http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9905/21/yugo.montenegro/

Montenegrins demonstrate against Yugoslav army

May 21, 1999
Web posted at: 3:07 p.m. EDT (1907 GMT)


CETINJE, Montenegro (CNN) -- Thousands of people protested a Yugoslav army clampdown in Montenegro's historic city of Cetinje on Friday, the largest anti-military display to date in Yugoslavia's smaller republic.

Yugoslav troops have reinforced Cetinje, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of the Montenegrin capital Podgorica. Cetinje has been a haven for draft resisters since Yugoslavia stepped up military conscription after the start of NATO's air war March 24.

Montenegro's pro-Western government has tried to remain neutral in the conflict between Yugoslavia and the West. Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has been sharply critical of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The republic has also been a haven for displaced ethnic Albanians and dissidents from Serbia, the federation's dominant republic.

Friday's demonstrations brought about 5,000 people onto the streets of Cetinje, carrying banners with slogans such as "Milosevic, get your hands off Montenegro" and "We will give our life for this town."

"We must ask ourselves why those (soldiers) walk around our city -- and with what intentions -- while their homes are being destroyed, and their families are in dark shelters," protester Mirko Dapcevic said, referring to NATO's eight-plus weeks of aerial bombardment. "

Yugoslav soldiers avoided the rally. Djukanovic said earlier this week that as many as 45,000 federal troops may be in Montenegro.

Local officials said more than 1,200 Serb reservists, backed by artillery and tanks, arrived this week. Mayor Savo Paraca said Cetinje was effectively under siege as the soldiers trained the barrels of their artillery on the city, Montenegro's former capital.


Montenegrins, one holding a flag that was used by Montenegro in medieval times, protest in Cetinje
"The situation is pretty tense," he said. "You never know what the Yugoslav army is up to, but it is impossible to frighten the people of Cetinje."

Many of the local residents own guns, but authorities have asked them to act with restraint.

The demonstrations have badly strained relations between Serbia and Montenegro. NATO repeated warnings Friday that Yugoslavia's Serb leaders were trying to overthrow the Montenegrin government.

"Clearly, there is an indirect attempt to undermine the democracy and constitutional base in Montenegro," NATO spokesman Jamie Shea said Friday. But he said Montenegro was "resisting courageously."

Federal authorities have tried to nationalize Montenegro's police force and have closed the country's borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Albania in recent days.

Montenegrin officials say Yugoslav soldiers have been manning border checkpoints since Monday. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says it is urging aid convoys to wait before attempting to cross into Montenegro.

"Three trucks carrying humanitarian aid have been stopped and we have also had difficulty with international staff getting past the check post," said Robert Breen, of the UNHCR staff in Podgorica.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Hola:

Soy periodista de un diario de Santiago de Chile, Sudamerica, el pais mas austral del mundo. Estoy interesado en mantener contacto directo con gente que viva el Belgrado y este interesada en que yo lo pueda entrevistar por correo. Ademas necesito si alguien me puede ayudar a contactarme con la diputada Sonia Prodanovic.

Esperando respuestas les saluda desde Chile

Arturo

Pseudo-Italian,

these URL's are not relevant. They do not match your posts, of course your posts are from Albanian or Croat sites, when it is not NATO main URLs of course.

Look we already told you many times: contribute or leave, contributing meaning BRING sthg to the forum.

We don't care much for the rest.

"kosova@justiceforall"

how is that for an impartial, objective, non-biased site ?

@hrw.org">donalds@hrw.org

notice the "hr" skilfully concealed, more Croat thus anti-Serb, the only possible material to be reported by Guido, a creature that brings shame to the decent American people.

Nick,
What is the matter? Does the truth hurt your credibility? Are you afraid of the truth? Does it make you nervous? Are you feeling like you have been a fool? Why don't YOU leave? Do you think your postings have credibility? You are a fool. Did you research the previous issues in the archives? You are either stupid or a liar. I think you are both. I researched the information I posted. If you are too stupid to know how, that is your problem, not mine.

Hola:

Soy periodista de un diario de Santiago de Chile, Sudamerica, el pais mas austral del
mundo. Estoy interesado en mantener contacto directo con gente que viva el Belgrado
y este interesada en que yo lo pueda entrevistar por correo. Ademas necesito si
alguien me puede ayudar a contactarme con la diputada Sonia Prodanovic. Los interesados me pueden escribir a Arturo_Catalan@hotmail.com

Esperando respuestas les saluda desde Chile

Arturo

MORONick

You said to Zoja;

"The fact you post at the same time as Emina also confirms that you and her are the same person, but we knew that already."

DUH! It is her twin sister, some people actually have their own computer. Do you share yours with the other Serbian propaganda officers? If I posted a message at the same time as Maja, would that mean we are the same person? They work together. Can't you just drop this subject? It has no relevance to the messages they post, even if they were the same person. You are really stupid. God, I can't believe how stupid you are!

The fact you post at the same time as Emina also confirms that you and her are the same person Nick, but we knew that already.

MORONICK, ISN'T IT?

P.S. Kiss my ass!

MORONick,

Serbs weakened as KLA gathers strength

U.S. military officials said that by the end of summer, Milosevic's forces will have been devastated by the bombing.

"I would project by that time, with good weather, he's going to have a tough time counting up forces," said Maj. Gen. Charles Wald, vice director of strategic plans and policies for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Bacon also said the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army is gaining strength in the province as the Serb forces are weakening. He said the KLA now has between 17,000 and 20,000 guerrilla fighters -- including about 15,000 in Kosovo -- more than double the number it had when the NATO bombing began March 24.

The KLA is now better trained, better equipped and better led than when the war began, Bacon added.

Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We have lots of bombs and time.