STREET ACTIONS
Over this period, most of our street actions (protests, performances and campaigns) demanded confrontation with our criminal past, i.e. seeking accountability (individual/criminal, political and moral). The institutions of the present government of the Republic of Serbia, due exclusively to pressure from the international community, limit their accountability to the so-called ‘benevolent surrender’ of a certain number of war crimes suspects. The entire institutional, political, and cultural climate is characterized by glorification of war criminals and with refuting accountability and making it conditional. This policy pursued by the institutions of the Serbian government continues to be fertile soil for the strengthening of clerical-nationalistic, clerical-fascist and neo-Nazi organizations. In this period, a large part of our street activities (as well as other activities) was aimed against the growing fascist tendencies in our society. Despite the fact that we were forced to organize actions AGAINST, we also made some space for actions FOR, which had to do with alternative gender-related options for peace and security.
It is important to note that women activists of the Women in Black network from all parts of Serbia participated in these actions.
On this occasion, we wish to express our deepest gratitude to all the activists from organizations and networks for human rights and peace throughout the world who lent us supports during this difficult period, in which we endured various kinds of pressures and attacks from a range of clerical-fascist and neo-Nazi organizations in Serbia and administrative pressures and obstacles created by the government institutions of the Republic of Serbia. We see this support as vital for the strengthening of civil society and for the globalization of peace, justice, non-violence, feminism, anti-militarism, etc…
Furthermore, we would like to highlight the fact that, in addition to the important international recognition for our efforts (the Nobel Peace Prize nomination as part of the initiative ‘1,000 Women for Peace’), we are the recipients of a very important award in the field of human rights in Serbia. On 21st December 2005, Women in Black received the Konstantin Obradovic Prize for the promotion of human rights culture, for “a courageous and relentless non-violent resistance to war, militarism, and ethnic homogenization.” The award was given by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights.
Confronting the past: actions against the denial of the criminal past – acts of solidarity and compassion with the victims of war crimes – visiting the locations where crimes were committed in our name – demanding accountability for war and war crimes…
22nd July – “Let us not forget –genocide in Srebrenica,” a protest in Zrenjanin on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide; women activists from several cities in Serbia and Vojvodina took part in this action. On the same day, the panel ‘Srebrenica – 10 years later – confronting the crimes’ was held in the Communal Assembly of Zrenjanin, organized by the NGO Centre for the Promotion of Local Self-Government and the group React!, with the participation of representatives of the international community, democratic political parties and civil society activists, including Women in Black.
5th August – “Nevermore – 10 years after operation Storm,” a peace action on the main square in Novi Sad, to mark the tenth anniversary of the criminal expulsion of the civilian population from Krajina (Croatia); the action was organized by Women in Black in cooperation with Esperanca and NLO (the Novi Sad Lesbian Organization). That evening, a panel was organized concerning this criminal event.
22nd October – “We remember – 13 years after the crime in Sjeverin,” a peace march In Priboj na Limu, marking the crime against the citizens of Bosnian nationality in Sjeverin in 1992. On the same day, a panel/public testimony was held, organized by the Civic Action for Human Rights from Priboj na Limu.
Actions aimed against the growing fascist tendencies in our society: Important international dates over this period were marked both by street actions aimed at sensitizing the public to the aforementioned fascist tendencies and demanding that the authorities criminalize national, religious and racial hatred and for the banning of clerical-fascist and neo-Nazi organizations in this country. All these demands were undersigned by dozens of civil society organizations from all over Serbia.
1st September – whitewashing over fascist graffiti on the occasion of World Day of Peace. The action was launched by the group React! – Vojvodina, while in Belgrade it was coordinated by Women in Black and Stain Pain Collective.
9th November –‘ Let us banish fascism together,’ a performance held on Republic Square in Belgrade on the occasion of the International Day of Action against Fascism, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia. The action was organized by Women in Black, Stain Pain Collective, the Social-Democratic Union and the Social-Democratic Youth.
10th December – ‘Stop fascism,’ performance held on the main square in Novi Sad, a peaceful anti-fascist march along the streets of Novi Sad, organized by Women in Black, Esperanca, and the NLO. Following the street action, a public testimony/field report was held in the Assembly of Vojvodina, in which speakers and activists from 15 cities in Vojvodina and Serbia talked about clerical-fascist and neo-Nazi tendencies and incidents.
