Italian women have for the first time organized Women in Black in 1991 to protest against Italian government and its involvement in the Golf War. In that month, February '91, weekly or daily, women stood in silence and in black to protest against the war in about 20 towns. The idea about Women in Black they took from their sisters in Israel who have been protesting for 8 years against Israeli government with a slogan Stop Occupation of Palestine.
After the Golf war ended most of the groups dissolved and some continued to be active, and in the autumn of 1991 started to organize support for Women in Black in Belgrade. Donne in nero from few Italian cities have been constant political, moral, financial and sisterly support for women in Black in Belgrade as well as for the peace movement in Former Yugoslavia.
- After 24th of March when the bombing started in Yugoslavia as well as forced expelling of Albanian nationality citizens of Yugoslavia in Kosovo, the Donne in nero in Italy gathered again. In the past month in about 30 towns in Italy they organized vigils with the slogans:
Following the Women in Black tradition, to oppose first of all ones own government and then all other militarist regimes and formations, Women in Black have been consistent in their demands, adding one more:
- Luisa Morganiti, Woman in black, radical anti-militarist
from Roma, was the first peace activist to come to Belgrade (last
week) and in this way make another sisterly act of breaking
isolation and showing her care about women in this region.
contact e-mail: mc6381@mclink.it
- Few feminist lesbians from Bologna who have been very
concerned about the situation in Yugoslavia have decided to
organize a ritual. In the home of two of them they decided to
collect money and in the midnight they went out in the garden to
make o big balloon fly. The lesbian shaman was in charge of the
African music and firing the balloon. About fifteen of them
stood around the place of launching: the message they wrote
says that they were very excited and that the balloon has been let
to fly for all women from Kosovo and Yugoslavia.
contact e-mail: annapram@orlando.women.it
-lepa mladjenovic