tagged w/ Kosovo
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Interesting that history repeats. Completely strange that it repeats on almost the same day.Interesting that history repeats. Completely strange that it repeats on almost the... more
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Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s newly re-elected prime minister, is coming under fresh scrutiny over his guerrilla past as European foreign ministers examine allegations about organ trafficking in the 1998-99 war.
Dick Marty, a Council of Europe rapporteur, presented a report on Thursday to members of the 47-country organisation that alleges that Mr Thaci, a leader in the Kosovo Liberation Army against Serbia, also formed a powerful “mafia” network among former guerrilla fighters for narcotics and organ trafficking. The council, which promotes human rights, democracy and the rule of law around the continent published the report on its website and tabled it for discussion next month.
(more at this link - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f4ec439c-093f-11e0-ada6-00144feabdc0.html#axzz18KdRyuMq - this is all over the news in Europe)Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s newly re-elected prime minister, is coming under fresh... more
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James Blunt has a new album out. He also apparently prevented World War III. The timing of the former and the announcement of the latter are probably just coincidence.
The hands of fate dealt an equally generous hand to the world when it turned out Captain James Blunt happened to be on duty the day a US General ordered British troops to attack Russian soldiers in Kosovo. As the risk of a court martial, Blunt says he would have refused, knowing the calamitous consequences such action might have.
The incident occurred at Pristina airfield, Kosovo, in 1999. Blunt was ordered to take the airfield but Russian troops had already got there first.
In an interview this weekend, he said:
"I was given the direct command to overpower the 200 or so Russians who were there.
"I was the lead officer with my troop of men behind us...
"The soldiers directly behind me were from the Parachute Regiment, so they're obviously game for the fight.
"The direct command [that] came in from Gen Wesley Clark was to overpower them. Various words were used that seemed unusual to us. Words such as 'destroy' came down the radio."
Asked if following the order would have risked starting World War III, Blunt, who was a 25-year-old cavalry officer at the time, replied:
"Absolutely. And that's why we were querying our instruction from an American general.
"Fortunately, up on the radio came Gen Mike Jackson, whose exact words at the time were, 'I'm not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War III', and told us why don't we sugar off down the road, you know, encircle the airfield instead.
"And after a couple of days the Russians there said: 'Hang on we have no food and no water. Can we share the airfield with you?'.
I'm almost grateful enough to James Blunt's new album as way of thanks. Almost.
James Blunt has a new album out. He also apparently prevented World War III.... more
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richjm
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added this
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1 year ago
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Strange news story from the weekend about how the singer of the hit 'Beautiful' prevented a 'World War III' situation when he was a soldier.
Blunt and his troops were ordered to take an airbase, but found 200 Russian solider had taken the base first, it was then an order from US Gen Wesley Clark told the Blunt and NATO troops to overpower them.
"He said he had been "party to the conversation" between senior officers in which Gen Clark had ordered the attack.
"We had 200 Russians lined up pointing their weapons at us aggressively, which was... and you know we'd been told to reach the airfield and take a hold of it."-BBC
The event is mentioned in war memoirs, since the troops took the orders from Gen Mike Jackson who remarked he didn't want his soldiers to start WW3. The NATO instead surrounded the airbase and later shared it with the Russian troops. Though Blunt stated he would have ignored Clark's order (if Jackson didn't intervene) and risked a court marshal.Strange news story from the weekend about how the singer of the hit... more
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EULEX police arrested five people suspected of economic crimes, the EU Rule of Law mission announced on Wednesday.
Two other suspects are abroad, the mission added. Unconfirmed media reports suggest the suspects are Kosovo Albanians.
Four private companies and seven houses were raided across Kosovo as part of the EULEX action that targeted tax evasion, organised crime, fuel smuggling and misuse of economic authorisation.
Meanwhile, KFOR said in a press release Wednesday that some of its soldiers are being investigated for possible fuel smuggling and economic crimes.EULEX police arrested five people suspected of economic crimes, the EU Rule of Law... more
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Clint Borgen is the President of The Borgen Project and leads a national campaign working to reduce global poverty. This video tells the story of how Clint Borgen started The Borgen Project.Clint Borgen is the President of The Borgen Project and leads a national campaign... more
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One of the last victims of the Balkan wars are a people of whom we hear very little about over the years, yet they are suffering in a camp where there is lead posioning and 89 are dead in the last 11 years, and every youth born suffers brain damage from the local lead mines. What does this have to do with the war?, you may ask... Why does the UN not get the Kosovar governement to sort it?
