serbia – to clean them from all of us, of people thinking differently. (Milos)
- I am afraid Koštunica could make a coalition with radicals, and I am afraid it could happen very soon. (Ljilja Radovanovic)
- Isolation by Europe perfectly suits them all, since then they can be bosses in their villages. There are protests everywhere, and so much violence shows permanent economical exhaustion of people in Serbia. The youth expressed such anger; we could compare it to the situation in France and Belgium and Denmark for the last couple of years. (Marija)
- I just wouldn’t want us to be eaten by the hysteria and fear over Kosovo, since I haven’t heard lately that anyone has mentioned Haag or facing with the past. (Mirjana, Belgrade)
- Somehow we spent all the resources, all the strength, keep bumping into walls; the insanity is not just political and pragmatic, but also mythological. (Jelena, Belgrade)
- It seems that the government is either buying the time, or will do something that might be very long-lasting, and keep going on and on. (Emilija, Belgrade)
- The propaganda using Kosovo myth is for the purpose of keeping the regime in power. (Snezana, Krusevac)
- In Serbia, argument of nationalism is spent, it seems there was a wish to export it, to export the chaos out of Serbia, but the venture failed. (Snezana, Belgrade)
- The government produces enemies in order to raise its score and it could go on for a very long time, because this is a huge wave of aggression from the inside, or as Vesna Pešić put it, it is about occupation forces from the inside. We needn’t be afraid and should give strength to each other, because what they are trying to do is to control us by producing fear. Civil society in Serbia should show high level of solidarity, as a response to government’s strategy to divide us and then rule us. The government attempts to destroy our solidarity and transform it into ethnical and church homogeneity. (Stasa)
- The aim is distraction from reality, idiotization of people, staying in power. (Ivana, Leskovac)
- Current propaganda of Serbian regime is heading toward total isolation, returning us to nineties-like chaos. (Milka, Leskovac)
- Propaganda of Serbian regime aims to distract our attention from other problems. (Dusanka, Leskovac)
- When it comes to responsibility, the current regime is not much different from the former one, since they deny crimes, aren’t telling the truth, use the language of hatred and instigate to violence and divisions. (Mirce, Leskovac)
- Serbian regime has nothing to offer to normal citizens and, therefore, the issue of Kosovo is a way to gain political scores. Imagine having 80 Albanian delegates in the Parliament, the regime would never allow it. (Goca, Leskovac)
- The government of Vojislav Koštunica uses Kosovo to provide their political future. He wants Europe to accept Serbia altogether with Kosovo, which is impossible. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
- Treating Kosovo issue as a priority means distracting the attention of citizens whose needs are different then those of the government. Appealing to national awareness has always been successful, so they keep using Milošević’s pattern that was already proved as successful. Such propaganda distracts public attention from real questions (war crimes, cooperation with the Haag tribunal, lustration), because many of them had been involved into crimes during nineties, and these are attempts to get free of responsibility and true values. Getting closer to Europe also means changing the system of values, and they do not care for it, since they yearn to save their privileges without accepting the responsibility. (Nena, Leskovac)
- Propaganda of Serbian regime is for the purpose of producing hatred and violence against those who has built common peace policies during last years, regardless which nation they belong to. (Svetlana, Vlasotince)
- The purpose of current propaganda of Serbian regime is staying in power. (Jovana, Leskovac)
- Citizens live harder and harder, as the result of many years of wrong political moves, wars, living in poverty. The propaganda of the regime is intended to distract our attention from such issues, so Kosovo is a good topic for such a purpose. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
- Current propaganda of Serbian regime is designed to draw the attention of citizens from economic, social and many other important issues. We have to support the independence of Kosovo and civil society has an obligation to do so, both for Albanian and non-Albanian citizens of Kosovo. We have to talk a lot with citizens of our country, to speak about it in the media as much as possible. (Nada, Novi Sad)
Civil societies of Kosovo and Serbia as builders of justice and long-lasting peace – cooperation with Kosovo Women Network will become more relaxed, multifarious and stronger…
- It seems to me that declaration of Kosovo independence can only relax these relations and to establish real relations between civil society and democratic parties; the communication will gradually grow, finding similar groups and it will be more and more functional.
The problem is that civil society had no communication with Kosovo for a long time. I expect the civil society of Kosovo, not Albanian politicians who will support cooperation more verbally than in practice, to really accept the values and put into practice what we plead for. Civil society can be a partner in reaching the goals we want for Kosovo.
