Islam in the ideology of the Albanian separatists

Abstract

On the basis of relations between different religions in the Balkan Peninsula the author explains the realities of behavior of the Albanians, which contributes to the understanding of the problem of Kosovo. He points to Islam as the basic factor of the separatism of the Albanians and of their conflict with the other Balkan nations. According to the relevant historical sources, the conflict emerged after the massive Islamization of the Albanians, who were thereafter becoming an instrument of the Ottoman state in its fighting the Balkan non-Islamic nations. Differences in civilization, based on religion, have been preserving the dispute in the Balkans and made it more profound, and the secessionism of the Albanians (Shktipetars) is considerably contributing also to the attainment of goals to the Islamic fundamentalism. This fact has become particularly significant after Albania became a member of the Organization of Islamic Conference, since it was thereafter obligated to further the Islamic religion goals. This is inevitably bound to create difficulties in Albania proper, since about 30 per cent of its population are Christians.

U članku se, na osnovu međuverskih odnosa, objašnjava albanska stvarnost, što doprinosi razumevanju problema Kosova. Autor ukazuje na islam kao osnovni činilac albanskog separatizma i korene sukoba između Albanaca i ostalih balkanskih naroda. Naime, prema relevantnim istorijskim izvorima, sukobi na tom prostoru nastali su posle masovne islamizacije Albanaca, koji su postali onide otomanske države u borbi protiv balkanskih neislamskih naroda. Civilizacijske razlike, zasnovane na religiji, održavale su i produbljivale spor na Balkanu, pa šiptarski secesionizam sada značajno doprinosi i ostvarivanju ciljeva islamskog fundamentalizma. Ta činjenica je postala naročito značajna posle prijema Albanije u članstvo Organizacije islamske konferencije, jer je zvanično postala obavezna da širi islamske verske ciljeve. To će, neizbežno, stvarati teškoće i u samoj Albaniji, jer hrišćani čine oko 30 odsto njene populacije.