The Centre strongly condemn the stubborn insistence of the regime in Yugoslavia to solve the problem of Kosovo solely by police repression while refusing to engage in any reasonable dialogue. They should have known that naked violence could result in terrorism. Fight against terrorism is justified but should not result in loss of innocent lives. Terrorism cannot be an excuse for lawlessness and disrespect of humanitarian norms.In the past days many citizens of FR Yugoslavia have been killed in Kosovo. Basic human rights – right to life and right to personal security – which are guaranteed by the Yugoslav and Serbian constitutions and international human rights instruments have been seriously jeopardised. At the same time, the authorities of the Republic of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia have not informed the public about the number of casualties and about those responsible. Official information is incomplete and contradictory. State-controlled media are again inciting to ethnic hatred and xenophobia, going as far as to viciously attack humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross.
Independent media have been intimidated by threats of criminal prosecution; the government hopes thereby to secure the support of the manipulated and misinformed part of the public. We demand the immediate resignation of the state prosecutor of Belgrade for his role in such attacks on the freedom of the press.
We appeal to the authorities and the representatives of ethnic Albanian citizens to proceed immediately and without preconditions to negotiations for the settlement of the Kosovo crisis. Neither side should be allowed to use human rights as an excuse for sacrificing the happiness and lives of human beings to the preservation or acquisition of political power.
Only negotiations can lead to the solution of the crisis – any further reliance on violence leads to catastrophe. Any solution that would disregard human rights of all inhabitants of Serbia and Yugoslavia will not be satisfactory and viable.
