The project Zamisli Srbiju (Imagine Serbia) has set out to encourage young people to take a role in imagining the future of a country in which "there are powerful structures which revolve around big capital, big crime and big politics, for whom the status quo is convenient, and who are very worried that they will one day have to face European standards which could threaten their monopoly positions and profitable activities." They are asking participants in their forum and some public figures to discuss how they imagine Serbia. One answer came from the cultural-political journalist Petar Luković:
"One June morning in 1977 -- I remember for a reason -- I was drinking my first morning coffee, espresso with cold milk, in the garden of the Šumatovac restaurant, I looked into the blue, sunny sky and found myself deciding that I would go to London that afternoon. The Sex Pistols had released the single "God Save the Queen," the Stranglers had just celebrated their debut album, the Clash had a concert then ... a perfectly good reason for me to organise a nice weekend on the Island. I got travellers checks and some pounds at Ljubljanska banka, bought a plane ticket at the main office of JAT, and I brought my red passport in which there was no visa (I remind the younger residents of Serbia that we never needed visas then, the majority of owners of SFRJ passports had no idea what they were for). I told my parents that I was going to England and the only thing they asked me -- I remember -- was when I was coming back.
I pulled this episode out of my memory as the only possible answer to today's science-fictitious question of how I imagine Serbia, if I am able to imagine anything at all. I imagine being free to, if it crosses your mind, go to London or Paris or Amsterdam, being able to afford that from your pay, not having to fuck around standing in line 96 hours in front of every embassy, where you will have to patiently explain to the officials the reason you want to go to London, to prove that you will not liquidate Bosniaks on Trafalgar Square like the Serbian national heroes of the Mladić or Karadžić or colonel Beara type, to promise that you will behave respectably because, you know, England is not Republika Srpska or Kosovo and that on the Island they use freezer trucks to transport ice cream and not corpses."
The essay continues, listing reasons why "Serbian society -- like in a cartoon -- is hurrying backward" and any imaginary rendition seems like, well, imagining.
2005-04-22
2005-04-20
Tourists not to be subject to forced mobilisation
Since Serbia-Montenegro does not relieve its citizens living in other countries of the obligation of military service, one barrier to young people visiting their families, say, for a summer jaunt, has been the possibility that they will be arrested at the border and forcibly mobilised, which can nearly ruin anybody's vacation. Now the federal defence minister Prvoslav Davinić has agreed that people who can prove that their stay in another country is "justified" will not be kidnapped into servitude between now and 1 October, reports Dnevnik. The next task is to distill this charming practice down into an appealing slogan for tourism.
More on Mittal Steel, Omarska and Ljubija
In February we gave a few details on the plan by Mittal Steel to purchase and refurbish a mass grave site near Prijedor. Recently the magazine BH Dani published an update. However, since Dani keeps its content behind a subscription portal, this has not been available to everyone. Now Domovina.net has made available an English translation (by Maja Lovrenović), together with the photos. Just follow the link and scroll down. Thanks to Justwatch.
For your European reading pleasure
Travel reading
B92 has launched a section of travel essays. The current feature is a fine photo essay on Bangkok, and there is a nice archive developing. Write your own travel essay for the site, and you may be the proud recipient of a book or CD published by B92.
2005-04-19
Carnival of the Balkans #3!!
Every time I try to compile the Balkan Carnival, blog.hr goes down! it happened again today, but they seemed to recover fairly quickly. Drax points out that technical reliability is not the service's only problem--they are also worried about acquiring a non-serious image, as blogs are not respected by mainstream media in the Balkans. But we respect one another (yes?), so here is another selection of this month's favorite items from Balkan blogs.
Yakima Gulag realized that it had become a Balkan blog, and explained to readers how and why. At Science and Politics, the variations on identity come together with a religious, political, and scientific reflection on how the heck our kids get so smart. It makes for an interesting reflection on identity and its pleasures and problems, and also at least by implication on ways in which Balkan identity can be chosen.
The issue of identity and its being chosen or rejected came up again in relation to the question of language. Filologanoga offered a linguistic-historical reflection on the new recodification of the Croatian language, contrasting concerns about uniqueness with enthusiasm for creativity and diversity. Meanwhile a completely different take on linguistic diversity is offered by 20-month old David Muir. The final word on the question of identity comes, as it should, from an advertisement by a sweets manufacturer.
Economic conditions remained challenging in the region, as Drax reports that they are threatening even establishments for gambling on sports matches. In Croatia, Seesaw reports that tourists are finding that Serbian agencies offer the best prices for coastal destinations in Croatia. However, there may be an incipient growth market for Bosnian snail farmers.
Not all of the economic and political improvements are moving at a snail's pace, though. Seesaw reports that >Romania and Bulgaria are expected to lead the Balkan charge into the EU. And Serbia-Montenegro was susrprised to get a favorable feasibility study which nobody seems to have got around to translating. The trifecta of developments led to a debate on whether Balkan neighbors are pleased by one anothers' success in dealing with accession to the EU.
While CNN continued a daily osvrt on the scandals of Croatian public life. On scandals elsewhere in the region, Morpheus informs us of the plan for war criminals to be captured by Pierce Brosnan. And East Ethnia followed war-criminal developments on other fronts.
It was a good month for Balkan musicians. The Bosnian supergroup Bijelo Dugme announced reunion plans, a fact which Bosny celebrated with a song translation. And "Crvena jabuka" is now 20 years old. Chuck Berry is older still, but the Partibrejkersi will open for him in Zagreb. In the folk-jazz department, electronic harmonikas Belinda Bedelkovic was featured in an interesting video. In the folk-crime department, Ceca tried to do a foreign tour but was denied visas by Canada and Australia.
The local and global competed in a pro-sljivovica poster provided by Novala, while spring was hailed by dandelion salad recipes from Yakima and from the eastern part of Ethnia. At Gulistan, there was food porn for lovers of squid.
Several Balkan blogs offered new features and changes. "The Glory of Carniola" tried a design change in the spirit of April 1, and then changed the page design anyway, from the touristy to the newspaperish. Kushtrim Xhakli put up a new interactive map of his regular destinations in Prishtine. And quiet for a while, Dvevnik ulice is back. The Burekeaters are also moving to a new home. We hope it will be large enough to hold the creation that breaks the record for the world's largest burek. In the news about bloggers, Mat Savelli is headed to grad school. And Teekay faces the technical and cultural shock of moving from Sarajevo to some distant place. Had he gone to Britain, he may have got some benefit from the advice that was found by URLanje.
A few new blogs made their appearance, including Hamburek and investigative journalism by Zeljko Peratovic. Let's keep seeing more as the blogosfera gets wider and more well rounded.
Yakima Gulag realized that it had become a Balkan blog, and explained to readers how and why. At Science and Politics, the variations on identity come together with a religious, political, and scientific reflection on how the heck our kids get so smart. It makes for an interesting reflection on identity and its pleasures and problems, and also at least by implication on ways in which Balkan identity can be chosen.
The issue of identity and its being chosen or rejected came up again in relation to the question of language. Filologanoga offered a linguistic-historical reflection on the new recodification of the Croatian language, contrasting concerns about uniqueness with enthusiasm for creativity and diversity. Meanwhile a completely different take on linguistic diversity is offered by 20-month old David Muir. The final word on the question of identity comes, as it should, from an advertisement by a sweets manufacturer.
Economic conditions remained challenging in the region, as Drax reports that they are threatening even establishments for gambling on sports matches. In Croatia, Seesaw reports that tourists are finding that Serbian agencies offer the best prices for coastal destinations in Croatia. However, there may be an incipient growth market for Bosnian snail farmers.
Not all of the economic and political improvements are moving at a snail's pace, though. Seesaw reports that >Romania and Bulgaria are expected to lead the Balkan charge into the EU. And Serbia-Montenegro was susrprised to get a favorable feasibility study which nobody seems to have got around to translating. The trifecta of developments led to a debate on whether Balkan neighbors are pleased by one anothers' success in dealing with accession to the EU.
While CNN continued a daily osvrt on the scandals of Croatian public life. On scandals elsewhere in the region, Morpheus informs us of the plan for war criminals to be captured by Pierce Brosnan. And East Ethnia followed war-criminal developments on other fronts.
It was a good month for Balkan musicians. The Bosnian supergroup Bijelo Dugme announced reunion plans, a fact which Bosny celebrated with a song translation. And "Crvena jabuka" is now 20 years old. Chuck Berry is older still, but the Partibrejkersi will open for him in Zagreb. In the folk-jazz department, electronic harmonikas Belinda Bedelkovic was featured in an interesting video. In the folk-crime department, Ceca tried to do a foreign tour but was denied visas by Canada and Australia.
The local and global competed in a pro-sljivovica poster provided by Novala, while spring was hailed by dandelion salad recipes from Yakima and from the eastern part of Ethnia. At Gulistan, there was food porn for lovers of squid.
Several Balkan blogs offered new features and changes. "The Glory of Carniola" tried a design change in the spirit of April 1, and then changed the page design anyway, from the touristy to the newspaperish. Kushtrim Xhakli put up a new interactive map of his regular destinations in Prishtine. And quiet for a while, Dvevnik ulice is back. The Burekeaters are also moving to a new home. We hope it will be large enough to hold the creation that breaks the record for the world's largest burek. In the news about bloggers, Mat Savelli is headed to grad school. And Teekay faces the technical and cultural shock of moving from Sarajevo to some distant place. Had he gone to Britain, he may have got some benefit from the advice that was found by URLanje.
A few new blogs made their appearance, including Hamburek and investigative journalism by Zeljko Peratovic. Let's keep seeing more as the blogosfera gets wider and more well rounded.
2005-04-18
The carnival is coming
Thanks to all of the people who sent submissions to the Balkan carnival. I am arranging, editing, and compiling, but probably will not have the thing up until tomrrow. Watch this space.
2005-04-17
Reminder: Balkan carnival #3 on Monday!
I will be off enjoying life in New York this weekend, but I will leave this post at the top throughout to remind everyone to send me their submissions for the Carnival of the Balkans, the periodic collection of the most informative, telling, amusing or otherwise good Balkan blogging.
If you are from the Balkans, write about the Balkans, have visited the Balkans, or have dodirne tačke of any Balkanic sort, send your submissions to me at eastethnia at gmail dot com, replacing the ats and dots with the appropriate symbols. The carnival will be posted here and at the carnival archive site on 18 April. Take part in the best that Balkan blogging has to offer!
If you are from the Balkans, write about the Balkans, have visited the Balkans, or have dodirne tačke of any Balkanic sort, send your submissions to me at eastethnia at gmail dot com, replacing the ats and dots with the appropriate symbols. The carnival will be posted here and at the carnival archive site on 18 April. Take part in the best that Balkan blogging has to offer!
2005-04-15
Enjoy the weekend likewise
Okay, we are off to New York, and I expect to be enjoying it far too much to do any posting, so blogging should continue in force on Monday. But I can't leave without posting the Friday Random Ten, that silly blog game in which you open up your mp3 player, set it to "random," and list the first ten songs that come up:
Obojeni Program - Abcd avioni
The Jam - Absolute beginners
Carmen Consoli & Almamegretta - Hard to handle
Üstmamò - Cosa conta
Luna - Friendly advice
Half man half Biscuit - For what Is Chatteris
They Might Be Giants - Sapphire bullets Of love
Zabranjeno Pušenje - Stanje šoka
Groucho Marx - I'm against it
Curtis Mayfield - Move on up
Enjoy the weekend, everyone!
Update: Heh, I take back that bit about leaving. It seems the Angels of Transport who operate the national rail carrier Amtrak have cancelled all of the Boston-New York trains because of yet another mechanical failure. So I'll drive together with Mrs Ethnia and the Ethniette tonight. DoDo, please come and take over our system!
Obojeni Program - Abcd avioni
The Jam - Absolute beginners
Carmen Consoli & Almamegretta - Hard to handle
Üstmamò - Cosa conta
Luna - Friendly advice
Half man half Biscuit - For what Is Chatteris
They Might Be Giants - Sapphire bullets Of love
Zabranjeno Pušenje - Stanje šoka
Groucho Marx - I'm against it
Curtis Mayfield - Move on up
Enjoy the weekend, everyone!
Update: Heh, I take back that bit about leaving. It seems the Angels of Transport who operate the national rail carrier Amtrak have cancelled all of the Boston-New York trains because of yet another mechanical failure. So I'll drive together with Mrs Ethnia and the Ethniette tonight. DoDo, please come and take over our system!
Vic dana iz Danasa
Razgovaraju dve mame:
- Zamisli, moj sinčić ima samo godinu dana, a već hoda, govori, čak igra rok... A što je pametan - da ti ne pričam!
- A moj je tek napunio pet meseci - a već sve zna o političkoj situaciji u našoj zemlji!
- Šta pričaš! Pa on još ne zna ni da govori!
- Da, ali stalno plače!
Prilog čitateljke Maje Vuković iz Beograda
from Danas, 15 April 2005
- Zamisli, moj sinčić ima samo godinu dana, a već hoda, govori, čak igra rok... A što je pametan - da ti ne pričam!
- A moj je tek napunio pet meseci - a već sve zna o političkoj situaciji u našoj zemlji!
- Šta pričaš! Pa on još ne zna ni da govori!
- Da, ali stalno plače!
Prilog čitateljke Maje Vuković iz Beograda
from Danas, 15 April 2005
2005-04-14
East Ethnia makes a political endorsement!
There seems to be a bit of debate as to whether an endorsement of a political candidate by a blog constitutes an in-kind donation (of publicity?) or something of the like. But whatever. Deval Patrick has announced that he intends to be a candidate to unseat the appalling Mitt Romney as governor of Massachusetts, and I intend to support him enthusiastically. If that is a contribution from me, it came mighty cheap.
On authority and inhibition
There is an interesting little summary in the Chronicle of Higher Education on research by Vilmos Csányi and his associates regarding the cognitive abilities of dogs, and how their relationships with humans influence them.
