Time for a new Macedonian organisation?

[Jankovska]

Well, they certainly won't get that by discussing it on an internet forum. The only thing this type of talk in serious discussion forums brings is negative publicity and stalking and harassment by state security agents.

And yet it works to be radical. Look at the Albanians

[aleksandrov]

No, I don't take offence at all. As a matter of fact, I quite expected you to respond exactly the way you did given your passion for this issue. Truth be told, in my case your preaching to the choir. Having said that, it just doesn't play in Peoria. Macedonians around the world are concerned with other issues, big issues, like our very identity.

The point is that as a nation, we need priorities and perspective or we're going nowhere in a big hurry.

This is a GLOBAL Macedonian issue. Don't wait for the bombs to fall in your back yard before you realize that.

[Mikail]

rtg i believe the amhrc is already that organisation you speak of, in australia at least.

I agree. AMHRC has been at it for a long time. It would take years to get Aussie Macedonians behind a new NGO.

Perhaps AMHRC would like to think about expanding their role as defenders of the Macedonian name.

[julie]

AMHRC is the consensus , on behalf of the Aussie diaspora, now, how to all get behind them and unite as ONE people
in Unity, we can do so much, and to the pricks that divided our country, lets not be divided amongst each other Makedontsi

I say AMHRC be the voice of the Aussie diaspora

[El Bre]

This is a GLOBAL Macedonian issue. Don't wait for the bombs to fall in your back yard before you realize that.

Fair enough

[AMHRC]

Conference

We appreciate everybody's positive comments.

As a matter of interest and perhaps related to this thread, the AMHRC has organised a political conference in March, to be attended by representatives of Macedonian Community organisations from across Australia. We are mindful not to sound presumptuous about the prospects stemming from this conference, but it does present itself as an opportunity for all of us together to form a unified political advocacy strategy to defend and promote all things Macedonian - of course, including the Macedonian name.

Best Regards
AMHRC

[Mikail]

We appreciate everybody's positive comments.

As a matter of interest and perhaps related to this thread, the AMHRC has organised a political conference in March, to be attended by representatives of Macedonian Community organisations from across Australia. We are mindful not to sound presumptuous about the prospects stemming from this conference, but it does present itself as an opportunity for all of us together to form a unified political advocacy strategy to defend and promote all things Macedonian - of course, including the Macedonian name.

Best Regards
AMHRC

Bravo

[Silver]

I really believe that we shouldn't be too concerned when our struggle for basic human rights is equated with nationalism. Give me a break (I don't mean you Risto) but that's our enemies talking.

Our cause is the result of our resistance to extreme nationalism, invented in Europe, gone berserk in terms of 'Greece', 'Bulgaria', 'Serbia' and 'Albania'. The extreme nationalism of others has caused extermination, torturing and displacement to name a few, of the peaceful and passive indigenous Macedonian population who have lived in King Philip II's geographic Macedonia the longest of anyone else and in my humble opinion for millenia. Furthermore, that extreme nationalism with it's mythology and historic revisions for which there is no proof and to which they and their friendly cohorts in Europe are still blindly clinging, is responsible for the continuing negation of our existence as a people with a common ancestry, culture, traditions and language. We are still being denied the right to learn in our language and enjoy our culture in this day and age which should be an inherent right and the rule of law. However, this is not the case when it comes to the Macedonians. WE and only WE are suffering due to someone else's extreme nationalism, fascism, discrimination and racism which are still allowed to fester and spew off for various reasons in good little old Europe. I would question and be suspicious of anyone who would equate our response to intense suffering with nationalism.

Our cause should be our focus I believe, which we need to maintain and always keep in perspective. That is what will give us strength and purpose no matter what obstacles we face and no matter how hard it gets. Whether an individual or an organization. Whether in Canada, the United States, Australia, Macedonia, Europe, the South Pole or Mars, it doesn't matter. For the next thousand years it is that focus and our love for Macedonia that will unite and bind us together, and guide our actions, everyone, until we are satisfied that past wrongs have been reconciled and the disgusting bastards I mentioned above leave us alone and in peace.

I don't believe at this point that one common monolithic all things to everyone organization is feasible or is of any significant value. It is the cause, and only the cause that matters, and it is the cause that will spring us into action at any key moment in our history. There is nothing wrong with any of the grass roots organizations we have now. Other than the fact that they need new blood every once in a while, they are still grass roots and easier for people to relate to, identify with and belong. When they become irrelevant they die which is how it should be and it is through many organizations that a few great and charismatic leaders are born. By the way, I think AMHRC and the MHRMI are great and the closest we have to a worldwide network fighting for our rights, not to mention Risto Stefov with his passionate and definitive work. Can you imagine the hate mail, death threats etc that poor guy must get? But he carries on simply because he loves Macedonia. There are also dedicated activists like Vinozhito and OMO Ilinden Pirin on the ground working hard in the occupied parts of Macedonia who are cooperating well it seems with the external human rights groups. What's wrong with that?

