Statement by Neither East Nor West
Reactions to the NATO Bombings by Yugoslav Anarchists
Women in Black hold Vigil against Violence in Kosovo
Indict Milosevic as a War Criminal!
More Information on the Anti-War Campaign
Anti-War Campaign: http://www.ark.org.yu
Kosova Crisis Center: http://www.alb-net.com/kosova98
Koha Ditore with up to date news: http://www.koha.net
Balkan Pages: http://www.igc.org/balkans/raccoon/kosovo.html
Serbian independent radio station B92: http://www.b92.org
(Radio B92 has been taken off the air by Serbian autorities,
and are now only broadcasting on the internet.)
We support:
*The nonviolent resistance movement of the Kosovar Albanians
*Albanian refugees seeking asylum and decent homes. NO TO DETAINMENT
ON US MILITARY BASES!!!
*All democratic and anti-fascist opposition in Yugoslavia, such as
Belgrade's Women in Black
*Serbia's independent media, which have been banned or purged under
the state of war emergency
*Montenegro's refusal to accept the state of emergency declared by
Milosevic
*The citizens of Belgrade who are standing on the city's bridges as
human shields to keep NATO bombs from destroying them
*All Yugoslav youth, of whatever ethnicity, who refuse conscription
into Milosevic's army
*All NATO soldiers, of whatever country, who refuse mobilization to
the Balkans
DEMAND AN END TO THE BOMBING!
DEMAND ASYLUM FOR REFUGEES AND WAR RESISTERS!
NO TO MILITARISM, EAST AND WEST!
endorsers (list in formation):
organizations:
Neither East Nor West - NYC
Neither East Nor West (Ulricehamn, Sweden)
Moorish Orthodox Radio Crusade (WBAI-NYC)
Let Em Talk (WBAI-NYC)
Roguefinch Radio (WBCQ shorthwave)
Blackout Books (NYC)
Mad Tea Party (Brooklyn)
Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York
Workers Solidarity Alliance NY-NJ Area Group
Institute for Cultural Ecology (San Francisco)
Women in Black-NYC chapter
individuals:
Martin Lee, author, The Beast Reawakens
To endorse this statement, or to ask for more information:
NENW/WSA, 339 Lafayette Street-Room 202, New York, NY 10012
tel: 1-212-979-8353, e-mail: wsany@hotmail.com
Please wear black.
For further information contact Indira at 212-560-0905
We Demand:
-that all military operations and offensive, "land cleansing," and
terrorizing of the civilian population (regardless of their ethnicity)
end without delay;
-that the special Serbian police force in Kosovo unconditionally retreat.
-that Yugoslav Military units cease their involvement in the action
of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs;
-that all soldiers and reservists return to their assigned bases.
-that Seselj's, Arkan's and similar paramilitary forces, which participate
in the robbery and massacre of civilian population, be disarmed.
We Support:
-Soldiers and reservists who refused to go to Kosovo, escaped from
their bases, or avoided mobilization;
-Parents who demand that their sons, who are in military units in Kosovo,
return; -All people and political forces who want and are working towards
a peaceful and non-violent solution to the Kosovo question;
-The Montenegrin parliament which demanded that Montenegrin soldiers
return from Kosovo;
-Members of the Serbian Police which, regardless of their motives,
refused to participate in their unit's actions in Kosovo;
-All friends in the world who, according to their abilities, fight
against repeating the Bosnian tragedy.
Our voice for peace, non-violence, tolerance, dialogue, against war, ethnic cleansing, police brutality, and militarism will be visible on Wednesday, June 24th 1998 on Republic Square in Belgrade.
Belgrade, June 23, 1998,
Women in Black
President Milosevic is continuing his policy of hatred, terror, devastation and destruction.
We must stop this man! Together we can do it!
We have launched an international campaign for the indictment of President Milosevic by the International Tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. In only a few days, over 15,000 citizens and some 600 Parliamentarians and other VIPs have supported this initiative.
Our goal is to obtain the support of hundreds of thousands signatures to indict president Milosevic.
