Saturday, May 1, 1999.

Those answers were written by me, so reflecting from my own opinion, as this is not an official statement of any student organization. However, our opinions are generally the same. The difference is only in how would each of us put the words to express it.

Therefore, the Bombardment Has To Stop!

Are there possibilities for students to give their opinion?
What is the student's opinion about the situation in Serbia?

    I guess none of use is proud of war. Being in a war at the beginning of 21st century is, at least, miserable.

    It is important to stress that: MILOSEVIC DOES NOT EQUAL SERBS

    Somehow, it appears a lot of people are just equalizing those two conceiving. Therefore a lot of people are approving the bombardment by "the Serbia are the one to do the cleansing. The Serbs are the savages". We are not. Milosevic is!

    Milosevic is the one (together with Tudjman, Izedbegovic and the rest of company) that caused the war in Croatia, Bosnia. Milosevic is the one that made there are no more Serbs in Croatia and in almost in Bosnia as well. Milosevic is the one that is responsible for the wrong policy that led us upon such a disasters are happening in these years. Milosevic let KLA to become more and more strong, therefore causing more and more conflicts, therefore causing such a number of dead people and refugees on both sides.

    Milosevic is the one that gave chance to NATO to show their force, to violate it's own rules, to violate the chapter of UN, to humiliate EU and Europe in general, to test it's newest weapons in the heart of Europe, to celebrate it's 50th anniversary on Kosovo, with "the fireworks" and bloodshed! Milosevic is the one that gave chance to NATO to destroy a half of my country, to kill a lot of my friends. What are they guilty for? Milosevic is the one that gave a chance to NATO to destroy, and than to give some loans to us afterwards to rebuilt the country. But there is no money that can revive dead people, old men, women, kids, babies! No meter they are Serbs or Albanians!

    Because of all he has done so far, no one could call him the protector of Serbs! He is not a Serbian nationalist, and he never was. To be a nationalist, he would have to love his country, to fight for it, to do the best he can for Serbia and Serbs. He has done no good for Serbia, but only for himself!

    It's clear now that Milosevic is guilty for all.

Now - why one must not equalize Milosevic with Serbs?

    We haven't had democratic elections in Serbia for more than 50 years. We have been fighting a lot against him and his totalitarian regime. It is a damn hard job. The roots of his reign are somewhere deep in the our communism history.

    The people were used to believe to their television, no parties except the Communist party did exist, no opposition at all, no free media. Years and years of brainwashing. One leader with some people to help him. None had to be responsible for his own doing, none had to think about what to do, for - there was the regime to deal with that.

    The Tito's regime obviously knew how to lead the country on their own, but to make people live good, too. Though those times showed to be much better for living then the present ones, the only thing they left after disappearing was - abyss.

    Milosevic appears to be extremely good player, but not as good as Tito used to be. While Tito based his public support on the public confidence since the people had been living quite good, Milosevic bases his public support on media and force only, reposing on the brainwashing done by Communism. He does not care about the people at all, and that is his big mistake. That's why he won't live what Tito did.

    Milosevic's most important power is the power of the public opinion. The only way we could and we can get rid of this regime is trying to weak that power. Trying to move the people, to tear the people away from Milosevic's extremely powerful media, to make them think on their own, to make the people react!

    We felt all kind of oppressions during those years. Milosevic's weapons are media and force - police. He had been using the police whenever he could. During the demonstrations on 9. of March two people have been killed, a lot were brutally beaten and arrested...

    During the civil protests 96/97, while more than 100 000 people were demonstrating on the streets in each town all around Serbia EVERY DAY FOR THREE MONTHS, god knows how many times we've been brutally beaten, arrested, tortured... Two men were killed on the streets in those days as well, thousands were badly injured...

    Anti War Campaign (ARK - Anti Ratna Kampanja in Serbian) started in '98, when the Kosovo crises began expanding and becoming more and more dangerous. The activists of ARK were trying to explain the facts to the people. However, we did have some success, but not much of it, since Radio Television Serbia (RTS, the regime's one) was strengthening their war propaganda.

    It is important to know that independent media were strong in bigger towns, where some civil society did appear. Yet, the regimes propaganda was much stronger on the south of the country, among less educated people and the old generations, already brainwashed.

