CRISIS IN YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIAN PERSECUTION OF ALBANIANS IN KOSOVA

BACKGROUND

Kosova lies in the south of Yugoslavia, bordered by Serbia proper on the North and Albania on the south. Over 90% of its 2 million people are of Albanian extraction, and most of the rest are Serbs. Albanians also live in other provinces of Yugoslavia: Macedonia, 1 million; Serbia proper, 100,000; and Montenegro, 50,000.

The enmity of Serbs for Albanians is historic. Kosova has the misfortune of being the site of Serbia’s greatest national shrine, Kosova PoIje, the FieId of Blackbirds” where the flower of Serbian chivalry fell before the Turks in 1389. Ironically, the Christian Albanians fought side by side with the Serbs in that great bathe, which ended Serbia’s hopes of being a dominant power in medieval Europe.

THE KOSOVA PROBLEM SINCE WW II

The 1946 Yugoslav Constitution recognized the separate political identity of Kosova. At the same time it divided Albanian-inhabited lands among Serbia, Macedonia, and Montenegro. In 1963, under the influence of Serbian secret police boss Alexander Rankovic, Kosova was incorporated as a commune in Serbia In 1974, after Rankovic’s fall, Kosova was reinstated as an autonomous province of Serbia, and given adequate representation in Yugoslav Federal bodies.

Increasing persecution by Serbian government troops led in 1981 to massive student demonstration in Kosova. The Serbian police and troops killed at least 22 Albanians, with thousands more beaten, wounded or arrested.

Serbian determination to strip Kosova of all remaining self-government accelerated the disorders. In 1989, the Serbian overlords forced the Kosova parliament to vote away its own powers, as Yugoslav tanks patrolled the street. Six days of Rioting ensued, with over 100 Albanians killed and more than 900 arrested.

In April 1990, facing more demonstrations, Serbia passed a special law extending prior emergency measures. The Kosova Assembly responded on July 2 with a declaration of independence. Three days later Serbia suspended the Assembly. Serbia also seized some 75 enterprises, including hospitals and energy plants. On September 5, after a general strike, the dissolved Assembly met secretly, proclaimed Kosova a Republic within the Yugoslav federation, and adopted a Constitution. By September 17 its 111 Albanian members were arrested or had fled into hiding or exile.

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