Saturday, March 1, 2008
Kosovars and Kurds
I was reading an Economist article about Kosovo's declaration of independence, and I wondered why Kosovars seem to be so different from other ethnic minorities who have sought, or are seeking, independence. All things considered, Kosovo's transition has gone pretty smoothly. I haven't heard of any terrorist attacks in connection with Kosovar independence. But then look at the Kurds; obviously their quest for an independent state has been violent. Why the difference? Both involve minority groups of Muslims seeking independent states for their people. Was it just because Kosovo was a UN protectorate before its declaration--so ethnic Albanians were basically already running Kosovo? I shy away from giving too much credit to international presence, because the skirmishers in northern Iraq are undoubtedly aware of the US and British presences in the state. Does the terrorism with the Kurds and lack thereof with the Kosovars have anything to do with international opinion? It's been pretty clear for a while that many powerful states would back Kosovo's independence, but there's less support--as far as I'm aware--for an independent Kurdistan. This change in the international system not only presents the question of terrorism differences with Kurds and Kosovars, but also presents a question about future terrorism ties. With previously existing Muslim states supporting this new Muslim state in Europe, will terrorism ties and activity in Kosovo increase?
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I'm definitely no expert on this topic, but I think the real difference between Kurdish terrorism and Kosovar non-terrorism is how Serbia acted towards Kosovo and the international response that followed. Once the Serbians began committing acts of genocide against the Kosovars, NATO put forces on the ground and made Kosovo a UN protectorate. For the last ten years or so Kosovo has been practically independent from Serbia, if not officially. With the weight of the international community on their side, the Kosovars had little incentive to turn to terrorism. The Kurds, on the other hand, do not have nearly as much support internationally. Perhaps if Turkey began a campaign of genocide against the Kurds, things would be different, but as is, there's not enough international support for an independent Kurdistan.
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