LOOKING BACK WITHOUT ANGER: FAVOURABLE FACTORS OF

ETHNIC KOSOVAR CONFLICT REVISITED

Eduardo Infante Rejano
University of Sevilla, Spain
“Corpses are the only ones that
This work presents a documental analysis on macro-factors that contributed to the emergence of ethnic conflicts at the Balkans. At least 8
see the end of the war “
regions can be described with self-identity wishes. Among them, Kosovo and Macedonia are still showing higher social instability with increasing
Recent violent actions between Serbs and
tensions towards Albania and Greece, respectively, that has already caused 12,000 casualties since 1999 (Spiegel y Salama, 2000). (Plato 427-347 B.C.)
Albans are “a sign of alarm that still
informs about a non-solved conflict among Geographical, historical, political, economical, sociological, anthropological, and psychosocial factors were considered in order to explain the
the parts…the danger is real”. process and nature of former Yugoslavian independent's movements developed from 1992 to nowadays (PART I). We then have carefully “The hate piled up among the years
thought on previous encounters among the Balkans (Bosnia War 1992-1995) using a theoretical and content analysis of Spanish recent can not be overcame in just a few
Carla del Ponte (2004) newspaper columns to infer the potential of a renewing war between Albanian and Serbian parts at Kosovo conflict (PART II). Our reflections on weeks”
Attorney General at The Hague the matter pointed out that power imbalance between primary parts, politics of autarchy, symbolic strategies around “ethnic cleansing”, sacred Klaus Reinhardt (1999)
ideologies, and political pressures of outer countries are on the origin of this conflict. The definition of “nation” is then de-constructed inside a NATO´s General
“regionalised” Europe.

PART I: BALKAN´S CONFLICT DEEP DOWN PART II: ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE THROUGH SPANISH PRESS
GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTRICTIONS: “European corridor” that connects and suffers the •STUDY PURPOSE: Look for close descriptions of the conflict from war agents and the coherency of their comments.
confluence of Occident with Orient. Yugoslavia, a mountainous and badly
communicated land, was already split up in natural pieces because of its geographical • SAMPLE: 135 messages from 57 newspaper columns of various local and national Spanish press (ABC, El País, El Mundo, El
barriers. This fact makes the region fairy easy to conquer. Correo de Andalucía) dealing with the Balkan´s conflict between 1992 and 2004.

ETHNIC ORIGIN AND COMPOSITION: Yugoslavia (=“South Slavics”) mixed its •CATEGORIZATION PROCESS: 14 variables were used to analyse each paper column. Two judges made registrations
population throughout time due to foreign imperial conquers specially, Turks. separately and obtained a coincident index of 56%.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: First unification attempt took place in the IX Century by #1. COLUMM NUMBER #2. YEAR OF APPARITION
Croats, follow by the Serbs. The I (1910) and II (1913) Balkan Wars strengthened the #3. TYPE OF PRESS (left -47.7%- / right –52,6%- direction) #4. PIECE OF NEWS´ EMITTER
idea of a Serbian kingdom. Although officially recognised in 1921, Alejandro I (1929)
and Marshal Tito (1945-1986) forced Yugoslavian union. #5. PIECE OF NEWS´ RECEPTOR #6. ACTION

RELIGIOUS BELIEVES: Islamic, Roman Catholics and Orthodox lived together. #7. REACTION #8. ACTION PURPOSE
Religious conversions did not happened everywhere at the same degree. #9. EMISSOR´S STYLE OF CONFLICT HANDLING (SCH) #10. RECEPTOR´S SCH
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: Psychiatrist Jovan Raskovic fed Freudian ultra-nationalism #11. PERCEIVED CONFLICT NATURE #12. NEWS TRUTH
ideas on Serbian´s superiority race inside an intellectual group politically leadered by S.
Milosevic. Esteban Dusan national hero wish was revived: The Great Serbia. #13. SOCIO-POLITICAL CONTEXT #14. BALKAN´S PLACEMENT

ECONOMICAL DILEMMA: Countries in this zone have difficulties in balancing internal

communist philosophy and external capitalism pressures. In the 80s, economical crisis
struck the country and highlighted internal differences among regions. Corruption, RESULTS
discrimination, and high unemployment rates (50 to 80%) were common. 90

90

45 60 75 90 105 120
75
CONFLICT ANTECEDENTS: Kosovo battle against the Turks (1389), I World War 1,8

80
3,5 4,2
started at Sarajevo (1914), Albania first attempt to invade Kosovo (1945), Civil war

70
UN 5,2 58,8 60 60 0 12,5 14,3 12,5
12,5
5,2 14
33,3

60
50 50 14,3
(1989-), Yugoslavian “neighbours´” independence. NATO 5,9
18
41,7
25
14,3
25 16,7 57,1
66,7

