Kosovo and this brave new world of separatism… Same as the old one? July 22, 2010
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
The news never stops this week… I’ve referenced Kosovo in the past, but the latest news from the World Court that the 2008 unilateral secession is legal is sure to open no end of fun and frightening possibilities.
Boris Tadic, Serbian President, put it rather well I think when he noted:
“If the ICJ opinion establishes a new principle, an entire process of creating new states would open throughout the world, something that would destabilise many regions of the world,”
Still, the contradictions abound for [almost] everyone:
Georgia filed a lawsuit in 2008 against Russia at the same court, saying that Russia’s incursion into its South Ossetia province amounted to ethnic cleansing.
Russia, which took two decades to crush a separatist rebellion in its Chechnya province, has recognised both rebel Georgian regions as independent states but few others have followed its lead.
Spain, which has its own regions seeking greater autonomy, has already said it will not recognise an independent Kosovo.
In a way the most dispiriting aspect of this is, given the continuing issue of Serbian EU membership, that there seems to be little will to establish the sort of linkages that could operate within an EU context between Serbian populations in Kosovo.
Not to pretend for a moment that the EU is the panacea for all ills, indeed Wednesday made the prescient comment on this post that…
The elimination of administrative borders means little in terms of conflict resolution, though. Just ask the Basques… and Belgium is probably more fragile as a state now than it was before Schengen. National identity is really a much more powerful force than integrationists give it credit for.
But, as with the North the EU context (even if not directly, and the EU isn’t directly involved in the North in that sense) perhaps, if one is lucky, can allow for more creative solutions to develop. If there’s some genuine enthusiasm to do so.
Don’t see it myself in this instance.
It is time for Dublin to go for Independence.
As a matter of interest has any State ever evicted an area or province.Im surprised some chancers have’nt gathered all their poor together and just abandoned them.
Why would they? It’s far more expedient to use them as a source of cheap labour and tax revenue. Hell, lots of countries import poor people for just that purpose.
I guess some of the impetus behind the Padanian independence movement would be as you describe.
Interesting question HAL. Following on from DD’s post, perhaps it would be easier still in such cases simply to ignore them, or do the bare minimum.
I suppose some of the south african homelands were a bit like that werent they? Although of course they didnt have true independence.
It’s interesting that this happened the same week as the ICTY overturned the acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj on war crimes charges. Plenty of grist there for conspiracy theorists, of which there are no shortage where Ex-Yu issues are concerned.
I’ll have to read the full decision but as I understand it the ruling, which is advisory only, was strictly limited to the legality of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, not of its actual secession. So it isn’t quite the green light to other secessionist movements that it may appear on first instance. OTOH this may well be a case where perception is as important as reality. It’s still for the UN General Assembly to decide on the secession itself but you’d hardly want to bet on them reaching a different decision, now that the ICJ has flown the kite for them.
We have now moved from the Post War system of borders at the time being protected by the U.N. unless a secession was by consent of all parties concerned, to one where any state or province can apparently secede if they can get away with it. The rot started with Germanys recognition of Croatia. The logic of course is that ethnic minorities within the seceding state can then leave if they feel at risk. This was explained to me by a Yugoslav friend in the case of Bosnia, if Bosnia could leave the then Yugoslavia unilaterally then why cant the Serbs in the Eastern part of Bosnia go there own way? Kosovos secession of course has nothing to do with Europes largest Lignite mine at Trepko, seizes by NATO Troops and handed over to a western multinational?
thats an interesting point Paul. I wonder would the six counties ever secede, then two of the six secede from them in turn?
However I think the middle east would be the most interesting place for this legislation to take effect
As a discussion point I would ask, apart from popular will, what other criteria (if any) should be in place for regions to secede?
I wonder would the six counties ever secede, then two of the six secede from them in turn
Yes, there would be a huge movement to do this. It would change the dynamic on the island somewhat.
I think mutual consent Ramzi otherwise we are back to medieval times and 100 year wars.
Yeah I take your point about instability Paul. And I think the international consensus would probably be of that view.
However I think mutual consent is quite a high bar. I doubt that there was consent in “mainland” Britain for the Irish Free State to go its own way for example.
And ultimately if the Palestinians want to go there own way, should it matter if the majority of the Israelis dont agree?
As a South Londoner (I believe from what you have previously written) – I would imagine you are of course fully behind that most powerful of revolutionary slogans – Freedom for Tooting!
Ramzi of course.
why do people still question Free Kosovo