Who are we?

We are a group of mostly younger people, have been fighting for democratization of Serbia and Yugoslavia for ten years now. We are not an organization in any meaning of the word, though among us there are members of several parties, non-government and student organizations, but the troubles have forced us to get organized in this virtual space, and to represent our attitudes, when it was not possible to do it "properly", to domestic and global public by means of this web site. We know that our attitude - against NATO intervention, but (maybe also in spite of this ;) against Milosevic's regime as well - is not popular by either of the sides taking part in this conflict, but at the moment we feel threatened by both NATO and Milosevic. We hope that, with your help, we'll succeed in spreading the voice of reason to those who are held most responsible for the whole present situation in Yugoslavia - the NATO countries' leaders and the leading set in Serbia.

During the last ten years we took part in organizing and performance of all anti-regime events in Serbia - from 9th of March rallies in 1991, Students' Protest of '92 against the war in Croatia and Bosnia, founding the first independent students' organizations, the Citizens' and Student Protest of 1996/97 against the nullifying of municipal elections where, for the first time, democratic oposition was winning, the Antiwar Campaign of 1997 which was related to the rapidly growing problem of Kosovo, and very successful contacts with the representatives of Albanian students in Kosovo (i.e. Independent Union of Albanian Students) targeted to establish mutual trust among young generations of Serbian citizens, regardles of their religious and ethnic membership, and OTPOR! (RESISTANCE!) as some kind of underground, guerilla, non-violent and constant campaign of pressure and resistance against the regime in all spheres of life in Serbia, triggered by the repression which Milosevic's regime started openly conducting on independent media, university, democratic opposition and all the different-thinking in general...

We are against any form of violence, hatred, autoritarian rule, insulation, xenophobia, and we are primarily for democratization of Serbia and Yugoslavia, economic and social prosperity of all her citizens, her opening towards the world and her inclusion in modern civilization as a multiethnic and multicultural community. We think that the Balkans don't need bombs, weapons, blood, innocent victims, tribal and ethnical encapsulation, but a hand of reconciliation, loans, foreign investments, reintegration into Europe and support exclusively for pro-democratic forces.

We concluded that the NATO intervention has nullified all of our efforts and achievements, which had, we may freely say, a lot of success in the last couple of years, in bringing these goals to life, and pushed the whole political life of Serbia ten years into the past. Though we avoided following the example of many of our colleagues and fellow citizens, to seek normal life in some other country, in the West, it, unfortunately, looks like the only realistic option now. Therefore, we appeal to all people of good will to join us in this cry for a stop to the intervention, support our struggle for democracy, and help us make our country a normal place to live in - that's the only real and sincere form of patriotism.

Free Serbia - Other Voices From Serbia Web team http://www.xs4all.nl/~freeserb/e-index.html