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Continued Protests

Serbian students stranded
NATO soldiers prevent Serbian students from joining the student protests in Kosovska Mitrovica. Feb. 22, 2008, Jarinje, Serbia

Serbian Students Determined to Reach Kosovo Colleagues for Joint Protests

According to Serbian news agency Tanjug, hundreds of students from Belgrade, Nis and Kragujevac who left Friday morning for Kosovska Mitrovica to attend student protests there, are held at Jarinje, a crossing on the administrative line between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija province.

The dean of the University of Belgrade Branko Kovacevic told Tanjug that the international forces deployed in the province are refusing to allow the student buses to enter Kosovo, but that the students are determined to stay at Jarinje until they are let through.

At this moment, Serbian students are on both sides of the administrative line, since some 200 Belgrade students in two busses, who were allowed to continue towards Kosovska Mitrovica, were stopped are a nearby Kfor checkpoint and then returned towards the administrative crossing.

A group of some 60 students left the bus and walked 12 kilometers towards their Kosovo province colleagues in Kosovska Mitrovica where they were headed when they crossed the administrative line on foot. Mitrovica Serbs sent a bus which picked the students from central Serbia up 12 kilometers from Jarinje.

Serbian students at Jarinje
Serbian student protesters held at Jarinje administrative crossing, Friday, Feb. 22

UNMIK and KFOR said that, since this morning, they are allowing entry into the province from central Serbia only to the residents and their relatives, who are not expected to hold protests.

"We have opted for this move after last night's protests in Belgrade and buses carrying demonstrators are strictly prohibited entry, while those carrying citizens will be allowed," an Albanian spokesman for KPS in Pristina told the agency.

The students are headed to Kosovska Mitrovica to support their colleagues there, who hold daily peaceful protests at 12:44 CET, to underline that the latest U.S. and EU moves over Kosovo violate international law, and more specifically, UN Resolution 1244.

Kosovo Serb student
Serb students protest in Kosovska Mitrovica every day, starting at 12:44 CET. "Veto the Ghetto" is one of their slogans, along with "Kosovo is Serbia"

Kosovo-Metohija Students: “Veto the Ghetto!”

Students of the University of Pristina, with temporarily based headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica, at yesterday's protest in declared once again that they do not recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija and that the states that have done this have most grossly violated international law.

Near the bridge on the Ibar, students of the Faculty of Arts held a performance symbolically demonstrating what certain states have done with their recognition of the independence of the southern Serbian province. They also carried printed arrest warrants with photographs of certain representatives of the interim institutions of Kosovo and world statesmen who have recognized the independence of this province, with the words "Wanted for violating international law" written in English.

The protesters carried flags of Serbia, of their faculties, banners with the inscriptions "Kosovo is Serbia," "Veto to ghetto," "We will not give up Kosovo," "We will not let Haradinaj be our chancellor," and they shouted the slogans "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" and "We will not give up Kosovo."

The daily student protests in southern Serbian province of Kosovo and Methija will continue as long as Kosovo province is under occupation.

Serbian Army Reservists Push Their Way Into Kosovo Province

The same day, at another administrative crossing dividing Kosovo province from the rest of Serbia, Merdare, several hundred Serbian Army reservists have around 13:30 CET crossed the administrative line to the province, demonstrating the Pristina separatists' unilateral declaration of independence.

A cordon of former KLA members, now masquerading as "Kosovo police", KPS, tried to stop reservists from getting further into the province by a barbed wire, but the Serbs removed the obstacles from the road and continued deeper into the province.

They threw stones at KPS and set tires on fire close to their outpost, forcing Albanians to retreat and be replaced by the NATO (KFOR) soldiers who, wearing full riot gear, appeared and formed a new cordon, while KPS withdrew. As the Serb reservists advanced, the KFOR requested the reinforcement, with more soldiers and an APC.

Kosovo Serb students
Wanted international criminals: Javier Solana, G.W. Bush. Student protests in Mitrovica. Feb. 21, 2008, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia

Serbian reservists remained in the territory of the province, refusing to leave for hours, although the new obstacles, this time set by KFOR, prevented them from advancing. They were shouting slogans "Kosovo is ours", "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia" and "We won't give Kosovo away".

