** Topic: Zagreb Diary **
Response  41  of  67
** Written  1:37 AM  Jun  3, 1992 by wamkat in gn:yugo.antiwar **
Subject: Zagreb Diary

Zagreb Diary
02-06-1992

Dear Friends,

Every evening when I bike back from the Centre to Buzanova (somewhere near to the centre of town) I see on the same streetcorner police agents standing, every 500 meters or about that. That is since that bomb attack a nearly a month ago. The aim is that you feel nice and secured, but on me it just have the counterreaction, if feel everything beside nice and secure when I see so many police together. I never did and I never will. Especially when you know that this macho's like to drive with especially 75 km (around 50 miles) through the most population walking streets, not for any reason, just for the fun of it. If they would do that in Amsterdam you would have troubles as Policecop within the first 200 meters. Here people jump for their lives. But with a little bit of luck you just can figure out a way were there is no police at all. That's the different with our Police, you never know when and where you meet them, here you are pritty sure about where they stand.

When I saw on my computer what the phonebill should be for May on Saturday I nearly decided to give up this private action of mine, but let me thank you who have send a message to me. You are so nice and lovely people out there, thank you for your lovely letters and messages, it really help me, us to keep believing in our work. The phone bill was by the way over 120.000 dinars (about 1000 Dmarks, nearly 600 dollars), 20.000 more then I (my computer) figured out. I still don't know how to pay it, but we will keep on dispatching messages and sending out my diary until money will come or the line is cut. Your message made me happy and satisfied, it is really good to get those small ones, just one or two lines, it makes everybody here and in Sarajevo so happy.

In the last month the prices went up again with 23,4% and the income down with 15%, to live here you need per person (single) about 20.000 dinars (only food and electricity and very cheap housing) and for a family (4 persons) at least 69.000 dinars. The average income is 17.000 dinars, so figure out for your self (this are official state calculations), since I have entered this state the price went up with 43,5% (two months) and the income down with 36,1%. The exchange rate on the Dmarks from (60)90 to 100(125) dinar (official(black market(which is much harder to find then in the beginning, except from in the warzones, there they stand about everywhere))).

Positive news, when I drive a my bike to the Centre the town was full of the nice poster I made for the concert on Saturday which is because of the international day of the children who dead in wars. I make them on my computer and then a day later those posters are all over town. This one is great, it is made by my son (4 1/2), but he don't know, I scan his handwriting in before I went and used one of the drawings he send to me by fax. It is the most colourful poster I have seen so far in Zagreb and the most avant garde as well. At least every two week I have so my own creative orgasm and I can't help it, but I like it a lot. 

The negative news is that the shooting in Sarajevo is becoming worst after the cease-fire went into existence, last evening at 6 pm (1th June). Ibrahim was on his last energy as far as I understood from what people told me. His office is again bomb and Nada was unreachable for the whole day. Ibrahim ask us to put that urgent message from the hospital on the net (and I ask Manda at Support in London to dispatch it to the proper int. organisations, what she did, as always I must say). But most likely those 150 patient will be dead by tomorrow evening I see no helicopter or bombers dropping that aid over Sarajevo. When it happens I believe in wonders again. It is what Manda wrote me back, precisely my feeling, "I have dispatch your last message as fax to International.......(not that they would do anything, but they at least know what is going on)...". I don't write that part between brackets to Nada or Ibrahim, but I think it.

Since I anyway am quoting other I take to freedom to quote an part of an article Aida wrote, but it could have been mine, since I was thinking the same:

"The newspapers have started to publish the names of those who have been killed as soldiers of Croatian Army. Today there were 709 male names, with their father names in brackets, the list will be continued tomorrow. 3485 posthum heroes of the nation. Who could learn their names by heart?

Together with the names of all those who could not be granted by the Croatian President since they were children, women, civilians or simply on the the other side? 

It is a desperate idea to think that it would be possible to make a list of all who have been killed in this war and to learn it by heart? To repeat all these names as a prayer. I can think of those who should be obliged to tell that prayer every day, many times, to do nothing but to pray. Even if they wouldn't know to whom, even if they have never prayed before, or if they have never had a need to pray, they should be obliged to do it. It is possible that they could image some faces behind the names, some unfinished stories, that they could imagine all other faces which were connected with each of the names they say...I don't know if that could bring any change. Our friends have been doing something similar by reading, during their evening demonstration, the names of those who have been killed on all sides. we probably make a list together, now when we are also able to go on the street. we could repeat the names together."

Croatia, a land without an outside world (except from former Yugoslavia) it seems in the papers and the daily news on television and radio, in 5 newspapers who found only that in Haiti there was an uprising and in France some problems in the Government and the communists changed sides. And for the rest the World only exists if Croatia has anything to do with it. Croatia, Croatia, Croatia, Hvratska, Hvratska, Hvratska, Mir, Mir, Mir, Ratnu, Ratna, Ratni, Ratne, it is just a cheap fairy tall. Oh, God, Allah, Buddha, Jaweh, let it be over soon. Let the bombing stop, let the people live together, bring peace over these countries, stop that bloodsheding nationalism. Tomorrow starts in Rio the biggest meeting ever been held on our planet, Croatia don't know what to say, Croatia don't know how to say it, but Tudjman will go, in his private jet. Let him for once say something to think about...... Half the morning I spend to get the UNCED document of the net, so at least some parts of the Croatian delegation can prepare themselfs. 

Where are those planes over Sarajevo, who were those guys with their strong voices, should I buy a stengun and fight my way into that town to deliver the goods, if so, please send me the goods. Ibrahim said it is like Russian roulette to walk over the street today. And then some idiot think that he can save towns like Dubrovnik by declaring them to unique place, don't let me laugh. None, and I repeat, none of the fighting groups give any shit about the Geneva convention. As nobody give a shit about the thousands of papers which are going to save the world and the people in Rio are going to adopt. 

How long will it take before operation "Olympic games" will start to "liberate" Sarajevo, No they would use there planes to drop medicines or food, but to drop bombs. To wipe out the "enemy" in the name of the free world. How long will the list be after it is all over.

Don't let me bring you down, believe in your creativity, believe that there are other ways to solve a problem. The is no way to peace, peace is the way.

With Love and Peace from Zagreb,

Wam:-)

** End of text from gn:yugo.antiwar **