    The activists of Anti War Campaign had been arrested and mistreated for hundreds of times... We did not have much of support in these days from the west, it has to be stressed.

    OTPOR (the Resistance) movement started in June 1998. We had a lot of successful actions from that time on. One of our activists was brutally beaten just in front of his house by "unknown" group of people. His neighbours were the one to prevent something worse to happen. The other one of our activists was arrested and kept in prison for 24 hours without a single explanation and statement. He felt various sufferings in these 24 hours...

    In spite of all the oppressions, we were ready to go on, to give our best. And we did achieve a lot. A lot of people realized they have to react. The repression was becoming more and more rude. Almost all the independent media have been sealed up. The university was left for the loyal people to administer; it was on it's way to depth! Just when we were up to make another big movement - NATO decided to kill us all for solving the humanitarian catastrophe! All of our 10 years efforts have been erased in one day!!!

How?

    Our primary aim was to get rid of Milosevic. It means to change the public opinion, to make the people use their minds for thinking instead of their TV sets.

    It is not simple, however, because we do not have much of tools to do that, to inform the people, to talk to them. All we had were our voices and free media. We had to be very careful 'cause of the regime's oppression, but the regime had to be very careful as well, 'cause of the people's reaction.

    Milosevic is the ruler of this country for about than 10 years. During all that time, in spite all he had done, he kept his position, though weakening more and more. During all that time his regime clamed there exist the conspiracy of the World against Serbia. The media did their task - persuaded a number of people.

    Moreover, the opposition, 'cause asking for help from the west - different foundations, which was the only source of the material support, was accused of co-operating with the west in that big conspiracy against Serbia.

    The strong regime propaganda of forcing the stories like "the opposite thinking and free media are well paid by some foreign countries to work against our country", "there is a strong conspiracy of the Western World and Western people against Serbia", etc. were becoming more and more senseless. Less and less people did believe to that. More and more people were listening to us, by starting to listen and believe to free media.

    And what now? After NATO attacks, all the people start believing again there really is the conspiracy of the world against Serbia and the Serbs, they start believing we really were the betrayers of the country, 'cause there is no more us to act in these days. There are no more free media to listen to. They believe again Milosevic was right.

    Imagine his happiness now - he proved his claims. At least in the eyes of ordinary people. The opposition is defeated. The obstinate ones will be liquidated.

    Now all the people are united against NATO (which is absolutely expected), saving their lives. All are united against NATO. No one is thinking about Milosevic except some of us students. It was quite predictable.

    On the other hand - we do not have any chance to operate in these days. First of all, cause our lives are double endangered (by bombs as well as by regime). We do not have any people's coverage any more, 'cause people do not believe us any more, and, above all - they have the bombs as much bigger problem right know, they are thinking how to survive.

    The regime is ready to clean all the country from those like we are. That includes the liquidation as well, that have already started. Finally, we do have the tool to operate with no more. All the free media are sealed up. The only tool that left is our voice, even if forgetting about the regime's reaction, this tool is to weak, especially in this situation of the state of war. Our voice against the regimes Radio Television Serbia, extremely powerful and experienced tool for the control? We have no chance!

    Milosevic did succeed already. He is gaining more and more with each day of the bombardment. WE CAN NOT do the single thing while the war is on, while the bombs are falling, while the capital punishment is on, while the police has the right to arrest you and keep captured for 60 days without anyone knowing where and how you are and what you are captured for, while the liquidation of the anti regime people is on.

    We are double endangered, and our hands are strongly tied. Milosevic is the one that has completely free hands in this vary moment.

    In the same time, while everyone is now justifiably furious 'cause of the non selected brutality of NATO, Milosevic is irresponsible as usual, and no devastation do concern him while sitting in his comfortable pill-box 40 meters under the ground.

    The people are exhausted of fighting. After 10 years - no results appear. Further more, the situation is much worse than it was in the beginning of our fight. What do the young people decide? They decide to leave the country. Who does stay? Think about it.