Russia May Have to Use Force to Secure Respect for its Point of View

Worried about the reports that certain Alliance troops and commanders are "raising the issue that Serbian officials should not be permitted to enter the territory of Kosovo," and that KFOR forces are attempting to close the border, "separating Serbs from Serbia," Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO Dmitri Rogozin on Friday warned NATO not to overstep its authority in that southern Serbian province, and not to be engaged in politics.

“The responsibility for a possible escalation will rest on those who were in favor of the recognition of the unilateral independence of the southern Serbian province,” he said.

Kosovo Serb students
Along with Serbian flags, Kosovo Serb students are carrying the flags of the states that do not recognize amputated Kosovo, Feb. 21, 2008, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia

In a direct TV link from Brussels, Rogozin said that the recognition of Kosovo and Metohija is a strategic mistake of the west and did not rule out the possibility that Russia might start using armed force to secure respect, if NATO oversteps its mandate in Kosovo and Metohija, at the same time warning the Alliance not to be engaged in politics in Kosovo.

"If the European Union formulates a united stand, or if NATO steps outside the frameworks of its mandate in Kosovo, then these two organizations will enter into conflict with the UN, and then we will proceed from the need to apply crude force, which is called armed force, in order to secure respect," Rogozin warned.

If Might is Right, Russia's Might Ought to be Taken Into Consideration

He stressed that neither the UN Security Council, nor Russia, has agreed to carve Serbia by imposing new borders within Serbian state:

"That was not our agreement. Should that report be proven correct, we will have a complicated dialog with our partners here in Brussels and dramatic developments are possible within a discussion between Russia and NATO," Rogozin said.

"Now, that is serious. These are not only relations between Russia and NATO, that is a conflict with the system of international security," Rogozin said, adding that this would then become "a major political issue, a question of the future, a question of whether there are codes of behavior among states, or whether one should proceed from the assumption that those who have the power are in the right," he said.

"Then we too would have to proceed from the point that we would also need crude physical force, named armed force, in order to secure respect, understanding and recognition of our right to a point of view," the Russian representative to NATO explained.

Recommended: Major General Lewis MacKenzie comments yesterday's Belgrade protest on Canadian TV; Ambassador James Bissett educates former American NATO commander, Mega Liar and a notorious coward, Wesley Clark, about the events surrounding Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija [both video clips are for RealPlayer]

Posted by Svetlana on February 22, 2008 11:13 AM |

Comments

Russia today: http://streaming.visionip.tv/Russia_Today
are reporting that Serbian tanks are taking positions along the "border".

By g*d i hope this is correct and that the Serbian soldiers start protecting their citizens agaisnt the satanic forces.

CCCC

Posted by: jim | February 22, 2008 12:05 PM

The US and EU stick their fingers into the eyes of Serbia and Russia and don't expect them to draw obvious conclusions? During the bombing of Serbia in 1999 people said that Russia was too weak to respond but it did respond afterwards by making a strategic shift into alliance with China. Russia will again respond.

Posted by: arius [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 22, 2008 12:24 PM

Good for the students and the reservists.
Every Serbian who is able should be heading to Kosovo taking all the food they can carry and a tent if need be.
Kosovo must be re-occupied.
All the Kosovo Serbs who left after Nato cleansing should take courage and go back.
I know it is easy to write this in the safety of Britain but it is the only obvious potentially powerful thing that the ordinary Serbs can do. And every Serb can do it - if they can.
As the Russians seem to be pointing out. The UN does not recognise the new border between Serbia and Kosovo - force the issue. They have no right under international law to keep you out.
If you cannot cross by road - apparently the students - God bless them - went across country.
Go any way you can.
Occupy your own country.
Good luck
Elizabeth

Posted by: Elizabeth | February 22, 2008 01:36 PM

An excellent interview from Canada.
Should cheer you all up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnlAbfpycws&eurl=http://www.serbianna.com/
Elizabeth

Posted by: Elizabeth | February 22, 2008 02:58 PM

Apparently most of the students was disallowed to cross through the Jarinje crossing point. This is clearly a violation against 1244. If KFOR cannot follow 1244, then Serbs should remind them about the rules of the game. In court or on the ground.