You can support our appeal at www.radicalparty.org
Please, post this information on your web page, and link it with the appeal on our web site.
Thank you very much,
Transnational Radical Party
http://www.radicalparty.org
PS. If you need more information please contact Olga Cechurova
The ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN is an action provoked with the current events in the country. It represents the reaction to the escalation of violence in the territory of Kosovo. A situation seen so many times in the past years - same participators, same iconography, same rhetorics, same setting ... The only issue in question is the number of victims that are to come.
Who are the Initiators of the ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN?
The ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN was initiated by individuals from Belgrade. We are members of various organizations - students', trade unions, non-governmentals. Our activities differ, but we are all gathered in one common struggle - for a better and more humanized society - that can only be won if the war is prevented.
What are We Planing to Do?
As an opinion or even an idea of this kind is not likely to reach the majority due to the increasing bitterness of war discourse, we have decided to present them to all in person. The idea is to distribute one million leaflets in 160 municipalities, in Central Serbia and Voivodina. We have chosen leaflets as a mean, for that is the only medium that entitles the opportunity for direct contact and communication with the people. Although that might be considered very ambitious, we believe that it is at this time the most adequate way. Our action will not consist of that solely; we are also planing to stick posters and are looking for support of the independent media.
What is Our Goal?
The primary goal of the ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN is to affirm peace as a major value, to promote equal rights coexistence in a multiethnic community like Serbia; to promote responsible concept of patriotism; to give an alternative to dominant authoritarian patterns through striving for mutual understanding, tolerance, solidarity, open-mindedness and above all against violence; and activating and connecting large number of individuals and organizations of various profiles upon the articulation of anti-war attitude.
How Do We Plan to Do That?
The idea is to start distributing leaflets in those places that are most remote from Belgrade, so as to finish in Belgrade. As we have decided for all places in the territory of Central Serbia and Voivodina with more than 10 thousand inhabitants, according to the methodology used, we have reached the number of 160 municipalities (including 16 of Belgrade). In each of those places leaflets would be distributed by the activists from Belgrade with local people that support the action. In smaller towns distribution would last for one day, while in larger towns it would take two or more days. A 'Coordination Body' will be formed with the role to initiate and facilitate the action, it will arrange daily schedules for distribution teams, provide vehicles, organize transportation for distribution teams, contact and coordinate activists, contact all supporting organizations, and deal with all difficulties that might appear.
A very important segment of the action is the media coverage that would help to involve in the action all interested citizens. Concerning that, news conferences are planned to be held, advertisements rendered in daily papers, jingles played on the radio, videos shown on TV, and a presentation made for Internet while the action is taking place. Also, the printing of posters that would be sticked the day before the distribution in the particular town is intended.
The action is supposed to last for approximately 16 days with the support of the local population. We are collecting the assets in various ways - from contacts and services free of charge, to financial support.
As a prevention against risks that the activists might face, solicitors will be engaged across Serbia for prompt reactions if needed. That is why we have planed to rent a few mobile phones.
How Did We Get Organized?
Many have, probably, though that an anti-war action must necessarily be organized. It was only a matter of time when the clear concept would appear. Thus there was no need for long convincing on starting the action. The proposers of this sort of organized practice are mostly students that worked in the first phase - that is involving and informing as many people as possible, both in Belgrade and in other parts of Serbia. The logical course is now coordination of activities and forming a network of activists that could cover the whole territory of Serbia. Numerous non-government al organizations have by now given their support, partly by activating their own networks of activists. All those that find such things necessary are joining the initial group.
The basic principle of the whole ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN is not to represent a potential new NGO, another one among the 'umbrella organizations', nor anything alike. The ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN is an ad hoc action, which gathers, activates and motivates wide range of people of different backgrounds, on the fundamental need: to live in peace.
What Was Done by Now?
By this moment around one hundred people from Belgrade and few dozens of them from Kragujevac, Novi Sad, Vranje, Nis, Kraljevo, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Kovacica, Subotica, Novi Pazar etc., have confirmed their participation in the ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN.
