Danish soldiers beat prioress of Sokolica

Monastery in Mitrovica

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[Emperor's Clothes]

Emperor's clothes note: NATO's 'explanation'

was they thought she was an Egyptian woman

because Egyptians dress like Orthodox nuns.

Apparently, beating an Egyptian would be

acceptable.

'Politika' [Yugoslav newspaper]

Kosovska Mitrovica, August 22

The arrogant behavior of members of KFOR and

the UNMIK police in the northern part of

Kosovo during "routine" controls at permanent

and temporary check-points has exceeded all

measure in recent days. For three days now

hardly anyone can pass along the main road

from Kosovska Mitrovica - Leposavic by the

newly formed checkpoint at the spot called

"Kod Simonide" ("At Simonida's"), held by

Danish soldiers, without being subjected to

mistreatment, a detailed search and beatings

as well. Danish soldiers at this check-point

are especially rough toward the clergy.

Recently they stopped the prioress of Sokolica

Monastery, Mother Dr. Makarija (Obradovic),

who was returning from Kraljevo to the

monastery, and forced her to get out of the

automobile by beating her.

"They stopped me and since I could not

understand what they were saying, I answered

that I could communicate with them in either

Serbian, or in the English, German, Greek or

Slovenian languages and I simply did not

understand what they were saying. At that

moment, one of the soldiers swung his arm

and struck me on the neck. Humiliated, in pain

which caused me to see stars in the middle of

the day, I reacted humanly, as any elderly

woman would. I cried while they searched my

automobile," the prioress of Sokolica

monastery, Dr. Makarija, told us.

An artist herself and a former professer of

Byzantine art at the Swedish Royal Academy,

Dr. Makarija was a professor of physical

chemistry at the University of Belgrade prior

to taking her vows; for the past ten years,

she has been the head of the one of the most

renowned schools of iconography, besides

Krska, which is located inside Sokolica

Monastery, seven kilometers from Kosovska

Mitrovica.

Even more ironically, she subsequently

received a cynical explanation from KFOR that

the Danish soldiers thought she was an

Egyptian woman because women of that

country wear black dresses similiar to the

robes worn by Christian Orthodox nuns.

M. L.

Translated by S. Lazovic (August 23, 2000)

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