|
Macedonians are Macedonians
Kjell Magnusson
Published in Swedish by Dagens Nyheter (Stockholm),
Cultural Page, 08-18-2001
A strange detail related to the conflict in Macedonia, is the way
media and politicians are using the expression "Macedonian
Slavs" or "Slavic Macedonians". It is common in Anglo-Saxon
press, and has acquired official status in the Western Alliance,
but has spread to Sweden as well. The usage may perhaps originate
from a misunderstanding, such as "everyone who lives in Macedonia
is a Macedonian", but might also have other implications. In
any case, it is unfortunate to use a term, which was common one
hundred years ago, and which, at that time, denoted a people with
a supposedly uncertain identity. Regardless of the motives, the
concept of "Slavic Macedonians" nourishes ideas in Bulgaria,
Greece and Serbia, or among Albanians in the Balkans, that a Macedonian
nation does not exist, and that, consequently, a Macedonian state
lacks legitimacy.
In view of media reports, it should be remembered that the Macedonian
state was established, not in 1991, but in 1945, within the framework
of a federal Yugoslavia. At the same time a modern Macedonian literary
language was codified (thereby, incidentally, being older than its
Albanian counterpart) and today there is no doubt of how a majority
of Macedonians identify themselves.
Since the labor migrations in the 1960s, a relatively high number
of Macedonians are living in Sweden. Their children were taught
Macedonian in Swedish schools, they were able to listen to radio
programs in their own language, and a dictionary was published by
the state. No one questioned their Macedonian identity.
To behave - at this very moment - as if there were no Macedonians,
is deeply offending, and it must be asked whether the current usage
is really in accordance with the mandatory impartiality of public
broadcasting, or with Swedish laws on ethnic discrimination.
No one speaks about "Slavic Croats" or "Serbian
Slavs", and the Albanian population in Macedonia would surely
object to the term "Albanian Macedonians". Therefore,
follow the example of BBC, and use the words Macedonian and Albanian!
Kjell Magnusson
Top
|
