URL for this document is http://emperor.vwh.net/petition/states.htm
For fax-friendly copy, go to http://emperor.vwh.net/petition/state-fax.htm
To Read petition go to http://emperor.vwh.net/petition/petition.htm
To sign petition send name(s) to freeslobo@aol.com
SIGNERS OF FREE MILOSEVIC PETITION SPEAK OUT
(Most Recent Comments by Signers are at the End )
Jared Israel, USA, Vice-Chairman, International Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic
For ten years President Slobodan Milosevic has stood for multiethnic unity and resistance to national destruction in the Balkans. By jailing President Milosevic and launching a witch-hunt against Socialist Party members, the current Belgrade authorities and the local mass media which they control hope to silence all those who, like him, stand for peace based on multiethnic unity, national independence and social justice.
Under foreign influence, the current authorities want to convince the peoples of Yugoslavia that their country's independence is a lost cause. At the same time, they want various ethnic groups to join foreign-inspired secessionist movements in Montenegro, south Serbia, Vojvodina, Sanjak and elsewhere.
Despite pontificating about "the rule of law," their attempt to arrest President Milosevic was illegal from the start. They had no warrant. They sent unidentified, armed men, many of whom had women's stockings over their heads, imitating hit men from some Hollywood movie, to attack Mr. Milosevic's residence and beat citizen-witnesses.
That residence is the property of the Federal Government. It was being guarded by the Yugoslav Army. Mr. Milosevic's family was temporarily staying there while his home, bombed by NATO, was repaired. The unidentified and unauthorized attackers were driven off by the Yugoslav Army unit guarding the residence. The current Serbian authorities then sent thousands of special police and stocking-masked men to the area around the residence, threatening a blood bath.
Can anyone doubt that the arrest of Mr. Milosevic was ordered from Washington? The current Belgrade authorities claim it was an Act of Purest Law. But during the arrest attempt, previous and current top officials in Washington and their assistants in London and Berlin provided a running commentary in the mass media, evaluating Belgrade's performance, and Washington claimed victory when its March 31st deadline was met.
In order to avoid civil conflict, Mr. Milosevic voluntarily surrendered. This followed negotiations and a pledge from the Belgrade authorities that his detention would be temporary. They agreed they would not use his detention to transfer him to NATO's "International Tribunal" in the Hague. However, the current regime has already broken this agreement, meeting with Britain's Robin Cooke in the Yugoslav capital.
Supposedly, Mr. Slobodan Milosevic is being held for "investigation". What is there to investigate? For months the Yugoslav mass media, totally controlled by the Belgrade authorities, have broadcast a soap opera entitled, "The Hunt for Milosevic's Gold". True, no "gold" has been found, but no matter; Mr. Milosevic was proclaimed "Guilty!" from the start and the failure to produce any evidence is presented by the current authorities as proving the need or more investigation.
But no investigation is needed to prove that these same authorities accepted "suitcases of cash" from the NATO countries. The NATO media boast that their governments paid millions to install the current regime.
Now, this regime of self-proclaimed democrats says Mr. Milosevic must be kept in jail because he might "influence witnesses". What they really fear is the influence of his example on Yugoslavia and the world. His moral and personal integrity, his dignified refusal to recant, his continued call for a strong, independent Yugoslavia, and his refusal to flee the country despite constant threats - these constitute behavior deemed by Washington unacceptable for a Yugoslav leader. That is one of the reasons Washington ordered the Belgrade authorities to have him jailed.
However, it will never be forgotten that for ten years NATO has attacked Yugoslavia as a multiethnic nation. NATO has violated all international laws. Among other crimes, it continues to finance and train the racist-terrorist Kosovo Liberation Army. Using the KLA, NATO has launched a new phase of its rape of the Balkans, in south Serbia and Macedonia. In 1999 NATO dropped 20,000 tons of bombs on Yugoslav civilians and civil structures including depleted uranium. In fact, it was NATO, especially the U.S., Germany and England, that manipulated the breakup of Yugoslavia and the terrible armed conflicts which have lasted a decade.
