Syndicate: ZAGINFLATCH #24, 4th April 1999

[florian schneider <fls@ibu.de>]

*** ex-yu-a-lista ***

ZAGINFLATCH #24, 4th April 1999. newsletter published by Zagreb
Anarchist Movement

ZAP / ARK GAJEVA 55 10 000 ZAGREB CROATIA

zap_zg@geocities.com http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/3707/

 ***************************************

How you can help:

- forward this message to people who might be interested - we need
translators. especially if you speak soutslavic language(s). - if you
can,  print this out and send to people who don't have access to email -
if you can, help us send Zaginflatch to people who usually receive paper
version. We presently can't afford to mail them out via snail mail, and
we have an international mailing list of people who regularly received
this newsletter since it was founded. Write to us and ask if we have a
contact in your country. It'd be great if you could send this newsletter
for us...

***************************************

what follows are translated extracts from emails posted to
ex-yu-a-lista@zamir.net which is a mailing list for ex-yu anarchists,
and from private emails..

***************************************

 from: Viktor, Belgrade, olorin@Eunet.yu

I apologize for the absence of emails, but something was wrong with
Eunet's outgoing mail server. I can confirm the story about the bombing
of police buildings in Belgrade. I have also watched it from the
terrace. Today I took a walk to the bulidings and saw the damage with
own eyes. Federal police buildingstation is nothing more than a bunch of
trash (this modern metal-glass architecture once again proved itself as
shit), while from the Regional police building, only the fasade is
holding on (the rest was burned). It is interesting that surrounding
buildings are less damaged than some embassyes I passed by. You won't
beleive this but they managed to take off those marble stones from the
Canadian embassy, even to break metal bars which served as protection
from braking in. German embassy looks just a bit better, mainly thanks
to a graffiti written on it's wall "Mirko end Slavko a re not dead!"
(misspeled by purpose, Mirko and Slavko are created characters of
children partisan fighters, created for the purpose of children story
books and cartoons about the IIWW... translator). By the way this is the
only grafiti which doesn't mention reproductive organs in some sort of
action. American and Croatian embassy are surprisingly in good shape,
while Polish was unexpectedly trashed. This lunacy is too much, even for
me. I must admit that I don't see any logic in what's happening. It
looks like the whole situation went from a state in which one crazy idea
existed and determined things to a state in which there is no ideas at
all, and where nobody knows where it'll lead us or how will it end. The
only thing which comforts me in these heroic days (don't misunderstand
me, uder heroic I consider times in which sipmly different game rules
apply) is that one can more easily deal with the situation as he/she is
concentrated no it. When I try to imagine how will everything look like
when the bombings stop, I get sick. I am afraid that we are all on the
good path to, through our psychological fight against lunacy, become
it's prisoners and that we won't be able to return to normality, however
it may look like.



***************************************

 from: Bojan, Belgrade

The bomb just fell around the corner - I live in 45th block in New
Belgrade. They've hit the heating systems one kilometer from my home. I
was behind my computer again, and the door to the balcony was opened
since I've just listened to hear where does the anti-aircraft artilery
shoot from. The sound of a crusing missile over my neighbourhood has
literarly hit my stomach. I have heard it before as well, but it was
never this close. Just after that I saw first a white flash and then a
red one. The bang has thrown down all my books from the shelf. The sight
was incredible, it looked like a mushroom on fire and at the touch of my
hand - we have really big windows all over the wall, and my room is
turned directly towards the late heating system. Secondary explosions
have started a couple of seconds later, my room was covered with red
lights coming from the flames, the sound was also present, and the
building was shaking like a dog when he comes out of the water -
unbelievable sense of  disempoverment in front of the force which is
beeing releived in front of your eyes. Apocaliptim moment was fullfiled
with panical sounds of car alarm, screams from the neighbouring building
and the sound produced by my dog when he hit the glass door - she was
totally scared and lost, she even peed from fear in the hallway...
Members of my household have awakened really quickly and they were
surprisingly calm. I was closing down all active programs with intention
to shut down the computer, and while I tried to look calm in order not
to upset my sister, I noticed that my fingers were uncotrolably shaking:
I was thinking about possible targets of the bombing - heating system
was one of my first thought since the bridge wouldn't burn like that.
However heating system seemed not to be that important as a target so I
thought that the missile has missed it's target and fallen in one of the
surrounding blocks. The fire was coming from the direction of block 70.
I couldn't resist it, i grabbed my jacket and binoculars and ran out. I
wanted to take the dog with me but I couldn't find her in all the rush.
By the time I got to the river Sava, a huge black cloud of smoke has
formed, and it was moving slovly towards me. There were around ten
people by the river, they were discusing possible targets, and through
the black smoke you could only see bits of flames which would seem
stronger whenever a secondary explosion occured. However it was now
evident that the heating system was on fire. I didn't spend to much time
outside, as I didn't want to upset members of my household. On studio B
(local tv), they've announced that a large group of airplanes was coming
our way. Also, there was nothing interesting for me to see. When I came
home, the phone was on heat from frequent usage - just like everybody
forgot that it was only before dawn... The war came to block 45.



