Belgrade
June 3, 1999

ON MEDIA

Over the past seventy two days, ever since the NATO bombings started –
in the intermezzos between detonations (and while there has been
electricity) – we, the Yugoslav sociologists, have been trying to form a
complete view of what has been going on, on the grounds of various
domestic sources, our own experiences, of course, and information we
have collected by watching CNN, Sky News, BBC, RAI etc.(via satellite).

”Cherishing methodical suspicion” we usually consider the main principle
in reaching significant and valid sociological data and insights. Yet,
we confess, there was a certain prejudice (Vorurteil), quite widespread
among us, that the Western media – due to the fact that a relatively
long democratic tradition underlay their modus operandi – were offering
an objective view of the Yugoslav drama. Alas! It was an entirely naïve
assumption. For it is plain now: the main Western electronic media,
particularly British and American, so far have been mostly (if not
entirely) engaged in justifying the NATO aggression; and in persuading
their public that there is a humanitarian catastrophe of the Albanian
refugees and, on the other hand, a military action that should prevent
its escalation. No one can deny that a horrible exodus of the ethnic
Albanians has been under way, and that it is still going on. It is true
as well that:
a) the refugee flow drastically increased with the NATO bombings (as, by
the way, Commanding General Wesley Clark had predicted!?!), and
b) due to the NATO bombings some quite appalling events have happened in
Yugoslavia.

Regarding the latter, just few facts may clearly illustrate what has
happened up to now:
1. about 1500 civilians have been killed (in two recent days only – 30,
31 May – 60) and over 6000 injured (these events, as is already widely
known, have usually been ”softened” by the NATO authorities’ cynical
hocus-pocus neologism: ”collateral damage”);
2. the latest estimates suggest that over two million men, women and
children within Yugoslavia have no material means to survive any more
(each day of bombing dramatically increases the number);
3. in some parts of Serbia ecological damage is so severe that the word
”catastrophe” might soon become a mere euphemism;
4. terrifying sounds of the air-raid alarms, NATO jets and bomb
detonations over the past 72 days have turned almost every night (and
day) into a nightmare, causing serious distresses, particularly among
children;
5. by destroying the electricity network and water supply systems, the
NATO bombings have caused acute suffering of the entire population,
particularly of its most vulnerable part (patients, babies, pregnant
women...). Etc.

What do the Western electronic media usually do when they inform about
the Yugoslav tragedy? Our general impression – based though on a
systematic watching of their reports – is: their main concern are the
Albanian refugees (these reports always include stirring pictures from
the Albanian and Macedonian refugee camps and interviews with the
afflicted Albanian men, women and children). That would be quite
correct, we admit, if the NATO actions caused no serious sufferings of
the rest of civilian population in Yugoslavia. But, it is not so. Why,
then, we wonder, BBC, CNN, Sky News, etc., have obstinately practiced an
obvious (quantitative and qualitative) disproportion in informing about
sufferings of the Albanian refugees and of the rest of the Yugoslav
population. A simple but principle question that follows is: why
misfortune of about one million men, women and children (no matter who
they are) is very much important and, on the other hand, sufferings of
nearly ten million civilians deserve quite a modest attention? As a
matter of fact, there were some reports that were underlain by an
objective approach (e.g., Tim Marshal’s report – Sky News – on
sufferings of the citizens of Novi Sad, on 26 May, at 10 PM); these were
the exceptions though. All right, let’s say: c’est la guerre! That is to
say, there are ”us” and ”them”; ”we” are good guys, and ”they” are bad
guys (the enemy); so, ”our” (i.e. Western) media should then show that
”we” are right, noble, moral..., and that ”they” are wrong, primitive,
immoral and so on. On principle, this logic (of war propaganda) would be
appropriate, and understandable and acceptable – but in an eventual WW
III, for instance. In this very case, however, such reasoning faces some
serious, both formal and substantial obstacles:
a) the NATO aggression is an obvious and drastic violation of
international law, UN Charter, the NATO founding act, etc. – (nota
bene!) at the end of the twentieth century!;
b) the war against Yugoslavia has never been proclaimed!;
c) the so-called collateral damages have become so frequent that one
could reasonably ask what is supposed to be appropriate or, so to say,
legitimate damage(?); besides, they have brought about numerous civilian
victims on both sides, so that the question: whom they (the NATO
authorities and their political masters) are protecting anyway, is
simply unavoidable;
d) the life of almost ten million civilians in Yugoslavia has been
reduced to desperate attempts, often unsuccessful though, to escape from
”la danse macabre” of the NATO missiles, so another crucial question is:
how can an action, of which the aim is preventing a humanitarian
catastrophe, be acceptable when it causes sufferings of almost ten times
larger (civilian) population? Etc.

As far as we know, such questions have never been posed by journalists
of the Western electronic media. This implies that they are indifferent
to the very basis (both formal and substantial) of their views and
reports, or – and that would certainly be far worse – that they are
consciously avoiding it. In any case, however, it is plain: dubious
and/or wrong fundaments can hardly provide right information. Our
intention (of the members of the Yugoslav Sociological Association) over
the past two months has been to call your attention to another side of
the Yugoslav tragedy; the one that has been insufficiently exposed by
the Western electronic media. The materials (appeals, information,
analyses, statements...) that we have made and disseminated all over the
world, have no other function than to enable you, our colleagues, to
gain an objective insight into the real nature of the NATO aggression.
Although these massages might seem a mere propaganda, our views have
never contained deliberate exaggerations. It is also worth mentioning,
we think that we have never been influenced by any agency of the actual
regime; by our very personal experiences – and sufferings – we confess,
our words have been influenced very much, though (yet, always under the
motto: ”sine ira et studio”). If, however, in your opinion, the latter
lessens our objectivity – there is nothing we can do about it. For we
have no immunity; missiles (no matter how ”clever” they are) hit
sociologists (and their families) too! Just to remind you: between 350
and over 750 jets fly above our heads every day and night; about 500
missiles fall on our cities, villages, houses, hospitals, schools,
roads, bridges, factories, fields, rivers, lakes... and, of course, on
men, women and children every day and night. These are quite significant
”soci(ologic)al facts”, aren’t they? We’ve been facing them continually
(72 days!) and – thoroughly. Can you assimilate them, really? Well, with
a certain hermeneutical effort – that, among other things, implies
acceptance of reports broadcast by your (or ”your”) media with even a
modest ”methodical suspicion” – we believe, you can; you will realize
then, from our point of view they are horribly (to us even deadly)
coercive.  New rules of sociological method? No! An impertinent short
lecture? No! Just an appeal to join us in our efforts to provide a
complete view of what is going on in our country. For the sake of both
the Albanian refugees and innocent civilians in Yugoslavia.

Presidency of the Yugoslav Sociological Association

Yugoslav Sociological Association
Studentski trg 1,
11000 Belgrade,
Yugoslavia
Phone: ++381 11 637 115
E-mail:    ysa@afrodita.rcub.bg.ac.yu
                ysa@f.bg.ac.yu
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