By attempting to put Slobodan Milosevic on trial, NATO leaders hope to hide the truth. They hope to convict Milosevic and through him the Serbian people, of NATO's war crimes. Then the NATO powers would have the excuse to crush Serbia under massive war reparations, and, more important, under the unjust stigma of committing NATO's crimes of aggression and of inciting ethnic hatred - crimes which the Serbian people opposed with all their strength and all their heart. Already the Western mass media is using the arrest to dredge up old lies about President Milosevic and Serbia.
Glen Wreggitt, Winnipeg, Canada
I am signing this petition because I feel I must do something, make some gesture, even one of little significance (although the significance of this petition grows with each new signature). I want to help fight against the slander, destruction and manipulation that has been and is still being directed against Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic by "the West". I want my voice added to the many that defy the bloody Orwellian hand of imperialism to say: We are not fooled by your lies. We see your true nature. We know that human rights and human lives are nothing more to you than a lever with which to extend your exploitation, wealth and power!
Luchezar Georgiev, Varna, Bulgaria
Thank you for the opportunity to express my protest against the arrest of the great Yugoslavian statesman Slobodan Milosevic. Best regards from Varna, Bulgaria!
I am signing the "Free Milosevic!" petition because of the violations of international law by which the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (the ICTY or 'War Crimes Tribunal') was established.
The U.N. Charter provides the Security Council (SC) with authority to take measures in the event of acts of aggression, threats to the peace or breaches of the peace. A primary problem is that given the SC's structure, its members enjoy de facto immunity. With that in mind, Article 41 provides the SC with authority to negotiate, use arbitration, diplomatic methods, and similar such measures to address the aforementioned acts.
However, the SC does not have a legal basis to establish judicial bodies.
According to international law, the practical method of establishing any international judicial body must begin with a treaty. Once such a treaty has been ratified, the judicial body can be created by the U.N. General Assembly - not by the Security Council. The reasons for this are two cornerstones principles of international law: state sovereignty and state equality.
The ICTY has determined, in the case of Prosecutor v. Blaskic, that it, as an organ of the SC, is superior to states. This contradicts the language of its statute, which requires states to "co-operate." By taking the position that it, and incidentally its prosecutor, as an "organ" of the ICTY, is superior to any state, the ICTY is behaving in a manner consistent with the "rule of law" as defined by the Ottoman Sultan.
It is worth mentioning that Selim III declared a "new world order" in 1793, in an effort to subdue rebellious Suzerain States. The Suzerain states had their governments, but ultimately, authority was placed in the Sultan. Bad behavior got punishment, compliance got rewards. Sound familiar?
Another significant point is the fact that, normally, parties to a legal dispute have equal status before a neutral court. The structure of the ICTY defies this principle, since it places the Prosecutor above the accused by virtue of the Prosecutor's status as an organ of the court. Then there is the question of an absence of separation of powers, since the ICTY and Prosecutor have legislative abilities under the statute.
Another factor lies in the fact that unlike under the treaty establishing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty, the ICTY has been left to establish its own rules of court. As noted in Prosecutor v. Tadic, they make up the rules as they go along.
The ICTY, in its rules, also has denied the accused basic rights as provided under the declaration of human rights and the Covenant on Civil and political rights. Example: the presumption of innocence. The Milosevic indictment demonstrates that in fact the Tribunal indicts first, therefore presuming guilt, and investigates later. See Diana Johnstone's 'Humanitarian War: Making the Crime fit the punishment' for further elaboration on this point. (1)
In short I will not sit back and watch as the law is turned into something ala Orwell's 'Animal Farm' in which the truth is 'propaganda' and racism is acceptable. 'Two legs bad, four legs good' is not all that different from saying 'Serbs bad, NATO good.'
If one examines, even casually, the ICTY committee's final report to the Prosecutor concerning NATO's 78 day act of aggression, and if at the same time we at least bother to look at the U.N. Charter, the customs of war, and other applicable laws, we find something that if it were not so tragic, it truly would be hilarious.
1. Grdilica Bridge-Train Bombing.
No need to investigate. After all the NATO pilot really was trying to bomb the bridge. But after hitting the civilian passenger train, all that nasty smoke got in the way, so they couldn't see what they were doing and bombed it again.
