Appeal from Trade Unionists in Yugoslavia

Forwarded by Brian Kelly, 3 May 1999

“Deeply shocked by NATO's devastation of our country and the plight of Kosovo Albanians, we, the representatives of non-governmental organizations and the Nezavisnost Trade Union Confederation, energetically demand that those who have created this tragedy immediately take all necessary steps to create conditions for the resumption of the peace process. The most powerful military, political and economic countries in the world have been killing people, and destroying military and civilian facilities, bridges, railway lines, factories, heating plants, storage facilities and fuel tanks. This has produced an exodus of unrpecedented proportions.

Hundreds of thousands of Yugoslavs, primarily ethnic Albanians, are forced to leave their devastated homes to escape the bombing and military actions of the regime and the KLA, in the hope that they will find salvation in the tragic status of refugees. It is obvious that all this leads to catastrophe, and that a negotiated and peaceful solution to the Kosovo problem, which we have urged for years, is now further away than ever. We have courageously and consistently fought against every warmongering and nationalistic policy, and for the respect of human rights, and particularly against the repression of the Kosovo Albanians.

We have always insisted on the respect of their human rights and freedoms, and on the restoration of autonomy for Kosovo. Faced with the current tragic situation, we put forward the following demands in the name of humanity and the values and ideals that have been guiding our activities:

1) We demand an immediate cessation of bombing and all armed operations.

2) We demand the resumption of the peace process with international mediation.

3) We demand that the European Union and Russia take their share of the responsibility for finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.

4) We demand an end to the practice of ethnic cleansing and repatriation of refugees.

5) We demand support for peace, stability, and democratization of Montenegro.

6) We demand the Serbian and international media report professionally and impartially about current developments and refrain from fanning inter-ethnic hatred, hysteria and glorification of force as the only way out of the crisis.

We are unable to achieve this on our own and ask for you support.

(signed):

Association of Citizens for Democracy; Social Justice and Support for Trade Unions; Belgrade Circle; Studetns Union of Serbia; Yugoslav Lawyers Committee for Human Rights; Nezavisnost Trade Union Federation; and 12 other organizations.

If your organization would like to endorse this statement, contact Ken Coates at the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Gamble Street, Nottingham NG7 4ET.