The fact that some of the organizations have already lent their networks of activists willing to participate in the ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN. We have gained media support and the sponsorship from some media, and are currently working on informing and increasing the number of activists, designing the leaflets and posters, and as well finding means to create conditions for realization of the action.
What Do We Need?
For full completion of the activities mentioned the following should be supplied: an office in Belgrade (that is to be used in coordination of activities in the field, with a computer, a printer, a phone, a fax machine and a photocopy machine); office accessories (paper, fax paper, discs, cartridges); vehicles; printing of leaflets, posters, shirts, badges, bumper-stickers; production of the video and the radio jingle; news conference halls; advertisements in newspapers; presenting the video and the jingle: a web site; mobile phones.
The following Albanians were buried Tuesday afternoon at Qirez: four brothers Beqir Sejdiu, Nazmi Sejdiu, Bekim Sejdiu, Bedri Sejdiu; Xhemshir Nebiu, Rukie Nebihu, Ilir Nebihu, Rexhep Rexhepi, Beqir Rexhepi, Muhamet Gjela, Naser Gjela, Ahmet Ahmeti (50), Gani Ahmeti (47), Ilmi Ahmeti (43), Ham&z Ahmeti (45), Driton Ahmeti (23), Naim Ahmeti (22), Basri Ahmeti (20), Shemsi Ahmeti (16), Lumni Ahmeti (20), Elhami Ahmeti (20), Behram Fazliu (65) from Gradica village, Ibish Rama from Qirez, and Ismail Behrami from Baks village, the sole male in the descent line in the family. (The twenty-fifth victim Bekim Beqir Deliu (16) was buried on Monday).
The bodies of the killed Albanian were horrendous to look at. They had been massacred in the most atrocious way. The Serb criminals had pulled the eyes and genitals of their victims. Some of the victims were burned with cigarettes. Besides gunfire wounds, the bodies had signs of wounds caused by stabbing with knives, the Bujku reporters who saw yesterday the bodies of the Albanians said.
Eye-witness testimonies
AHMETI FAMILY
The 43-member Ahmeti family from Likoshan village lost ten of its members in a day. The Serb police had stormed the extended Ahmeti family around 16:0O hrs.
Dinore Ahmeti, a 76-year-old woman, related the tragic story of the abduction of her children and the family guests. "Shooting was heard at the courtyard's gate. I was inside the house. The policemen raided on the house. During the raid, the policemen looted family (gold) valuables. I hid the money in my bosom, so they did not take it too. They (police) kicked me. My sons and nephews did nothing wrong to anybody. While they were collecting the male family members, the children and women were forced by them to lay down on the ground. Nobody dared move", the old lady said. The police ordered all family members out.
Shahe Ahmeti's story: "The women and children were ordered to lay down on the ground. They started beating the men, beginning with the 16-year-old Elhami. For full four hours we (women and children) stayed that way, never daring to raise our heads. Driton was hit so much on the head; he was covered in blood. The beating lasted for hours, till they could not even voice anything. Then they started dragging them, kicking them, and eventually got them out of the courtyard. We, the women and children, were encircled for 28 hours; did not dare eat in anything in our own house; knew nothing about the fate of our men".
At around 3 o'clock in the morning they (Serb policemen) took
our sports shoes and started playing football in the courtyard. They took
all the food supplies available in our house. They went about looting in
the house, first in the first floor, then in the second, taking all valuables.
Our men were so close, yet we could do nothing about them when they tortured
our husbands and children", Shahe Ahmeti said.
"The blood of my brother-in-law, when he was knocked down to the ground,
spilled and reached me. I could do nothing, as the children were going
mad of terror. I could see they were not beating our men so that they survive.
They were so young!"
The old woman, Dinore, said they had now word about the fate of her ten descendants. "A neighbor of ours, who had gone to the Prishtina hospital morgue, to pick up the bodies of his two relatives, said he had seen the killed bodies of our sons and grandsons", she said. Terribly broken-hearted, she said: "24 children in our house have become orphans", most of whom girls.
