From: pavlovic-milan@CS.YALE.EDU (Milan Pavlovic)
Subject: Re: The goal of an intervention
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 13:23:27 GMT

In article <1992Sep8.000326.12859@unixland.natick.ma.us> sharon@unixland.natick.ma.us (Sharon Machlis Gartenberg) writes:

>Yes, yes, and no. Yes, Cyrus Vance gave such a warning, yes the EC recognized
>BiH anyway, but actually what "ignited" the war was certain people with
>guns who started throwing barricades up in the streets (weeks before
>the recognition), shooting unarmed peace demonstrators, and then
>firing heavy weapons at civilians in Sarajevo and elsewhere.
>THOSE WHO WERE FIRST TO USE A *MILITARY* RESPONSE TO A *POLITICAL*
>PROBLEM MUST ACCEPT THE MAJORITY OF BLAME FOR THE CARNAGE.
>
>NOT those who were using conventional diplomatic actions.
>

>Actually, the Serbian nationalists should be ashamed.
>
>*They* needlessly unleashed massive death, destruction, and suffering in a 
>country that could have found a peaceful, political solution to its
>problems. If only they had gone to the negotiating table instead of
>destroying the nation and murdering tens of thousands of people.
>
>It is truly incredible to me that you DON'T blame those with the guns
>who are killing people, but outsiders thousands of miles away who used
>a legitimate political tool -- diplomatic recognition -- in response to
>an election. 

Dear Sharon,

I think you missed my posts back in May dealing with the very issue of who
the terrorists were that shot at the crowd of peace demonstrators.  That is
why I will repost them.

The Serbs were framed back then that they were the ones that did the shooting,
when it was actually the Slavic muslims that fired on that crowd - basically
the same thing as happened with the breadline massacre in May, for which the
Serbs were also blamed, only for us to discover later that it was actually
the Slavic muslims that committed the act.

Here are the articles. (funny how I have this feeling that you will still blame
Serbs for everything no matter what articles and proof I post here).
Please read them this time:


>From Pogledi #107 (April 24 - May 15, 1992.) Translated by Milan Pavlovic.
===============================================================================
                      The Clash at Bas-Carsija  

....Unfortunately, the price of the [Serbian] successes [in some parts of
Bosnia] is payed by the innocent Serbian citizens in other parts, especially in
Sarajevo, in which a horrible muslim information terror has been introduced,
with the assistance of Croatians, parastate, and paramilitary organs.  The 
author of these lines, who after having spent ten days in genuine house arrest,
was still able to get to free territory (Pale), is able to understand better 
many stories and writings of older generations only after this experience....
 
....Time will show if Alija Izetbegovic correctly foresaw all the consequences
of the decision to mobilize the reserve forces from the central defense of B&H,
but it's certain that this >>statesman's order<<, motivated by an alleged
genocide against the muslim citizens of Bijeljina, is what practically lit the
fuse of war. It shouldn't be doubted at all that the >>self-proclaimed vizier<<
consciously and in a planned way chose specifically this >>acrid ending<<,
especially when it's known that there was no real cause to make such long-term
decisions. Not only was the president's order issued after the session at which
the Serbian members weren't present, but Izetbegovic willingly ignored Fikret
Abdic and the letter from muslims citizens of Bijeljina, who throw a different
light on the dramatic happenings in Semberija.

  Alija's call [to arms] was only a signal, which was readily accepted not only
by fighters from the Territorial Defense, but also by muslim paramilitary 
forces, the Green Berets and members of the so called Patriotic League of 
Bosnia and Hercegovina.  By simply occupying the streets of Sarajevo, these
inheritors of >>glorious traditions<< of the butcher Handzar Divisions, 
obviously attempted to demonstrate their power by provoking Serbs, which caused
a large counter-reaction: barricades and shooting...