 ***************************************

 from: markos@zamir.net, marko strpic, zagreb

BALKAN AND IT'S WAR(S)

Huh, i've been away from all the informations and e-mail for a while and
that's really good... When you start following what's going on all the
time, then start checking all informations, comparing what you have
heard or saw, trying to predict what will happen, read e-mail, write in
english a lot, etc., you get overloaded with informations and too
confused to do anything that you can be satisfied with. I think that
that's somehowe general situation with most of the people involved in
this information network... So, i'm back after few days, and there's
lots of things to write about, lots of news got here and lots of things
have happened since i did my last text for Zaginflatch. It sounds like
it was really long time ago and not just few days ago... But, that's how
situation develops, too many events for one day - it seems to me like
bombings have started months ago and not just nine days ago... It's
strange to write about war that is so similar to one we saw in Croatia
or one that have happened in Bosnia - and maybe it's the hardest to
avoid getting into the "taking sides system", because of the media
"bombings" that you have to survive every day. And most of the
information I get from media are from newspapers and national tv. So far
i was saying how HTV (Croatian national tv) was more or less
objective... it still is in a way, although in a lack of informations
about new bombings or lack of things to show on a tv, they broadcast
things that are so similar to what you can see / hear on CNN. And what
CNN does is more or less propaganda (just like all other tv stations)
explaining reasons for bombings... When they say how they will continue
bombings casue of the humanitarian disaster, they don't really mention
real possibilities of helping those people who had to leave their
homes... Of course, NATO claims how all people will return after
conflict stop, but after knowing what have happened in rest of the
former Yugoslavia, everyone knows that that's not possible - there's no
return for most of the people. General atmosphere in media is
generalisation of the problem, with which they create even more
polarisation betwen sides in the conflict - if it's possible to create
more polarisation than there'snow. Refugees from Kosovo are used as an
object for explaining to the international public why attacks are still
on (that's what NATO does), and at the other side, you have Yugoslav
media who claim how all that is going > on at Kosovo started cause of
NATO strikes... Closed circle in which civil population is just an
object of manipulation from all sides and the biggest vicitm of all.
It's like watching a new "episode" of  Balcan wars that ended up just
few years ago... So, what i want to say is - after watching news
yesterday on HTV, i felt terrible - seeing all the people on the
Macedonian border, and listening comments by Croatian journalist who was
there... Macedonia is thinking about closing their borders, NATO will
continue with attacks until Serbian side doesn't stop their actions,
Serbian side will stop when NATO stop, OVK declared mobilisation for all
the men from Kosovo betwen 18 and 50 years, and who knows what's next?
There are few options - if NATO decide to send their troops in, they
have to do it through Monte Negro, and political situation in that
Yugolsav republic is more or less open for that option... That would be
their chance to declare independance and do it with support and
protection from NATO, although, that wouldn't go that easy - so it would
mean antoher conflict in the area... I'm not sure how it would turn out
at the end, but that's what i hear when i listen different sources of
informations - especially cause that's the only option from NATO if they
want to send their troops in... Maybe i'm wrong about the situation in
Monte Negro, so please, correct me if i am.

SHORT NOTE ON A POLITICAL SITUATION IN CROATIA

 I don't know if readers of Zaginflatch know a lot about situation in
Croatia, but here are few of my notes that are conected with situation
in Yugoslavia and how they put a shadow on current problems in Croatia.
Economic situation in Croatia is terrible and it's getting even worst,
even cause of the NATO strikes (i wrote about that in previous issues of
Zaginflatch), workers strike almost every day, big companies are closing
down, etc. So, all that was a main thing in all news, tension betwen
workers and government was growing, and then NATO attacked Yugoslavia...
All the media turned to that subject right away, economic situation in
the country became "less important news"... Just what government
needed... Another war to put blame on for bad living standard and
economic situation. It's interesting how focus on that problem changed
so quickly... And at the other hand, isn't that something what they
needed and hoped for?



