Academics in Kosovo have recently
felt the heavy hand of government in the hallowed halls of academia.
Internet access has been curtailed, and professors have been
made to sign loyalty pledges in order to keep their jobs. Apparently,
it was all because of one of those pesky cartoons. The immediate
motive for blocking OpenNet access appears to have been a link
on the website to a political cartoon that showed Teososic in
a Nazi uniform giving a Nazi salute. The cartoon also portrayed
another newly-appointed administrator, Milos Laban as a monkey.
Corax advises us that the
author of the photomontage noted above is not he, but that the
author of the photomontage is still in great danger in Kosovo
and to mention his name would put him at risk.
But Corax himself is also
under the microscope. In Corax's words: "People here think
that President Milosevic doesn't make any trouble to me because
in that way he can show to the West that the independent press
exists here. There is a journalist here that claims that it happened
during the visit of Richard Holbrooke. When Mr. Milosevic showed
him my cartoons in newspapers asking him: "has those newspapers
been forbidden and is the cartoonist in prison?"
I guess Corax has become
the exception that proves the rule.
More from Corax: "...
and I had lots of problems especially because of the cartoons
which were referred to Milosevic, his wife, Karadzic and Mladic
and some others. My exhibition, which had to take place in the
center of Belgrade, was forbidden. I also was put on trial ,
but the prosecutor stopped the charges otherwise he (said) would
be very funny."
Cartoonists Relief Network
is watching Corax very closely. There is a possibility that he
may be arrested or even disappeared if the press crackdown continues
or intensifies in Kosovo.
Source
Agencies:
Committee to Protect Journalists
Reporters sans Frontieres
International Federation of Journalists
International Freedom of Expression Clearing House
Human Rights Watch
Amnesty International
World Association of Newspapers
The NEWSEUM
And other human rights organizations that cannot now be mentioned.
Your suggestions
and comments are appreciated. E-mail Robert Russell
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