Zivadin Jovanovic President of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals

THERE ARE NO HUMANITARIAN WARS

The World of today is undergoing profound changes from uni-polar to multi-polar order. Faced with the growing financial, economic and social crisis the developed part of the world is trying to overcome the consequences by trying to redirect the burden of crises to the rest of the world. International economic, trade and financial institutions, still under domination of the West, serve to this goal. At the same time, blatant interference in internal affairs of other countries, imposed internal conflicts, fragmentation of sovereign countries by force, aggressions and threats of new aggressions have become the (dis)order of the day. Universal world organization - United Nations, particularly Security Council, is being more and more ignored, abused, or bypassed while. At the same time, minority of the world countries and their regional economic and military organizations have proclaimed themselves to be - “international community”.

Military interventions and aggressions during the last two decades do certainly differ among themselves from one country to the other. Yet, most of them if not all, have much in common, beginning from destruction of SFR of Yugoslavia (1991-1995) to the NATO intervention in Libya 2011. First, all of them have been conducted by the governments of the most developed countries of the West with the leading role of USA (NATO).

Second, common official justification has been – apparent protection of human rights of national, regional, or religious communities jeopardized by apparent dictatorial regimes. Thus, the doctrine of “humanitarian interventions” has been introduced by USA William Clinton’s administration.

Third, real decision-making power on all interventions has always been in the hands of USA. NATO has served as framework to involve European allies and, possibly, PFP, mainly to convince American public that USA is not acting alone, as well as to secure military manpower and share the cost of the interventions.

Fourth, USA/NATO military interventions have always been preceded by staged diplomatic efforts aimed at convincing the public that military interventions are the opnly real means to achieve “humanitarian objectives”. Some dramatic events, such as “massacre of civilians”, or “atrocities” (Markale - Bosnia; Rachak – Kosovo) have served as triggering for the beginning aggression, without approval of UN SC. Aggression on Iraq (2003) and subsequent occupation of that country were based on false accusation of possession of armaments for massive destruction.

Fifth, NATO/USA military interventions, are always followed by imposing puppet regimes, USA military bases, shock reforms and privatizations (being mainly mere form for handing over all major economic and natural resources to multinational companies from the aggressors’ countries).

Sixth, all USA/ NATO aggressions and occupations while justified by apparent protection of human rights (lives) of civilians, in fact have caused enormous human losses, including deaths of children, women, elderly people, distraction of schools, hospitals, historical monuments. What to say about “humanitarian” effects of missiles with depleted uranium causing deaths and deformations with newly born babies many years after military aggressions.

Seventh, USA/NATO military aggressions are preceded and accompanied by destructive war propaganda directed by imperialist power centers, based mainly in USA, Great Britain and Germany. Essential goal of USA propaganda is to keep American people in the belief that USA has a civilizing mission entrusted to it by Almighty God to spread democracy and wellbeing throughout the Planet by all means, including wars. Such ideology could hardly be termed otherwise than imperialist and fundamentalist.

The concept of “humanitarian intervention” was first tested 1938, when Hitler, with consent of Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier occupied Sudeten Region of Czechoslovakia. The pretext was – protection of human rights of German national minority living there. Sixty years later USA led NATO aggression against Serbia (FR Yugoslavia) in order to, apparently protect human rights of the Albanian national minority in the Serbian Province of Kosovo and Metohija. This aggression, too, resulted in occupation of territory of Serbia which continues today, 13 years after. Let me recall, that this criminal act violated the UN Charter, OSCE Helsinki Final Document, all basic principles of the international law.

It was also contrary not only to NATO founding Act, but also contrary to the constitutions of almost all NATO member countries. During 78 days of aggression more than 3.500 people were killed, more than 10.000 wounded, two thirds of whom were civilians. Even today, 13 years after, people continue to die from the consequences of depleted uranium and other non-permissible armaments used by aggressors. Material damage caused to Serbia (FRY) by NATO aggression is estimated by over 100 billion of US dollars.

NATO and USA have abused UN to occupy and steel the whole Province from Serbia. They are responsible for the purge of about 250.000 of Serbs and other non-Albanians from their. Even today they are not allowed to return safely to their ancestral homes in Kosovo and Metohija. While the Provence remains under occupation, 150 medieval Serbian monasteries and churches have been destroyed by Albanian terrorists. Some of those cultural monuments have been under UNESCO auspices. Over 1.300 Serbs have been abducted, or killed. Even today Serbs are being killed in the Province. No culprits for either of those crimes have been condemned, or taken to prison. Investigation on human organ trafficking initiated three years ago by Swiss MP Dick Marty and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has been thwarted by aggressors. Instead, Leading members of NATO have recognized unilateral illegal secession of the Province in 2008, ignoring the UN SC resolution 1244(1999) which is guarantying sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia. They have resolved nothing, nor did they ever want to help any people there - be it Albanians, Serbs, Roma, or others. They provide protection only to leaders in Prishtina, former commanders of the terrorist UCK/KLA, including those implied in human organ trafficking and ring bosses of organized crimes. No, wonder. In return they get complete abeyance and cooperation for prolonged occupation of strategically important part of Serbia and the Balkans.

Deployment of American troops, establishment of military bases, effective control of the crossroads towards Russia, Caspian oil and gas reserves, Middle East and Central Asia – is not supposed to have price, moral or legal restraint!

After 2001 opening of the first USA military base “Bondstil” in Kosovo and Metohija, three new military bases in Bulgaria, three in Romania, others in Hungary, Check Republic, Poland, Baltic Republics have followed. Anti-ballistic system has also been deployed close to the borders of Russia. Similar systems have been envisaged in central Asia and Gulf region.

Experience from NATO 1999 aggression against Serbia (FRY), which has been serving as precedent for other aggressions which followed, confirms that there are no “humanitarian wars”, but only wars of conquest, wars for imperial domination and occupation. NATO 1999 aggression against Serbia (FRY) was not “humanitarian” but imperial war.. So have been wars in Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), and Libya (2011).

Blatant foreign interference in the current conflict in Syria, arming of insurgents and threats by foreign military intervention, collaboration with terrorists is well known imperial method. Expanding and oiling the fire of internal conflict to justify foreign military intervention should be stopped forthwith and Syrian people let decide freely and peacefully on their socio-political system and their future. There is no democracy and progress promoted by arming opposition and terrorist, the least by threats of bombers, tanks and rockets. NATO is relict of the cold era. It has no justification for further existence. Therefore it should be disbanded. Statements of the new Serbian leadership elected at May 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections, reaffirming status of military neutrality, is in line with the sentiments of about 75% of citizens of the country who are against membership in NATO.

Our Planet is not in need for military blocks, foreign military bases and armament, but in need for freedom, economic, social and cultural progress.

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