Best Wishes from Sweden,
Michael

Posted by: Michael | February 22, 2008 03:03 PM

Kosovo is curently the most paradoxical state in the world. In that state live albanian people that cutoff from Serbia and the name of the state has its origin in Serbian word for a bird (turdus merula).By faith they are not christian but still they are surrounded with orthodox monasteries and churches.They are not apprehensive of the curse this kind of legacy can bring. They have patrons in countries that are 10.000 miles away that know nothing about them despite their writers and poets were most recently published and translated in Belgrade. They gained a state that is and isn't independent, because it will be oversean as long as US military base Bondsteel by the town of Gnjilane exists. On the west they are well known for people and drug trafficing while the finest pages of them were writen by Serbian writers and ethnologists from Miljanov to Cvijic. I wouldn't like to be in position of members of this community. It is is fine and honourable to be a Serb in this moment. HISTORY IS A MARATHON THAT IS RUN BY CENTURIES.

Posted by: Ivan | February 22, 2008 03:11 PM

If what I read is true I expect the cowards of EU,US and Nato will realise Kosovo is serbia and flee like cowards the really are.

To paraphrase the new 300 film 'Nato come and get them!'

Zito Kosovo Zito Serbia

Posted by: Spartan Warrior 300 | February 22, 2008 05:28 PM

For thos unaware, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has declared Venezuela will not reconise any independent state of Kosovo:

Chavez: Venezuela rejects independence of Kosovo
Posted: 2008/02/22
From: Mathaba

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, said that his government rejects the independence of Kosovo due to the Venezuela's government considers it as a ' plan of the US empire to weaken the countries of the world.'


Caracas, Feb 21 ABN.- In nationwide TV and radio broadcast, President Chávez announced his support to Russia, China and Spain, which oppose to the independence of Kosovo.

Furthermore, he warned that the decision is an extremely dangerous precedent for the world and ' could be the beginning of a war in Serbia.'

He labeled as disturbing that the United Nations (UN), which keeps that territory occupied, support the game of the United States.

In this regard, the Venezuelan President made an appeal to the United Nations and the European Union to seek alternatives for the political dialogue and to not recognize the independence.

'Kosovo is a region of Serbia, historically recognized for the geography and culture,' he said.
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=582821

Posted by: brian | February 22, 2008 07:59 PM

It looks like the students' stand-off with KFOR was very tense for hours on end, because NATO kept sending "reinforcements" - cordons and cordons of armed-to-their-teeth troops - even though the students were clearly unarmed and carrying only flags and protest banners.

Vercernje Novosti said that the students had a permission to enter the province, and started off at 5 a.m., but when they reached the administrative crossing they were prohibited from getting in.

KFOR choppers kept flying low over their heads all the time, and more and more KFOR troops were arriving at regular intervals, with an obvious intention to scare them into leaving. Novosti reporter who was at the scene noted that, at one point, as everyone's nerves were wearing thin, a professor from Belgrade Faculty of Law told them: "Sing, children, sing!", and that 500 of them sang "Vidovdan" and "Kosovo, my beloved land", while the choppers were drowning their voices.

P.S. Chavez is a genius :-))
I think I saw students waving a Venezuela flag on one of the photos from Mitrovica protests, but can't find it now

Posted by: Svetlana [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 23, 2008 12:36 AM

Hey Jim, got any other sources to back that story?

