Serbia: Alliance for Animal Rights makes history in Belgrade

"We must make a strong Alliance. United we will be stronger!"

Citizens from all over Serbia gather to protest peacefully

by Pamela Benbow, Best Friends Network

With these words, history was made in central Belgrade on April 24. The Alliance for Animal Rights, a 7-member community of animal groups from all over Serbia, staged the first national protest against animal abuse in the history of the country.

Belgrade has seen protests on behalf of animals before, says Slavica Mazak Beslic, who uttered the words above as organizer of the protest and President of FRIEND-EPAR, a member of the Allliance. But before, these demonstrations were local. Last Tuesday, the abused and homeless animals of Serbia found a national voice!

The protest began with a demonstration in front of the Serbian Government Building. For one minute, silence reigned as honor was paid to animals everywhere who have died as victims of cruelty, ignorance, and abuse.

Following the silent tribute, the Alliance handed over to the government of Serbia an OIPA international petition against the massacre of dogs and cats in Serbia. The 32,000-signature petition was delivered to Serbian Ministers, as well as to the President and Prime Minister. Letters of concern regarding the Animal Protection Law were also handed to government representatives.

Then the demonstration began in earnest. The protesters marched to the Serbian Parliament Building, where citizens of Belgrade and demonstrators together listened as speakers talked of animal abuse and spoke eloquently for animal rights in Serbia.

The spokesperson for the Alliance, a striking figure with long red hair and a blue jacket, Snezana Tadic comes from the city of Sombor, where she is President of the Animal Protection Society ZOV, an Alliance member. Those who had gathered were surprised to find Tadic's strong voice and oratorical skills followed by the voice of a little girl.

The surprising speaker was Selena R., a 10-year-old third grader and animal activist, a passionate advocate for the homeless dogs she rescues and feeds. Selena and another young girl, Jelena--both brimming with rescuer stories--are only two of a group of children who will stage street demonstrations for the animals this summer when school is out!

Young and old alike turned out for the animals. An elderly woman with white hair, dressed in somber gray, joined ranks with the protestors.

"She has loved animals all her life," Slavica Beslic heard the old woman say. "She is very happy to see us, how we are fighting for animal rights. Never before did this woman see such a thing," Slavica added, "and she is very glad because she is not alone now. But all her life she was alone for animals. So she said."

[Update from Slavica Beslic:

"At this moment, we still don't know the name of the older woman who was a protestor with us. But as she said, she has been all her life alone in the matter of animal rights."

"Now," Slavica continues, "she is very glad because we exist. The older woman lives in Belgrade and came alone on foot to the protest and demonstration!" ]

Others got the chance to speak, too. People spoke about problems with dogcatchers in their cities, with hunters, and with their dog or cat shelters.

And all the time in the background, participants heard the haunting voice of Mariana Daines, singing her song "Monkey in a Cage." It was, of course, the 24th of April--International Lab Animal Day.

Dressed smartly in a dark suit, Slavica Beslic held up one of many signs:

"Freedom for Felix," was printed in large red letters on a white board.

The Serbian protestors were strong in their support for the UK campaign to “Free Felix the Monkey," who is caged in a lab at Oxford University.
Letters of protest against experimentation on animals were handed to the UK Ambasador in Belgrade as part of the larger protest.

Another event occurred when five representatives of the Alliance for Animal Rights Serbia handed protest letters against the brutal massacre of seals in Canada to the Canadian Ambassador in Belgrade

Finally, five representatives from the Alliance delivered letters addressed to the Government of China, letters protesting brutal mass exterminations of dogs and cats.

But it wasn't all over yet! In front of the Serbian Government Building, the protestors, so Slavica Beslic reports, "found one stray-cat."

"She is now by me," Slavica adds, "together with my 30 cats. She is very thin, but healthy!"

So the first national protest against animal abuse in Serbia is now a chapter in the history books. It's too bad that this courageous action of speaking the truth to power was attended by only 2 TV and 2 radio stations. Slavica had notified 20!

The only newspaper so far to write up the march is the GLAS JAVNOSTI, and while their article misspelled Slavica's name, we are grateful for a story!

But this story will spread beyond the borders of Serbia, and internet activists will be sure that the world knows of the bravery of Slavica, Snezana, Selena, Jelena, and the anonymous white-haired woman who will never feel alone in her life again.

"These are the first steps for our Alliance for Animal Rights," Slavica tells International Friends. "We must make a strong Alliance, for united we will be stronger. Now we have 7 good organisations as members, and I hope we will be useful for animals in the future!"

What You Can Do:

Visit the Alliance for Animal Rights Serbia website:

FRIEND-EPAR at http://www.epar.org.yu

AND

OIPA, the NGO associated with the UN Department of Public Information, can be found here:

http://www.oipa.org/abandonment/news/aliance.html

SELENA, the 10-year-old animal activist:

http://www.spasioci.bravehost.com/Rescuers.html

http://www.spasioci.bravehost.com/

http://veganbgd.bravejournal.com/archive/04/24/2007

http://www.veganportalbgd.bravehost.com/SR269.html

Photo: FRIEND-EPAR Protest at the Serbian Parliament Building in Belgrade. Left to right: Snezana Tadic, unidentified woman no longer alone, Slavica Mazak Beslic, and a demonstrator from the Alliance.