WASHINGTON (CNN) -- About 5,000 people carrying anti-war signs and pamphlets converged on Washington Saturday to protest NATO's air campaign against Yugoslavia.

They gathered at the Vietnam War Memorial to show what organizers called similarities between the two conflicts.

Sarah Flounder, an organizer of the anti-NATO rally, told CNN that the U.S. government and the mainstream media were to blame for what has happened in Kosovo.

"We're going to send a message of our own that the American people do not agree with what our government is doing over there," said Flounder.

Other protesters were upset with CNN and accused the network of being a U.S. propaganda machine. However, they refused to answer specific questions about CNN's alleged role.

The rally included songs from children, speeches from critics of NATO military action and prayers. The protesters then marched from Washington to Virginia for a rally on Pentagon grounds.

Protesters said they felt bound to turn out for Saturday's march even though peace may be at hand. The American role in the bombing is still wrong, no matter the war's outcome, several speakers said.

As of Saturday afternoon, park police officers reported no violence or arrests associated with the rally.

RELATED SITES:

Yugoslavia:
  • Federal Republic of Yugoslavia official site
      • Kesovo and Metohija facts
  • Serbia Ministry of Information
  • Serbia Now! News

Kosovo:
  • Kosova Crisis Center
  • Kosova Liberation Peace Movement
  • Kosovo - from Albanian.com

Military:
  • NATO official site
  • BosniaLINK - U.S. Dept. of Defense
  • U.S. Navy images from Operation Allied Force
  • U.K. Ministry of Defence - Kosovo news
  • U.K. Royal Air Force - Kosovo news
  • Jane's Defence - Kosovo Crisis

Resettlement Agencies Helping Kosovars in U.S.:
  • Church World Service
  • Episcopal Migration Ministries
  • Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
  • Iowa Department of Human Services
  • International Rescue Committee
  • Immigration and Refugee Services of America
  • Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
  • United States Catholic Conference

Relief:
  • World Relief
  • Doctors without borders
  • U.S. Agency for International Development (Kosovo aid)
  • Doctors of the World
  • InterAction
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • International Committee of the Red Cross
  • Kosovo Humanitarian Disaster Forces Hundreds of Thousands from their Homes
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • Kosovo Relief
  • ReliefWeb: Home page
  • The Jewish Agency for Israel
  • Mercy International
  • UNHCR

Media:
  • Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
  • Independent Yugoslav radio stations B92
  • Institute for War and Peace Reporting
  • United States Information Agency - Kosovo Crisis

Other:
  • Expanded list of related sites on Kosovo
  • 1997 view of Kosovo from space - Eurimage

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