THE HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
APPEAL
made on the Consultation Conference of the Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, held in Serbian Patriarchate on August 10, 1999
Having considered the tragic position into which our people has been brought (first of all in Kosovo and Metohia, and then in the whole state of ours) due to the recent open war and NATO bombardment, we, the Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church find it necessary to communicate the following:
In view of the accumulated internal problems of spiritual/moral, societal, social, and political nature;
- In view of the systematic terrorizing of the Serbian people and other minorities in Kosovo and Metohia, that is being executed by the so-called KLA and other Albanian terrorist groups in the presence of KFOR and UN, without any possibility that the current authorities of the Republic of Serbia could be accepted as a cooperating party in the stopping of that unremembered violence executed over their own people and over one part of their country;
- In view of the increasing compulsory isolation of our country on the international level, complete exclusion of its current authorities from the negotiating process, as well as unfair international sanctions that have been applied to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and that lead to the economic disaster of our Fatherland which has already been destroyed in many ways by NATO bombardment and by general poverty,
In the spirit of that responsibility, first we appeal to and expect from the present presidents of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Republic of Serbia, to give the opportunity to the other people as soon as possible to take the helm of the state and lead the people out of the dead end where they have been brought up to now, unless they really want to make their people and their state be their own hostages, by leading them into inevitable disaster.
Second, we support all democratic and people-loving forces in our country and their requests for urgent and fundamental changes in our society, starting with the formation of the temporary transitional government and with the preparation of the nearing extraordinary elections. We also appeal that the changes, which are inevitable, should set in in a peaceful and democratic manner, without any violence, and we ask at the same time all our people to be at the high level of its dignity and of historical responsibility.
Third, we request KFOR and UN representatives in Kosovo and Metohia to stop at last the terror and thorough ethnic cleansing of the Orthodox Serbs and other ethnic minorities, done in their presence and under their auspices. If the former Yugoslav authorities have been accused for the previous evils that happened in Kosovo and Metohia, international forces that took over the power and thus the responsibility for all that happens in Kosovo and Metohia, must be accused for the present crimes, planned and systematically carried out destruction of the Serbian people and its centuries-long shrines, churches and monasteries, and whole villages and areas.
Praying to God to give us all courage and wisdom to make these crucial steps for the survival and progression of the Serbian people, which must be undertaken as soon as possible, we hope that the result will be a beneficial outcome, for our benefit and for the benefit of all people of the good will.
Copyright © 1999 by Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate
11000 Belgrade
Kralja Petra I no.5
+381 11 3282 593
