<nettime> Anti War Campaign

[Vesna Manojlovic <BECHA@classroom.opennet.org>]

[i'm not the author of the announcement, just one of the participants and
the webmistress of http://www.ark.org.yu/ 
but, we are all trying to inform as many people as possible, and to
encourage them to take part in.. ]

THE ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGN

Belgrade,
April 21, 1998.


	I would like to inform you about an action initiated by a group of
activists from various organizations (student unions, European Youth
Association in Serbia, Belgrade PostPessimists, the XXL Group, AEGEE,
GLIB, Student Federation, etc.), the Anti-war Campaign. 

	The idea to start thi action came as a reaction to the conditions
that we are experiencing. Besides the socially and politically critical
situation , in which we find ourselves, a new threat of the potencial war
conflict and suffering appears in Kosovo.  Furthermore, neither the
political factors, nor the public in Serbia show neither interest or
ability to cope with this crisis. 

	All activities of the Anti-war Campaign`s initiators and activists
have by now been targeted to provide for an alternative to dominant
authoritarian concepts -- mainly through striving for the mutual
understanding, tolerance, solidarity, open-mindedness,
 and non-violence. With full awareness of the fact that all our future
work toward those aims strongly depends on the reaction to the current
developements, we have decided to consolidate our potentials and treat
this action as a priority. 

	We see as primary goals of the Anti-war Campaign the following: 

1. Activating and connecting of numerous individuals and organizations of
different profiles from the whole teritory of Serbia and giving them an
opportunity to express their anti-war atitude; 

2. Driving public attention to the danger of new suffering and
devastation; 

3. Promotion of a responsible view of patriotism, as a process aimed at
the country`s progress, instead of destructive adventures in the name of
mystified values and for the benefit of the ruling elites; 

4. An attempt to raise the issue of ways for solving the crisis in
general, and the Kosovo crisis in particular; 

5. Motivating and encouraging people gathered around the Anti-war Campaign
to get involved, network, and initiate on their own similar actions in the
future. 

	Action Description:

	This action should last for fourteen days and consist of
distribution of one million A5 leaflets in the whole of Serbia.  The text
on the leaflet will be a warning of the dangers that any war carries
(i.e., it would affirm peace and non-violent conflict resolutions),
neutral in any ethnic or religious sense, readable, clear and simple,
non-ambiguos, etc. It would only be signed with the Anti-war Campaign in
order to avoid possible dislike or hostlity to any of the organizations
involved. The idea is to d istribute the leaflets in all Central Serbian
towns with minimum 5 to 10 thousands inhabitants, as well as in Vojvodina,
especially in towns where the Serbian Radical Party won many votes in the
last elections. When Kosovo is concerned, we believe that th e initiation
of similar action among the Albanian population is necessary. That is why
we are already puting efforts to find among our Albanian friends those
willing to participate - of course with all the help that we could
provide. 

	The accomplishment of this action`s goals does not depend just on
the distribution of leaflets, but also on drawing public attention to the
issues at stake. Thus, we believe that the independent media should also
have their role in coverage of this acti on. 

	The activists gathered by now have managed to form working groups,
with tasks concerning the begining of the action (spreading the
information on the Campaign, getting new activists, contacting the media,
propaganda design, raising logistic and material
 support, etc.).

	I hope that you are interested to participate in the Anti-war
Campaign. All the assistance that you would be willing to supply for the
realization of this action is more then welcome. 

With respect,

for the Anti-War Campaign,
Vesna Manojlovic
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