"... in scientific circles, animal-cognition studies have largely ignored dogs, focusing instead on closer human relatives, like chimpanzees and gorillas. Dogs, as a result, have not been considered very brainy.
[....]
That never sat well with Mr. Csányi who, like many in dog-loving Hungary, had dogs of his own. Dogs, he suspected, were simply more inhibited than their wild cousins, requiring permission from their masters before doing something as rash as opening a gate, which they may have regarded as a violation of their master's rules. So eight years ago, he and his colleagues conducted a problem-solving experiment of their own. With their masters present, 28 dogs of various ages, breeds, and levels of training had to figure out how to pull on handles of plastic dishes to obtain meat on the other side of a wire fence. Regardless of other factors, the dogs with the strongest relationship with their owner scored worst, continually looking to their owners for permission or assistance. The best results came from outdoor dogs, who obtained the food, on average, in one-third the time. Most telling, when owners were allowed to give their dogs permission, the gap between indoor and outdoor dogs vanished."
Also, the article includes some provocative theses on the differences between dogs and wolves, and which is more likely to jump into your lap.
"... in scientific circles, animal-cognition studies have largely ignored dogs, focusing instead on closer human relatives, like chimpanzees and gorillas. Dogs, as a result, have not been considered very brainy.
[....]
That never sat well with Mr. Csányi who, like many in dog-loving Hungary, had dogs of his own. Dogs, he suspected, were simply more inhibited than their wild cousins, requiring permission from their masters before doing something as rash as opening a gate, which they may have regarded as a violation of their master's rules. So eight years ago, he and his colleagues conducted a problem-solving experiment of their own. With their masters present, 28 dogs of various ages, breeds, and levels of training had to figure out how to pull on handles of plastic dishes to obtain meat on the other side of a wire fence. Regardless of other factors, the dogs with the strongest relationship with their owner scored worst, continually looking to their owners for permission or assistance. The best results came from outdoor dogs, who obtained the food, on average, in one-third the time. Most telling, when owners were allowed to give their dogs permission, the gap between indoor and outdoor dogs vanished."
Also, the article includes some provocative theses on the differences between dogs and wolves, and which is more likely to jump into your lap.
This week's favorite music links
Not that I have music links to share every week! But I have come across these in the past several days.
The Modena City Ramblers: It includes news and photos, and a few songs to share in the "Multimedia" section.
Do jaja: Follow the alphabetical links at the top and find tons of slow-downloading mp3 files, some of them good.
Obojeni program: Everything about the finest Novi Sad band this side of Pekinška patka, including 12 or so music downloads.
Darkwood dub: Strictly for lovers of Flash animation.
Boris Kovač: Do have a look at his "poetical CV."
The Modena City Ramblers: It includes news and photos, and a few songs to share in the "Multimedia" section.
Do jaja: Follow the alphabetical links at the top and find tons of slow-downloading mp3 files, some of them good.
Obojeni program: Everything about the finest Novi Sad band this side of Pekinška patka, including 12 or so music downloads.
Darkwood dub: Strictly for lovers of Flash animation.
Boris Kovač: Do have a look at his "poetical CV."
This week in court
The trial of the people who were involved in the conspiracy to murder prime minister Zoran Djindić started badly, with multiple delays and not all suspects at hand, and continued fitfully, with numerous efforts to intimidate witnesses, court officials and those present. Now it is delayed again, but this did not occur before two important testimonies during the past week. Čedomir Jovanović came to testify about the conspiracy that took off in order to prevent the "Svedok" operation against organised crime, an appearance that ended in an exchange of insults between him and prime indictee Milorad Ulemek, after which Mrs Ulemek whacked him with a handbag. Then Vladimir Popović ("Beba") came to accuse the current government of protecting suspect, letting slip that conspirator Vladimir Milisavljević ("Vlada Budala," or "Vlada the fool," a nickname he is rumoured to have earned because alone among the criminals, he had completed a university degree) was in Vienna and that his location was known to Serbian authorities. Reports today would seem to confirm Mr Popović's claims.
Update: The reports on Vladimir Milisavljević would seem to be contradictory, after all. The embassy of SCG in Vienna confirms Mr Popović's claim that Milisavljević was sighted in Vienna, that this was reported to the embassy, and that the embassy fowarded the information to the Serbian interior ministry and security agency. But the Serbian interior ministry released a statement saying that the Austrian police found the sighting of Milisavljević to be a false alarm. The Austrian interior ministry, meanwhile, has no record of anything related to Milisavljević.
Update: The reports on Vladimir Milisavljević would seem to be contradictory, after all. The embassy of SCG in Vienna confirms Mr Popović's claim that Milisavljević was sighted in Vienna, that this was reported to the embassy, and that the embassy fowarded the information to the Serbian interior ministry and security agency. But the Serbian interior ministry released a statement saying that the Austrian police found the sighting of Milisavljević to be a false alarm. The Austrian interior ministry, meanwhile, has no record of anything related to Milisavljević.
2005-04-13
Just the quotes, please: The "Feasibility study"
Thanks to several attentive readers, East Ethnia is able to share some quotations from the famous "Feasibility Study" for Serbia and Montenegro that was announced yesterday. I have excerpted bits related to legal and political issues for the most part, although the 56-page study also devotes extensive space to various issues of trade and fiscal policy and various types of regulation. For those who want to cite, the full title is:
Commission of the European Communities, Commission Staff Working Paper: Report on the preparedness of Serbia and Montenegro to negotiate a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union. Brussels, 12.04.2005, SEC (2005) 478 final.
An English version accompanies the press release at the EU web site, and versions in other European languages may be available through the main EU portal.
A lengthy selection of quotations follows.
On constitutional order:
"Serbia and Montenegro enshrines the principles of democratic governance and rule of law in the constitutions at State Union and republican level.
In practice, the functioning of democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law have been affected by the lack of political consensus on the future of the State Union, conflicting interpretations of the State Union Constitutional Charter and the failure to adjust the republican Constitutions. This has led to constitutional and legal uncertainty." (p.5)
On the rule of law:
"In Serbia the rule of law remains weakened by the legacy of the Milosevic regime, i.e. the persistent links between organised crime, war crimes and political extremism, and their continued obstructive presence within parts of the current political, institutional, military and state security systems.
In Montenegro, the rule of law needs to be further strengthened. Links continue to exist between organised crime and segments of the political and institutional system.
International surveys indicate that Serbia and Montenegro suffers from a high level of corruption. The fight against organised crime and corruption therefore represent key challenges for Serbia and Montenegro." (p.6)
On the Serbian parliament:
"In the past four years the functioning of the Serbian Parliament has faced serious challenges due to political instability and a lack of respect for legal procedure. Nevertheless, the legislative activity has intensified significantly over the last year." (p.7)
On conflicts between republican and federal institutions:
"Although the Constitutional Charter provides for one Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the State Union level, Montenegro also maintains a Foreign Ministry. Furthermore, the State Union diplomatic service is based on the principle of proportional representation of the two Republics, while being paid exclusively by the Serbian budget. The Ministry for Human and Minority Rights has produced significant policy and legislative initiatives and has developed wide-ranging activities on the ground, albeit primarily in Serbia. It has been assigned new powers and managed to perform them in a satisfactory manner despite the lack of adequate resources. The Ministry of Defence, under the guidance of the Supreme Defence Council, has taken significant steps towards a comprehensive reform of the army, including civilian control and oversight, but this process requires further significant efforts. Both Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Defence come from the same Republic in contravention of the provisions of the Constitutional Charter.
The President of the State Union has taken important initiatives towards regional reconciliation, including public apologies to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for crimes committed in the recent past. He has also taken a strong and positive position on Serbia and Montenegro’s obligation to cooperate with International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia." (p.8)
On public administration in Serbia:
"In Serbia, there is a lack of co-ordination within the government. A particular problem is posed by the high degree of politicisation of the public administration, with serious implications for institutional and policy continuity. Conflict of interest has been addressed through new legislation, but has only started to be implemented. The implementation of sectoral reforms varies significantly across ministries." (p.8)
On public administration in Montenegro:
"In Montenegro, the functioning of the executive reflects a rather stable governing coalition, which facilitates decision-making. There is, however, an environment conducive to corruption and nepotism. The overall legislative performance of the government has been noteworthy. Implementation however is weak and requires further strengthening in terms of human, budgetary and other necessary resources - beyond just donor assistance." (pp.8-9)
On military reform:
"Significant personnel changes have been made, including the retirement or dismissal of a number of high-ranking officers, some of whom had close ties with the former regime or were indicted by ICTY. While the Ministry instructed all soldiers to report any information on the whereabouts of ICTY indictees, and to support their arrest in military locations, no progress in this key area has taken place. There is still resistance within the military system to the rule of law." (p.10)
On prosecution of war crimes:
"Domestic courts have a cooperative attitude and are carrying out good work in trying some low-profile cases, notably Ovcara. Steps have also been taken to improve their organisational and infrastructure capacities. Legal amendments are made to address the issue of command responsibility. However, the overall political climate is such that there is no guarantee that any high profile war crimes trails could be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
Serbia and Montenegro takes a positive attitude towards the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is one of the founding members of the ICC and ratified the Rome Statute in 2002. Specific legislation for cooperation with the ICC is being drafted both at the State Union level and in Montenegro, although this is a State Union responsibility. Serbia and Montenegro has consistently refused to sign bilateral agreements giving exemptions from ICC jurisdiction. It should continue to do so.
There are no major problems in Serbia and Montenegro’s compliance with the Dayton agreement, apart from those relating to cooperation with ICTY." (p.11)
On protection of human and minority rights:
"(...) more than 400 cases against Serbia and Montenegro are pending before the European Court of Human Rights. Internally, the right to constitutional appeal is guaranteed in the Constitutional Charter and in the Montenegrin Constitution. The Serbian Constitution does not provide for constitutional appeal. The human rights situation on the ground has significantly improved. Further improvements are however needed, notably in ensuring full protection of minorities. The ratification of other Council of European conventions, such as the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages, should also take place shortly."(p.13)
On addressing violations of human rights:
"Over the recent years there has been a significant overall improvement in human rights protection. Legislative reforms were undertaken, the death penalty was abolished and human rights practice in general has improved.
However, there has been little progress in relation to police investigations and legal proceedings regarding mass graves identified in Serbia.
Serbia still has to investigate fully all allegations of human rights violations during the state of emergency in March / April 2003. This is also required under the decision of the Serbian Constitutional Court concerning the constitutionality of the state of emergency." (p.13)
On accountability and lustration:
"The Serbian Law on the Accountability for Human Rights Violations (the “Lustration Law”), was an important step in dealing with the past, as it provides a basis for the screening of candidates for top positions in all branches of the administration and judiciary regarding potential human rights violations committed from 1976. However, it has not been enforced. The deadlock, allegedly for procedural reasons, in fact reflects a lack of political consensus on lustration." (p.13)
On refugees and internally displaced people:
"The high number of refugees and IDPs continued to aggravate difficult socio-economic conditions in both Republics. Furthermore, the precarious situation of this vulnerable part of population has significant impact upon the overall political situation and the ongoing trends of radicalisation in the country. According to UNHCR data, there are currently 289,680 refugees and 244,833 registered IDPs. In January a comprehensive refugee re-registration exercise was undertaken by UNHCR. While the figures remain to be finalised, provisional results indicate that the number of registered refugees has been almost halved to around 140 000. In Serbia the authorities continue their efforts on both repatriation and local integration, based on the 2002 National Strategy and in cooperation with partners in the region. The implementation of new legal provisions allowing dual citizenship resulted in a fall in the number of refugees, as some of them lost refugee status by acquiring Serbia and Montenegro citizenship. The implementation of the agreement on the return of refugees with Bosnia and Herzegovina (signed in October 2003) has already produced results, facilitated safe returns, thus also contributing to the overall drop on number of refugees. Cooperation with UNMIK in the return of IDPs to Kosovo has stalled, following the violent events of March 2004. Serbia and Montenegro is also participating in the regional initiative on refugees return with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia." (pp.15-16)
On economic conditions in Serbia:
"(...) employment remains low and unemployment high. This reflects the fallout of 1990 conflicts and sanctions together with inflexible labour laws. In 2003, the economic activity rate for persons above 15 years was at 47.5%. In Serbia, official figures for end-2004 show an unemployment rate of 32.4%, as compared to around 27% three years earlier. However, this figure would be significantly lower if adjusted for those who are registered as unemployed and receiving benefits but not really seeking work. This not only put strains social expenditure but also injures republican fiscal policy.
Until early 2004, inflation in Serbia had continuously fallen. Consumer price inflation fell from 113% at the end of 2000 to below 8% at the end of 2003, despite adjustments in administered prices, for food and electricity etc. (see below). However, annual inflation (end-of-period) accelerated again in 2004 and reached 13.8% in December, spurred by strong domestic demand, the rising cost of fuel imports and increases in administered prices. Strong wage growth, via its impact on domestic demand and on administered prices, continues to be a major liability to further disinflation. Average real gross earnings rose between December 2003 and December 2004 by 21%, after a corresponding rise of even 26% in 2003. These rises have well exceeded the rise in labour productivity over the same period, also when taking into account the drop of real wages in the second half of the nineties." (p.17)
On bilateral relations in the region:
"Bilateral relations with all countries, both in the political and commercial sphere, have improved steadily, though more rapidly with some than others. Key events were the exchange of apologies between the Serbia and Montenegro and Croatian Presidents for crimes committed in the recent past, and the Serbia and Montenegro apology to the Bosnian people. Regular political dialogue has been established with all partners in the region and has recently resulted in the conclusion of a significant number of sectoral agreements (concerning refugee return, visa suspension, fight against organised crime and terrorism) facilitating the redevelopment of regional ties in all fields.
