What about the children?

Bosnia's Suzanne Mubarak Village?

A project sponsored by Mrs Suzanne Mubarak to construct a complete village to house those left homeless by the war holds special symbolic significance to Bosnians. Siri Suleiman, the director of the project, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the aim of the project, as laid out by Mrs Mubarak, is to provide comprehensive care to Bosnian orphans, many of whom are now scattered around the world as refugees. It is hoped that the project will help them return to their country, thus preserving their Bosnian identity. The village, which will accommodate 120 children between the ages of 7 and 18, is intended to help the orphans overcome their physical injuries and psychological scars.

The project, estimated to cost $2.5 million, is being funded by the Red Crescent Organisation, donations from Egyptian citizens as well from the zakat al-mal (national alms tax). Suleiman said that the village will be equipped with a comprehensive clinic, psychological and social rehabilitation centres, administrative buildings, central heating against the bitter Bosnian winter, washing machines, sewing and handicraft workshops and a 150-person capacity cafeteria. There will also be a 100 seat open-air theatre, in the shape of an open pyramid, a children's library equipped with an information centre, computers and sports facilities. Suleiman said that the project is scheduled for completion in May 1999 and that Mrs Mubarak as well as Bosnian officials are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

The Kosovo Refugee Camp

While the ravages of war may have left Bosnia, they have moved only a few kilometres northward to another Muslim region. In neighbouring Kosovo the sounds of missile fire and the screams of Muslim children continue to echo in the strife-ridden Balkans.

Despite the peace accord, the sight of homeless refugees is still a commonplace in present day Bosnia. We visited a refugee camp located to the north of Sarajevo set up by the UN Relief Agency to accommodate 950 people driven away from their homes by Serbian butchers. They now live in snow-covered tents and hovels, without heat, sufficient food or potable water.

Dozens of children play in the snow, most below the age of 10. They know nothing of the fate of their families. Many of them are wounded. The camp director, Ibrahim -- the only person who knew English -- said that the camp was for refugees whose homes had been destroyed. Many had lost their children. He said that the camp was not equipped to cope with the harsh mountain climate. Already temperatures were falling to 5 degrees below zero and will tumble to 20 below as winter sets in. "Promises and promises have been made to move the camp to another location," he added in despair.

The camp receives aid from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Denmark and Norway. However, Ibrahim told us that a large and steady influx of relief assistance had come from the Egyptian Taba regiment in Sarajevo which was preparing to return to Egypt. "We do not know how we will be able to sustain the level of care after they leave," he said. As we toured the camp we noticed blankets and other articles used by the Egyptian armed forces, as well as Egyptian brand canned goods. We were also somewhat startled to see the Egyptian flag flying over some of the tents. We soon realised that this was an expression of the warm feelings for the Egyptian soldiers. As we walked through the camp, children jubilantly rushed up to Rida, our escort, and a rather eccentric soldier from the Taba regiment. They all joked together despite not knowing each other's language. I later learned that it was Rida who brought them food every day. As he and the children got to know one another they developed special signs and code words, creating in effect a language of their own.

Zeinab had lost both her parents and her brothers and sisters and had fled Kosovo with some relatives. She approached us shyly and asked for sweets or money. Her eyes betrayed a grief much older than her seven years. They spoke of the tragedy of a world that has once again sat back and allowed the atrocities of ethnic cleansing to repeat themselves.

Saniya and Amina, two charming and attractive women in the bloom of youth, were sitting in front of a water tap washing pots and pans. They told me that they fled Kosovo after the Serbs destroyed their homes for fear that they would be murdered or raped like some of their friends. As we left to return to Sarajevo, we found it difficult to imagine spending a single night in that desolate camp where the bitter cold had already frozen our limbs in the short time we had spent there.

Bosnian President Ezzat Bigovic told the Weekly that the international community should stop averting its eyes from the ethnic violence in Kosovo and should take speedy and radical action to stop the tragedy. Prime Minister Haris Siladivic told us that events in Kosovo were a repeat of Bosnia's bitter experience at the hand of the Serbs. "Europe and the US have not shown much concern for our plight," he said.

"They have not thought about how to deal with the presence of Muslims in Europe or about how to foster peace between East and West in order to counter the so-called clash of civilisations fuelled by certain Western intellectuals," he argued

It is interesting to note that the Western nations have not acted to bring about a comprehensive solution to the Balkan crisis, adopting instead a piecemeal, country-by-country approach. In doing so, some analysts contend, the Western powers are exploiting the legacy of ethnic problems and economic suffering in order to secure their interests in the region. This may explain why the US has entrenched its political, economic, media and, where necessary, military presence in Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia and, finally, Kosovo.