    I could easily leave the country and live the proper life somewhere out some years ago. I did not want that, nor did a lot of us. Why? Because we wanted to make this country live freely. We did sacrifice the best years of our lives for fighting for the democracy in this country. After all we've done, we are awarded by NATO bombs?!

    THEREFORE, THE BOMBARDMENT HAS TO STOP!

Is there a difference between your generation and your parents'?

    For all stated above, it's obvious the age classes do exists. However, the situation in the cities is a bit different.

    The young generation is almost completely against the regime, conscious of the disastrous effects it's being producing. The students are the most pro democratic forces, were the first to start and to move the other people.

    The middle age generation could be divided into two groups - the first, luckily much smaller - the low educated ones, they do accept the regimes propaganda published through the regime media. The others, mostly the higher educated ones, are well conscious of the real situation, knowing who is the one to blame for. However, only the intellectuals (professors, journalists, writers) are ready to act, to move, to show the resistance.

    The third generation, the veterans of communism, are not able to get rid of the brainwash effects. Almost all of them were strongly supporting Milosevic (him personally), since his first approach was quite like the old one Tito and the communists used to have.

    Although the standard has been lowering each year, they used to justify that with a huge economical problems our country faces because of the world conspiracy, sanctions, etc. Those were the main justifications of the regimes propaganda, so they believed that. Moreover, they did believe to RTS much more that to their own children and grandchildren. Again, justifying their opinion by - children, you are still young, you don't know how the world is rude, you are seduced by America and the West...

    However, they were becoming more and more aware of the real situation lately, since the old age pensions do not come properly, but with the delay of few months! (As well as all the other incomes of the ordinary people) Let alone how small those pensions are.

    What could they possible think now, after this bombardment started? Don't forget they've already survived two bombardments - nazi's in 1941. and Alliance's in 1945. Those memories do not ever vanish! On contrary - they do recover in the situation like this.

    Finally, the situation is the worst on the south of Serbia, in some villages, where the population is much less educated... The population of the southern part of Serbia appeared to become quite full and proud of nationalism throughout their history. There is nothing wrong with that, until someone starts experimenting, using the media for raising the level of nationalism till it reach it's extreme level.

    It is easy to be done especially since the only media they have access to is the regime's one, mostly because the independent media did not have much financial support from out of the country, and RTS has been strongly fighting for keeping that region under it's control only.

    Imagine how the nationalism grows for the NATO bombardment. It is slowly reaching to the xenophobia.

    THEREFORE - STOP THE BOMBARDMENT!

What do you hear in Beograd about the activities in Kosovo?

    All the news are strictly censored. The things we officially here from RTS are the pure propaganda. On the other side, the reports we here from the biggest western media are the propaganda as well, but opposite to RTS.

    The main information we get from "the first hand" sources, meaning from our friends, relatives, etc. Yet, those stories change after few retellings, but not too much. Enough for the main information, enough for to be acquainted with the situation.

    It looks like Milosevic's Special Police Forces are doing the cleansing even more then they did before the bombardment. KLA is still present there, though much weakened since the bombardment has started.

    The Army has never been the one to do the killings among the civilians on Kosovo, since it's consisted of the ordinary people all around Yugoslavia (not only Serbs, but ethnic Hungarians, Bulgarians, Gipsies, etc., even Albanians as well!). They are not specially paid for what they are doing (they are not paid at all), but forced to defend their country against KLA as well as against NATO.

    They were acting only near the borders, where the extremist Albanians from KLA were trying to illegally enter Yugoslavia, as well as in close combats against the well armed extremist's units. It does sound dark but - one doesn't need tanks to kill the unarmed helpless civilian. The gun is absolutely enough.

    In these days, the army is not only all around Kosovo, but all around Yugoslavia as well. I think it's clear why it is like that.

    The forces that have been doing the cleansing are the special police forces (SPF) (which are specially paid for that as well). Their mental state is non human for sure.

    The important thing to notice is that *terrorist is an armed civilian*. He doesn't have to wear a uniform, weapon he carries is enough. When the new member of SPF together with the others comes into a village searching for the terrorists, he might see none in the first moment. While passing through the village in the first twilight, through quite interminable narrow lanes, surrounded by high wooden fences, he never knows when and where the bullet could come from. And it happens so often. There comes the firs psychosis and paranoia.

