Secession of Voivodina and Sanjak: The Only Response to Serbian Racism and Totalitarianism

In six previous articles, entitled "Albanians and Muslims Still Targeted by Serbs in Occupied Voivodina and Sanjak – HRW Report", "Tyrannized Voivodina and Sanjak Ready to Secede from Dangerous, Racist state Serbia", "Hateful Acts of Racism Performed by Serbs in Voivodina, Revealed in Devastating HRW Report", "HRW Report Demonstrates Need for Voivodina and Sanjak to Secede from Totalitarian Serbia", "Serbian Xenophobia, Racism and Chauvinism Impose Secession and Independence for Voivodina, Sanjak", "HRW Report Recommendations for Serbia, Europe’s Most Totalitarian Territory", I focused on Voivodina and Sanjak which are not proper Serbian territories but have been peremptorily given to Serbia because of French pro-Serbian favoritism back in the 1910s and 1920s.

After many decades of tyranny which took various shapes, the Slovenes, the Croatians, the Bosnians, the Macedonians, the Montenegrins and the Kosovars achieved their national goal of independence and freedom. Unfortunately, the Voivodinians and the Sanjakis still live under Serbian racism and terrorism.

Due to mails from several readers asking about the terminology employed, I want to specify here that the two aforementioned terms do not indicate nations or ethno-religious groups but merely the inhabitants of Voivodina and Sanjak, who in their outright majority passionately desire the removal of the illegal Serbian settlers and the subsequent secession – liberation of their homelands from Serbia, the dictatorial realm of belligerent, rancorous and merciless administrations.

In fact, the pathetic Serbian nationalism, which has permanently been harbored there, is currently rising dangerously again. This is what a devastating HRW Report reveals about the unrepentant Serbia, a medieval and rancorous realm of excruciating tyranny, merciless murder and unfathomable racism that the perfidious French statesmen and diplomats want to help adhere to the EU.

To better illustrate the tragic events that signal further secessions from the Balkan Hell ‘Serbia’, I republish the entire HRW Report "Hostages of Tension - Intimidation and Harassment of Ethnic Albanians in Serbia after Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence". Following the publication of the Report’s earlier parts that shed light on the background of the new explosive crisis, the attacks in February 2008 in and outside Vojvodina, the official stance – response to the events and the HRW Recommendations, in the present last article, I republish the Appendices and the Acknowledgements.

Hostages of Tension - Intimidation and Harassment of Ethnic Albanians in Serbia after Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence

http://hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/

Appendix I: Human Rights Watch Letter to Mladen Kuribak, Head of the Uniformed Police Directorate, Ministry of Interior, Serbia, dated August 11, 2008

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/10.htm#_Toc212362296

Mladen Kuribak
Head of Uniform Police Directorate
Ministry of Interior
Serbia

Dear Mr. Kuribak,

I am writing to you as a follow up to the meeting we had with you on 24 April 2008 as a part of our research on the attacks on ethnic Albanian and other minority-owned businesses in the aftermath of Kosovo’s declaration of independence. We are very grateful for the information you have provided on that occasion and we would like to follow up with you on some of the information we received from the victims during the interviews we conducted in Vojvodina and Central Serbia in April 2008.

We would be very interested to hear the police account of the incidents in order to get a complete picture. We have interviewed the victims of the attacks during our research trip to Serbia, and the information provided below is based on the conversations we had with them.

Respecting the police hierarchy and the existing chain-of-command, we are contacting directly, instead of approaching local police stations. We would greatly appreciate any information you could generate and we would like to thank you in advance for responding to us in due time.

Please find below the incidents we would like to get the information about, with particular questions we would greatly appreciate a response to:

Novi Sad

Flower Shop [...]142

On the evening of the mass protest in Novi Sad (17 February), the shop owner observed the protest from a location across the street from his shop, reporting that 300-400 youth were marching, screaming and chanting during the protest, and that there were around 30 policemen following them. The owner noticed a group of protesters smashing the windows of his shop, but allegedly the police failed to intervene. According to the correspondence Human Rights Watch received from the Novi Sad District Prosecutor, no criminal charges were brought in the context of this case by May 2008, nor were criminal charges brought as of May 2008 for other violent incidents in Novi Sad which took place during and in the immediate aftermath of the protest that night.

