<nettime> The unanswered phone Pt 2

["Kevin Murray" <kmurray@mira.net>]

2 April 1999

Suzie has managed to speak with her sister in Pristina. The family have
split up. As vulnerable targets, men have gone into hiding. The women and
older men are staying in their apartment. There is no point trying to leave
as there is nowhere to go. The roads out of Kosova are clogged with
refugees, and there is no security along the route.

Suzie was eager to learn more about her family, but her sister told her in
Turkish, 'Please, don't ask so many questions'. Her sister tried to appear
calm. There is fear that phones are tapped.

Suzie would like to advise her family to leave Pristina, 'but I couldn't
live with myself if something happened to them when they tried to get out.'

Sani made contact with his family. They had previously left Pristina for a
house on the outskirts of Mitrovica. Police had come around and given them
an hour to leave Kosova. On the road out, they hit the long line of cars
trying to get out. Rather than wait in the car for days, they turned back to
Pristina.

He no longer has contact with his friend. There is so much conflicting
information. No one believes that the footage of Rugova shaking hands with
Milosevic is genuine.

There is a long-standing Kosovar joke. A Kosovar is swimming in a pool in a
Serbian city. Suddenly he suffers a cramp and is in danger of drowning. He
cries for help. No one budges. He then shouts: 'Kosova Republic!'
Immediately one of the bystanders jumps into the water and saves him. The
Kosovar thanks his rescuer, who coolly produces a pair of handcuffs, saying
'Sorry, I'm a policeman'.

There is no longer even the security of arrest.

For the previous report from Melbourne, see
http://home.mira.net/~kmurray/kosmelb.htm
__________________________________________________

Forecast for Melbourne Issued at 0505 on Friday the 2nd of April
1999 A partly cloudy day but fine. Cool southwest to southerly wind.
Max 18


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