International statement by progressive organisations and
individuals
Stop US/NATO war on Serbia!
Self-determination for Kosova!
We oppose both the US-led NATO war against Serbia/Yugoslavia
and the Serbian authorities' genocidal campaign of terror
against the ethnic Albanian majority in Kosova (the region
termed ``Kosovo'' by the Serbian regime). We support the right
of the Kosovar people to self-determination, which includes
their right to independence from Serbia.
The NATO powers' war against Serbia/Yugoslavia has nothing to
do with defending the Kosovar people against Serbian
persecution, which began a decade ago and which these powers did
nothing against.
The real purpose for the US/NATO war is two-fold: First, to win
greater public acceptance for the right of the US government to
use its war machine anywhere in the world. Second, to block the
Kosovar people's struggle for independence from Serbia. The NATO
powers have consistently opposed this struggle, denouncing the
Kosova Liberation Army as ``terrorists'', and insisting that
Kosova remain part of Serbia, regardless of what the Kosovar
people want.
The NATO powers only began to express opposition to the Serbian
government's repression in Kosova when the Kosova Albanians
began an armed resistance to this repression. NATO began to
insist that Serbia allow NATO troops to occupy Kosova and
disarm the KLA because the NATO powers had lost confidence in
the Serbian authorities' ability to crush the Kosovar armed
resistance movement.
The NATO war against Serbia/Yugoslavia will do nothing to bring
about a just settlement of the Serbian/Kosovar conflict, which
can only be based upon recognition of the Kosova Albanians'
right to decide their own affairs free of both Serbian and NATO
interference.
For these reasons, we believe it is necessary to oppose US/NATO
military intervention in the Balkans, to demand an immediate
halt to the NATO military campaign against Serbia, the immediate
withdrawal of all Serbian military forces from Kosova and
removal of all restrictions imposed on the ability of the Kosova
Albanians to defend themselves (including the UN-NATO arms
embargo).
Lisa Macdonald, Editor, Green Left Weekly
Dr Syd Husin Ali, President, Malaysian People's Party
John Percy, National Secretary, Democratic Socialist Party
(Australia)
Sonny Melencio, Socialist Party of Labour (Philippines)
Patrick Bond, lecturer, University of Witwatersrand (South
Africa)
Anna Weekes on behalf of the South African Municipal Workers
Union
Allen Myers, Editor. Links
Max Lane, National Coordinator, Action in Solidarity for
Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET)
Sean Healy, National Coordinator, Resistance (Australia)
Dr Helen Jarvis, Asia Pacific Institute for Democratisation &
Development (Australia)
Neville Spencer, Editor, Venceremos
Pip Hinman, Asia Pacific Women's Solidarity Network
Dave Holmes, Resistance Books.
Stephen O'Brien, Committees in Solidarity with Central America &
the Caribbean (CISLAC)
Dr Kamala Emanuel, medical practitioner
Peter Boyle, New Course Publications
Dr Tuntuni Bhattacharyya, medical practitioner
Jill Hickson, film maker
Aaron Benedek, Education Officer, Sydney University Students
Representative Council
Tim Gooden, Secretary, ACT Government Section, Community & Public
Sector Union (CPSU)
Philippa Stanford, Section Councillor, Centrelink Section, CPSU
Mark Cronin, Section Councillor, Centrelink Section, CPSU
Melanie Sjoberg, organiser, Public Service Association (South
Australia)
Maurice Sibelle, coordinator, Victorisn TAFE Students & Apprentices Network
(VTSAN)
Sarah Lantz, Student Research Officer, VTSAN
Dr Margaret Perrot, medical practitioner
Chris Latham, Coordinator, Australia-Indonesia Student Solidarity
Brigade
Allen Jennings, CISLAC Victoria
Ertugral Titiz, Kurdish activist
Mark Abberton, Education Officer, RMIT TAFE Students Association
Natasha Izatt, Women's Officer, RMIT TAFE Students Association
Vanessa Hearman, ASIET Victoria
Organisations and positions for indentification purposes only.
Initiated by the Australian newspaper Green Left Weekly for
publication in the progressive media.
Name: _______________________________ Tel: ___________ Email:
__________________
Please return your endorsement to Green Left Weekly, PO Box 394,
Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9690 1210 Fax: +61 2
9690 1381. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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