May, 1999

Supporting Kosova's struggle for self-determination

by Chris Ford

London-Since the air attacks against Serbia began veteran Labour Party left-winger Tony Benn and the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) have been holding demonstrations for "peace" along with Serbian nationalists. Groups like the SWP are engaged in contortions to justify in socialist language their defense of the reactionary Serb state, which they hypocritically attempt to square with defending self-determination for Kosova. Meanwhile, every night nearly 1,000 Kosovans have demonstrated in Trafalgar Square in solidarity with their homeland, which these leftists do not attend.

Those on the Left who are demonstrating for peace have done nothing for Kosova. They never lifted a finger to help when the Workers Aid for Kosova group organized a march last October in London. It was the most working-class demonstration I had been to in years-90% of them were emigre Kosovan workers. The labour movement was represented by a tiny number of union branches and active socialists who made up the rest of the solidarity campaign.

The feeling among people outside the organized Left is not like the Gulf War of 1991. I am encountering none of the cynicism that existed then. Far from it, many are saying "something should have been done a long time ago." There is however cynicism and criticism about the disastrous conduct of this war.

The fundamental issue for those who support freedom for Kosova, and wish to engage in solidarity with its struggle, is not the UNprinciples of the peace party but the UNprinciples of the war party. The important question is the objectives of this war-what they are and what they should be.

It was the principle of the Irish when the First World War began that "England's misfortune was Ireland's opportunity." Its application resulted in the Easter Rising of 1916. I believe the same principles apply to this freedom struggle.

Such are the contradictions of the present moment that there is a blend of historic opportunity for insurgent Kosova and terrible tragedy. For there is a tragic similarity to another historic moment of Irish history which could yet happen-Michael Collins and the treaty that partitioned Ireland in 1921. Imposed under the threat of "a bloody terrible war," the war-weary rebels signed the treaty, hoping thereby to regroup their forces. Instead, partition was enforced brutally in the north and the pro-treaty forces in the south were the tools of counter-revolution from within the revolution. Partition looms over Kosova as a serious possibility as well.

Having sat back for ten years crying crocodile tears and colluding with Milosevic, the Western powers have now come to the proclaimed "aid" of Kosova. The bourgeois governments have raised principles in contradiction to the reality of their own objectives. They wage a war against Serbia to force Milosevic to sign on to a deal that will keep Kosova as an autonomous region within Serbia. The UNprinciples of the big powers are revealed in the war's whole conduct thus far.

Most disgusting are statements of British Foreign Minister Robin Cook that they could not have expected such an exodus as a result of ethnic cleansing. As if the past ten years had not shown how Milosevic would conduct his war! To add to this hypocrisy the Labour government has just brought forward stricter immigration and asylum laws.

There is a force for liberation-the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). But will they arm the KLA to inflict a defeat on the Serb forces? No! This indicates that the Western powers do not intend to defeat Serbian forces but strip away their strength until they sign a compromise agreement. But the lesson of Vietnam which the U.S. has still not learned is that you cannot bomb people into submission.

The cause of freedom in this war will be served by a defeat of the Serbian forces in Kosova by the organised forces of the Kosovan people themselves.

There is one important difference between Bosnia in 1995, when the Bosnian forces were on an offensive against the Serbs, and now, in that the KLA is now on the defensive. What will be decisive is the ability of the Kosovans to turn this into a revolutionary war. If the Kosovans can utilise the NATO attacks to the advantage of their self-emancipation, they could not only inflict a defeat on Serbia but also be stronger in relation to the big power maneuvers in the Balkans.

The peace party can see none of these possibilities. It sees two equals in the conflict and believes in a utopian scheme in which differences can be worked out through diplomacy. The irreconcilable relationship between the oppressor and the subjugated people does not figure in their schema.

I do not believe there is a place for the articulation of Marxist-Humanist principles within the peace party. The demand being raised for peace is utterly vacant of any content of freedom. The question I put to those who demand peace is what is their alternative-often it is an alternative they dare not speak. What is needed is a revolutionary war party with clear ideas as to what the objectives of a war for freedom for Kosova should be. If the Western powers will not risk the "bones of a single grenadier" then they should arm the KLA and allow them to defeat the Serbs themselves.

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