Writer missed the point

February 27, 2008

Dear Sir,

Thank you for allowing me space to reply to the letter from Mr. Rick Woolridge in which he sympathises with Albanians from Kosovo and their illegal declaration of independence. He clearly has a political agenda, even though he begins his letter stating otherwise.

Unfortunately Mr. Woolridge only received one side of the story from the Albanian refugees. He has formed his biased opinion solely on a sob story without presenting any tangible proof rendering it to be based on nothing more than emotion. I say this because these people were obviously seeking asylum, and asylum seekers are often forced to at least embellish to be successful. Mr. Woolridge completely misses the point and reason for the Serbian Army going into Kosovo in the first place. People need to learn the history of the region prior to 1999.

Prior to the Serb army going into Kosovo, the Albanian majority were committing these types of atrocities against the Serbian minority. This fact always gets conveniently overlooked! Yes, the Serbs were beaten, raped and killed, their homes, churches and monasteries were burned and destroyed by the Albanian Muslim majority, and they had to flee further north in Serbia. This was going on since the 1960s when Serbs started leaving Kosovo en masse, to the point where in the early 1980s the communist Government of Jugoslavia forbade Serbs to leave Kosovo and sent some of them back.

Nor will the Albanians tell you how they suffered for decades in communist Albania which had some of the tightest borders in the world (draw a parallel to Cuba), and when the criminals and outcasts of the totalitarian regime of Albania inexplicably managed to escape their own country in the 1940s and 1950s, they were welcomed with open arms into southern Serbia. They were given land and shelter by the Jugoslav communist Government (Yes, given) so they could escape to a better life. Then eventually they outnumber, and want to subsequently rape, pillage, control, oppress and murder the Serb population!

In the late 1990s a Kosovar Albanian serving his compulsory military duty killed his Serbian fellow personnel. When this was being investigated by the Serbian army they discovered that mid to high level army personnel had stolen and hidden weapons, and planned to rebel. So they were court-martialed, which is what started the unrest by Albanian rebels (car bombings, burning monasteries, and executions). Serb forces intervened to protect their own, just as any protective Government would do.

The Kosovars have been offered full autonomy by Serbia, but they greedily want to steal the land (15 percent of the country). How would you like it if someone decided that since they are a majority and occupy 15 percent of your land, they are entitled to take it for their own? The unilateral independence decision by the Albanians is illegal and unacceptable, it violates UN resolution 1244 on Kosovo which clearly states that Kosovo is recognised as a part of Serbia, not as an independent state.

Only 20 of 192 countries in the UN have recognised an independent Kosovo. In fact, countries which represent the majority of the world's population have not recognised it (India, China, Russia, Argentina, Spain, Canada – to name just a few). Recognition of this false state will only embolden secessionist groups worldwide. There are already talks in Northern Kosovo about succeeding and joining Serbia. This would destabilise what's left! The Serbs in Republika Srbska are talking now in Banja Luka of splitting from Bosnia to join Serbia.

Think of the impact this will have for Spain (the Basques), Nepal, Chechnya, Taiwan, the Palestinians, India (Kashmir) and Canada (Quebec) – the list is almost endless!

Imagine that Palestinians in Jerusalem declare their independence and take Jerusalem for themselves, and then this unilateral decision is supported by world powers. There would be more than just riots and demonstrations, there would be all out war from Israel. This is exactly what Kosovo is to Serbs, it is their Jerusalem.

Kosovo is the cradle of Serbian Orthodoxy and has been for centuries. In fact, on June 15, 1389 at the battle of Kosovo it was King Lazar of the Serbs who defended their country at Kosovo Field and attempted to fight off the invading Ottoman (Turkish) Empire with a Christian Army. The Serbian forces lost decisively to the Turkish forces (and King Lazar was beheaded after the battle by Murad I). But after that, at the end of the day's battle, it was Serb hero Milos Obilic who assassinated Sultan Murad I at Kosovo Field (whose body still lies entombed there). I tell this short bit of history to demonstrate that Kosovo was part of Orthodox Serbia at the time of the battle of Kosovo in 1389 and before (documented history as far back as the early seventh century). Since then, apart from a brief period in the Second World War, it has been a part of Serbia.

Since the NATO occupation of Kosovo in 1999, Albanians have burned and bombed more than 180 Orthodox churches and monasteries that were built between the 11th and 20th Centuries. (visit http://www.kosovo.net/sk/crucified/default.htm).

NATO's mandate is that of peacekeeper and protector. Hence, it can be argued that they illegally entered Kosovo and bombed Serbia as they were the aggressor and attacked a sovereign nation based on faulty intelligence (no mass graves were ever found which was part of the justification for the bombing campaign). Many Governments and scholars will agree with this point – contrary to the propaganda western Governments and media will try to feed to you.

Many westerners are so focused on the Albanians they forget that NATO killed many innocents (approximately 2,000) during the 78 days of bombing. A column of Serb refugees fleeing to Greece was subject to air attack and they were killed, they bombed the hospital in Surdulica on May 3, t 1999, killing 25, the US even bombed the Chinese Embassy, and claimed it was a mistake because they were aiming at another target! I have been there, seen it in New Belgrade, and can report that it is an out of the way location, and a target you have to be aiming at to hit! So Mr. Woolridge, next time you can give them your best wishes and regards, and even give them your own country, but don't be so presumptuous as to give them someone else's. Kosovo IS Serbia!

STEVEN FOX

New York City

Treat us fairly

February 28, 2008

Dear Sir,

I am humbly writing this letter to the management and staff of Digicel, with my concern on charges of sending an International SMS. I have been using my Digicel phone for 14 months and I am on a plan of unlimited text and on sending an International SMS before I had no charges.

I received my bill last January and I had extra charges of $25.50 for sending International SMS, a friend of mine also had extra charges of $225.50 only for sending International SMS. It is not fair for us to get charged without our consent, as Digicel didn't send us a notice or letter that they will start on charging us for International SMS.

And, I got a letter/ notice from them about upgrading their billing system, and stated that they will give us 20 days grace period to pay our bill but after 20 days of not paying they will automatically deactivated our account. They are upgrading their billing system, but what they also need to do is to upgrade their quality of service. They should treat us fairly, as we are their business.

POSTPAID

Smith's