2. Djakovica.
No need to investigate. NATO has consistently maintained that it did not hit the Djakovica civilian convoy with intent to attack civilians. NATO's consistency involved three versions of this incident. 1. The Serbs did it. 2. We did it, but we thought from at 15,000 feet in the air, those tractors were military vehicles. 3. We did it, but Military was mixed in with those civilians . No need to investigate because it is real hard to see what you are attacking from 15,000 feet in the air.
3. RTS (Serbian TV station)
It is a military target because it served 'dual purpose,' says the ICTY. Besides NATO believed it was exclusively used to incite hatred and propaganda.
But when NATO leaders compared Milosevic with Hitler, that wasn't inciting hatred, it was a compliment, right? Conditioning people around the world to look upon Serbs as vicious animals is not inciting hatred, right?
By the ICTY's reasoning, any media outlet, during a war, will be justifiably attacked, in direct contradiction to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, because the media outlet is failing to convey the message that NATO is giving us some educational bombing.
The 'dual purpose' argument flies in the face of the fact that the U.S. Department of Defense's review of the bombing campaign solely and exclusively identifies propaganda as the justification for selecting it as a target. According to Amnesty International, NATO officials told them the same thing. In short NATO lied to its own Kangaroo court!
The question is who is going to be the next target state, and which leader is going to be introduced to justice, NATO style? Which national group is going to be the next to be subjected to an ongoing incitement of hatred by way of NATO, who after all is only bombing people back to the stone age for humanitarian reasons.
Marek Glogoczowski, Zakopane, Poland
I, the undersigned demand that the Serbian authorities immediately release Slobodan Milosevic and all other Serbian patriots from jail.
I sign the petition (demand), because Mr. Milosevic did just that what a head of state is supposed to do.
My name is Richard Piper. I'm an engineer (retired) and I wish to sign the Petition to free Slobodon Milosevic. My wife Gemma Gauthier, teacher (retired) also wants to sign. Slobo is no more guilty than Tujman, Izetbegovic, Thaci, Clinton, Blair. Congratulations for this initiative.
The U.S. and NATO were planning the destruction of Yugoslavia for many years. They are the real criminals. Slobo is a true patriot.
I have read the petition calling for liberation of former Yugoslav President Milosevic and all other Serbian (Yugoslav) patriots who defended their country against NATO. I fully support this call and ask you to add my name to the list of signatories. Thank you.
I live in the USA but I'm originally from Italy. I thank you for adding my name to petition. Keep up the great work.
I would like to see a list of Milosevic's alleged misdeeds in black and white. I do not want to see him sentenced on the basis of gossip and propaganda. The charge of atrocities has been discredited, e.g. the suppressed Racak forensic report stated that the dead were combatants and civilians caught in crossfire. The indictment of Milosevic was issued during the bombing which prevented independent verification of the charges.
The Hague ICTY [Hague 'War Crimes Tribunal'] is not a just court because it was established by the UN under pressure from the US with an unjust remit limited in time and scope to those the US wishes to vilify. It is totally biased because it does not bring to justice those in NATO also involved in the conflict and responsiblefor turning a blind eye to atrocities committed by the Albanians on the Serbs and others and by NATO on everyone. In the rest of the world someone is considered innocent until proved guilty. In the case of Mr. Milosevic and Serbia it is exactly the opposite: the indictments were used to demonise Milosvic and by easy extension the Serb people so that NATO could justify its truly illegal bombing campaign and the consequent occupation of a segment of a sovereign state.
I call upon all intelligent people of this world to question what is going on and raise their voices in protest.
Ilia Baskakov, Toronto, Canada
I understand that NATO is a criminal organization and it`s leaders are war criminals. Mr.Milosevic only tried to save integrity of his country. I do not understand, how could Mr. Kostunica shake Javier Solana`s hand, as he did this February? Who is Mr. Kostunica after that? Mr.Milosevic must be free, NATO leaders must be, instead of him, in Serbian jail!