To elaborate even further with regards to a large all encompassing worldwide organization representing our interests we first must look at how others have been able to do it. The types of organizations such as the MPO or Pan Macedonians exist not because of any grass roots desire for them to exist. No, they exist as an extension of the evil ultra-nationalist governments in 'Greece' and 'Bulgaria'. We have no such support and we should be proud of all the patriotic Macedonians who work for the cause on their OWN time not because they earn a salary but simply for their love and patriotism for Macedonia. Governments and people all over the world know this! Perhaps through some natural progression or assistance from the Government of Macedonia an international organization will develop some day but it's not easy to do on our own right now if it doesn't happen naturally. I think we're doing fine and one example of a great achievement happens to be this forum!

Organizations such as UMD have only served to divide the community while attempting to hijack our cause in my view. No one knows who they are or can prove who's really behind them it seems, yet. Just think, can someone from New Jersey who let alone can't relate to someone from London, Ontario relate to someone from Canberra or Woolongong, Australia? If they are in Washington to lobby the US government fine, they will have support for that. But when they're determined for some unknown yet seemingly suspicious reason to gain members around the world and take over everything, they will not only hurt and divide local communities and organizations, they will lead them to over centralization, and ultimately to feelings of disconnect and dissatisfaction thus in the end weakening and hurting the cause. It all starts with their wishy washy and weak stances trying not to look overly 'nationalist'. Do they really support the cause? What exactly do they stand for? In the mean time, we don't need a tsar, we don't want a tsar, we want proper action when the time comes and not just stupid idiotic statements like 'we the Macedonian Diaspora are dismayed'. Duh.

[Risto the Great]

Silver, thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful piece.

[makedonche]

Serdarot
Thank you for this, do you have any more information? References? Books? you can post or send me.

[Serdarot]

i donīt want to spit over UMD or any other organisations, and i think that we should try avoid mentioning that (them) in each single thread.

about AMHRC - i donīt know anything about them, but their own name is clear stating that they are AUSTRALIAN MACEDONIAN...

so they can be representatives of the Macedonians living in Australia, but i am sure that Australian Macedonian organisation can not be representative of the Macedonians Worldwide.

why not joining the fingers into a fist?

some kind of "komitet" or "sovet na mudri"?

for example, SOME number of reprezentatives from the communities in Australia, America, Europe, Asia, and of course, Aegean Makedonia and Republic of Macedonia...

that way many egoes will be satisfied


taka jas si dUMam

edit:

@ MAKEDONche: bro, about the traitor Kote you can find a lot on internet, the "greeks" are celebrating him as big hero...

try this search words

Kote / Kotas
Germanos Karavangelis
Pavlos Melas
Macedonia Greek Propaganda
war for macedonia greek propaganda

many things are biased (our vulgarized brothers who forget that the bulgars were YELLOW race...), but you will find a lot

i will also try find something more, but i am pretty busy with some other things this days.

i dont know if you saw also the video with the song about Lazar Pop Trajko(v) , iīve posted it in this topic yesterday

po zdrav

[julie]

Pozdrav Serdarot
I dont' disagree with what you say, just one
your quote "that way many egoes will be satisfied"

No room for egoes, we need unity

[Serdarot]

@Julie: well, exactly, i share your point of view, but many of those who fought for years to ground and develope some Macedonian organisations, are not ready to join in a creation of NEW organisation.

i will come back on that again, have to eat first ^^

pozdrav

[Grotius]

Hi Serdarot,

Just to clarify, the AMHRC has been around for about 26 years. They form just one part of a world-wide Macedonian human rights network, their partners being MHRMI (Canada), Vinozito and OMO-Ilinden Pirin. Their name merely reflects the geography of their chapter. Moreover, they have undertaken action beyond just Australia (and I mean more than just PR!). You should check out their webpage, if you explore it a bit you will find all of this info on there - (Note to AMHRC - should get somebody to place as much of your historical activities as possible on the webpage). People need to realise the enourmous amount of work you have done over decades - and are doing.

[Risto the Great]

The AMHRC under-sell and over-deliver.
They have been doing this for a very long time. I hope the March meeting allows an opportunity to review their marketing strategy and also to re-consider their objectives as I feel their appeal and usefulness to Macedonians can be extended.