Feminist – antimilitaristic actions: they were related both to the fifth anniversary of the Security Council Resolution 1325, ‘Women, Peace, Security” and to other international campaigns.
23rd September – ‘Stop the mafia – stop organized crime,’ a street march in Leskovac organized by Women’s Centre -- Leskovac, Women in Black -- Belgrade and the Anti-Mafia Caravan from Italy. This march and other actions of the international network were joined by women activists of the Network of Women in Black from all parts of Serbia. On the same day, a public panel was held with the participation of the representatives of the Anti-Mafia Caravan from Italy, the Liberal Association –which is comprised of over one thousand civil society organizations from Italy, legal experts from Belgrade (Vesna Rakic-Vodinelic from the Centre for Comparative Law and Vesna Petrovic from the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights) and citizens of Leskovac. The objective of such activities is to denounce the growing criminalization of society and the connection between the organized war mafia and the political elites, particularly in the post-conflict areas such as ours.
31st October – the performance ‘Women, Peace, Security’ was held in front of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. On the same day, 15 Women in Black activists submitted the Draft of the Resolution ‘Women, Peace, Security’ (on the participation of women in peace building, peace negotiations and decision-making from a feminist-antimilitaristic point of view). A group of female deputies of civil orientation received and supported the draft of the resolution. The resolution was introduced in the assembly on 9th November, International Day of Action against Fascism. Women in Black activists from 22 cities throughout Serbia participated in October 31 activities.
8th December – Solidarity action for Mehmet Tarhan, a Turkish conscientious objector, who is in prison. A request for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection and for the release of Tarhan and other conscientious objectors was submitted to the Turkish embassy in Belgrade. Numerous organizations from Serbia joined this request.
WOMEN’S PEACE NETWORK – spreading and strengthening
This year-long educational project included a large number of activities. From the reporting period, we would like to highlight the following:
Confronting the past – a feminist approach: launched in March 2005, with two training and instructing cycles for the members of the Women in Black activist core, followed by two regional seminars (in Southern Serbia and Vojvodina). This educational project is directed not only at the exchange of experiences and acquiring knowledge concerning the complex issue of confronting the past, but also with at enriching the existing forms of transitional justice and creating new models of transitional justice from a feminist point of view.
Over this period, two more regional seminars were held:
1st, 2nd , 3rd and 4th September – regional seminar on Zlatar /Sandzak – attended by 36 women activists from Sandzak (Novi Pazar, Tutin, Sjenica, Prijepolje and Priboj), Montenegro (Cetinje, Podgorica, Kotor and Pljevlja), Kosovo (Orahovac), Vojvodina (Novi Sad and Vrbas) and from other parts of Serbia (Belgrade, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and Leskovac).
25th, 26th and 27th November – regional seminar in Kragujevac – attended by 45 women activists from East and Southeast Serbia (Dimitrovgrad, Prot, Boljevac, Bor, Zajecar, Babusnica and Leskovac), central Serbia (Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac and Jagodina), Kosovo (Orahovac and Velika Hoca) and other cities (Leskovac, Tutin and Vrbas). During the seminars, which combine theoretical and activist content, the following workshops and interactive lectures were held:
Confronting the past (introduction); From the role of victim to the role of accountable female citizen; Is identity a choice or an imposed category?; accountability and me; How to serve justice – on the models of transitional justice; confronting the past: women’s solidarity and resistance to fascist tendencies and the continuity of women’ non-violent resistance.
Women, Peace, Democracy – educational project launched in January 2005 that includes various activities (seminars, trainings and panels). In the course of this period, the third regional seminar/training was held.
24th and 25th September –Women, Peace, Security – regional seminar held in Predicate, in Southern Serbia, attended by 31 women activists from Southern Serbia (Leskovac, Krusevac and Vlasotince) and from Kosovo (Orahovac) and Belgrade.
The seminar consisted of the following workshops and interactive lectures:
Security means the absence of fear, violence and poverty –towards a new concept of security…
On the Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace, Security)
Women’s peace policy: are women peaceful by nature?, women’s peace coalitions.
