Balkans: March 21, 2004

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The fighting in Kosovo has killed 28, and injured over 600 so far. Most of the casualties have been Serbs, as Albanian nationalists have acted on their calls for driving all non-Albanians from Kosovo. Over a hundred homes and 16 churches have also been destroyed. Only about five percent of the Kosovo population is Serb. It used to twenty percent, but since the 1999 NATO take over of the area, Albanians have driven most of the Serbs out. The only Serbs left are a pretty die hard bunch, and it will take more than threats and low level violence to get them out. The remaining Serbs are also aware that this is the fifth ethnic cleansing of Kosovo in the last century (Serbs run out before 1912, Albanians between 1919-1941, Serbs again in 1941-45, Albanians in 1999 and now the Serbs again). Serbia threatens to invade, because NATO troops have not been willing, or able, to protect Serbs in Kosovo. 

 

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