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From
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wash <wash@ecn.org>
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Date
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Sun, 19 Dec 1999 01:25:33 +0100
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Subject
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globe_l: lettre d'un etudiant serbe au Kosovo (1998)
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A tous
Cette lettre vient bien tard, je sais. C'est une lettre trËs personnelle d'un
Ètudiant serbe de Prishtina datant de 1998, quand les milices et la police de
Milosevic commenÁait ý "nettoyer" la Drenica dans la quiÈtude internationale la
plus totale. Pas encore de frappe de l'OTAN, je-m'en-foutisme de l'ONU, silence
religieux de "l'opinion publique" occidentale ý part celles des habituelles voix
des groupes pacifistes et citoyens et quelques internationalistes consÈquents...
Elle aurait pu venir d'un Ètudiant croate ý Belgrade, d'un serbe de Knin, d'un
ceci ou d'un celý ý Mostar ou ý Banja Luka, d'un Ètudiant russe de Grozny ou
tchÈtchËne de Moscou...
Elle vient de tous ceux qui crient dans le silence des avant-guerres pour que
quelqu'un les Ècoute avant qu'il ne soit trop tard. Mais les interventions, les
protestations, les manifs, viennent TOUJOURS quand il est trop tard.
Pourtant, nous savons parfaitement que les guerres ne viennent jamais par
l'opÈration du Saint-Esprit, qu'elles sont voulues, prÈparÈes, planifiÈes des
mois voire des annÈes ý l'avance. Quand nous dÈciderons-nous ý agir AVANT que Áa
se passe. Nous avons dans toute l'Europe tous les moyens de savoir et d'agir,
d'orgas citoyennes d'observation gÈopolitique ý celles qui agissent sur place,
locales ou internationales, mais si petites, si peu coordonnÈes...
Dix ans se sont passÈs depuis la chute du rideau de fer, dix ans que nous
devrions Ítre capable de penser en terme de guerre ou de paix qui le "Nouvel
Ordre Mondial" qui la "gÈopolitique du chaos".
Il est plus que temps de redÈfinir, dans la pensÈe et dans l'action, le
pacifisme.
Wash
PS (le vilain mot!) : la lettre est en anglais, dÈsolÈ pour les unilinguistes et
les autres, mais c'est un peu lourd ý traduire... Si quelqu'un veut s'y coller...
>
> Thoughts of Serbian student in Prishtina
>
> I came to Prishtina first, not after unsuccessful enrollment in Belgrade,
> because I had reserved room for free, which today really means a lot,
> because I don't believe that my parents could give 100 DM's more per month
> for bed besides the money they give for my school expenses. When I enrolled
> in the first year of study I didn't care what I'm gonna study, all that
> mattered was that peace of paper that postpones going to army, so I didn't
> care too much about university. Today, when I look back, I think that this
> way to study is suitable to me, and when I say that I mean that my studying
> is all about solving tasks and all kinds of problems, teaching methods of
> how to solve a problem, and not about craming from huge books, so I kind
> like that I didn't enrolled on philosophy or some other school of social
> sciences. After I fulfill all my needs for social sciences from time to
> time by reading certain books. OK, I not completely fascinated by my
> profession, although there are some things that I'm interested in, and
> those are antennas and transmission of signals. Some of you will laugh and
> say: "Antennas? What's so special about bunch of wires?", but I can tell
> you that the calculation for one antenna is very complicated and that such
> arrangement has its own meaning. Besides the fact that my studyings have
> nice perspective because time of telecommunications (digital) is coming, so
> I'll be able to make good money on the behalf of my knowledge, I don't see
> myself as some kind of an engineer or somethin'. I suppose that I will
> probably end up as a teacher, or on the other hand I could start my own
> business with my godfather Marinko. By the way, don't expect from student
> of Electro-Technical University to fix your house machines, because that is
> not what we are studying for, so when I someday come to your home please
> don't put all your broken flatirons, ranges, tellies, etc. saying that:
> "Student of electrotechnics should know how to fix this things".