31st October – Women, Peace, Security – conference held in Belgrade, marking the fifth anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; during the conference, the draft of the resolution “Women, Peace, Security” was submitted to the Assembly of Serbia by Women in Black, the promotion of the Women in Black publications on women, peace and security was held, as well as the following panels:
Security means the absence of fear, violence and poverty… from the traditional and an>humanistic to the feminist concept of security, with the participation of renowned experts in this field and women politicians of civil orientation – Dragana Dulic, Vesna Pesic, Vera Markovic , Gordana Comic, etc.;
Attacks aimed at women defenders of human rights, women’s human rights and women peace activists, with the participation of the most famous women civil society activists in Serbia and Montenegro – Natasa Kandic, Sonja Biserko, Ljiljana Raicevic, Ivana Dulic-Markovic, Borka Pavicevic, Suzana Antic-Ristic, Sabina Talovic and others, who have been exposed to various forms of repression because of their struggle for human rights, especially for punishment for crimes. This conference was attended by 79 women activists from 22 cities in Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo.
Rising Up In Response: the promotion of the publication under this title, followed by a discussion on women’s activism, challenges and obstacles; the promotion was held in six cities:
23rd September – in Leskovac, organized by the Women’s Centre – Leskovac, with the participation of 30 activists from Leskovac, Vlasotince and Belgrade.
24th October – in Zrenjanin, in cooperation with the local groups React! and Taboo.
31st October – in Belgrade, as part of the aforementioned conference, attended by approximately 80 participants from 22 cities in Serbia. At this gathering, the book was distributed to autonomous women’s groups from the cities where the promotion was not held.
18th November – in Pirot, in cooperation with the local Women in Black activists. The promotion was also attended by activists from Dimitrovgrad.
23rd November – in Novi Sad, in cooperation with the groups Esperanca and NLO. The promotion was attended by 40 people.
28th November – in Kikinda, in cooperation with the Women’s Alternative Workshop (ZAR), with the participation of 15 activists. – Meeting of the Women in Black Network – held in Belgrade, attended by 34 women activists and representatives of the Network from various parts of Serbia and one activist from Montenegro; the venue is part of the regular quarterly meetings of the Network, in which we discuss our accomplished joint activities and plans for the future.
MUTUAL SUPPORT – solidarity at work – one of the permanent activities of Women in Black is aimed at boosting joint activities and cooperation with affiliated civic society groups. Mutual support consists of Women in Black organizing activities in cooperation with other groups as well as Women in Black actively participating in other organizations’ activities. The following mutual support activities were held:
– Declaration on the Equality of Sexual Identities – on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender movement in Serbia, early in December, Women in Black sent the declaration to about a hundred public figures in Serbia, well known for their year-long anti-war and anti-nationalistic engagement: The declaration was signed by roughly half of its recipients and by several dozen NGOs.
– 'Spain today, Serbia tomorrow’ – a campaign for marriage equality launched by Women in Black, with the active participation of about a dozen NGOs from Belgrade and Novi Sad (The Humanitarian Law Fund, Yucom – Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, The Youth Initiative for Human Rights, the Anti-Trafficking Centre, the Incest Trauma Centre, NLO, The Women Studies Centre, Voice of Difference, The Reconstruction Women’s Fund, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, and the Autonomous Women’s Centre); on 4th of December. As part of the campaign, a panel was held, including a discussion with Sylvia Jaen, coordinator of the national LGBT Federation in Spain, which lobbied most actively for the adoption of the marriage equality law in Spain. The discussion, which was held in the Incest Trauma Centre in Belgrade, was attended by 53 activists from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Leskovac, Vrbas, Zagreb (Croatia) and Pljevlja (Montenegro).
– The Labris party
– 3rd December – International conference dedicated to the victims of disappearances, illegal confinement and abductions prior to, in the course of and following the armed conflicts in Kosovo; this gathering, which was held in Belgrade organized by the Humanitarian Law Fund was attended by 15 Women in Black activists from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Leskovac and Zrenjanin.
– 8th December – The rule of law – attitude to the past – international justice and confrontation with the past – international conference with the participation of Carla del Ponte, chief prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague; this conference, which was held in Belgrade, was attended by approximately 20 activists of the Network of Women in Black from Belgrade, Novi Sad and Leskovac.
– 18th December – The trial of Slobodan Milosevic before the Hague Tribunal – under the scrutiny of non-governmental organizations, a conference organized by eight organizations that have actively cooperated over the issues of accountability for war and war crimes since the beginning of 2005 (The Centre for Cultural Decontamination, The Belgrade Circle, The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, The Humanitarian Law Fund, The Youth Initiative, Women in Black, Civic Initiatives and the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia).