    It happened that the group of SPF were in the village in southern Kosovo, searching for the terrorists of sc. KLA. It was the sunny day with no clouds. The civilians were the only one that could be seen. Suddenly, the man comes out of the dog's box behind, firing the burst of fire on them, killing three cops. The others started the uncontrolled fire killing all around.

    The psychological consequences of those situations bear the devastation of their mind. A young new member here becomes an animal more that a human being. He joins the crew of the lunatics!

    In that condition, they vent the inside rage upon all the people they can, mostly upon the innocent civilians. They are not humans any more, not even the animals. I catch that. I DO NOT APPROVE THAT!

    In spite of my opinion, Milosevic is definitely not concerned for the human lives (neither Albanian nor Serbs), so he do approve that. Moreover, he pays SPF for doing the cleansing. It looks like he learned from the Croatian experience - their forces did the ethnic cleansing in all the Croatia while the world almost did not react at all. Afterwards, there are not many problems with the ethnic minorities in Croatia any more (who cares about the half a million of Serb refugees from over there. Let alone the massacred ones!).

    On the other hand, NATO is of much of help for the cleansing.

    We are now watching the cleansing even bigger then before because of NATO raids. Two ways the bombardment did impact the number of refugees enlarge:

    - they gave the free hands to Milosevic to finish the cleansing under the cover of NATO attacks. The stories that say "the army supports would be destroyed so they couldn't act" are senseless. That could happen only after the long long time of bombing, but not in a month. Till then, the cleansing will be completely finished by Milosevic, and hundreds of thousand of refugees would be fleeing all over the Europe;

    - the bombardment directly - hundreds of tons of bombs have already felt all around Kosovo, killing god knows how many people, devastating all around Kosovo, producing huge number of thousands of refugees more. In one word - much more devastation, killings and evacuations then Milosevic's Special Police Forces were ever able to do! Moreover, if those refugees ever come back to Kosovo, they will find no place to live in, no house, no shelters... Everything is being devastated in these days by NATO bombs!

    THEREFORE - THE BOMBARDMENT MUST STOP!

What is the current opinion about the Kosovo problem among students, considering NATO intervention?

    There is no way out of peace. There is no way to solve anything while the bombs are falling. Firstly - this gives Milosevic free hands to operate and to clean Kosovo. Secondly - this gives him free hands to clean Serbia from his opponents - free media, intellectuals, etc. As third - he is becoming more and more powerful with each day of the bombardment.

Why has NATO involved itself into the Kosovo crises?

    One can say: "NATO only wants to do best for people in Balkan". I say that I would like to think so. Still, let's make a short overview of Balkan crises in last 10 years, I don't see many good moves.

    First of all, Genser's insisting on recognizing Bosnia and Croatia before solving ethnical problems, that escalates the atrocities in the region and brought nationalistic leaders like Milosevic, Tudjman and Izedbegovic on power. It would have been very different if west made them talk first, at that time.

    Secondly, remember plan Z-4 where the equal rights were guaranteed to Serbs in Croatia and Albanians in Kosovo. More pressure should have been put on that plan.

    As third - western reaction on operation Storm (cleansing of Krajina). I haven't really seen many Serbian refugees at that time on satellite TV, and any mention of military pressure towards Croatia.

    Finally, Gonzales mission in Serbia in 96. If western countries insisted and supported that mission, and opposition (first of all financially), Milosevic would probably have been long gone. But not again. Official turn in at least USA politics was announced in November 1998! So after all these things you cannot persuade me that NATO has a clear conscience and good intentions.

    The usual NATO justification for the bombardment is "We couldn't just sit and watch Milosevic is doing the cleansing. We had to react." Than, it all goes according to the old simple logic: "...if all You have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail." (the hammer-nail corundum as described by J. D. Lipschutz, expert on security policy)

    NATO's aim does not exist! It is simply that nobody seems to be able to think of another response to perceived problems in the Balkan...