Some main issues are still outstanding, notably border demarcation with Croatia and BiH and the pending suits against Serbia and Montenegro before the International Court of Justice, which both these countries have filed." (pp.22-23)
On control of "special" services:
"As far as the special security and intelligence services are concerned, Serbia has made some progress in reforming these agencies and in ensuring civilian control. However, there are still concerns at the lack of human rights safeguards, counterbalancing the powers of the new Serbian security agency (BIA). The role allegedly played by parts of the previous security services in the assassination of PM Djindjic has come under scrutiny; however, very little progress was achieved in fully investigating its role and responsibility." (p.37)
On prosecution of war crimes cases:
"Serbia adopted specific legislation on war crimes in 2003. A War Crimes Prosecutor was appointed, premises for specialised court chambers were equipped and special police units and detention facilities are under development. There are war-crime related trials in Serbia ongoing, however they are still few and mostly concern lower ranking officers. This is due to the lack of a specific legal provision relating to command responsibility for war crimes. The Law on amendments to the Law on War crimes, (addressing the issue of admissibility of evidence) was adopted by the Parliament. Cooperation with the police is poor and in spite of clear legal obligations both the judiciary and the police are still subject to heavy political pressure.
The proclaimed independence of the judiciary was, on several occasions, seriously questioned: appointments and dismissals of Prosecutors have been carried out under political influence." (pp.38-39)
On measures to control crime in Serbia:
"Operation “Sabre” during the state of emergency led to significant results in breaking up the key organised crime channels and in resolving high profile cases, including political assassinations. However, this good work was to some extent undermined by questionable practices which not only violated basic human rights but may also have implications for the admissibility of evidence at future trials." (pp.42-43)
On measures to control crime in Montenegro:
"A widely publicised human trafficking case in Montenegro demonstrated the extent to which, despite legislative reform, law enforcement hinges on practical implementation and the independence of the judiciary. The content of a recently published report by the Government founded Commission for Investigation of High Profile Human Trafficking Cases raised a number of questions regarding possible political interference into the investigation and the possible responsibility of former and current high level officials in the Ministries of Interior and Justice. The case poses a number of questions about the independence of prosecutors and the republic’s judicial system in general, the interlinking of personal and political ties and the entanglement of public bodies in illicit actions (as set out in more detail in an OSCE-Council of Europe expert report)." (p.43)
On measures to control corruption:
"(...) no comprehensive action had been taken yet to investigate financial crime, and Serbia and Montenegro’s commitment to fight corruption has remained largely rhetorical. Comprehensive strategies are still lacking, as well as efficient institutions to implement them. Legislative progress was achieved with the adoption of the Laws on Financing of Political Parties in both republics as well as the Laws on the prevention of conflicts of interest, whereas codes of conduct for public servants are stalled. This previous legal vacuum has contributed to a very slow reaction to serious allegations against top government officials and ministers. Even the existing institutions in this field do not enjoy the necessary support from government. As this matter goes to the core of the transition from a totalitarian regime to a functioning democracy based on the rule of law, it is indispensable to achieve rapid improvements." (pp.43-44)
Commission of the European Communities, Commission Staff Working Paper: Report on the preparedness of Serbia and Montenegro to negotiate a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union. Brussels, 12.04.2005, SEC (2005) 478 final.
An English version accompanies the press release at the EU web site, and versions in other European languages may be available through the main EU portal.
A lengthy selection of quotations follows.
On constitutional order:
"Serbia and Montenegro enshrines the principles of democratic governance and rule of law in the constitutions at State Union and republican level.
In practice, the functioning of democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law have been affected by the lack of political consensus on the future of the State Union, conflicting interpretations of the State Union Constitutional Charter and the failure to adjust the republican Constitutions. This has led to constitutional and legal uncertainty." (p.5)
On the rule of law:
"In Serbia the rule of law remains weakened by the legacy of the Milosevic regime, i.e. the persistent links between organised crime, war crimes and political extremism, and their continued obstructive presence within parts of the current political, institutional, military and state security systems.
In Montenegro, the rule of law needs to be further strengthened. Links continue to exist between organised crime and segments of the political and institutional system.
International surveys indicate that Serbia and Montenegro suffers from a high level of corruption. The fight against organised crime and corruption therefore represent key challenges for Serbia and Montenegro." (p.6)
On the Serbian parliament:
"In the past four years the functioning of the Serbian Parliament has faced serious challenges due to political instability and a lack of respect for legal procedure. Nevertheless, the legislative activity has intensified significantly over the last year." (p.7)
On conflicts between republican and federal institutions:
"Although the Constitutional Charter provides for one Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the State Union level, Montenegro also maintains a Foreign Ministry. Furthermore, the State Union diplomatic service is based on the principle of proportional representation of the two Republics, while being paid exclusively by the Serbian budget. The Ministry for Human and Minority Rights has produced significant policy and legislative initiatives and has developed wide-ranging activities on the ground, albeit primarily in Serbia. It has been assigned new powers and managed to perform them in a satisfactory manner despite the lack of adequate resources. The Ministry of Defence, under the guidance of the Supreme Defence Council, has taken significant steps towards a comprehensive reform of the army, including civilian control and oversight, but this process requires further significant efforts. Both Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Defence come from the same Republic in contravention of the provisions of the Constitutional Charter.
The President of the State Union has taken important initiatives towards regional reconciliation, including public apologies to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for crimes committed in the recent past. He has also taken a strong and positive position on Serbia and Montenegro’s obligation to cooperate with International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia." (p.8)
On public administration in Serbia:
"In Serbia, there is a lack of co-ordination within the government. A particular problem is posed by the high degree of politicisation of the public administration, with serious implications for institutional and policy continuity. Conflict of interest has been addressed through new legislation, but has only started to be implemented. The implementation of sectoral reforms varies significantly across ministries." (p.8)
On public administration in Montenegro:
"In Montenegro, the functioning of the executive reflects a rather stable governing coalition, which facilitates decision-making. There is, however, an environment conducive to corruption and nepotism. The overall legislative performance of the government has been noteworthy. Implementation however is weak and requires further strengthening in terms of human, budgetary and other necessary resources - beyond just donor assistance." (pp.8-9)
On military reform:
"Significant personnel changes have been made, including the retirement or dismissal of a number of high-ranking officers, some of whom had close ties with the former regime or were indicted by ICTY. While the Ministry instructed all soldiers to report any information on the whereabouts of ICTY indictees, and to support their arrest in military locations, no progress in this key area has taken place. There is still resistance within the military system to the rule of law." (p.10)
On prosecution of war crimes:
"Domestic courts have a cooperative attitude and are carrying out good work in trying some low-profile cases, notably Ovcara. Steps have also been taken to improve their organisational and infrastructure capacities. Legal amendments are made to address the issue of command responsibility. However, the overall political climate is such that there is no guarantee that any high profile war crimes trails could be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
Serbia and Montenegro takes a positive attitude towards the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is one of the founding members of the ICC and ratified the Rome Statute in 2002. Specific legislation for cooperation with the ICC is being drafted both at the State Union level and in Montenegro, although this is a State Union responsibility. Serbia and Montenegro has consistently refused to sign bilateral agreements giving exemptions from ICC jurisdiction. It should continue to do so.
There are no major problems in Serbia and Montenegro’s compliance with the Dayton agreement, apart from those relating to cooperation with ICTY." (p.11)
On protection of human and minority rights:
"(...) more than 400 cases against Serbia and Montenegro are pending before the European Court of Human Rights. Internally, the right to constitutional appeal is guaranteed in the Constitutional Charter and in the Montenegrin Constitution. The Serbian Constitution does not provide for constitutional appeal. The human rights situation on the ground has significantly improved. Further improvements are however needed, notably in ensuring full protection of minorities. The ratification of other Council of European conventions, such as the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages, should also take place shortly."(p.13)
On addressing violations of human rights:
"Over the recent years there has been a significant overall improvement in human rights protection. Legislative reforms were undertaken, the death penalty was abolished and human rights practice in general has improved.
However, there has been little progress in relation to police investigations and legal proceedings regarding mass graves identified in Serbia.
Serbia still has to investigate fully all allegations of human rights violations during the state of emergency in March / April 2003. This is also required under the decision of the Serbian Constitutional Court concerning the constitutionality of the state of emergency." (p.13)
On accountability and lustration:
"The Serbian Law on the Accountability for Human Rights Violations (the “Lustration Law”), was an important step in dealing with the past, as it provides a basis for the screening of candidates for top positions in all branches of the administration and judiciary regarding potential human rights violations committed from 1976. However, it has not been enforced. The deadlock, allegedly for procedural reasons, in fact reflects a lack of political consensus on lustration." (p.13)
On refugees and internally displaced people:
"The high number of refugees and IDPs continued to aggravate difficult socio-economic conditions in both Republics. Furthermore, the precarious situation of this vulnerable part of population has significant impact upon the overall political situation and the ongoing trends of radicalisation in the country. According to UNHCR data, there are currently 289,680 refugees and 244,833 registered IDPs. In January a comprehensive refugee re-registration exercise was undertaken by UNHCR. While the figures remain to be finalised, provisional results indicate that the number of registered refugees has been almost halved to around 140 000. In Serbia the authorities continue their efforts on both repatriation and local integration, based on the 2002 National Strategy and in cooperation with partners in the region. The implementation of new legal provisions allowing dual citizenship resulted in a fall in the number of refugees, as some of them lost refugee status by acquiring Serbia and Montenegro citizenship. The implementation of the agreement on the return of refugees with Bosnia and Herzegovina (signed in October 2003) has already produced results, facilitated safe returns, thus also contributing to the overall drop on number of refugees. Cooperation with UNMIK in the return of IDPs to Kosovo has stalled, following the violent events of March 2004. Serbia and Montenegro is also participating in the regional initiative on refugees return with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia." (pp.15-16)
On economic conditions in Serbia:
"(...) employment remains low and unemployment high. This reflects the fallout of 1990 conflicts and sanctions together with inflexible labour laws. In 2003, the economic activity rate for persons above 15 years was at 47.5%. In Serbia, official figures for end-2004 show an unemployment rate of 32.4%, as compared to around 27% three years earlier. However, this figure would be significantly lower if adjusted for those who are registered as unemployed and receiving benefits but not really seeking work. This not only put strains social expenditure but also injures republican fiscal policy.
Until early 2004, inflation in Serbia had continuously fallen. Consumer price inflation fell from 113% at the end of 2000 to below 8% at the end of 2003, despite adjustments in administered prices, for food and electricity etc. (see below). However, annual inflation (end-of-period) accelerated again in 2004 and reached 13.8% in December, spurred by strong domestic demand, the rising cost of fuel imports and increases in administered prices. Strong wage growth, via its impact on domestic demand and on administered prices, continues to be a major liability to further disinflation. Average real gross earnings rose between December 2003 and December 2004 by 21%, after a corresponding rise of even 26% in 2003. These rises have well exceeded the rise in labour productivity over the same period, also when taking into account the drop of real wages in the second half of the nineties." (p.17)
On bilateral relations in the region:
"Bilateral relations with all countries, both in the political and commercial sphere, have improved steadily, though more rapidly with some than others. Key events were the exchange of apologies between the Serbia and Montenegro and Croatian Presidents for crimes committed in the recent past, and the Serbia and Montenegro apology to the Bosnian people. Regular political dialogue has been established with all partners in the region and has recently resulted in the conclusion of a significant number of sectoral agreements (concerning refugee return, visa suspension, fight against organised crime and terrorism) facilitating the redevelopment of regional ties in all fields.
Some main issues are still outstanding, notably border demarcation with Croatia and BiH and the pending suits against Serbia and Montenegro before the International Court of Justice, which both these countries have filed." (pp.22-23)
On control of "special" services:
"As far as the special security and intelligence services are concerned, Serbia has made some progress in reforming these agencies and in ensuring civilian control. However, there are still concerns at the lack of human rights safeguards, counterbalancing the powers of the new Serbian security agency (BIA). The role allegedly played by parts of the previous security services in the assassination of PM Djindjic has come under scrutiny; however, very little progress was achieved in fully investigating its role and responsibility." (p.37)
On prosecution of war crimes cases:
"Serbia adopted specific legislation on war crimes in 2003. A War Crimes Prosecutor was appointed, premises for specialised court chambers were equipped and special police units and detention facilities are under development. There are war-crime related trials in Serbia ongoing, however they are still few and mostly concern lower ranking officers. This is due to the lack of a specific legal provision relating to command responsibility for war crimes. The Law on amendments to the Law on War crimes, (addressing the issue of admissibility of evidence) was adopted by the Parliament. Cooperation with the police is poor and in spite of clear legal obligations both the judiciary and the police are still subject to heavy political pressure.
The proclaimed independence of the judiciary was, on several occasions, seriously questioned: appointments and dismissals of Prosecutors have been carried out under political influence." (pp.38-39)
On measures to control crime in Serbia:
"Operation “Sabre” during the state of emergency led to significant results in breaking up the key organised crime channels and in resolving high profile cases, including political assassinations. However, this good work was to some extent undermined by questionable practices which not only violated basic human rights but may also have implications for the admissibility of evidence at future trials." (pp.42-43)
On measures to control crime in Montenegro:
"A widely publicised human trafficking case in Montenegro demonstrated the extent to which, despite legislative reform, law enforcement hinges on practical implementation and the independence of the judiciary. The content of a recently published report by the Government founded Commission for Investigation of High Profile Human Trafficking Cases raised a number of questions regarding possible political interference into the investigation and the possible responsibility of former and current high level officials in the Ministries of Interior and Justice. The case poses a number of questions about the independence of prosecutors and the republic’s judicial system in general, the interlinking of personal and political ties and the entanglement of public bodies in illicit actions (as set out in more detail in an OSCE-Council of Europe expert report)." (p.43)
On measures to control corruption:
"(...) no comprehensive action had been taken yet to investigate financial crime, and Serbia and Montenegro’s commitment to fight corruption has remained largely rhetorical. Comprehensive strategies are still lacking, as well as efficient institutions to implement them. Legislative progress was achieved with the adoption of the Laws on Financing of Political Parties in both republics as well as the Laws on the prevention of conflicts of interest, whereas codes of conduct for public servants are stalled. This previous legal vacuum has contributed to a very slow reaction to serious allegations against top government officials and ministers. Even the existing institutions in this field do not enjoy the necessary support from government. As this matter goes to the core of the transition from a totalitarian regime to a functioning democracy based on the rule of law, it is indispensable to achieve rapid improvements." (pp.43-44)
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose
Yesterday marked six years with nobody charged in the murder of the journalist Slavko Ćuruvija. Today Danas announced that threats had been made against their journalist Bojan Tončić, who reported on 6 April that ICTY indictee Franko Simatović was behind the not quite voluntary surrenders to the Tribunal. Not that criminals are recognised by their modus operandi.