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would be grateful if you could comment on the allegation that the police failed to respond when protestors smashed windows, and indicate what police investigations took place into the incident.

Bakery [...]

This bakery was reportedly attacked on two different occasions. The first attack was during the night of the mass protest on February 17. Following the advice of the police, the owner decided to keep the business open. That evening, he saw a group of approximately 100 protesters passing his bakery during the protest. Some of them threw stones and bricks at his business, breaking the windows and glass inside. According to the victim, the police walked behind the protest and must have seen what was happening, but they did not respond.

Five days later (the night of February 22-23), a group of four men drove by and parked the car in front of his bakery. Again, they broke the windows and tried to set the bakery on fire. One of the neighbors called the police, who promptly arrived and extinguished the fire. For eight days after the second attack, policemen in civilian clothes maintained frequent patrols in the vicinity of the bakery. Petar Ladjevic, Director of the National Office of Human and Minority Rights, visited the bakery’s owner the day after the second attack, together with the local police commander.

Questions from Human Rights Watch

We would be grateful if you could comment on the allegation that the police failed to respond when protestors smashed windows, and indicate whether there has been an investigation opened in this case and whether any suspects have been identified or charged.

Zrenjanin

Bakery "Zlatni Klas", owner Cazim Hoxhaj

Cazim Hoxhaj is an owner of four bakeries in Zrenjanin, two of which were attacked in the aftermath of Kosovo’s declaration of independence. The first bakery that was attacked is called "Zlatni Klas" and is located in the center of the town. On February 18, at around 11 p.m., a young man threw stones at his bakery, breaking the windows and display glasses. The attack was filmed on a CCTV security camera installed in the shop, and the identity of the perpetrator is reportedly recognizable on the security tape. Mr. Hoxhaj understands that a minor may have been charged by the police with a misdemeanor for the attack on the "Zlatni Klas" bakery. A second bakery belonging to Mr. Hoxhaj was attacked on three separate occasions, each time at night with no witnesses. According to the owner, the police frequently patrolled the areas surrounding the bakeries after the attacks.

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would be grateful if you can indicate whether the police charged anyone for the attack on the "Zlatni Klas" bakery. We would also appreciate it if you can indicate whether the police are aware of the CCTV footage and if so, if they viewed the footage.

Novi Becej

Bakery "Plavi Jadran", owner Fatim Dacaj

The bakery was attacked three times: first on the night of 20-21 February, second on the night of 22-23 February, and the third on the night of 29 February-1 March. The police reportedly apprehended a young alleged perpetrator who is suspected of attempting to kick in the windows with his leg during the third attack. The victim was not aware of any charges or disciplinary measures against the perpetrator. During the second attack, a brick thrown at the glass window wounded the victim’s brother. For a couple of days after the first attack, the police kept a patrol car parked in front of the bakery. The second attack took place during the patrol’s shift rotation, just after the first police car departed and minutes before the second police car arrived. The shift rotation left the bakery unattended for only a few minutes.

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would be grateful if you can confirm that an alleged perpetrator was apprehend by the police at the bakery, and indicate whether other suspects have been identified and whether charges have been brought against anyone in the case.

Subotica

Bakery [...]

This bakery in the city center of Subotica was attacked on the night of February 17, during which some groups of individuals protested on the streets. The policemen stood in front of the property as the protesters passed. Despite the police presence, stones and rocks were thrown in the direction of the bakery, smashing the windows and the glass counter. The police present allegedly witnessed the acts but did not intervene.

After this incident, two uniformed police guarded the premise for the next five days. Reportedly, no further action followed to charge those who committed the violence with a criminal or misdemeanor offense. The owner spoke to the police on two separate occasions asking why they did not respond when witnessing the protesters damaging his shop. The answer he received was that the police had orders not to intervene when the attack amounts "only to material damage."

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would like to verify if there were orders not to intervene in cases of "only" material damage. We would also be grateful if you could comment on the allegation that the police failed to respond when protestors smashed windows, whether an investigation was opened in this case and whether any suspects have been identified or charged.