Such, although weak, links existed only between Women in Black and Kosovo Women Network, I know for no other examples of communication. It is a thin link between civil society and politics. (Vera, Belgrade)
- When it comes to relations between women NGOs and civil society in general, I think the time passing will bring more and more results, and it will keep getting better. Two neighboring independent states with no burdens, not asking themselves whether the neighbors would recognize them or not. (Persa Vucic)
- We have to know everything that’s going on, to pay attention both to us and to them and to listen to each other and talk to each other. We should permanently remind ourselves of good relations and good cooperation we had before this. I simply want us to keep reminding ourselves and to preserve the good links we have had. (Ljiljana Gakovic)
- It seems to me that the ones who used to cooperate before will go on with it. Civil society on Kosovo insisted to solve the status of the state. The question is will they become less alert after the first goal is achieved, as it happened to us in 2000. (Zorica)
- I expect the feminists of Kosovo to get back to feminism. Who did cooperate in the past will do so in the future too, even better and easier. (Lina)
- I know that for Kosovo women, independence was the most important, the priority, but I think it is understandable, since our positions were not the same, i.e. we can’t talk while one side is being under occupation, and Kosovo was under Serbian occupation. The occupation is now over and I think we will develop the cooperation. (Milos)
- Our friends from Kosovo were never able to write a letter of condemnation of some violent acts against minorities. I hope they will now be able to react and to dedicate more to friendships. (Ljilja Radovanovic)
- I would like you to send women groups on Kosovo the message not to fall into the trap we have fallen into after the year of 2000 – and the trap is establishing feminism into the system, which may happen through mainstreaming gender mechanisms. In order not to loose their subversive potentials, they should remain within the “feminist front” and keep restlessly monitoring their state. After Kosovo had got independent they felt satisfaction, and we felt relief. (Jelena, Belgrade)
- Situation on Kosovo has changed and I guess our friends will now either spontaneously or very intentionally sit down to talk about what they can do now. I see they care for all of us here very much. (Slavica)
- Who has cooperated until now, will continue cooperating. But, again, all the cooperation will be between women groups and that kind of cooperation. During division of former Yugoslavia, there were regional projects that were very in and people made money that way. But I suppose some of the cooperation was real and meaningful. (Mirjana)
- I am hoping for greater autonomy for women groups and civil scene on Kosovo. (Emilija)
- Our mutual solidarity and sisterhood must not be for the purpose of getting donations and grants. And I think the women of Kosovo should be autonomous from their politicians, and should gain strength to cut loose from some traditional values, so that we ourselves could define and determine our relationships, and not let them be defined by any national, ethnic or state interests. (Nada, Novi Sad)
- I believe civil society in Serbia should direct its activities toward creating the climate that could result in step forward in awareness of people that Kosovo is not in our genes, but the fact is that 2 million people living on Kosovo do not want to live within the Republic of Serbia. I think that Kosovo independence can influence our relations only positively, and that we build our relationships ourselves and that independence will have positive influence on women of Kosovo, making them more open and willing to constructively cooperate. (Violeta)
- Our relations of friendship are so rich, long-lasting and stable, there do not fall under the term “project networking”. Solving the status of Kosovo will relax our relationship and help Kosovo women to overcome the position deriving from the concept of ethnicity and ethnic national consensus. Our two networks acted from different positions: Kosovo women acted from within the mentioned consensus, and, for many reasons, we were out of such concepts. I would like them now to become more autonomous from their ethnic community and the authorities. Now, we should even more look for what’s common for us, for what’s common for our communities, and the common things, among others, are: climate of impunity of crimes, glorification of crimes on both sides, nationalistic educational system. And many other things we also have in common, and that’s where feminism can connect us further on.
I would love to talk without feelings of guilt and burden, to have a dialogue of responsible citizens, friends, equal partners, to have a huge trust into each other, since we do know each other for a long time. (Stasa)
- Civil society should go on with mutual cooperation, as it used to. I think the cooperation with Kosovo Network will get better, since the issue of independence was the obstacle until now. I sincerely hope we will have various common actions and activities (Snezana, Krusevac)
- Civil society should remind the regime that people are no fools and they use their own heads. We should stop talking about Kosovo and continue moving forward toward Europe. (Ivana, Leskovac)
- Civil society should take part in the elections and vote for opening toward Europe, for better future, instead of returning to the past. Kosovo women got what they kept insisting on all the time. (Milka, Leskovac)
- Civil society should work on developing the relationships of cooperation, regardless of the status of Kosovo. (Dusanka, Leskovac)
- Civil society should work on developing the relations and cooperation that would be visible. I don’t think the independence will crucially influence our relationships. (Mirce, Leskovac)
- Now, after the independence is declared, I would like to invite my friends from Kosovo Women Network to work together toward peace. Would they be ready to go together with us to different places and appeal, together with us, to citizens of both sides to reconcile? (Goca, Leskovac)
- Civil society should unmask the lies; the truth about the status of Kosovo should be told, no matter how much citizens might disagree with it. The state of Serbia has used all possible ways to make Kosovo a myth, and this myth should be radically eliminated. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
- Civil society should accept the reality and the independence of Kosovo, while demanding the new authorities of Kosovo to respect human rights of minorities. Women in Black Network has always been ready for open and sincere cooperation with Kosovo Women Network, and that should remain as it is. I think we should overcome the frames of project activities and find new ways to get closer and to organize joint actions. We should set a good example of how women solidarity is above states and knows no borders and nations. Together with Kosovo women, we should visit crime scenes, of crimes committed in our names, but we should also visit groups and women from minority groups on Kosovo who now live in enclaves, in order to offer them reconciliation and build better relationships, based on the values we believe in. I hope the time will come when we will be able to freely walk together through the streets of Belgrade and Priština, shouting slogans we feel in our hearts. (Nena, Leskovac)
- Attitude of civil society should be: with the help of those supporting peace, to overcome both real and produced and imposed conflicts. (Svetlana, Vlasotince)
- Civil society should inform the regime that Kosovo is independent and, as the result, the government comes to its end. (Jovana, Leskovac)
- Wishes of Albanian people should be supported, and we should improve relations among all people living on Kosovo, through universal respect for human rights. (Ljilja, Leskovac)
- It would be very good if the situation would settle down, and if both Albanians and Serbs would realize they are the closest neighbours, to learn from what happened and start cooperating. Some of us, although not numerous, think and act in our way, human way, and we need to walk restlessly through Serbia and Kosovo, and plead day and night, to persuade, to take care and help people overcome the horrible antagonisms, which were mostly fed by their regimes. We should not accept the borders and divisions. We need a lot of field work and work through institutions on both sides. It is a long and hard work. (Senka, Belgrade)
