-> SNETNEWS Mailing List For more info on the Yugoslavian/Serbian viewpoint, as opposed to the deluge of propaganda from CNN and other Western news outlets, visit the following web site: From: http://www.kosovo.com/introduct.html KOSOVO IN SERBIA - SERBIA IN EUROPE DEMOCRACY AND EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL Kosovo and Metohija is the ancient and original homeland of the Serbian people and the spiritual cradle of the Serbian Orthodox culture. The Serbs did not usurp Kosovo and Metohija nor did they wrest this province from anyone in war.They are neither occupiers nor conquerors but are living on their own for centuries.The numerous Serbian, churches, monasteries and monuments are the living evidence of a developed culture which has important place in the spiritual and cultural heritage of the whole world. The goal of this Web Page is to promote the ideas of the Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija as well as to present to the world its centuries-long spiritual tradition and culture. The Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija are willing to share this land of God with all peoples of good will in mutual respect and understanding but are also determined to stay and live in peace in the land of their forefathers as their ancient homeland. Today we, the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija are found between two opposite extremes - the undemocratic regime in Belgrade and the secessionist Albanian movement, which both keep to their unreconcilable positions and threaten this area with a new war. The majority of our people in Kosovo and Metohija remain faithful to our Church in our joint attempts to reject any kind of violence and find peaceful and democratic solutions to all problems through dialogue and mutual respect. In this sense we also condemn any kind of discrimination and millitant activity no matter from which side they came from. We also remain resolute in our attitude that the political power in Kosovo should be democratically shared by all its peoples in the way that any kind of domination or ethnic and religious discrimination is not allowed. In our opinion this is possible only within a democratically reorganized Serbian state to which this area has always historically, culturally and spiritually belonged. Any solution which would allow separation of Kosovo from Serbia would inevitably encourage the separatist aspirations and would eventually lead to secession, war and destruction. The post-war period of Albanian autonomy clearly proved that these threats were not unfounded. After the Second World War the demographic situation in Kosovo was radically changed due to rabid discrimination and Albanian pressures against the Kosovo Serbs. It was evident that the Albanian leadership understood the autonomy as a spring-board to the project of Greater Albania. Hundreds of thousands of Serbs were forced leave their homes, many areas in Kosovo and Metohija were ethnically cleansed with the tacit approval of the Titoist regime. We think that the most important condition for the rightful solution of the Kosovo problem is a thorough democratization of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia as well as the integration of our country within the European Community on the basis which would guarantee the preservation of the spiritual and ethnic traditions of all ethnic groups in the province. The present status quo cannot bring any good either to the Serbs and Albanians. Only in democratic and free Serbia all peoples living in this country would be able to find their home and prosperity and would have no need of changing international borders by force. Now at the beginning of the 21st century the Balkans has to chose between the chaos of war and the prosperity of the integrated Europe, between the ethnic concept of the 19th century and the democratic concept of the civic society. Today all ethnic issues in Europe are resolved as problems of democracy and not as territorial problems. Instead of creating the new borders by war, the people of the Balkan states should do all they can to make the existing borders gradually disappear and work more closely on their integration with the rest of the world. This idea can be accomplished only by the true development of democracy and the full observance of the human rights of all the ethnic groups living in this region. The millitant secessionism and the state repression can nothing but plunge this part of the Europe in misery and poverty. We resolutely oppose to any use of violence for political purposes. Neither Belgrade can preserve Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia by force nor the Albanian extremists can make a secession of Kosovo by force. If any war is brought to the end by a peace agreement, is not better to negotiate before the war than after so much suffering? Any agreement is based on a compromise and cocessions. If any side keeps to the maximum claims it is very difficult to reach an agreement and assure the lasting peace. Therefore, we call all Serbs and Albanians of Kosovo and Metohija to join us in our attempt to make the future for our children better. Neither Serbs nor Albanians can hope to make their life better if they trample upon the human rights and the freedom of their neighbors. ____________________________________________________________ New Dawn Magazine, GPO Box 3126FF, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AUSTRALIA http://www.newdawnmagazine.com.au -> Send "subscribe snetnews " to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -> Posted by: Support <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
