Letter from Belgrade: "The point is in changing the world, not only in understanding it"

Your marxist site has inspired me to write to You, in order to show appreciation of Your efforts and to appeal for action. I'm glad to see some understanding of situation in the Balkans in "outter world" in theese hard days for people of Yugoslavia. Seeing that marxism is still fighting its battle on the west gives me a bit of hope and comfort. Here it looks like marxism lost the battle; abused to create a totalitarian regime and then cursed as a bad religion and thrown away. But, the final word hasn't been said yet - the cruel process of initial capital accumulation that is taking place in last few years under the mask of transition from socialism to "democracy", and growing unsatisfaction with the rule of gangster-run parties and "opposition" (participating in exploitation and deception); will eventually rise marxism form the ashes, because it is the only way to solve the existing antagonisms.

Imperialistic, NATO aggresion against Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) is fastening the proces of devastation of our society, gathering people around Slobodan Milosevic, totalitarist, and the worst ruler in several hundred years history of Serbian people. He participated in breaking the former (big) socialistic Yugoslavia, which was broken into FRY (Serbia and Montenegro), Croatia, Slovenia, Bosina und Mazedonia; and was assisted by burgeous governments of USA, Germany and other western countries. Now, the same capitalist regimes are giving him excuse (by direct military atack) for silent elimination of free media, intellectuals and any other potential danger to his rule.

There is no any perspective for democracy or even survival of Serbian people while the NATO bombs (and now very possible future ground attacks) are destroying economical resources, people's lives and society in whole. Bombardments allowed Milosevic to conduct state-of-war laws, and to destroy all of his (even potential) opponents, like students, intellectuals, working class movements and other.

If NATO is not stopped as soon as possible, the devastation of economic and other potentials will be so enormous that it will bring the state back in 18th century. The ground engagement of NATO will mean total mobilisation, total war and immediate spreading of the conflict all over Balkans and would involve other surrounding countries. Remember, the spark that lit the WWI was Austro-Hungarian imperialistic aggresion on the same Serbian people that is now defending itself from western imperialism represented by NATO.

My country is not strong enough to resist NATO for a long period of time, though we still have pretty vital army. Our defeat would open the door for other same-type conflicts all over the world. This is why is my people seeking help from all of the proletariat around the world. The greatest help You can give us is by organising mass demonstrations in your country to force Your governments to stop. The only way to stop them is to make the regimes unstable, to make them feel endangered.

Please, continue spreading the truth about this war; organize the proletariat - the point is in changing the world, not only in understanding it.

greetings from Yugoslavia

Dragan, student of economy (Belgrade University, Yugoslavia)