ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 25, 1996 TAG: 9612260053
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
SOURCE: |Associated Press
The scene of peaceful protests for weeks, the streets of Belgrade suddenly turned violent and bloody Tuesday: Demonstrators traded blows with supporters of President Slobodan Milosevic, then were clubbed by riot police.
At least one person was shot by a man standing in a crowd of Milosevic backers. Two people were stabbed, and several others injured.
The clashes, which ended at nightfall, dramatically escalated tensions after four weeks of what had been relatively peaceful opposition demonstrations against Milosevic and his annulment of Nov.17 local elections in places where his Socialists lost.
Milosevic had all but programmed Tuesday's street battle by urging government supporters to rally at the same site where the opposition has been protesting daily for more than a month.
In Washington, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott said Milosevic and his government were to blame for the violence.
``The Serbian authorities have flagrantly and provocatively chosen to heighten tensions by bringing thousands of people into Belgrade to confront the peaceful demonstrations by the opposition,'' Talbott said.
He urged Milosevic to respect the opposition election victories and warned that violence against anti-government demonstrators would have serious consequences.
The government's attempt to counter the opposition will test the ability of anti-government protesters to maintain momentum for peaceful change without being drawn into violence.
Opposition leader Zoran Djindjic warned that Milosevic ``is seeking chaos on Belgrade streets so he can find an excuse to impose police rule and a state of emergency.''
Heavily armed forces intervened many times against opposition supporters flooding downtown Belgrade, near where Milosevic supporters had gathered for their rally.
Riot police beat at least four news photographers, including three working for The Associated Press. Other photographers were injured in the clashes, but none seriously.
Swinging clubs, police waded into the crowds, separating anti-and pro-government groups and shielding Milosevic supporters. Although state news media said 500,000 attended the pro-government gathering, independent estimates put the crowd at no more than 50,000 - some true supporters, others coerced into coming by threats of losing their jobs.
Most of the Milosevic supporters - villagers, elderly and blue-collar workers bused into the capital from provincial towns - appeared stunned by the level of opposition support in the capital. Most of them have only received news from Serbia's state-run TV, which has created a distorted picture of the opposition and their demands.
``This is terrible,'' opposition supporter Vanja Misic said, sobbing as she watched organized groups of bewildered Milosevic supporters march silently through sleet-drenched streets, carrying portraits of the Serbian leader. ``The dictator is using these poor people for his deadly goal: splitting Serbs just to stay in power.''
State television repeated coverage of Milosevic's address Tuesday and called his rally ``glorious.'' It made no mention of the opposition protest or the clashes.
Milosevic has virtually ignored the opposition protests - the largest since he came to power in 1987. But he appeared at his rally to accuse opposition leaders of being foreign lackeys intent on Serbia's breakup.
``Strong Serbia is not to the liking of some powers abroad, and that's why they are trying to break it up with the help of the domestic traitors,'' he said. ``We, of course, won't let it happen.''
The crowd chanted, ``We love you, Slobo.'' He responded, ``I love you, too.''
More than 300,000 Milosevic foes later marched through Belgrade. Though leaders appealed for calm, about 10,000 opposition activists split from the crowd and moved on the cordon of heavily armed police. Police hurled tear gas and clubbed protesters.
The opposition supporters chanted ``Thieves!'' and ``Red Bandits!'' at the pro-Milosevic demonstrators. They shouted back: ``Traitors! Traitors!''
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Police quell clashes between supporters andby CNBprotesters of President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade Tuesday.
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