  It seemed, however, that the matter would be solved in a peaceful way,
especially after Karadzic, Izetbegovic, Brkic and Kukanjac reached a cease-fire
accord in Sarajevo's television studio, as well as [an agreement] to respect 
the conclusions adopted at the peace conferences under the patronage of the EC.

  It was easy to conclude that the >>television consensus<< was not strong when
there were strong firing and detonations on the streets of Sarajevo during the
night between April 4 and April 5.  The first real drama started, however, only
on Sunday (April 5) in the afternoon hours on the streets of Sarajevo, where
the >>peace movement<<, the citizens of Bosnia-Hercegovinian orientation, 
appeared according to a planned scenario.  The mass of several thousand people,
cheered on by hysterical television propaganda, left from Dobrinje toward the
center of the city, more accurately to the republic's parliament.  Along with
peaceful demands for an end to the war, >>constructive<< political suggestions
were also spoken that nationalist authority be destroyed, and that it is 
supposedly the only legislative culprit for >>the century long brotherly 
affection of all nations from our dear Bosnia<<.

  The whole >>circus show<< remarkably resembled an already seen performance
held during the last night of >>the night of barricades<<, but a boring story
took on a dramatic turn at a moment when the peace movement column unexpectedly
(expectedly?) went off the main march route and headed toward the street of 
Brotherhood-Unity, which leads to the Grace neighborhood in the Serbian part of
town (new Sarajevo).

  Sniper shots started echoing from the area of Grac in those moments, which
simply aroused panic and divided the demonstrators since they started running
away panically.  Several people were killed and wounded, and the wrath of the
mass was cleverly directed to the Serbian >>terrorists<< thanks to the media.
The truth was completely different, since there was a heavy battle being fought
at that time between troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic
and muslim state and paramilitary formations.  Although it was earlier agreed
that the school of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at Vratimo would be handed
over to the Serbian police, instead of a peaceful taking over of the building,
the Serbs were caught in a cross fire between the muslim neighborhood Streliste
and the school itself.  The Serbian troops were successful in capturing the
building and saving the cadets who were under severe pressure from 
Izetbegovic's chief of the school Husein Balic.  Later of course, the muslim
media propaganda presented this happening in a very different light, so we
heard from it that the principal >>pedagogue<<, was saving his students from
the terror of the >>horrible Serbian aggressors<<.

  At moments when there was firing in the city, the so called representatives
of the >>threatened people<< burst into the Parliament of Bosnia and 
Hercegovina. Requesting the resignation of the government, [and] new elections,
they started the three day session of >>their parliament<<, which was [more] 
reminiscent of a police tragicomical exhibition than a serious coup de'tat
attempt.  Television Sarajevo, however, with constant day and night coverage
of this >>spectacle<<, and constant calling upon the citizens from the whole
republic to support this action, only added >>oil to the fire<<, hoping that
by doing that it would probably give its contribution to the destruction of the
hated Serbian enemies.

  At the meeting of the self-proclaimed people's parliament, Serbian 
nationalists were condemned in the name of all the people of Bosnia and 
Hercegovina, which shouldn't be surprising if one knows that members of the
>>Bosnian<< opposition parties were among the organizers, led by >>Titic from
Sehera<<, Nijaz Durakovic.

  Durakovic got applause from his representatives who marched into the 
republic's parliament in their worker's and miner's work clothes, carrying
Yugoslav and Bosnia-Hercegovinian flags.  The most absurd scene was the lifting
of Josip Broz's picture onto the central wall of the hall which was accompanied
by overwhelming cheering from almost all people present, >>TITO, TITO<<.  Along
with calling for the ghost of a deceased man, his fans also sang >>Hej 
Sloveni<<, but it seems more out of habit, since they clearly expressed their 
feelings toward the rest of the Yugoslav state by constantly shouting to 
>>beloved Bosnia<<.
==============================================================================

And here is the second part from Pogledi #107 (April 24 - May 15, 1992.) 
===============================================================================
                      The Clash at Bas-Carsija  (continued)

