Message from Belgrade, April 5, 1999.

• Author: Prodanovic, Sonja
• Position: Brief Article

Dear friends,

Thanks for your concern about us. The bombing is continuing and increasing its destructive effects. This is the 12th day that buildings in central Belgrade are smashed, the headquarters of security forces, some barracks, factory plants, fuel stores, some bridges nearby etc. We understand (hear but do not have any official news) that pictures of the Kosovo civilian exodus are horrible, favoring the need for NATO intervention to stop ethnic cleansing (as if there was not recent experience in Croatia and Bosnia), but for us it is strengthening the false NATO--Milosevic dilemma/confrontation. As people in Yugoslavia do not see these pictures, it makes life horrible to anyone who concerns himself in the "democratic force" of Serbia, being exposed to various dangers and threats. The nationalistic, xenophobic homogenization on the streets of Belgrade is increasing and getting an early stage of militancy when "masses" smash windows of foreign cultural centers, embassies, offices of western airlines, McDonald restaur ants (symbol of American fast food) etc. Suspicious neighbors look for "spies." The wartime psychology is at work. The "voices of democratic Serbia," attempting to think out an optimistic scenario, have no chance to say even a word against the leader and a clique who actually produced all this.

The proclaimed state of war forbids all free media. The rest is vulgar propaganda that increases the number of Internet learners and short wave...