Voices for Croatia

Published: October 15, 2000
View the Original Newsletter: Iskra-68.pdf

About This Issue

The October 2000 issue of Iskra captures a moment of uneasy triumph across the Balkans. As global media celebrated Serbia’s so-called “democratic revolution,” editor Valentina Krčmar sounded a very different alarm. To her and many Croats abroad, the sudden Western embrace of Serbia was not a symbol of freedom, but of dangerous amnesia.

Through its pages, Iskra weaves outrage, resolve, and faith—reflecting the Croatian community’s determination not to let truth fade behind diplomacy.

Editorial & Motrišta: “Mr. President, Not in My Name”

Valentina’s editorial is framed as a direct letter to President Mesić.
She writes as both a citizen and a daughter of the diaspora—deeply loyal to Croatia, yet unafraid to challenge her leaders.

She recalls her years of advocacy in Canada, where she saw firsthand the documentation proving that Croatia was the victim of aggression, not its author.
Her letter expresses shock and sorrow that the head of state would speak of mutual guilt.

“In my name, Mr. President, do not apologize to anyone — especially not to those who shelled our cities and killed our children.”

Valentina insists that forgiveness cannot come without truth, and that rewriting history in the name of diplomacy is itself a moral failure.
She ends her letter with Vukovar still “before her eyes,” a symbol of memory that must never fade.

National News: A Country Divided

The paper reprints parliamentary reactions to the Mesić controversy and to the Gospić arrests.
The Županijski dom Sabora accused both Mesić and Prime Minister Račan of statements that “undermine the constitutional order,” and demanded accountability.

Debate raged between parties:

The HDZ emphasized the sanctity of the Homeland War and warned of moral decay.
The SDP countered that justice must apply to all, but rejected collective guilt.
Veterans’ groups such as HVIDRA cautioned against “provoking soldiers” and “pushing weapons back into their hands.”

A sense of unease runs through every line — fear that political divisions could once again threaten the nation’s fragile unity.

Diaspora Voices: Pride, Gratitude & Action

Beyond politics, Iskra No. 67 showcases the Croatian community in Canada at its most compassionate and united.

The DORA Golf Tournament

Organized by Stanko Trtanj, this annual charity event raised funds for children orphaned by the war.
A letter from the DORA Foundation in Zagreb thanks the organizers and reminds readers that “350,000 Croatians remain unemployed, and countless children still depend on help.”
Valentina’s own reflections urge the community not to grow complacent:

“That child who lost a father lost him forever — and the responsibility now lies with us.”

Cultural Highlights

The Fond Slavonija Picnic drew hundreds to Father Kamber Park in Mississauga for music, food, and fellowship.
Artist Ilija Vranešić’s Toronto exhibition received warm praise for its vivid portraits and landscapes.
The Croatian Chess Club of Canada held its third annual tournament in Milton.
Community groups Međimurje and Kordun announced fall dances raising funds for children’s charities in Croatia.

Together these stories capture the diaspora’s mix of celebration and purpose — joy rooted in service.

Faith & Reflection: Compassion for the Elderly

In her Pismo urednice, Valentina writes tenderly about the loneliness of elderly Croatians in Canadian care homes.
Her reflection, sparked by visiting her mother, becomes a heartfelt appeal:

“Do not wait for Christmas or Easter to remember them. Find time on an ordinary Saturday.”

She shares plans for a potential Croatian retirement home in Mississauga and calls readers to small acts of kindness — a recurring moral thread in Iskra.

Health Column: “The Healing Power of Fruit”

Dr. Darko Desaty contributes a detailed feature on the medicinal value of fruit and wild berries.
He explains how potassium, natural enzymes, and antioxidants restore the body’s balance and aid digestion.
Practical, science-based, and accessible, his advice ties physical health to the broader Iskra ethos of natural living and gratitude for creation.

Special Feature: Pilgrimage to Washington

Biserka Milinković reports from the 30th Jubilee Croatian Pilgrimage to Washington, D.C.
Over a thousand Croats from North America gathered at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception to honor Our Lady of Bistrica.
Archbishop Josip Bozanić led Mass beside Croatian-American clergy, while choirs from Cleveland and San Pedro filled the basilica with hymns.

Biserka captures the emotion of the day — tears of pride, faith, and belonging — and gently laments that no message came from Croatia’s government to mark the occasion.

“They shed silent tears of love and sorrow for the homeland. Will anyone in Croatia ever know?”

Closing Reflection

Iskra No. 67 is both political and profoundly human.
It holds leaders accountable yet ends with gratitude and prayer.
Through controversy, charity, and compassion, Valentina reminds readers that Croatia’s soul is sustained not only by power or policy, but by conscience.