Kikinda

Bakery [...]

A demonstration took place in front of the owner’ house (he lives on the top floor of the house, where his bakery is located) on February 20, 2008. Around 300 elementary school students, accompanied by some teachers, stood in front of his home for around half an hour. Some of the children threw stones at his house, which smashed one of the windows. The police were there, but did not intervene when the stones were thrown. The police did, however, guard the house for a few days after the demonstration.

Questions from Human Rights Watch

We would like to verify that the police was present at the protest and would like to know why they did not intervene when stones have been thrown.

Kragujevac

Burek shop "Avala", owner Abdyl Murselji

The shop was stoned on the night of 19 February, resulting in minor material damages. He praised the police for providing him with adequate protection for a period of over two weeks after the attack took place. Reportedly, the police also informed him that he could apply for compensation from the municipality, even though this attack did not happen in the context of a protest.

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would like to know if there were any suspects/perpetrators identified and whether the victim has received the compensation.

Bakery [...]

The bakery was attacked twice during the night of February 17. The premise received protection from the police during the 10 days following these two attacks, which resulted in material damages of approximately EUR 100. According to the victim, the perpetrators of the attacks were never found, which worries him because he is concerned for the safety of his two small children.

Question from Human Rights Watch

We would like to know if there were any suspects/perpetrators identified.

Negotin

[...]

The [business premise] was attacked on the night of February 14-15. The owner was not there at the time of the attack, and he did not see the perpetrators. He initially dismissed the attack as the isolated action of a "hooligan" and repaired the damages himself the next day and did not follow up with the police or the municipality.

On February 17, around midnight, a few individuals ran by his place, throwing stones and bricks, which smashed the windows and scared customers, who left immediately. The police arrived on the scene and wrote a report. For the next few days, the police maintained a presence outside his business to protect it.

Reportedly, there was no further action by the police or the municipality with respect to the events described above. The victim heard rumors providing some indication of people who may have been involved in the attacks, which he passed along to the police. The victim is not aware of any further action taken by the police upon this information.

Questions from Human Rights Watch

We would like to confirm whether the police have received any indication from the victim (or others) of who was behind the attacks and whether any suspects/perpetrators have been identified.

Bor

[Two separate bakeries/ice cream shops]

These two adjacent bakeries/ice cream shops were attacked after February 17. One of the businessmen’s cars was also damaged when the perpetrators threw bottles, stones and bricks at it. The police responded to the attacks by dispatching frequent patrols to the area of one of the businesses and by physically guarding the premises during the period of two weeks that followed. The police informed one of the owners, who incurred material damage of around EUR 700 due to the attack, that he would "get the money back" without specifying who would be responsible for compensation. At the time of the interview, neither of the victims has received any compensation, and they are not aware of any further official actions related to the attacks against them.

Questions from Human Rights Watch

We would like to know whether any suspects/perpetrators of the above-mentioned attacks were identified and whether the victim(s) received compensation.

Thank you very much in advance for responding to our request. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information about our research.

Yours sincerely,

Wanda Troszczynska-van Genderen
Western Balkans Researcher
Human Rights Watch

Notes

142 The letters have been redacted to protect privacy of the victims, who requested to remain anonymous.

Appendix II: Human Rights Watch Letter to Mladen Kuribak, Head of the Uniformed Police Directorate, Ministry of Interior, Serbia, dated August 18, 2008

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/11.htm#_Toc212362297

Mladen Kuribak
Head of Uniform Police Directorate
Ministry of Interior
Serbia

Dear Mr. Kuribak,

Excuse another follow up question, but we would greatly appreciate if you could kindly inform us of any recent changes in the police structure and operations, which took place after the new government took charge. In particular, we wonder about:

Status of the efforts to ensure more ethnic diversity in the police service in Serbia, particularly in Vojvodina;

Status of the efforts to introduce the community policing model in Vojvodina.

This information would be tremendously useful for us to understand the operations of the police in Serbia and we intend to reflect this accordingly in our report.

Many thanks in advance for your response.