> Since I'm speaking about studies, I got to say that it really pisses me
> off when I hear people saying that: "Oh, yeah. Studying in Prishtina,
> right? I bet that all you got to do to finish it is to enroll". It is
> interesting that every person that says this to me has never been to
> Prishtina, let alone studying here, and what is the worst, don't even know
> a single person that studies or have studied here. It means that it all
> based on gossips. Yes, it is easier to enroll here than in any other part
> of country, but it is for political reasons - to have as many students of
> Serbian nationality as possible. I don't know what there was going on in
> University ten years ago, since when all those gossips started to spread
> around, when Albanians were still there, but all I can say is that today it
> is far from easy studying. I don't say that we have some kind of a hi level
> of education, it is certainly lower than that one in Belgrade, but it is
> not to be underestimated. For this situation we can thank to those
> relations towards Prishtina University, but also to the conditions in which
> we are working, and I think that I can say that they are the worst in whole
> Serbia. If we neglect political situation that really affects your psyche,
> and look only those so called strictly related factors, they will verify my
> assumption. Student's dormitories are in ruins, we can only dream about
> telephones and bathrooms, rooms are overcrowded, food is very bad, lack of
> reading rooms and books, most of schools don't have their own regular
> teaching cadre so guest professors are coming when they feel like, and when
> they come they keep us two or three days in classrooms with only lunch
> breaks, then there is lack of appropriate equipment for laboratory
> practicing, and don't ask me how many weekends I spent on University and
> fuck it, I don't want to cry in front of you, but before you condemn
> someone or something, first question about it. I have heard lots of things
> but that doesn't make me believe in them.
> Drenica. It is interesting how one place, considering the way you see it,
>
> have two meanings. For Serbs, Drenica is source of terrorists and what
> happened there during the beginning of March is successful police
> intervention against them. For Albanians Drenica has become sacred thing -
> place of suffering of Albanian people in fight for freedom and independence
> (to make irony bigger, it seems to me that Drenica have some sort of
> meaning amongst Albanians as Kosovo has amongst Serbs). What actually
> happened? I suppose that the only persons that really know what happened
> are those who were there. In that few days whole bunch of people was
> killed, even women and kids. I think that tragedy is based in cultures of
> two people that live there. In region around Drenica Serbs are considered
> to be occupiers since the Balkan Wars. Patriarchy is expressed fully. In
> the same yard live whole family, and the oldest member is considered for
> god. And so, cops have started that anti-terrorist action, terrorists have
> defended themselves together with members of the household from the houses
> which are surrounded by thick walls and which are literally small
> fortresses, people have died on the both sides, hatred has grown and then
> you don't watch where and what you shot at, and the results were more than
> horrible.
> Waiting is something the worst, at least for me. Those days while that
> horror was going on in Drenica, Prishtina was in complete chaos. One don't
> even know how to act. 50 km's from you there is small war going on, people
> are frightened, at every corner you meet fully armed cops, the police
> station in Prishtins suburb has been attacked, students are leaving the
> town in masses, Albanian demonstrations are not under control, Albanian and
> Serbian students begin to fight each other, police disperse demonstrators,
> Word on the street is that one of Albanian students has succumbed to his
> wounds that he got during the conflict with Serbian students - rumors say
> that revenge is planned. It is interesting to hear what kind of stories
> have been made by such psychosis. And then, on Wednesday evening all media
> are broadcasting recorded material from HTV (Croatian Television). It was
> telephone interview with hi officer of OVK - Liberation Army of Kosovo,
> Flamur (Flame) who is calling all Albanian people for armed uprising
> against Serbian occupiers. Thursday. Proclamation that is calling all
> people for resistance again. "Let's force them to tremble with fear every
> time they hear word Albanian"! In the stores there is real madness, people
> are buying flour, salt, cooking oil. Total war psyche, I don't know any
> more how to act and what to think. From somewhere story arrive telling that
> attack on students' dormitory is expected for tonight and that police gave
> guns to some Herzegovinians. The night has come. Now, the worst is coming.
> About 10 PM I came out to see off some friends and to buy something to eat.