2005-04-12
Call for submissions: Carnival of the Balkans #3
Another month has gone by, and so it is time for one more Carnival of the Balkans, the periodic collection of the most informative, telling, amusing or otherwise good Balkan blogging.
If you are from the Balkans, write about the Balkans, have visited the Balkans, or have dodirne tačke of any Balkanic sort, send your submissions to me by Thursday, 14 April at eastethnia at gmail dot com, replacing the ats and dots with the appropriate symbols. The carnival will be posted here and at the carnival archive site on 18 April (that's three days later than promised, since I will be running off for a delightful weekend in New York).
If you are from the Balkans, write about the Balkans, have visited the Balkans, or have dodirne tačke of any Balkanic sort, send your submissions to me by Thursday, 14 April at eastethnia at gmail dot com, replacing the ats and dots with the appropriate symbols. The carnival will be posted here and at the carnival archive site on 18 April (that's three days later than promised, since I will be running off for a delightful weekend in New York).
2005-04-11
Spring in Massachusetts
Yes, Virginia, winter in Massachusetts does last until April. But it's done now, I dare say. Posting was light over the weekend as much of it was spent on outings, exhausting our child and our extravagantly well-walked dog. And spring also means genuine produce, grown on actual farms--no more vegetable-shaped protoplasm from Stop n Shop. This is what we will make tonight with yesterday's find:
Dandelion salad
300 gr dandelion shoots, washed and drained
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or more, if you like)
2 Tbs pumpkin-seed oil or 3 Tbs salad oil (a mixture of pumpkin-seed and other vegetable oils)
wine vinegar to taste
salt to taste
Put hot potatoes on dandelion shoots; add egg and sprinkle with garlic. Mix oil, vinegar and salt, pour over dandelion and toss vigorously. Serve with fresh rye bread.
It seems to me that capers and anchovies could also not possibly be unwelcome here. This recipe and many others from around the Mediterranean can be found at Gourmed.
Dandelion salad
300 gr dandelion shoots, washed and drained
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or more, if you like)
2 Tbs pumpkin-seed oil or 3 Tbs salad oil (a mixture of pumpkin-seed and other vegetable oils)
wine vinegar to taste
salt to taste
Put hot potatoes on dandelion shoots; add egg and sprinkle with garlic. Mix oil, vinegar and salt, pour over dandelion and toss vigorously. Serve with fresh rye bread.
It seems to me that capers and anchovies could also not possibly be unwelcome here. This recipe and many others from around the Mediterranean can be found at Gourmed.
Swiss movement
Well, yes, this one is a bit old, from 2001. But still, thanks to the mysterious Mr Teekay for sharing it.
The map is certainly as good as the USA Today map that The Glory of Carniola shared in February. Perhaps I should point out that the CNN that produced this map is not the very fine Croatian blog but some obscure American television outlet.
Update: Goodness gracious, Carniola has another.
The map is certainly as good as the USA Today map that The Glory of Carniola shared in February. Perhaps I should point out that the CNN that produced this map is not the very fine Croatian blog but some obscure American television outlet.
Update: Goodness gracious, Carniola has another.
2005-04-10
Prediction: National Enquirer to launch Scheveningen edition
There are enough stories about the location of various ICTY fugitives in the Serbian press these days that one begins to suspect that they may be planted. Here are today's.
Danas has the testimony of one Miroslav D. Petrović, a noncommissioned officer of the Army of Serbia and Montenegro, "currently a deserter under the protection of the United States, housed on a miltary base in a neighboring country." He claims to have been responsible for the security of the fugitive genocide indictee Ratko Mladić.
He claims that Mladić was at the Topčider barracks in Belgrade last summer, and that the two soldiers whose unexplained deaths caused a scandal last October "saw him and were liquidated in the blink of an eye." As to his reasons for coming forward to a newspaper with the story, he says that he wants to return to Serbia with the protection of publicity, and also that "I am a patriot, but to serve a proper state and army, not criminals."
The article in Monday's Danas includes Mr Petrović's charges of a conspiracy in the military to sell arms "to Albanians," as well as some limited information about who Mr Petrović is. Danas notes that it is "nearly impossible to verify the accuracy" of the information he is providing, and has therefore decided not not to publish the names of people he has charged with major violations of the law.
Danas is to Mladić as Blic is to Pavković. The Blic story has Pavković fleeing the country some time ago, which is claimed by an unidentified source, after which some identified sources express confusion.
Ah, yes, and Glas javnosti does name its source (Kurir!!!!!) for its story on Veselin Šljivančanin attacking Sreten Lukić in the ICTY holding facility. One instance in which the source is as credible as the subject is beguiling.
Danas has the testimony of one Miroslav D. Petrović, a noncommissioned officer of the Army of Serbia and Montenegro, "currently a deserter under the protection of the United States, housed on a miltary base in a neighboring country." He claims to have been responsible for the security of the fugitive genocide indictee Ratko Mladić.
He claims that Mladić was at the Topčider barracks in Belgrade last summer, and that the two soldiers whose unexplained deaths caused a scandal last October "saw him and were liquidated in the blink of an eye." As to his reasons for coming forward to a newspaper with the story, he says that he wants to return to Serbia with the protection of publicity, and also that "I am a patriot, but to serve a proper state and army, not criminals."
The article in Monday's Danas includes Mr Petrović's charges of a conspiracy in the military to sell arms "to Albanians," as well as some limited information about who Mr Petrović is. Danas notes that it is "nearly impossible to verify the accuracy" of the information he is providing, and has therefore decided not not to publish the names of people he has charged with major violations of the law.
Danas is to Mladić as Blic is to Pavković. The Blic story has Pavković fleeing the country some time ago, which is claimed by an unidentified source, after which some identified sources express confusion.
Ah, yes, and Glas javnosti does name its source (Kurir!!!!!) for its story on Veselin Šljivančanin attacking Sreten Lukić in the ICTY holding facility. One instance in which the source is as credible as the subject is beguiling.
2005-04-09
For the record, Pančevo is a pleasant town
But is Ratko Mladić being hidden there? Maybe he is, and then again maybe he is not.
2005-04-08
Washing and care instructions
Maybe by now everybody has seen this label, but since I ran across it again at Dr Vino's wine blog, why not share it again:
I seem to vaguely recall a news article about the label, in which the president of the clothing manufacturer said he was sure that the workers who designed the label must have been thinking about him.
I seem to vaguely recall a news article about the label, in which the president of the clothing manufacturer said he was sure that the workers who designed the label must have been thinking about him.
Oh yes, it is Friday...
So you know what that means, time for the Friday Random Ten. You know the drill, set your mp3 player to "random" and let the world know what ten songs come up. So here goes:
Obojeni Program -- Eliot
Cibo Matto -- Je t'aime moi non plus
KUD Idijoti -- Io sono dittatore
Desmond Dekker -- This woman
Pete Harris -- Is you mad at me
The Beautiful South -- Sailing solo
Popcycle -- San letnje noći
The Monochrome Set -- Life
Jorge Ben Jor -- Gostosa
Rufus and Chaka Khan -- Ain't nobody
I do see why this function is called "random."
Obojeni Program -- Eliot
Cibo Matto -- Je t'aime moi non plus
KUD Idijoti -- Io sono dittatore
Desmond Dekker -- This woman
Pete Harris -- Is you mad at me
The Beautiful South -- Sailing solo
Popcycle -- San letnje noći
The Monochrome Set -- Life
Jorge Ben Jor -- Gostosa
Rufus and Chaka Khan -- Ain't nobody
I do see why this function is called "random."
World day of Roma
Today is 8 April, World day of the Roma. A good day to check out the Roma resource guide that Mrs Ethnia has initiated on her lovely and generous employer's server. In Serbia, the government and the ministry for human and minority rights has declared the beginning of the Decade of the Roma, during which they promise to undertake initiatives to address problems of poverty, discrimination, educational access, and integration of Roma in social life.
Hunters tell me it is always part ballet
Never been a hunter myself, but I do like a nice freshly caught fish! All it needs is lemon and garlic. But about the hunt ... B92 has an enigmatic piece suggesting that the police "know where the Hague fugitive Nebojša Pavković is," so, ah, you go figure why he has not been brought elsewhere from that place.
Predrag Koraksić's cartoon in Danas, 8 April
The possibilities are either 1) that the information is not accurate, or 2) somebody is waiting for something. Not that we are likely to find out.
Predrag Koraksić's cartoon in Danas, 8 April
The possibilities are either 1) that the information is not accurate, or 2) somebody is waiting for something. Not that we are likely to find out.
2005-04-07
Who compromises themselves most
Not too surprisingly, the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) has moved for a vote of confidence in prime minister Koštunica's government. Their motivation is to block further arrests and extraditions of ICTY suspects. Mr Koštunica's silent partners, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), have been making similar suggestions. But the SPSovci know that no other party will protect their interests as well as the ruling one, which protects them inconsistently, so they are hedging their bets.
Now the Democratic Party (DS) has also decided to support the initiative for a vote of confidence. No doubt they are calculating that the present government has performed badly enough that they would have a better chance in new elections. But every time elections are called, the possibility of a better showing is weighed against the risk of creating another opening for the return of the extreme right. Is DS compromising itself by supporting an initiative from SRS? Certainly, although no vote of confidence can ever pass without the opposition. But there may be more to the strategy: the votes of SRS and DS together are not enough to force new elections. A confidence vote could force SPS to reveal just how badly it wants Mr Koštunica to remain in office.
Now the Democratic Party (DS) has also decided to support the initiative for a vote of confidence. No doubt they are calculating that the present government has performed badly enough that they would have a better chance in new elections. But every time elections are called, the possibility of a better showing is weighed against the risk of creating another opening for the return of the extreme right. Is DS compromising itself by supporting an initiative from SRS? Certainly, although no vote of confidence can ever pass without the opposition. But there may be more to the strategy: the votes of SRS and DS together are not enough to force new elections. A confidence vote could force SPS to reveal just how badly it wants Mr Koštunica to remain in office.
By the clock
This morning I am unable to decide whether I ought to be appreciative of Gauri Nanda, the graduate student at MIT who has given the world "Clocky." It is an alarm clock that resists the desire of its owner to remain in bed by running away. How it works:
"When the snooze alarm is pushed, Clocky rolls off the bedside table, tumbles to the floor and, thanks to shock-absorbing materials and rubber wheels, races away from the bed. It bumps into objects, repositions itself, and eventually comes to rest in a place far enough away from the bed that its owner will be forced to get up to find it when the alarm sounds a second time. A built-in microprocessor randomly programs the clock's speed, distance, and routes, so that it won't land in the same spot twice."
She has designed to be covered with artificial fur, she says, so that it ''is supposed to remind you of a troubled pet that you love anyway." But her thesis project is more ambitious: sensors in people's handbags to tell them what they forgot.
"When the snooze alarm is pushed, Clocky rolls off the bedside table, tumbles to the floor and, thanks to shock-absorbing materials and rubber wheels, races away from the bed. It bumps into objects, repositions itself, and eventually comes to rest in a place far enough away from the bed that its owner will be forced to get up to find it when the alarm sounds a second time. A built-in microprocessor randomly programs the clock's speed, distance, and routes, so that it won't land in the same spot twice."
She has designed to be covered with artificial fur, she says, so that it ''is supposed to remind you of a troubled pet that you love anyway." But her thesis project is more ambitious: sensors in people's handbags to tell them what they forgot.
Legend to legend
I just posted below on Cane. I couldn't think of anything clever to do with Nezavisne novine's interview with Bata Životinja. And what do I run across but Krsto Radulović and his 1968 Fića.
Mr Radulović explains the mystique of the Fića in his story of meeting a person who wanted to buy his fine machine: "A lad from Belgrade asked 'whose car is this?," and I told him it's not a car but a Fića. 'Would you sell it,' but I told him it is not for sale. But I asked how much he would give for it. He said, 'I would give you five thousand marks.' People started nudging me, telling me 'for God's sake, you could buy a Golf for five thousand marks.' I said 'It's not about that. It's a higher principle'."
Also, they can be parked just about anywhere.
Mr Radulović explains the mystique of the Fića in his story of meeting a person who wanted to buy his fine machine: "A lad from Belgrade asked 'whose car is this?," and I told him it's not a car but a Fića. 'Would you sell it,' but I told him it is not for sale. But I asked how much he would give for it. He said, 'I would give you five thousand marks.' People started nudging me, telling me 'for God's sake, you could buy a Golf for five thousand marks.' I said 'It's not about that. It's a higher principle'."
Also, they can be parked just about anywhere.
Cane on music, architecture, law
Mark your calendars. On 28 June, Chuck Berry is playing in Zagreb (why is he continuing to tour at this old age? ask the person who negotiated his recording contracts all those years ago), and the Partibrejkersi are opening. After which it is on to Maribor. All of which is a fine pretext for Zoran Kostić Cane to give an interview to Blic, in which he engages in a bit of Belgrade architectural criticism:
"Only the bare walls are left. Because, people make the city. Still, Belgrade has recovered from many occupiers, and it will see these ones out too. And a new time will bring some new people. The spirit of the city is indestructible. It will come to the surface again. But, that new commercial building on the Terazije plateau is a filthy and fetid attack on the city and its centuries of history. The view will be cut off, and the center filled with the stench of sick ambitions!"
Cane and Anton, photo courtesy of Z'brda z'dola
He also backs off from an earlier threat to sue finance minister Mladjan Dinkić for unauthorised use of his line "one call changes everything" from the nadasve anthological song "1000 godina." Probably a sensible decision.