Mr.Milosevic supporers in Jugoslavia should know: that they are not alone. And shame to Kostunica!
Theophilos Grammenos, Athens, Greece and London, England
Please, do me the honour of adding my name to the list of undersigned individuals.My name is Theophilos Grammenos and i am also signing on behalf of my father Costas and mother Anna.We are Greek citizens,living in both Athens and London and nothing would be mopre gratifying to us than the release and rehabilitation of President Milosevic ,the symbol of his noble Serbian nation's struggle against the hideous moral monster which is American and NATO criminal expansionism ,a simple regional manifestation of which is the the institutionalisation of criminal and terrible Albanian extremism, a monstrous birth which will, unless stopped, now engulf and destroy the whole of the Balkans,including my country,Greece.
Yugoslavia is an experimental area for Nato. Nato tries to change geographic, demographic and political situation of the region according to it's interests. I refuse the Nato intervention to my region!
I wish you all the best in your endeavours to have Slobodan released. I would have hoped for a bit more of a commitment from Russian polies to have that so called Court of Justice [the Hague 'War Crimes Tribunal'] dismantled, because sure as eggs they may be the next ones facing the Supreme U.S Justice.
Evgenij Vladislavovich Chikunov
I fully support the cause of S. Miloshevich and so I realise that nobody in power really cares about my or even your opinions in any case (and that is one of the lessons we have gotten here during the course of "democratic" reforms), I sign the petition. Mostly to show my support to your efforts and my esteem to Mr.Miloshevich.
Luis Cayetano, Sydney, Australia
I am signing this petition not because I have any particular admiration for Mr. Milosevic, but because I am aware that the rape of Yugoslavia has been the result of a giant conspiracy perpetrated by the West. One only has to look at the blatant lies and ommissions from Western leaders to see this. Let all members of American Congress and British and German parliament know about this petition, as well as these nations' respective leaders and cabinets. Even if they ignore you, the fact that they ignore will expose them, their arrogance.
Dr. Edward W. Miller, California, USA
Milosevic is being retained illegally to await an illegal trial in an illegal court...A tribunal hastily pasted together in the UN Security Council in defiance of the UN Charter, which clearly requires the UN Assembly of nations to construct such a court . This US-constructed so-called Tribunal is but a paper-tiger meant to be employed by the NATO politicians and their medias to distract public attention form the catastrophic war which NATO waged against the Yugoslavian people. Kostunica has become a whore of the West and will turn Milosevic over to Del Ponte's judiciary mob just to save his own skin. We must keep up pressure on our representatives to prevent this tragedy from playing out on the world stage.
Je suis d'accord pour que mon nom
figure sur une liste de revendication pour libérer Milosévich
qui n'a fait que résister à la mondialisation impérialiste en
voulant préserver l'économie Yougoslave des griffes des
investisseurs.
Merci de me permettre de protester contre le harcèlement d'un
leader qui restera dans la mémoire des peuples comme un résistant.
William Spring, Chairman, Christians Against NATO Aggression (CANA), London, UK
The continued incarceration of Mr. Milosevic is the most extraordinary example of American-EU-Blairite arrogance and inhumanity yet witnessed, at least since the end of hostilities between EU-NATO and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
EU-NATO now resembles a debauched version of the later Roman Empire. Washington collects heads of state, (like Noriega, like Milosevic) and would if they could parade their victims through the streets in a triumphal gala. This is a symptom of the decadence and arrogance of American power. Will it be Putin next?
Patriotic forces in Yugoslavia should insist on the release of Mr. Milosevic.
Washington, and its accomplice in Europe, Belgrade bomber and butcher Blair, have no understanding of diplomacy: all NATO-EU understands is threats/force/deceit/misinformation and the US-Blairite alliance is now heading us directly into world war three. Lord Robertson brags on British radio how NATO killed Arkan and how NATO keeps Milosevic locked up. We are the Lords of the Universe. Yugoslavia is enslaved.