50
% 40 40 12,5
EU 1,5 33,3 100
5,9

40
80,7 75
20 66,7 66,7 14,3
BOSNIANS 62,5

THE CASE OF KOSOVO

30
5,2 20 57,1

15 30
50
16,7 33,3
17 11,8 11,1 10 12,5 28,6

20
ALBANIANS 5,9 8,3 10
10
0

0
CROATS 5,2
5,9

EU

UN
0

A
TO
S

TS

IA
S
NS
S

US
RB
30

LIM

SS
AN

NA
OA
Opposition Attack with no victims Attack with victims Attack attempt Weapons, $, troops

IA
SERBS 42

SE

RU
NI

SN

US
CR

BA

BO

M
sending

AL
•KOSOVO: 10,8 Km2 , 2,2 mill/h. Since 1913 London Agreement, autonomous region
0

10

20

30

40

50

Dominating Compromising Withdrawal Integration Obliging

% Serbs (left press) Serbs (right press) NATO (left press) NATO (right press)
inside present Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Historical cultural area of Serbian (Rahim & Bonoma, 1979)
As emissors As receptors
Empire though representing its national identity. Nowadays, 90% of population is Albanian.

100
Primary an agriculture region, Kosovo suffered the poorest economy of all Yugoslavia.
Weapons, $, troops sending 27,7 54,5 9,1 9,1
Kosovo

75
Negotiation 22,2 11,1 5,6 11,1 5,6 5,6 16,7 Bosnia War conflict
•ALBANIA: 28,7 Km , 3,2 mill/h. Part of Serbian Empire time ago, mountainous country
2
starts

50
Apathy 25 75
long submitted to the Turks. Its “creation” avoid Serbia from an access to the sea. The Attack attempt 58,3 8,3 8,3 8,3 8,3 8,3
UCK army acts at Kosovo to liberate the region.
25
Attack with victims 63,6 9 13,6 4,5 9

Attack with no victims 47,4 10,5 15,8 15,8 10,5

0

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Opposition 50 15,6

CONCLUSIONS: %
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Ethnic cleansing Territorial control Political control Vandalism

Hydra´s Making Decision Process Serbs Croats Albanians Bosnians Muslisms NATO UN USA EU
Political isolation Ending war instigation Humanitarian aid Weapons, $, troops sending

Auerswald, Ph. E.; David, P.A. and Duttweiler, Ch. (2000), The Kosovo Conflict: A Diplomatic History Through Documents. The Hague; Cambridge MA: Kluwer
Each “head” represents an important fact to be cut of to avoid Kosovo conflict maintenance. Law International.
We play guessing the future at a glance.
Bellamy, A. J. (2002). Kosovo and International Society. Houndmills, New York: Palgrave.
Caplan, R. (1998). International Diplomacy and the Crisis in Kosovo, 74(4) International Affairs 745
 = Head fed by;  = Head cut off by
Franck, Th. M. (1999). Lessons of Kosovo”, 93 American Journal of International Law 857, October.
Feron, B. (1995). Yugoslavia. Orígenes de un conflicto. Barcelona: Salvat Dossier.
• Head 1: Power imbalance, Serbia>Kosovo   NATO/EU presence
• Head 2: Ethnic cleansing political ideology   Serbian PM Kostunica moderated mind Garcia, T., (2000). La mission d’administration intérimaire des Nations Unies au Kosovo”, 104 Revue Generale de Droit International Public 61.
BIBIOGRAPHY

• Head 3: Multiethnic life   75% Serbian population reduction in the region Gerber, P. (2002). Rebuilding the Law in Kosovo, 76(1) Law Institute Journal 72.

• Head 4: Social discrimination  Political, social and economical control from Belgrade García, D. (1993). La desintegración de Yugoslavia. Madrid: Ed. Actas.

• Head 5: Standards of living   Poorest, isolated region, primary agricultural Hahn, M. (2001). The Conflict in Kosovo: A Constitutional War?, 89(7) The Georgetown Law Journal 2351

• Head 6: Past history   Sacralised region for Serbs; European “Eastern cork” Judah, T. (2000). Kosovo: War and Revenge. Yale, New Haven: Yale University Press.

• Head 7: Placement   Surrounded by “enemies” (Montenegro, Albania, Greece,…) Lowe, V. (2000). International Legal Issues Arising in the Kosovo Crisis, 49 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 934.

• Head 8: Collective memory   Great Serbia project still alive Mertus, J. (1999). Kosovo: How Myths and Truths Started a War. Berkeley: University of California Press.

• Head 9: Recent events   Others´ regions independence; parts just “cooling their heels”. McDonnel, Th. M. (2002). Cluster Bombs over Kosovo: A Violation of International Law? 44(1) Arizona Law Review 31.
Nevin, J. (2002). “Kosovo Detention Review Commission, 56(7) Washington State Bar News 18.
O’Neill, W.G. (2002). Kosovo: An Unfinished Peace. Boulder, Co: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Result= 6 out of 9 heads cut off; 67% risk of a (re)new encounter Rojo López, A. (1992). Yugoslavia. Barcelona: Planeta.
Serwer, D.P. (2003). Kosovo Decision Time: How and When? Washington D.C.: United States Institute for Peace.