[NextGenderation]
against independence in Kosova
by Jasmine Tesanovic,
one of the Women in Black women in Belgrade.
The Mourning for Kosovo - Jasmina Tesanovic
2.21.2008
9 a.m Morning, a big silence in the streets: even
some schools will be closed because of the planned
rally in the afternoon, 5 p.m.
1 p.m
Buses from all over Serbia are coming into Belgrade
city. The buses and trains are free, state-organized
for people to come and perform the big show with the
official title "Kosovo is Serbia." This is the motto
that runs constantly on national TV channels.
My friend from inner Serbia wanted to come to Belgrade
in a free ride, to have a coffee with me and then go
back home. But then, maybe better not to be seen
around you, he said, you are a notorious Woman in
Black, somebody might hurt you.
The official organizers, meaning all Serbian political
parties except for the 5 percent dissidents, all claim
that Belgrade has to show its real face: that of a
calm dignified Serb. And what about is calm and
dignified about the busted MacDonald's, burning
embassies and window-broken shops with foreign names?
Those are nothing compared to the loss of Kosovo,
justify our high-ranked officials on almost all tv
channels.
My father lives behind the Parliament, while I live
next to the biggest church in the Balkans. The
official rally starts in front of the Parliament where
Kostunica the premier will give a public speech, and
it ends with a prayer in the church. They estimate
that all the streets in between will be full of
people, just as crowded as Belgrade was during the
toppling of Milosevic in 2000, or the Djindjic funeral
in 2003. I attended those two events, it was my
conscience, it was my duty. This particular rally I
will omit, although I am curious and I would love to
see their faces.
On the stage it will be the usual crowd, really:
Serbian prominent nationalists, like the world famous
film director Kusturica and the president of Bosnian
Serbs Dodik maybe somewhere in the crowd. The war
criminals are hiding in the massive crowds too: Ratko
Mladic and Radovan Karadzic.
Rumor says they are both in Belgrade now.
.
Before the rally began, I crossed the square in
front of the Parliament. A lot of half drunk
teenagers, turbofolk fans, and the sad, miserable and
angry people I used to see in Milosevic rallies. It is
a lovely spring day, but instead of relaxing I
trembled: what if something goes wrong and massive
violence bursts out? Who is responsible now for
riotous damage to our lives and property? Nobody and
everybody, really; Kosovo Albanian or Serbians apart,
Belgrade itself is the only place at risk today.
I hear phrases on TV such as "Kosovo is the heart cut
from the body of Serbia," and also lamentations about
how much money was lost there, for instance in coal
mines. These seem absurdly large sums for such a poor
province -- who lost those investments, I wonder?
A big, nationalist, screaming speech by our prime
minister. I dont remember ever hearing Kostunica so
angry, loud and pathetic, like an aging rock star,
this guy who hardly ever addresses his people. He is
calling various world powers bad names and condemning
the fake state of Kosovo, almost publicly cursing
them. And extolling the Great Serbs with their pride
and honor.
Now Putin is a Slavic hero. He swears oaths, uses
words like life, death, Serbs, brothers, freedom,
blood and all that; here in 21 century.
World famous stars are here too: Novak Djokovic
the tennis player speaks like a robot on the screen,
saying he will never let go of Kosovo. Emir Kusturica
the film director interrupted his movie in US and came
to speak live in Belgrade. The prime minister calls
him a Serb -- actually Kusturica has changed his name
from the rather unl-Slavic "Emir" to "Nemanja," the
ancient Serbian king. The swaggering film director
speaks against the local traitors and calls them
"mice." The mice would be us, me,
Women in Black. He says he doesn't not believe in
Hollywood myth but in Kosovo myths. Why embrace myths
at all?
In the meantime, on my blog, which I put up to
follow the news in the city: Turkish and Croatian
embassies attacked, a Nike shop looted. Where are the
police? They claim this is the biggest meeting ever
held in Belgrade.
Close to my home, the hooligans are in some pitched
conflict with the police. Should I remove my name
from my own door? No; when things really get bad in
Serbia, the police arrive in company with the
hooligans.
The American embassy is attacked right now, 7 00pm, no
police around there; the reporter sounds really afraid
as he reports the smashing and burning.
The German bank in downtown Belgrade is attacked too:
gosh this is like during the NATO bombings, but in
reverse.
Tonight at 2 am it will be a full moon eclipse Earth
Moon and Sun in alignment, a perfect excuse for
madness.
Right now I hear that the American embassy is broken
into and burning with Molotov cocktails. The TV
coverage reminds me of when people looted the
parliament to topple Milosevic.
The newly elected president of Serbia is right now in
Rumania. He avoided this rally in the last minute,
even though his party has backed up the rally.
The country may be on the verge of a state of
emergency.
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