From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 21 Jul 92 09:09 PDT
Subject: Update ARK report
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700238:000:23824
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Jul 21 09:09:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Update ARK report


/* Written  9:05 pm  Jul 20, 1992 by wam@zamir-zg.comlink.apc.org in cdp:yugo.antiwar */

Report on past and ongoing projects

General Introduction

Until now (June 1992), the AntiRatne Kampanja (Anti War Campaign)
and Center for Peace, Nonviolence, and Human Rights were more or
less the same organization.  The volunteers have kept busy
working against the war in Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegoviania or on
related problems.

Future activities of ARK and Center are going to be more
separated.  The ARK will devote itself to the war's political
dimensions through public actions, appeals in the media, etc. 
The Center will concentrate more on related activities such as
training (e.g. nonviolence), information work, and relief
activities (workcamps).

Within ARK and the Center there are approximately 35 volunteers
in different workgroups and activities.  From this 35, 7 receive
a small stipend to help them survive the high cost of living in
Zagreb.  Others sometimes get some reimbursements forcosts
incurred onbehalf of the Center.

After the end of the air raid alarms and the beginning of the
cease-fire early in 1992, ARK experienced an identity crisis.  A
short evaluation process about the aims of the Croatian peace
movement led to the new projects described in the second part of
this report.  These new projects put more of our effort into
nonviolence training and relief work.

ARKzin

ARKzin is the bimonthly magazine from the AntiRatna Kampagnja
(AntiWar Campaign) in Croatian (with contributions from peace
initiatives in all the former Yugoslav republics).  So far, five
issues have been produced (1992).

Training for Nonviolent Conflict Resolution, Mediation, and
Negotiating Strategies

This project has three phases:

1.)  Information gathering.

15 workshops have been organized so far and many more are
planned.  Our trainers, however, all come from abroad and remain
only a short time.  So far, we have not been able to train our
own trainers.  

We have cooperated with:

     - Bund fuer Soziale Verteidigung
     - War Resisters International
     - International Fellowship of Reconciliation
     - Quaker Peace and Service
     - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
     - Responding to Conflict, Birmingham

2.)  Training of Trainers

We are sending some of our Croatian stuff abroad to learn how to
conduct nonviolence training.  Programs include International
Training for Nonviolence by 'De Expeditie' this summer in the
Netherlands, 'Responding to Conflict' beginning in 1993 in
Birmingham, etc.  We plan to conduct seminars for nonviolence
trainers in Croatia and also joint trainings with Serbian
activists.

3.  Building a Trainers Network with Assistance from Trainers
from Abroad

We hope to start this in the coming months.  All workshops will
be continually reevaluated.  This material will then provide a
basis for a more comprehensive research project.

Conscientious Objection and Civil Service

This workgroup now holds regular information hours for aspirant
CO's.  On the 15th of May, we arranged a roundtable discussion
about conscientious objection and the possibilities for civilian
service in Croatia.  Participants came from the peace movement,
the government, and various church organizations.  This
discussion will be published along with other information
pertaining to the situation for CO's.

Analyzing the Media and War Propaganda

This work begun early this year is continuing.  A first draft is
expected in beginning of 1993.  The main problem faced is the
creation of the matrix research, since it is difficult to compare
the situation in the three different countries.

The Doors of Peace

This project moved has moved from the St. Martin Church to its
original location.  It continues to occur every second Wednesday. 
On the 6th of May, a special concert was organized for Peace in
Bosnia (Mirna Bosna).  Similar concerts took place in Ljubljana,
Beograd, Novi Sad, Skopje, Pancevo, and Amsterdam.  More of these
joint concerts will be organized.  On the 15th of May (the
International Conscientious Objectors Day) and on the 4th of June
(the International Day for Children as Victims of War),
additional concerts took place at this door.