"Only the bare walls are left. Because, people make the city. Still, Belgrade has recovered from many occupiers, and it will see these ones out too. And a new time will bring some new people. The spirit of the city is indestructible. It will come to the surface again. But, that new commercial building on the Terazije plateau is a filthy and fetid attack on the city and its centuries of history. The view will be cut off, and the center filled with the stench of sick ambitions!"
Cane and Anton, photo courtesy of Z'brda z'dola
He also backs off from an earlier threat to sue finance minister Mladjan Dinkić for unauthorised use of his line "one call changes everything" from the nadasve anthological song "1000 godina." Probably a sensible decision.
2005-04-06
That other criminal period
The state prosecutor has initiated a procedure to prosecute Milivoj Aschner, the chief of police in Požega in 1941 and 1942, for violations committed as an official of the Ustaša regime, reports Vuk Đuričić in Slobodna Dalmacija. The prosecutor's report charges Mr Aschner with carrying out racial laws, with arrests and taking of property on the basis of religious and ethnic identity, and with direct participation in abuses. Among the incidents to which he is connected are the mass imprisonment, on 26 August 1941, of 600 Serbs from Derventa in the Požega camp where 358 of them were killed the same day. He is also charged with the dispossession and deportation of 28 Jewish families from Požega on 16 October 1941, who were sent to the Jasenovac and Đakovo camps at the end of year, after which no further traces of them are known. He is also charged with the arrest of 19 alleged Communists between 19 and 22 February 1941, who were psychologically abused and tortured before 18 of them were released a month later by a court for lack of evidence.
If the court accepts the prosecutor's report, they will be asked to request that Mr Aschner be extradited from Austria, where he lived from 1945 to 1991, when he moved to Daruvar, before returning (Slobodnjak's atricle says he "escaped," but does not specify from what) to Austria last year.
If the court accepts the prosecutor's report, they will be asked to request that Mr Aschner be extradited from Austria, where he lived from 1945 to 1991, when he moved to Daruvar, before returning (Slobodnjak's atricle says he "escaped," but does not specify from what) to Austria last year.
2005-04-05
Tomorrow's scandal today!
Tomorrow's Danas has a report by Bojan Tončić that the wave of voluntary surrenders of ICTY suspects in Serbia (some of which, like yesterday's hurried transfer of Sreten Lukić, appear to be not quite so voluntary) is being orchestrated by the ICTY indictee Franko Simatović, the former JSO ("Red berets") commander who has been released pending trial. An anonymous source "close to police structures" tells Danas that some people have surrendered in exchange for major financial consideration, while others have been subject to "Frenki's 'bag over the head' method." Expect denials all around.
Rokenrol will never die, but its eyes are pretty red
On 2 April the Partibrejkersi played a show at the club Pazi škola. The Maniac shop has the photo gallery.
Soliciting advice from my esteemed readers
The occasional bouts of erratic behavior from Blogger have me thinking about whether I ought to move East Ethnia to a different host. At one point I set up a page at Blogsome (you can peek if you like, but you won't find much there), but there are a couple of drawbacks, including no easy way to transfer the archived posts and comments and, it seems, no Unicode, which would mean none of the fetching letter Ž.
So my question to you is first of all whether you think this is worth doing, and if so what host you would suggest. My criteria are:
✩It has to be free. I don't make any money off of this, so I won't spend any either.
✩There has to be a way of transporting the existing archive that even a Luddite like me can handle.
✩The more technophobe-friendly the interface, the more interface-friendly the user.
Advice, horror stories, opinions?
So my question to you is first of all whether you think this is worth doing, and if so what host you would suggest. My criteria are:
✩It has to be free. I don't make any money off of this, so I won't spend any either.
✩There has to be a way of transporting the existing archive that even a Luddite like me can handle.
✩The more technophobe-friendly the interface, the more interface-friendly the user.
Advice, horror stories, opinions?
A royal wedding in East Ethnia
Forget Charlie Hanover and whoever it is, or Jennifer Lopez and whoever it is this time. East Ethnians have their own celebrity wedding to fete. The Godfather who makes you an offer you cannot understand, Slavoj Žižek, travelled to the global capital of psychoanalysis, Buenos Aires, to find his bride. He met Analía Hounie at a lecture he gave at the Argentine National Library in 2003, and they were married on 6 March of this year. The photos and two tabloid articles can be found at The Wrong Side of Capitalism.
What makes me happiest about being able to report on Mr Žižek and the new Mrs Žižek is that now that I have my computer back I can once more use the letter Ž. Thanks to cultural anthropology king Marko Živković for the link and the tip.
What makes me happiest about being able to report on Mr Žižek and the new Mrs Žižek is that now that I have my computer back I can once more use the letter Ž. Thanks to cultural anthropology king Marko Živković for the link and the tip.
2005-04-04
Technical salvation
It took six months of back and forth, but my friends at Apple, after spending more on express mail than they would have spent just doing the repair, have finally come through with a new hard disc! East Ethnia is coming back with a level of efficiency unimpaired by repeated force quits.
However, I am going to have to rebuild my bookmark collection and address book. If you are one of those rare people who enjoys getting mail from me, pop me a message (eastethnia at gmail dot com) and I'll capture a tiny portion of your spirit.
However, I am going to have to rebuild my bookmark collection and address book. If you are one of those rare people who enjoys getting mail from me, pop me a message (eastethnia at gmail dot com) and I'll capture a tiny portion of your spirit.
2005-04-03
A quick summary of Atentat
Just finished Milos Vasic's book on the Djindjic assassination last night. It is a solid piece of research, very much in his outspoken style which will be familiar to people who have read his articles in Vreme. Some people will find this style engaging, some will find it distracting, but in neither case should this detract from his contribution, which is to set out the characters and methods involved in the alliance between security services and organised crime, and to draw out the connections between what seem to be disparate instances of corruption and violence.
Most of what is presented is material that will be familiar to people who have followed events in the region, but Vasic brings it all together in one place and does a persuasive job of showing how different facts are connected. He also has good answers to those parts of the media campaign conducted over the past two years which have sought either to empty the known facts about the murder of any content or to argue that Djindjic in some way deserved to be murdered.
The book gives at least preliminary answers to what are probably the biggest mysteries of the murder. Those would be: 1) what motivated the government to maintain so much of Milosevic's semilegal security structure in place for so long?, 2) why were responses to what were, in retrospect, the first obvious signs of a conspiracy so weak?, 3) which are the political forces that continue to prevent major criminal cases from being resolved? To walk through the answers in a short blog post would be both giving too little information and giving too much away, so I will hold back. But I can certainly recommend the book as solid, comprehensive and provocative.
I have no information about whether an English translation is being considered or prepared, unfortunately. But it would be a worthwhile publication.
Most of what is presented is material that will be familiar to people who have followed events in the region, but Vasic brings it all together in one place and does a persuasive job of showing how different facts are connected. He also has good answers to those parts of the media campaign conducted over the past two years which have sought either to empty the known facts about the murder of any content or to argue that Djindjic in some way deserved to be murdered.
The book gives at least preliminary answers to what are probably the biggest mysteries of the murder. Those would be: 1) what motivated the government to maintain so much of Milosevic's semilegal security structure in place for so long?, 2) why were responses to what were, in retrospect, the first obvious signs of a conspiracy so weak?, 3) which are the political forces that continue to prevent major criminal cases from being resolved? To walk through the answers in a short blog post would be both giving too little information and giving too much away, so I will hold back. But I can certainly recommend the book as solid, comprehensive and provocative.
I have no information about whether an English translation is being considered or prepared, unfortunately. But it would be a worthwhile publication.
To find and not to find
The police may not have found Nebojsa Pavkovic in the places they were looking. But they seem to have found poor Mr Cosic.
Thanks to MM.
Thanks to MM.
Completely delicate things, wash them cold
No way around it, soon enough Nebojsa Pavkovic will be arrested and extradited to the Hague. Interior minister Dragan Jocic held a most uninformative press conference at which he confirmed there was an arrest warrant, but said little else except to claim that the situation was "completely delicate." Mr Pavkovic has only succeeded in hiding as long as nobody was looking for him, and has otherwise failed to launch a referendum over his fate or otherwise to animate people in his support, since only he seems to share in the image of great importance he tries so hard to project. Expect him and Sreten Lukic, whose competely delicate medical condition also does not inspire widespread concern, to settle into their new homes in Scheveningen in the next several days.
Update: It would seem that a support rally for Pavkovic attracted "dozens" of people to listen to the newest prose stylings of necrophile Kosta Cavoski. That some of the war criminals might get some public sympathy in Serbia is not inconceivable (recall how Vladimir Lazarevic was feted) but Mr Pavkovic, aside from being a violator of international humanitarian law, is also an incompetent, a philanderer, a thief, a publicity hound, a spletkaros and a twit. Not designed for public sympathy.
Update2: Off goes Lukic.
Update: It would seem that a support rally for Pavkovic attracted "dozens" of people to listen to the newest prose stylings of necrophile Kosta Cavoski. That some of the war criminals might get some public sympathy in Serbia is not inconceivable (recall how Vladimir Lazarevic was feted) but Mr Pavkovic, aside from being a violator of international humanitarian law, is also an incompetent, a philanderer, a thief, a publicity hound, a spletkaros and a twit. Not designed for public sympathy.
Update2: Off goes Lukic.
2005-04-01
Whacked by the book meme stick
It looks like I have been infected by one of those chain-post blog thingies, courtesy of the Hon. J. Skelly Wright. What the heck, I'll play, looks like fun:
You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
I read that book a long time ago (for the convenience of this blog's European readers, that would be Celsius 232,7), but if I recall this means that I get burned, right? So is this supposed to be a book that I dislike? Or am I supposed to stretch my imagination and consider that I would want to be burned?
Maybe it is better to consider the question as asking what book I respect enough to take the effort of saving it from burning. In that case it would have to be Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed, because it does the most to explain what makes contemporary cultures hostile to culture in general, and how that relates to pleasure. I think.
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Way back in my undergraduate days everyone in the seminar had a crush on Molly Bloom! But that may be unavoidable. Also the professor was of the "erotics of the text" school, heavy going for a bunch of recent postadolescents trying to look smart. But even with the benefit of hindsight, Molly Bloom remains Molly Bloom.
The last book you bought is?
I'm a little ashamed here, but my excuse is that I was looking for something current and popular to use in "Sociology of Culture," for which I often mine the cheesy NY Times bestsellers lists, figuring that it is better to pander than to be frustrated. It was Jihad vs McWorld by Benjamin Barber. The guy's heart is probably in the right place, but I didn't like it. First of all, these "explain the whole world" books always run into the problem of having so wide a scope that they do not get the facts right. Second, even though Barber goes around trying to minimise the effect, I remain offended by the way he uses the term jihad, which is close to the popular journalism usage and has nothing to do with the way that most Muslims understand the meaning of the word.
What are you currently reading?
Atentat na Zorana by Milos Vasic. This is the book that everyone was talking about during our visit to Belgrade last week, and we brought back multiple copies because it is what everyone gave us as gifts for their relatives. It is an effort to recount the murder of Zoran Djindjic, its causes and the responses to it, by tracing the ways in which an alliance between security services and organised crime came to occupy the state then tried to make this occupation permanent. Good stuff. I'm also carrying with me a copy of Snow by Orhan Pamuk, which a student was kind enough to give me as a gift, but much to my regret I haven't got to it yet.
Five books you would take to a deserted island:
I haven't got any novels here, even though I like them, but then I rarely read them twice.
1. How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. What can I say, it is the family bible. Mark Bittman's general idea is to develop recipes that look impressive but do not involve inordinate amounts of work, and this is an idea that translates well to all spheres of life.
2. A Grammar of Motives and A Rhetoric of Motives by Kenneth Burke, because they have been sitting in my "must read soon" pile for well over a decade.
3. A good Indian cookbook, because there comes many a day when I wish I had a good Indian cookbook. But I never buy them because here where I live there are lots of good Indian restaurants.
4. Economy and Society by Max Weber, because you never know when you will need to find a good Weber quote. He has also rarely been surpassed in terms of theory, especially if you consider theory a set of propositions that leads to the development of new ideas, whether these propositions turn out to be true or not.
5. A phone book. Definitely a phone book.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Quod, because I really want to see what she will say.
The Prairie sociologists, because the heartland must be heard.
Bora Coturnix, because he always seems to find fascinating things I have never heard of.
You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
I read that book a long time ago (for the convenience of this blog's European readers, that would be Celsius 232,7), but if I recall this means that I get burned, right? So is this supposed to be a book that I dislike? Or am I supposed to stretch my imagination and consider that I would want to be burned?
Maybe it is better to consider the question as asking what book I respect enough to take the effort of saving it from burning. In that case it would have to be Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed, because it does the most to explain what makes contemporary cultures hostile to culture in general, and how that relates to pleasure. I think.
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Way back in my undergraduate days everyone in the seminar had a crush on Molly Bloom! But that may be unavoidable. Also the professor was of the "erotics of the text" school, heavy going for a bunch of recent postadolescents trying to look smart. But even with the benefit of hindsight, Molly Bloom remains Molly Bloom.
The last book you bought is?
I'm a little ashamed here, but my excuse is that I was looking for something current and popular to use in "Sociology of Culture," for which I often mine the cheesy NY Times bestsellers lists, figuring that it is better to pander than to be frustrated. It was Jihad vs McWorld by Benjamin Barber. The guy's heart is probably in the right place, but I didn't like it. First of all, these "explain the whole world" books always run into the problem of having so wide a scope that they do not get the facts right. Second, even though Barber goes around trying to minimise the effect, I remain offended by the way he uses the term jihad, which is close to the popular journalism usage and has nothing to do with the way that most Muslims understand the meaning of the word.
What are you currently reading?
Atentat na Zorana by Milos Vasic. This is the book that everyone was talking about during our visit to Belgrade last week, and we brought back multiple copies because it is what everyone gave us as gifts for their relatives. It is an effort to recount the murder of Zoran Djindjic, its causes and the responses to it, by tracing the ways in which an alliance between security services and organised crime came to occupy the state then tried to make this occupation permanent. Good stuff. I'm also carrying with me a copy of Snow by Orhan Pamuk, which a student was kind enough to give me as a gift, but much to my regret I haven't got to it yet.
