On the current war in Yugoslavia our group in London is guided by the feelings of Women in Black in Belgrade, with whom we are in touch by e-mail. They have e-mailed us that ‘Our problem here is that we cannot say a word anymore. All human rights are suspended. Only anti-NATO appeals can be published. So Women in Black Belgrade has decided not to make any appeal, at least for the time being because we cannot as well state that we are against Milosevic.’ So they are asking us to speak for them, against both these aggressions simultaneously.
Women in Black Belgrade have now put out an appeal to NATO governments, which we reproduce below. Please support them by passing this message to your governments, if you live in NATO countries, and to publicize it by all other means.
Best wishes, some women in Women in Black London 6.5.99
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WOMEN IN BLACK AGAINST WAR
AN APPEAL TO GOVERNMENTS MEMBERS OF NATO
Ever since 1991 Women in Black against War from Belgrade have been actively working for peace and non-violence. The policy which characterizes Women in Black against War begins with confronting every form of violence, war, militarism, nationalism. Since 1991 the biggest casualty on the territory of Former Yugoslavia has been the civilian population. It is happening again now.
Values which we are supporting are life, solidarity, respecting of differences. For eight years already we have been developing a network of exchange and solidarity against war which involves women from all the continents. Among them are of course, also women from countries of NATO.
As a women’s organization which has always been engaged against militarism, that is, against all forms of military intervention, this time too it is against the military intervention of NATO against FRY. Until now we have always had support and solidarity from women’s and peace movement in Europe and USA. Unfortunately, the governments of these countries didn’t take into account the work of the peace movements in their countries, let alone the activity of the peace movement in FRY.
We Women in Black against War from Belgrade demand from the governments members of the NATO:
TO STOP IMMEDIATELY THE BOMBINGS ON THE TERRITORY OF FRY
TO ESTABLISH THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE ON THE BALKANS
TO ENABLE THE REFUGEES, EXPELLED AND DISPLACED POPULATION FROM KOSOVO, IF THEY WISH TO, TO COME BACK OR GO TO THIRD COUNTRIES
We demand from Women in Black and all women’s peace organizations to give this appeal to their governments. Human rights and democracy cannot be imposed by bombs and weapons, but can only be instigated by negotiations and support to all powers which are firmly for human rights and democracy.
BELGRADE 20th April 1999 WOMEN IN BLACK AGAINST WAR