Greece's renowned composer Mikis Theodorakis took center stage in a highly successful concert on 26/4, held in downtown Athens in support of the Yugoslav people, denouncing NATO's raids against their country. Facing a cheering crowd, Mr. Theodorakis stated:
 

The leaders of the NATO member-states yesterday (Sunday) signed -

• a death sentence for the United Nations
• death of international right
• law of the jungle
• the right of the strongest.

• judge,
• sentence
• punish

I do not think it an exaggeration to say that we are about to enter another Middle Age era. So, get a hold of warm, wool clothing, mufflers, gloves, bitter cold lies ahead.

As I have stated since the start of the raids, all that is being said about ethnic cleansing is merely pretext.

I have said that they don't care about dialogue and agreements; their sole aim is to turn the heretic Yugoslavia into scorched earth.

And they intend to do just that, transform Serbia into a desert, if they don't find any resistance.

A desert made up of dust and blood, displaying it to the next victims, warning them : look, this is what lies ahead if you don't succumb.

We, the Greeks, should be proud since we were the only ones who all together and in unison said NO TO BARBARITY.

We shall stand by the victims, by the Serbs. We want our singing today to overpower the air raid sirens and the missile blasts.

Belgrade
Today we sing for you.

Let's all sing together very loud to get heard.
We are on your side.
Be courageous
Justice is on your side, and justice always triumphs.

I would say: Let's sing so that Europeans can hear us.
But I'm afraid, this is a waste of time.
Alas, most of them are blind and deaf...

Photos of the Concert | Theodorakis and the Kosovo War (I) | Theodorakis and NATO | Theodorakis: Complaint against NATO before the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (complete document, 113kb) | Theodorakis and the Kurdish Drama | Echoes in English | Home Page