Humanitarian Assistance

Humanitarian aid is not one of our top priorities, since there
are many well established organizations like the International
Red Cross and Doctors without Borders with more capability and
experience in relief.  Nevertheless, ARK and the Center have been
involved in some small scale humanitarian aid
transport,especially in support of peace initiatives in Sarajevo. 
ARK has procured some medicine and medical equipment via American
contacts on the electronic networks for hospitals in Sarajevo and
Split.  This aid was transported to where it was needed by the
Dalmatian Solidarity Council.

Protection of Human Rights

At this moment, we are translating all human rights material
about the situation here which organizations like Amnesty
International and Helsinki Watch have published.  Furthermore, we
have been gathering data on the violation of human rights in
cooperation with the Serbian Democratic Forum and other
organizations.

Peace Policy

We have addressed several appeals to the Croatian authorities and
to the general public.  In March, we published an appeal for
tolerance in several Croatian newspapers.

Demilitarized Zones

We have organized successful roundtables with authorities both on
Vis and in Zagreb.  During the summer, different international
peace events will be organized on the island in cooperation with
local citizens.

A conference about regional demilitarization and the concept of
security is planned for autumn of 1992.  This is in cooperation
with the Faculty for Political Sciences in Zagreb.

The Istria Project is in a preparation phase.

International Peace Forum

During the Zagreb Fair (24 to 25 April), we organized an
international peace forum.  Many foreign peace activists
participated.

International Electronic Networking

Since the beginning of April, we have established a regular link
with international activists via the London-based GreenNet. 
Information about the activities in former Yugoslavia went out
from there to various computer networks around the globe. 
Especially due to the situation in Bosnia and Hercegovinia, the
need to set up direct links between Sarajevo and the rest of the
world has been high (telephone links to the outside world didn't
work!)  Thanks to these links, many important appeals found their
way into the public media and to peace and relief groups
throughout the world.

This project is handled by an international volunteer.  Similar
volunteers will be placed in other major cities of former
Yugoslavia in the near future.

International Networking

Since our March letter of intention, we have entered a new phase
of international networking.  One of the first results is the
arrival of international volunteers to help us on specific
projects.  Most of these are long term volunteers.  One volunteer
from the Netherlands and one from the USA have already joined the
Center.  These assist with fundraising and international
outreach.

Since the beginning of the war in Bosnia and Hercegovinia in
April 1992, our Dutch volunteer has dispatched messages,
transcripts of phonecalls, appeals for help, and reports from
various peace groups within Sarajevo to the rest of the world. 
He has also transmitted information the other way.

Resocialization of Soldiers

In the second half of September, Greg Payton from the Vietnam
Veterans Against the War will come for a speaking tour in
Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovinia (if possible), Serbia, and Slovenia. 
Afterwards, we expect to broaden our resocialization activities.

Visits from peace groups from abroad

Nearly every week, at least one delegation from a peace
organization or political party from abroad asks us to organize
meetings for them with different organizations and institutions. 
Topics include Politics in Croatia, refugees, human rights, etc.

 Projects Planned

Nonviolent Conflict Resolution Project in Osijek

Situation:  Through nine months of war, news about the
bombardment of Osijek has not left the front pages.  Too many
people have been killed, too many people have left under pressure
of continuous attacks.  The prewar population of 105,000
inhabitants (with another 150,000 in the surroundings) fell
during the war to 30,000.  After the 3rd of January, when the
cease-fire finally came into force, people came back.  The 80,000
present inhabitants currently face heavy attacks from the
adjacent occupied territories.  The southern suburbs of Osijek
lay just one kilometer from the front lines.

The images of hate are not yet fixed in the people's minds. 
Thousands of refugees desperately await the moment when they will
finally be able to go back to their villages.  They have no idea
what to expect there.

How will they react when they face destroyed homes and hear about
relatives who have been killed?  

Will they build new lives or will their souls plan revenge?

In discussions with people from Celije, a village destroyed in
July 1991, different opinions were expressed.  Some people said
"We'll never go back there if there are Serbian police."  Others
said that they would like to go anyway.  "There are fields
waiting for seeds.  The corn was not harvested last autumn . . ."

