Tummy Rumbles Speak Louder than Words

Last Friday Aleksandra Jankovic, the MP of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO), gave a short statement to the reporters from the Parliament that the group of parliament members of SPO in the Serbian Parliament had decided to go on a hunger strike. Mladen Markov, her senior colleague, "touched wood" and said that it was only an initiative, adding that the party had yet to take a decision on it. He also said that one should take heed of radicalism and look after the party which had been threatened with banning. A minute later Aleksandra convincingly confirmed the information to a reporter of VREME that they would go on a hunger strike, regardless of what might be decided. This took place during the parliament session which was interrupted every time the SPO MP's mentioned the letter where Vuk Draskovic announced he would be on hunger strike till he dies. Tomislav Nikolic, the member of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), proposed that the live broadcast be discontinued, which the voting machine accepted. Most MP's were in the corridors and rest in the Parliament Hall. A reader would find it very difficult to imagine the atmosphere of indifference which then prevailed in the corridors of the Parliament building. A photocopy of Draskovic's letter passed hands. At midnight on Friday a group of parliament members of the Serbian Renewal Movement went on hunger strike near the monument to Prince Mihajlo. Due to some irony, rather than the intentions of the authorities, the waiters organized a race nearby the next day. A hunger strike is a quiet and monotonous demonstration. The only dramatic thing about it is that it seems it will end on its own any minute. That was a fight against time, one's own body and nerves in the July sun. The local people, who by rule have as much persistence to last one rally only or one round of voting provided that the weather is nice, are at a loss how to behave on such occasions. Many would stand by for a while, some of them enjoying their ice-cream, and then leave. Most of them would watch the strikers from a distance, leaving enough empty space in front of them. However, this story has revealed something which was not a commonplace in the local politics characterized by envy, disputes, bad-mouthing and forgetting about debts. It revealed a debt of honor. One debt of honor was paid by the members of the Civic Alliance, who managed to break the silence which ensued after the violence of June 1st. They simply remembered Vuk Draskovic, the leader of a national party, joining them in the moments of hardship when they protested against the war, not only on New Year's Eve when he arrived in front of the Serbian Presidency building to light a candle for peace in frozen snow but also on may other occasions when he gave them support and even protection. The other debt of honor was paid by the MP's of the Serbian Renewal Movement. One of them is Mihajlo Markovic whose injury triggered the dangerous events in June. He was the one who cried when they were visited by Mrs. Danielle Miterrand. Tears were also shed when the decision taken by the Supreme Court arrived. The hunger strike itself is not the only accomplishment, as we are all hungry, but we keep it secret. Neither is a demonstration of civic courage which is a rarity here. What is an accomplishment is that at a time when all values have been lost these people have shown to everybody who wanted to see it that all they were doing was inspired by friendly love. From some point of view, the following night will be perceived one day as their personal victory ("if the SPO breaks up, the People will remain"). They stayed there in spite of political disputes, depressing speculations, a feeling of helplessness and extremely pessimistic prognoses, despite the news on prolonged custody and the hailstorm (meteorologists call it "The Great Monster". It was late this year, as it usually strikes between the 15th and 25th of June.)

At first they sought shelter behind the monument, and then in the nearby cars, but they stayed, nevertheless. This kind of unyielding devotion might seem absurd to some, but by rule it does baffle the authorities who do not know what to do on such occasions. Their reactions ranged from haughty contempt to threats with force. No one could otherwise account for so many armed policemen who broke up those most persistent, while the next morning proved that such a massive armed force was pulled in vain.