Ibrahim Rugova
From Freepedia
Ibrahim Rugova (b. December 2, 1944 in Cerrcë, Kosovo) is the President of Kosovo and its leading political party, the Democratic League of Kosovo.
During the many conflicts in Kosovo he has advocated peaceful means of resistance and of bringing about change. He was one of the founders of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) after Serbian President Slobodan Milošević had Kosovo's autonomy abolished in the spring of 1989. Ethnic Albanians declared independence, and began forming their own, unrecognized government, including health care and education. He steadfastly refused to engage with the Serb authorities throughout the 90's.
In 1998, Ibrahim Rugova was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
During the Kosovo War in 1999, he was shown on Serbian television as holding talks with Milošević, and lost much support for that, although many thought that his appearance was coerced. He was thought to be too passive by many ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, but as leader of the LDK, he was elected President of Kosovo in March 4, 2002.
He often wears a red silk scarf that has become a sort of personal trademark, along with his friendly smile. His father and his grandfather were executed by Yugoslav communists during World War II.
On March 15, 2005, Rugova escaped unhurt when a bomb exploded in a dustbin as his car passed by.
On August 30, 2005, Rugova left Kosovo and went to the United States Air Force Landstuhl Air Base in Germany for medical treatment after earlier treatment in Pristina and Camp Bondsteel, the main US base in Kosovo. After a week at Landstuhl he returned to Kosovo. On September 5, 2005, he announced that he was suffering from lung cancer, but said that he would not be resigning from the post of President.
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