Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 23:37:55 +0800
From: wss-6489 <wss-6489-AT-wss.hkcampus.net>
Subject: BELGRADE 17-NGO APPEAL


http://www.dds.nl/~pressnow/extra/ngoappeal.html

BELGRADE 17-NGO APPEAL

Deeply shocked by NATO strikes devastation of our country and the plight of
Kosovo Albanians, we, the representatives of non-governmental organizations
and the Nezavisnost Trade Union Confederation, energetically demand from
those who have created this tragedy to immediately take all necessary steps
to create
conditions for the resumption of peace process.

For two weeks now the most powerful military, political and economic
countries in the world have been killing people and destroying military and
civilian facilities, bridges, railway lines, factories, heating plants,
storage facilities and fuel tanks. This has produced an exodus of
unprecedented proportions. Hundreds of thousands of Yugoslavs, primarily
ethnic Albanians, are forced to leave their devastated homes to escape the
bombing and military actions of the regime and KLA, in the hope that they
will find salvation in the tragic status of refugee. It is obvious that all
this leads to a catastrophe and that a negotiated and peaceful solution to
the Kosovo problem, which we have urged for years, is now farther
than ever.

Our effort to develop democracy and a civic society in Yugoslavia and help
it restore its membership of all international institutions have taken
place under constant pressure by the Serbian regime. We, the
representatives of civil groups and organizations, have courageously and
consistently fought against every war-mongering and nationalistic policy,
and for the respect of human rights, and
particularly against the repression of Kosovo Albanians.

We have always insisted on the respect of their human rights and freedoms
and on the restoration of autonomy for Kosovo. Throughout this period, Serb
and Albanian civil society groups were the only ones to retain contacts and
cooperation.

The NATO intervention has destroyed everything that has been achieved so
far and the very survival of the civic society in Serbia. Faced with the
current tragic situation, we put up the following demands in the name of
humanity and values and ideas that have been guiding us in our activities:

  We demand an immediate cessation of bombing and all armed operations;

  We demand the resumption of peace process with international mediation at
the regional (Balkan) and European level, as well as in the United Nations;

  We demand from the European Union and Russia to take their charge of
responsibility for finding a peaceful solution to the crisis;

  We demand an end to the practice of ethnic cleansing and repatriation of
all refugees;

  We demand support for peace, stability and democratization of Montenegro
and every possible action aimed at helping this republic alleviate the
disastrous consequences of the refugee crisis;

  We demand from Serbian and international media to report professionally
and impartially about current developments, to refrain from participation
in the media war and from fanning inter-ethnic hatred, hysteria and
glorification of force as the only reasonable way out of the crisis.

We are unable to achieve this on our own. We expect from you to support our
demands and help us realise them through your actions and initiatives.

- Association of Citizens for Democracy, Social Justice and Support for
Trade Unions
- Belgrade Circle
- Center for Cultural Decontamination
- Center for Democracy and Free Elections
- Center for Transition to Democracy
- Civic Initiatives
- EKO Center
- European Movement in Serbia
- Forum for Ethnic Relations and Foundation for Peace and Crisis Management
- Group 484
- Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
- Students Union of Serbia
- Union for Truth About Anti-Fascist Resistance
- VIN: Weekly Video News
- Women in Black
- Yugoslavian Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, and
- NEZAVISNOST Trade Union Confederation.