Radojica
08-21-2009, 03:56 PM
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Stories about drug addicts being beaten as a way of punishment for not following the rules of Crna Reka spiritual/rehabilitation centre have been going around for a couple of years now, but it wasn’t until the public actually got to see the video of one such beating that the center came into focus. Vreme magazine published the video couple of days ago, causing shock throughout Serbia and starting a much deeper debate on the Internet and in the traditional media about the problem of drug abuse in Serbia and the state’s incapability to handle it. This is probably why parents of drug-users turn to alternative ways of healing, such as this, according to the official website, “Orthodox missionary spiritual rehabilitation center” – Crna Reka (Eng: Black River).
Before a junkie is accepted in the camp, a contract needs to be signed between the center and the drug user and his family. Contents of the contract are unclear but it appears that the signature allows the center employees to do whatever they think it’s necessary to ‘heal’ the drug user. The rehabilitation program, according to the website, consists mostly of everyday prayers, reading the Bible, group sessions, gardening and similar spiritual stuff. The beatings are not part of the healing process, but are meant to be punishment for those that break the rules – the rules are also unclear, but the best guess is that it’s not smart to try and run away, because you will be hunted down with dogs and brought back to the camp. It is also not smart to do drugs in the center or to try and sell drugs in the center to the other inmates. Punishment for these misdemeanors is beating you see in the video. Of course, you don’t really have to be an expert to see that this is completely illegal, unethical, and also probably not quite in line with the teachings of the Christianity.
The price of the ‘treatment’ is not disclosed, because the center is sponsored by the ‘donations’ given by the families of the inmates. As the Serbian Orthodox Church does not have to pay taxes, managers can negotiate and determine the size of the ‘donation’, but apparently it’s big enough so that the head of the camp, Priest Branislav Peranoviccan drive around in style.
It appears that the visual imagery in these case was much stronger than the written or hear-say account of the beatings. Parents of the guy getting beaten on video said they will press charges against everyone responsible. Parents of most other ‘inmates’ of Crna Reka center say that they don’t mind their children getting beaten on occasion and that it’s all for their own good, ie, that it’s the only thing that can help them get off the drugs. I believe that the only reason they are saying this is that they haven’t seen their own child being beaten with a shovel, hit in the head with fists and knee, by a guy who obviously enjoys what he does and does it with passion.
Serbian Orthodox Church have issued a statement where they condemn these actions by the Crna Reka center, while claiming that they didn’t give any permission for such measures. Priest Branislav Peranovic, head of the concentration camp, says otherwise, that his superior officer knew about the actions and that the whole case is a conspiracy against him and his superior, Bishop Artemije of Raška started because he refused to allow Joe Biden to visit Visoki Dečani monastery.
The state Ombudsman has reacted promptly and sent an inspection to the site, so hopefully all the perpetrators and the responsible for this violence will soon be arrested and punished in accordance with law.
Update: a comment on youtube says that the kick-boxer in the video is N.R, nickname Keba from Lazarevac, one of the former center proteges, whose salary for beating junkies is 1000 euros a month.
After the closing of this center, 4 heroin addicts died within two months...
Stories about drug addicts being beaten as a way of punishment for not following the rules of Crna Reka spiritual/rehabilitation centre have been going around for a couple of years now, but it wasn’t until the public actually got to see the video of one such beating that the center came into focus. Vreme magazine published the video couple of days ago, causing shock throughout Serbia and starting a much deeper debate on the Internet and in the traditional media about the problem of drug abuse in Serbia and the state’s incapability to handle it. This is probably why parents of drug-users turn to alternative ways of healing, such as this, according to the official website, “Orthodox missionary spiritual rehabilitation center” – Crna Reka (Eng: Black River).
Before a junkie is accepted in the camp, a contract needs to be signed between the center and the drug user and his family. Contents of the contract are unclear but it appears that the signature allows the center employees to do whatever they think it’s necessary to ‘heal’ the drug user. The rehabilitation program, according to the website, consists mostly of everyday prayers, reading the Bible, group sessions, gardening and similar spiritual stuff. The beatings are not part of the healing process, but are meant to be punishment for those that break the rules – the rules are also unclear, but the best guess is that it’s not smart to try and run away, because you will be hunted down with dogs and brought back to the camp. It is also not smart to do drugs in the center or to try and sell drugs in the center to the other inmates. Punishment for these misdemeanors is beating you see in the video. Of course, you don’t really have to be an expert to see that this is completely illegal, unethical, and also probably not quite in line with the teachings of the Christianity.
The price of the ‘treatment’ is not disclosed, because the center is sponsored by the ‘donations’ given by the families of the inmates. As the Serbian Orthodox Church does not have to pay taxes, managers can negotiate and determine the size of the ‘donation’, but apparently it’s big enough so that the head of the camp, Priest Branislav Peranoviccan drive around in style.
It appears that the visual imagery in these case was much stronger than the written or hear-say account of the beatings. Parents of the guy getting beaten on video said they will press charges against everyone responsible. Parents of most other ‘inmates’ of Crna Reka center say that they don’t mind their children getting beaten on occasion and that it’s all for their own good, ie, that it’s the only thing that can help them get off the drugs. I believe that the only reason they are saying this is that they haven’t seen their own child being beaten with a shovel, hit in the head with fists and knee, by a guy who obviously enjoys what he does and does it with passion.
Serbian Orthodox Church have issued a statement where they condemn these actions by the Crna Reka center, while claiming that they didn’t give any permission for such measures. Priest Branislav Peranovic, head of the concentration camp, says otherwise, that his superior officer knew about the actions and that the whole case is a conspiracy against him and his superior, Bishop Artemije of Raška started because he refused to allow Joe Biden to visit Visoki Dečani monastery.
The state Ombudsman has reacted promptly and sent an inspection to the site, so hopefully all the perpetrators and the responsible for this violence will soon be arrested and punished in accordance with law.
Update: a comment on youtube says that the kick-boxer in the video is N.R, nickname Keba from Lazarevac, one of the former center proteges, whose salary for beating junkies is 1000 euros a month.
After the closing of this center, 4 heroin addicts died within two months...