"Several days into the protest we realized," said Vasiljevic, "that it is
much easier to communicate with Novi Sad and other cities in Serbia via
the Internet than using inadequate telephone links and faxes. We achieved
two things: established communications with our colleagues within Serbia and,
what seems to be very, very important, informed the whole world about
what we are doing and what our demands are. I have to admit that until
recently I hadn't realized the potential of electronic mail. I am almost
certain that this was more important than any local radio station, it was
kind of like the Voice of America. Besides, we are in contact with students
all over the planet and from their reactions we can tell that our voice is
heard and that they are interested in the situation in Serbia."
Who have you managed to contact so far?
"Mostly non-governmental organizations which work on human right protection
and problems in the sphere of democracy in general."
Who was your first contact from abroad?
"I think Zeljko from Orlando. After him, it was a guy from New Zealand.
Via the Internet we received messages of support from NBA basketball
player Vlade Divac, lord Owen... From Zadar we received a message of support
from the head of Croatian Internet. On Saturday we received a message from
Bulgarian students. We've heard that signatures for a petition in our support
are being collected in the USA and Canada and that demonstrations in front of
the UN building in New York were scheduled for this Sunday. We've also heard
from the Slovenian students of political science who had started a petition
in support of our movement a few days ago."
You've reached every corner of our planet?
"Yes, but we didn't expect this sort of reaction, we just wanted to inform
them, but we've received a lot of offers of assistance. By the way, I'm
convinced that this is neither a velvet nor yellow [protesters throw eggs at
government buildings] revolution, but an Internet revolution."
Will it last?
"Until our demands are met (reinstatement of the original election results,
resignations by Belgrade University rector Dragutin Velickovic and student
prorector Vojin Djurdjevic), and then we'll have a party."
Where?
"At a place which will be able to receive all those who support us. Maybe
somewhere in the city, maybe even in the Usce park [site of large demonstrations
in support of Slobodan Milosevic in 1991], although my preferred
location is next to the Terazije fountain, a haunted place since the 1992 student
protests. Whenever I pass that fountain I get the creeps."
Why?
"We've been silenced for four years. As if we had lived a good life; and all
kinds of things happened, a war, huge exodus of young people from the country,
sanctions (UPUDAG, UnProvoked, UnDeserved And Genocidal [formula used in
the government controlled media for the sanctions imposed on Serbia for
its role in the Bosnian conflict], interjects someone) a few elections,
clashes with the rest of the world..."
"We Demand At Least Some Democracy"
Student Nedeljko Lazic, like all the other students, insists that their
protest should not be linked with "Zajedno" coalition.
"I am not here because of any opposition political party, nor do I
support them. The reason for my being here is our first demand; I see
that the energy is still there and hasn't been spent in Slobodan Milosevic's
and Draskovic's rallies; this is an eruption of anger which has been
accumulating since the fall of Krajina and blockade on the Drina river[against
Bosnian Serbs]."
"This is a pay off for everything," said Lazic. "For the catastrophe to which
our political leadership has taken this people. A few days ago, American flag
was burned in front of the American embassy and that was enough to make the
impression in the uninformed West that we, Belgrade students are mistaken and
convinced that the West supports Milosevic. We are not mistaken and are not
trying to woo anyone."
Is this an allusion to the events from the near past?
"I was in high school during the last student rebellion. But I was passed
next to the Faculty of Philosophy and saw what was going on. Real carnival
atmosphere, and those days monastery Zitomislic [Serb Orthodox monastery
near Stolac] was burned in Hercegovina. This time we are aware that only we,
ourselves, can win our
freedom and that renewed western pressure on Milosevic is because of their,
not our, interests. We are not trying to bring down Milosevic; we are aware
that we are not powerful enough for that; we are against such behavior of the
authorities. Look at the JUL leadership, there are more millionaires today than
before W.W.II. During the 1968 demonstrations the main slogan was 'Down With
Red Bourgeoisie'. The situation hasn't changed until today; it's time to
get rid of fear and to stop plunder in this country."
"We demand minimal democracy. Because, if something happens, they may forbid
us to breathe", added Helena Kolesar from Sid. "Let them fulfil our demands
and then we will see."
Helena said that she wasn't thinking any more about emigrating; she admitted
that she had considered that option earlier this year. "I don't know if abroad I
could find a guy who could put up with me; this country is too beautiful to
leave. The easiest thing is to leave."
Her colleague, Nenad Djordjevic, assessed the earlier student protests as
lacking seriousness. "That was nothing but a party and, besides winning Draskovic's
release from jail, broadcasts of parliament sessions and resignation from the state
controlled TV director, they didn't change anything. This time it's
different," said Djordjevic.
"If my Leskovcani [town in southern Serbia], who to the last one support the
Socialists, were informed about the real situation (they only watch, and trust,
state-controlled TV program)... I can only imagine how such an indoctrinated
person would behave if he had access to foreign TV stations and the Internet,"
mused Goran Nikolic, third year student of political sciences.
Lazic added that this time, regardless of the opposition protests which are
supported by a large number of citizens, only with the start of student
protests the demonstrations in Serbia and especially Belgrade became "a
popular movement for democracy".
President of the student organization at the Faculty of political science,
Daliborka Uljarevic, one of the most important persons in the presentation
of the student protests on the Internet, was especially surprised that the
number of messages in which assistance (even financial assistance) is
offered was growing daily.
"So far we cannot receive financial aid from abroad, since we still haven't
officially registered ourselves..."
You do intend to correct that in the near future?
"See that message on the wall - Student Protest 1996/97.
It would make us very happy if tomorrow we went back to our studies, but
that is very unlikely to happen. Actually, we are not thinking too much
about how long this will last. Still, I'm hoping that we won't have to
register our organization. The citizens were very generous in their
assistance, although we never have enough. Young people can spend a lot."
We've already raised this topic, but let me ask again: is there a link
between Student protest and "Zajedno" coalition and its numerous supporters who
also support the students?
"Students are rebellious enough without the opposition. Most of us are
not members of political parties, but we are not apolitical. Nor are we
a mob, as those whose names I don't want to mention insist. After all,
we are supposed to be some sort of intellectuals and to connect Student
protests with "Zajedno" coalition is to destroy it. Besides we are helping
them enough and they know that. I'd like to emphasize that we organized
ourselves and that we know what we are doing, and how to do it. If our
right were denied, how can we expect that all other human rights won't
be denied in the future; that is where we differ from the opposition, although
some of our demands are the same."
