From: "Jim Yarker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: BELGRADE: March denounces US/NATO aggression
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 07:46:44 -0500
http://www.workers.org/ww/2002/yugo0404.php
Subject: BELGRADE: March denounces US/NATO aggression
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 07:46:44 -0500
http://www.workers.org/ww/2002/yugo0404.php
BELGRADE
March Denounces U.S./NATO Aggression
By John Catalinotto
Tens of thousands marched through Belgrade
March 24 to commemorate the third anniversary
March 24 to commemorate the third anniversary
of the 1999 U.S./NATO attack on Yugoslavia
and the heroic resistance of its people against
great odds.
The demonstration was the largest of actions
that took place around the world, including
events in Vienna and New York. The protests
paid respect to the 3,000 Yugoslav victims of
the 78-day aggression that targeted the civilian
infrastructure.
Three years after the war began, Yugoslavia's
population is 50-percent unemployed, its best
population is 50-percent unemployed, its best
industries sold to investors in Western Europe
and the U.S., its government overthrown by a
foreign-financed election and coup, and its
former president held in a NATO jail in The
Hague.
Despite these difficulties, the Belgrade
demonstration --and speakers at the rally
that followed--showed that the spirit of
resistance continues.
Their demands included that the Yugoslav
government intervene to secure former
President Slobodan Milosevic's provisional
freedom while he conducts his defense, and
creation of a state documentation center to
help the defense of Milosevic and other
Yugoslav citizens unjustly accused by the
tribunal.They also insisted that the
government stop delivering Yugoslav citizens
to that imperialist court.
In addition, they demanded the right of Serbs
and other non-Albanians expelled from
and other non-Albanians expelled from
Kosovo to return, and an end to the firing of
workers and selling of the factories. They also
called for the resignation of the pro-Western
governments in Serbia and Yugoslavia as well
as early elections.
Speakers at the rally included officials
of Milosevic's Socialist Party of Serbia;
Gennadi Churkin, of the Russian State
Duma; Nico Varkevisser of Global
Reflection in the Netherlands; a
spokesperson for the International
Committee for the Defense of Slobodan
Milosevic; Dr. Dimitris Caltsonis,
vice-chair of the Greek Association for
Democratic Rights and Freedoms; and
a representative of the Communist Party
of Greece.
Vladimir Krsljanin, international secretary
of the SPS, told Workers World he
estimated between 30,000 and 50,000
people took part in the march and rally.
Earlier in March, Krsljanin observed, "The
continuing aggression against Yugoslavia
is failing. Slobodan Milosevic's spirit and
the freedom of the Yugoslav people cannot
be defeated. Neither bombs nor money from
secret services can conquer us."
Krsljanin said that Milosevic's defense efforts
in The Hague trial "had an enormous impact
in The Hague trial "had an enormous impact
on the people in Yugoslavia. According to our
latest polls, 77 percent of the people support
him and the puppet government here is in panic.
According to some estimates, about one million
heard at least part of Milosevic's speech."
Milosevic's defense has been so effective that
the Western media has stopped broadcasting
the Western media has stopped broadcasting
the trial.
Vienna, New York, The Hague
In Vienna, hundreds attended a March
24 meeting called by the
Yugoslav-Austrian Solidarity League.
Representatives of Vienna's Yugoslav
community and communist and other
left groups spoke at the rally.
One of the speakers was Kurt Koepruner,
author of "Travels in the Land of War:
Experiences of a Foreigner in Yugoslavia."
He said, "What happened three years ago
in Yugoslavia is continuing today in
Afghanistan. And the next targets have
already been designated."
In New York, the date was commemorated
at a book signing at former U.S. Atty. Gen.
Ramsey Clark's office for the International
Action Center's new publication, "Hidden
Agenda: U.S./NATO Takeover of
Yugoslavia."
Clark emphasized the importance of the
IAC publication in spreading the truth
about the war to combat the lies of the
military victors.
The meeting opened a campaign to get
thousands of copies of this book--as well
as the English translation of Michel Collon's
"Liar's Poker: the Great Powers, Yugoslavia
and the Coming Wars"--into libraries,
bookstores and universities across the United
States.
In The Hague, Wil van der Klift of the New
Communist Party of the Netherlands tried to
deliver a copy of "Hidden Agenda" to
President Milosevic in prison on March 22.
The guards insisted he hand over the book to
them. It is not known if the publication, which
contains two chapters by the Yugoslav leader,
reached Milosevic.
reached Milosevic.
- END -
Reprinted from the April 4, 2002,
issue of Workers World newspaper
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