Recognising Kosovo's independence
Monday, 2 November 2009
HR Chowdhury
ONE may recall that Kosovo's Muslim population were targeted for worst savageries and genocide witnessed since the Second World War by the Serbs or Slavic people in the territories that comprised the artificially created country of Yugoslavia.
The predominantly Muslim people who are also ethnically distinct from the Serbs, were never glad to be a part of Yugoslavia.
They were kept in servitude and bondage by force. There was widespread restlessness of Muslim peoples asserting their freedom since the nineties that led to the emergence of fully independent states out of the former Soviet Union who used to be under the heels of Russian or Slavic occupation.
This restlessness also affected Kosovo that wanted to be free from Yugoslavia. The wanting of independence by the Kosovo's Muslims led to genocide there by forces from Belgrade.
The nature of this genocide was no less in savagery than the Nazi genocide of the Jews during World War II.
Only after military intervention in Kosovo by NATO forces led by the US, the genocide was stopped and the remaining Muslims there were saved.
The NATO forces and the US since then have been acting like guardian powers in protecting Kosovo from takeover and probable resumption of genocide there again.
The US and its European allies have acted to strengthen Kosovo economically and politically.
But now Muslim countries of which Bangladesh is a major one, should play their expected role in supporting their brethren in Kosovo. Indeed, Bangladesh should take the lead in recognising Kosovo and building all types of relations with it.
Ever since the founding of the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, the right of self determination of peoples on the basis of ethnicity, religion and other distinctiveness, have become part of universally upheld values and norms. Bangladesh can have no reservation in swiftly recognising Kosovo.
Narrow or small interests such as Yugoslavian or Russian displeasure in the matter should not matter much for Bangladesh.
ONE may recall that Kosovo's Muslim population were targeted for worst savageries and genocide witnessed since the Second World War by the Serbs or Slavic people in the territories that comprised the artificially created country of Yugoslavia.
The predominantly Muslim people who are also ethnically distinct from the Serbs, were never glad to be a part of Yugoslavia.
They were kept in servitude and bondage by force. There was widespread restlessness of Muslim peoples asserting their freedom since the nineties that led to the emergence of fully independent states out of the former Soviet Union who used to be under the heels of Russian or Slavic occupation.
This restlessness also affected Kosovo that wanted to be free from Yugoslavia. The wanting of independence by the Kosovo's Muslims led to genocide there by forces from Belgrade.
The nature of this genocide was no less in savagery than the Nazi genocide of the Jews during World War II.
Only after military intervention in Kosovo by NATO forces led by the US, the genocide was stopped and the remaining Muslims there were saved.
The NATO forces and the US since then have been acting like guardian powers in protecting Kosovo from takeover and probable resumption of genocide there again.
The US and its European allies have acted to strengthen Kosovo economically and politically.
But now Muslim countries of which Bangladesh is a major one, should play their expected role in supporting their brethren in Kosovo. Indeed, Bangladesh should take the lead in recognising Kosovo and building all types of relations with it.
Ever since the founding of the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, the right of self determination of peoples on the basis of ethnicity, religion and other distinctiveness, have become part of universally upheld values and norms. Bangladesh can have no reservation in swiftly recognising Kosovo.
Narrow or small interests such as Yugoslavian or Russian displeasure in the matter should not matter much for Bangladesh.