December 18, 2008, Belgrade, Serbia: Members of Women in Black-Serbia are reaching out to fellow activists at Dah Theater in Belgrade after the theater suffered a break-in and fire in the last few months.

On November 16, the theater’s computers, office equipment and all paperwork were stolen. Then, on December 11, a fire destroyed the group’s offices.

Women in Black is extremely concerned about the recent theft and fire, Founder Stasa Zajovic said in a letter of solidarity with the theater.

“Women human rights defenders and women who call for the accountability of those responsible for war crimes are demonized in Serbia,” she wrote. “Women in Black has suffered under this demonization and attacks and we now fear for Dah Theater, our partners and inspirations in the fight for change in Serbia.”

The Dah Theater and Women in Black collaborated in the production of the 2004 street performance “Don’t Forget Srebrenica” at which both performers and activists were brutally attacked by Serbian extremists. They also collaborated on a 2005 play about self-determination for women and we worked extremely closely on the 2007 street performance “Neither Whores nor Saints but Women,” which dealt with the issue of increased fundamentalism within the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Since 2007, Dah Theater has been performing the play “Crossing the Line,” based on Women in Black’s book “Women’s Side of War.” The book includes 220 first person testimonies of women’s experiences during the wars in former Yugoslavia. In 2008 Dah Theater and Women in Black organized performances of “Crossing the Line” in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia.

Women in Black-Serbia is a partner of The Advocacy Project.