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Serbia's Muslims Protest Burning Of Mosques
Serbianna ^ | Thursday, March 25, 2004 | ap

Posted on 03/25/2004 3:19:50 PM PST by ChibisHologram

Serbia's Muslims Protest Burning Of Mosques

BELGRADE (AP)--Serbia's Muslim leaders Wednesday protested the torching of the two main mosques, warning that an "anti-Islamic" campaign is spreading in the Balkan republic. 

Several Muslim organizations, religious leaders and non-government groups issued a declaration urging authorities to publicly guarantee the security of the estimated 300,000 Muslims living in Serbia. 

Their declaration came amid rising tensions throughout Serbia, following last week's attacks by ethnic Albanian extremists in Kosovo against the province's beleaguered minority Serbs. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians are mostly Muslims, while the Serbs are Orthodox Christians. 

The violence in Kosovo sparked angry mobs in Serbia to take to the streets, burning the mosques in the capital Belgrade and in the southern city of Nis, and targeting Muslim-owned property elsewhere. 

Serbian media reported extensively on the violence against Serbs in Kosovo - with repeated broadcasts of burning Serb villages and despairing refugees - which may have enflamed tensions here further. 

The media campaign was reminiscent of former President Slobodan Milosevic's regime, which used the media to stir ethnic hatred. 

Although Serbian government leaders condemned the torching of the mosques and moved to arrest alleged perpetrators, they also face criticism for failing to protect the Muslim religious sites. 

Wednesday, a Belgrade court said an investigation was launched against seven people for the burning of the city's mosque. Earlier this week, the Belgrade police chief and another top policeman were removed from office in relation to the destruction of the mosque. 

In the declaration, carried by the Beta news agency, Serbia's Muslims said the reappearance of "the hate speech" in some media was worrying and accompanied by an "unacceptable" anti-Islamic campaign allegedly seeking to equal Islam with terrorism. 

The declaration also said Serbia's Muslims "never have been and never will be a factor of destabilization, and remain a constructive factor on the path of democratization and European integration." 

There was no immediate response from the government to the declaration. 

 



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: balkans; islamofascist; kosovo; mosque; religionofpeace; serbia

1 posted on 03/25/2004 3:19:50 PM PST by ChibisHologram
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To: ChibisHologram
They ARE joking, right????
2 posted on 03/25/2004 3:21:46 PM PST by Condor51 ("Diplomacy without arms is like music without instruments." -- Frederick the Great)
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To: ChibisHologram
warning that an "anti-Islamic" campaign is spreading

Really?

3 posted on 03/25/2004 3:25:18 PM PST by b4its2late (I love defenseless animals, especially in a good gravy.)
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To: ChibisHologram
The Serbs seem to be way behind in settling score with the islamonazis.

if it isn't religion then why are albanians destroying these churches?

Destroyed And Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Churches In Kosovo And Metohia (1999-2000)

CRUCIFIED KOSOVO: DESTROYED AND DESECRATED SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN KOSOVO AND METOHIA (JUNE-OCTOBER 1999)

The list contains:
A) NAME AND LOCATION OF THE CHURCH;
B) EIGHT PHASES OF DESTRUCTION
(I Shell-shocked monuments; II Looting of movable treasure; III Desecrating shrines; IV Burning of shrines and adjacent buildings; V First mining; VI Mining of the left-overs; VII Removing of the remains; VIII Terrain clearance and removal of all traces of existence)
C) CHURCH FOUNDATION DATE

