Posted on 06/25/2002 4:25:19 PM PDT by crazykatz
SERBIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF RASKA AND PRIZREN COMMUNIQUE
For immediate release
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CEMETERY NEAR PRISTINA FOUND DESECRATED Pristina, June 24, 2002.
Fr. Zoran Filipovic, the Serbian Orthodox parish priest from Babin Most and Milosevo, confirmed today to the Diocesan Information Service that the Serbian cemetery at Milosevo, 10 km north from Pristina, was found desecrated.
On Saturday, June 22, Fr. Zoran and a group of his parishioners, escorted by KFOR, visited the cemetery at Milosevo village to perform the annual commemoration service. Upon arrival to the site they were shocked to see at least 70 tombstones desecrated. "There is almost not a single tomb which has not been damaged. But the most painful for us was to see the photos of the deceased on the tombstones with their eyes gouged out. For us that was more distressing than to see the tombstones toppled, " Fr. Zoran said . The priest could not say when the incident occurred and could only confirm that the last year on this day the cemetery stood intact while he with his parishioners performed the commemoration service. Fr. Zoran has written a letter of protest to the local UN administrator in the Municipality of Obilic to which Milosevo belongs.
Belgrade based TANJUG News Agency reported today that the UNMIK police spokesman Barry Fletcher said that this incident had not been reported to the UN Mission yet.
Beside the recently reported desecrations of cemeteries in Djakovica, Pec and Orahovac this latest event confirms the fear of Bishop Artemije who seriously suspects that all Serb cemeteries out of guarded enclaves might have been damaged or completely destroyed by Kosovo Albanians.
Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren with its faithful people and clergy most strongly condemns such acts of barbarism and urgently requests from UNMIK and KFOR to protect the remaining Serbian patrimonial sites according to their obligation formulated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
"By their tolerating systematic desecration of Christian Orthodox holy sites in Kosovo Metohija, the UN Mission and KFOR are seen directly responsible in the eyes of the Serbian people and the Church. According to our knowledge, not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice for these crimes so far, which cannot be justified and is utterly disgraceful. The silence and even shameless denials by the leading Kosovo Albanian officials, who accuse the Church of propaganda, even more confirm overtly antidemocratic and discriminatory orientation of the new Albanian-dominated institutions in Kosovo and Metohija and seriously discourage further Serb participation. With this pattern of behavior Kosovo is not heading towards Europe but is becoming the most uncivilized and backward part of the continent," said Fr. Sava (Janjic) in his comment on occasion of the incident at Milosevo.
"The leaders who are not capable of showing responsible leadership and do nothing to prevent destruction of Kosovo's centuries old Christian monuments do not act on behalf of all citizens but directly serve the narrow interests of Albanian nationalists. Such leaders cannot be accepted by the Serbian people as their own because they lead Kosovo's communities towards further confrontation. International community must not be deceived by empty rethoric and should request urgent concrete steps by the Government and the Parliament to finally bring to an end such behavior," concluded Fr. Sava.
Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren, Kosovo and Metohija. Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren
The Latin Church got rebuilt PDQ, along with a monument to Francetic.......but the little Orthodox Christian Chruch remains torched. Why can't the local authorities at least board up the windows and throw a tarp over the roof to prevent further damage ?
so whats so tough about the Sljun Police Depart walking across the street and putting a tarp over the holes in the roof of the wrecked church and throwing up a few pieces of plywood on the broken windows ?
That is what happens in civilized societies.
What's wrong with this picture??
In fact, the first Serbian state was situated in southern Dalmatia, Hercegovina and Montenegro (minus the Boka Kotorska and Dubrovnik/Ragusa) - not in today's Serbia.
This was at the time when ALL southern Slavs were pagan, hence, there was nothing that could identify one a Serb or a Croat. And that means that both Serbs and Croats had/have the right to Croatia, despite the today's name of the republic.
Serb militiamen were brought in in the 1500s, but that doesn't mean the Serbs hadn't lived there before that.
Recently, I read an article that some tombstones had been dug up in Kosovo and they had ancient Serbian inscriptions on them - along with the Illyrian ones! Which, if true, would mean that the Serbs had settled the area long before the VI century!
rather counterproductive one may observe
To repeat if Croats & Dalmatians wish to be included among the civilized societies of the world, then they better behave according to the highest ( instead of the lowest) standards
So, why can't the Sljun Police Department walk across the street and throw a tarp over the holes in the roof of the wrecked church ? A simple tarp would prevent further damage. And maybe, just maybe they could nail a few sheets of plywood where the windows are broken......
Instead of responding gee that is a great idea.......you merely repeat ad nausum nationalist pap.
Look if the people of Slunj want to have every single tourist driving to Split see the wrecked Chruch just sitting there rotting.......RIGHT IN THE TOWN SQUARE THIRTY FEET FROM CITY HALL........well by all means leave the Orthodox Church rot......... The Tourists will form their own conclusions just how 'civilized' these people are
She and her husband will use the money to start a business in Florida. HURRAH!!!
She is happy to be rid of the property since she as a Croat, married to a Serb has had horrid experiences at the hands of her people.
A fresh start and MUCHO DINERO and a business of their own!! DREAMS can come true....I just love it!!
This will upset the wee peep-squeek, tropalJACK@$$, I am sure. The MORE UPSET THE BETTER, as far as I am concerned.
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