A verdade é?

No Público: Julgamento de Slobodan Milosevic aproxima-se de fase decisiva

"Os incidentes em Racak mereceram diversas interpretações. O então chefe da missão de verificação da OSCE, o norte-americano William Walker, deslocou-se de imediato ao local e perante os corpos amontoados denunciou perante os "media" um "massacre de civis albaneses, inocentes e desarmados, pela polícia sérvia".

Como recordou recentemente o semanário de Belgrado "Danas", estas declarações, acompanhadas pelas imagens de corpos mutilados e a campanha mediática que se seguiu, precipitaram os bombardeamentos à então Jugoslávia (Sérvia e Montenegro) pela NATO. Belgrado sempre definiu os acontecimentos de Racak como uma "armadilha" e garantiu que não ocorreu qualquer massacre de civis albaneses, mas antes confrontos entre a polícia sérvia e um grupo de combatentes do UÇK. Os corpos dos albaneses teriam sido transportados depois dos confrontos e colocados de forma a simular um massacre.

E enquanto os acontecimentos de Racak permanecem envoltos em mistério, também se aguarda na Sérvia, e há vários anos, pela divulgação dos dados oficiais sobre o número efectivo de cidadãos sérvios e de vítimas albanesas mortos nos conflitos ex-jugoslavos. "

Uma intervenção militar externa (num assunto interno dos Balcãs) que ia durar uns meses, passou a anos de ocupação e um fim que ainda não se vislumbra, mas que no Kosovo aponta para o separatismo dos muçulmanos albaneses num território que foi sempre sérvio. O "terrorismo" neste caso, parece ter sido premiado ou não tivesse o nome de "freedom fighters".

E já agora quais são de facto "os dados oficiais sobre o número efectivo de cidadãos sérvios e de vítimas albanesas mortos nos conflitos ex-jugoslavos"?

No ChroniclesMagazine temos numa referência à morte de WARREN ZIMMERMANN (1934-2004): A DIPLOMAT WITH BLOOD ON HIS HANDS, by Srdja Trifkovic, o nome de Cutileiro:

Zimmermann’s torpedoing of the EU Lisbon formula in 1992 started a trend that frustrated the Europeans, but they were helpless.

Cutileiro was embittered by the US action and accused Izetbegovic of reneging on the agreement. Had the Muslims not done so, he recalled in 1995, “the Bosnian question might have been settled earlier, with less loss of life and land.” Cutileiro also noted that the decision to renege on the signed agreement was not only Izetbegovic’s, as he was encouraged to scupper that deal and to fight for a unitary Bosnian state by foreign mediators.” This was echoed by Ambassador Bissett, who has opined that the United States undermined every peace initiative that might have prevented the killing: “It appeared that the United States was determined to pursue a policy that prevented a resolution of the conflict by other than violent means.”

More than a decade after the event it cannot be denied that Warren Zimmermann’s role in Bosnia’s descent to war was crucial. In early 1992 most Muslims were prepared to accept a compromise that would fall short of full independence—especially if full independence risked war—but he encouraged Izetbegovic to take a leap in the dark.

Zimmermann’s subsequent role as an advocate of a military intervention on the side of the Muslims was seedy but predictable; ditto the lies, half-truths and distortions contained in his book on the Yugoslav conflict (Origins of a Catastrophe: Yugoslavia and its Destroyers). The Washington Times was wrong when it claimed in an otherwise insightful piece that the Lisbon agreement “was scuttled by hapless Mr. Zimmermann, who encouraged [Izetbegovic] … to reverse himself and withdraw.” In reality there was nothing “hapless” about Zimmermann’s action. It was as coldly premeditated, and as tragic in its consequences, as Bismarck’s game with the Ems telegram in 1870, or William Walker’s stage-managed “massacre” at Racak in January 1999, or Albright’s cynical setup at Rambouillet a month later. No doubt when these two “eloquent defenders of human rights” meet their maker the Secretary of State of the day will also assure us that their passing is “a great loss to American diplomacy and to our State Department family.”