1 THE HOLY TRINITY MONASTERY, Musutiste near Suva Reka I II III IV V VI VII 14th
2 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Musutiste near Suva Reka I II III IV V VI VII 14th
3 ST MARK'S OF KORISA MONASTERY, Korisa near Prizren I II III IV V VI 15th
4 ST GABRIEL'S MONASTERY, Binac near Vitina I II III IV 14th
5 DEVIC MONASTERY near Srbica I II III 15th
6 ST UROS'S MONASTERY, Sarenik, G. Nerodimlje I II III IV V VI 14th
7 THE MONASTERY OF ST ARCHANGELS, Gornje Nerodimlje I II III IV V 14th
8 ST NICHOLAS' OF THE SUMMER CHURCH, Donje Nerodimlje I II III IV V 20th
9 ST STEPHEN CHURCH, Donje Nerodimlje I II III IV V 20/14th
10 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Dolac near Klina I II III IV V VI 14th
11 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Slovinje near Lipljan I II III IV V 16th
12 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER and PAUL, Suva Reka I II III IV V VI 20th
13 THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Petric near Pec I II III IV V VI 20th
14 THE HOLY VIRGIN CHURCH, Belo Polje near Pec I II III IV 16th
15 ST UROS'S CATHEDRAL, Urosevac I II III IV 20th
16 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, Vucitrn I II III IV 19th
17 ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, Samodreza near Vucitrn I II III IV V VI 20/14th
18 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Drsnik near Pec I II III IV 16th
19 THE HOLY VIRGIN CHURCH, Naklo near Pec I II III IV 20th
20 THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Velika Reka near Vucitrn I II III IV V 20th
21 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, Petrovac near Kos. Kamenica I II III IV 20th
22 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Podgorce, near Vitina I II III IV 20th
23 ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, Pecka Banja I II III IV 20th
24 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Djurakovac near Pec I II III 20th
25 THE HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL, Djakovica I II III IV V VI 20th
26 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Osojane near Pec I II III 20th
27 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, Bistrazin near Djakovica I II III 20th
28 ST DEMETRIOS' CHURCH, Siga near Pec I II III IV V 20th
29 ST ELIJAH'S PARISH CHURCH, Zegra near Gnjilane I II III IV 20th
30 THE CHURCH OF HOLY COSMAS AND DAMIAN, Novake near Prizren I II III IV V 20th
31 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Veliko Krusevo I II III IV 20th
32 ZOCISTE MONASTERY & THE CHURCH OF HOLY COSMAS AND DAMIAN I II III IV V 14th
33 THE PARISH CHURCH, Grmovo near Vitina I II III IV V VI 20th
34 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Kijevo near Klina I II III IV V VI 14th
35 ST MARK'S CHURCH, Klina I II III IV V 20th
36 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Ljubizda near Prizren I II III IV V 16th
37 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, Ljubizda near Prizren I II III IV V 20/16th
38 PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Dobrcane near Gnjilane I II III IV 20th
39 THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR, Pristina I II III IV V 20th
40 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, Smac near Prizren I II III IV V 20th
41 THE CHURCH OF ST BASIL THE GREAT, Srbica near Prizren I II III IV V 19th
42 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Zaskok near Urosevac I II III IV V 20th
43 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, of Gatnje near Urosevac I II III IV V 20th
44 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Donje Nerodimlje I II III IV V 20th
45 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, the Nekodim near Urosevac I II III IV 20th
46 THE CHURCH OF HOLY PETER AND PAUL, Talinovac near Urosevac I II III IV 20th
47 THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Babljak near Urosevac I II III IV 20th
48 THE CHURCH OF THE BIRTH OF HOLY VIRGIN, Softovic near Urosevac I II III IV 20th
49 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY PROPHET ELIJAH, Kacanik I II III 20th
50 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN, Korisa near Prizren I II III IV V 16th
51 ST JEREMIAH'S CHURCH, Grebnik near Klina I II III IV V VI VII VIII 20th
52 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY KNEZ LAZAR, Kos near Istok I II III 20th
53 THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Zitinje near Vitina I II III IV 20th
54 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Klokot near Vitina I II III IV V 20th
55 ST LAZAR CHURCH, Belica near Istok I II III IV 14th
56 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY PROPHET ELIJAH, Pomazatin I II III IV V 20th
57 ST GEORGE'S CHURCH, Rudnik near Srbica I II III IV V 16/14th
58 THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Donja Ratisa near Decani I II III IV V VI 20th
59 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLE LUKE, Vitomirica near Pec I II III IV 20th
60 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, Podujevo I II III IV 20th
61 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, Gornja Pakastica near Podujevo I II III IV 20th
62 A PARACCLESION at the Serb cemetery, Kosovska Mitrovica I II III 20th
63 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL, Istok I II III IV 20th
64 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Prizren I II III IV V 19th
65 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR, Dvorani near Musutiste I II III IV V 16th
66 ST ELIJAH'S CHURCH, of Lokvice near Prizren I II III IV V 19th
67 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY KNEZ LAZAR, Piskote near Djakovica I II III IV V 20th
68 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Binac near Vitina I II III IV V VI 20th
69 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, Gojbulja near Vucitrn I II III 19th
70 ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, Stimlje I II III 20th
71 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY ARCHANGEL, Stimlje I II III 20th
72 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR, Meciceva Mahala I II III 20th
73 ST PARASCEVA'S CHURCH, near Musutiste I II III 20th
74 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY ARCHANGEL, Musutiste I II III IV 20th
75 THE KOSOVO BATTLE MEMORIAL I II III IV 20th
76 THE CHURCH in Gornji Zakut near Podujevo I II III IV 20th
    76 76 76 64 39 14 5 1

4 posted on 03/25/2004 3:31:03 PM PST by ChibisHologram
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To: ChibisHologram
Weren't the Muslims torching Orthodox churches last week? This just looks like another cycle of the centuries-old tit for that they've got going over there. I honestly don't know which side to pull for. They both seem pretty toxic.
5 posted on 03/25/2004 3:32:45 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: Yardstick; MarMema
The muslims are toxic all over the world. It ain't a religion it's a political system which has great trouble accepting freedom of religion as a way of life.

Christians, Jews and other non-muslims are the muslim's targets all over the world... the Balkans are part of the world.

Pull for the non-muslims, please.

