I AM FIGHTING FOR OPEN BORDERS

THEY BEAT ME, THEY TORTURED ME

Veselin Eliev   "Trud" & "Zemedelsko Zname" Jun 22 1992

On June 17, 1992 in the city of Veles, concluded the first court action against members of VMRO-DPMNE. The sentences have been pronounced. Today started the process against the Gemidjii. They are accused of "bombing" the homes of "nomenklaturchics" (high officials of the Communist Party, now termed Socialists). In Veles, I met and talked to accused people of both groups.

This is what Georgi Kalauzarov, called the "Voivoda" of Veles, told me.

    My grandfather was KOMITA. Rotted in the Ottoman jails. Father died in Sofia, Bulgaria and then his remains were brought back to Veles. I led the people against the Serbian government and burned the Serbian flag flying over the church. The government couldn't forgive me for this and got after me. One night, army and police units surrounded my house. I managed to elude them and for twenty days was hiding in various different houses in Bulgaria.

    On our way back from Bulgaria with my wife, the border guards took us off the bus and badly maltreated us. They fully undressed us for the search. They asked us

    "Where have you been? Do you know Dimiter Gotsev? Do you know Dertliev? Were you with them? Are you bringing money or weapons? You, son-of-a-bitch, will find out whose flag you are burning"

    "You should be ashamed of yourself." I answered, "I uphold the ideals of Macedonia. I am wedded to VMRO, Todor Aleksandrov and Vancho Mihailov. I have no other cause. I have given my oath in the village of Smilevo, in the home of Dame Gruev and I will die as Komita."

    They found me guilty because I had not supported the cause of the Serbs. Wasn't Serbia an occupier here? Didn't the Serbs send our children to suffer and rot on the front in Croatia?

    This was around the end of last year. Two months ago, they arrested me again. It is true that they found three hand guns at home. But who doesn't have guns today? These guns, however have not been used. My friends and I can't be given such long sentences just for this!

    When I was arrested, the police officers were saying to me, "Are you the "voivoda" of Veles and Veleshko who fell in our hands? Now, you'll find out what happens to you."

    They took us to the central jail in Skopje. On entering the cell, the officer hit me and said , "Now enters Ivan Mihailov. I am giving you three choices, hard labour, the insane asylum or the graveyard".

    They beat me. They tortured me. They did not allow me to go to the washroom, unheard of beatings, tortures. My friends were given the same treatment. Finally I was moved to a larger common cell.

    The official charge was fixed as "Bulgarophil and traitor" to the Macedonian people. What kind of traitor am I?

    I am fighting for open borders. I am fighting for free communication among our people. Let history say who we are.

    In the cell, we slept on the floor. With me, there were seven Albanian separatists and one Serb - most likely a provocateur. Here, the beatings and threats continued. For sixty days, I was in hell. Medical treatment in Skopje's jails is an unknown luxury. If you should faint, they throw water on you. If you can bear this treatment, you survive.

    Why are they doing this to us? Because in Skopje the pro-Serbian mercenaries still rule. They are still pushing on us the ideology of Tito. We, however have our own ideologues - Gotse Delchev, Yane Sandanski, Todor Aleksandrov, Vancho Mihailov. To them we are wedded.

    I want you to give my greetings to our brotherly Bulgarian people and to tell them that here is waged a great anti-Bulgarian campaign.

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