The camp they live in was made by the UN!
After the fighting dies down, Kosovo Roma refugees returned from Macedonia to Mitrovica, where they were housed in a schoolhouse, only to me moved at start of term to a camp in the shadow of the local leadworks. It was to be only for 45 days... it is now 11 years. Some were moved to the former French barracks (after being stationed there the French got a treatment programme for lead exposure) but the majority were left there along with new arrivals being deportees from Germany.
A site found in the old gypsy quarter was not suitable such is the fear after being burned out when the war ended. These people suffered worse than the Irish in the North of Ireland, yet did not retaliate with bombs and bullets. They done what God asks and turned the other cheek, bore their pain with dignity and silence.
Campaigns to get the UN to move them and get treatment are falling on deaf ears, with activists such as Paul Polansky, Bernard Sullivan and umpteen NGO'S active in the area.
My poem posted here focuses on a photo of three children, and how their lives are blighted by the lead poisoning, not caused by them choosing to camp in a dangerous area, or by the Kosovars or Serbs placing them there, but by the UN, that should be protecting them, that is ignoring their plight for the last 11 years.
http://www.savethesekids.comOne of the last victims of the Balkan wars are a people of whom we hear very little... more
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The Guardian video report shows a chilling tale of refugees left to live next to a toxic lead heap in Kosovo. In 1999 the Roma were forced out of their homes in South Mitrovica and were placed next to the lead heap. Paul Polansky states he questioned the location becuase of the toxic waste but was told the refugees would only be there for 45 days. However, 10 years later, and after much campaigning, the Roma are still living next to the toxic waste and it is affecting their lives.
In the video, one family with 9 children report on the slow poisoning of their children by the lead, which can cause brain damage and lost memory.
In 2000, the UN took blood tests and found high levels of lead and requested the people were moved. In 2004 the World Health organisation did the same and recommended the people were moved away.
People on all sides are upset by the lack of action and the response to the lack of action is
because of the complex political situation in Kosovo resulting in responsibility to move to different groups. 5min video in link.The Guardian video report shows a chilling tale of refugees left to live next to a... more
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In late April, EULEX police raided the offices of the transport and telecommunications ministry and Minister Fatmir Limaj’s home, in connection with a two-year corruption probe linked to a major highway project worth 700m euros.
Limaj and ministry personnel are suspected of soliciting bribes, money laundering, organised crime and fraud in office. EULEX suspects the misuse of 2m euros in this case, in addition to other charges. If convicted, Limaj and his collaborators could receive up to 55 years in prison.
The action, however, has sparked tension between the EU mission and the government. Officials accused the mission of staging a spectacle, while Deputy Foreign Minister Vlora Citaku insisted that only Kosovo's institutions should combat corruption. Limaj, meanwhile, has denied all wrongdoing and called EULEX's actions "political lynching".
Prime Minister Hashim Thaci publicly suggested that International Civilian Office Chief Pieter Feith was interfering in the country's judiciary. The raids, he said, send a message that "Kosovo's institutions are at war with the international institutions."In late April, EULEX police raided the offices of the transport and telecommunications... more
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A 12-year old Serbian boy in Belgrade has become famous after campaigning on the internet for policies like Nato membership and support for the independence of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo.
They are ideas that have not gone down well with Serbia's nationalists, some of whom have now issued death threats against him.
Rastko Pocesta explains why he has set himself up as Serbia's new young self-proclaimed social activist.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8640434.stm?lsA 12-year old Serbian boy in Belgrade has become famous after campaigning on the... more
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In the late 1990s Bill Clinton ordered the heavy bombing of Serbian forces in the Balkans to prevent them from massacring ethnic-Albanians. Today, over ten years later, those ethnic Albanians now have their own state: Kosovo. And Clinton has his own memento: an 11 foot tall statue of himself in Pristina, Kosovo's capital. (clipped by user jeffissleeping)
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="975" caption="AFP/Getty Images "][/caption]
Kosovo is one of the world's newest countries, having declared independence from Serbia last year. It's been a tenuous existence at times, and not without tension. When independence was declared, we produced a Collective Journalism piece about the Kosovars' perspective on this momentous occasion.
