The Abuse of a Death

This week's statement by experts of the Medical Institute in Belgrade officially confirmed what the public had known for weeks: Predrag Starcevic, a pro-opposition demonstrator, died from a ruptured spleen and internal hemorrhage after sustaining multiple injuries caused by heavy blows.

Doctor Branimir Aleksandric, the head of the institute's autopsy commission, told reporters earlier this week that the injuries had been caused by a solid, oval sausage-shaped object, such as a truncheon, a baseball bat or an iron rod. The only thing he could not say for certain was which object exactly was used in the beating of Predrag Starcevic.

The autopsy was done on December 25 last year, and the events surrounding Starcevic's death actually reflect the nature of the country we live in, the doctors treating us, the police beating us and the regime prepared to abuse even the death of an individual for "higher interests".

An unrealistic version of Starcevic's death was first brought by the daily Politika Ekspres, which said that Starcevic was an alcoholic who died from heart failure, which was not caused by beating of any kind. The daily said it had reliable sources and witnesses. Not even medical experts could stand such blatant disrespect for a dead man, so they addressed the public prior to the chemical and toxicological tests and embarrassed a daily which had brought shame upon itself much earlier.

After a violent clash between supporters of the Zajedno coalition and pro-Milosevic demonstrators on a Belgrade motorway (the police still haven't released an official statement that the incident even occurred), one Predrag Starcevic died, having sustained multiple injuries to the body, the institute experts said.

Starcevic, badly wounded, was taken from one hospital to another that fatal evening. First he was taken to Zemun hospital, and then inexplicably sent to the emergency centre, even though the hospital was equipped with the most sophisticated devices needed for emergency and complicated operations.

Back in the former Yugoslavia, the hospital was the largest admittance centre for those injured in car accidents on the Belgrade-Zagreb highway. All doctors and even the hospital director refused to talk to the press. Now, it is quite clear why. Their report on Starecvic stated a whole lot of things but no injuries to the head and body. They even said they suspected the patient came in drunk so they sent him to the VMA toxicological department. There, his condition deteriorated so he was taken to the emergency centre. That is where Predrag Starcevic died.

There was no news of Starcevic's death for two days. The authorities acted as if nothing had happened, while deputy director of the emergency centre Rade Vasilic dutifully reported on the condition of Ivica Lazovic who was shot in the head by a Milosevic supporter, but said nothing about the death of Starcevic. Vasilic pronounced Starcevic dead on December 26 and said the autopsy was in progress. Even he mentioned the possibility of heart failure only to deny the theory hours later, while the public learned that the autopsy was still in progress.

What was it that caused fear among medics in the Starcevic case ? A bad diagnosis, pro-opposition supporters, admitting someone protesting against the regime, or their superiors maybe ? An eminent Belgrade university professor, Bogdan Beleslin, was injured in the clashes. The doctors once again kept quiet while students and other individuals drew attention to the incident. Doctors ought to be worried by the fact that Belgraders injured in clashes with the police or pro-regime supporters were reluctant to ask for treatment in the emergency centre, fearing they will be taken away by police instead of being admitted to hospital where they stood a fair chance of getting a wrong diagnosis.

Having found themselves in a rift lying between their oath, the regime and its police, the doctors opted for anonymous communication with the public. That is better than nothing. If that is made impossible too, we will not be able to go to the hospital with our lives hanging in the balance. With the present situation, this state of affairs which is a shame to the doctors' oath and morale, will last for some time to come. Perhaps it is time to point fingers at some people before Predrag Starcevic's fate befalls someone else.