Syndicate: From Mihajlo Acimovic (fwd from otporna_lista)

[Technologies To The People <daniel@irational.org>]

Date:         Sat, 27 Mar 1999 09:06:32 -0500
Reply-To: ZAMIR-CHAT-L MAILING LIST <ZAMIR-CHAT-L@LISTS.IGC.ORG>
Sender: ZAMIR-CHAT-L MAILING LIST <ZAMIR-CHAT-L@LISTS.IGC.ORG>
From: Peacenet Balkans Desk <pnbalkans@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      From Mihajlo Acimovic (fwd from otporna_lista)
To: ZAMIR-CHAT-L@LISTS.IGC.ORG

[See addresses at the end of this posting -PBD]

TO ALL

Send me news on protests there. There is no mobilization in Belgrade yet
(that we've heard of), but we might need all the letters of guaranty we can
get if the mobilization starts and I know for sure that it has partially
started in some provinces (only people who have served in the military
before). See what you can do.

The bombardment isn't hitting civilians so hard physically, but the
psychological effect is terrible. Paramilitary and police forces are
massacring the Albanians in Kosovo en masse. Even some police officials
confessed it (unofficially of course) to some people here.

I'm currently not at home. I'm using a friend's computer. I've spent the
last day or more at a friend's apartment. If you get any info on what has
been hit\targeted here, forward immediately.

Some activists are trying to organize a mailing campaign. Please, help whith
what you can. I haven't slept much cause there's been some heavy hitting
nearby last night and the building shook a lot. The hit's have made some
chemical leaks, but gov. radio assures everybody that it's low toxic, and
that strong winds last night have dispersed it. We heard later that it was a
rocket fuel tank in the suburban village of  Sremcica. At least one suburb
was evacuated last night because of it (Sremcica for sure, Zarkovo
probably). They've hit something else too, but we don't know what. It's in
Batajnica (also suburb of Belgrade) and it might have also been evacuated,
but I don;t know.

Almost everybody here is on a nervous edge and a lot of people are
panicking. Also they've hit targets in Banjica, Topcider, Banovo brdo,
Zarkovo...(all Belgrade suburbs) can't remember where else.The minister of
education has declared that our spring holiday is on as of Friday or
Thursday and there's been no classes. There will surely be none until April
2nd. All exams that were reported for taking by students are counted as
passed (Don't know if they'll grade them).

There've been random reports of military police picking people off the
streets. None confirmed, none from eyewitnesses. They have been "visiting"
the apartments of people who were supposed to report for mobilization, but
didn't (all people who've served in the military) I didn't see 'em, and I
live in the downtown, so I think that they haven't been doing it much in
Belgrade. I don't think I'll be spending much time at home. The MP's won't
catch me if I can help it, but please try and arrange for something if I
have to get out.

The XXL Creative Youth Group and Postpessimists Belgrade have evacuated
their (our) offices and distributed archives and equipment between each
other for preservation. I was supposed to go to a Civic Initiatives seminar
called "Politics and education" this weekend, but it was canceled due to the
situation. Radio Panchevo is the only "independent" local thing we can hear
(Radio Free Europe also), but it's being censored around the clock and their
program was interrupted a couple of times, just when the speaker was
supposed to say some important info, like what has been hit in the last
strike. All journals have emposed heavy self-censorship and you don't wan'na
know what the gov-controlled media look like. The theaters have announced
that they would play for free until the end of bombardment. Beogradfilm
(state controlled) company has withdrawn all foreign films from movie
theaters in Belgrade, although they haven't been officially banned, and
they've also withdrawn the movie "knife" by the novel of Vuk Draskovic
(Federal Deputy Prime Minister) under the excuse that it's "too heavy for
the present situation". You can still get these movies in video clubs on VHS.

People have been bying enormous amounts of food supplies these days, but the
stores are fully supplied whith everything today and the consumer feaver is
passing.The greatest rush was for Flower, some for bread, none for cooking
oil. My dad works at a gas station and they've been forbidden to sell gas to
anyone, even themselves (during sanctions there was no gasoline for common
people, but the directors could get it always, and Beopetrol company
employees most of the time. People have no money to spend any more. If the
bombardments halt now and the gov. doesn't pay the paychecks/pensions, there
could even be food riots. That's it for now. Mail me!!!!

you can reach me through +++ 11 647 478 or at home (+++ 11 629-494)or ??? My
mails: macim@eunet.yu , m_acimovic@hotmail.com

Friendly mails: a friend of mine zlaya_genije@yahoo.com , Antiwar campaign
list ark@classroom.oppenet.org , Resistance movement list
otporna_lista@egroups.com , xxl creative youth group
xxl@classroom.opennet.org , PostPessimists Belgrade ppbg@classroom.opennet.org

If mails @classroom.oppenet.org are false, that means that you should leave
out the classroom. Sorry if there's been misinformation. I've tried to rule
out such possibilities as much as possible, but It's hard to think straight
when you're sending this many info at once.

Peace , Mihajlo Acimovic