STRUGGLE BETWEEN TRUNCHEONS AND TRUMPETS

Interethnic Relations in Macedonia

AIM Skopje, 23 October, 1997

Interethnic relations in Macedonia, primarily those between the Macedonians and the Albanians, apart from being still the omni-present topic in the domestic public, seems to be increasingly complicated, leading Macedonian analysts into "blind alleys" walled in by impenetrable walls behind which "Pandora's empire" already seen in the neighbourhood is believed to be. The main reason for this confustion of analysts seems to be not their lack of knowledge or limited imagination, but simple fact that the developments are following each other with amazing speed which is slowly but surely approaching the sphere of adventurism.

The latest round of conflicts which has started on 9 July this year in Gostivar with the murder of three Albanians by special units of Macedonian police, which continued with a severe sentence of Gostivar mayor to almost 14 years in jail and of his colleague from Tetovo to two and a half years, led to red-hot tensions among the Albanian public in Macedonia, and at the same time to great estrangement in interethnic communication. The interruption in communication between the two ethnic communities contributed the most to raising of impenetrable walls in the mentioned "blind alleys", which dirctly feed prejudices which are one of the main reasons for numerous conflicts of ethnic origin.

Severe "Macedonian punishment" extremely irritated the Albanians regardless of whether they are in favour or not of the policy and actions of the men sentenced to these inadequately high sentences which simply caused a sense of bitterness, but especially because of the way in which the trials were conducted. The whole time, from the beginning of the latest "round" of conflicts, the question "what the reaction of the Albanians will be" hovered in the air. Leaders of the opposition party of the Albanians, the Democratic Party of the Albanians (DPA) announced several activities through which they would express revolt because of reactions of the authorities against aspirations for hoisting the national flag, such as withdrawing deputies from the Republican parliament, withdrawing all their men from local authorities and demonstrations in the country and in the world.

For the time being, these steps have not been taken, partly because of the fact that the mentioned sentences have not become final yet, but probably also due to the assessment that the benefit would be smaller than risk. However, this party has nevertheless made the first step which makes it clear that the inadequate attitude of the authorities towards the policy of this party would not be left unanswered. In the organization of this party, a big panel discussion was held in Tetovo, which was titled: "The Albanian Issue in Macedonia". Known Albanian intellectuals from Macedonia and Kosovo whose viewpoints on this issue are almost identical participated in the discussion. Although the topic were problems of the Albanians who live in different states of the Balknas, Albania inclusive, and especially its attitude towards the Albanians who live outside its borders, the question of the Albanians living in Macedonia attracted the greatest attention, or rather the dilemma about the direction the Albanians in this Republic should take in the future. One of the speakers at the discussion described the situation by saying that the main dilemma of the Albanians in Macedonia which ranges between the demand that the country becomes a federation and that the Albanians participate in creation of the joint state of Macedonia, was the result of the repressive attitude of the Macedonian authorities towards the Albanians. At the same time, the opinion could be heard that participation of the Albanains in the authorities "slowed down" realization of the idea about the federation, which was an indirect accusation of the other party of the Albanians - Party of Democratic Prosperity (PDP) which participates in the coalition government with Macedonian parties, for troubles and misfortunes experienced by the Albanians in Macedonia.

The main speaker at the discussion was, with no doubt, the leaders of the DPA, Arben Xhaferi, until recently a deputy in the parliament of the Republic of Macedonia who was excommunicated from that same parliament by its decision due to his "unjustified" absence of more than six months (that is how his explanation that he wished to express his political will by the absence was characterized). The leader of the DPA repeated on this occasion his known thesis that a historic agreement between the Albanians amd the Macedonians would be the best way to resolve interethnic crisis. On the other hand, he also expressed discontent with the attitude of the international community towards the Albanians in Macedonia who were not "awarded" as expected for cooperativeness in the process in which Macedonia won its independence, stressing that the Albanians would not agree to a second-rate status regardless of whose interest it might be.

This discussion organized by the Democratic Party of the Albanians soon met with an "adequate treatment" in the Macedonian public, which qualified it as a call for secession of a part of the country. Ideas expressed at the Tetovo panel discussion were defined as "intimidating provocation to stability of Macedonia", with a simultaneous appeal to the state to find strength to oppose "explicitly secessionist ideas".

What the reaction, that is the response of the state will be remains to be seen, but one should be reminded that similar appeals from a part of the public had appeared before the tragic events in Gostivar, when it was demanded that the Albanian flag be taken down.

The conclusion which imposes itself is that the struggle continues between the Macedonian authorities represented by the police, that is the truncheons, and the Albanians who can do nothing but blow their trumpets hoping that someone will hear their voices, but also that their message will be correctly understood. Although the message itself is not very clear, it is obvious that it is a reflection of the revolt, although the dimension of pre-election marketing should not be eliminated altogehter, since parliamentary elections are apporoaching. It should be said that if this was just part of the election campaign it would be a more harmless variant in comparison with the possibility that it is a new wave of authentic revolt which would not be pacified by an election victory.

AIM Skopje

IBRAHIM MEHMETI