Of all the men, it is only Xhevdet who is alive. (He happened to be in Prishtina that critical day).
GJELA FAMILY
Rexhep Gjela told the Bujku newspaper his cousin, Muhamet Gjelaj,
together with his son, Naser Gjelaj, was massacred by Serb forces in the
presence of Naser's wife (Ganimete) and child. Haxhi Gjela, an eye-witness,
said that when the police had broken forcefully into his house, he hid
in the house garret, staying there for 27 hours!
"I could see through openings 29 armored vehicles, many APCs, and hundreds
of armed policeman," Haxhi said. Heavy shooting was heard before the policemen
actually broke in, he added.
"No piece of weapon was found in may house. Arms were not found in
the area where the police intervened. The weapons the Serb TV has been
showing belonged to the police itself", Mr. Gjela said. He said he had
stayed hidden in the garret together with Ilir Gjela and Mevludin Neziri.
"The policemen stayed for a long time in my house, and consumed
our family food supplies", he said. "While we were hiding, a Serb policeman
ascended to the garret, but luckily for our lives, did not catch sight
of us", Haxhi told Bujku reporters.
"We stayed in the garret from midday on Saturday till Sunday at 15:30
hrs. When we were convinced the police had left, we got out of there. We
learned the police had killed our neighbors. We heard many cries and lots
of shooting during our hiding", Haxhi Gjela said.
SEJDIU FAMILY
Serb criminals killed four sons of Sheremet Sejdiu at Qirez village:
Beiqr, Bekim, Bedri, and Nazm6i.
Mehmet Berisha, Sheremet's son-in-law, said the late Beqir was married
and had two children: Besnik (2 and half years) and a two- month-old infant.
A police tank drove into the courtyard of Sheremet's house. The walls
were rapped with shots.
The mother of the four killed Albanians was at home. In her presence,
the police killed Nazmi and Bekim. In the near vicinity, just outside the
courtyard, the police killed the other two, Bedri and Beqir. In the courtyard,
their neighbor, Beqir B. Ajeti, was killed too.
Sheremet Sejdiu has a son left, Sheremet. He is in Germany, an asylum-seeker,
Bujku said.
NEBIHU FAMILY
In the Nebihu family at Qirex, Xhemshir Nebihu and his sister-in-
law, Rukie Nebihu, were killed in the kitchen. Rukie was pregnant. Zenel
Ramadani told Bujku reporters Serb forces had penetrated into the courtyard
of the Nebihu house with an armored vehicle.
The husband of Rukie, Ilir, was initially thought to have disappeared.
Yet, on the afternoon of 28 February it was established that he had in
fact been killed. His body was brought back to Qirez yesterday, together
with more than a dozen bodies from the Prishtina morgue.
Mr. Ramadani said Rukie was killed in the presence of her children,
Valon (4) and the one-year-old Valentina (f). Rukie was pregnant.
REXHEPI FAMILY
Two members of the Zeqir Rexhepi family were killed at Qirez:
Ajet Rexhepi and Beqir B. Rexhepi. Both of them were killed while on their
way to visit with family friends. Rexhep was killed at Likoshan, whereas
Beqiri between Likoshan and Qirez villages. Their bodies showed wounds
inflicted upon them by three kinds of weapons.
Zeqir Rexhepi said the police had opened fire on his house. It was
a miracle there were no more victims in this family. The two victims died
on the street, however.
"While the police was firing at our house, we, the family members assembled
in one room, with the exception of the five-year-old boy, Fikret, who was
in another room. He had crept under the stove and kept a stick in his hand.
After eight hours, when the criminal expedition was over, the boy had all
but lost consciousness. He has been suffering from the terrifying experience".
PEACEWORKERS
721 Shrader St.
San Francisco, CA 94117 USA
Phone and fax 415-751-0302
email: PEACEWORKERS@igc.apc.org
"Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change
the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has..."
-Margaret Mead
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