Helmuth Fellner, Wien (Vienna), Austria
Während die europäischen Sozialdemokraten den britischen Kriegsverbrecher Cook zu ihrem Vorsitzenden wählten, während der grüne Kriegsverbrecher Fischer und der SPD-Kriegsverbrecher Scharping zu dem entlarvten Lügengebäude Ihrer Propaganda schweigen, während die UCK-Banditen den nächsten Kriegsschauplatz anzetteln, wird Slobodan Milosevic widerrechtlich eingesperrt. Die Zerschlagung Jugoslawiens mit allem daraus resultierenden Unheil ist primär eine Folge der von Deutschland und Österreich beeinflussten EU-Außenpolitik, die an österreichisch-monarchistisches und deutschnationales Revanchedenken anknüpft. Mit Djindjic haben diese Kräfte ein willfähriges trojanisches Pferd für ihre Pläne, die gegen Jugoslawien und vor allem gegen das serbische Volk gerichtet sind, gefunden.
Freiheit für SLOBO!
English Translation of Helmuth Fellner's comments:
At the same time that the European Social Democrats have elected the British war criminal Cook as their chairman, while the war criminal Fischer from the [German] Green Party and the SPD-war criminal Scharping are saying nothing regarding their unmasked propaganda lies, while the bandits from the KLA are plotting [provoking?] the next war-zone, Slobodan Milosevic is unlawfully jailed. The breakup of Yugoslavia with all the harm which resulted from it, is primarily a result of the foreign policy of the European Union under the influence of Germany and Austria, referring to the Austrian-monarchist German-nationalist thinking of revancism. For their plans against Yugoslavia and particularly against the Serbian people these political forces have found with Mr. Djindjic a compliant trojan horse.
Freedom for Slobo!
Sladjana Rascanin, Calgary, Canada
I would like to join people who are signing petition to free Mr. Milosevic.
I am signing this petition since I believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. So far, Slobodan Milosevic is accused, and already pronounced guilty, of several crimes. None of his "crimes" is proved; he even has not been to the court yet. But his biggest crime is that he is a Srb who did not sell his, and his people's soul, to the mighty US and NATO.
As a Srb, and a Canadian, I am sick of obsequious Zoran Djindjic and his fellow politicians. I am even sicker of Kostunica, that "honest" Srb who is, together with Djindjic, selling what is left of Yugoslavia to biggest criminals in the world. I am sure that all Srbs, who died fighting for their freedom in all the wars of Serbs' history, are turning in their graves now, and cursing the worst Serbian scum, who unfortunately, with US money, got the power to put Serbs on their knees! Something in which none of our worst enemies succeeded....
My heart bleeds, I cry for my people who have gone through all this for so long, but I still believe that Serbs are going to survive as always. And Kostunica and Djindjic are going to share place in Serbs history reserved for Vuk Brankovic.
Roberto Mantovani, Bonn, Germany
I agree with this petition for the reason that those powers who want Milosevic at The Hague have no right to judge him.
These powers have done so much to let Yugoslavia go up in flames and terror, from the US Foreign Operations Appropriations Law of 1990 and German (and British etc.) logistic, political and military support for the secessions of Slovenia and Croatia, over years of sanctions, unilateral support for civil war parties (Croats, Muslims) in Bosnia and their ethnic cleansing of each other and especially of Serbs, US support for every destructive Izetbegovic move ("if you don't like it, why sign it"), the support and even creation of Albanian terrorism and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo (Germany's BND, Britain's SAS forces etc.) before, during and, what's even more shameful, after the war under direct Western responsibility and supervision, the fake peace talks at Rambouillet (now Bulgaria has granted NATO peacefully what Yugoslavia did not want to give up at Rambouillet, the sovereignty over their territory (see. www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3aa0fc2a19d8.htm), the importation of war to Macedonia, with a German Foreign Minister stating that the Albanian national question is open (instead of dutifully decrying the dangers of "Greater Albanian nationalism" like those of "Greater Serbian nationalism").
About the fanatical bias of the ITCY judges and prosecutors everything has already been said and repeated.
