bisschop

Hallo, ik ben er weer. Er zat waarschijnlijk een virus in de weg, dus roštilj Žića treft geen blaam. De slapte is nog niet helemaal weg, maar het gaat een stuk beter. Dank overigens voor jullie goede wensen.
Iets heel anders. Ik schreef al dat ik naar Kosovo moet. Heeft te maken met de verjaardag van Kosovo's onafhankelijkheid (ik schrijf het niet meer tussen aanhalingstekens, maar dat betekent niet dat ik wat dat betreft van gedachte ben veranderd) op 17 februari. Het leek me een goed idee om een reportage over een Servisch-orthodox klooster te maken om daarmee aan te tonen hoe geïsoleerd de Servische gemeenschap in Kosovo leeft. Daarvoor heb je toestemming nodig van bisschop Artmeije (één van de kanshebbers voor de opvolging van patriarch Pavle) en ik wil jullie de correspondentie dienaangaande niet onthouden. Dit zijn letterlijk de e-mails die we hebben uitgewisseld. Ik geef er geen commentaar op. Jullie moeten zelf maar oordelen (het Engels is hier en daar een beetje krom, maar vooruit).

david jan godfroid to info show details Feb 6 (2 days ago)

Your Eminence, Episko Artemije,

Herewith I would like to ask Your permission to make a radio report about one of the monasteries in Kosovo and Metohije. I am the correspondent of NOS News, the public broadcasting company of the Netherlands, based in Belgrade. I would like to stress that it is not my intention to make a political story; with the report I want to give an example of the isolation of the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohije. A human story, as a matter of fact, about daily life in a place that anyhow is secluded, but because of the situation has become isolated. I would also like to let my listeners know that these centres of religion and spirituality, but also of great historical and cultural value, are in jeopardy, because of the situation (again: without making it a political story). It might also good for You to know that I will not come with a whole crew of people. It will be only me and my microphone and, if no one in he monastery speaks English, with a translater. I think the monasteries of either Dević, Banjska or Visoki Dećani are suited for this purpose, but maybe there are better examples. I realise that I am rather late with this request, but would it be possible to visit the monastery already on Sunday, 8 February?

Hoping for a positive reply.

With respect,

David Jan Godfroid

info to me show details 9:10 PM (13 hours ago)

Dear Sir,

I have introduced Bishop Artemije with your request and he didn't bless your work. It is not quite understandable how do you mean to talk about life in isolation without talking about reasons which directly generate isolation ie. politics. Sorry for bad news. I hope you will be in of luck some other time.

regards

fr. Damjan

david jan godfroid to info show details 9:29 PM (12 hours ago)

Dear Father Damjan,

It seems there is a misunderstanding. I wanted to exclude talking politics from a visit to a monastery, because I think politics is not something monks are involved in, in every day life. With this I don't deny that politics does play an important role in Kosovo an Metohija. What I want to show is exactly that a community, that usually plays a role in society, now is completely isolated. I understand that there are reasons for that. Could we maybe agree on the following: I will interview Bishop Artmeije about the political side of the situation, so He will have the opportunity to express his ideas. In a visit to a monastery I then can show what are the consequences of these politics. I appologize for being persistent, but as a journalist I think it important to also show the Serbian side of what is going on in Kosovo and Metohija.

Regards,

David Jan Godfroid

info to me show details 11:37 PM (10 hours ago)

Dear Sir,

what I wrote about politics is not a reason why you didn't get a bless for your work. That was just my personal observation. I think that the real reason for Bishop decision is the fakt that you are coming from Netherland, and he is unwilling to give an interview for any radio or tv station from states which recognized selfdeclared independance of Kosovo.

regards

david jan godfroid to info show details 9:53 AM (23 minutes ago)

Dear father Damjan,

I feel very sorry about the decision of the Bishop. Maybe He thinks that I am a state-representative, which I am not, neither is my company NOS an institution of the state. We are indenpendent.Personally I am against the indepedence of Kosovo, but that is of no importance for my work. My obligation as a journalist is to present all sides of a story in order to inform my viewers, listeners and readers as fair and un-biased as possible, either or not I agree. I do realise that some of my collegue-correspondents follow another agenda and tend to choose sides in a conflict. That's not my style. As a matter of fact, I think that is a very non-journalistic attitude.I would kindly ask the Bishop him to reconcider and allow me an interview and visit a monastery, so the Dutch audience can hear a different point of view.

Op de laatste mail heb ik nog geen antwoord.