Always disobedient, and still in the streets… Women in black – 35 years of resistance

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De veroordeelde Bosnisch-Servische oorlogsmisdadiger Ratko Mladić kreeg op maandag 7 september 2026 officieel dan wel geen staatsbegrafenis (onder meer onder druk van de Europese Unie), maar werd wel met alle militaire eer en onder massale belangstelling begraven in Belgrado. De patriarch van de Servisch orthodoxe kerk, die de uitvaartplechtigheid leidde, noemde Mladić een “groot christen en Servisch patriot”. Toch zijn er ook in Servië kritische stemmen die al vele jaren weerwerk bieden tegen het militaristisch-nationalistische discours, zoals bijvoorbeeld de organisatie Women in Black.

Mladić overleed op 27 augustus 2026 op 84-jarige leeftijd in het VN-detentiecentrum in Scheveningen, waar hij een levenslange straf uitzat voor genocide en misdaden tegen de menselijkheid. Hij werd in 2017 veroordeeld door het VN-Joegoslaviëtribunaal in Den Haag.

Zijn naam zal voor altijd verbonden blijven met het bloedbad van Srebrenica. Op 11 juli 1995 werden daar meer dan 8.000 Bosnisch-islamitische mannen en jongens vermoord door troepen onder het bevel van Mladić, terwijl VN-blauwhelmen in de buurt waren, maar niet tussenkwamen. Eén van de vele dieptepunten van de burgeroorlog in ex-Joegoslavië (1991-1995).

Na de dood van Mladić wacht de Servische samenleving een moeilijke opdracht: ervoor zorgen dat de waarheid, de verantwoordelijkheid en de herinnering niet samen met hem verdwijnen.

“Helaas zijn er mensen die Mladić nog altijd als een held beschouwen en zijn leven en zijn gruweldaden vieren”, zei een anonieme waarnemer in Belgrado. Volgens hem gaat dat verder dan alleen nostalgie naar een voormalige generaal uit de burgeroorlog. “Er zijn nog altijd mensen die geloven dat het werk van Mladić (nvdr: bedoeld zijn de etnische zuiveringen) niet voltooid is, omdat de mensen die zijn nationalistische ideologie bestrijden nog leven. Zijn ideeën en idealen zijn helemaal niet dood en we zijn daar dagelijks getuige van. Het is de verheerlijking van een monster.”

De Servische president Aleksandar Vučić wil aan de ene kant zijn ultranationalistische aanhang tevreden houden door de dood van Mladić te gebruiken als een groots moment van eer en verheerlijking van de Servische zaak. Aan de andere kant beseft hij ook wel dat het toch al compleet vastgelopen toetredingsproces tot de EU alleen maar moelijker zal worden als hij die kaart trekt.

Vučić heeft op zondag 27 september officieel zijn ontslag aangekondigd. Hij wil deelnemen aan de vervroegde parlementsverkiezingen van 25 oktober en hoopt daarna premier te kunnen worden van een nieuwe regering.

Maar weinig oppositiepartijen of middenveldorganisaties spraken zich in september openlijk uit over de de facto staatsbegrafenis voor Mladić. De afgelopen jaren is de Servische regering overgegaan van ontkenning van de genocide naar het ronduit vieren en verheerlijken van dat onverwerkte verleden.

Ook degenen die veroordeeld werden voor oorlogsmisdaden en misdaden tegen de menselijkheid worden hoe langer hoe meer voorgesteld als ‘helden’ die de Servische belangen verdedigden in de burgeroorlog.

De jarenlange nationalistische staatspropaganda, ook in het onderwijs en in de door de staat gecontroleerde media, maakt het gevaarlijk voor journalisten en kritische organisaties om ‘afwijkende’ stemmen te laten horen.

Toch zijn er organisaties zoals Women in Black die al 35 jaar compleet geweldloos weerwerk bieden en daar beslist nog niet mee zullen ophouden. Ik was zelf getuige van één van hun wekelijkse stille woensdagacties op het Trg Republike (Plein van de Republiek) in het centrum van Belgrado in juli 1998, enkele maanden voor de NAVO-bombardementen tegen Servië en Montenegro in de Kosovo-oorlog (1999).