    The "logic" looks the following:

1. We have a problem on the Balkans.
2. We have to solve it in the quest for a better mankind
3. How do we solve it?
4. Do not know. What instruments for problem-solving do we have?
5. Well, we have NATO as an institutions which can deliver forceful messages of any kind.
6. O.K., so the Balkan problem can be solved by using NATO.

...weird, isn't it ?!

    Yet, the usage of "the NATO tool" was all but unlooked-for. Few facts are pointing to the benefits NATO will achieve, America before all, if it plays the role of "the world gendarme on duty" until defeating the enemy. . showing the untouchable power of it's, the domination upon the other countries, especially upon Russia; . turning the money through the weapon that has been used (the costs of the whole operation so far are about several billion dollars - without the crashed planes); . testing some new weapons (the newest reports from the military companies in USA about the Kosovo crises say the laser guided missiles are estimated to be better investment than the air planes from now on!?)

    The most important fact for involving NATO in this conflict is the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Alliance. Kosovo is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate it's strength and power, hopping it wont be disgraced, so to celebrate the anniversary with the bloodshed and "firework". Cheers!

Let's face the concrete consequences of the NATO attacks

    - a few hundred thousands of refugees more than before the bombing, Kosovo remains almost empty - without either the Albanians or the Serbs

    - many dead civilians, including those killed in the NATO massacres, like the ones in Aleksinac, Cuprija, Surdulica, Pristina, not to mention the train and the refugee column hit... Many Serbian families left homeless afterwards.

    - the entire Kosovo region devastated - most of the villages and cities likewise: there is almost no more Pristina to speak of! No home for the refugees to return. Moreover, the horrible memories that will never go away - mistreatment from all sides: Milosevic's forces, NATO, KLA, while nobody admits any wrongdoing.

    - Half of Serbia has been destroyed - Pristina, Pec, Prizren, Aleksinac, Cuprija, Surdulica, Novi Sad, Beograd, Nis, Sombor, Smederevo, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Valjevo, Krusevac, Pancevo, Podgorica; bridges, schools, oil constructions, heat plants, factories, civilian houses and blocks of flats, shopping centres, airports, barracks...

    - a predictable turnout: a complete economical chaos - the majority of factories of the crucial economical importance were destroyed, more than 200 000 men and women left with no job at all, which means more than 200 000 families with almost no incomes; sum up for how many people is pure existence in question here!

    - likely ecological catastrophe: * large quantities of oil were spilled into Danube after NATO missiles hit the oil constructions in Novi Sad; big oil blot is moving downstream! * extremely radioactive DU (depleted uranium) has been used in the missiles for it is a quite strong material, while much cheaper than wolfram, since it is a nus-product of nuclear power plants; during its explosion, 80% evaporates in the form of uranium oxide; once breathed in, it radiates the body for good! * some of the fertilizer factories were targets in the attacks, which means the nitrogen could spread into air - and cause an ecological catastrophe of a very wide range, spreading out of Serbia as well, since gases do not know borders!

    - The last seeds of democracy have been abolished from Serbia:

• Radio B92, "021" and many others have been shut down, there is no more independent media in Serbia at all, the regime has put an end to them all
• pictures of Slobodan Milosevic have appeared on the Belgrade's main square, (the same one that had been the meeting point of all the anti-regime demonstrations to date), this hasn't happened in the last 10 years
• the most important people of the regime are walking freely on the streets of Belgrade, while only a month ago they didn't even dare it, for someone would lynch them
• the civil law has been cancelled, the capital (dead) penalty is on!
• a new regulation is on, claiming that anyone can be captured by the police, without a single word of explanation, and kept under arrest for 60 days, without anyone knowing were he/she was
• few days ago, Slavko Curuvija, the famous opposition journalist, editor in chief of two powerful independent newspapers, was liquidated, in broad daylight downtown Belgrade, in front of his home; the executions have begun

    - cultural devastation:

• The Monastery of Gracanica, built in XII century - under UNESCO's protection; damaged facade, night-quarters and the bell-tower partly destroyed
• The Ancient Monastery on Cetinje, spiritual capital of Montenegro
• The Monastery of Pec Patriarchate, XII century, the headquarters of the Serbian Orthodox Church
• The Rakovica Monastery in Belgrade
• The Monastery of Novo Hopovo, XIV century

Are there any positive consequence of the bomb attacks?

