Letter to Senator Dole

 

50 BARAUD ROAD
SCARSDALE, NEW YORK 10583
(914) 472-6872 FAX (914) 967-7443
MEMBER OF CONGRESS 1985— 1989
717 2NDSThEET, NE, (Sm 301)
W&snNowN, DC. 20002

Hon. Robert DoleJune 6,1991
141 Hart Building
Washington D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Dole,

On behalf of over 10 million Albanians around the world and especially the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians here in America, I want you to know how deeply we appreciate all you are doing for Kosova. Because of your personal efforts and legislative initiatives, the United States policy towards a disintegrating Yugoslavia has now taken a positive turn for Albanians and other nationalities seeking democracy in Yugoslavia.

Yet, in spite of the constitutional crisis instigated by the Serbian communist regime, the continuing pattern of gross human rights violations against the Albanians in Rosova and even in the face of your recent admonitions to the Administration - to follow the guidelines in existing law - the secretary of State deoided to resume aid to Yugoslavia in what looks like a clear violation of the spirit and letter of the Nickles Amendment to the Forein Assistance Act. Even though Mr. Baker sternly rebuked the Serbian authorities for their repressive measures against the Albanian people of Kosova and said that the Republic of Serbia would be “penalized” under the Act, the resumption of aid to even democratic Croatia and Slovonia right now we believe would seriously injure the democratic aspiration. of the Kosovars. Let me explain.

Many scholars and political observers agree with the concept of rewarding only those Republics that have held free and fair elections and that promote democratic change. They agree that it is politically and morally correct because it would penalize the intransigent communist Republics of Serbia and Montenegro and reward the others. In effect the secretary of state has adopted the spirit of your bill by ?certifying? under the trickles amendment while at the same time ? “penalizing? serbia. while these current events appear to favor the Albanians in Kosova, the problem for them is still very complicated and the future security of Kosova is far from certain. Kosova has not been officially recognized as a Reublic (even by Croatia),. is currently occupied by Serbian special forces and for all practical purposes is treated merely as a part of Serbia. As things stand now, even our assistance (speaking hypothetically) to a potentially democratic Serbia would again exclude Albanians in Kosova, since it has been historically demonstrated that Serbia does not want to see the full development of Kosova.

Senator, Albanians in Yugoslavia, three million of them, are caught in a very difficult dilemma. While they would even wish to set Croatia and Slovenia as sovereign jurisdictions, because such sovereignty would protect these two northern Republics from Serbian interference and possible domination, a loosely knit Yugoslavia (or dissolved Yugoslavia) that would result would leave Albanians alone at the mercy of Serbia with no balancing support from Croatia and Slovenia. We have concluded, for these reasons, that barring any unexpected developments in Yugoslavia which improve the position of the Albanian population there, it is still in the interest of the Albanians to see a federated Yugoslavia, democratic and responsive to all her peoples? needs and interests. In such a situation, free and fair elections should inevitably produce the establishment of a ?Republic of Kosova?, freely arrived at and legally recognized as en equal and independent unit within the framework of a federal Yugoslavia. Such a development would place Kosova on the earns rooting with the other Republics.

At the same time, we believe that the Bush Administration (at least for now) should not respond to appeals for direct aid to democratic Croatia and Slovenia. If such aid were granted, we would lose all leverage to improve the plight of the Albanians, who would be left to the mercies of their Serbian overlords. For their part, the Croatians and Slovenians must demand that Kosova be given Republic status within Yugoslavia, so that the democratic voice of the Albanian Kosovars can be added to their own in the nations councils, only in this way will the territorial integrity of the Yugoslav state be preserved, and the cause of democracy and human rights advanced in accordance with Bush Administration goals.

Therefore, we hope that you would keep the plight of Kosova alive with your colleagues in the senate and urge the Administration to hold of f on all aid to Yugoslavia. while urging the Yugoslav Republics to put aside ethnic animosity and work toward true democratization. In view of the life and death nature of the situation in Kosova and all of Yugoslavia we implore your assistance.

Senator, for the Albanian people of yugoslavia and around the world, ? these are the times that try mens’ souls.? It was over two hundred years ago that Thomas Paine used these words to rally the American Colonies against the tyranny of King George III. Those words are no less significant today in light of the barbaric tyranny of the serbian communist inder, Slobodan Milosevic We desperately need your help in crafting a solution that? would ensure the Physical security of the Albanians in Yugoslavia and the political, economic and cultural integrity of their beloved ancestral homeland, Kosova.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Dioguardi
President
Albanian American Civic League