The region of Kosovo seems to have fallen out of the international media conversation. It has lost the sexiness it had in the 90’s. Yet thousands of troops and international workers are there, not to mention the Kosovars themselves. But what can the future hold for them?
To discuss this and related themes, I went to visit Vlidi at his home in Belgrade. He has been to Kosovo several times for different reasons, and has much to say about what is going on there.
We discuss:
– His visits to Kosovo in 04 and 05
– The interviews he conducted there.
– Background, why has all this happenned in Kosovo
– The territory during Yugoslavia
– Population, politics, and quality of life
– The economic significance of Kosovo
– Dependency
– Lessons not learned
– Drawing Borders to Remove Borders
– Meaning for Serbia
When we talk about European history, the conversation is usually focused on things that took place in the early 20th century… world war I, world war II… and the decades immediately after. But one decade that had a great effect on the Balkan region happenned much more recently… in the 90’s. In this program I speak with Tom, who is part of MAMA- Cyberculture Institute, here in Zagreb. Together we discuss:
– The end of Yugoslavia, the independence of Slovenia and Croatia
– Milosevic
– Living in Croatia during the war, things you see in daily life
– The rise and cause of nationalism.
– The problems of the post war 90’s
– The big change from 99 to 2000
– A strange music phenomenon that cuts across many countries of the former Yugoslavia
– Thoughts, Concerns, and Hopes for the future.
It would be nice to just continue to describe these days in Italy. And the plan to head to Slovenia tomorrow evening. But while I stroll and take photos, things are taking a terrible turn in Lebanon.
At a little café here in Verona, we stopped to get lunch, and I flipped through the local newspaper. Right there on the front page: ITALIAN SOLDIERS STATIONED IN LEBANON PREPARE FOR THE WORST. With a subtext about the build up to a civil war.
I’m not going to sit here and predict or expound upon the coming or not-coming of a civil war. I’d rather just say I hope it is not so. I hope it does not happen. But then again, when your country has been bombed into the stone age just recently, after having been bombed into the bronze age only years ago, then conditions are not exactly perfect for maintaining calm and fostering prosperity.
This comes as I noticed last night that the UN released a report siting numerous human rights violations by the Israeli military during their invasion of the country. Not that we needed a report, usually when you invade a country you’re already violating quite a few rights.
My authority on all things Lebanon has long been Chris Albritton, the original blog journalist, in my eyes. But I’ll also keep an eye on my dear friends at This Is Beirut, hopefully proper information can be put forth while a civil war will NOT happen. Hopefully.
It was early July and she was invited to a camp in southern Lebanon. A very special camp. Many nations, cultures, religions, all gathered to work for one common goal. This is my friend Elise’s story of being at the camp as the bombs began to rain down on Lebanon.