Toen nog uit stil protest tegen Slobodan Milošević en de oorlogswaanzin van zijn nationalistische regime. Vandaag meer dan ooit is vreedzaam weerwerk nodig om het onverwerkte verleden in dit deel van de westelijke Balkan aan te pakken en te voorkomen dat het zich herhaalt.

Hieronder publiceren we een overzicht van wat Women in Black sinds de eerste actie in 1991 heeft gerealiseerd en wat deze ‘vrouwen in het zwart’ drijft in hun strijd tegen oorlog, haat en vergelding.

Jan Van Criekinge

Women in black – 35 years of resistance

On 9 October 1991 we took to the streets of Belgrade for the first time  – that is when we began non-violent resistance to the war and the policies of the Serbian regime. So far, we have organized more than 2,500 street actions. We are still in the streets …

Women in Black (WiB) is an activist group and network of feminist-antimilitarist orientation, consisting of women, but also men of different generational and ethnic backgrounds, educational levels, social status, lifestyles and sexual choices.

Peace meeting in Potočari Memorial Center, 11 February 2026

In Potočari/Srebrenica, Women in Black from Belgrade organized a meeting of friendship, mutual support, solidarity, joint struggle for peace and justice.

The meeting had many segments: Potočari Memorial Center – laying flowers at the monument to the victims of genocide together with the activists of the association ‘Anima‘ from Đulići, the Anti-Fascists’ Association/ANPI and Women in Black, Udine, Italy, who came to pay a solidarity visit to Srebrenica.

The mothers of Srebrenica held a rite of prayer/worship at the cemetery of the Memorial Center, like they do every 11th of the month, after which they joined us.

Kada Hotić and Munira Subašić, representatives of the Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Movement, held a ‘history lesson’ about the history and importance of the Memorial Center.

After lunch together, we went to the Bosnian House – home for the elderly ‘Hatidža Điđa Mehmedović’, where women whose male relatives (sons, husbands, brothers, fathers…) were killed during the genocide in Srebrenica live.

Munira Subašić spoke about their struggle for memory, truth and justice  – one of the most important examples of resistance, consistency, and dignity of women in the world.

They pointed out that the Memorial Center was built at the scene of the crime and only owing to the persistence of the relatives of those killed in the Srebrenica genocide.

The Memorial Center was officially opened on 31 March 2003. Since then, Women in Black have been paying visits in an organized manner, not only on the anniversary of the genocide (11 July), but also several times a year. The mothers of Srebrenica spoke about their brave fight for justice, emphasizing that they are always supported by the ‘sisters of justice’  – Women in Black from Serbia, etc.

The women of Srebrenica turned their tragedy and losses into a common struggle for truth and justice. “We mothers managed to raise our children without hatred, without revenge…”, said Munira.

The publication Munira’s speech published by Women in Black in December 2025 was presented. Munira Subašić’s speech was translated into ten languages.

“Munira Subasic’s historic speech on the thirtieth anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica on 11 July 2025 remains inscribed as a testimony of female heroism – it obliges us to talk about it, to convey it as courage and humanity, as care and justice not only for Srebrenica, but also for all of humanity. Thank you Munira and all the brave women of Srebrenica!”, stated in this publication.

Suvada Selimović, coordinator of the women’s association ‘Anima‘, referred to women’s struggle for justice, as well as mutual support and solidarity with Women in Black. It should be noted that seventeen women from this association participated in this peace meeting.

Representatives of the anti-fascists’ association ANPI and Women in Black from Udine (Italy) emphasized the importance of the joint struggle for a just peace. We sang the antifa anthem ‘Bella ciao’.

The book ‘That cannot be erased’ (2025) by Andraž Rožman from Ljubljana, was also presented; the book is a translation from the Slovenian language of ’Tega se ne da izbrisati’ and testifies to the ethnic cleansing in Slovenia in 1992 of persons of non-Slovene nationality.

The birthday celebration of Nura and Refija, mothers of Srebrenica, witnesses at the Women’s Court, heroines, friends, sisters… unfolded in a wonderful atmosphere. The whole meeting was heartfelt, powerful, full of warmth and closeness…

This event was attended by 92 people: from Srebrenica, Sarajevo, Italy, Slovenia and Serbia.

