May 5th, 1999

No Electricity in Serbia

    The new step was made by NATO in "preventing the humanitarian catastrophe" in Serbia. The electricity in Serbia is broken.

    On Sunday night, NATO damaged the main spots of electricity system in Serbia. Almost whole of Serbia, except a small eastern part of country, is in darkness. The huge efforts are being done for revealing some parts of the system, at least for supplying the primary objects like hospitals, bakeries, water pumps...

    Therefore, we do have the electricity for few hours per day, which is enough for to prepare one meal, to watch some news at least, to have some water and make the reserves, in one word - for some basic needs (though the criteria for "basic needs" decays).

    Imagine the metropolis with 2 000 000 inhabitants functioning with no electricity. Let's realize first how the ordinary family function in those circumstances.

    No possibility of light during the whole evening. The elevators are off. No TV or radio news of what is happening, what has been hit, casualties, damage. No way to be informed if some dangerous hit was done, such as the fertilizer factory, so that the toxic gases are being spread. The fire does spread fast as well.

    No way to cook or to bake, to prepare a meal. Petrol stoves have to be used, if any. No way to make the water warm, if there is water at all. No way to use the computer, thence the internet communications, information, contacts, etc.

    The refrigerators do not function. Considering the temperature is approximately 20 degrees during the day, and 10 during the night in this season, the food is being tainted easily. Therefore, no use of the refrigerators, nor of the food storage.

    In higher parts of the city, as well as on the higher flours of the buildings, no water is reachable, since the water pumps are out of order. Therefore, the toilet is not functioning, no possibility to take a shower. The water has to be stored for drinking and cooking. If there is no water for a longer period, the reserves wear out.

    Nonetheless, the consequences as regards the town, therefore the society in general, are much more disastrous.

    The hospitals are with no electricity after the gas or oil for the generating set wears out. Considering there is not much oil because of the sanctions and destroyed oil constructions, the electricity is broken quite soon. A single moment for the life-keeping devices are off is mortal for many.

    The loss of the electricity for the maternity hospitals is even more disastrous. Beside the life-keeping devices, the incubators are off as well. Many babies are denied of living.

    Many water pumps are withheld. Several public wells are hardly enough to cover the needs for 2 000 000 people. Moreover, the rivers are polluted by the oil spilled into after blowing up the oil constructions.

    Food industry can not work if there is no electricity. Only the country households can survive, while the cities are greatly endangered with almost no food supplies. Moreover, no reserves are possible since the fridges are off.

    Considering no oil is attainable, no transport is possible. That includes military supplies partly, but first of all - medical, food, water, and many other supplies, necessary for the pure existence for more then 9 000 000 people in Serbia.

    All of that is being caused by NATO intentionally targeted the electric installations Serbia wide. Is this going to prevent "the humanitarian catastrophe"? I doubt so. On contrary, wide range human catastrophe of 9 million people is at the horizon...

    The first sign of the disaster, visually the most sorrowful one, is the 40 km radius surface of darkness, worrying down the European metropolis, at the beginning of the 21st century.

    Miserable!

Vlada,
age 21, student