What people in Osijek doing?

At first glance, one could hardly imagine that some nonviolent
work could be possible in a city that endured such heavy bombing. 
Hundreds of soldiers pass through the streets.  There is tension
between Branimir Glavas (now the self appointed head of the town
council) and local authorities.  The public discussion of violent
or nonviolent options is intense.

It must be stressed that during the war, the city government
repeatedly demanded that laws be respected even during the worst
attacks.  The speeches of Mayor Zeljko Kramaric are well known to
the Croatian public for his consistent support for civic, rather
than military, solutions.

Peace-minded people are trying to find nonviolent solutions.
Volunteers for the SOS-Telephone crisis line received more than
2000 calls during the war and supported many in the hardest
times.  A group of Caritas volunteers began work on the
resocialization of people disabled in war.  In the future, they
would like to begin work on the resocialization of soldiers.  A
branch of the Zagreb Center for Peace, Nonviolence and Human
Rights has been established in Osijek.  This center is in
desperate need of financial support so that it may employ two
coordinators.  They also need basic office equipment like a PC,
fax, etc.

Social workers have started individual therapy with the refugees.

What can you do?

Peace-minded people would like to learn more about experience in
other countries in postwar situations.  When the United Nations
Peacekeeping Forces finally take up their positions, the process
of conflict resolution can start.

Several problems present themselves:

*  How to clear the minefields? How to teach refugees and
returnees to build improvised shelters by themselves?  How to
include mediation in civil defense programs?

*  How to design reconstruction programs which enable people in
local communities to rebuild their lives?  How to start dialogue
between Croatian and Serbian neighbors?

*  How to re-socialize the soldiers?

Social workers and civil defense planners are searching for
answers to all these questions.  In the workshops for nonviolent
conflict resolution given by Traude Rebmann in March 1992,
psychologists from SOS Telephone expressed their desire for
additional training programs.  More than a hundred students from
the University of Osijek who came to a public discussion with
Traude said the meeting had been the nicest thing that had
happened to them in the last few months.

Possibilities exist for organizing workshops on nonviolent
conflict resolution for physicians, psychologists, social
workers, and policemen.

Some of the university faculty would also like to take part in
activities for the promotion of civic solutions to Osijek's
ethnic problems.  Students would like lessons about peace
movement activities.

In May, there were "Days for Nonviolence" in Osijek.  These
included workshops on mediation, nonviolence, and conflict
resolution, led by internationally experienced people (Adam
Curlie, Nick Lewer, Judith Large, and Eric Bachmann).  The
participants included social workers, health workers, government
officials, police officers, and refugees.  There will be a
continuation of this at the end of June when there will be a
week-long workshop on mediation led by Adam Curlie and a two day
workshop called "Medical Communication Skills" led by Nick Lewer.

Infocentrum for Croatia Peace Movement

On the first of May, we moved into a new office in the center of
Zagreb.  We now have the space to neatly store information we
have collected in the last ten months and make it available for
other groups and individuals from Croatia and elsewhere.

We hope to expand this information center via new contacts which
we have established with groups around the globe.  Thanks to
their contributions, our library of materials about peace work,
mediation, environment, development, and similar topics is
growing rapidly.

Workshops

Beginning this summer, we will conduct a cycle of weekly
workshops on topics related to peace work, mediation,
environment, development, and organization building.  These
workshops will be given by experts from abroad.

Promotion Activities

Besides the two weekly concerts, we have begun public campaigns
throughout the city to promote the work of AntiWar Campaign and
its possibilities.  We hold special speaking forums in our new
center on special topics like conscientious objection.  These are
widely promoted by advertisements and posters.

International Newsletter

In the midst of the war in Croatia, it wasn't possible to
regularly inform our friends abroad about our work and plans or
about the real situation in Croatia and the rest of former
Yugoslavia.  Besides a daily report, available through the
electronic networks, we are also publishing a monthly newsletter
in English ("Hello, Here Zagreb") for friends and sponsors
abroad.

