Tuesday, May 25, 1999

Do Serb civilians believe the stories coming from the refugees?

    Q: Do Serb civilians understand or believe the stories coming from the refugees?

    People do believe/understand those stories to a certain level. That there has been police brutality (in the last two years especially), that now refugees flee Yugoslav Army as well as NATO airplanes as well as KLA (caught between three fires): yes. But the general opinion is that most of the stories (broadcasted on CNN, SKYnews etc) are excessive, especially those of mass rapes, murdering children, and elderly people.

    Serbs have been falsely accused for atrocities on several occasions (during the wars in Croatia and Bosnia) and presented as "butchers" in foreign media. These stories you mention are considered to be just a continuation of presenting all Serbs as 20th century butchers.

Brad, mars.ark.com