An overall civilain support


Dubrovnik is the first and the only place where genocide has been defeated.
The peace-mongering experiences of both Ghandi and Jesus Christ were present in Dubrovnik. Such an experience, that managed to conquer genocide, is made up of three key elements:
  • The Speech of the Mountain - directed towards the populations
  • Our Father - directed towards the individual
  • The overcoming of feeling of hatred, of violence and destruction through peace-mongering activities
    • reactions to shellfire - giving out oranges;
    • reaction to thunder - Mozart;
    • reaction to fire - water;
    • reaction to soldiers - a gathering of woman.
There was a clear-cut line in the distribution of assignemnts and it was striclty abided by
  • The Curch - preaching and implementing the spiritual
  • politics - enforcing politics
  • culture - creating culture and rejecting the calls for the city treasure to be taken of the city
  • health services - accommodated and nursed patients back to health
  • computer sciences - provided expert support
The most important thing is that all of these realms of life were united.
The cultural elite of Europe was immediately altered in order to act:
  • UNICEF, UNESCO, ICRC - were immediately on the go.
  • Renowned intellectuals began addressing the situation in Dubrovnik, in Croatia, and in the world.
The whole system functioned on the basis of total freedom.
  • There was not one inch of land that anyone was prepared to let go of.
  • The liberated partsw were held firmly nad were not abandoned.
  • The occupied sections were being penetrated.
The occupied areas were contacted in the following manner:
  • with delegations - both international and national
  • secretly
  • with the Red Cross
  • trough mediators
  • through information - ranging from letters to radio broadcasting
  • through established teams (KONAVLE, PRIMORJE, OTOCI, ŽUPA, MOKOŠICA) there was not a single village that was not contacted.
There was nobody that was not take care of:
  • the elderly were taken care of and water was brought to them
  • handicapped children were taken care of
  • at night - islands were visited
  • the top of Mt. Srđ was visited overnight
  • the occupied areas were visited and people were given information, food and medicines.
All the displaced persons were creative, taking part, active. Every trade was needed:
  • The writers were writing
  • Painters were painting
  • Musicians were writing music
  • The works of children were amazing
  • The Konavle embroidery was being produced
And there was no craf or knowledge that could not contribute to the pride, the dignity. The feeling of spite could be felt throughout the City.
The approach was based on human rights:
  • people belonging to all creeds were together
  • the woman were decisive and organized
  • the health needs were met
  • the Catholic priests were rendering services for the Orthodox population
  • here was overall honesty and there was information for all
  • there were no displays of hatred - there were som individuals from the aggressor army that crossed over towards the good. We wanted to thenk them in the Voice from Dubrovnik, becasue they helped the residents of the occupied areas and those held in jails. We did not mention their names publicly because they asked us not to do so fearing for their own safety.
All that was happening was marked with Croatian symbols:
  • the hoisting of the flag on Mt. Srđ under machine gun fire
  • the 6th December 1991 saw the hoising of the Croatian falg on Stradun, this happening under an artilliary barrage
  • teh festival of peace bore all the Croatian characteristics
Based on the idea of knowledge and modern technology, the list of displaced persons was made immediately and this list was later made into a list of returnees using them as a resource.

An international conference on human rights of dispaced persons was held.
We didi not forget about the people in the bomb shelters when the shells were fallig, nor about those in hotel accomodation.
The dead were also taken care of:
  • how to gather the bodies
  • how to honor those who have died and ensure them a dignified burial
  • Catholic priests buried the dead of Orthodox creed under fire
Then there was the divine rule of women who at one point rejected to leave the City, this being probably one of the most important events in the eforts aimed at defending Dubrovnik. 1700 women and children said "we are staying".

The Serb aggressor was attacking Dubrovnik from the air, by the use of heavy guns, by battleships, by strangulation, by cutting-off water and electrical supplies, by blockading shipment of food and medicines, by severing all links with Croatia and the world. During such moments, Dubrovnik grew even stronger.
The had the wepaons and they destroyed, while Dubrovnik even more free and liberated.
They blocked infromation from coming in, while Dubrovnik was giving out information to the world.
They blocked food shipments, while Dubrovnik helped all those in need.
They blockaded Croatia, while Dubrovnik was Croatia.
The destroyed churches, while Christ arrived in Dubrovnik.
They destroyed civilization, while Dubrovnik created culture.
They violeted human rights, while Dubrovnik ensured they were respected.
They wanted to crush Dubrovnik, while Dubrovnik gave strength to all of Croatia.
They wanted to commit genocide against the Croats, while Dubrovnik conquer3ed genocide int the name of mankind.
They pulled down the walls, while in Dubrovnik peple were growin up.
The newspaper, The Voice from Dubrovnik, was published in two languages and was sent to the world withe aim of spreading the word sround about the real truth about the savagery of the Serb aggressor, the dignity of the Croat people and their wish to remain in the area where they were born in and in that help themselves, their City and Croatia.
The newspapers hav ensured that the creators of  good and the creators of beautiful show their ideas and their works to the residents fo the besieged City, but at the same time express universal messages that are understandable to all.

The experience of an overall civilian support to Dubrovnik spread to other sections of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The assistance provided for Osijek, Vukovar, Mostar, Nova Bila and other areas under attack was based on the experiences carried from Dubrovnik.

The Libertas convoy, the White Way and all other paths of peace and good, as well as their participants will fulfill their holy task once they reach Vukovar, as when we were setting off for Dubrovnik and Nova Bila, all of us were united by a single thought: We hav eot go to Vukvoar.

Dr. Slobodan Lang


Source [Prosoli, The Voice from Dubrovnik, from the Introduction]

The Libertas diary

Slobodan Lang

Dubrovnik

Croatia - Overview of History, Culture, and Science