Syndicate: <nettime> Letter to Serbian NGOs regarding their appeal (English)

[Geert Lovink <geert@xs4all.nl> (by way of Andreas Broeckmann)]

Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 08:29:37 +0200 (CEST)
From: Geert Lovink <geert@xs4all.nl>
Subject: (fwd) Letter to Serbian NGOs regarding their appeal

Letter to Serbian non-governmental organizations regarding
the Appeal of 6 April by Belgrade NGOs from the
Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Oslo, Vienna 18 May 1999

Dear friends and colleagues,

As human rights organizations devoted to the protection of civil
society, and after having cooperated with some of you for many
years, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the International
Helsinki Federation for Human Rights take your Appeal of 6 April
with utmost seriousness. The Executive Committee of the IHF,
which met in New York on 8.-9. May, discussed your Appeal at
length. It should be mentioned that the protection of human rights
defenders and civic activists in Serbia are one of our main
messages to decision makers and media in Europe, and that we
have initiated support campaigns and letters for Serbian
independents and intellectuals.

However, we are deeply disturbed that the Appeal of 6 April -- and
subsequent open letters and appeals from intellectuals in
Belgrade -- reflects a view of the Kosovo crisis to which we
cannot subscribe, and we feel a need to clarify our position on
these issues. The Kosovo Albanians who have arrived in Albania,
Macedonia and Montenegro have been extensively interviewed
by members of various Helsinki committees, as well as by
news media. Their stories confirm beyond any reasonable doubt
that they were driven from their homes by Serbian police and
paramilitary forces; that seemingly thousands have been
systematically killed, maimed, raped and robbed. This is
ethnic  cleansing on a horrific scale. Neither the NATO bombing
campaign nor military actions by the Kosovo Liberation Army are
responsible for the "unprecedented exodus" which you describe.
Based on the extensive information we have collected about the
catastrophe in Kosovo, we consider it intellectualy and morally
unsound to equate these campaigns.

We respect your lonely and courageous struggle for democratization
in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a struggle we have supported
for years. But unfortunately -- and we would  very much like to be
mistaken in this -- it seems to us that hardly any of your fellow
citizens have supported a just settlement to the Kosovo issue, and
that the crisis has been caught in a downward spiral of radicalization
for many years. Thus when you say that "NATO military intervention
has undermined all results we have achieved," one must ask if these
results were of such a scope and significance to bring hope that
the plight of Kosovo could be relieved by peaceful means.

As the Rambouillet negotiations came to a close, it seemed clear
to us that there was no such hope of a political settlement. The
regime scorned international -- and domestic -- pressure aimed at
a peaceful solution, and went ahead with the preparations for
the campaign which is currently unfolding in Kosovo. Faced with
preparations for grave crimes, how should one respond? That was
the dilemma faced by the international community in March, and
in our view you also should recognize -- even though you do not
support it -- that, in principle, the NATO intervention was not
an arbitrary act of aggression.

We are in sympathy with your extremely difficult situation, but
we cannot agree with the conclusions you have drawn as to who
bears primary responsibility for improving it. It is our view
that your appeal should properly be addressed to the FRY and
Serbian authorities which bear the responsibility for systematic
and grave crimes of war and crimes against humanity in Kosovo,
and for the dangers you, as members of the civil sector in Serbia,
are currently facing.

We express our solidarity with you. Also, we acknowledge the
sacrifices you must make, and the dilemmas and paradoxes you
are faced with as victims of a government whose policies you
cannot support, and bearing the costs attached to efforts to make
that government act in accordance with civilized standards. It
is our hope and aim that the enormous responsibility the NATO
states have taken on by initiating the military intervention, will
entail a far more whole-hearted support of the civil sector in
the Serbian society, which more than ever, is crucial to Serbia's
restoration into Europe. Unless the western states recognize the
need for this kind of policy, it will be difficult to describe the
current NATO actions as a humanitarian intervention.

We will soon face new challenges. This letter is meant to open
a dialogue on what we can do together to preserve the independent
forces in the Serbian society in order that they may resurface
after the war. We would very much welcome your recommendations
as to how we, from the outside, should address the new situation
and how we can continue to support you in your current plight.


Aaron Rhodes                         Bjorn Engesland
Executive Director                   Secretary General

on behalf of the                     The Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Executive Committee of the IHF:
Ludmilla Alexeyeva
Ulrich Fischer
Stein-Ivar Aarsfther
Sonja Biserko
Holly Cartner
Bjorn Engesland
Krassimir Kanev
Andrzej Rzeplinski

______________________

APPEAL BY THE BELGRADE NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS

Deeply disturbed by NATO destruction of our country and the
ordeal of Kosovo Albanians, we, the representatives of
non-governmental organizations and Trade Union Confederation
"Nezavisnost" (Independence), strongly demand from all those
responsible for this tragedy to immediately create ground for
the renewal of the peace process.

The most powerful military, political and economic powers of the
world are for two weeks incessantly killing people and destroying
not only military but also civilian objects, blowing up bridges,
rail tracks, factories, heating plants, warehouses and basins... At
the same time, in fear of the bombing campaign and military actions
by the regime and KLA, hundreds of thousands of Kosovo Albanians,
in an unprecedented exodus, forced to leave their devastated
homes and look for salvation in the tragedy and uncertainty of
fleeing.

It is obvious that this is a road to catastrophe, and the peaceful and
fair solution to the Kosovo problem, through international mediation
we have supported for years, is now more distant than ever.

The past activities of our organizations in the field of
democratization, development of civil society and acceptance of
FR Yugoslavia into all international institutions have been under
constant pressure and intimidation by the Serbian regime.

We, as members of civil society associations have courageously
and rationally fought against war and nationalistic propaganda and
in support of human rights. We emphasize that we have always
raised our voices against the repression against Kosovo Albanians
and demanded the respect of their liberties and guarantees for their
rights. We have also requested the return of the autonomy of
Kosovo. We stress that the only connection and co-operation of
Serbs and Albanians during all these years have been preserved
among civil society institutions.

NATO military intervention has undermined all results we have
achieved and endangered the very survival of the civil sector
in Serbia.

Faced with the tragic situation we have found ourselves in, and
in the name of human ideas and values, as well as in accordance
with all our past activities, we are demanding:
- immediate stop to the bombing campaign and all armed movements;
- resuming of the peace process with international mediation at the
   regional (Balkan) and European level, as well as in the framework
   of the United Nations;
- share of the responsibility between the European Union and Russia,
   and their contribution to the peaceful solution of the crisis;
- end of the ethnic cleansing process and immediate return of
   all refugees;
- support to the citizens of FR Yugoslavia to preserve peace and
   stability, solve serious consequences of the refugee catastrophe
   and resume with the democratic processes that are underway;
- we demand that the Serbian and international media inform the public
   in a professional manner and not spur media war, incite inter-ethnic
   hatred, create irrational public opinion and glorify force as the
   ultimate accomplishment of the human mind.

We cannot meet those demands by ourselves. We expect from you to support
our demands and in your initiatives and actions help their implementation.

Association of Citizens for Democracy

Belgrade Circle

Belgrade Women Studies Center

Center for Democracy and Free Elections

Center for Transition to Democracy - TOD

Civic Initiatives

EKO Center

European Movement in Serbia

Forum for Ethnic Relations

Group 484

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia

NEZAVISNOST Trade Union Confederation

The Student Union of Yugoslavia

Union for Truth About Anti-Fascist Resistance

VIN - Weekly Video News

Women in Black

YU Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights


Belgrade, 6 April 1999





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