In cooperation with Mi Za Mir in Amsterdam (an organization of
Serbian and Croatian COs based in the Netherlands), we seek to
spread these bulletins to groups which lack electronic mail
accounts.

Peace Hostel

Thanks to new international contacts built up during the last few
months, we expect a lot of visitors from abroad.  Due to the fact
that most of the hotel and hostel accommodations in Zagreb are
used for refugees from the warzones in Croatia and Bosnia-
Hercegovinia, there is a need to create additional space for
hosting these visitors.  Up to now, these visitors stayed in the
private flats and rooms of AntiWar Campaign activists.  The idea
is to create a house where peace activists from all over the
world can come together and share ideas about how to help Croatia
and the rest of former Yugoslavia after the war is over.  We hope
that this hostel will establish better contacts between the
different groups which support us.

International Workcamps

At this moment there are about 1.5 million refugees and displaced
people (65% of them are below 20 years of age) in and around
Croatia (population 4.5 million) or about 10% of total refugees
in the world (according to the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees or UNHCR).  Most of these are privately hosted by
relatives all over Croatia or with relatives in Austria and
Germany or placed in refugee houses.  But a few hundred thousand
still have not found a place to stay.  Every day some tens of
thousands cross the borders.

The Croatian Government, together with UNHCR, does what it can to
set up new camps, supplying them with their basic needs such as
shelter (often only a tent), food, and medical help.  More is
impossible, since the country is still at war and most of the
professional help is needed elsewhere.

So we are organizing International Workcamps this summer in those
refugee camps.  The first three will take place during the
following blocks of time:  19 July to 9 August, 26 July to 16
August, and 2 August to 23 August.  

These camps are prepared in cooperation with Service Civil
International and other international organizations.  Besides
these workcamps, we hope to organize some workcamps to
reconstruct destroyed schools and community centers around
Croatia.

Information Brochures in Croatia

In the next 6 months, we want to produce a number of small
booklets about different topics related to the war (e.g. human
rights, conscientious objection, mediation, etc.).
 Cooperation with Peace Initiatives in Other Republics of former
Yugoslavia

Peace Meeting in Vienna

A joint meeting of Serbian, Macedonian, Montenegran, Slovenian,
Bosnian, Hercegovinian, and Croatian peace activists took place
in Vienna (30th May until 1st of June) under the auspices of
"Initiative for the Improvement of the Croatian-Serbian Peace
Dialogue" in Vienna.  This meeting was the first opportunity for
discussing new joint projects and action days.  During these
meetings, new cooperative projects been initiated and joint
statements were made about the urgency for international help for
refugees and displaced people in and around former Yugoslavia.

European Tour

During the Vienna meeting, dates were set for a joint "European
Tour".  This project includes joint promotion of all peace
initiatives from former Yugoslavia within Western Europe (Italy,
Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria). 
This ensures better contact and cooperation between peace groups
inside former Yugoslavia, governments, public officials and
authorities, and peace initiatives in other European nations.

Email Peace Project

With the help of the "Association for Progressive Communications"
based in Sao Paulo, Brasil, the Institute for Global
Communications in San Francisco, California, GreenNet in London,
and German peace initiatives, we are building computer links
between the different peace centers and initiatives in former
Yugoslavia.

Benefit Action to Help the Peace Initiative in Sarajevo

Joint benefit campaigns are planned to help the Peace Initiative
in Sarajevo, which lost its center during the fighting in Bosnia
and Hercegovinia.

Intruder

Intruder began as an English-language magazine from and about
former Yugoslavia and the different peace organizations in that
region about three quarters of a year ago.  At this moment, plans
are being made to move the editorial responsibility from
Ljubljana to Zagreb and to get the other peace organizations in
former Yugoslavia more involved in publishing Intruder.

