The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
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At a few places in Croatia, several clergymen <strong>and</strong> police were able <strong>to</strong><br />
take successful action. By soothing persuasion <strong>and</strong> conversations with<br />
excited people, they were able over the long-term <strong>to</strong> prevent the outbreak<br />
<strong>of</strong> violence in their areas <strong>of</strong> influence. <strong>The</strong> weapons were piled in<br />
front <strong>of</strong> the altars.<br />
<strong>The</strong> nationalistic warmongers did not like such actions; indeed, they had<br />
several <strong>of</strong> these courageous people murdered – in some cases <strong>to</strong>gether<br />
with their families. <strong>The</strong> murders were even staged, <strong>and</strong> used with the<br />
persuasiveness <strong>of</strong> television images <strong>to</strong> split the population by nationality.<br />
<strong>The</strong> uniformized media disseminated hate propag<strong>and</strong>a; the symbols <strong>of</strong><br />
the partisans, which s<strong>to</strong>od for unity <strong>and</strong> solidarity, were replaced by nationalistic<br />
symbols which additionally reinforced fear <strong>and</strong> panic.<br />
<strong>The</strong> only major demonstrations against the war <strong>to</strong>ok place in April 1992<br />
in Sarajevo. Up until then, the people had watched the war rage in Slovenia<br />
<strong>and</strong> then in Croatia. <strong>The</strong>y couldn’t believe that it would come <strong>to</strong><br />
their city as well, where so many nationalities live <strong>to</strong>gether in peace.<br />
However, once the city had been surrounded by the Serbian paramilitary<br />
units <strong>and</strong> the Yugoslav People’s Army, <strong>and</strong> was being shelled from the<br />
surrounding mountains, several hundred thous<strong>and</strong> people spontaneously<br />
<strong>to</strong>ok <strong>to</strong> the streets. <strong>The</strong>y occupied the parliament <strong>and</strong> proclaimed<br />
a citizens’ parliament that was <strong>to</strong> preserve peace. Thous<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> people<br />
who had come from other places <strong>to</strong> take part were prevented by roadblocks<br />
from entering Sarajevo. When eight snipers fired at the demon -<br />
stration from a building, the demonstra<strong>to</strong>rs ran away in panic; several<br />
people were killed. <strong>The</strong> TV programme JUTEL, which up until that time<br />
had reported in a non-nationalistic manner <strong>and</strong> had provided objective<br />
information for the citizens, was then closed down forever in Bosnia <strong>and</strong><br />
Herzegovina, <strong>to</strong>o – as it had been a year earlier in other parts <strong>of</strong> the country,<br />
after the nationalists had won the elections.<br />
<strong>Peace</strong> organizations which arose during the war<br />
In spite <strong>of</strong> years <strong>of</strong> siege, hunger, death <strong>and</strong> deprivation, peace organizations<br />
arose during the war with international support, several <strong>of</strong> which<br />
are mentioned below:<br />
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