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Serbian Americans from 15 states gathered on the Capitol Hill event to remind their Representatives of the deplorable conditions and daily violations of the human rights of minorities in Kosovo and Metohija. They also gathered to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Nikola Tesla.
The battle for Kosovo moved to Washington's Capitol Hill on June 26-7 as Serbs from across America answered a Serbian Unity Congress call for action. In two days of face-to-face meetings at congressmen's offices, Serbian Americans told their elected representatives exactly why they oppose President George W. Bush's comments in Albania in favor of independence for Serbia's southern Kosovo province.
Activism Works!
During the past few months we have sent a number of alerts. We achieved some results.
A Serbian Unity Congress activist called the office of Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA 7th District). As a result of this call, Congressman Mc- Dermott chose to attend the Serbian American Day on the Hill lunch, where Congresswoman (and Serbian Caucus Co-Chair) Melissa Bean spoke about her upcoming Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. Congressman McDermott signed up for the CODEL.
Another Serbian Unity Congress activist met with the office of Congressman Charles Gonzalez (D-TX 20th District). Congressman Gonzalez subsequently called Congresswoman Bean's office to cosponsor the H.RES.445.
Zoran Golubovic, President of the Illinois Chapter and Vice President of the SUC, organized an effort to collect signatures of support for H.RES.445. People from the local church began faxing letters to the SUC office, where they were sorted and sent to area Congressional Representatives. Over 500 letters have been sent, and as a result, the SUC office has been able to schedule a number of meetings with offices of potential new Serbian Caucus members.
Arguing for a "fair deal" in Kosovo, Serbian Unity Congress members and supporters from allied communities explained how there has been nothing fair at all since NATO arrived in the Serbian heartland. The theme of the talking sessions in congressional offices was that true negotiations cannot have a predetermined conclusion.
Human rights was a central issue, focusing on the fact that Kosovo's Serbs have no freedom of speech, movement, or even peaceful existence within the walls of their own homes. A number of congressional staffers were surprised to learn of the degree to which religious freedom is being denied to Kosovo's Christians. Few knew that over 150 Christian churches and religious monuments have been destroyed in peacetime, since NATO's arrival.
Broadening the message, the advocacy teams from the Serbian American community also stressed the fact that the destroyed religious sites are both a form of ethnic cleansing and an attack on the entire civilized world through the violent destruction of shared World Heritage. Participants in the Serbian Unity Congress Vidovdan "Serb Days on the Hill" reminded their fellow Americans in Congress that the apprehended plotters in the attempted massacre of US servicemen at Fort Dix were ethnic Albanians, who have admitted to investigators that they wanted to, "Kill as many U.S. soldiers as possible."
Tina Hone Tomasevic, the niece of SUC founding member DesaTomasevic, paid tribute to her late aunt, who passed away just one week before the Vidovdan event. She underlined the fact that such direct and honest advocacy was exactly the kind of thing that Desa had always said was the key to protecting Serbia in America.
Deputy chief of mission, Mr. BorkoStefanovic, from the Serbian Embassy, applauded the teams on their efforts. The record-high participation of more than one hundred people from coast to coast signaled the degree of Serb unity and commitment to Kosovo.
At lunchtime, the advocacy teams gathered to hear speeches of encouragement from Mr. Alex Macheskee, president of the International Orthodox Christian Charities and former Cleveland Plain Dealer publisher. Mr. Gregory Freeman previewed his upcoming book, The Forgotten 500, the tale of how entire Serb villages chose death in World War Two rather than to revealing to the Nazis the hiding places of the over 500 U.S. airman they saved after they were shot down over Serbia.
Major General Gregory Wayt of the Ohio National Guard addressed the participants as the invited key speaker, demonstrating with his words and his presence that Serbia is an ideal partner for the USA. His glowing description of the blossoming military cooperation showed another side of the US relationship with Serbia, one far different from that reflected in President Bush's recent comments in favor of Kosovo separation.
The two days Serbian American political action attracted a record turnout of U.S. Senators, Representatives and other officials, including leaders of other ethnic communities who strongly endorsed Serbia's historic, legal and moral claim on Kosovo.
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