Serbia and Montenegro: Women in Black action against the law on churches
Source:
Women in Black/Zene u crnom Beograd Women in Black activists organise against the increased power of the Serbian Orthodox Church, denouncing its fundamentalist character.
The activists of Women in Black Network from entire Serbia organized on Friday, April 28, at the Republic Square in Belgrade performance "We want democracy, and not theocracy", protesting against the adoption of the Law on Churches and religious communities and against the decision of the President of Serbia Boris Tadic to sign the mentioned law.
Activists from more than 20 towns from Serbia and activists of the international Women in Black Network from tens of Italian towns were carrying banners: "President Tadic, you have violeted the Constitution!", "The Church must be separated from the State", "More preservatives, and less religion classes", "We are in control of our bodies, minds and money", "We give birth if we want, when we want, and with whom we want".
Stasa Zajovic, the coordinator of Women in Black, has stated that "We consider Tadic's signature to be a crush not only to the civil society and peace movement, but to all democratic forces. Tadic's signature represents the fulfilling of the demands of retrograde fundamentalist forces in this country. By the adoption of this Law, the process of the theocratization of the State is increased and speeded up, and also, by this Law, the Serbian Orthodox Church becomes not only autonomous, but also the one of the most important political factors in the country.
This represents a kind of approval of the politics of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which not only that did not distance of, but has actively participated in the production of hatred, war and the uprising of war criminals to heroes. It is totally insensate that, in the country where 50% of schools do not have a telephone, and 30% do not have toilets, to built more than 200 churches."
That weekend, after the protest action, the second stage of our training "Warning signs of fundamentalisms - feminist responses" was held.
In Solidarity,
Women in Black/Zene u crnom Beograd
Jug Bogdanova 18/5
tel/fax +381 11 2623225
www.zeneucrnom.org
Stasa Zajovic, the coordinator of Women in Black, has stated that "We consider Tadic's signature to be a crush not only to the civil society and peace movement, but to all democratic forces. Tadic's signature represents the fulfilling of the demands of retrograde fundamentalist forces in this country. By the adoption of this Law, the process of the theocratization of the State is increased and speeded up, and also, by this Law, the Serbian Orthodox Church becomes not only autonomous, but also the one of the most important political factors in the country.
This represents a kind of approval of the politics of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which not only that did not distance of, but has actively participated in the production of hatred, war and the uprising of war criminals to heroes. It is totally insensate that, in the country where 50% of schools do not have a telephone, and 30% do not have toilets, to built more than 200 churches."
That weekend, after the protest action, the second stage of our training "Warning signs of fundamentalisms - feminist responses" was held.
In Solidarity,
Women in Black/Zene u crnom Beograd
Jug Bogdanova 18/5
tel/fax +381 11 2623225
www.zeneucrnom.org