Best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Wanda Troszczynska-van Genderen
Western Balkans Researcher
Human Rights Watch

Appendix III: Reply letter from the Uniformed Police Directorate to Human Rights Watch, dated September 16, 2008

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/12.htm#_Toc212362298

The Republic of Serbia
Ministry of the Interior
Police Directorate
03/05 Ref. Number: 214-3520/08

16 September 2008

Belgrade

Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34 Floor
New York, NY 10118-3299, United States of America
FAO: Ms. Wanda Troszczynska van Genderen

Dear Ms. Troszczynska Van Genderen,

You have sent a letter to the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Internal Affairs requesting information concerning the events in the aftermath of the illegal proclamation of Kosovo’s independence when some commercial properties owned by Albanians and other minorities were damaged.

We will use this opportunity to point out that the Police in the Republic of Serbia are performing its duties with the aim to provide everybody with equal security and protection of rights and freedoms, to apply the law and support the rule of law.

In accordance with the above, the Police undertook necessary activities in order to protect all citizens and their property during public gatherings organized to express discontent with the unilateral and illegal proclamation of Kosovo independence.

Police officers performed their duties and in most cases prevented potential threats to citizens’ property, however, despite the measures undertaken, certain properties were damaged, some of them belonging to the minority communities.

In those cases where property was damaged the Police officers, in cooperation with prosecutor’s office, have undertaken steps and measures envisaged by the law in order to assess the situation, identify the perpetrators and file respective criminal reports.

In relation to those cases, a certain number of persons were caught in the act while damaging the property of other citizens and were arrested on the spot, and more persons were identified afterwards and criminal reports were filed against them with the relevant prosecutors.

Police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are continuing to apply measures envisaged by the law in order to identify remaining persons that participated in the activities related to the damaging of properties during public gatherings organized to express discontent with the unilateral and illegal proclamation of Kosovo’s independence.

Sincerely yours,

[signed]

Head of Administration
Police General
Mladen Kuribak

Appendix IV: Reply letter from the Uniformed Police Directorate to Human Rights Watch, dated September 16, 2008

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/13.htm#_Toc212362299

The Republic of Serbia
Ministry of the Interior
Police Directorate
Office of the Police Administration
03/05 Ref. Number: 112-3696/08

16 September 2008

Belgrade

Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34 Floor
New York, NY 10118-3299, United States of America
FAO: Ms Wanda Troszczynska van Genderen

Dear Ms. Troszczynska van Genderen,

The Office of Police Administration of the Serbian Ministry of Interior has received your fax with questions related to the activities undertaken by the Ministry in the field of community policing and with regard to increased representation of various ethnic communities in the police service.

In response to your questions, we would like to outline the activities undertaken by the Ministry of the Interior towards setting high standards of policing and their development across the whole territory of the Republic of Serbia.

The police force in the Republic of Serbia undertakes its activities under current legislation with the aim and in such a manner as to provide safety to each individual, protect his or her rights and freedoms, and ensure the rule of law. In this respect, in order to build trust, strengthen security partnerships, and solve security issues, the police force has initiated and sought to promote good relationships with citizens, to ensure efficient cooperation with other state offices and agencies, local communities, non-governmental organizations and other associations of citizens, including minority ethnic communities.

As part of the development of policing, the Ministry has implemented and undertaken a series of activities related to fostering communication and building trust between police and communities; setting up and developing mechanisms for crime prevention; and developing partnership models between the police and communities. A range of trainings, seminars, workshops, roundtable discussions and conferences in the field of contemporary policing standards, human rights, community policing, strategic management, analysis and problem-orientated policing have been held.

Citizens and community actors are informed of safety and security issues through public discussions and presentations focusing on the safety of students in schools, family violence, youth delinquency, drug-related safety issues and traffic safety. Citizens are informed through brochures, flyers, posters, etc. on a range of safety and security matters. Consultative meetings in local communities are held at all levels. Furthermore, door-to-door activities are also carried out, through which police officers directly communicate with citizens and thus foster their safety and security.