> Streets are dreadfully empty, there's no none, nothing is working, as
> people say: the calm before the storm. I'm sitting all alone in the flat
> and waiting. I tried to do something to distract my attention, but simply
> you can do nothing, so I just sit and wait. It seems to me that time has
> stopped. That sort of waiting is killing me. Fuck it, if something is going
> to happen let it happen right now! But the night is still so quiet and
> difficult.
> I don't know how, but fatigue somehow got me and I fell a sleep. When I
> woke up in the morning I felt somehow better. Of course, there was all
> daily duties to do - going to lectures. On the way to University I meet
> lots of students that are heading towards bus station. I also had bust
> ticket in my wallet that I bought few days ago for Serbian Anarchopunk
> Gathering in Belgrade. Now I had to decide, should I go to Belgrade now and
> stay there for two days and then to come back, but anything could happen
> during those two days, so should I bring my things with me while I still
> can or should I leave them? I decide to bring them, so if nothing happens
> it won't be hard to bring them back. What to bring with me? Because, I
> actually moved to Prishtina. I didn't want to leave records and fanzines,
> so I sent the fanzines by mail, but records and some basic things brought
> with me. Mata and Jani came to see me off. Although it is already late
> afternoon bus station is still full of students who are trying to get
> themselves in some of buses. Finally I got in some bus. I'm watching Mata
> and Jani leaving. Fuck, will I ever see them again? Somehow I feel bad
> because I'm going and leaving them; my heart is breaking.
> And, do you know what is the most odd thing of all? The thing that human
> being is adaptive animal. After all those chaos people started to act as
> nothing is going on. Protests are everyday thing, cops in bullet-proof
> vests are integral part of the streets, no one is even noticing. Although
> they are moving less during the night, but simply humans adapt themselves
> on everything and live on
> No one of us could choose where to be born, but by birth we automatically
>
> become, under duress, members of crowd that is called nation. They put you
> labels: Serb, Croat, Albanian, Moslem (it is interesting that only here
> exists Moslem as a nation) And then you got to know how to behave in that
> crowd. Trying to preserve your own identity in that amorphous crowd, and
> not to be far from average because that same crowd will fuck you up,
> because they want to be in balance. Do I feel like Serb? Well, I don't
> know. I'm not traditionalist, but I think that there is certain amount of
> patriotism inside me, love for this country, people, culture, but not for
> state. Fuck, I don't know, no meter how I feel a-nationally or how much I
> disagree with politics of Serbian regime, no matter how I am friendly
> related to Albanians, in this case, if tomorrow there would be some kind of
> shit like war or somethin', I would must to join to Serbian side, because
> somehow I belong to Serbian people by birth and that is the fact that will
> follow me all my life, horrible, sad but true. I'm not saying that I would
> go to war, but is is hard to talk about that right now anyway.
> It is interesting how people can be fascinated by masses. How the strengh
> t
> of mass is transmited on individual, the way it is carrying him, how he
> stops to think for himself and just do everything that everybody else is
> doing. I'm looking at this protests of Albanians, I look them how they walk
> in crowds holding two fingers in the air or different signs, I watch how
> police is beating them, but does all those people know egzactly why they
> are doing what they are doing - I doubt it. That is psychology of masses.
> Mass is something that is so easy to manipulate with, and todays
> civilisation is all about that - manipulation. And the worst is, that
> maybee I myself have been manipulated, not knowing it at all.
