Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- > Angry Macedonians block Nato supplies > > By Justin Huggler in Blace > > 26 August 2001 > > "Nato is at war against Macedonia," said Simon Trajkovski, > sheltering from the scorching sun in the parched hills on the > country's border with Kosovo. > > A few metres away from the old man, four large mounds of soil > topped by Macedonian flags, and a few metres of barbed wire, > are playing havoc with the Western alliance's entire operation > in Kosovo. Mr Trajkovski and about 100 ethnic Macedonians > have blockaded Nato's only effective supply route to Kosovo. > > "Minefield" is painted jokingly across the road ahead of the > blockade � and a political minefield is what British troops have > stepped into. > > Ethnic Macedonians, like Mr Trajkovski, are incensed at the > presence of Nato troops, some 2,000 of them British soldiers, > who have come to Macedonia to collect the Albanian rebels' > weapons. A burnt-out car lies across the road with "Nato" and > a swastika painted across it. A heart and arrow on the road > says "Nato 4 ANA", referring to a hardline rebel splinter group, > the Albanian National Army. > > Nato says it is in Macedonia to end the Albanian rebellion and > avert civil war. But most of those manning the blockade at > Blace firmly believe the West is biased in favour of the > Albanians, and that Nato soldiers are here to help the rebels. > "The West created the Albanian terrorists in Kosovo and > Macedonia," said one man angrily. > > "The bombing in Serbia was to allow Nato soldiers to make a > base in Kosovo," said Mr Trajkovski, nodding towards the > border. "Now they will come here." > > >From the start, the Macedonia crisis has been linked to > UN-administered Kosovo. Rebel supply lines run across the > border and protesters want reparations from the UN. > > Blace is a place heavy with recent history. Thousands of > Albanians fled here from Slobodan Milosevic's campaign of > terror as the Nato bombs hit Kosovo in 1999. Macedonia was > deeply reluctant to let them in, and they were stranded, > starving, in no man's land for days. > > The Macedonians blocking the road today have their own > reasons to be bitter. They too are refugees, forced out of their > homes by occupying Albanian rebels. > > Mr Trajkovski was ordered out of his house in Tearce, near the > Albanian-dominated city of Tetovo. It was at gunpoint, he said. > Another man, Jordan Nikolovski, said rebels beat his > 68-year-old father, Tripun, leaving him with 10 broken ribs and > bruised kidneys. Mr Nikolovski has got a doctor's report to > prove it. One woman, calling herself only Nikolina, wept as she > spoke of her husband, aged 74, taken prisoner by the rebels. > > The man behind the blockade, Todor Petrov, said the barrier > would stay until all "kidnapped" Macedonians were released. > He threatens more blockades to obstruct Nato's work in > Macedonia. The Red Cross is negotiating for the prisoners' > release. > > Meanwhile Nato is struggling to supply goods to thousands of > K-For soldiers. Everything from hamburgers to tanks goes up > this road, and Chinook helicopters thunder overhead, huge > crates swinging beneath them on steel cables. It's the only > way Nato can get its supplies in. > > ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
