Topic: Zagreb Diary 
Response  53  of  67
 Written  9:35 AM  Jun 19, 1992 by wamkat in gn:yugo.antiwar 
Subject: Zagreb Diary

Zagreb Diary
18-06-1992

Dear Friends,

I am curious what is happening in my hometown and area at this moment, I am watching with an half eye the football match between Germany and the Netherlands and the Netherlands seem to win. Normally there are already some nice fights between people in this area after each football game between the two, so at this moment probably the television teams have come down to Limburg from Hilversum and waiting for things to happen. 

Yesterday we had the news that in the Gaza strip Palestinians demonstrated against the war in BiH and today a chief of the Dakota indians visits Zagreb and goes to the coast to look for the place to do their first international investment (up to now their Casinos only invested within their on Dakota nation). Together with the Former Governor of Minnesota (who is from Croatian origin) he visit today the father from all Croats (as the Chief from the Dakotas said), Dr. Franjo Tudjman. Furthermore they met with INA (the National oilconcern) and some other major companies.  

In fact yesterday evening after hearing that news from the Gaza strip we already joked about that the indians would be the next ones who do something symbolic. But that was without knowing that it in fact already was happening. Ofcourse this kind of investment aid is not passing through ARK, but goes via the national institutions. Still as I wrote the Green in the European Parliament earlier today it would be good to build up a short of Green Fund to coordinate ecological sound investments within Croatia and other by war destroyed countries.

Ofcourse when we joked about it we didn't had in mind that the indians would send this kind of help. We are not talking about small scale touristic projects here but multi million investments, with all problems involved. The speech of the Indian chief was more a commercial for capitalist free enterprise, then for capture of spiritual values. But it is still wonderful that the more or less undepended Dakota country is going to invest for the first time outside their nationality in Croatia. Especially now after the symbolic 500 years the Indians are going to help the white men who are in tribal (as the Africans named this war) war. 

We are now waiting what the Maori's , Sami's, Aboriginal's, Eskimo's, Punans and all those other folks will do, nothing would amaze me now anymore. Probably catholic Limburg (my home area) will start an action Limburg helps Zagoria through the winter or something like that. Bavaria and Friesland also make a change here, and the Catalans can ofcourse bring there touristic knowledge. And there are a lot more links possible to imagine.

This really give the feeling were is big Europe and where are those huge peace demonstration in Amsterdam, Berlin, Bruxelles, Paris, why do the students in those city not organise support actions for there colleques in Beograd. There actions can be the start of a change and they seems determinate to continue. It would help them a lot to know that the world is with them. They are the ones who maybe can stop the war sooner and without military intervention, you never know. The pictures we receive via HTV are a lot like the protest in the 60'ties. But also like the students action shortly ago in former CSFR.

There actions are not without danger, it is not Amsterdam or Kobenhavn, but a country at war. And when the police gets the order to clean it up it will certainly not be done peaceful. Via the EYFA (European Youth Forest Action) office in Freiburg Germany we received a fax from Zorica from the Centre for Anti War Actions in Beograd. It is a pitty that they can't connect up with APC directly since their stories are at this moment more interesting to read then mine from Zagreb. However they have all equipment (modem and computer) and when Eric goes there will be solved if there are any technical problems.

According to her fax it is not only the universities who are now protesting (in nearly all faculties in Beograd and Nic), but also the church held a procession against the war and taxidrivers protested against the new policy of the Beograd government towards their profession. The Taxi drivers had blockades in the city and shooting at them from Seseljs men (this was at the 11th of June). Prices in Beograd are now raising faster then in Zagreb, some things are already missing in the shops and appearing on the black market (mainly because some people with money bought them all to make more money).

We will discus in ARK to send some solidarity messages to them in Beograd. I am wondering what will happen when the actions of the teachers start here. I will try to follow the news from Beograd closely, since there is really something happening.

The news from Sarajevo stays the same, heavy fights and shelling. Today an other foreign journalist was wounded by snipers and her report (copied from CNN to HTV) was remarkable "it is a sad, sad war,....People are waiting until the world reacts....". The "liberation" of the airfield is still not done, UNPROFOR was shoot at yesterday and had already some problems getting into the city. Picture on HTV from other part of BiH show that the fights have been really bad, the country is very destroyed. We hope that there is a way that the pictures we see on HTV are getting through to Sarajevo as well, since most of the line with the rest of BiH from Sarajevo are broken.

Monday a whole delegation from 10 persons from the European Greens will come by to visit some of the refugees camps, so we have to organise a lot of things for them, which will make a hard working day tomorrow. It is not that easy to find empty spaces in Hotels. And make appointments on short notice, but we will manage.

With Love and Peace from Zagreb,

Wam:-)

p.s. the refugees from the station are brought to Djakovo, but new have already arrived.

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