SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement

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The SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement (Albanian: Lëvizja Vetëvendosje!) is a community of people who refuse to be subdued and aim to achieve the right for self-determination for the people of Kosovo. The origin of the ‘SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement’ lies in KAN’s (Kosovo Action Network) activities and actions which were seeking to establish an active citizenry in Kosovo dedicated to the promotion of universal values in the field of human rights, equality and social justice.

1 Kosovo Action Network
2 KAN support for the war victim families
3 Citizenship demands
4 KAN to oppose the Serbian leaders
5 Decentalization of Kosovo
6 Self-determination requests
7 External links

[edit] Kosovo Action Network

KAN was established in 1997 by a group of international activists lead by American writer Alice Mead (Alice W. James). Initially, its goal was to support a citizens’ initiative struggling against the suppression and dictatorship of Serbia in Kosovo, such as the support of Student Independent Union in the University of Prishtina (SIUUP) and nonviolent protests to regain the occupied university premises. Later, it continued with the documentation of the crimes committed during the war. KAN reached its highest peak during 1999 and 2000 with A-PAL (Albanian Prisoner Advocacy List) to free the war prisoners. In June 2003, it was decided that KAN should have its headquarters within Kosovo and establish a network throughout Kosovo. Ever since, KAN has built a sustainable network of activists Kosovo wide and has organized many activities to empower individuals and establish a dynamic and representative society here.

[edit] KAN support for the war victim families

KAN has organized a petition and collected 236,311 signatures to support a campaign in order to shed light on the cases of kidnapped people in Kosovo. Additionally, it struggled to bring attention to the already ignored families of the missing with civil disobedience (by the refusal to pay taxes and public services) starting from 31 March 2004. They have also blocked streets and crossroads, placed the photos of the missing in the fences around the Kosovo Government Building, and published the names of the people responsible for killings and massacres in Krushë e Vogël, Gjakova and Reçak. All the above-mentioned activities were carried out in cooperation with the families of the missing.

KAN jointly with the organization “Thirrjet e Nënave (Mothers’ Appeals) from Gjakova, “26 March 1999” from Krusha e Vogël and the families of the missing from Reçak has placed three sheets 20m x 4m on the buildings near UNMIK premises. The first sheet contained the written names of the 56 people who were recognized and accused by the families of the victims for the murders and kidnapping of 112 inhabitants of the village Krusha e Vogël. The second sheet contained the names of 35 people who were accused by the families of the victims of the murders of 750 inhabitants and kidnapping of 680 others who are still missing in the municipality of Gjakova. In the third sheet, they wrote the names of the 20 people who are accused by the families of the victims of Reçak for the killing and the massacres of 42 civilians in the village of Reçak. KAN attempted to organize other activities, such as the second part of the campaign “We all miss them” in support of the “Thirrjet e Nënave” (Mothers’ Appeals). Consequently, they have placed in ten billboards and ten “city-lights” of the capital Priština, the names of all the missing persons in Kosovo, regardless of their ethnic and/or religious background.

[edit] Citizenship demands

On 10 June 2004, on the 5th anniversary of the Resolution 1244, around 1000 people gathered around the UNMIK premises. With music, showing red cards and whistling toward UNMIK they protested against the Resolution 1244. They declared themselves Citizens and Activists. (Kosovars are considered as residents or inhabitants, a status equal to a refugee status!). They read the Citizens Declaration and promised to fight the antidemocratic regime of UNMIK. (This protest presents the conceptual foundation of the SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement.) Later, there was an organized tour in Kosovo: the protesters projected phrases and slogans against the UNMIK regime on the walls of UNMIK (buildings), local government and public buildings.

[edit] KAN to oppose the Serbian leaders

Soon after, KAN’s activists (have) twice surrounded the UNMIK building with a yellow tape saying “Crime scene – Do not cross”. On 13 February 2005 they threw rotten eggs at the President of Serbia, Boris Tadić. The same activity was carried out against Vuk Drašković, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro, on 27 June 2005 during his visit to Priština.

[edit] Decentalization of Kosovo

KAN has opposed the decentralization of Kosovo, organizing protests in Gjilan, Dardana, Mitrovica (threatened areas) and Priština. They burned the letters of the word “Decentralization” made out of wood, because they believe that this process will lead to the partition of Kosovo, if it is initiated before they achieve an independent and sovereign Kosovo.

[edit] Self-determination requests

On 12 June 2005, on the walls surrounding UNMIK’s premises, they wrote the slogans “NO NEGOTIATIONS, SELF-DETERMINATION!”, leading to the development of KAN into the ‘SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement’. The writing of slogans has continued in almost all of the towns and villages of Kosovo. During these activities, the Kosovo Police Service in co-operation with the International Police have arrested 130 activists of the ‘SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement’ and some of them were imprisoned, sentenced or fined.

At present, the ‘SELF-DETERMINATION! Movement’ has expanded its activity in more areas and towns across Kosovo. It includes hundreds of activists and thousands of supporters attempting to mobilize and organize the population of Kosovo in its mission to accomplish and implement the right for SELF-DETERMINATION. We are truly committed and will be totally engaged until the realization of (the) self-determination for the people of Kosovo.