The New York Times

Tuesday, June 29, 1999

Serb Orthodox Leaders Denounce Milosevic's Policies as Criminal

By CARLOTTA GALL

GRACANICA, Yugoslavia -- The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the senior bishop of Kosovo joined Monday to denounced Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, saying that his policies are criminal and are the root of the evil done in Kosovo.

Speaking at a news conference at the 14th-century Orthodox monastery here, the head of the church, Patriarch Pavle, said if Serbia could survive only through crime then it should not survive at all.

"If the only way to create a greater Serbia is by crime," Pavle said, "then I do not accept that, and let that Serbia disappear. And also if a lesser Serbia can only survive by crime, let it also disappear. And if all the Serbs had to die and only I remained and I could live only by crime, then I would not accept that, it would be better to die."

The church delivered its most recent denunciation of Milosevic's policies in Kosovo on the 10th anniversary of his famous speech in Kosovo that set the course for a decade of conflict. The message from the church follows a call two weeks ago by the Serbian Orthodox Holy Synod for Milosevic to resign.

Beside the patriarch Monday was Bishop Artemije, the most senior representative of the church in Kosovo, who was even more pointed in his criticism.

"We are both aware, as God knows, how much evil has been done in the course of the last year and especially in the last three months," Artemije said. "The great part of the guilt lies with Milosevic."

Artemije also faulted separatist extremists of the Kosovo Liberation Army for the violence, but he said the hatred and revenge exacted by the Albanians was understandable.

"What is not understandable is the suffering caused by the undemocratic regime of Milosevic," the bishop said. "The Orthodox Church has called for the resignation of Milosevic, not because we lost the war in Kosovo, but because we think the problem could have been resolved peacefully."

A letter with a similar message was released Monday. Customarily, such letters are passed on to parish priests who may read them to their congregations.

Both clergymen deplored the violence against the Kosovo Albanians, as well as the violence against ethnic Serbs and the Orthodox Church in Kosovo. They called for NATO to step up its efforts to protect Serbs.

Four monasteries and churches have been desecrated or burned in the last two weeks, since NATO security forces arrived. One priest has been abducted and one in Pec has been threatened, Artemije said.

The patriarch was visiting Kosovo on one of the holiest days of the year for Kosovo Serbs, the anniversary of the battle of Kosovo Polje, when the Serbs were defeated by the Turks in 1389. Kosovo Polje is considered sacred ground by the Serbs, who define the defeat there as the beginning of their struggle to preserve Christianity despite pressure to convert to Islam.

NATO forces were prepared for a rise in tension during the day and British troops increased their presence on the streets of Pristina, the capital. American troops announced a curfew in their sector in eastern Kosovo, which they regard as one of the most contentious areas because it has a higher proportion of ethnic Serbs than elsewhere.

U.S. Marines came under fire again on Sunday night, when they investigated a burning house near Gnjilane. A gunman fired on the patrol and ran off. One soldier was hit by concrete fragments from the impact of the bullet, but otherwise there were no injuries, a NATO spokesman said.