[PEN-L:6125] (Fwd) Letter from Belgrade

[phillp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

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Date sent:      	Tue, 27 Apr 1999 16:36:52 -0700
To:             	ccpa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From:           	Sid Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>
Subject:        	Letter from Belgrade

Subject: Letter from Belgrade
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999
From: Marija Marjanovic <marija@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: My side of the story

	Hello everyone! I am student from Architectural Faculty,
University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia. I spent great time in Porto
Alegre by the end of the year 1997.
	Some terrible things are happening to me and my people (Serbs)
and I wanted to tell you my side of the story.
	My people is in a very bad position: on one side, there is our
government that absolutely does not care about anything except
about how to save their own positions. We don't support this
government. Belgrade (the capital) did not vote for them. Not to
mention that we are under media blockade for very, very long time,
and that our elections were never fair. In one word - this
government WAS NOT OUR CHOICE.
	On the other side there is USA (NATO forces), which is
determined to ruin everything that stands on its way. Do you really
believe that they are concerned about human rights and things like
that ? The real reason for their actions are: strategic positions
(spreading to the eastern part of Europe, and making "conflict
areas" in the middle of Europe in order to retain stronger than
European Community) as well as economy reasons (spreading the
market and selling the old weapons).
	Did you know that they are bombing us with radioactive
materials which are secondary products of their nuclear industry?
Did you know, that during the war in Bosnia (country next to
Yugoslavia), USA bombarded this territory and that women from
this areas have defected babies born today? Do you still believe that
they are fighting for human rights?
	We are in terrible position. If they are fighting only against our
government why are they attacking civilians? Do we really need this
aggression? Don't they have any other way to persuade our
president to negotiate? Do we, civilians, have to suffer because of
wrong government on one side and aggressive ways of USA to
realize their strategic and economic goals on the other?
	We only want to live our lives normally. To work, have fun,
have families, have healthy children. We are normal people that is
very tired of everything that is going on here in the last ten years.
	Please, help us, by spreading our side of the story all over the
world. Tell this to your friends in Brazil and in the other countries.
	Anything that you do can be helpful.
	Help us only by thinking. Remember, this can happen to any
poor nation. World should not be a jungle.
	Thank You for Your time.

	Truly,

	Marija Marjanovic