Rioting has been rocking the northern half of Mitrovica, the Republic of Kosovo’s most divided town. The River Ibar is the demarcation line over which an architecturally charming bridge cloaked in barbed wire acts as the rather poor symbol of relations between the two communities. In fact it is a fitting symbol, the beautiful facade nothing more than a showpiece since the bridge is rarely used by the majority of locals who keep to their own river bank and the barbed wire reminding everyone of both the security presence which is necessary as well as the potential for conflict were these outsiders not there.

Sporadic, and sometimes prolonged, uprisings of violence are not unfamiliar to the city, but given that what appears to be a final settlement has been handed to Kosovo in the form of recognised independence from most of the world’s most powerful countries, it is now time that the situation calmed down. This particular rioting is related to a group of Serbs having stormed the courthouse in their half of Mitrovica, saying that they refuse to receive any orders from Albanian superiors. They quickly overwhelmed the security personnel present and it did not take long for someone to climb onto the roof, lower the UN flag and hoist a Serb flag in its place. There have been injuries to both NATO and UN staff, and of course to protesters too, and whilst arrests were made, many of these people subsequently escaped after the convoy which was carrying them came under attack.

It remains to be seen for how long these protests will continue, and whether new ones will emerge. The position of the Kosovo Serbs is precarious to say the least. They are an aging community, the youth moving away to find employment in Serbia, and furthermore are ever decreasing in number amongst elder generations as many decide to give up the battle by relocating to their safer motherland.

What does Kosovo mean to the Serbs? Evidently a great deal, the now independent country being central to their national myth which dates back to 1389 and also being the site of a several important monasteries. We must always respect the past and respect culture, but now is time for the Serbs to move forward. Since Kosovar Albanians now have the upper hand in both the country’s political apparatus and the quest for international allies they have not used the history card themselves. Were they to do so then it would be possible for them to list a great many achievements and events that link their nation to Kosovo, for example personalities like Pjeter Bogdani and the League of Prizren which are both central characteristics in Albanian nationhood. The Kosovar Albanians have realised that they must use the current climate to aid their progress as a respected member of the international community, even if membership of the UN looks unlikely for the time being given Russian objections. By making claims based on events that go back over 600 years the Serbs are missing one clear fact: Life is lived in the present, not in the past.

BalkanBaby visits Mitrovica

BBC News report 17/03/08, Kosovo clashes force UN pullout

24 Sata report 17/03/08 Kosovo: 100 injured in fight with UN soldiers