The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE Americans want Bangladesh to recognise the independence of Kosovo which has been recognised as an independent country by the United States and most of the West European countries. One may recall that Kosovo's Muslim people were targeted for worst savageries and genocide witnessed since the Second World War by the Serbs. The predominantly Muslim people of Kosovo who are also ethnically distinct from the Serbs, were never gladly a part of erstwhile Yugoslavia. They were kept in servitude and bondage by the unceasing use of brute force.

There was widespread restlessness among Muslim peoples who asserted their freedom since the nineties and this led to the emergence of independent states out of the erstwhile Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. But the demand for independence by the Kosovo's Muslims was responded with genocide by forces from Belgrade. The nature of this genocide was no less in savagery than the Nazi genocide of the Jews during World War II. Only after military intervention in Kosovo by NATO forces led by US, this genocide was stopped and the remaining Muslims there saved. The NATO forces since then have been protecting Kosovo from takeover and probable resumption of genocide there again.

Bangladesh should recognise Kosovo as an independent entity and establish relationships with it. As a major Muslim country its move in this direction would encourage other Muslim countries to follow the example. There is little scope of taking recognition of the independence of Kosovo as enmity towards any other state. According recognition would be doing the right thing under the principles of the right of self-determination of a people. This principle is now universally upheld by all including the United Nations. Indeed, Bangladesh owes its own birth and subsequent recognition of its sovereign status by the international community, based on this principle.