On Kosova independence
In your May 24 Militant you criticize the Workers World
newspaper for describing those fighting for the independence
of Kosovo, the KLA, or UCK, as a U.S.-backed "counter-
revolutionary separatist guerrilla insurgency." Yet in your
May 17 Militant (p. 8) states Washington's operations in
Kosovo "are a central part of surrounding Yugoslavia with an
imperialist military noose and trying to get the so-called
frontline states neighboring Serbia and Montenegro in line
behind NATO's course.
Towards this end, Washington is increasingly using the forces of the Kosovo Liberation Army.... The UCK, which for years has waged an armed struggle for independence of Kosovo, is turning into a tool to advance the aims of U.S. imperialism." "Frequently UCK members have little U.S. flags pinned or sewn on their uniforms next to Kosovo Liberation Army insignia." That sounds like an adequate definition of a "counter-revolutionary separatist guerrilla insurgency!"
Certainly Workers World has never supported Kosovo independence. Yet Trotsky wrote in his article, "The Ukrainian Question" : "Not the slightest compromise with imperialism, either fascist or democratic! Not the slightest concession to the Ukrainian nationalists, either clerical- reactionary or liberal-pacifist! No Peoples Fronts! The complete independence of the proletarian party as the vanguard of the toilers!" It is difficult to conclude from this that Trotsky himself would call for Kosovo independence at antiwar marches in the U.S. right now.
Stan Smith
Chicago, Illinois
Kosova II
In the May 24 edition of the Militant there was an article,
"Castro: `NATO is entangled in a great genocide,' "
explaining the position of the Cuban government toward the
imperialist assault against the peoples of the Balkan region.
However, why doesn't Fidel say a word about the struggle for
self-determination of the Kosovars? Does the Cuban revolution
support this struggle? Does the Cuban government fear
political and economic conflicts with the Yugoslav regime if
it shows support for the independence of Kosova? From my
point of view, the internationalist character of the Cuban
revolution should openly support the independence of Kosova.
Dimitris Fasfalis
La Pocatiere, Quebec
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