<nettime> follow-up: marko peljhan's 'action plan no.1'

[tbyfield@panix.com]

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distributed on <nettime-l@desk.nl>     Mon Mar 29 13:53:22 EST 1999
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   [ok, so everyone (milosevic included) was expecting another one of
    these idiotic 'pinprick' attacks, but it's blossoming into a full-
    scale war. it's not at all clear why NATO suddenly awoke from its
    slumbers and decided to crush the FYU regime, but motivations and
    too-clever-by-half analyses aren't the issue. what *is* the issue
    is the fact that even when the intense belligerence settles down,
    life will be intolerable for many, many people. it's really time
    for these networks we've been setting up for years to kick into
    action, which means mobilizing every resource possible to improve
    the conditions of those affected by war--in the short term *and* 
    in the long term--and maybe even in ways that will benefit others.
    the 'action plan' that marko peljhan's sent out on the nettime and
    syndicate lists is an excellent start for some very basic activism.
    the politicians who have sanctioned this war are trapped in their
    own rhetoric, and we need to press them for substantial constructive
    efforts. obvious issues are: (1) liberalized travel and residence 
    ('immigration') policies; (2) stricter arms control efforts, espe-
    cially pertaining to small arms; (3) elevation of press and media
    issues to first-tier criteria, rather than to a subset of 'human
    rights,' which as often are not are the purview of 'special forces';
    (4) reciprocal or symmetric sanctions against businesses involved 
    in backdoor 'constructive engagement' with abusive regimes, rather
    than population-crippling shotgun economic sanctions. the list could
    go on and on, and it should--both in terms of instant action and
    longer-term development of goals. if you think these goals are too
    general, then do something more specific; if you disagree with them,
    then do something else. if you're a writer, then write something and
    make it publicly available for copy-and-paste; if you're a webmaster,
    then set up a structure that meets a need you see and tell people.
    if you prefer direct action, then do that and publicize how it went,
    give people pointers, and so on. if all you want to do is call various
    NGOs and ask them what they're doing about this, then do that.
    
    excellent guidelines to follow for net-distributed 'action plans':
    
       <http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/action-alerts.html>
    
    an excellent model for 'adopting and educating your legislator':
    
       <http://www.spesh.com/> and <http://www.stand.org.uk/step1.php3>
    
    an excellent model for ensuring distribution of reports:
    
       <http://helpb92.xs4all.nl/>
    
    an excellent tool that supports 'privacy,' which in the context of
    war may boil down to absolute necessity:
    
         normal: <http://www.anonymizer.com/3.0/services/kosovo.cgi>
    
         secure: <https://www.anonymizer.com/3.0/services/kosovo.cgi>
    
    in particular what is needed is an easy-to-find clearninghouse site
    with basic information about what can be done and where: by country/
    province/state/city, lists of politicians and contact info, NGOs,
    existing efforts, interested parties, proposals, agendas, resources
    and techniques. for the time being, please send these and anything
    else to <nettime-l@desk.nl>.
    
    the primary tool available on a translocal level is, of course, the
    net, so it would be good if your efforts took it into account. for
    example, please make the extra effort to make your work available for
    others to 'transplant' into other contexts: instant site structures,
    perl scripts, how-tos for setting up web-to-fax gateways, and so on.
    
    appended is marko's 'action plan 1.' please READ IT AGAIN AND THINK
    ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO, however small or big.]

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to all synicalists and nettimers who can do something other than just
liberarly protest the attacks on the military and military related
installations in the FRY, i suggest the following for phase I: 

1. write to your government that there is immediate need to accept refugees
from kosovo and the federal republic of yugoslavia and that your country
should work proactively in this respect 

2. write to your government that they should accept army objectors as
political refugges from the FRY 

3. stay in touch with all your contacts in the FRY and try to keep track of
them and their whereabouts 

4. write to your government that there is an immediate need to proactively
intervene in kosovo itself on behalf of the civilian population / i.e.
granting refuge to them and helping with donations of food and medicines - if
this goes along with your personal ethics, press for a ground operation lead
by NATO and the UN in the SFOR form that works for Bosnia. 

5. write to your government, that it is crucial that your government sticks
with the policy of attacking only military and military related installations
(for NATO country memebers) and keep clear of ANY civilian targets


this is more for phase II.:

1. try to do everything you deem neccessary that the serbian war machine in
kosovo is stopped and that NATO air operations stop as soon as possible. link
this two issues! i feel this is the most important point i can make.  now
this is a hard one, but at the center of the problem we are faced with. it
seems that NATO is determined to go on until the total destruction of the
serb war machine. we also know, that air strikes militarily will not do the
job to the end. the problem being, there is probably a large number of
conscripts and civilians near the targets and that people there will
intiutively be anxious and will identify with the fate of their country,
their friends and family and everything military and close to military slowly
disintegrating in front of them. i will not and cannot give advice to those
in FRY in this terrible position, my friends and others that i do not know,
of what to do. i cannot do that, i am not there. the only thing I can say is
stay clear of anything military and if they try to get you, run. because this
thing will and should end. 

this is no time for libertarian talking about peace, we are faced with a war
here. different rules apply. especially for those in FRY that do not support
their regime and their life can be endangered because of their views.  this
war is not a small one, but the larger war operation in Europe so far, after
the second world war and seems that it is growing. reports of the beefing up
of nato troops in macedonia and of course the reports of a total
anti-civilian and anti kla war in kosovo from the serb side, which seems to
have escalated after the strikes in a familiar pattern that we have learned
in croatia and bosnia in the past. also, NATO says and is repeating that all
it takes for the stopping of operations is a phone call from Milosevic. he
made this kind of calls in the past, hopefully, he has a satellite phone for
his use if air operations go as planned... and when he makes this call, we
will be in new trouble of how to help the helpless in kosovo and the
anti/regime people in FRY. he will be weakened militarily, but not
politically at home. hope we will see the continuation of comm activities on
all of our lists when this hopefully happens. . again, some news about
independent media in kosovo would be very welcome, because there is no news
about them whatsoever. koha, radio21 and others? anybody in FRY knows
anything? any ANEM connection? just for the information, are this people
still alive, working, escaped? anybody know who is where? after the reports
of the total war in kosovo against civilians there is a legitimate fear for
them i suppose. 

also, been watching serb state tv today, the propaganda there is almost
incredible, doctored images, not very superb editing.....the rethoric could
be quite sf for somebody hearing it for the first time or very normal for
those of us, who were born and raised in old yugoslavia (criminal nato
projectiles, criminal nato planes, nato criminals, nato killers, criminal
aggression, reports of many nato aircraft downed) , they of course also claim
that their defenses are superb and that nato, yes, hit military targets but
also schools, hospitals and residential areas, together with orthodox
monasteries in kosovo itself (gracanica) / showed pictures of hoolbroke in
gracanica during one of his visits and then a crater in a field which could
be anywhere, no background and then cut to gracanica and to some stones.
supposedly bomb damage....not very convincing. 

as for the legal side, there are reportedly loopholes in the un charter and
resolutions, especially in regards for the situation in the former yugoslav
territories, that make the nato operations significantly more legal that it
appears. i do not know of details about this, but would be good if someone
could check this out. someone with more legal insight.... 


for a lighter note: at the NATO briefing in Belgium, the air commodore David
Wilby was wondering how great the mpeg players they have installed on the
briefing computer are and what and advanced thchnology that is.
khmmm......makes one wonder..... 

also, a report of a strain tommahawk missile gone into bulgaria was
confirmed, but the missile was supposedly auto-destroyed and debris have
fallen on or nearby a village..... 

to all in danger, drzite se. 

marko

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