-Caveat Lector- from: http://www.zolatimes.com/V3.5/pageone.html <A HREF="http://www.zolatimes.com/V3.5/pageone.html">Laissez Faire City Times - Volume 3 Issue 5</A> The Laissez Faire City Times February 1, 1999 - Volume 3, Issue 5 Editor & Chief: Emile Zola ----- The Lonely Crusader by Don L. Tiggre A man sits, hunched over his computer, typing out a translation of an Ayn Rand classic. The computer is an old dinosaur, smashed by vandals and repaired numerous times by the man’s only son. The lights dim—another brownout—and all of the man’s work since his last save is lost. It isn’t much work; he has learned to save frequently, as the power is as undependable as the phone service, and just about every other aspect of his country’s smashed infrastructure. He looks up from the frozen machine and his face can be seen in the weak light. It is puffy from a beating he’s recently received at the hands of out-of-uniform policemen. This is not a scene from a pre-Soviet-collapse eastern block country; this is present-day Yugoslavia. The man’s name is Tomislav Krsmanovic. He is a retired economist, trained under socialist orthodoxy before the Soviet Collapse, who spends his time translating important works on the freedom philosophy into the south Slavic languages. He is currently undergoing trial for "verbal crimes" and has previously been sent to a psychiatric prison, as well as exiled for his disagreements with the state. While Tomislav’s previous conviction for "verbal crimes," his forced entry into a psychiatric institution, and his exile all occurred during the time of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, he now faces all three prospects in the allegedly multi-party Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Tomislav’s testimony brings to the forefront another side to the conflicts burning in the Balkans. Last week, while CNN cameras were focused on the bodies of the 45 "ethnic Albanians" slaughtered in the village of Racak in Kosovo, no one seemed to notice the other victims of the continuing warfare: the Serbian people who must endure the consequences of their government’s aggression. This is not to detract from the seriousness of the plight of the people of Kosovo who are suffering through the fighting between the Kosovo Liberation Army rebels and the Serbian-led Yugoslavian government in Belgrade. The fighting there is terrible. However, so too is the less photogenic suffering of the Serbs, the people of Montenegro, and other people who live in what’s left of Yugoslavia. Interestingly, Tomislav himself writes that all of this turmoil can be seen as simply being part of the larger transition from communist statism to…something better that will follow. The elite, feeling their power base crumbling, turn to nationalism in desperation--having nothing else to clutch at as they slip into the abyss. They stir the patriotic fervor of people who have been cast adrift without direction by the collapse of the old order. These are people who have become so miserable that they are willing to embrace nationalism and socialism, even though recent history should warn them of the dangers of that combination. To understand this willingness, this voluntary march toward servitude and tyranny, one has to understand what has become of Serbia, the dominant cultural force in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A 1998 report on the status of human rights in Serbia by Tomislav Krsmanovic provides the outsider with perhaps the best look at the situation available, short of actually going to Yugoslavia to see things first hand. In his report, Tomislav covers a dozen key areas that show just how unraveled the fabric of society has become in his country. The backdrop to these observations is one of almost a decade of war, UN-imposed political and economic sanctions, and a regime that has failed to yield after losing elections and controls the judiciary and a 100,000 man state police force, which is used primarily for political control. Property Rights: perhaps the most dramatic demonstration of the erosion of property rights in Serbia is the confiscation of foreign currency deposits that has transpired over the last few years. An estimated four to six billion dollars have been seized from the bank accounts of depositors. Another indicator is the number of properties seized by the communists in 1945 that have not been returned to their rightful owners. Right to Work: the employment situation is a mess, with political considerations figuring more prominently than anything else in securing work. Even among those who can get work, two thirds are on compulsory vacation and all are subject to frequent political purges. Fair and Public Trial: the courts are partial and slow, often denying a fair trial to people suspected of opposing President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime. Citizens are subject to arrest for "verbal crimes" and can be incarcerated in psychiatric hospitals for political "crimes". People complain "about murders, injuries, plunders, robberies, burglars, thieves, criminals, etc., without any result mostly." Privacy: the privacy of citizens has essentially disappeared. Eavesdropping, illegal wiretaps, interference with electronic and conventional mail and surprise forced entries without search warrants are all commonplace. Freedom of Speech: a whole gamut of intimidation tactics and violations of that law have rendered this a most difficult right to exercise in Serbia. Harassment for outspoken critics of the regime is often violent and carried out without waiting for any kind of court to pass judgement. Freedom of the Press: a new Information Law essentially suspended freedom of the press in Serbia. Many media outlets were shut down and journalists who questioned what was happening were arrested and silenced. Rights of the Accused: people are routinely beaten, tortured, subjected