WORDS OF FLORA BROVIINA
TRIAL IN NIS - 9 of December '99
On this trial on 9th of December 1999, in Nis, Serbia, Flora Brovina, Albanian poet and medical doctor from Pristina, Kosovo, was sentenced to 12 years of inprisonment by serbian authorities for "organizing the enemy and terrorist acts in the period of Martial law". For this trial, several feminists and human right activists from Belgrade were present: Stasa Zajovic, Women in Black, Radmila Lazic, poet, Natasa Kandic, Humanitarian Law Fund, and the others.
This is what she said:
":I dedicated my whole life to children and children do not choose their ethnicity, children do not know what ethnicity they are if their parents do not tell them. With my patients, I have never divided them according to their ethnicity, according to religion or the ideological choice of their parents. I feel proud because of this and even if I was not an Albanian I would have done the same thing. I am one of the persons most involved in humanitarian work in Kosovo; I have sacrificed my health in order to help women and children. If I were free, I would have had much work, I would help those that are suffering more now; now it is not Albanians that are suffering the most, now it is others, and I would work with all my strength in order to help them, Serb, Roma people.
My duty has been to dedicate myself also as a woman, as a doctor, as a poet to the emancipation of the Albanian woman, to her consciousness, to women's human rights, to help them fight for their freedom, to understand that without independence economics cannot succeed nor can freedom. In the League for Albanian Women, I have created bridges of friendship in the country and in the whole world. We have cooperated the most with Serbian women. Serbian women have given me the strongest support, perhaps they knew our problems best, and they have presented our problems best. The Albanian women of Kosovo should never forget this.
I am very sorry that the court underestimates the role of women in the world. It is very important that women enjoy the same equality as men. I will never renounce the right to fight for the rights of women. I will always fight for women's rights.
What the court has accused me of having fought for the secession of Kosovo and the annexation of Albania, I repeat: My country is where my friends are and where my poems are read. My poems are read in Switzerland, India, Brazil, Poland, in each of these countries it is as if I am in their own house. My poems have been published in the Encyclopedia of Poets of Yugoslavia (ex-Yugoslavia) and it is something very important for Albanian women.
The Albanian community has never behaved in this manner with their neighbors, women, and children. Right now in Kosovo, they have gone back to revenge at the end of the twentieth century. I am very sorry for not being free, for being in jail, for not being able to influence more what is happening now in Kosovo, for not being able to do more to lend a hand, to help those that are expelled, displaced. I believe that they will do it as if I were with them; I hope that they will make it because they are women, I hope that they behave in a just manner. I would do anything for them so that they could return to their houses, I would do anything so that the Serbian community and the Albanians reconcile. The intellectuals of Kosovo should give their support to reconciliation, other communities have also fought, they have made even larger wars between each other and now they have reconciled."
Flora left the court walking slowly; the police showed with harsh and arrogant words to the family and friends of Flora that they were not permitted to have any contact with her. Flora's two sisters that arrived from Kosovo, the poet Radmila Lazic, and I went to accompany Flora up to the police car. For a moment, we succeeded in putting the palms of our hands on the window of the police car. At that moment one of the policemen said with an insolent voice, "She's in safe hands. . ." Two policemen were in the front seat of the vehicle. Before my eyes surged imprisoned women: Leyla Zana, Kurdish, imprisoned in Turkey, Rigoberta Menchu, Aung Suun Ki . .. . . We waved goodbye to Flora until the police vehicle was gone, while we could see it. I was in a state of "black shame," as Ana Ahmatova says, because each one of us could have been on her place.
Stasa Zajovic
Women in Black
Belgrade, 14. december 99
autonomous women's center against sexual violence
belgrade, tel/fax: +381.11.687.190
posted by Kristian at 7:30 PM
8 Comments:
" I would do anything so that the Serbian community and the Albanians reconcile"
Great words indeed
To: cv..
It would be interesting if parties on both sides were that passionate to reconcile!
Maybe a lot of the myths would be resolved and ppl would see exactly whats causing their strife.
Politics and Economics!
Then they're realize they all bleed red in the end and shoot the politicians for putting them in their current predicament. And the nationalists and the ignorant.
Then they'd listen to reason.
Peace to all in the balkans!
Dear kristian,
In Kosovareport when I talked to you about regional cooperation modelled after CEFTA, you mentioned that education is an imperative for further peace and stability and I really do agree with you.
The point is that by definition the people (masses) are stupid and anybody can manipulate them in their own individual interests. In order to prevent that, education is needed (something like civil education) but also to improve the communication between these two groups. As an example, and I believe you would agree with me, could be the current relations between Germans and French or Germans and Poles. I live in Germany and here there is a Franco-German TV channel called Arte which promotes the communication between these two groups.
Therefore, this lady should be heared in Serbia and Serb intellectuals should be heared in the Albanian population in Kosovo.
Friendly regards
cvijus
To: cv...
Mutual cooperation in education would be a starting point.
