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.
|
Really?
if it isn't religion then why are albanians destroying these churches?
Destroyed And Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Churches In Kosovo And Metohia (1999-2000)
|
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 |
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.
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
The answer is none. Instead they are urinating on our burned churches.
"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.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.