Hatred toward Serbia

We file the sharpest possible protest against the publishing in The Jakarta Post of Oct. 8, 1998 of the article of Observer New Service by Tim Judah, in which, all over again, the Yugoslav president is being insulted in an extremely rude and unscrupulous manner, and he is subjected to unfounded accusations in an extremely irresponsible way.

The article also contains numerous untruths and it interprets in a biased and erroneous manner the events and circumstances that lead to the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, and to the crisis on Kosovo. In doing so, the author demonstrates a great lack of knowledge and understanding of the complex historical, national, political and social conditions of the former Yugoslavia. At the same time, the article is also full of hatred towards Serbia and the Serbs, who are being defamed as a nation to the maximum extent.

In the introduction itself, Tim Judah's article is announced as some kind of indictment against the Yugoslav president, probably to justify such an insulting and bombastic title, however, as it can be seen from the contents, it is the author whose conclusions are not based on data and facts, but everything in his article is subordinated to the predetermined task of proving the alleged responsibility of the Yugoslav president for all the bad things that have happened in the region of the former Yugoslavia during the past seven years.

In support of this thesis, out of one civil war, the author is creating three wars, putting the blame for each of them on the Yugoslav president alone. Similarly, the legitimate actions of the Serbs security forces fighting against separatism and terrorism on Kosovo are interpreted as a war in Serbia. All of the foregoing is supported by the examples and stories of the author as an "eye witness" seen, of course, from the perspective of the other side in the conflicts, while continuously blaming the Serbs and Yugoslavia alone for the alleged crimes and conflicts, releasing the other sides from all responsibilities altogether.

The real motives of the author are also evident from his stated opinion that even if the Yugoslav president wins the "battle" for Kosovo, he will lose the "war", because there will not be enough Serbs there, suggesting that the disappearance of Serbs and an ethnic clean Kosovo is wished for. May we recommend to Tim Judah and the likes not to worry about the Serbs, because there will always be a sufficient number of Serbs to defend and save Kosovo.

We would like conclude that Tim Judah's article in The Jakarta Post is only another example of spreading stereotypes of and prejudice against a nation through the mass media, in this case against the Serbian nation. Tons of hatred have been spilt against the Serbs so far. In such massacre of a nation through the mass media the institution called responsibility does not exist. Matters prohibited by every country, including this one -- the spreading of national and religious hatred -- are being committed by certain leading democratic countries against the Serbs, while the publishing of articles like this support them.

DUSAN STOJKOVIC

Charge d'Affaires a.i.

Yugoslav Embassy

Jakarta