Five books you would take to a deserted island:
I haven't got any novels here, even though I like them, but then I rarely read them twice.
1. How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. What can I say, it is the family bible. Mark Bittman's general idea is to develop recipes that look impressive but do not involve inordinate amounts of work, and this is an idea that translates well to all spheres of life.
2. A Grammar of Motives and A Rhetoric of Motives by Kenneth Burke, because they have been sitting in my "must read soon" pile for well over a decade.
3. A good Indian cookbook, because there comes many a day when I wish I had a good Indian cookbook. But I never buy them because here where I live there are lots of good Indian restaurants.
4. Economy and Society by Max Weber, because you never know when you will need to find a good Weber quote. He has also rarely been surpassed in terms of theory, especially if you consider theory a set of propositions that leads to the development of new ideas, whether these propositions turn out to be true or not.
5. A phone book. Definitely a phone book.
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Quod, because I really want to see what she will say.
The Prairie sociologists, because the heartland must be heard.
Bora Coturnix, because he always seems to find fascinating things I have never heard of.
On this day in 1957
The BBC ran its legendary April Fools documentary on the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland.
The BBC's On This Day section recalls: "The hoax Panorama programme, narrated by distinguished broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, featured a family from Ticino in Switzerland carrying out their annual spaghetti harvest. It showed women carefully plucking strands of spaghetti from a tree and laying them in the sun to dry." Responses ranged from criticism for using serious programming time for an April Fool joke to inquiries as to where a person could buy a spaghetti bush. Follow the link above, and you can watch the original segment.
The BBC's On This Day section recalls: "The hoax Panorama programme, narrated by distinguished broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, featured a family from Ticino in Switzerland carrying out their annual spaghetti harvest. It showed women carefully plucking strands of spaghetti from a tree and laying them in the sun to dry." Responses ranged from criticism for using serious programming time for an April Fool joke to inquiries as to where a person could buy a spaghetti bush. Follow the link above, and you can watch the original segment.
Obligatory periodic Ceca post
Poor Svetlana Raznatovic wanted to give concerts to her adoring fans in Australia and Canada, but has been left hanging like an apple on a branch. The flower of the Canadian consular service is nagging her for "an interview with the singer for security purposes, likely because she was married to Zeljko Raznatovic," reports the Toronto Sun, whilst the Australian government says that in denying her a visa "her application was treated like any other," according to the Melbourne Herald. Her Canadian immigration lawyer is dismayed, saying that Ceca is "the biggest thing since Britney Spears." But he must not have seen her recently, she is much bigger.
Thanks to loyal reader AR for the tip.
Thanks to loyal reader AR for the tip.
2005-03-31
Pro-lifers vs the lifeless, media circus ends
After twelve years of interference by a coalition of publicity-hungry relatives, political poseurs and religious fanatics, Terri Schiavo was finally permitted to die, ending fifteen years of involuntary life support. The long-term combined efforts of charlatans from every margin to force institutions of political power to substitute their own judgment for the interest of the person involved should cause everybody to shudder, and then produce a written document rejecting in advance the intrusions of people who make a career of defending "life" against the living.
Update: Nicholas W. over at the thumping Heart of Europe has found a sample of such a document.
Update: Nicholas W. over at the thumping Heart of Europe has found a sample of such a document.
Also, the bicyclists
It would seem that Vojislav Šešelj is preparing his defence at the Hague. He seems to be organising it along the theory that, according to the request for discovery he has filed with the trial chamber, «all of the war crimes which the prosecutor falsely attributes to Šešelj, are in fact primarily the work of the Roman Catholic pope John Paul II.» Clearly, a case of mistaken identity.
2005-03-30
An import we like
One of the areas where the US continues to fall behind Europe is in the pleasantness of its cities, since for the past fifty or sixty years policy has been to make spaces more accessible to automobiles and less accessible to people. The consequences of this have been congestion, pollution, population flight and sprawl. Now Boston city councillor Paul Scapicchio is proposing that our fair city emulate the example of London, which has tried to control traffic in the city center by imposing entry tolls. The larger businesses will probably oppose the plan, but there seems to be some positive reaction both from Mayor Thomas Menino and Massachusetts transportation prophet Fred Salvucci.
Charging fees by itself, of course, is an incomplete policy. The plan would need to be part of a larger effort to develop a center city pedestrian zone and to invest heavily in the city's certifiably wretched public transport system. Malo da se i mi Ameri civilizujemo.
Charging fees by itself, of course, is an incomplete policy. The plan would need to be part of a larger effort to develop a center city pedestrian zone and to invest heavily in the city's certifiably wretched public transport system. Malo da se i mi Ameri civilizujemo.
An end to hassles over castles
A group of 71 big German landowners whose property was seized by the Soviet occupation government between 1945 and 1949 do not have the right to claim compensation from the German government, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The court found that it did not have jurisdiction to hold the present German government accountable for actions by the Soviet Union or the former German Democratic Republic. As reported by Deutsche Welle, the decision does not apply to land taken after 1949, and there is some controversy over whether the German government accepted a demand by the Soviet Union in 1990 that the postwar land reform not be reversed.
The access of various vons to their castles is mostly a matter of local color and minor interest, of course, but it is possible that the ruling could be meaningful for other cases in which current governments are faced with demands for compensation for acts which previous governments carried out. A few such cases come to mind, but all of them involve states less powerful than Germany.
The access of various vons to their castles is mostly a matter of local color and minor interest, of course, but it is possible that the ruling could be meaningful for other cases in which current governments are faced with demands for compensation for acts which previous governments carried out. A few such cases come to mind, but all of them involve states less powerful than Germany.
An explosive coincidence
As it turns out, we were in Belgrade on 24 March, the anniversary of the day that the NATO bombing campaign began in 1999. The evening was punctuated, but not filled, with a lot of reminiscences about who went where, who was surprised by what, who called whom, and so on. Really it was more surreal than tense. On 6 April, there will be another incedniary multianniversary: the day the invasion of Yugoslavia began in 1941, Belgrade was bombed in 1944, and the seige of Sarajevo began in 1992.
So others might also be interested in reading the account by Coyu at Halfway Down the Danube which includes a reminiscence by the American poet Charles Simic of meeting another poet who bombed him from a plane when he was a boy in Belgrade in 1944, and a letter from that poet in response. If nothing else, the exchange suggests that whatever intentional effects bombs have in blowing things apart, there are some unexpected ways in which they bring people together. Which is probably not a reason to recommend them.
So others might also be interested in reading the account by Coyu at Halfway Down the Danube which includes a reminiscence by the American poet Charles Simic of meeting another poet who bombed him from a plane when he was a boy in Belgrade in 1944, and a letter from that poet in response. If nothing else, the exchange suggests that whatever intentional effects bombs have in blowing things apart, there are some unexpected ways in which they bring people together. Which is probably not a reason to recommend them.
2005-03-29
On balance, normality and children
Serbian president Boris Tadic's sentiments are most likely in the right place, though he is certainly not the political force against which possibilities are measured. Yesterday at a roundtable on "Thought crime, ten years later" (dedicated to commemorating the prosecution of Belgrade intellectuals for an illegal meeting, a case in which the prosecutor was current justice minister Zoran Stojkovic), he directed a part of his remarks to questions of war crimes. As reported by Danas, Mr Tadic said:
"When I see in Kosovo the grave of a four year old child who was killed because of his Serbian nationality, by Albanians who think that is normal, I regard that as pathology. And I ask whether somebody has killed children of another nationality in the name of our nation. Maybe that somebody has been celebrated as a hero our celebrated in the institutions of this society. In this state there exists a negative attitude toward raising the question of war crimes"
[....]
"So now I am raising that question: what if somebody committed war crimes, killed others --on a fairly massive level-- and is now free? That person comes into contact with our children, he is a part of our everyday experience, he lives a completely normal life, and the consequences of his life are the deaths of other people. And that is done in the name of our nation. How will we build a normal environment in which future generations will be formed as people with normal values, if the state protects or fails to punish people who have committed crimes of this type, people who carry with them a pathology that threatens the security of every child."
Credit to Mr Tadic for raising the issue, especially in a context other than economics. What seems interesting about the way he raises it, though, is his combination of rhetorical elements. First, there is the invocation of balance, in which any mention of crimes by one side has to be prefaced by a mention of crimes by another side. This may be a form of political self-protection, or an effort to invoke the popular psychology of victimhood as the only way possible of directing attention to something other than victimhood. Second, there is the invocation of normality, a construction that I believe originates with the popular chansoneur Djordje Balasevic. In the context, it seems to be a way of dividing the moral universe into malicious peddlers of violence on the one side, and normal people on the other. Clearly normal people would never think of supporting the sort of things that have been done in their name. But as appealing as this rhetoric is for Mr Balasevic as a way of communing with his adoring pan-Balkan audiences, it comes off a bit as autoamnesty coming from a politician. Third, of course, is the theme of children. Presumably we all love our children more than we like criminals, so we know whose interest comes first. This is the construction that leaves the greatest number of questions open for me, and it seems to be fairly new as a part of at least this particular controversy. Mr Tadic seems to be using it a bit broadly, but it is possible to imagine some potential here. Where it might fit is as a part of a general critique of what some people have called (vid. Ivan Colovic) the necrophilia of dominant political culture in nationalism. Cast right, it calls to mind the lamented Stojan Cerovic's question: "Maybe our problem is more a shortage of life than an excess of death?"
"When I see in Kosovo the grave of a four year old child who was killed because of his Serbian nationality, by Albanians who think that is normal, I regard that as pathology. And I ask whether somebody has killed children of another nationality in the name of our nation. Maybe that somebody has been celebrated as a hero our celebrated in the institutions of this society. In this state there exists a negative attitude toward raising the question of war crimes"
[....]
"So now I am raising that question: what if somebody committed war crimes, killed others --on a fairly massive level-- and is now free? That person comes into contact with our children, he is a part of our everyday experience, he lives a completely normal life, and the consequences of his life are the deaths of other people. And that is done in the name of our nation. How will we build a normal environment in which future generations will be formed as people with normal values, if the state protects or fails to punish people who have committed crimes of this type, people who carry with them a pathology that threatens the security of every child."
Credit to Mr Tadic for raising the issue, especially in a context other than economics. What seems interesting about the way he raises it, though, is his combination of rhetorical elements. First, there is the invocation of balance, in which any mention of crimes by one side has to be prefaced by a mention of crimes by another side. This may be a form of political self-protection, or an effort to invoke the popular psychology of victimhood as the only way possible of directing attention to something other than victimhood. Second, there is the invocation of normality, a construction that I believe originates with the popular chansoneur Djordje Balasevic. In the context, it seems to be a way of dividing the moral universe into malicious peddlers of violence on the one side, and normal people on the other. Clearly normal people would never think of supporting the sort of things that have been done in their name. But as appealing as this rhetoric is for Mr Balasevic as a way of communing with his adoring pan-Balkan audiences, it comes off a bit as autoamnesty coming from a politician. Third, of course, is the theme of children. Presumably we all love our children more than we like criminals, so we know whose interest comes first. This is the construction that leaves the greatest number of questions open for me, and it seems to be fairly new as a part of at least this particular controversy. Mr Tadic seems to be using it a bit broadly, but it is possible to imagine some potential here. Where it might fit is as a part of a general critique of what some people have called (vid. Ivan Colovic) the necrophilia of dominant political culture in nationalism. Cast right, it calls to mind the lamented Stojan Cerovic's question: "Maybe our problem is more a shortage of life than an excess of death?"
Note: The pljeskavica on every streetcorner is better
And probably healthier. Which may be why the McDonald's corporation is reduced to offering popular hiphop artists 5 USD for each instance in which a song of theirs mentioning their Big Mac product is played.
It is an offer that can be refused, of course, but it is also hard not to wonder whether Mickey D will shell out the five bucks regardless of the context in which their product is invoked.
The initiative is probably an effort to increase sales by attracting the attention of people in those age groups who prefer that type of music (I know, great insight, do I get that degree in marketing now?). Kafedzije of smaller size still have resort to the older and possibly less reliable method of making good food.
It is an offer that can be refused, of course, but it is also hard not to wonder whether Mickey D will shell out the five bucks regardless of the context in which their product is invoked.
The initiative is probably an effort to increase sales by attracting the attention of people in those age groups who prefer that type of music (I know, great insight, do I get that degree in marketing now?). Kafedzije of smaller size still have resort to the older and possibly less reliable method of making good food.
Special war crimes issue of Spaces of identity
The April issue of Spaces of Identity is dedicated to war crimes. It includes, among other pieces, an article on denial among the Ukrainian diaspora by John-Paul Himka, a reflection on the seige of Dubrovnik by Srdja Pavlovic, a discussion of war crimes in Chechnya by W. Andy Knight and Tanya Narozhna, and a philosophical discussion of war by Lise Hogan and William Anselmi.
All of the articles can be downloaded in PDF format.
All of the articles can be downloaded in PDF format.
While I was away
My friend Milena M. writes to let us know that she has found Ante Gotovina. Thanks, Milena!
The futility of travel
I thought I was reasonably well travelled until I tried this simple game, software which makes a map showing where in the world you have been. Looks like it only adds up to about 9%. Better get moving.
create your own visited country map
create your own visited country map
Things we discovered while travelling
1. The trains in Italy. They do run on time, are inexpensive and comfortable, and there is this neat game in which you are supposed to punch the ticket before you get on. If you forget, the conductor first looks at you in utter disbelief, then after listening to your attempts to explain in a funny accent, looks at you in greater disbelief, says "Lei non e italiano?," then it dawns on him that there is no way you could understand anything and he scribbles something incomprehensible on the back of it, smiles indulgently and lets you go on. However, when we arrived in Trieste the train workers went on strike, so the next morning our friend drove us to Ljubljana and we continued by bus.
