SEKERINSKA’S “RACIAL DISCRIMINATION?” – top experts says no – but fires broadside at Macedonia’s PM Zaev
Macedonia’s Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska, who is of Serb background, is not in breach of a United Nations convention on racial discrimination for her attacks on indigenous ethnic Macedonian identity, according to a leading Balkan jurist.
Professor Igor Janev, a leading Macedonian academic who teaches at the Institute of Political Studies in Belgrade, Serbia, was asked whether Sekerinska had contravened the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), a UN convention introduced in 1965 and which Macedonia is a signatory to.
“I don’t believe the above mentioned Convention is being directly violated, however there are indisputable articles contained in it,” he said.
Article 1 of CERD defines “racial discrimination” as:
“…any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”
Serbia imposed brutal colonial rule in what is now the Republic of Macedonia between 1912-41, forcibly trying to Serbianise Macedonians. Serbian cultural hegemony still remains a touchy subject in Macedonia, even more taboo than gay, lesbian and transgender issues. Some Macedonians still confuse Serbian cultural hegemony with “anti nationalism” not realising that attacking indigenous ethnic Macedonian identity is a form of racism, and a relic of Serbian colonial rule.
Professor Janev, who is a well known opponent of Macedonia being forced to change its name due to Greek demands, has instead fired a broadside at Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zaev and his government’s willingness to give into Greek pressure:
“Zaev and representatives of his government have directly violated the Constitution of Macedonia and are manipulating the will of the people. They are especially exposing the country to international shame and ridicule by not respecting the dignity of the Republic of Macedonia.With their behaviour they are assisting another country to flagrantly interfere in the internal affairs of Macedonia. In doing so they call into question the sovereignty and statehood of the Republic of Macedonia.”
A leading legal expert, who asked not be named, based in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, says he holds a different view to Professor Janev over Sekerinska.
“Someone of Serb background who attacks Macedonian identity or a Macedonian statue or wants to change Macedonia’s name is being chauvinistic and contravenes CERD,” he said. “but bringing a charge under a UN convention is a bit wishy washy. It’s neither here nor there. The best recourse for the average citizen (gragjanin) is to make a complaint via Macedonia’s existing laws on ethnic hatred and seeking an indictment (krivicna prijava) from Macedonia’s Interior Ministry which controls the police and justice system.”
He said this was unlikely because of political pressure; Sekerinska being a key player in the present Macedonian government and heavily backed by the US.
In 2010 during a heated and emotional debate between Sekerinska and Serbian nationalist politician Ivan Stoiljkovic, a Macedonian MP, Stoijlkovic accused Sekerinska of being anti Serb. In reaction to the accusation, Sekerinska, a social democrat who publicly criticises nationalism, deliberately played the Serb nationalist card on Stoijlkovic by emphasising her Serb background and gave a pledge not to harm the interests of the local Serb community.
In over 20 years of political life she has never held a protest against Serbian nationalism outside the Serbian Embassy in Skopje, not even when the US Embassy in Macedonia was set a light in 1999 by Serb extremists linked to the Milosevic regime.
In protests dubbed the Colour Revolution two years ago, Sekerinska was photographed hurling an object at a Macedonian statue in the capital.
Other prominent Serbs who have been active in attacking so called Macedonian nationalism are pundit Borjan Jovanovski and Colour Revolution leader Pavle Bogoevski. Both have also refused to protest against Serb nationalism leaving them open to charges of bias, racism against native ethnic Macedonians. Even the US Embassy in Macedonia has not denied the charges levelled against them. – see link here
In South Africa a white politician Helen Zille was accused of racism for making disparaging remarks about native black Africans. see link here
Burmese / Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi managed to fool the West for decades over her human rights activism even winning a Nobel Peace Prize in the process before being unmasked as a chauvinist against the Rohingya people.
Neo fascist Greek political party Golden Dawn was condemned for vandalising a Jewish monument in Salonica during large scale protests against the Republic of Macedonia this year.
TEAM UZUNOV has contacted Ms Sekerinska for comment on numerous occasions but has not received any response likewise Pavle Bogeoevski.
Borjan Jovanovski has told TEAM UZUNOV that he refuses to protest against Serb nationalism outside the Serb Embassy in Macedonia. see link here and here and here