Monday 18 February 2008

Kosova - no lessons learnt

TFF (Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research) carries an interesting collection of pieces about Kosova and its newly-declared independence here.

In deeply pessimistic mood, editor Jan Oberg concludes:

It is the EU, the US and the UN that has failed since 1990. At least as much as the Serbs. The formula of archtype human folly and conflict illiteracy applies: “The winners take it all - the loser shall be humiliated. To hell with mutual understanding, reconciliation and fairness. We’ve done it to foes around the world for cventuries, to the Russians since 1989 with such excellent results - and now we do it with the Serbs.”

The unavoidable result of Sunday February 17, 2008, then? The beginning of a new round of conflict and violence for future generations to suffer from.

When will they ever learn?