    No.

So, why does NATO still keep bombing Serbia?

    It looks like NATO did not achieved what it hopped to. It did not succeed in forcing Milosevic to "surrender", to give up of the fight. This is the specially irritating situation for NATO, 'cause it could be disgraced on it's anniversary. NATO is aware it must not stop now, not until "the victory". For whatever costs! Who cares about the casualties, sufferings and devastation...

And what happens then?

    Again, the simple stupid logic:

    As long as air strikes continue nobody has to think about what is to follow. Its like getting drunk: You do not want to stop because You know that You will then soon have a terrible headache. The only problem is, the more You drink, the greater the headache to come...

    Finally, NATO seems to be thinking about sending the ground troops without a permission of Yugoslav authorities. That would be interpreted as the occupation of the territory of sovereign county, which means the complete mobilization inside Serbia. Western analyses say NATO would need 150 000 to 200 000 men, while counting on at least 7-12% of NATO men loss.

    Further more, that would expectable involve the other Balkan countries, even some non-Balkan ones. That would mean the wide range conflict, that could be easily spread all around Europe at least. The Europe would be burning, saturated with blood.

    WE MUST PREVENT THAT HAPPENING!

What is the way out?

    NATO has to declare the ceasefire, to give a chance to the negotiations again. Ten years of negotiations are better than ten days of war! After the bombardment stops, the opposition in Serbia will able to think and to act. Though on the very beginning again, we still have some chances.

    The Western countries should strongly invest in the opposition in Serbia. Several billion dollars is the cost of NATO campaign for the time being. If only they had invested even 1% of that amount in the democratic forces in Serbia, there would have been no crises on Kosovo!

    THEREFORE - STOP THE BOMBARDMENT!!!

Is it still possible to study or do the usual daily things?
What is the life in Belgrade like in these days?

    The state of war is on in Serbia. The schools are closed, as well as the faculties. The people are in the state of emergency during the whole day. Although the protests are on all around Serbia, big tension could be felt among the people. The song is the one to keep the spirit of people still bright and hopeful.

    The life is quite OK during the day in Belgrade. Fortunately, the days are nice and shinny, so one can go out to take a breath. But when the night comes, the sirens start voicing the beginning of the attacks. Psychoses is too big. It is so sad knowing someone is ruining all you've built so far, your town, your country, and you can not do anything about that.

    Belgrade has been bombed for several times. Even the centre of the town, with a big density of population, was the target for few times. It is so sad seeing one of the biggest European metropolis burning, being bombed and devastated, hearing a lot of detonations every night, not knowing who was the unlucky one...

    The scene for which the comments are useless:

    The slogan written on the peace of paper that a 5-years old girl, while sitting on her father's shoulders, has been trying to bring out through the crowd during the anti-war demonstrations in Belgrade said:

    "I am not the mushroom to grow up in the shelter"

    STOP THE BOMBARDMENT!

The conclusion

    All one can see when watching the reports from over here are blood, dead innocent civilians, ruined houses, a lot of people with no shelter, no home, no food... We came to the position to be the amusement between the advertisements. How ironic!

    This is the tragedy of two nations - Albanian and Serb. The HUMAN catastrophe. The Albanians and the Serbs are on the same side, both are innocent, both are suffering, both are being killed.

    The murderers are on the other side. The lunatics that do not care about the human beings, sufferings, devastation, life, but only about their own position. The lunatics lead the world, straight to the abyss.

    The beginning of the 21st century! Miserable!

    The pro democratic forces in Serbia hope that all of those who are responsible for ethnical cleansing in Kosovo will be convicted. However, we appeal the same to happen to NATO officers responsible for civilian casualties (regardless of nationality) during the 'bombing campaign'.

    We've been fighting for Yugoslavia to become a part of Europe. But not Europe that we are seeing in these days. Not the savage Europe controlled by media and conducted by lunatics. No - the real Europe, consisted of all of you and all of us, clear sense people!

    THEREFORE - THE BOMBARDMENT MUST STOP!

    There is no way to peace. Peace is the way. - Mahatma Gandhi

Vlada
age 21, student