Published: September 30, 1999
View the Original Newsletter:Iskra-43.pdf
About This Issue
In Iskra No. 43, Dr. Davorka Križaj-Kapljić delivers a stirring and heartfelt essay in the Motrišta column — a passionate wake-up call to Croatians at home and abroad. Writing not as a politician but as a doctor and poet, she warns of a “new and silent war” being waged against Croatia — one fought not with weapons, but with manipulation, propaganda, and indifference. Her words echo the urgency of a nation still fighting to protect its truth, dignity, and independence long after the physical war had ended.
The issue also includes her patriotic poem, “To je zemlja gdje smo rasli” (This is the Land Where We Grew Up), a lyrical tribute to the enduring spirit of Croatia — its land, its sea, and its people who refused to surrender their homeland no matter the cost.
Motrišta: “Wake Up, Croatia”
Dr. Križaj-Kapljić opens by questioning whether Croatians living abroad truly grasp the gravity of the situation back home. While the diaspora enjoys stability, she argues, Croatia faces a subtler battle — one of politics, media influence, and external control disguised as diplomacy.
She urges Croatian Canadians to organize and speak out against the injustices occurring in The Hague and the international community’s double standards. Her frustration with Ottawa’s political hypocrisy is evident, as she calls for the same kind of unity and advocacy the Croatian community once demonstrated during the Homeland War.
“Why the silence?” she asks. “Where are our strong voices, our lobbyists, our defenders? We cannot let them rewrite our story.”
Križaj-Kapljić reminds readers that Croatians in Canada have earned their place through hard work and sacrifice — and therefore have every right to demand fairness for their homeland.
Croatia’s True Wealth
The author beautifully contrasts Western decadence with Croatia’s purity and resilience. She describes the storks nesting on rooftops and power poles as symbols of life — proof that the country’s land and water remain clean, natural, and full of promise.
“In our fields, the storks still live. That means the land is alive, the waters are pure. That is our treasure — food unspoiled by poison.”
Through vivid imagery, she portrays Croatia as a land blessed with clean soil, unpolluted seas, and moral strength — a place that Europe, in all its artificial progress, will one day long to emulate.
Defiance and Pride
The essay transforms into a rallying cry for national dignity. Križaj-Kapljić rejects the notion that Croatia must conform to Western Europe’s political standards or moral pretensions. She condemns the “false smiles” of European leaders and insists that Croatia’s worth does not depend on external validation.
“Let them keep their Europe and their arrogance. We will keep our honesty, our strength, and our love for this land.”
She warns of the dangers of apathy and insists that Croatians take their destiny into their own hands, free from manipulation under “stability pacts” and “integration promises.” Her closing plea — “Enough!” — is both a rejection of corruption and a declaration of independence.
The Poem: To je zemlja gdje smo rasli
The issue closes with a deeply patriotic poem, later performed by Ivo Pattiera, that captures Croatia’s eternal beauty and unbreakable spirit. The verses celebrate the country’s landscapes — its stone, sea, pine trees, and sunshine — as symbols of endurance and love. The refrain repeats like a vow:
“They stole our land, they tried to take it,
But we did not give it,
And we never will.”
This piece complements the essay perfectly — transforming intellectual defiance into emotional devotion, and leaving readers with a renewed sense of pride in their heritage.