Posted by: oxi | February 23, 2008 06:05 AM

Judge them, O Lord, that do me injustice; war against them that war against me. Take hold of weapon and shield, and arise unto my help. Draw out a sword, and shut the way against them that persecute me; say to my soul: I am thy salvation. Let them that seek my soul be shamed and confounded. Let them be turned back, and be utterly put to shame, they that devise evils against me. Let them become as dust before the face of the wind, an angel of the Lord also afflicting them. Let their way become darkness and a sliding, an angel of the Lord also pursuing them. For without cause have they secretly prepared for my destruction in their snare, without reason have they cast reproach on my soul. Let a snare come upon him, which he knoweth not; and let the trap, which he hath hidden, catch him, and into that same snare let him fall. But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, it shall delight in His salvation. All my bones shall say: Lord, O Lord, who is like unto Thee? Delivering the beggar from the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, poor man and pauper from them that despoil him. Unjust witnesses rose up against me; things I knew not they asked me. They repaid me with evil things for good, and barrenness for my soul. But as for me, when they troubled me, I put on sackcloth. And I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return to my bosom. As though it had been a neighbour, as though it had been our brother, so sought I to please; as one mourning and sad of countenance, so humbled I myself. Yet against me they rejoiced and gathered together; scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew it not. They were rent asunder, yet not pricked at heart; they tempted me, they mocked me with mockery, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. O Lord, when wilt Thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their evil doing, even this only-begotten one of mine from the lions. I will confess Thee in the great congregation; among a mighty people will I praise Thee. Let not them rejoice against me that unjustly are mine enemies, they that hate me without a cause, and wink with their eyes. For peaceably indeed they spake unto me, but in their wrath were they devising deceits. And they opened wide their mouth against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it. Thou hast seen it, O Lord; keep not silence. O Lord, depart not from me. Arise, O Lord, and be attentive unto my judgement, my God, and my Lord, unto my cause. Judge me, O Lord, according to Thy righteousness; O Lord my God, let them not rejoice against me. Let them not say in their hearts: Well done, well done, our soul. Let them not say: We have swallowed him up. Let them be shamed and confounded together who rejoice at my woes. Let them be clothed with shame and confusion who speak boastful words against me. Let them rejoice and be glad who desire the righteousness of my cause, and let them that desire the peace of Thy servant say continually: The Lord be magnified. And my tongue shall treat of Thy righteousness, and of Thy praise all the day long.

David's 34

Posted by: Dmitriy | February 23, 2008 06:55 AM

Well done Dmitriy.

Posted by: joesixpack31 | February 23, 2008 09:09 AM

I know all of this is hopelessly depressing but check this out!

http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/UnNews:Rice_to_Serbians:_This_is_madness%21

Rice: This is blasphemy! This is madness!
Protestor: Madness? THIS... IS... SERBIAAAAAA!

Posted by: nobody the former moderate | February 24, 2008 12:53 AM

Dear Mila

Loved your photos.
I was there as well but out of your camera range.
I was at the back towards the westminster end standing in front of the wall and railings.
Next to me was a lady with a little girl with pigtails.
Elizabeth

Posted by: Elizabeth | February 24, 2008 12:56 AM

With Medvedev and the Russian Foreign Minister visiting Belgrade on Monday, maybe we will finally see some movement on the ground for a possible Russian military deployment.

If NATO troops continue to block Serbs from entering Kosovo or start to shoot at protesters this is where I think Russia will step in.

If Serbia will not launch a ground offensive to take back Kosovo by force (as the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church has stated should be done in Kosovo) then the next best option is to partition Kosovo and evict NATO/EU forces out of that partition and move Serb ground forces in to protect the Serbs. If NATO objects then we will have a war.

Serbs need to continue protests and not give in to the Greater Albania and the globalists from the west.

Posted by: oxi | February 24, 2008 09:36 AM

Wonderful, Mila, thank you!

The informations about Kosovo is Serbia protests around the world are pouring in from all sides - I was hoping to be able to gather all the bits and write about the protests outside of Serbia (including Republic of Srpska and Montenegro, which held very strong and exceptionally well attended rallies in support for Kosovo within Serbia), but this is just way beyond something I can cover on my own.

Our good Danish friend, Henrik Ræder Clausen, had sent information about protests in Denmark, led by Dansk Folkeparti which holds 14 % of parliament seats. Links: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2008/02/23/124936.htm
http://www.dr.dk/NETTV/Update/2008/02/23/20080223132855.htm

Posted by: Svetlana | February 24, 2008 11:57 AM