On the streets of Belgrad
Tanja Duorovic, Belgrade
Three people died and more than 100 got serious injuries in the battle between police forces and the excited demonstrators on Thursday, Oct. 5. The parliament—Skupstina—and the RTS headquarters, the Serbian TV in Takovska Street were wrecked and set on fire.
That is the gloomy result of the "peaceful protests" by people from all over Yugoslavia who followed a call to action by the "Democratic Opposition of Serbia" (DOS).
For days DOS had proclaimed victory in the presidential elections of September 24 for their candidate, Vojislav Kostunica, and demanded the resignation of president Slobodan Milosevic.
Some hundred thousands of people came to the White City on the Danube river on
Thursday to defend their candidate’s victory. What they called for as a "peaceful" demonstration set out even before the official beginning with violence and riots. In a second run the demonstrators would assault Skupstina and set it in fire.
Not until the wee hours of Friday did Vojislav Kostunica, standing on the balcony of the parliament, speak to the people. With him as "new president of Yugoslavia," "a new life would begin" for the Serbian people. "Highest circles of the European Union promised me they would end the sanctions against Serbia on Monday, because the country showed a democratic face," he promised his celebrating audience.
He said loud and clear that the Western countries would consider the violent takeover of power by DOS "democratic" as long as Slobodan Milosevic was in power - in spite of burning government buildings and a forceful takeover of the radio station.
The "independent" radio channel Index immediately broadcast a statement by the British Foreign Ministry : "We support the Yugoslav people for a new democratic start. It is time for Milosevic to leave."
After a call by DOS to continue the protest during the night without destroying the city any more and without drinking too much alcohol, some ten thousand people from all over Serbia and Belgrad stayed in front of the Skupstina until Friday morning. There was no police or army all over the centre of the city.
But the people’s initial euphoria that the people showed during their outburst of victory slowly subsided during the day. No signs of self satisfaction were visible. People looked very serious compared to that "democratic night". For most of the people the situation right now is not clear at all and many asked themselves what will happen next.
And some are bothered by the smoke that still comes out of the RTS building. In Kosovska street behind Skupstina, tear gas still hurts the eyes and a couple of police cars are still burning. The windows of the parliament are all destroyed and the building lies in darkness.
An Optor activist stands in front of it, a bottle of Rakija in one hand, something like part of a chair from inside Skupstina in the other. "Maybe we should not have done that. Look at the smoke-that is our city and Milosevic is not worth that," a young student said.
"If a few burning buildings are enough to make Milosevic leaving, than let them burn", another student responded. On the streets there are still young people with the Optor flag shouting " Otpor, gotov je"- resistance, he is done for. People in cars show their ympathy, hooting loudly.
"What we do today is history written by the people, and only the people,
without any support", Vojislav Kostunica would say later. But in that city of 2 million, not quite all the people are on the streets. Not everybody is celebrating on their windows or balconies. And when DOS-leaders and western governments talk about the "Serbian people" than they forget that not all the Serbian people are ympathetic to the opposition and that not all Serbian people were on the streets of the capital.
The people who stayed at home that night, worried about violence, are "Serbian people" as well. They asked themselves what will happen to their country when it is in the hands of these people who came to power through Western money and support.
But for the moment, the Serbian opposition leaders have every reason to celebrate victory. In the end they reached their goal, something they tried for 10 years. They came to power on the streets of Belgrade.
Tanja Djurovic, Belgrad
Tanja Djurovic is a Junge Welt correspondent from Belgrade.Junge Welt -- www.jungewelt.de/
posted 9 Oct 2000
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