As we have done in the past, we are providing you with a short report on the activities of Women in Black in the reporting period.
We would like to thank you in advance, in solidarity.
Street actions: Street actions: In this reporting period, we organized ten (10) events and we also actively participated in other street actions (student and civic protests in Belgrade etc.)
COMMEMORATIONS/MARKING OF IMPORTANT DATES OF CRIMES COMMITTED IN OUR NAME, AS WELL AS OTHER CRIMES AGAINST THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, DURING AND AFTER THE WARS, ON THE TERRITORY OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA:
Belgrade, April 14 “We remember the women raped in the war in Kosovo
On the occasion of April 14 - the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Sexual Violence in the War in Kosovo/14 Prilli - Dita e të Mbijetuarve të Dhunës Seksuale dëlë Tëwegë në Kosovë, Women in Black, in cooperation with the Autonomous Women’s Center and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, organized a protest in black and silence.
The following banners were displayed at the protest:
- We remember the women raped in the war in Kosovo
- Kujtojmë gratë e dhunuara gjatë luftës
- Pamtimo
- Kujtojmë
- April 14 – Day of remembrance of the victims of sexual violence in Kosovë
- 14 Prilli - Dita e të Mbijetuarve të Dhunës Seksuale gjatë Luftës në Kosovë
- Kujtojnem krona e dhunuara dulua luwaweta
Sixteen (16) activists participated in the protest.
After the protest ended, one of the police offi cers present said: “Brother, Putin, where are you to see this?”
April 16, Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina/BH) - Commemoration of the anniversary of the crime in Ahmići (BH): On April 16, 1993, units of the Croatian Army/HVO committed a war crime against Bosniak civilians, killing 116 civilians. Convicted war criminal Dario Kordić, most responsible for this crime, is “celebrated and glorifi ed today by the Croatian Democratic Union/HDZ”. Ramiz Berbić, poet, activist from the village of Donja Obodnica near Tuzla, activist of the Women in Black Network, performs all actions alone, in accordance with his artistic-activist concept. On this occasion, we held the following banners: ‘Those who celebrate crimes are criminals’; “Ahmići - 16.4.1993”
Tuzla, April 16 - “Not in my name! I condemn the crime!” - members of the BH Army committed a war crime against civilians and soldiers in the town of Trusina (April 16, 1993), killing 16 civilians and 16 soldiers. Ramiz Berbić expressed his solidarity with the civilian victims of Bosniak and Croat nationality
Tuzla, April 26 - Commemoration of the crime in Vlasenica against Bosniak civilians in 1992, when Serbian armed formations killed around 2,800 people, including 288 children. 1,600 Bosniak civilians were killed in the Sušice concentration camp, and the survivors were deported to Srebrenica, Tuzla, Kladanj. Ramiz Berbić paid tribute to the victims.
Tuzla, April 29 “Hero of tolerance Graham Bamford” - In memory of Mr. Bamford (48), a Briton who committed suicide on April 29, 1993, setting himself on fi re in front of the British Parliament as a sign of protest against “the killing of innocent civilians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the passivity and indiff erence of Europe towards the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. Ramiz Berbić held banners: ‘Hero of tolerance Graham Bamford’ and ‘Let’s remember the work of a great man’.
FEMINIST, ANTIFASCIST, ANTIWAR, ANTIRACIST, ANTI-MILITARISTIC ACTIONS:
Belgrade, February 24th “Stop the war in Ukraine!” – In occasion of forth anniversary of Russian aggression against Ukraine, WiB organized vigil in black and silence.
The following banners were displayed at the protest:
- Stop the war in Ukraine! (in Serbian, Ukrainian, Russian and English)
- Putin = war criminal
- Putin = killer
- Putin to The Hague
- Stop rape of women in Ukraine
- Hitler against URSS – 1.418 days, Putin against Ukraine – 1.461 days
'Stop the war in Ukraine' wqs written in salt on the pavement!
23 activists participated in this antiwar action.
Tuzla, February 25 “Solidarity with Jelena Kleut” - J. Kleut, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Novi Sad, was fi red (the Senate of the University did not confi rm her appointment as a full-time professor) because of her support for student protests. Ramiz Berbić held the banner ‘Solidarity with Jelena Kleut’.
Tuzla, March 3 “Stop the war! Stop the killing of civilians in the Middle East” - anti-war action by Ramiz Berbić, during which he held banners and wrote in salt on the pavement: Stop the war! Every civilian matters! Reason, Reason, Simple-minded!
Belgrade, March 5th „Stop the war in Middle East!“ – On the occassion of war in Middle East WiB organized an antiwar action in black and silence.
The following banners were displayed at the protest:
- Stop the war in Middle East
- Solidarity with peace movement in Middle East
- Solidarity with civilians of Middle East
- Solidarity with women of Middle East
- Let’s banish war from history and our lives (in Serbian and English)
- Endless wars...
- Women in Black against war
- PEACE (in Serbian, English, Arab and Hebrew)
Twenty (20) activists participated in this antiwar action. The protest was not covered by the media, with the noticeable indiff erence of the citizens in relation to the war in the Middle East.
Tuzla, April 8 “Stop the death penalty for Palestinians - Let’s support the Palestinian people” - On the occasion of the decision of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) on the death penalty for Palestinians, Ramiz Berbić protested against the Israeli law according to which it is ‘legal to kill Palestinians, take away their land, kill and exterminate them, demolish their houses, take away water and electricity, and if someone rebels, they will be subjected to court martial, i.e. death penalty’, wrote Ramiz Berbić in the announcement of the action.
DEALING WITH THE PAST / TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE - A FEMINIST APPROACH
This is one of the most important activities of Women in Black. It consists of a multitude of segments: street actions, workshops, lectures, creation of diff erent models of transitional justice from a feminist point of view, cooperation with related organizations in the form of joint actions (campaigns, consultative meetings).
VISITING THE PLACES OF CRIME COMMITTED IN OUR NAME, AS WELL AS OTHER CRIMES AGAINST THE CIVILIAN POPULATION, DURING THE WARS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA:
February 11, Potočari/Srebrenica – Visit to the Memorial Center of WiB activists, together with activists fo association ‘Anima’ Djulići (B&H), Movement of Mother of Žepa and Srebrenica, Women in Black, Udine, Italy and Association of antifascists/ANPI from Italy.This event wae attended by seventy (70) people.
Prijepolje, February 27 – Remembrance of the victims of the crime in Štrpci - in front of the memorial plaque in Prijepolje, the 33nd anniversary of the crime in Štrpci was marked: 27.2.1993 – 18 persons of Bosniak nationality, one Croat and one unknown person, passengers of railway Belgrade-Bar, were kidnapped by Serbian armed units, all kidnapped persons were killed. Ten (10) activist of WiB Network from Prijepolje, Priboj and Belgrade, together with victim’s families paid tribute to the victims of the crime in Štrpci.
March 25, Velika Kruša/Kosovo – Visit to Massacre Museum – In occassion of 27 anniversary of massacre in Velika Kruša (Masakra e Krushës së Madhe) near Orahovac in Kosovo: March 25, 1999 Serbian armed units killed more than 90 persons of Albanian nationality; commemorative act together with victim’s families was organized by Medica Gjakova and Fahrija Hoti, witness of Women’s Court.
March, 26, Suva Reka/Suhareka/Kosovo – Visit to Memorial Center of Berish family in occassion of 27 anniversary of murder of 48 Albanian civilians (46 members of Berisha family) killed by policy units of Serbia; the visit to the Memorial was accompanied by a member of the Berisha family, together with activists from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Germany.
Report on our activities in pdf.
