United Macedonia Diaspora

[Prolet]

3. The U.S. Congress appropriates the budget. Thanks to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. has given Macedonia over $1 billion in foreign assistance since 1994 through SEED and USAID, and Military Assistance. Thanks to the $93 million total contribution of the U.S. to Macedonia's army, Macedonia's army now is an exporter of security and peace in Kosovo, Bosnia, Lebanon, Darfur, Afghanistan, and previously Iraq (regardless whether one agrees whether Macedonia should have gotten involved).

Yesterday was ARM day, i dont dispute that USA gives funds to Macedonia in General but $1 Billion in the past 16 years is not a realistic figure. They might have spent $1 Billion all up but thats for themselves we've gotten the crumbs at the end of it. Most of those funds go to administration, they give their consultants who are on the ground wages of $800 a day and say they've given it to Macedonia when they havnt.

Believe me countries like Germany and Holland even Switzerland give much more at least its more visable, i dont know about our army i know the Americans are heavily investing in our army i'll give them that but thats because we have a large amount of troops in Afghanistan who are fighting side by side with the American Forces so naturally they will arm all our troops and provide transport vehicles and military equipment.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Most of those funds go to administration, they give their consultants who are on the ground wages of $800 a day and say they've given it to Macedonia when they havnt.

Prolet, every now and then you come up with a solid statement, this is one of them.

[sf.]

Here's my take on this.
1. His statement wasn't that he doesn't support a cessation to the name negotiations (as per adjusted UMD policy), but that the UMD weren't part of this particular initiative.
2. Given this, he was left in an awkward situation. He could not label the other organisations as diaspora given that his organisation purports to be/presents itself as the main diaspora organisation. This was a case of verbal manouvering on the spot, not as suggested a denigration of the initiative and its participants. If it were, a more exhaustive response would have been made.

[Soldier of Macedon]

So instead of denigration, it was a case of Meto not wanting to admit that there are other groups that are making strides in the Macedonian community, is that it?

[sf.]

Yes. That others are leading without the need for the UMD.

[Soldier of Macedon]

That's even more pathetic!

[sf.]

It's not good at all.

[Bill77]

Here's my take on this.
His statement wasn't that he doesn't support a cessation to the name negotiations (as per adjusted UMD policy), but that the UMD weren't part of this particular initiative.

His statement clearly distance's himself and his organisation from the "idea" of ROM ending the name negotiations. How did i come to this conclusion? read the statement again and see what follows the first sentence.

"We are not part of the campaign run by immigrants requesting name talks to be stopped"

"but we do consider that the name of the Republic of Macedonia is the Republic of Macedonia and we support that name, stated Meto Koloski - president of the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD)"

Here is my take,

He does not back the negotiation cessation, he is distancing him self from the campaign.

"But"

lets continue the negotiations just push for our name to remain Republic of Macedonia.

Another point, why are they not part of this campaign why have they not jumped on (instead of distancing them selves from us imigrants)? are they that far up them selves that its insulting to them that they did not initiate this campaign?

[Buktop]

Buktop......where are you dude?

Meto needs you to try and get him out of another pickle.

I am very flattered that you would think of me and expect me to comment on this issue, but as you may have noticed in previous weeks I have refrained from commenting or participating in debate on speculative assertions pertaining to AMHRC/MHRMI or UMD.

Sorry to disappoint, but I no longer have the will to engage this sort of debate.

[Bill77]

I am very flattered that you would think of me and expect me to comment on this issue, but as you may have noticed in previous weeks I have refrained from commenting or participating in debate on speculative assertions pertaining to AMHRC/MHRMI or UMD.

Sorry to disappoint, but I no longer have the will to engage this sort of debate.

Yeh....Meto has realy blown it this time. There is nothing much anyone can say. Not even Houdini can get out of this one.

[Phoenix]

Another point, why are they not part of this campaign why have they not jumped on (instead of distancing them selves from us imigrants)? are they that far up them selves that its insulting to them that they did not initiate this campaign?

UMD is a brand that needs promotion and a carefully crafted strategy that differentiates it from the other 'products' on the Human Rights 'shelf'...to achieve this goal, UMD operates in a totally different World than the traditional movements that we're familiar with.

UMD would never fall in line behind another organization or acknowledge another groups initiative because that takes the limelight away from them

The strategy most popular with UMD is the glitz and glam approach, the cocktail party, the gala performances, the awards and the 'vip' guest list...this is all a carefully manipulated smoke and mirrors technique to promote a sense of 'credibility' and 'influence', its designed to fool the impressionable. Take that away and you're left with very little substance and absolutely negligable examples of 'achievement' or even a policy that is either reflective of the Macedonian diaspora or aligned with it.

To this day the 'achievements' of UMD are still unknown, whereas the other human rights groups continue to chalk up results and initiate campaigns that are focused on the concerns of Macedonians.

UMD cant stand shoulder to shoulder with any other Macedonian group because they lack the qualifications to do so and of more concern is that their initiatives are designed to promote the ambitions of some on their board and their financial backers, not the concerns of the diaspora or any other Macedonian.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Buktop, what exactly is speculative about the assertion of Meto who claimed that his mob were "not part of the campaign run by immigrants requesting name talks to be stopped" ?? Are the UMD a part of some other campaign requesting name talks to be stopped? If not, they are either against the cessation of name talks or indifferent towards it altogether.

Do the UMD still support the bilateral formula with Greece?

[Buktop]

Yeh....Meto has realy blown it this time. There is nothing much anyone can say. Not even Houdini can get out of this one.

It's not that, though I expected this sort of comment, I find that this sort of polarizing debate is extremely detrimental to any sort of cohesive collaboration between members of the diaspora due to the inherent generalizations that each side seem to perpetuate. US Maco's are stupid because US citizens are stupid. Aussie Mak's are radical because Aussie people are cowboys. I have come to realize that any sort of argument, whether or not supported with facts, succumbs to personal disposition and therefor is not worth arguing.

When I start to see posters who I regarded as the most intelligent on the forums succumb to the tabloid like banter that seems to have become so commonplace on these forums, that is when I know this issue has gone too far...

So much time is wasted on arguing which organization did this, who said that, what did he mean when he said this, or why didn't this do that, why didn't they do this... I am tired of conjecture. The main issue is Macedonia, not which organization is most Macedonian... I can understand people wanting to keep organizations honest, but what is happening goes way beyond that, and even the most staunch advocates should recognize this (as I have).

I hereby declare my support for Macedonia, and I no longer have faith in a completely united diaspora organization/movement(as much as I would love to see it achieved). As I have said in the past, we all have the same view of a united, independent and sovereign Macedonia, but our chosen paths may differ, and this does not make any individual any less patriotic.

[Buktop]

Buktop, what exactly is speculative about the assertion of Meto who claimed that his mob were "not part of the campaign run by immigrants requesting name talks to be stopped" ?? Are the UMD a part of some other campaign requesting name talks to be stopped? If not, they are either against the cessation of name talks or indifferent towards it altogether.

Do the UMD still support the bilateral formula with Greece?

Though I would usually be able to offer you an answer, I will decline and refer you to my previous post.

[Daniel the Great]

What a stupid idiot Meto is. He is supposed to be the representative for the Macedonian immigrants/diaspora and he says this. Meto and the UMD are nothing in my eyes.