Munich/Berlin/Amsterdam/Vienna/Belgrade/Liverpool/Budapest/Moscow...
30 March 1999

The disastrous plight of the civilian population in Kosovo is continuing unabatedly. Whether they like it or not, the NATO countries have begun to play an active role in the crisis-ridden region of the Balkans. They must take responsibility by not only offering humanitarian aid and shelter to the civilian population, but also by opening up their own borders. Any attempts at fleeing the war must be actively supported, in whichever way possible.

This is particularly important for deserters and conscientious objectors who defy being drafted into one of the fighting armies. In Yugoslavia, many reservists are currently being called up - patriots as well as opposion supporters - to fight on the Serb side. The possibility of them being put into dangerous positions, prone to NATO attacks, is particularly high. There is a moral obligation towards the men and women who defy serving in the army. They deserve special protection in the region and must be received as legitimate asylum seekers in any and all of the NATO countries.

We demand that Europe - individual citizens, countries and their governments - should open their borders for refugees, war victims and deserters, and to offer them shelter and political protection. Extensive material support should also be given to neighbouring countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, and the Republic of Montenegro, to deal with the large influx of refugees. Humanitarian budgets must be able to rival military budgets.

We also demand and immediate cessation of military and paramilitary activities in Kosovo and Yugoslavia by the FRY's army and paramilitary groups, by NATO, and KLA forces and call for a return to diplomatic negotiations towards a peaceful settlement of the crisis. We demand an immediate end to NATO's attacks, and to the repression and military aggression against the Albanian population.

We demand the setting up of support centres and services to aid the flight and desertion of individuals through and into Hungary, Austria, Italy, Germany, and other countries. The borders of countries neighbouring on Yugoslavia have to be open, especially for men.

We demand the active, moral and material support and protection of independent voices and media in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, for the sake of their courage and for the sake of a free flow of independent and uncensored information and communication on all sides.