Bosnia needs our help for reconstruction
Serb leader Radovan Karadzic warned of an impending bloodbath if he were ever arrested for trial. Karadzic, whose hands are stained with the blood of hundreds of innocent people, gloats over the fact that no one could touch him.
The Dayton agreement clauses seems to have no effect on the murderous Serb clique. I suspect that the other partner in this bloody drama, Slobodan Milosevic, who himself has bathed in the blood of the poor Bosnians, agreed on the accord with the sole intention of lifting the embargo against Serbia. History has shown that the Serbs have never lived up to their promises. They have been the cause of blood in that part of Europe. The modern-day heirs of past bloody rulers now openly defy international calls.
The misery of the Bosnian people can be attributed directly to European indifference, world apathy and indecision by the Muslims and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) as to what to do and how to act. Lulled by false promises of action by the West and deceived by the rhetoric of the modern day Sykes-Picots, Vance and Owen, the world remained complacent. The blood of the Bosnians flowed uninterruptedly. Killings, raping, looting and pillaging continued unabated.
The United States looked on as Britain, France and Germany procrastinated - either by omission or commission. Greece, Russia, Serbia and many others openly supported the Serbs.
The specter of Islam, they said, loomed over Bosnian horizons. As such, this stillborn state had to be cut to pieces. The press, politicians and political analysts focused on the Islamic nature of the state. In fact, one European paper accused Bosnian president Izetogovich of being a "fundamentalist"! To the Muslims of the world who were watching the whole drama, there could be one conclusion - that Europe could not and would not tolerate Muslim presence - that is a statehood in its backyard.
Never mind Muslim minorities who were brought in to serve a purpose and who now are the objects of unwanted attention, persecution, discrimination in some European countries such as France - these could be controlled. But to have a state would be too much to swallow.
The Europeans want to maintain their culture. Nobody blames them. In fact someone to be commended because the Muslim minorities there have a stronger voice than they ever could in their countries of origin. At least they have a right of appeal. However, the general atmosphere created deliberately was not conducive to tolerance and understanding.
It is in the light of all this that Karadzic's remarks should be taken seriously. This criminal should not be allowed to go to scot-free. He is stalling by his repeated calls for "re negotiation or clarification of the US-brokered peace deal. He is threatening NATO soldiers. He is trying to create fear in the minds of those Serbs who are in Bosnia. He is getting media attention which he is using to project fear and panic among the Serbs.
However, let us not forget his master, Mulosevic - an avowed enemy of Islam. A man who is openly contemptuous of Muslims and has made no effort to hide his feelings. This is the more dangerous person. He should be watched very clearly.
The OIC should now get up and act. The lifting of the arms embargo should be utilized to build up a force strong enough to defend the country.
Bosnia needs reconstruction and, instead of investing here and there, efforts should be made to prop up its economy. We should open up our universities to Bosnians seeking education. In Bosnia itself the basic infrastructure should be built so as to provide amenities to those who have suffered enough at the hands of Europeans.
It is unfortunate that we are divided. We also love to pontificate rather than act. The rot has set in our societies. Unless we rehabilitate ourselves we cannot help our brethren. Whatever we do, let us not be lulled.
Whether it is Israel or Serbia we should be aware. Eternal vigilance, as John Curran said, remains the condition on which man continues to enjoy his liberty, "which condition if he breaks, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."