Advisory bodies are created at the level of local communities in order to involve all relevant actors in solving safety and security issues. Many local communities have advisory boards and councils for safety and security; traffic safety boards, addiction prevention boards, boards for the prevention of youth delinquency; safety-in-schools boards, etc. By cooperating with both teachers and students and in order to foster the safety of students and schools, police officers focus on crime prevention.

The police have developed a problem-orientated methodology that entails identifying and analyzing problems, undertaking appropriate measures focused on individuals, situations and local communities, and evaluating results and processes. From 2001 to 2008, in cooperation with the National Police Directorate of the Kingdom of Sweden, the following projects aimed at developing problem-oriented work have been implemented: JU-NO 1, at the police station Backa Palanka; JU-NO 2, with the police administration in Novi Sad; JU-NO 3 – all police administration offices in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina; and JU-NO 4 in all police administration offices in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Police work with marginalized groups, minorities and socially vulnerable groups is fostered through better communication and cooperation on increasing the safety and security of members of these groups. For instance, some police officers have been trained in sign language. In addition, significant activities have been undertaken to improve communication with representatives and members of the Roma community as well as encouraging members of this community to apply for vacancies within the police force.

Employment procedures are objective and non-discriminatory. When recruitment into the police force is advertised, all ethnic communities are informed. Representatives and members of all minority groups are contacted and informed about vacancy requirements in the languages of these minority groups and are encouraged to apply to work in the police force.

For example, when the call for applications for the first class of officers in the Centre for basic police training in Sremska Kamenica was announced, in addition to advertising in the languages of ethnic minorities (Hungarian, Albanian and other languages), members of the Ministry carried out an intensive recruitment campaign in multi-ethnic communities in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, as well as in the south of Serbia so as to encourage ethnic minorities to apply. Such activities resulted in a far more representative ethnic composition of the first class of recruits for basic training.

Furthermore, with the aim of ensuring greater representation of Albanians and Roma in the police force, in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, several successful training sessions were held for attendees from these communities, after which they were deployed to police stations in these municipalities.

It needs to be emphasized that the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia is committed to practices and strategic guidelines which will ensure efficient and sustainable reform of the police force, improved training of police officers, further professionalization of police activities and the adoption of contemporary policing standards.

We would like to use this opportunity to invite the respected international organization Human Rights Watch to offer its support to those activities of the Ministry that are aimed at ensuring greater ethnic and gender representation within the police force, and through such engagement in multi-ethnic areas in the Republic of Serbia, to encourage ethnic minorities, both male and female, to apply to work in the police force.

Sincerely yours,

[signed]

Head of Administration
Police General
Mladen Kuribak

Acknowledgements

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2008/serbia1108/14.htm#_Toc212362300

This report was researched and written by Wanda Troszczynska-van Genderen, researcher in the Europe and Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch. The report was edited by Benjamin Ward, associate director in the Europe and Central Asia Division. Clive Baldwin, senior legal advisor provided legal review, and Andrew Mawson, deputy program director, provided program review. Veronika Szente Goldston, Europe and Central Asia Division advocacy director reviewed and provided comments on the summary and recommendations. Laurie Ball, Emina Redzic, Kreshnik Zhega and Helene Blary, interns in the Europe and Central Asia Division, helped to conduct follow-up research with various individuals in Serbia. Production assistance was provided by Iwona Zielinska, associate in the Europe and Central Asia Division. Anna Lopriore coordinated photo preparation; Grace Choi and Fitzroy Hepkins prepared the report for publication.

Human Rights Watch is grateful to all those who provided information for this report, particularly members of ethnic and religious minorities who were the victims of attacks, representatives of NGOs, independent journalists, government officials, international community representatives, and members of the Serbian police and justice departments.

Human Rights Watch also acknowledges the generous support of the Phyllida and Glenn Earle Foundation.

Note
Picture: Sanjak belongs to Bosnia.
A map illustrating the perfidious anti-Islamic plans of the Serbian racist regime: Sandjak was permeptorily divided into two parts (one belonging to Serbia and the other to Montenegro) in order to avert the local majority of Bosnians’ desire and effort to achieve independence and merge with their national motherland.
From: http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=11511477