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Protesters return to Belgrade streets after violence
December 25, 1996
Web posted at: 10:45 a.m. EST (1545 GMT)BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- Opposition demonstrators poured into the streets of Belgrade Christmas Day, continuing their defiance of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic a day after violence erupted between his supporters and opponents.
One opposition demonstrator was shot in the head on Tuesday, and two others suffered stab wounds. As many as 60 others were hurt as opposition and pro-government groups clashed in the streets.
For 36 days, opposition demonstrators have filled the streets of Belgrade -- sometimes with as many as 200,000 people -- to protest a government decision to overturn a series of November 17 municipal elections won by the opposition.
Vuk Draskovic, one of the leaders of the opposition movement Together, accused Milosevic of deliberately trying to spark a civil war. Tuesday's counter-demonstrators, he said, were "drunk and armed people Mr. Milosevic brought ... with the aim of provoking bloodshed."
Even so, Milosevic's Socialist Party mustered only 40,000 people to support the embattled president after promising half a million.
Milosevic spoke briefly to his supporters Tuesday, accusing the opposition of being enemies of the state and charging they were agents of international governments.
"They all wanted to weaken us, but I will tell you, out of all their attempts, we will come out not weaker, but stronger," he said. "And that is because Serbia always comes united when it is under pressures and threats. Nobody will divide it and it will never accept becoming somebody's servant."
The Clinton administration Tuesday accused the Belgrade regime of provoking violence against opposition demonstrators. The United States repeated its call for "all sides" in Belgrade to "exercise maximum restraint" and condemned the violence of pro-Milosevic government demonstrators.
Correspondent Steve Harrigan andReuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Milosevic opponents won't back down, despite shooting - December 24, 1996
- Milosevic supporters, foes clash in Belgrade - December 24, 1996
- Opposition reorganizes as Milosevic stages counter-protests - December 22, 1996
- Tensions continue amid talks in Yugoslavia - December 21, 1996
- Milosevic's wife, opponents warn of civil war - December 20, 1996
Related sites:
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- Belgrade History
- Yurope Yugoslavia
- Yugoslavia.com
- Yurope on-line
- RADIO B92 Back on the Air
- The Protest of '96
- Univerzitetski Radio Index
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