to involuntary medical and psychiatric procedures without any recourse and prior to any kind of conviction. The prisons are often lethal for the inmates and due process has been forgotten. Right to assemble peaceably: this right too has been abrogated. Real opposition parties have been disbanded and human rights organizations have been prevented from organizing and have been all but crushed out of existence. Right to Life: many homicides and "vanishings" are reported to the authorities and even in the remaining press, without anything being done about them. Right to self-government: the regime’s control over the judiciary and electoral system is such that nothing changes, even when they lose elections. The citizens have no way to alter or abolish their government from within the system. Milosevic has been in power since 1992 and shows no more willingness to relinquish it than Tito did. Academic Freedom: the state has savagely suppressed free inquiries in the universities, often persecuting professors, students, and anyone perceived to be a threat. Freedom to Practice Medicine: key medical positions are determined politically and there are even fears that certain doctors may engage in deliberate malpractice when treating dissidents and others not in favor with the state. All of these rights violations are on-going and escalating in Yugoslavia, in spite of the fact that their constitution and laws guarantee the protection of these rights (and even more so-called "rights") to the people. The Krsmanovic report concludes: "Human rights in Serbia and SRY are violated on a mass, systematic and flagrant way." In spite of his grim circumstances, Tomislav sent out an almost painfully optimistic holiday e-mail message to his libertarian friends: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! We wish you a splendid festive season and new year. For us libertarians next year will be exciting: new published books and pamphlets, new chapters, new libertarian initiatives. Our goals are to change the world to be better for all of us, to create the world of Liberty, peace, and welfare. We want to create our own destinies, and to contribute to the common interest of our nation, and of International community. We libertarians, let us enter 1999 with new vision, new goals, let us work and have a great year in the process. With best wishes to you, Tomislav Krsmanovic Sadly, the Milosevic regime seems determined to quash Tomislav’s vision before he can spread it to any more people. Last week, a month after releasing his 1998 report on human rights abuses in Serbia, Tomislav reported that a new campaign has been launched against him. (His English isn’t perfect, but "fixing it" would alter his words without permission.) "Dr. Vojislav Seselj, president of Serbian radical party told, through TV, radio and press, millions citizens heared that, and it was repeated some days, that The Movement for the Protection of Human Rights, whose I am president, is an organisation financed by CIA and USA … This public attack against me is really dangereous for my personal safety, it is in local very complex context, something like real invitation to lynch against me, millions persons heared the lies… As I explained , I never was interested by political activities, my human rights are the consequence (I tried to protect my self so doing) and not the cause of my troubles. But now, I have to struggle in this matter… I am abused by the Secrete police as the mean of social controle: creation of false enemies to hide the real enemis, to create chaos, majority of the citizens are in the similer situation. Secrete police knows that I am not an enemy, but they just need and use me as human material for their manipulations." Tomislav Krsmanovic’s optimism in the face of far more naked aggression from the state than most of us have seen in our lifetimes is inspiring, and a little humbling. It can only be hoped that he is right and that the turmoil he and his family are suffering is a sign of a transition to a better future. Meanwhile, the rest of us would do well to take heed of Tomislav’s fight and do our best to pursue freedom and liberty while we are able to do so. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For more information regarding Tomislav Krsmanovic and his Movement for the Protection of Human Rights, please contact him using the following information. However, please be discreet: Big Brother is watching him closely. Tomislav Krsmanovic Stanka Paunovica 70. Stan 3, Rakovica-Beograd, Yugoslavia Tel/fax: 381.11.3911829 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] International Society for Individual Liberties, Serbia http://solair.eunet.yu/~tom/isil.html Movement for the Protection of Human Rights http://solair.eunet.yu/~pokret/pokret.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don L. Tiggre is the author of Y2K: The Millennium Bug, a suspenseful thriller. Tiggre can be found at the Liberty Round Table. -30- from The Laissez Faire City Times, Vol 3, No 5, Feb. 1, 1999 ----- Published by Laissez Faire City Netcasting Group, Inc. Copyright 1998 - Trademark Registered with LFC Public Registrar All Rights Reserved Disclaimer The Laissez Faire City Times is a private newspaper. Although it is published by a corporation domiciled within the sovereign domain of Laissez Faire City, it is not an "official organ" of the city or its founding trust. Just as the New York Times is unaffiliated with the city of New York, the City Times is only one of what may be several news publications located in, or domiciled at, Laissez Faire City proper. For information about LFC, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, Omnia Bona Bonis, All My Relations. Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End Kris DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. 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