> I went on Serbian protests as well, not to support rector Papovic (who
> refused to leave building and give it to Albanians, believing that by doing
> so he will betray Serbian interests - Pop) or to threaten Albanians, just
> to express my protest against all this shit that is happening to us. I mnew
> that the protest will be broadcasted on medias, I knew that it will be who
> knows what, I knew that I will be used for someones political goals, but
> still I went because my heart told me so at that moment, I wanted to show
> solidarity with all those people who are sick of it all and who just want
> to live in peace without any fears of some bloody Tuesdays, Saturdays,
> Bairams
> And so, agreement on education has been signed. Albanians will return on
> faculties from which, as they are saying, they have been driven away seven
> years ago. Let me make it clear, no one came into the buldings and forced
> them off or didn't let them to atend teaching, but they themselves
> abandoned University because of boycott of abolishing of Constitution from
> 1974. That way Albanian politicians have completely destroyed around ten
> generations of young people, because from that day on their educational
> system became nothing. That paralel University is nothing but a good laugh,
> and they knew it as well so they sent their children to study somewhere
> abroad, and those who stayed and atended teaching in this paralel
> University were the ones who couldn't afford to go abroad. Teaching cadre
> is horrible because what was good left abroad, and the teaching was held in
> private houses and cellars. I don't have anything against their return to
> University, even if they have teaching on their own language, but if they
> really want only education. It seems that first of all they want
> territorial independency and that they don't want to have anything to do
> with Serbs at all. Excuse me please, but I can't support something like
> that because that way I will endanger myself. I am the one who they are
> throwing stones at, I am the one who they are yelling: "Buuuuu!!!!", when
> they are underrate Serbian students, I am the one who they hate because I
> am Serb, and that is what is the worst thing today - that people are not
> vallued by their own caracteristics. Hatred is enormous. In fact it is fear
> for own survivial, but that produces hate because it can't be eliminated.
> It was easy to those asses to sign that agreement, but question is how it
> will function? Serbian and Albanian students will be physically separated,
> but what will happen in student town, well there are going to be lots and
> lots of fights
> During one Albanian protest I noticed signs (in English): "America you ca
> n
> do it", or "NATO just do it", on the occasion of handing over of keys of
> deans office of faculty of Biology that is now Albanologic Institute,
> Albanians screamed: "America, America!" It is true that Albanians in Kosovo
> at this moment have support of America, but do you think that that is
> because America cares for implementation of democracy and respect of human
> rights (what they themselves don't carry out) for two millions of some
> Albanians on some Kosovo? They don't give a fuck for them, all they care
> about is their interest and that is Kosovo as a territory that could be
> maximally exploited. With falling of Berlin wall and with breakdown of
> Soviet Union, one machinery as NATO is, lost its meaning of existence. To
> dismiss people from that alliance would create great social problem because
> the number of unemployed would drastically increase. So, we must find it
> another function. Now, NATO has role of World policeman. As America is one
> (and at this moment the only) imperial force, to survive it must expand,
> and that will happen if it takes control over new and new territories. NATO
> is in Europe already, carrying out maneuvers in Bosnia, stationed in
> Macedonia, force forming of some new "peace" troops (Balkan peace troops
> for example) under their patronage, new-formed states are breaking their
> necks to be accepted, and all that in the name of peace and stability in
> the region. Peace my ass! Control brother, control!
> Today Eastern Europe is new source of exploitation because South America
> is almost exhausted. "Let's sell them our capitalism, that is not good for
> us, but it would be great for them, and let's use them as much as possible.
> Kosovo has great geo-strategic location, and besides that it is full of
> natural resources, so let's help some handful of Albanians to form their
> state under our protectorate. At the same time we will use stereotype of
> Serbs as aggressors that already exists, and all that in the name of peace
> and democracy - to shut up mouths of public." That is old story about New
> World Order that it seems that some people will never learn.
> Few days ago, some of us were sitting in front of favorite gathering plac
> e
> of students, which is complex of three supermarkets. We were drinking, some
> beer some juice. Finally spring has come so we can enjoy in good weather.
> One Albanian guy came from somewhere. He works at students dining hall.
> Some guys who know him called the guy to drink some beer with us. He
> agreed. So, we drank and had a few good laughs, completely relaxed with no
> hesitations. Of course, political subjects could not be avoided. At certain
> stage of our conversation he said: "I have already told to my people: You
> want republic. But will republic give you to eat? Neither Rugova nor
> Milosevic will come to me to ask if I have anything to give my children to
> eat "
>
> Pop
>
> budale se ne seju nego same nicu
>
> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
> + A-Action +
> + Egbert Wever & Heleen de Boer +
> + Riouwstraat 73 +
> + NL 3531 CW Utrecht +
> + The Netherlands +
> + Tel: + 31 30 2945438 +
> + Email: egbertwe@antenna.nl +
> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
> Break the logic of war! Desert! Open the borders!
> http://www.teleportacia.org
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