  
Financial Report         
for Anti Ratna Kampanja (AntiWar Campaign)        
Period 1 oct,1991-1 June 1992      
          
(all amounts in German Marks)      

Expenses       

Rent      
Green Action per. 1 oct. 91 - 1 Jan. 92 7.000,00
Gajava (Youth Council)                  1.500,00
Tkalciceva                              1.800,00
Repairing Gajava office                   273,33
Telephone, Telefax, Email               4.350,00
Post                                    1.334,19
Photocopy                               2.083,91
Subscriptions, newspapers                 545,00
Volunteers                              6.440,00
Travel costs                            2.282,14
Representation                          1.123,00
Translation                                50,00
Reimbursements to Society for the       
improvement of life                     1.000,00
Peace forum                             2.678,00
Peace workshop Rijeka                   1.100,00
War and Medical Personal Projekt          170,30
Workshops                                 200,00
Arkzin                                  4.884,30
Peace Door                              2.619,52
Peace Music Cassete                     1.714,29
Materials for Peace Center in Sarajevo    400,00
Lex (gift)                                500,00
Computer                                3.500,00
2 Modems                                  750,00
Toner,etc                                 300,00

Total                                   48.597,98

Incomes        

Donations      

German marks                            40.752,00
Dutch guilders      1.500,00            1.363,64
Austrian Schilling  35.000,00           4.929,58
Swish Francs         1.900,00            2.090,00
Slovian Tolar            77,00            150,00
Italian Lire        250.900,00            330,13
Croatian Dinar      25.754,00             286,16
          
Sub Total                               49.901,50
          
Arkzin                                     375,00
Vreme                                       52,00
          
          
Total                                   50.328,50

Budget for Center             
for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights           
Included budget for AntiRatna Kampanja            
(AntiWar Campaign)            
(period 1 July 1992 -1 Jan. 1993)            
               
(All amounts in German Marks)           
all prices based on begin June '92           
               
Expenses            
                    Amount    Monthly   Total
Monthly             

Rent                            900,00  5.400,00
Electricity, water, etc.        100,00    600,00
Telephone, fax, email         1.500,00  9.000,00
Post                            250,00  1.500,00
Books, magazines, subscriptions   100,00     600,00
Fotocopies, printing works      100,00    600,00
Volunteers               7    1.400,00  8.400,00
Travelexpenses                  350,00  2.100,00
Office materials                250,00  1.500,00
                
Total                         4.950,00  29.700,00


Projects  Amount    per unit  total
                
Concerts  10   500,00    5.000,00
Arkzin    4    2.500,00  10.000,00
Workshops per month 300,00    1.800,00
Workcamps 6    2.500,00  15.000,00
Consciousness objection  per month 100,00    600,00
Brochures 5    1.500,00  7.500,00
International Conference 2    2.500,00  5.000,00
                
Total               44.900,00
                
Office needs              
                    Amount    per unit  total
                
Laptop computers    2          2.900,00  5.800,00
Offset machine      1         15.000,00 15.000,00
Copy machine        1          6.000,00  6.000,00
Furniture                                2.750,00
Extra telephone line 1         2.500,00  2.500,00
Printer             1            500,00    500,00
Laserprinter        1          6.000,00  6.000,00
1 Doscomputer for Elect. Networking 
                    1          3.500,00  3.500,00
For Osijek                
Faxmachine          1          2.500,00  2.500,00
Computer            1          3.000,00  3.000,00
Printer             1            500,00    500,00

Total                                   44.550,00

Incomes              

Arkzin              4            700,00  2.800,00
Workcamps           6          1.500,00  9.000,00
Workshops           per month    150,00    900,00
Conference          2          1.000,00  2.000,00
Sales actionmaterial per month     350,00   2.100,00
Sales brochures     5            500,00  2.500,00
               
App. grants              
               
Towncouncils Mainz                      10.000,00
Komitee fur Grundrechte und Demokratie   1.500,00
               
Still open for Fund raising             88.350,00

                                                                              
            

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