  Believing that their moment to get into power according to the Rumanian 
recipe had arrived, they decided to form a Committee of National Salvation.
This revolutionary organ, however, did not get a chance at all to show its
political force, since Alija Izetbegovic, it seems, concluded that the forming
of an opposition which is dominated by former communists would be acepted
with antipathy in the West.  By the way, it should be noted that all >>national
representatives<< robbed and broke many valuables during their three day
stay in the premises of the Parliament, expressing in such a way it seems their
anger to the achievements of the state at which they wanted to >>command<<.

  At the invitation of the >>national Parliament<<, new sympathizers of the
Bosnian opposition block gathered in Sarajevo with the morning hours on 
April 6, who were joined by curious onlookers at the plateau in front of the 
Parliament building, of whom some really believed that they would contribute to
the >>victory of people<< with their gathering.

  Exactly like the day before, shots suddenly began to echo, which scared and
angered the mass, so it's completely logical that it was >>thirsty for blood<<
and seeking revenge under such conditions.  The designated culprit was, of
course, found.  The mad television commentator shouted that the snipers are in
the >>Holiday Inn<< Hotel, which is also the headquarters of the Serbian 
Democratic Pary, and is located across from the Parliament.  It wasn't long
before the delirious crowd, led by so called special police forces of the 
muslim and Croat MUP, burst into the hotel.  Soon it was stated that the 
terrorists were captured, of course Serbs and members of the Serbian Democratic
Party, whose orders were to massacre innocent people.  After this statement,
the already moving anti-Serbian hysteria could not be stopped.  The culmination
was reached in the evening hours, after the statement of Luxembourg regarding
the international recognition of Bosnia and Hercegovina.

  The truth about what really happened in the >>Holiday Inn<< and in front of
the Parliament is of course completely different this time too, and one of the
captured >>terrorists<<, Branko Kovacevic, who is recovering these days on the
free Romanija territory after the [prisoner] exchange, told it to "Pogledi":

  >>The leadership of the Serbian Democratic Party had already left the hotel
earlier, and those of us from security (along with Kovacevic, Karadzic's  
personal bodyguard Vlado Ilic was there) also were to evacuate the hotel,
together with the director Danilo Dursuga<<, explains Kovacevic.  The people in
front of the Parliament were fired at by Green Berets snipers who were most 
probably located on the roofs of the nearby buildings popularly called >>Jovo i
Uzeir<<, a muslim neighborhood, which is located above the military hospital.

  The leadership of paramilitary forces (and their commanders) surely knew that
the headquarters of the Serbian side were located in the Holiday Inn, but with
this forced entry and the capture of >>terrorists<< Izetbegovic believed he
could completely blame his enemies who were presented as a terrorist 
organization before the domesic and foreign journalists.

  When the mass of Green Berets, led by special muslim MUP, broke into the
hotel and threw bombs, we decided to defend ourselves, but the relationship
of the forces was such that we didn't have any realistic chances to get out of
there, Kovacevic continues his story, who was otherwise, as a candidate of the
Serbian Democratic Party, elected during the last elections as the assistant 
of the Secretary of Defense of the Parliament in the city of Sarajevo.  After
we gave up, the mass wanted to lynch us, but the >>special police forces<<
prevented such a verdict by pushing us into their cars.  Thanks to his 
resourcefullness, director Dursut was able to get out and look for help in a
nearby barracks, while there was mass robbery and destruction of expensive
furniture in the hotel (according to some estimates there were things dragged
out of the hotel which were worth a total of 5 million deutch marks).

  Kovacevic and his friends spent 5 days in various jails in Sarajevo, before
they were exchanged for Babic and his people....

							Kolja Besarovic
===============================================================================
Regards,
Milan Pavlovic
Newsgroups: soc.culture.yugoslavia,soc.culture.greek,eunet.politics