When I grew up I watched Sesame Street. It has english and spanish throughout the program. It was always diverse in culture and races.
I believe they started the program in Kosovo/a also, with limited shows.
All you have to do is make a kids program that makes fun of the older folks and their stereotypical ideas and show kids that neither is better nor worse then the other, but in reality almost the same and that they are european. Culture should also be a theme to create better understanding of each others customs.
If I had the money the first thing I would do is open a TV station in Kosovo/a with 3 channels. One in Albanian, onein English, and the last one in Serbian. And have classes teaching the languages to the viewers. It would bring the classroom to their homes. Other programs that I would imulate is the Sesame Street program I grew up with.
Gene Rodenbury (creator) was a great visionary/individual where he saw a world where we all could get along, and he also saw the human potential and what we can achieve as a whole. He came up with "Star Trek"!
You have to admit that there are so many similarities bt our cultures that there are only a few things that distinguish us from each other. Blood, language, and religion, as far as culture is concerned its all mixed. We can thank the turks for that.
Teaching ppl about the posibilities and giving ppl hope would go a long way then preaching about the past and what has already happened.
Even if Kosovo/a does become independent what will serbia truly lose????? Reality is that the majority of serbs have never visited Kosovo/a nor have had intensions of visiting Kosovo/a in their lifetimes. We're probably going to be each others biggest trading partners, and we can't ignore each other in any form or way. So in reality maybe this will actually make ppl come and visit Kosovo/a and its historical sites. Which would cause the Albanian population to realize hey these sites are not bad at all they actually are assets. Bc of the war you have hot headed individuals, but through the majority of Kosovo/as history churches have been protected by Albanians.
Again education is the key!
Dear Kristian,
you got my point so far and you made some remarks that gave me joy.
Yes, it's a suprising fact how many common characteristics do the people from the Balkans have and we should take that as our ground stone of developing the further communication and reconciliation of each other. Just as an example, Serbs and Bulgarians could kill each others 50 years ago, but today they are the best neighbors. In my frequent visits to Bulgaria when I say that I'm a Serb the only thing I get is a wide smile and an invitation to drink rakija with them. Not even to mention that most of the Serbs enjoy going to the Bulgarian seaside and Bulgarians adore the Belgrade nightlife and music. Wouldn't that be possible between Serbs and Albanians? Maybe not now, but with time surely. And one day after many years you and me as old idiots will be sitting in a cafe drinking beer and telling to the youngsters how were developing these ideas :)
As you mention that media is important, I agree, but given the current situation you really have to be careful in to which extend you can act without causing a negative reaction. Therefore, yes your idea is noble, but it should be done the Balkan way, through economic interests, which is exactly what is happening in the Presevo valley and I hope soon it will be in kosovo, no matter what the future status is. However, I still believe that a supranational entity can enhance regional cooperation. Both people and governments have to realize that we are stuck one next to other and either we should all kill each other or work together.
Among the younger generations few have been in Kosovo due to the well-known situation. My parents (generally older generations) have been frequently until 1981 when it wasn't desirable or safe for Serbs from Serbia proper to come as tourists (even though even before it wasn't very safe), I don't want to go into detailed stories. My grandparents were kicked out of Prizren during the WWII from the SS Skanderbeg and after the war were not allowed to return to live there. I have been five times in Kosovo and I have seen good things and bad things for which I don't want to draw a general conclusion but a lot is to be done (A remark: I'm not writing you this to pick a fight, but rather to show you another perspective of which you may not have heard). I'm a religious person and it breaks my heart when I see a demolished Orthodox Church, or one vandalized or with graffities of racist content. Maybe our churches and monasteries have a tourist potential for Kosovo (I know it, I'm coming this summer with some friends from the Czech Republic) and hopefully Kosovo can profit from it, but it should be kept in mind that they are the objects of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the cultural heritage of the Serbian nation AND the state of Kosovo (just like Ephesos is the cultural heritage of the Greek people and the Turkish state). If you don't agree with me on this, keep it cause on this subject I don't want to make any compromise.
Kristian, so far enjoy communicating with you and I hope you think the same way
Friendly Regards
cvijus
PS - I agree on your remarks on education
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
To: cv...
I totally agree on the issue of protecting religious sites --churches and mosks.
I'm sorry but during the war the army torched a lot of mosks which naturally would cause a blowback affect in the future. I am saddened that they destroyed the catholic church in Gjokova/ica. Your orthodox and I'm Catholic. The soldiers didn't have to shoot the place up. Even you would agree on that! And they used it as a base of operations. Another sad incident.
Remember the term "blowback" its a termn our foreign relations offices use here. Its the basic principle for every action you have an equal or greater reaction.
If I burned your local church what would you do in return (thinking on a basic level)! You'd want to do the same or worse.
If you were logically thinking straight you'd ask the authorities to find the perpatrator and give him the maximum jail sentence allowed by law!
