Nato plans misfire
The hypocrisy that is pouring out of the western media concerning the situation in former Yugoslavia would be the most sickening of things, if it were not for the hypocrisy of the governments, and even worse, the actual events. Slobodan Milosevic has been depicted as the most evil man that ever lived, who leads a wicked people without law, while at the same time operating as a dictator ruling without consent. The Serbs are compared to Nazis with babies on the ends of their bayonets.
These points are not made to understate the nastiness of the Milosevic government nor to deny the very unpleasant things that are happening in Kosova. The truth or otherwise of this or that particular accusation is not really the issue - in all wars atrocities are committed and governments act without consideration to questions of humanity. What is important is that communists defend the rights of the Kosovar people, while condemning the imperialist Nato attacks.
What is certain is that the media has managed, at least in Britain and the United States, to convince people that the attack on Serbia is justified and that the governments are acting out of a sense of humanity. From the left's point of view they have done worse: they have convinced a great mass of people who in the past would have opposed such an imperialist adventure irrespective of overall public opinion to actually support the action of the governments. The term, 'Guardian reader', is taking on the meaning of rabid supporter of some imperialist intervention or other.
We have even seen left groups supporting movements to impose a religious muslim identity on the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina where the muslims were not even a majority. We uphold the rights of minorities to self-determination, providing that they do not present a threat to the working class or humanity in general. Not that we actually advocate the separation of peoples. However, in the case of the Kosovars it is clear that the only principled call is one that supports their demand for independence.
What can the left do about the events in former Yugoslavia? Well, in the immediate future, and with regard to practical measures, very little seems possible beyond resolutions, smallish demonstrations, and pickets. That, of course, does not mean that we should not try. But the real issue now is to develop a credible analysis of what is going on, because what has given credence to the bourgeois view of events is the fall of the Soviet Union and the imperialist New World Order.
Even by the standards of 'bourgeois international law' the actions of Nato are completely illegal. They have not even the excuse of UN cover or resolution to justify their attacks on Serbia. The USA and Britain do not even use the formal argument that, although their actions are illegal, the demands of humanity are such that it is necessary for them to intervene. They contend that, in any case, Serbia is not in compliance with UN resolutions. If this were the sole justification for launching attacks, Israel should by now be bombed flat. Clearly, in attempting to impose an imperialist stability, Nato has little regard for the rights of the Kosovars, refusing even to recognise their right to self-determination.
The whole Balkans area is a powder keg. Social relations are unviable and fast dissolving. Thus especially in post-'communist' times nationalist ideology assumes pivotal importance for old and new elites. Ethnicity and invented histories become a substitute for market or conventional bonds. Of course ex-Yugoslavia was constituted by an admixture of inter-digitated peoples and religions. Hence, to get any ethnically cohesive state means ethnic cleansing, or what should be more properly called mass deportation. It looks as if this is the policy being pursued by the Milosevic government as far as the north of Kosova is concerned.
When making the comment that ethnic cleansing is not the proper term, I do so to highlight the fact that, with the notable exception of the Albanians, the south Slav people have only confessional differences. But the real problem lies in this: having taken away the organising idea that Tito expounded and, for that matter, the social policy too, the gangsters that took control had nothing to offer but a divisive nationalism (unlike Tito - at least within Yugoslavia). It has also to be noted that Milosevic's internal opponents are even more rabid than he is.
Serbian nationalism was shaped in particular by its opposition to, on the one hand, Ottoman, and, on the other hand, Nazi German rule. Germany was first in the line for recognition of Slovenia, Croatia, and then Bosnia, and (according to Tony Benn) supplied arms to the Kosovars. Though Germany has historic links and ambitions in the area, the root of the problem lies elsewhere: that is, in the notion of the New World Order.
There used to be, and still are, two type of countries in the world: bombable ones and non-bombable ones. Yugoslavia, while the USSR existed, used to be in the non-bombable class - at least as far as Nato was concerned. But a whole group of countries have now shifted into the bombable category.
Clearly imperialism has no thoroughly thought out plan. But one thing is certain: its plans for a settlement imposed by bombs and leading to rapid stability have misfired completely, further adding to the "humanitarian disaster" it claimed it wanted to prevent.
John Walsh
