BELGRADE DEMOCRATIA (fwd)

[Vaclav Skala]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 04 Feb 97 16:09:04 EST
From: Jean-Pierre Giovanelli <101233.2610 at CompuServe.COM>
To: Felix Revue <hamhigh at echonyc.com>,
    Fineart Forum Revue <fast at garnet.berkeley.edu>,
    Net Magazine Revue <plc at basker.sublink.org>,
    Netville Revue <imagescript at znort.it>,
    Isabelle Rieuset-Lemarie <lemarie at anh.matups.fr>,
    Christine Ross <ross at engah.lan.mcgill.ca>,
    Cynthia Beth Rubin <cynthia.rubin at uvm.edu>,
    Joaquim  Dols Russinol <jdols at trivium.gh.ub.es>,
    Itsuo Sakane <sakane at sfc.keio.ac.jp>,
    Thecla Schiphorst <thecla at cs.sfu.ca>, Vaclav Skala <skala at kirke.zcu.cz>,
    Gerfried  Stocker <gerfried at gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at>,
    Boing Boing Revue <carla at well.com>
Subject: BELGRADE DEMOCRATIA

>
>Dear friends:
>
>Tonight at 11.30 PM (local time) several thousand policemen attacked
>the Belgrade demonstrators. I've just come back from the town, and
>as a witness I can say this:
>
>We were blocked in front of the Branko's bridge for more than 2
>hours. 10-15,000 people were on the other side of the bridge, but
>police blocked the bridge from both sides, and did not allow them
>to join us. There were 30-40,000 people on our side of the
>bridge, but many of them left the place. When only 4-5,000
>remained, and when we saw that strong police forces began to
>circle us, the opposition leader Vuk Draskovic spoke, and told us
>to go to the center - because 5-10 minutes before that we felt
>that perhaps they would attack. We started to go, and less than a
>minute later police attacked us from all sides with water
>cannon and tear gas. There was NO any provocation from our side,
>and there was NO one single reason for the police to attack! We
>began to retreat and run away, but the police srat running after the people,
>beating brutally everyone whom they could catch - older women,
>children, everyone without difference. A taxi driver took me and
>my wife and drove us home. Now I am listening to the two
>independent radio stations here (B92 and Radio Index): several
>thousand policemen are on the streets in the center of Belgrade
>beating everyone there! People try to escape, but at the moment
>the situation is dangerous around the Faculty of philosophy where
>many people found a shelter. The latest news is that policemen
>entered into the Faculty, beat several people and arrested many
>others. Hundred of people are injured. Many cameramen were
>attacked. In a dramatic interview Vuk Draskovic just said that
>police fired at him, but somehow he managed to escape - he says
>that the regime gave order to kill him this night. The lady from
>the opposition, the leader of pacifist Civil Ligue of Serbia
>Vesna Pesic is injured. At the time I am writing this messages,
>the police action still goes on!
>
>Please, help us by informing everyone on the net about this
>terrible night in Belgrade.
>
>And we are going to keep fighting for our freedom and rights, no
>doubt! They can arrest us, but they cannot win, no matter what
>happens!
>
>Yours, Novica Milic
>
>