DURING THE long Bosnian winter, and despite the increased fighting in the Tuzla region, International Workers' Aid has continued its convoys to Bosnia.
This is providing much-needed support to the Bosnian people's struggle against fascism and genocide. Tuzla, the centre of IWA activity, remains the only large town in Bosnia governed by non-nationalist forces.
Its population of 110.000 is swollen by 60,000 refugees, with tens of thousands more in the surrounding region. Unemployment is about 70%, while many of those in work receive little or no pay.
In a joint project with the Miners Union, several hundred tonnes of flour and other foodstuffs have so far been distributed by IWA's Bread Programme.
The three Miners Unions in Tuzla merged last year, creating one union with over 12,000 members. Of these, only 3500 are working in the mines; 4800 are fighting on the frontline, while 4000 are unemployed.
These and their families are the main recipients of this aid.
In a separate proiect in coordination with the Womens Association, some 20,000 womens parcels have been sent by IWA and distributed to women in Tuzla. In addition, money has been raised for the purchase of a mammograph, which has been taken to a hospital in Zenica. Additional food, clothing and other aid has been distributed to refugees in the camps in Croatia.
Other projects being studied include support for the Miners Union in providing working clothes for miners, support for an independent non-nationalist newspaper in Tuzla and for a non-commercial women's paper, and possibly organising tours of Bosnian miners and journalists in western Europe.
IWA is demonstrating the reality of international workers' solidarity with the Bosnian people, in the face of the support of western Governments for enic cleansing' and the partition of Bosnia.
Europe
IWA continues to gain support across Europe. A new group has been established in Norway, which has already attracted many trade union affiliations.
IWA groups are now active in over a dozen countries. For several months, however, the campaign has not functioned in Britain except to raise fund to pass directly to IWA Europe. Activists from the campaign decided recently to support the work and projects of IWA Europe, and appealed for donations.
Until we establish the British campaign more firmly, any money received will be sent on to IWA groups in Europe to support these vital projects. • Donations should be sent to IWA, c/o PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. Cheques should be made payable to International Workers Aid.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 82, April 29 1995, Page 11.