What happened to your grandparents was not right! But really think about that! There was never "THE RULE OF LAW" in Kosovo/a! It was never truly practiced not even during the glory days of the FROY!
Had law been practiced things would of been much better for all ppl in the area. Education the time of yoru grandparents was not the norm. Even today you have a generation or two that do not have a formal education bc of Milo's wrongdoings.
I've argued this point before! You can attract a lot of sympathetic ears with sweet words then with harsh words.
Your govt. has screwed up from day one. You have the poorest area in the country, the least educated area in the country, the highest unemployment in the area.
Its the same as here in the USA with minorities. You treat them like shit then eventually White Americans wised up and saw the potential market that they had. Why keep minorities down when they actually spend a lot as they move up in society.
This is were your govt screwed up!
They opened a University up. You opened a kids imagination, "the light turned on" on folks that didn't have such an opportunity before! Now if you restrict growth you incur problems. That is what Belgrade did when it saw a new intelegencia emerging from Kosovo/as students. They were eager to learn and once they knew you can't just throw them back in the closet, pandora's box had already been opened. Your govt could of and should of only provided guidence.
If you know albanians as you say you do. Once they're committed they'll stick with it and they'll do it better then anyone else. Look at albania it was more stallanist then Stalin himself.
The point I'm trying to make is fear created a mass hysteria.
I'll tell you another example! One of the companies I used to work for a while back. I supervised almost 200 employees. Before any one employee would ever ask for a raise we would give it to them even though we never had too. Guess what our turnover rate for an employee was over 7 years. That means I had a competent employee for 7+ years and didn't have to worry about training new employees constantly like our competition did.
If the govt at the time had nourished albanians instead of trying to supress them they would of seen a better return on their investments.
Instead NATIONALISM caused a phobia that caused mass hysteria.
Right now serbs have lost a lot of credibility around the world. Albanians in Kosovo/a do not trust belgrade. That will take a long time, but could actually be a short time. If we all join the EU borders will not be an issue when YOU and I are in our OLD AGE as you mentioned.
I remember my grandfather in 91 when the war first broke out and he used to talk about the communist party. And how stupid he was to fall under such a command of thinking. He really regretted what the party did. If it wasn't for my grandmother (god bless her soul) my grandfather today would of been living either in Croatia or Slovenia. Serving 12 years in the Army showed him other parts of FROY and how the other areas were propering. Eventually he sent almost all his kids to the USA bc there were no opportunities in Kosovo/a!
That is the plight of all the ppl in that area. Economics!
And education can break all barriers including economic ones.
Nice talking to ya!
Dear Kristian,
Destroying churches or mosques I disaprove,but what you mentioned if you destroy my church I will not act in the same manner since I don't want to fall on that level. In such situations you can notice who is really a civilized person and who isn't.
My grandmother originates from a wealthy Serbian family from Prizren which was there for generations. Her only brother (as it was used in that time) studied medicine in Germany and returned to work as a doctor in Prizren when he was killed during WWII by his best friend who was an Albanian, member of the SS Skanderbeg. However, one man doesn't define one nation, nor does a whole SS division. I met many Albanians, with some of them I'm befriended and the exchange of information and experiences with respect to the other is essential as well in building relations. Thank God in Serbia there are a lot of NGO's that inform the public of what Serbian individuals have done. However, it cannot be denied that after NATO took over Kosovo, attrocities have been done upon the Serbian population and the Albanian public either doesn't want to know it or they deny it. Maybe the volume of the attrocities is lower, but nevertheless it is a problem that cannot be denied.
In my university in Germany we have done many case studies on Yugoslavia. Suprisingly, German students and professors state that with the Communism in Yugoslavia, the Serbian leadership showed good will in granting Kosovo autonomy even though at that period they were not pressured to. Even during the Milosevic period they believe that the Albanian political elite didn't want to participate in the Serbian political life on the side of the opposition, even though they were offered to and most probably they would pose a bigger threat to Milosevic and would achieve their rights they enjoyed in old Yugoslavia. The Serbian opposition with Djindjic and Panic at that time were ready to cooperate with the Albanian political leadership. One more thing the Germans say is that without the actions of KLA no masacre would occur in Kosovo. However, both the Germans and me are aware that Albanians had a hard time in the Milosevic period and they lived injustices. But my point is that for you to understand the best m what I mean, you should take a look at the Turks in Bulgaria and you will get my point.
What you mentioned about Croatia and Slovenia, both of them were part of the Austrian EMpire whereas Serbia and Kosovo part of the ottoman and you know hat the Ottomans were only interested in collecting taxes and nothing more. But if you compare Kosovo of 1950 and the Kosovo of let's say 1999, a lot has been done.
"If the govt at the time had nourished albanians instead of trying to supress them they would of seen a better return on their investments."
I completely agree with you, but I think this hould now apply on the institutions of Kosovo and the Serbs in Kosovo.
have a nice day and take care
Cvijus
PS - You have many points and for me time is scarse to answer them all, sorry.
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