2. The students in Forli. Hello Hanne, Margherita and Guiseppe! I'm back and have got some sleep now, so I will be back to you with the documentation and advice on your papers today. Thanks for providing the pretext for the whole trip.
3. Restoran Zaplet in Belgrade. We already knew that this place was quite elegant and very good, plus it is just around the corner from our apartment. But a milestone was reached when I ordered a rare steak and, for the first time in over a decade of gluvarenje around the Balkans, actually got one. The pleasure of seeing our friends competed the rest of the evening with incredulous culinary joy. Let the cows get as mad as they want to be.
4. The departure of a hero. Since 1990 the best thing about Thursdays has always been Stojan Cerovic's column in Vreme, which would take you through the characters, contexts and events of the week with a shining intelligence, an astounding economy of words, and a turn of phrase that focused sharply, more like a razor than like the kind of dull serrated blade (or rusty spoon) that is so typical of political commentary in most places. Every week he accomplished the amazing feat of reminding hopeless people that a moral compass existed while being clever, provocative and gentle at the same time. I was happy to see that the memorial at the Medija Centar attracted an overflow crowd, made up mostly of people I like and respect, to pay their respects to this courageous and decent journalist.
5. Give them shelter. Congratulations to the Pepper People and to the TV Manijaci, who have got themselves lovely new apartments!
More to come as East Ethnia slowly but surely regains consciousness.
2. The students in Forli. Hello Hanne, Margherita and Guiseppe! I'm back and have got some sleep now, so I will be back to you with the documentation and advice on your papers today. Thanks for providing the pretext for the whole trip.
3. Restoran Zaplet in Belgrade. We already knew that this place was quite elegant and very good, plus it is just around the corner from our apartment. But a milestone was reached when I ordered a rare steak and, for the first time in over a decade of gluvarenje around the Balkans, actually got one. The pleasure of seeing our friends competed the rest of the evening with incredulous culinary joy. Let the cows get as mad as they want to be.
4. The departure of a hero. Since 1990 the best thing about Thursdays has always been Stojan Cerovic's column in Vreme, which would take you through the characters, contexts and events of the week with a shining intelligence, an astounding economy of words, and a turn of phrase that focused sharply, more like a razor than like the kind of dull serrated blade (or rusty spoon) that is so typical of political commentary in most places. Every week he accomplished the amazing feat of reminding hopeless people that a moral compass existed while being clever, provocative and gentle at the same time. I was happy to see that the memorial at the Medija Centar attracted an overflow crowd, made up mostly of people I like and respect, to pay their respects to this courageous and decent journalist.
5. Give them shelter. Congratulations to the Pepper People and to the TV Manijaci, who have got themselves lovely new apartments!
More to come as East Ethnia slowly but surely regains consciousness.
2005-03-28
Today back on your computer screens, tomorrow in your heads
Well, then! We are just back from spreading Ethnian joy in Milano, Forlì, Verona, Venezia, Trieste, Ljubljana and Belgrado, an intensive two weeks but probably much better than staying at home would have been. Today I expect to take a few hours unpacking, rescuing poor Lajoš from his domestic doggie exile, getting some items to fill the kitchen, and coming back to consciousness. Boston is as gray and rainy as expected, but our apartment was gloriously cleaned in our absence! Quelle raskoš! Normal posting, then, to resume eveningward unless we all collapse in exhaustion.
2005-03-07
Ethnia takes a holiday
Dear readers, I am headed off next week for a trip of two weeks and have a couple of jobs to finish before I go. So posting is going to be in the intermittent to nonexistent range from now to the end of March. I will still check my mail when I am able, but you know how it is on the road, it can't always be done every day. Look for the site to resume full activity after 28 March, and be well.
2005-03-06
The second Carnival of the Balkans!
Raise a glass of (homemade, by your uncle) loza, rakica or palinka to Coturnix, who has compiled and edited the Second Carnival of the Balkans! There is so much good writing, clear-eyed observation and ever so slightly dark humor in the Balkan blogosphere that we really expect the EU blogs to be lining up to join.
2005-03-05
Design question
Gosh, this is bizarre. All the positive comments on the new design have come from people who use Safari as their browser, but a reader just wrote to me to say that on Internet Explorer, the design is completely different and utterly illegible. Have other people experienced this? The way it ought to look is with a white background, the header white letters on a red background, the text in black letters and the links in blue letters.
Any suggestions on how I might fix this compatibility problem (other than suggesting that most browsers are probably preferable to IE)?
Any suggestions on how I might fix this compatibility problem (other than suggesting that most browsers are probably preferable to IE)?
Fun with surveys
Before everyone gets all excited about the survey that shows 30% of Russians wouldn't mind having Stalin back as head of state, think about the survey situation. Somebody asks you a question combining an outrage with an implausibility. Maybe you are confused, maybe angry, maybe annoyed. What do you do? Lie to the questioner, of course. Anything to get rid of this person who duped you into taking what you thought was going to be a survey about topics that matter. If lots of people do this, the survey produces a baffling result that is certain to be reported everywhere. Even here.
Support your local sevdah publisher
Just so you know, Snail Records is your source for the recordings of Ljiljana Petrović Buttler, the Mostar Sevdah Reunion, and Amira (pictured)
Their web site has articles, photos and reviews, but sadly no musical samples.
Their web site has articles, photos and reviews, but sadly no musical samples.
Nostalgia time
This time around Nova TV will probably be ruffling fewer eagle feathers. They never got to broadcast Petar Vlahov's interview with Ceca, but tomorrow they will go further back into the past.
Fahreta Jahić-Živojinović, formerly the national treasure Lepa Brena, will be appearing on the talk show hosted by Balkan girl Alka Vuica. Glas javnosti expects a perfectly pleasant time to be had by all.
Fahreta Jahić-Živojinović, formerly the national treasure Lepa Brena, will be appearing on the talk show hosted by Balkan girl Alka Vuica. Glas javnosti expects a perfectly pleasant time to be had by all.
2005-03-03
Communicate with baked goods
In Sarajevo, a group of students tried to «congratulate» minister Zdravko Petrović for the great real estate deal he had made in selling the land slated for a new university campus at an extremely low price for a new US Embassy by bringing him a chocolate cake. He told them he doesn't eat sweets and that they should be studying.
No mountaineering or shepherding songs, then
In Blic, football legend Dragan Stojković Piksi, now president of the Football Council of Serbia and Montenegro, politely requests that the state adopt a hymn that audiences will not greet with hoots and whistles. Apparently nobody is willing to show respect for «Hej Sloveni,» and last year's attempt to breed a hybrid compromise by hiring a composer to combine «Tamo daleko» and «Oj svijetla majska zoro» didn't start a new dance craze either. When Savo Milošević (no relation to that other guy, nor to Sladjana) agrees with Piksi, it has to be true.
Nobody seems to like my suggestion that Disciplina kičme's «Novac neće doći» would be a good hymn. So what do you recommend?
Nobody seems to like my suggestion that Disciplina kičme's «Novac neće doći» would be a good hymn. So what do you recommend?
Also, pandas are really very cute
Has anybody else noticed how excellent the guest bloggers featured this week at the Pandagon are? Be sure that I mean no offense to Jesse Taylor, the regular editor. He always offers some of the best and most pleasurable analysis around. But Amanda Marcotte (from Mousewords), Lindsay Beyerstein (from Majikthise) and S.L. Zoll (from World O' Crap) are achieving transcendence.
News flash: Second World War ends
The grandsons of Četnik leader Draža Mihailović and Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito are set to meet over the same table where their grandfathers met in 1941, sit and shake hands, symbolically making peace between the two movements, reports Večernje novosti. In the words of Joška Broz:
«Let's leave aside what was and who left what to whom. We have reached the bottom, and now we have to make a state that will allow this people to live. Let's come to our senses, and if they are asking me to reconcile, I am happy to do everything that I can.»
Vojislav Mihailović has also confirmed that he will come. No word on whether šumadijski čaj will be served.
«Let's leave aside what was and who left what to whom. We have reached the bottom, and now we have to make a state that will allow this people to live. Let's come to our senses, and if they are asking me to reconcile, I am happy to do everything that I can.»
Vojislav Mihailović has also confirmed that he will come. No word on whether šumadijski čaj will be served.
2005-03-01
The fake left loves the far right
This passage is on a reasonably popular «alternative news» site:
«Although Milosevic was an elected president, the United States wanted him removed from power. The disintegration of Yugoslavia, spurred on by the claim for sovreignty [sic] by Croatia (backed by Germany) and the unrest in Kosovo eventually led to a NATO invasion and occupation of Serbia. President Milosevic however remained defiant and in power. OTPOR was the group selected to spark popular protests to have him resign or removed from office.»
The factual errors I count are: 1) Slobodan Milošević was not «an elected president,» but was appointed by the parliament in a rush session in 1997 which was scheduled in order to prevent the deputies who were certain to vote against him from showing up (he did, of course, «win» a series of fraudulent elections to a different position earlier on), 2) there is little evidence that the United States wanted Milošević removed from power, and considerable evidence that he was treated as a favored negotiating partner and the «key to peace» in the region (on this point see Richard Holbrooke's memoir), 3) Yugoslavia «disintegrated,» in the sense of having federal institutions which were neither functional nor recognised by the constituent members of the federation, well before any republic declared independence, 4) NATO did not invade or occupy Serbia, 5) Milošević was far more compliant than defiant, abandoning the project of territorial expansion in Croatia, accepting the Dayton and Kumanovo agreements, and being the first to extradite a suspect to the Tribunal in whose custody he now finds himself, 6) Milošević did not resign from office, nor was he removed, but was rather defeated in elections he had himself called in September 2000. Then of course there is the contextual question: nothing happened between Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991 and the Kosovo intervention in 1999? Actually, a few things come to mind.
But I am not persuaded that this kind of nonsense comes from not knowing the facts. Probably it comes more from relying on the readers not knowing the facts, the easier to make a broad ideological point.
«Although Milosevic was an elected president, the United States wanted him removed from power. The disintegration of Yugoslavia, spurred on by the claim for sovreignty [sic] by Croatia (backed by Germany) and the unrest in Kosovo eventually led to a NATO invasion and occupation of Serbia. President Milosevic however remained defiant and in power. OTPOR was the group selected to spark popular protests to have him resign or removed from office.»
The factual errors I count are: 1) Slobodan Milošević was not «an elected president,» but was appointed by the parliament in a rush session in 1997 which was scheduled in order to prevent the deputies who were certain to vote against him from showing up (he did, of course, «win» a series of fraudulent elections to a different position earlier on), 2) there is little evidence that the United States wanted Milošević removed from power, and considerable evidence that he was treated as a favored negotiating partner and the «key to peace» in the region (on this point see Richard Holbrooke's memoir), 3) Yugoslavia «disintegrated,» in the sense of having federal institutions which were neither functional nor recognised by the constituent members of the federation, well before any republic declared independence, 4) NATO did not invade or occupy Serbia, 5) Milošević was far more compliant than defiant, abandoning the project of territorial expansion in Croatia, accepting the Dayton and Kumanovo agreements, and being the first to extradite a suspect to the Tribunal in whose custody he now finds himself, 6) Milošević did not resign from office, nor was he removed, but was rather defeated in elections he had himself called in September 2000. Then of course there is the contextual question: nothing happened between Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991 and the Kosovo intervention in 1999? Actually, a few things come to mind.
But I am not persuaded that this kind of nonsense comes from not knowing the facts. Probably it comes more from relying on the readers not knowing the facts, the easier to make a broad ideological point.
2005-02-28
Mining for trouble
Nobody will have any difficulty finding people to argue that economic development takes priority over justice, or even that it is a precondition. The point is grist for one-liners of all too many literary icons. For Bertolt Brecht it was «grub first, then ethics.» For George Orwell it was «The belly comes before the soul.» For Mark Twain it was «Principles have no real force except when one is well fed.» And for Billie Holiday it was «You’ve got to have something to eat and a little love in your life before you can hold still for any damn body’s sermon on how to behave.»
Anyone can see the point, but the trouble is that the two fields cannot always be separated. Would it be good to revive the mining industry in Bosnia and Hercegovina with the help of international investment? Probably so, for a lot of reasons. But what if the mine site was also the site one of the most notorious camps during the war period? That is the case with the Ljubija complex near Prijedor, in which the giant Mittal Steel has bought a 51% share. The Omarska mine in the complex was the site of the Omarska camp, and the territory includes the unexhumed bodies of 1700 victims of wartime murders. The issue is reported in depth by Igor Lašić and Maja Lovrenović for Feral Tribune (no link, sorry, Feral is a subscription site).
Lakshmi Mittal of Mittal Steel has issued an equivocal statement, reports Feral, saying «We are willing to listen carefully to any requests that they may have» and «We are a significant investor in the area, having acquired both the iron ore and the steelmaking facilities, and are committed to ensuring a prosperous future for the region.» Less formal sources from Mittal suggest the company is likely to be cautious about doing anything that could be perceived as antagonising Serbs. Since Mittal's co-owner is the government of Republika Srpska, Mittal will probably have easy access to information about what might be perceived as antagonistic.
Anyone can see the point, but the trouble is that the two fields cannot always be separated. Would it be good to revive the mining industry in Bosnia and Hercegovina with the help of international investment? Probably so, for a lot of reasons. But what if the mine site was also the site one of the most notorious camps during the war period? That is the case with the Ljubija complex near Prijedor, in which the giant Mittal Steel has bought a 51% share. The Omarska mine in the complex was the site of the Omarska camp, and the territory includes the unexhumed bodies of 1700 victims of wartime murders. The issue is reported in depth by Igor Lašić and Maja Lovrenović for Feral Tribune (no link, sorry, Feral is a subscription site).
Lakshmi Mittal of Mittal Steel has issued an equivocal statement, reports Feral, saying «We are willing to listen carefully to any requests that they may have» and «We are a significant investor in the area, having acquired both the iron ore and the steelmaking facilities, and are committed to ensuring a prosperous future for the region.» Less formal sources from Mittal suggest the company is likely to be cautious about doing anything that could be perceived as antagonising Serbs. Since Mittal's co-owner is the government of Republika Srpska, Mittal will probably have easy access to information about what might be perceived as antagonistic.