(Bron: https://zeneucrnom.org/en/12-o-nama/naslovna/2559-peace-meeting-february-11-2026 )

We have been trying to surmount the walls of hatred and evil

For 35 years now, we have been building an active policy of peace – a policy of solidarity, mutual support, trust, above all with the victims of crimes committed in our name; we will not stop harassing the government and the public with questions about the accountability for crimes committed in the past …

For 35 years, we have been creating spaces for the voices of women, as well as all the marginalized, excluded from economic, political and social power, both in our environment and around the world…

For 35 years, we have been trying to surmount the walls of hatred and evil, rejecting all forms of nationalist-militaristic policies, violating the consensus of nation states, armies, churches…

For 35 years, we have been actively building networks of solidarity outside state, national borders and divisions, both in the entire area of the former Yugoslavia and on all continents…

For 35 years, we have been organizing non-violent actions against militarism  – regional and global, denouncing the interdependence and interconnection of local, regional and global patriarchal militaristic power, advocating anti-militarist-feminist alternatives…

For 35 years, we have been revealing the connections between war and poverty, between war and the daily increase in violence in the so-called ‘peacetime’, between war and the unlimited enrichment of groups close to the regime; we have been exposing the links between war and the destruction of the education and health systems, guided by the principle of ‘Everything for peace, health and knowledge – nothing for weapons’.

For 35 years, we have been producing knowledge, creating an alternative history, through equal evaluation of academic knowledge and activist experience; we have nurtured common learning, reflection and exchange, in our environment and around the world…

For 35 years, together with artists and art collectives (Škart, Dah Theater, MMC Art Clinic…), we have insisted on the aesthetic shaping of anti-war, anti-patriarchal resistance…

Basic ethical principles of Women in Black peace policy

Not in our name: public, clear and loud non-violent resistance to the regime that carried out aggressions and waged wars in our name, and in the aftermath of the wars, to all those who deny, diminish, relativize or glorify crimes committed in our name.

We will not stop harassing the government and the public with questions about accountability for past crimes. We will not stop having a critical attitude towards every government, first towards the government of the country in which we live, and then towards every other.

Always disobedient: to war and all other forms of patriarchy. We are disobedient because we are responsible citizens, autonomous women, free-thinking beings. We reject obedience to patriarchal power because it is lack of freedom and slavery for women, as well as irresponsibility towards the country and the world in which we live.

Our feminist ethics is to take responsibility and care for a certain time, context and space, but also for the whole world in which we live.

Let us not be cheated, first by our own and then by others: the feminist ethic of responsibility always dictates that we first oppose nationalists, militarists, all the proponents of patriarchy primarily in the country in which we live, and then everyone else.

Feminist engagement

Radically anti-patriarchal: because patriarchy is not just a system of supremacy (of one sex over the other, of one class / ‘race’ / nation over another), but rather, the main cause of war and therefore our feminist engagement is necessarily anti-war.

Anti-nationalistic: because nationalism is one of the most visible and destructive manifestations of patriarchy  – by reducing women to the roles of mothers and wives, to birth machines, it deprives women of the right to a choice and self-determination, as basic values of feminist thought and practice.

Anti-militaristic: because militarism is armed patriarchy; the costs of war, the army, armaments affect women the most; militarism relies on force and violence in resolving all problems and conflicts, while feminist antimilitarism is nonviolent female resistance to all armies, military force, violence.

We demand the redirection of military expenditures for civilian purposes under the motto “everything for peace, health and knowledge – nothing for weapons”.

Internationalistic: solidarity and connection above all racial, ethnic, religious, state affiliations. WiB participates in global anti-war actions against the war, is a member of numerous international anti-war networks (WRI, IFOR, …).

Anti-clerical / anti-fundamentalistic: for the strict separation of church and state, against the abuse of religion by religious communities in order to gain political power, expand social control, endanger basic women’s human rights, integrity and dignity of women.

Alter-globalist: instead of unjust neoliberal globalization, Women in Black advocates the globalization of peace, incrimination of all war crimes, solidarity with all the oppressed (on gender, racial, class, ethnic grounds).

Anti-homophobic: we pledge for the equality of sexual choices as a basic human right.