Kosovo: Free at Last
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- The economy grows again - Champagne time yet?In the late 1990s Bill Clinton ordered the heavy bombing of Serbian forces in the... more
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Voting is under way in the first election in Kosovo since the ethnic Albanian majority state declared independence.
More then 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in Sunday's local election for mayors and local council members in 36 municipalities, including the capital, Pristina.
There are fears that local Serbs will not join the vote.
Hashim Thaci, the prime minister, described the election as an "historical day" as he cast his ballot in the capital.
"I'm sure we'll have success and appreciate very much the participation of all citizens, in particular the Serbs of Kosovo," he said.
Analysts are predicting a low turnout and expect very few Serbs to vote due to pressure by the authorities in Belgrade and the influential Serbian Orthodox Church which have both called for a vote boycott.
Deda said there was a "high awareness of the importance of these elections", adding that "our central elections commission http://myprops.org/content/Potential-feud has done an oustanding job given the challenges it has to organise these municipal elections".
The elections are seen as a test of Kosovo's readiness to organise democratic elections on its own, having been run by the UN until it seceded from Serbia in February 2008.
Fatmir Sejdiu, the Kosovan president, called for a healthy turnout, saying: "This Sunday should prove to the world that Kosovo is a stable country that produces peace and stability in the region."
Kosovo's leaders and international officials have also called for peaceful elections following tensions between rival ethnic Albanian parties.
In the latest incident, Nato peacekeepers removed a hand grenade found outside an opposition party's offices in a northern town on Saturday.
Deda dismissed fears that the Serbs would boycott the election, saying: "The information I got is quite encouraging. We've had in some areas a susbtantial number of Serbs turning out to vote.
"It's better than what we had expected originally. I think the Serbs have understood that in order to improve their daily lives, they must participate in these local elections and have their own legitimate leaderships in the municipalities."Voting is under way in the first election in Kosovo since the ethnic Albanian majority... more
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This is the story of a young, brave man named Hashim Thaci. Hashim is the Prime-Minister of the newest state in the world, Kosovo. But this has not always been the case for Hashim. He had to face a lot of obstacles to get where he is, sell a lot of cocaine and occasionally kill a lot of people. Thank God, he had the Clintons by his side...
Sociologist Max Weber designed a tripartite division for forms of legitimate authority: traditional, legal-rational, and charismatic.[1] According to Weber, a charismatic leader has a recognized rare gift that sets him apart from the followers, something unique that allows him to position himself among his peers almost as a savior. Weber's theory has the strong merit of taking the concept of charisma from its religious context and applying it to the world of politics. Though filled with invaluable insights, the concept of charisma developed by Weber presents no adequate operational framework to be applied in the realm of political leadership. Now, why is this important? There are numerous reasons, but the one of particular interest in the matter under discussion relates to charismatic leaders in non-state armed groups: terrorists, militias, insurgents or members of organized crime units.
Fascinating stuff...Read the rest at the link!This is the story of a young, brave man named Hashim Thaci. Hashim is the... more
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S3th
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added this
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2 years ago
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Thousands of ethnic Albanians braved low temperatures and a cold wind in Kosovo's capital Pristina to welcome former President Bill Clinton on Sunday as he attended the unveiling of an 11-foot statue of himself on a key boulevard that also bears his name.
Clinton is celebrated as a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority for launching NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999 that stopped the brutal Serb forces' crackdown on independence-seeking ethnic Albanians.
This is his first visit to Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia last year.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_KOSOVO_BILL_CLINTON?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-11-01-11-46-15Thousands of ethnic Albanians braved low temperatures and a cold wind in Kosovo's... more
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PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo's authorities said Friday they have demarcated a disputed border with Macedonia, a scene of tensions in the past.PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo's authorities said Friday they have demarcated a... more
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