Voice of America, 99-10-03

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] YUGO / OPPOSITION / L BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

[02] SERBIAN ACCIDENT (L-ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

[03] YUGO OPPOSITION (L-UPDATE) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

[01] YUGO / OPPOSITION / L BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

INTRO: Despite legal threats from the Yugoslav government, Serbian activists say they will continue their street protests against President Slobodan Milosevic. A key opposition leader tells V-O-A that he does not want dialogue with Mr. Milosevic, only his downfall. Philip Smucker reports from Belgrade.

TEXT: Opposition leaders say they are going ahead with further protests against the Yugoslav President even though the government is bringing new pressure on them to back off. Demonstrators say they will try to march to Belgrade's main hospital Saturday night to visit fellow marchers injured in earlier clashes with the police. The government says it has already begun an investigation to identify what it calls the "leaders of the violence." Officials have accused protesters of provoking attacks against police. Democratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic says he cannot tell his people to remain peaceful in the face of what he describes as police brutality. He says tear gas and batons cannot stop the movement towards democracy. On Friday, police sealed off part of the capital to prevent an announced protest march toward President Milosevic's home. Opposition leaders marched instead to another part of the city with a much smaller crowd than they had brought out the two previous nights. Another opposition leader, Cedomir Jovanovic, told V- O-A that he was not interested in negotiating with Mr. Milosevic.

[02] SERBIAN ACCIDENT (L-ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

INTRO: A top Serbian opposition leader, who was the only survivor in an auto accident Sunday that killed four others, has said from his hospital bed that the accident was in fact an assassination attempt. The incident has cast a shadow over the anti-government protests, which have grown in strength over the last 12 days. Philip Smucker reports from Belgrade.

TEXT: Vuk Draskovic, a fiery opposition leader, is the only survivor of an automobile accident that killed three body guards and wife's brother. The accident took place near the town of Lazarevic in central Serbia as they were on an excursion to visit the historical site of Ravna Gora, where Serbian resistance fighters mustered their army in World War Two. Mr. Draskovic received only minor injuries. He expressed bitterness and anger, and said that truck driver who collided with two cars in his convoy was trying to kill him. He did not indicate, however, who the driver might have been working for or why he would have wanted to kill him. Mr. Draskovic also claimed that the truck driver has mysteriously disappeared. Serbian police officials, who investigated the crash site, were not immediately available for comment. Protesters at an anti-government rally held a minute of silence Sunday for Mr. Draskovic and the dead members of his entourage. Serbian police did not beat the demonstrators as they did twice in recent days. The charismatic street politician had been considering participation in the anti-government protests before his accident. The 52-year-old politician served in the Milosevic-led government earlier this year, but was fired in April because of policy disagreements during the 11-week NATO air war against Yugoslavia. NEB/ps/gm 03-Oct-1999 17:16 PM EDT (03-Oct-1999 2116 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] YUGO OPPOSITION (L-UPDATE) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

INTRO: Riot police in Yugoslavia have blocked a protest march in the capital by about 15-thousand anti-government demonstrators -- one of several opposition rallies staged throughout the country Saturday. The marchers in Belgrade were trying to reach a hospital where 20 people injured during the past week of violent street protests are being treated. Philip Smucker reports.

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