Riot Police Battle Right-Wing Serbian Nationalists.
Serbian turns corner embracing democratic values
EXCLUSIVE – By Tanya Domi
Editor’s note: Tanya Domi has an extensive background in human rights and LGBTÂ politics, both domestic and international. (See her bio below.) This is her first official piece as a regular contributor to The New Civil Rights Movement.
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2010–For the first time in Serbian history, an estimated 1,000 gay pride marchers hit the streets of Belgrade today, under the protection of hundreds of riot police, who were forced to deploy tear gas to protect marchers, as they battled right-wing nationalist rioters who attacked the parade at various points by throwing bricks, bottles and upending vehicles, along its route in downtown Belgrade.
Nearly 140 persons were injured; mostly police and 17 civilians, of whom 57 sought medical attention, according to B92 News. Police used armored vehicles in battle with more than 6,000 right-wing “hooligans,†who sang patriotic football songs while throwing bricks, stones and bottles at police. B92 also reports that 207 were arrested and 100 remain in jail tonight.
Serbian Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar ÄŒiplić and representatives of the ruling Democratic Party, the Liberal party, NGOs and European Union joined the LGBT marchers in solidarity behind a banner that said “We Can Together†while chanting “together against fascismâ€.
What a difference a year makes, when Prime Minister Mirko Cvetokic in 2009 told LGBT organizers that they could not hold a Pride parade because of safety concerns and if they persisted to march they would be found financially liable for all damages to city property.
President Boris Tadic’s government, feeling the pressure of European Union accession criteria that stipulates to adopting non-discrimination legislation against LGBT persons (and demonstrated respect for the rule of law) and added pressure increased with wide public support by the International Community urging Belgrade to host a successful gay pride parade after a decade of unfulfilled efforts by dedicated LGBT activists. Tadic’s Western leaning government finally came through by putting a significant and well organized police presence on the streets of Belgrade.
The Serbian political ruling class came face-to-face with its violent legacy of xenophobic nationalism today as the streets of Belgrade became a new battleground against fellow Serbian citizens who are gay. This new target is not a significant departure from its sordid recent past as Serb nationalists in power targeted and demonized “other†populations and perpetuated horrific crimes against Bosniaks, Croats and Kosovars in neighboring states.
These hooligans tout themselves as patriotic and religious Serbs who protect all that is sacred about Serbia according to their definition and are entwined with radical elements of the Serbian Orthodox Church, creating a clero-fascism axis that remains a potent political force within Serbia today. An illustration of just how perverse the thinking of Serbian Orthodox priests about gays was in evidence after the march concluded when priests descended on “sacred space†in downtown Belgrade, issuing prayers while “cleansing†with incense, which had been “polluted†by the presence of homosexuals, according to local sources to this blog.
What is different now, is that Tadic, together with State Prosecutor Tomo Zorić, immediately announced after Pride had concluded that prosecutors and the police will take all necessary steps to identify rioters engaged in attacks on the police and marchers and were firm in commitment to enforce the rule of law for crimes of intolerance.
Despite the violence, Serbia turned a corner today toward embrace of Democratic values and rule of law in its efforts to support those among them who are LGBT. The government enforced the right to freedom of expression and assembly as LGBT proudly walked the streets of Belgrade for the first time in history.
Nonetheless, the government has considerable unfinished business: an important arrest awaits fugitive Bosnian General Ratko Mladic, believed to be living in Serbia, who is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity and must be turned over to the International War Crimes Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague, Netherlands. Ongoing cooperation with the Court is a necessary hurdle for Serbia’s admission to the EU.
After the Pride march concluded today, marchers and their supporters held a party to celebrate. Despite the violence, LGBT marchers and their supporters had reason to celebrate and so should the government, who finally has thus far, taken all the actions expected of a well functioning democracy.
Tanya L. Domi is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, who teaches about human rights in Eurasia and is a Harriman Institute affiliated faculty member. Prior to teaching at Columbia, Domi worked internationally for more than a decade on issues related to democratic transitional development, including political and media development, human rights, gender issues, sex trafficking, and media freedom. Her previous work in Bosnia and Herzegovina implementing the Dayton Peace Accords, 1996-2000, included stints as chair for the OSCE Media Experts Commission during the 1998 general elections, counselor to U.S. Amb. Robert Barry and as executive assistant to the late U.S. Amb. Robert Frowick. She later served as Spokesperson and Director of Press and Public Information under Amb. Barry, 1999-2000.
Prior to working abroad, Domi became a nationally known LGBT rights activist in the United States as the legislative director and military freedom initiative director at the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce, 1992-1994, where she worked to repeal the ban on lesbians and gays who served in the military and was directly involved in drafting and original introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 1994. She has been actively involved in the effort to repeal DADT during the past two years as a blogger and speaker, with expertise as a result of her 15 years of service in the U.S. Army as an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer.
Domi has worked in a dozen countries and most recently was a consultant in Southern Sudan where she provided training on developing presentation skills to the public and the media for the president, vice-president and several cabinet ministers of the Government of Southern Sudan. Domi has a Masters of Arts in Human Rights from Columbia University, with a regional specialty in East Central Europe and The Balkans.