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Letter from Centre for Nonviolent Action - Sarajevo/Belgrade ___________________________________________________ 16 MARCH 2001 Dear Friends, The latest news from The Republic of Mecedonia make us very worried. During the past decade we have witnessed similar news so often and they frighten us a lot causing fear of another war. And we ask ourselves: "Again? Again, after all those years of war, atrocities, violence and madness over here? War again? Ten years of wars around here have shown us that in the war everybody, except the war profiteers loses. With this letter we want to articulate our APPEAL AGAINST VIOLENCE AND WAR FOR PEACE AND NONVIOLENCE We address our appeal to all people in order to raise their voice against another threatening war. Citizens of Macedonia, see what the war has left behind in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo and do not let it happen to you as well. Do not allow yourself to become overtaken by hatred against your fellow citizens. Do not allow yourself to take arms into your hands. Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed with the feeling that "they are all the same, because they are not, do not forget that. Gather all your courage and raise your voice against the war, do not keep silent, because it may be understood as approval. Do not divide people onto "us and "them, because that is exactly what the war machinery wants you to do. Determine yourself for peace and nonviolence and raise your voice against all kinds of violence. You make up the majority. We were also the majority in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo, but we were too silent, silenced by the violent explosion. Do not let it happen to you! Give signs to your fellow citizens which are on the "other side that you want peace and believe that there are many of them on the other side who wish the same. Only together you can secure sustainable peace and constructive cooperation. If you do not feel the tension or here shooting in your place of living, do not turn your head away thinking that it is far enough away from you. Appeal to all sides in the conflict to stop violence. It is your human right to live in peace. Demand it! Demand all your human rights and realise them. Bear in mind that the way of violence can not be a legitimate mean to achieve political goals and citizens rights. Be brave and decide for dialogue and cooperation, for the way of nonviolence. We understand that it takes lot more courage, strength and will, but it is worth of trying to build stabile relationship of mutual interest. It is worth deciding for peace. We appeal to all military and paramilitary conscripts to resist conscription and mobilisation. We appeal to all people, in particular the governments to offer shelter and support to war resisters and all other refugees. We deeply sympathise with victims of violence and their closest ones. In solidarity Centar za nenasilnu akciju - Sarajevo/Beograd Adnan Hasanbegovic Iva Zenzerovic Ivana Franovic Milan Colic Nedzad Horozovic Nenad Vukosavljevic ___________________________________________ Centar za nenasilnu akciju - Sarajevo Centre for Nonviolent Action - Sarajevo Bentbasa 31, 71000 Sarajevo, BiH Tel/Fax: + 387 33 440-417 Email: [email protected] www.soros.org.ba/~cna |