please forward to Slavic folks

[Keith GOERINGER]

SEELANGers,

This disturbing message was sent to members of our Slavic department by
George Lakoff in linguistics, who received it from the writer.  (I
apologize to those who have already seen it, or who see it cross-posted
elsewhere.)

Keith GOERINGER
Slavic Languages & Literatures
UC Berkeley
<keg at violet.berkeley.edu>


>>>Dear friends:
>>>
>>>Tonight at 11.30 PM (local time) several thousand policemen attacked
>>>the Belgrade demonstrators. I've just come back from the town, and
>>>as a witness I can say this:
>>>
>>>We were blocked in front of the Branko's bridge for more than 2
>>>hours. 10-15,000 people were on the other side of the bridge, but
>>>police blocked the bridge from both sides, and did not allow them
>>>to join us. There were 30-40,000 people on our side of the
>>>bridge, but many of them left the place. When only 4-5,000
>>>remained, and when we saw that strong police forces began to
>>>circle us, the opposition leader Vuk Draskovic spoke, and told us
>>>to go to the center - because 5-10 minutes before that we felt
>>>that perhaps they would attack. We started to go, and less than a
>>>minute later police attacked us from all sides with water
>>>cannon and tear gas. There was NO any provocation from our side,
>>>and there was NO one single reason for the police to attack! We
>>>began to retreat and run away, but the police srat running after the
>>>people,
>>>beating brutally everyone whom they could catch - older women,
>>>children, everyone without difference. A taxi driver took me and
>>>my wife and drove us home. Now I am listening to the two
>>>independent radio stations here (B92 and Radio Index): several
>>>thousand policemen are on the streets in the center of Belgrade
>>>beating everyone there! People try to escape, but at the moment
>>>the situation is dangerous around the Faculty of philosophy where
>>>many people found a shelter. The latest news is that policemen
>>>entered into the Faculty, beat several people and arrested many
>>>others. Hundred of people are injured. Many cameramen were
>>>attacked. In a dramatic interview Vuk Draskovic just said that
>>>police fired at him, but somehow he managed to escape - he says
>>>that the regime gave order to kill him this night. The lady from
>>>the opposition, the leader of pacifist Civil Ligue of Serbia
>>>Vesna Pesic is injured. At the time I am writing this messages,
>>>the police action still goes on!
>>>
>>>Please, help us by informing everyone on the net about this
>>>terrible night in Belgrade.
>>>
>>>And we are going to keep fighting for our freedom and rights, no
>>>doubt! They can arrest us, but they cannot win, no matter what
>>>happens!
>>>
>>>Yours, Novica Milic