Why have old fascist allies in hardly changed uniforms and without changes in mentality gotten such radical and near to unconditional support from Germany? What is there in store for European borders drawn in 1919 and 1945 that may be "just" or not, but that could be changed only at the price of an overall war, with "national questions" looming everywhere? What will become of Europe and of the world, if the War Party (whether neo-fascist or simply globalist gone mad) will enjoy a victory like a Milosevic trial at The Hague undisputed?
Gliso Bjelos, Sydney, Australia.
Please, if anyone out there honestly believes in the 'Hague' as a judicial court system with any sort of ethics, then you must surely believe in the Easter Bunny and Goblins. I gladly add my name to this petition, as, one day, when the people of the world who are being suppressed by NATO come to realize that NATO is nothing more then a Terrorist Organization based on world domination, hiding behind its 'Hague' and so called Humanitarian Rights organizations, I will be able to say: "I was a part of the petition that made this glorious day possible, the day that NATO fell to her knees."
The Serbian people are not and never have been puppets. Can someone please explain that to Mr. Kostunica, Mr. Bush and the rest of them, who obviously have not the least idea.
Let it be known to any Serbian/Yugoslav Patriots who defended Serbian/Yugoslav Land and Law against NATO: You are heroes in my heart. "
The actions of NATO War Criminals must not be validated by acknowledging the ICTY as a legitimate entity.
Ich unterstütze die Aufforderung an die jugoslawischen Behörden, S. Miloservic endlich freizulassen.
Philip Greenspan, New York, USA
It is an honor and a pleasure to add my name to the distinguished list of the free thinking, civil libertarians who have already signed.
Olgica Milovanovic, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Ja sam Olgica Milovanovic iz sela Vracevic kraj Bogovadje.Zivim i radim u Beogradu.Htela sam ovim putem da pruzim podrsku Vasem apelu i da budem jedan od njegovih potpisnika.
SMRT NATO-u SLOBODAN NARODU
Aymeric Monville, Paris, France
The European ecologist movement is mostly born from
the pacifist fight against imperialism and war. Today, green
political schemers, in Germany, in Belgium or in France are
betraying our fight and our ideals and are taking part in
governments who back NATO's aggression the peoples of Yugoslavia.
Our radical green fraction are refusing this betrayal and we
defend honour and the values of real Ecology.
We support your international call and we accuse the cowardly
aggressors of NATO, and the ecologist disaster that they have
caused in the Balkans. That is the only and real war crime
against human beings and our mother-earth.
Aymeric MONVILLE (Paris)
spokesman of the association EUROPE-ECOLOGIE(correspondent of web
EARTH FIRST ! in french speaking area)
I am signing this petition to free Slobodan Milosevic with all my heart. A leader who is my hero, hero of the people of Yugoslvia and world hero, as the barbaric aggression against Yugoslavia is clearly understood in the world. I submit that NATO'S dangerous doctrine and an evil force is on the way to destroy the rest of the world, using Yugoslavia as an example. Creating regional crises, promoting and encouraging terrorism, separatism, civil wars, ethnic hatred, causing unrest through their filthy money is the way NATO'S lawless psychopathic criminals operate. With the world's most advanced military technology they destroy and kill with impunity all those who do not submit to their wishes, orders, threats, blackmail etc. Those who submit are used against those who don't, but in the end, all will be colonized and their people enslaved.
Slobodan Milosevic is our symbol of resistance against evil. His brave and heroic leadership to protect our sovereign state and freedom of its people make us very proud. Slobodan Milosevic stood for the principles we believe in and live by. Multi-ethnic unity of our people was always our pride: as can be seen, present Yugoslavia is still very much multi-ethnic. It was an honour to be a citizen of Yugoslavia under Slobodan Milosevic as head of state. His cause was just and noble, and a great injustice was done to people of Yugoslavia. Arresting Slobodan Milosevic is unforgivable.
We do not have a government any more. Government offices are occupied by traitors and supported by criminal elements and opportunists. The so-called president is a liar. The Prime Minister is openly our enemy; his place is behind bars. Ministers, you don't know which one is worse, and all of them together make a mockery out of justice.
I apeal to the Yugoslav army that was always the pride of our country to take charge.
Stop jailing our heroes.
Stop jailing our brave soldiers.
Stop the slaughter of innocent children.