DISINFO: The West is an accomplice of the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo
SUMMARY
With the inaction of the Quintet ambassadors of the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy in Pristina, namely to avoid the escalation of an eventual conflict, they become accomplices of the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo.
RESPONSE
The claim is an attempt to stir up anti-Western feelings and tension, by baselessly accusing Western countries of a non-existent “ethnic cleansing” against Serbs in Kosovo. This is part of a pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign to blame the West for the escalation of tensions in Kosovo in December 2022 when it is Russia who is actually inflaming the situation. Further, it is also serves to divert attantion away from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Although there is not a universally accepted definition in international law of what “ethnic cleansing” is, a UN commission of experts on Yugoslavia labelled it as “a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas”. According to the International Criminal Court, elements that make up the practice of ethnic cleansing include “widespread and systematic killings, disappearances, population transfers, rape, persecution, and other similarly inhumane acts”. As controversial as some of the recent measures adopted by the government in Pristina regarding the Serbian population in northern Kosovo may be, such as legally forcing ethnic Serbs to surrender their Serbian license plates, they cannot be considered even remotely as concordant with the practices included in this definition. However, an abusive use of terms such as “genocide” or “ethnic cleansing” is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the escalation of tensions in Kosovo is caused by NATO, that the West is using Kosovo to break Serbia’s ties to Russia and China, that the West is organising everything in Kosovo and is unable to force Kosovars to obey existing agreements, or that the US is trying to provoke Serbia into a military operation.