Doth the conscience object too much?
Ah, yes. The commander of the ground troops of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro, major general Momir Stojanović, is concerned that people are using their right to conscientious objection. As he told attendees at some fun artillery tulum:
«If we continue this way with conscientious objection, as it relates to carrying arms, I believe that one day we will all have a collective conscientious objection to the question of freedom and the defence of the country.»
The good general seems to be aware of the degree of loyalty his institution inspires, and how this relates to conscience.
«If we continue this way with conscientious objection, as it relates to carrying arms, I believe that one day we will all have a collective conscientious objection to the question of freedom and the defence of the country.»
The good general seems to be aware of the degree of loyalty his institution inspires, and how this relates to conscience.
SEEMO media award, call for nominations
I got this call for nominations in the mail and figured that somebody among the readers of this blog may well have a name in mind.
Vienna, 23 February 2005
Application Details for the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe 2005
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is pleased to announce the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO 2005 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe.
Sponsored by Erhard Busek, special coordinator for the Stability Pact, the 2,000 Euro award will be given to a journalist, editor, media executive or person educating journalists in South Eastern Europe, thus using the media to promote a climate of better understanding among people in the region and to work towards ending minority problems, ethnic divisions, racism, xenophobia etc.
In 2002, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) and its international jury chose Croatian journalist Denis Latin as recipient of the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO 2002 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, in recognition of his outstanding efforts in journalism, which contributed toward better understanding in South Eastern Europe. In 2003, the award was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje.
If you know of anyone who would be a worthy recipient of the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, please send a letter to SEEMO with basic details about the person you would like to nominate (along with a professional CV, describing why she / he should receive the award), as well as the contacts of the person you are nominating (media organisation, address, phone, fax, email). If your nomination is supported by an organisation / media outlet, please send us the name of the contact person supporting your nomination, as well as basic information about the organisation / media outlet. If your nomination is supported by other individual / individuals, please send us the necessary details and contacts of the other supporters. We also need your basic details and your contacts (address, phone, fax, email, mobile phone).
Any additional material about the nominated person (such as TV reports on video or DVD, audio reports on cassette or CD, or articles in newspapers), if possible with a short English translation, are welcomed. Please send them with your nomination.
Please send all to:
SEEMO/IPI
"Busek Award"
Spiegelgasse 2/29
1010 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43 1 513 39 40
Fax: +43 1 512 90 15
E-mail: busekaward@seemo.org
Material will not be returned, so please always send copies of documents, CVs, reports, articles, videos, audiotapes, DVDs or CDs.
The application deadline for the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe is:
1 May 2005
**********
For any further information, please contact Kristina Benkotic, SEEMO Assistant.
SEEMO - IPI, Spiegelgasse 2/29, 1010 Vienna, Austria, Tel (SEEMO + HELP LINE): +43 1 513 39 40,
Tel (SEEMO): +43 1 512 90 11 11, Fax: +43 1 512 90 15,
E-mail: info@seemo.org, Web: http://www.seemo.org
****
SEEMO is a regional network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe.
If you want to nominate someone, contact them, not me. I'm just a messenger.
Vienna, 23 February 2005
Application Details for the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe 2005
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is pleased to announce the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO 2005 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe.
Sponsored by Erhard Busek, special coordinator for the Stability Pact, the 2,000 Euro award will be given to a journalist, editor, media executive or person educating journalists in South Eastern Europe, thus using the media to promote a climate of better understanding among people in the region and to work towards ending minority problems, ethnic divisions, racism, xenophobia etc.
In 2002, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) and its international jury chose Croatian journalist Denis Latin as recipient of the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO 2002 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, in recognition of his outstanding efforts in journalism, which contributed toward better understanding in South Eastern Europe. In 2003, the award was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje.
If you know of anyone who would be a worthy recipient of the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe, please send a letter to SEEMO with basic details about the person you would like to nominate (along with a professional CV, describing why she / he should receive the award), as well as the contacts of the person you are nominating (media organisation, address, phone, fax, email). If your nomination is supported by an organisation / media outlet, please send us the name of the contact person supporting your nomination, as well as basic information about the organisation / media outlet. If your nomination is supported by other individual / individuals, please send us the necessary details and contacts of the other supporters. We also need your basic details and your contacts (address, phone, fax, email, mobile phone).
Any additional material about the nominated person (such as TV reports on video or DVD, audio reports on cassette or CD, or articles in newspapers), if possible with a short English translation, are welcomed. Please send them with your nomination.
Please send all to:
SEEMO/IPI
"Busek Award"
Spiegelgasse 2/29
1010 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43 1 513 39 40
Fax: +43 1 512 90 15
E-mail: busekaward@seemo.org
Material will not be returned, so please always send copies of documents, CVs, reports, articles, videos, audiotapes, DVDs or CDs.
The application deadline for the Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe is:
1 May 2005
**********
For any further information, please contact Kristina Benkotic, SEEMO Assistant.
SEEMO - IPI, Spiegelgasse 2/29, 1010 Vienna, Austria, Tel (SEEMO + HELP LINE): +43 1 513 39 40,
Tel (SEEMO): +43 1 512 90 11 11, Fax: +43 1 512 90 15,
E-mail: info@seemo.org, Web: http://www.seemo.org
****
SEEMO is a regional network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe.
If you want to nominate someone, contact them, not me. I'm just a messenger.
Hotel Rwanda
We finally had a chance today to see Hotel Rwanda, the cinematic adaptation of the story of the urbane hotel manager who housed and protected people who sought refuge in the luxurious Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali.
If there is a story designed for the Hollywood heroic-individual-does-what-they-said-could-not-be-done treatment, probably it is the story of Paul Rusesabagina, who cobbled together connections, inside information, what bribery he could muster and good will to protect people who every major institution, from powerful countries and the United Nations to established religions, outrageously failed to stand up for. Together with the Canadian general Roméo Dallaire, repeatedly undercut by a scandalously indifferent UN bureaucracy, Mr Rusesabagina is one of the few genuine candidates for hero status from the Rwandan genocide. The film prefers Mr Rusesabagina's modest heroism to Mr Dallaire's tragic mode. While Mr Dallaire is demoted to colonel and suffers the further indignity of being played by Nick Nolte, Don Cheadle's Rusesabagina functions at all times as the embodiment of every middle-class virtue a viewer can imagine.
One can only complain so much about the Hollywood treatment. The film is not a documentary and does not pretend to offer a reliable historical record. There have been documentaries, which were sparsely watched. I have taught enough courses in which the explanation of Rwanda has to begin with "where is Africa?" that I am accepting of a little melodrama as the price of getting information out. Still, two things disturbed me. One was the individualistic mode of storytelling in which a few big figures seemed to direct the activity of others (refuge seekers, killers) who matter crucially but do little. In the context, it is confusing. The second is the "plot resolution" at the end, in which a couple of ICTR verdicts are deployed to imply that everything has been resolved and justice done. Anyone who has followed the ICTR and domestic initiatives knows how incomplete this is.
Still, it is a film more likely to enlighten than mislead, and is considerably less sanitized and ideological than the average political thriller. When we left the theatre, there were students outside handing out leaflets proclaiming "Prevent 'Hotel Darfur'." But we know how that story comes out: it was not prevented and nobody will be defended. Maybe afterward somebody in entertainment or journalism will find another heroic individual to celebrate, and everybody can feel a little bit better that such a person exists and immensely relieved that it is someone else.
If there is a story designed for the Hollywood heroic-individual-does-what-they-said-could-not-be-done treatment, probably it is the story of Paul Rusesabagina, who cobbled together connections, inside information, what bribery he could muster and good will to protect people who every major institution, from powerful countries and the United Nations to established religions, outrageously failed to stand up for. Together with the Canadian general Roméo Dallaire, repeatedly undercut by a scandalously indifferent UN bureaucracy, Mr Rusesabagina is one of the few genuine candidates for hero status from the Rwandan genocide. The film prefers Mr Rusesabagina's modest heroism to Mr Dallaire's tragic mode. While Mr Dallaire is demoted to colonel and suffers the further indignity of being played by Nick Nolte, Don Cheadle's Rusesabagina functions at all times as the embodiment of every middle-class virtue a viewer can imagine.
One can only complain so much about the Hollywood treatment. The film is not a documentary and does not pretend to offer a reliable historical record. There have been documentaries, which were sparsely watched. I have taught enough courses in which the explanation of Rwanda has to begin with "where is Africa?" that I am accepting of a little melodrama as the price of getting information out. Still, two things disturbed me. One was the individualistic mode of storytelling in which a few big figures seemed to direct the activity of others (refuge seekers, killers) who matter crucially but do little. In the context, it is confusing. The second is the "plot resolution" at the end, in which a couple of ICTR verdicts are deployed to imply that everything has been resolved and justice done. Anyone who has followed the ICTR and domestic initiatives knows how incomplete this is.
Still, it is a film more likely to enlighten than mislead, and is considerably less sanitized and ideological than the average political thriller. When we left the theatre, there were students outside handing out leaflets proclaiming "Prevent 'Hotel Darfur'." But we know how that story comes out: it was not prevented and nobody will be defended. Maybe afterward somebody in entertainment or journalism will find another heroic individual to celebrate, and everybody can feel a little bit better that such a person exists and immensely relieved that it is someone else.
2005-02-27
Reminder: Get your submissions in!
Just a reminder: The second Carnival of the Balkans will be published on 7 March! Send your favorite posts to Bora Zivkovic at coturnix AT gmail DOT com or coturnix1 AT aol DOT com. He just did a brilliant post for the Tar Heel Tavern, a collection of North Carolina blogs.
This year's raspberry harvest
Among the winners of this year's Golden Raspberry Awards for worst achievements in film:
✩Worst film: Catwoman
✩Worst actor: George W. Bush for his role in Farenheit 9/11
✩Worst actress: Halle Berry for her role in Catwoman
✩Worst screen couple: George W. Bush and Condoleeza Rice for their role in Farenheit 9/11
Halle Berry came to the ceremony to accept her award with grace and humor, but Mr Bush did not.
✩Worst film: Catwoman
✩Worst actor: George W. Bush for his role in Farenheit 9/11
✩Worst actress: Halle Berry for her role in Catwoman
✩Worst screen couple: George W. Bush and Condoleeza Rice for their role in Farenheit 9/11
Halle Berry came to the ceremony to accept her award with grace and humor, but Mr Bush did not.
Camille Monet on a garden bench eating a taco
This is a delightful item from Viewropa! A Monet calendar livened up with stickers by the poster's Aunt Joan. Quote of the day: «Observe how dinosaurs, teddy bears, and farm machinery bring new life to tired old impressionism.»
We are all (not) Maradona
Emir Kusturica explains to Novosti what he has in mind for the documentary he will be filming on Diego Maradona:
«I want, for all time, to find and to return on film the true idea of Maradona. If that idea is lost now, because of the scandals that have followed him, with the filmic confrontation of his his former life with what Maradona is now, I will try to create anew or return the myth of him.»
And why should anyone believe that true ideas come from anything other than myths? Are there any particular myths that Mr Kusturica has in mind? He tells us, enigmatically:
«in Latin America Diego Maradona is a god to whom everything is forgiven. While here, there does not exist even one hero who is forgiven...»
He wouldn't have any particular heroes in mind.
«I want, for all time, to find and to return on film the true idea of Maradona. If that idea is lost now, because of the scandals that have followed him, with the filmic confrontation of his his former life with what Maradona is now, I will try to create anew or return the myth of him.»
And why should anyone believe that true ideas come from anything other than myths? Are there any particular myths that Mr Kusturica has in mind? He tells us, enigmatically:
«in Latin America Diego Maradona is a god to whom everything is forgiven. While here, there does not exist even one hero who is forgiven...»
He wouldn't have any particular heroes in mind.
Technical notes
First off, the consensus response to the new blog template seems to be a bleah from the English speakers, a bljak from the speakers of Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian (except for the few who are consulting Ham, Babić and Moguš to see whether that should be blatk or blj ak), and a whimper from the dogs. So I'll go back to the drawing board. This may have to wait for the next bout of insomnia.
Second, a brief promotional introduction to the joy of RSS feeds in The Guardian finally pulled me out of my Luddite torpor to go try it. For those who are not familiar with this gizmo, as I was not until about an hour ago, it is extremely simple way of using a software program to monitor your favorite news sites and blogs for new updates. Basically you find the address of the site feed and add it to the list in the program. That way you can just check the feed monitor instead of repeatedly visiting your favorite blogs for updates. Forgive my belated fascination, but I am a nonmember of the technical intelligentsia so these things come to me a little slowly.
I sampled a few programs before deciding that my favorite is the one linked by the illustrious Teekay, called NewsFire. It fits my criteria of being nice to look at, simple to use, and available as shareware. It would appear to be Mac-only, which is only a problem if you are not a Mac user.
The site feeds for this blog are http://eastethnia.blogspot.com/atom.xml and http://feeds.feedburner.com/EastEthnia, should you care to try it out.
Second, a brief promotional introduction to the joy of RSS feeds in The Guardian finally pulled me out of my Luddite torpor to go try it. For those who are not familiar with this gizmo, as I was not until about an hour ago, it is extremely simple way of using a software program to monitor your favorite news sites and blogs for new updates. Basically you find the address of the site feed and add it to the list in the program. That way you can just check the feed monitor instead of repeatedly visiting your favorite blogs for updates. Forgive my belated fascination, but I am a nonmember of the technical intelligentsia so these things come to me a little slowly.
I sampled a few programs before deciding that my favorite is the one linked by the illustrious Teekay, called NewsFire. It fits my criteria of being nice to look at, simple to use, and available as shareware. It would appear to be Mac-only, which is only a problem if you are not a Mac user.
The site feeds for this blog are http://eastethnia.blogspot.com/atom.xml and http://feeds.feedburner.com/EastEthnia, should you care to try it out.
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