EX-YUGOSLAVIA

"Treaty" is a Farce

Article from JLO # 6 (Nov./Dec./95)

The Balkans War was the longest and most bloody one in Europe since the World War II. According to official sources, in its past four and a half years of conflict were reported officially 250,000 dead and 2 millions of refugees. Since the beginning, UN and NATO took their position in defence of Bosnia and Croatia against Serbs. The position of imperialist agencies, instead of "defending peace", was to promote the breakup of Yugoslavian Workers’ State. The separatist trends impelled the dismemberment of ancient Yugoslavia, that could be best recolonised in fragments by the imperialist vultures who made use of the local nationalists for setting each republic against another.

So, they were against the plan of Serbian bureaucrats for building "the Grand Serbia" that would centralise several regions of former Yugoslavia now under the Serbian dominion. At the same time, the "peace forces" was interested in continuation of war so that they could restore the capitalism in the region since the ruins of the Workers’ State.

But the mere fragmentation of ancient Workers’ State did not solves the problem of sharing, and it reached an impasse, Who would command it? The several segments of world-wide bourgeoisie interested in Balkans territory — fertile, and rich in oil and other energetic minerals — would bet on distinct belligerent republics: Germany used to give financial and military aid to Croatia; Russia used to claim Serbia, opposing until end of October that Washington or NATO (what it results in the same thing!) to would command the "peace forces"; France and England used to support Bosnian.

Clinton would know that, differently of Somalia and Haiti, a wrong foot in a war placed in the heart of Europe and that would involved the interests of several world powers was a very great risk unless he could double the resistance of some his partners, especially the Russia, without what it would be almost impossible to treaty with Serbia. On November, Yeltsin, herded by Russian economic and political crisis, that can lead the Stalinists to win elections in December, resorts more and more to the support of foreign financial capital in order to continue with capitalistic revival. He is obliged to accept the "Clintonian" peace terms, making his soldiers directly subordinate to USA command.

Other factor that contributed to dissuade the European powers from disobeying to Washington orders was the very bad repercussion of some casualties in inland of their countries, when more 350 "blue helmets" were taken hostage by Serbian rebels and other counterattacks that finally resulted in three years of intervention in conflict with consequent casualties of 210 UN soldiers. The situation reached such a point of the UN General Secretary Boutros Ghali (Brazilian newspaper, Folha de São Paulo, 12 July) has considered it "an impossible mission".

While in the United States, Clinton would tried to convince Republican Congress that the Dayton Meeting "is the best opportunity to peace since the beginning of the Balkans conflict... It only can be successful if the United States go on leading the peace process. The American leadership is a actual responsibility, but it assume still greater profits" (Brazilian newspaper, Gazeta Mercantil, 1 November).

The World Bank announced that Bosnia would be rebuild per 5 billions of dollars, with fairly backing from three sponsors: USA, European Economic Community and international community. Clinton bets on a kind of Marshal Plan (program carried out in 1946 by the United States for recovery European capitalistic states and on which obtained his political influence and economic hegemony over them) for Bosnia, converting the "pacification" process into a "profitable business" for USA, that undertook the capitalistic restoration in Balkans, surpassing the competition of European capitalists above the ancient worker former states from Eastern Europe. This manoeuvre may bring in Clinton a re-election, if he obtain the awaited "still greater profits", or the overwhelming defeat of the imperialism, if the Serbian resistance hinder the American purposes. This intervention justifies the slogan of American pro-intervention campaign disseminated by White House assessor, "Neither Vietnam nor Somalia" (Folha de São Paulo, 23 January).

In view of this new conjuncture, there is only one way out capable of preventing the aggravation of the imperialist pillage over Balkan people: the military defence of Serbs-Bosnian confined by clash troops of world-wide bourgeoisie. To revolutionaries, there is only one way out for Balkan war, for the massacre of Serbs-Bosnian by USA, NATO and Moslem-Croats front that play the part of agent of capitalistic recovery in Balkan Peninsula is an overthrown for all worker from all over the world. The triumph of Serbs from Bosnia against the imperialist intervention in Balkans is a defeat for the world bourgeoisie and a victory for the international worker class.

In addition to above-mentioned tasks, it is necessary to build a Trotskyist party in Balkans, so that we can combat to the capitalistic restoration and unify again all Balkan people against the capitalistic pillage and nationalist caudillos and for rebuild Yugoslavian Workers’ State. NATO and American army out of all Balkans!