Bosnian tragedy

Like many of your correspondents, I have been endeavoring to understand the tragedy of Yugoslavia as it was known. A quick reading of The Jakarta Post's Aug. 2 front page story will indicate how difficult this brutal conflict is to follow, let alone to solve.

The protagonists, mentioned in 13 column inches, include Croatian Serbs, Croats, Serbs, Rebel Serbs, Bosnian Croats, Bosnian Serbs, Rebel Croats, Rebel Krajina Serbs (poor old Herzegovina doesn't get a mention, nor is there simply a Bosnian).

Such disintegration and turmoil is bred from economic fear and despair about the future for the children. Such a situation calls for heroic visionaries. But, all too often, it is the domain of the power hungry. It is these last who seize upon religious differences and misunderstandings to whip both soldiers and civilians into a frenzy, or fear and prejudice motivated atrocities.

Just as the politico-economic deprivations inflicted on Ireland were divided on religious lines, so that hatred could become the motivator for that appalling struggle, so in Bosnia. To divide on religious lines assists the essential "us vs them" mentality needed to bring men and women to the irrationality of war.

Would that my thoughts could assist in a cessation of the conflict and especially the killing that has given rise to the most disgusting euphemism ever coined -- "ethnic cleansing". But they cannot.

However, the major goal of the survivors (for there will be no winners) will be to create an environment of equal economic opportunity. If this is supported not just by religious tolerance but by a genuine search for understanding, acceptance and interaction, then the power hungry will search in vain for the sparks to ignite new conflict.

GRAEME ST. JOHN

Jakarta