6 posted on 03/25/2004 4:21:16 PM PST by Lion in Winter (I ain't no pussy cat... don't mess with me... ya hear! GRRRRRRrrr)
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To: Lion in Winter; Destro; FormerLib; katnip; kosta50
Letter of His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN Orthodox Archbishop of Washington, OCA to His Holiness, Patriarch PAVLE on the recent events in Kosovo

March 24, 2004

His Holiness PAVLE
Patriarch of Serbia
Krala Petra br. 5
11000 Belgrade
Serbia and Montenegro

Your Holiness, dear Brother and Concelebrant in Christ:

It is with profound sorrow and anxiety that I and my brother hierarchs of the Orthodox Church in America have learned of the escalating ethnic violence in the Kosovo region and in other cities and regions throughout Serbia. We grieve the tragic loss of over twenty lives in these latest acts of senseless bloodshed, as well as the destruction of numerous historic churches, the monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel in Prizren, and many domestic dwellings in Serbian settlements within Kosovo.

The Orthodox Church in America has monitored with concern the ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated against Kosovo's small remaining Serbian Orthodox minority. We are well aware that this current violence has its roots in the long-term and still unresolved issues of the future governance of Kosovo. We are deeply disappointed at the lack of progress on the part of the international community in fostering the development of a peaceful multi-ethnic and multi-religious society in the region.

We wish to commend the Serbian Orthodox Church for maintaining a strong voice in support of peace, reconciliation and inter-religious tolerance in the midst of such violence and tension. The courageous and Christ-like actions of Metropolitan AMFILOHIJE on March 17 that saved the historic Bajrakli mosque from complete destruction were a powerful sign of the Serbian Church's commitment to a peaceful and sustainable solution to the current instability. Against a background of anger and temptation his actions provided a potent witness to the words of our Lord: "In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Be assured that the Orthodox Church in America will continue to express to American and Canadian officials in the UN and NATO, as well as to the Albanian authorities in Kosovo, the pressing need for a fair and just resolution to the many problems in this troubled region.

I pray, dear brother in Christ, that God may continue to grant you courage, peace and strength in this difficult time. Be assured of the constant and fervent prayers and support of all the hierarchs, clergy, monastics and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America who remain in deep solidarity with the suffering and struggling peoples of Serbia.

Yours with brotherly love in Christ,

+HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

cc: His Eminence, Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada His Grace, Bishop ARTEMIJE of Kosovo and Metohija

7 posted on 03/25/2004 4:26:37 PM PST by MarMema (Next Year in Constantinople!)
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To: ChibisHologram
Now which Albanian UCK muslim stepped forward to stop the burning or destruction of a church, as our Orthodox Christian clergy did in Belgrade when the Serbs were trying to burn a mosque in retaliation?

The answer is none. Instead they are urinating on our burned churches.

8 posted on 03/25/2004 4:31:27 PM PST by MarMema (Next Year in Constantinople!)
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To: MarMema
And while I am at it, why are there so many pics of Kosovo burning on Al-Jazeera? No connection, though, right?
9 posted on 03/25/2004 4:32:12 PM PST by MarMema (Next Year in Constantinople!)
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To: ChibisHologram
Story is here.

"Forum 18 News Service has learnt. In the Serbian capital Belgrade and in the southern city of Nis, mobs set two mosques on fire despite the pleas of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In Belgrade, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral personally pleaded with the mob and urged police and firefighters to react and preserve "what could be preserved". After initial hesitation for fear of the mob, firefighters and police did intervene, so the Belgrade mosque, which is "under state protection", was saved from complete destruction."

"Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of Novi Sad, Nis and Belgrade during the night of 17-18 March. They clashed with riot police, notably in Belgrade were dozens of police officers were injured. The most serious unrest was in front of the Serbian government building, the United States embassy and the seventeenth century Bajrakli mosque, the only mosque in Belgrade. The mob broke through the police line, then set the mosque on fire just after midnight. Fresh police, firefighters and ambulance crews, who arrived shortly after the fire broke out, did not dare to come closer to the mosque in fear of the mob, which mostly consisted of young fans from Belgrade's sports clubs. Several reporters were also injured and their cameras destroyed.

Soon after the fire broke out, the Orthodox Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radovic) of Montenegro and the Littoral came out to the front of the mob and pleaded with them to stop the violence. Then, surrounded by a small number of people protecting him, he went to the police and firefighters standing nearby, asking them to react and preserve "what could be preserved". "The children are playing dangerous games, but grown men should react," he told them. After initial hesitation, the firefighters did intervene, so the Belgrade mosque, which is "under state protection", was saved from complete destruction.

Hamdija Ephendi Jusufspahic, a retired leader of Serbia's Islamic community, told the press later in the night that he was unable to enter the mosque and that this was "a terrible day for us all". He also thanked Metropolitan Amfilohije for his intervention.

10 posted on 03/25/2004 4:43:36 PM PST by MarMema (Next Year in Constantinople!)
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