To the Macedonian Citizens,

Dear ethnic Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Bosnians, Serbs, Roma, and other, what should we do now? Should we kill each other? Could not we talk anymore? Have not we seen and learned what war is about? Was Bosnia and Herzegovina so far not to have seen what bombs, bullets and knifes bring about? Have not you seen what was the tragedy and the trauma like for the Kosovo kids forced into exile? Shall we butcher each other like the Hutus and the Tutsis did? Is life so beautiful under the terror of the bombs? Think about whether your neighbor, who is of the other nationality and lives near you or not so near you, is your enemy? To whom have you given presents, like meet for the “Kurban Bayram” holyday, or cheese pie for Easter?

We believe that the surpassing of the crisis could bring back and strengthen the confidence between the different ethnic groups in the country. The selfish politicians have often misused our confidence and we can ‘punish’ them for their foolishness on the day of the election. Democratic governance guarantees the ultimate win of the will of the voters. Participatory democracy is difficult to develop; it does not give instant results. Changes in the democratic system are not achieved over a day or two. Let’s not forget what kind of rights and possibilities for political and cultural expression we had only ten years ago. The progress in the field of media freedoms is significant. Although changes in the school system are gradual, they are leading to a good direction- towards better equality education. Finally, great efforts and financial aid from abroad are bestowed in the development of our civic society, society with no alternative in contemporary Europe.

Should we sacrifice all this? Should we also sacrifice our lives, our houses, our companies, everything that we have been passed to by our forefathers, everything we have been working so hard to maintain and expend? No dead person will like the victory. No chilled will be shown how to ride a bicycle by a dead body. Let’s think well what are we doing and talking these days. Let’s think well with fate that the scenario for the solving of the crisis does not necessarily have to be apocalyptic but positive. The positive overcoming of the crisis is possible if we all respect each other equally. We are all only human, and to all of us life is equally valuable.

Let’s meet over coffee or tea, and talk, let’s look each other in the eyes and see what bothers and frightens us. Do we hate each other so much? Are we all so disgusting to each other? These are the crucial days when we have to renew and build up our trust.

Sit down neighbors from the same neighborhood, from the same apartment building, and talk to each other. Look at your children how they play as one and learn from them how to cherish the life together.

Why should the solutions come from hell, why should we all pay with our lives when all the problems can be solved, and the splendor can come? Should we fight in order to understand the value of peace? We just have to keep that which we have at the moment and upgrade it- is this more difficult then killing?

Think well, for our own sake!

Robert Alag'ozovski, essayist, Zhidas Daskalovski, political scientist at School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, Dzabir Derala, Civil right’s NGO president, Goran Janev, assistant, Center for Ethnic Relations, Ibrahim Mehmeti, director for media programs, Search for Common Grounds, Goran Samoilovski, Civil Right’s NGO secretary, Nafi Sarachini, NGO activist