While I understand that everyone is
aware of the recent killing of a Serbian teenager in
Gracanica, many of you may remember having gotten to
know his brother and family in a documentary film which
was supported by the OSCE two years ago, ‘Kosovo/a’.
Dimitrije Popovic was the youngest brother of Srdjan
(Pop). As IDPs in Gracanica since 1999, Pop’s
family—parents, grandparents and two brothers—have been
struggling not only to make ends meet but also to
maintain their dignity.
The flame which has kept them going
has been their closeness as a family: the love they
shared around their dinner table every day, the marriage
of Pop followed by the birth of his daughter and the
many daily rituals from which they derived strength. The
loss of Dimitrije is a blow which has shattered not only
the core of their family but their belief in the
possibility for a better future for them and their
fellow Serbs in Kosovo.
Right now, their focus is on
getting through each day. They do not know yet what they
will do next, they may move to Serbia and give up their
ties to Kosovo. If any of you recall the warmth and love
of the Popovic family in ‘Kosovo/a’ and would like to
help them through this difficult time, I urge you to
consider a contribution in any form to the Popovic
family. Please contact Mevlyde Salihu at OSCE HQ who
will be coordinating donations.
Sincerely,
Jody Barrett
Director of
"Kosovo/a"