Aesthetics of resistance – symbols of Women in Black

The basis of Women in Black’s aesthetics is the reversal of traditional, patriarchal oppressive symbols and forms, into anti-patriarchal, alternative, ‘subversive’, rebellious symbols and forms.

Mourning: we wear black because of the deaths of all victims of war and violence, and above all the victims of crimes committed in our name; during the wars in the former Yugoslavia, wearing black was a public act of rebellion against the politics of war, nationalism and militarism.

After the war, we have been demonstrating that we are against the denial and forgetting of crimes; with black clothes we remind of the crimes committed in our name, we demand responsibility for them.

We use black in all street manifestations related to wars, commemorations on the occasion of crimes, primarily those committed in our name, but also all other crimes.

Silence: takes place in public space as an act of condemnation of all who generate war and violence, first of all in the state and community in which we live and then of everyone else.

We chose silence because we have no words to express the tragedies, sufferings, pain caused by wars and violence. We have opted for silence because we lack words to express our indignation against the state of organized crime during the regime of S. Milošević and after the fall of that regime against the institutionally organized denial of the criminal past.

The body: exposure in public places is an act of civil disobedience and anti-patriarchal rebellion.

Mourning, silence and the body through the aesthetics of Women in Black are public, clear and visible acts of anti-patriarchal rebellion.

In addition to a simple ritual in mourning and silence, in our feminist / anti-militarist / anti-fascist actions (performances, marches…) we have introduced many other elements: bright colors, strong sounds, most often drums and shouting slogans with a megaphone; various visual effects, etc.

Here are some more motifs, signs, colors, drawings, compositions and artifacts:

Symbol of peace – an olive branch: the design of the art collective Škart (1991) combines an olive branch with a stylized sign of a woman, on a black field; this unique sign was adopted by the International Network of Women in Black as its emblem.

Protest messages: canvases and messages in our protest stands are usually handmade  – printed, on paper, textile, drawn on clothes, asphalt, wall, wood, textile and acrylic paints, tempera, chalk, salt, felt-tip pens and embroidery, in  Latin and in Cyrillic alphabets, in different languages, different types of letters on a black, or colored background and in different formats (from the size of a sticker, to a canvas held by one, two or even ten people), sometimes artistically imperfect, sometimes  – silver, shiny…

The rainbow flag: a symbol of peace, otherness and diversity, which we introduced in 1995 and since then we have used it in a large number of actions.

Fatima’s hand: a symbol of peace, global women’s solidarity, perseverance, which we took from Women in Black from Israel; this motif is combined with messages of anti-war content.

Circle (standing in a circle, circular compositions in a performance): in the aesthetics of WiB, the circle is a symbol of human connection and togetherness in feelings of empathy and solidarity with all victims of war and violence.

Broken rifle – a symbol of anti-war / anti-militarist resistance, support for protesters and deserters.

Inverted helmet: with flowers, it symbolizes the transformation of war industry into civilian industry  – instead of producing weapons, we demand the production of socially useful goods, etc.

Coalition for a secular state – democratic and feminist responses to clericalization and fundamentalism

The Coalition for a Secular State (CSS) was launched by Women in Black in October 2007 with the support of numerous organizations from all over Serbia. The activities of this Coalition were primarily directed against the Serbian Law on Churches and Religious Communities (2006).

In 2008, a proposal was sent to the Constitutional Court in Belgrade to assess the constitutionality of the mentioned law, but unfortunately, it was rejected.

The Manifesto on Secularism (2007) was signed by over 100 organizations from all over Serbia. WiB organizes educational activities against religious fundamentalism and conservatism throughout Serbia and the region; regional and international seminars ‘Threatening signs of fundamentalism  – feminist responses’; street actions against clericalization, abuse of religion for political purposes, abuse of reproductive and sexual rights, and research programs on these issues.

WiB and Protagora (Croatia) hold regular meetings, exchange of information, joint reflection and launch initiatives against clericalization. Since 1991, WiB has been an active member of international feminist networks against fundamentalism: Women Living Under Muslim Laws; Women against fundamentalism; SIAWI / Secularism is a Women’s Issue; One law for All.

Staša Zajović

Staša Zajović (1953) is co-founder and coordinator of Women in Black, Belgrade, Serbia

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