– 14th December – Men and Feminism – panel held in Zrenjanin, organized on the initiative of React! from Zrenjanin and Women in Black –Belgrade.
– 16th December – The mutually complementary feminist theory and activism – panel held in the Centre for Cultural Decontamination; panellists: Isabel Marcus, State University of New York - Buffalo, Lino Veljak, Zagreb University and Dasa Duhacek, Centre for Women’s Studies, Belgrade.
7th, 8th and 9th October
– 28th, 28th and 29th December – Pljevlja (Montenegro), three workshops on feminism held by Women in Black activists organized by the local NGO Bona Fide.
PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES
In the course of the reporting period, we have issue a number of publications. In addition to numerous leaflets, we have published the following:
– Rising up in Response (Osnazene kroz pobunu) – translation of the book by Jane Barry (Urgent Action Fund), a book on activism for human rights in conflict situations, consists of seven chapters and 176 pages.
– Gender, Nation, Identity – a compilation of works in the English language concerning these issues, written by prominent feminist and anti-militaristic authors from the USA and the former Yugoslavia; consists of 222 pages.
–Women’s Peace Policy – a brochure presenting approximately 20 significant groups and networks on the global level. Contains 25 pages.
– Women, Peace, Security – a compilation of works featuring the most famous women authors who, through their criticism of the traditional concept of security, promote the concept of human security and above all the feminist anti-militaristic concept of security ; contains 185 pages.
– Women’s Peace Calendar 2006 – in addition to snapshots taken during Women in Black street actions, it also contains the principles of the women’s peace policy of Women in Black, which makes it a significant educational and aesthetic publication endeavor.
– Women’s Peace Agenda 2006 – this year’s issues topically related to the engaged art of rebellion and non-violent resistance to patriarchy and, above all, to war, militarism and nationalism; the most reputed authors and organizations on the local, regional and global level are represented in the agenda, which have transformed their creative – artistic engagement into acts of civic accountability; the agenda also contains a large number of photos of various types of anti-patriarchal aesthetics; it contains 158 pages.
Exhibitions
Within the framework of the aesthetic of anti-patriarchal resistance, we have organized an exhibition “Female Heroes of Everyday Life” of anti-war photographs by Lisa Kahane, an American artist. The exhibition was shown in the Centre for Cultural Decontamination, from 14th to 21st November 2005. Since the photographer donated the photos from the exhibition to Women in Black, we organized an informal exhibition during our educational activities in Kragujevac in November 2005.
INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVE POLICY
Out of the numerous international activities conducted over this period (participation at international conferences both inside the country and abroad, encounters, exchanges…) we highlight the following:
- 24th-31st July, Rhodes, Greece –Summer school of International Institute of Peace Education
– 1st and 2nd August – participation at the summer course “Human Rights and Armed Conflicts” – organized by Amnesty International, Spain. The conference was held in El Escorial, near Madrid.
– 12th – 16th August – The Thirteenth Conference of the International Network of Women in Black – held in Jerusalem, organized by Women in Black, Israel – Palestine. Seven Women in Black activist from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the Conference.
– 16th –18th September – “Beijing–Ten Years Later” – in Berlin, organized by the German Federal Ministry for Families.
– 1st – 2nd October – “Religion, Fascism and Antifascism” – round table discussion held in Zagreb, organized by TtD – association for research of transition to democracy.
– 4th – 6th November – “Ten years after Srebrenica and the Dayton Agreement” – in Como, near Milan, organized by the Peace Coordination Network. On that occasion, a working meeting of Women in Black activists from Serbia and from the Women in Black Network from about a dozen cities in Italy was also held.
– 6th - 9th November – “Youth of Europe in Action for Diversity and Tolerance,” – in Berlin, organized by the Council of Europe and the German Ministry for Youth
– 26th November – “Inter-Church and Inter-Confessional Dialogue and Integration – The fist step ” –Pristina, Kosovo, organized by the Centre for Regionalism, Novi Sad and the humanitarian organization Mother Theresa from Pristina.
– 28th November – 2nd December –Women Human Rights Defenders – the conference was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
In addition to the above-mentioned, Women in Black have made many other contacts and encounters during the visit to Belgrade of a large number of women activists and researchers from the USA and various European countries.
Workshops on our premises:
Beside regular consulting meeting, two interactive lectures were also organized on the premises of Women in Black:
– The Left and the Right today
– Patriarchy and Philosophy
Report prepared by : Stasa Zajovic
