PRESS RELEASE 5^th April 2004.

Issued by Ian Johnson UK-Coordinator, Committee to Defend Slobodan Milosevic.

 

CDSM MEETING IN LONDON PLEDGES TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE.

 

A highly successful public meeting held by the CDSM – UK at the Conway Hall in London on Friday 2^nd April responded enthusiastically to the ICDSM slogan, ‘the aggressors shall not write our history’.

Prior to the speeches from the platform a minute’s silence was observed by the audience in respect for the victims of the Nato aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999 and to the more recent victims in the occupied province of Kosovo.

The packed meeting heard ICDSM vice-president Klaus Hartman explain the importance of the struggle being conducted at The Hague tribunal by Slobodan Milosevic in relation to developments in the rest of the world.

Mr Hartman also exposed the illegality of the ICTY and the subversive role it attempts to play in blaming the victims for the crimes of imperialism.

He then went on to describe in detail the complete lack of the legally recognised principle of ‘equality of arms’ that exists in Nato’s court, citing in particular that President Milosevic has in reality a mere six weeks to prepare his defence witness list, subject to the tribunal’s approval, whereas the prosecution has had many years to compile their own. Indeed the prosecution kept adding to its list as the trial progressed, serving notice of upcoming witnesses on Mr Milosevic sometimes a mere few hours before their appearance in court.

Furthermore, as witness intimidation by the prosecution has been exposed several times in the trial to date, it becomes cause for concern when the names and addresses of prospective defence witnesses are revealed to the prosecution so far in advance.

Mr Hartman concluded his contribution by stressing the importance of adequate funds being made available for the defence. He pointed out that the recent law passed by the new government in Serbia, whereby some funding would be made available to The Hague detainees, would in reality not be nearly enough for the task in hand.

Representing the British/Serbian Alliance for Peace, the meeting’s other main invited speaker, Mr Misha Gavrilovic, explained the historical roots of Yugoslavia and pointed out that all the ethnic groups in the Balkans are in fact victims of Nato’s aggression, even though some are not at present conscious of it.

Mr Gavrilovic exposed the present state of international law as a condition of ‘might is right’ and explained the consequences of this to the existence of independent nation states.

Turning to the demonstrations that took place in The Hague last year Mr Gavrilovic reiterated the slogan of the November 2003 rally that ‘the aggressors shall not write our history’ a comment that drew warm applause from the London audience.

The meeting ended on a note of determination to continue and deepen the fight to reveal the truth about the break-up of Yugoslavia and to support President Milosevic in his heroic struggle at The Hague.

Ends.