 ***************************************

 Bombing the Baby with the Bathwater by Veran Matic

...

[was already posted, here /fls]

***************************************

 from: Ana, Skopje

I am trying to live as normal life as possible. I learned that from the
people of Sarajevo as an individual way to resist the war, but in my 
case, there is one more reason to it. I have given up. I do not believe 
in the power of the NGOs and all good-minded people. I made my peace
with the war that I still, very strongly believe is coming to Macedonia.
Because I gave up, I do not worry that much. I try to enjoy spring and
the smell of the trees and flowers in my garden, do the things I like
and ride my bike around. [Still, I will check with the Red Cross on
Tuesday if I could volunteer with them for few days to help with the
refugees] No, I didn't go crazy. I do not know if you could understand
me. From Amsterdam, all the Bosnia, Indonesia etc. support groups, all
that made so much sense and I was thinking "wow, they are doing a great
job". But here, in the war zones, all that just does not make sense i.e.
does not change the situation here. The refugees keep on coming, the
bombs keep on falling, nothing changes. Thus, all these, however
well-intended efforts, viewed from here seem ridiculous. And this is
EXACTLY how my friend Nedzhma from Sarajevo felt when I was telling her
about the NGO initiatives. When she told me this, long time ago, I
thought "How can she think this? It is not fair, after all the work we
are doing...". Today, I completely understand her feelings. Today, I
share them. Everything I was doing, all the articles I was writing,
trying to promote peace and tollerance, all that seems naive and useless
now. Moreover, one of my best friends told me she was considering to
work for NATO in Macedonia. NATO pays with blooded money, a bit of
harassment and a company of a bunch of stupid jerks wearing uniforms,
but who cares, it is good money. And she considers that. Oh, I am so
furious and so disappointed, I cannot tell you. Am I loosing another
friend? I say another because just 10 days ago, I visited my friend in
Panchevo (near Belgrade) whose father meanwhile became the president of
the Miloshevicc's party for Panchevo and the whole family, including my
friend, is as brainwashed as it can be. The 2nd night of my visit was
the first night NATO attacked Yugoslavia, so we spent the whole night in
a shelter, so I was not able to discuss politics then. But I know I have
lost that friend. The principles that we disagree on are so basic that
there is hardly any basis for friendship left. It is so hard to be here.
I find it so hard to visit people as everybody talks only about the war
and the refugees. My parents watch news 10 times a day and everybody has
lost the smile on their faces. It makes me feel unconfortable walking
with a smiling face around the town (the spring gives me so much energy
that I cannot stop shining when I am outside. In the same time, I am
trying to ignore the noise of the military planes raping our skies).
Meanwhile, my father and me are clearing the ground floor of our house
to accept my friends from Yugoslavia if they decide to flee. We are also
clearing the basement because we may need it as a shelter. Tomorrow I go
in Bitola (a town in SW Macedonia) to visit one women- and one
environmental organisation and enjoy the town I absolutely love. On
Monday, I will go on a TV to talk about the feminism. Should I say "the
life goes on" ? The war in Yugoslavia gets more severe each day and NATO
went completely insane.

 ***************************************

 Dear friends,

Info about Zaginflatch is available on request.

Basically, with this newsletter we want to inform the international
community (this is you) on how antiauthoritarians in Yugoslavia and
ex-Yugoslavia feel in these moments. Also, as people who have
experienced air raids and general alerts, we want to support our friends
in Yugoslavia who are experiencing this today. We don't want to
prejudice any political solutions to Kosovo and other ex-yu problems, we
just want to help our friends, and support them in this way. All
opinions published in Zaginflatch will be just personal ones. There is
no joint platform. Zaginflatch will bring you hardly any news in the way
mainstream media does it. For this kind of info we suggest you try cnn,
bbc or some other services. They are available to you anyway.. This is
meant to come from inside... Also, if you're into alternative news
sources, we suggest you try at www.b92.net ...

Zagreb Anarchist Movement (ZAP)

 ***************************************

the end



*** pseudoastronaut klase D ***

-- 
Break the logic of war! Desert! Open the borders!
http://www.teleportacia.org
------Syndicate mailinglist--------------------
information: http://www.v2.nl/east/
mail archive: http://www.v2.nl/mail/v2east/current/
to unsubscribe send a message to <syndicate-request@aec.at>
with the message in the body: unsubscribe your@email.adress