Dear friends,
I am attaching herewith the text of the Appeal of the Belgrade Forum for the
world of Equals regarding the 10th anniversary of the NATO aggression
against Serbia (FRY) hoping to have your understanding and support in its
enrichment and implementation. At this stage we would be particularly
grateful for any assistance in providing the widest possible circulation of
the Appeal.
Sincere thanks and best wishes,
Zivadin Jovanovic,
President of the Belgrade Forum
=================== BELGRADEFORUM
FOR A WORLD OF EQUALS
11.000 Belgrade, Murska 14, Serbia
Tel. +381 11 24 52 071, 381 11 24 55 822
Belgrade, August 2008
e-mail- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
A P P E A L
NOT TO FORGET
NATO AGRESSION AGAINST SERBIA, TEN YEARS AFTER
Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, an independent, non-party, and
non-profit association of citizens, has initiated a program of activities to
mark the 10th anniversary of the NATO aggression against Serbia (the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia) in 1999.
The primary objectives are to pay due respect to human victims,
to shed more light on the real goals and consequences of that aggression,
and to spread messages of peace, mutual respect and equal rights of all
nations and all human beings on the Planet. The framework is: NOT TO FORGET.
Remembrance of victims and consequences of the aggression will contribute to
upgrading the overall responsibility for the observance of the universal
principles of International Law and the role of the international
institutions, headed by the United Nations.
The activities will continue throughout 2009, culminating in
March (the beginning) and June, 2009 (the end) of the aggression.
The Belgrade Forum invites all the state, scientific, cultural
and religious institutions of Serbia, the Serbian Academy of Science and Art
(SANU), the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), associations of citizens,
mass-media, and the Serbian Diaspora (with its associations and mass-media)
to take part in various activities aiming not to forget victims and
consequences of the 1999 NATO aggression. Consequences are not felt in
Serbia and the Balkans only but also in Europe, Caucasus, Middle East, Asia,
Africa, Latin America.
The Belgrade Forum believes that marking this anniversary will
promote international solidarity with Serbia and Serbian people as victims
of the aggression which transformed NATO from a defensive into an offensive
alliance. The day of the beginning of NATO aggression, March 24th, 1999 set
a most dangerous precedent of using military force of an regional
organization against a sovereign state without authorization of UN Security
Council. It was a clear violation of the universal principles of
International Law, the UN Charter, the OSCE Final Helsinki Act and the Paris
Charter. It represents also violation of the NATO 1949 founding act as well
as the constitutions of the member countries. Uniqueness is reflected also
insofar that the aggression was conducted in an alliance of NATO and the
terrorist UCK organization.
The aggression left over 3.500 dead and about 10.000 wounded,
out of which more than two thirds are civilians, including children and
disabled. In addition, many people died later as a consequence of deceases
caused by use of depleted uranium and other armament banned by the
International Law. The material losses - destroyed bridges, railways,
highways, factories, transformers and electricity transmission lines,
apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, even 30 TV stations and
transmitters - amounted about 100 billion US dollars.
The goals of the 1999 military NATO aggression have been
incessantly pursued during the past ten years. Their continuity was
reflected through sustained support to the Albanian terrorism and
secessionism - that resulted in thousands of killed and abducted, ethnic
cleansing of 270.000 Serbs and other non-Albanians, destruction of 150
Serbian medieval monasteries and churches, massive pogrom of Serbs in March
2004 - all the way to open support to the recently proclaimed illegal
independence of Kosovo (17th of February 2008). Notably, the US/NATO/UCK
aggression against Serbia and their open support to the Albanian terrorism
and separatism in Kosovo and Metohija (Serbia) led to the overall rise of
terrorism, separatism and organized international crime in Europe and the
world, to the occupation of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), to the
threats of military interventions in many other countries all over the
world.
Following the 1999 aggression USA and NATO have established a
network of new military bases in Eastern Europe and the Balkan countries
(Bulgaria, Albania, Rumania, Hungary, Bosnia). This actually started by
establishment of Camp Bondstill, an American military base in Kosovo and
Metohija (Serbia) in 1999 as the biggest American base outside the USA and
the largest built since the Vietnam War.
To conclude, NATO aggression against Serbia (FRY) was not a
local war, the least "humanitarian intervention" but the testing of a USA
strategy with global objectives threatening the whole humanity.
Belgrade Forum is addressing an
A p e a l
to peace movements, intellectuals, youth organizations, leaders of friendly
countries and organizations, to co-fighters for peace, equal sovereign
rights, and cooperation, to friends - in Europe, Asia, North and South
America, Africa:
to mark the 10th anniversary of the USA/NATO/UCK aggression
against Serbia (FRY), demand abolishment of NATO and foreign military basis,
condemn illegal secession and recognition of Kosovo and Metohija (by NATO
and some EU countries), to support sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Serbia, denounce USA double standards on separatism and terrorism.
The Belgrade Forum is engaged in preparation of the following -
Activities:
- International Round table on 23 of March, 2009, in
Belgrade.
- Publication of the of the interventions
- Photo, books, audio/video exhibition on the aggression
- Evenings of documentary films of domestic and foreign production
in Belgrade and other cities in Serbia
- Reconstruction of the monuments to the victims
- Laying wreaths in honor to the victims in Belgrade and other places
- Opening of the Library for Study, Investigation and Documentation
on the aggression
- Peace meetings and marches
- Preparation of the book "Friends of Serbia in the World"
- Cooperation with associations of Serbian Diaspora
- Placing a plaque of gratitude to Greek People in Thessaloniki
How you can
help?
- Spreading information on the coming anniversary
- Initiating activities in your country, town, and/or association
condemning aggression and expressing solidarity with Serbia's rights to
be free, sovereign, integrated and compensated for the losses caused by
criminal aggression
- Denouncing NATO as an aggressive alliance aiming to be above the UN
and asking its abolishment
- Writing and publishing your own analyses, experiences, and
views on the NATO aggression and its consequences
- Asking the government institutions in your countries to
publicly mark this anniversary and condemn arms race, disregard of the
International Law and interventionism initiated by the 1999 aggression
- Asking civic and youth association, political parties,
parliamentarians, independent intellectuals, scientists, mass-medias to mark
this anniversary, condemn policy manipulations, double standards on
separatism, terrorism and selective justice
- Taking part in public discussions, meetings, or marches
against the aggression
- Collecting books, photos, CDs, DVDs, films, or any other
documents for the future Library on the aggression
- Nominating personalities for the "Book of Friends of Serbia in
the World" with the basic biographic data
- Donating Belgrade Forum, thus helping the implementation of
the proposed activities.
P R E S I D E N T
Zivadin Jovanovic
Serbian News Network - SNN
[email protected]
http://www.antic.org/
