Imply support for the methods used by the Croatian armed Any expulsions, murders. completely condemned. All social. right of all refugees, from whatever community, to return to their homes.
This is a basic right. It does not depend upon their reason for de. partureIbly expelled at gunpoint, fled in fear, left because their neighbours had gone, or any other reason. We must also continue to demand the right of asylum in Britain for all victims of the conflict.
Embittered
The new wave of refugees has other parts of former Yugoslavia. Serb refugees are being resettied newed efforts to expel as many as 12,000 Croats and 40,000 Muslims from Banja Luka.
There are also reports of refugees being resettied in Kosovo, aleady partially incorporated into Serbia, thus further destabilising this potential flashpoint and raising the fears of massive counter-expulsions of Albanlans and others from the Serb-controlled areas, and of the widening of the war.
Far from indicating an impending end to the war, the develop. reocupation of Krajina threaten Ultra-nationalists are increas. Bosnia and Greater Serbla. The need to support the forces of multiethnicism is stringer than ever.
The demands for lifting the arms embargo, and for the right of the Bosnian government and people to defend themselres against genocide and ethnic cleansing. must be raised throughout the labour movement in Britain. Despite the best efforts of the British media to give the impression that all Bosnian Serbs are in favour of a Greater Serbia, a significant minority of Bosnian Serbs remain opposed. Tuzla-currently under attack from supporters of the Greater Serbia chauvinist project-contains a considerable Serbian population. The same is true of Sarajevo. We publish an interview with a leader of the Tuzia Serbs to present the side of the story supporters of ethnic partition would prefer kept quiet. TUZLA-"The Serbs are the key to peace in the former Yugoslavia." says Miso Bozic, the chair of Tuzia's Serbian union.
'The curreat Serbian leaders, Milosevic in Serbia itself and Karadzic, the leader of coci torces in Bosais, are both following a policy that puts the notion of a Great Serbia above all other considerations."
"Such a policy is outright fascist, it is based on war crimes, repression and dinic cleansing. Along with similar tendencies in Crostian policy. this has led to there now being more than two million Bosnian refugces."
The ethnic cleansing policy, in Milo Bozic's view, is not going to lead to peace but to endless conflicts. The objective for the Serbian union in Tuzia and for similar unions all over Bosnia is, thereTorc, to derciop anocer kine of policy; one built upon understanding among the nations.
Tuzla's Serbian union rep. resents the city's Serbian population. Before the war broke out, about 33,000 Serbs lived in Tuzia, 30 per cent of its 110,000 inhabitants.
But when the war began things became more confused. Fear and insecurity were widespread. Many Serbs left the city.
The union was set up with strictly political objectives. Bozie stresses: "We do noe want to fight for the Serbs" social rights. Here in Tuzla we have political parties for that. We want to fight for our political rights."
In Bosnia there is a long tradition of peaceful co-existence. of "'harmonious division".
When Tuzla was occupied by the Croatian Ustashi movement during the Second World War, the Serbs and Jews were protected by their Muslim neighbours. Tuzia was the only area under Uslashi contro where the slaughter of Jews and Serbs was prevented.
When Bosnia became part of Yugoslavia, all three popu. lations were given equality. under the control of the Bos- Miso Bozic has been in The constitution said explic- nian government's army. Germany and talked with itly that Bosnia should be the many emigres and refugees homeland of three equal consultative council. The first "In general, they didn"t know groups—the Serbs, the Croats meeting of this council in anything about the real situand the Muslims. Sarajevo in 1994 represented ation".
The new federation agree- about 200,000 Serbs. The But he takes a hopeful ment, accepted on the basis of council also has contacts with view: "we are soon going 1o a US initiative, dors not men Serbian nationalists. have the ability to appeal dition the Serbs as a population Miso Bozic and the other rectly to the entire world. group equal to the other two. representatives of Tuzla's Tuzia is soon going to get a Therefore the Serbs in Serb's are bitter about the in- satellite station that the SerTuzla now have to fight on ternational community's bian nationalists cannot jam". three fronts. view of Karadzic as the only "So. we are developing First, they are fighting the representative of the Bosnian contacts with other opposition Chetniks. They have proposed Serbs. groups in Serbia. Soon, we that Serbs should for their Only building an alterna- will send a delegation of own battalions on the front, but tive to Milosevic and Tuzia Serbs to Belgrade itself chis has been rejected by the Karadzic, giving all the Serbs in order to discuss with oppoMuslim government. sition partics".
Second, they are fighting sides, can bring real peace.
(This interview was connational community. to be recognised by the inter- that these forces, like the But the problem has been ducted by Vagn RasThird, they are fighting in- peace forces in general, have mussen and published in Internationalen, the Swedtemally for cquality with Bos nia's other nationalities. ing. in being able to discuss ish Fourth Internationalist Together with Serbs in together, and in putting views paper.] other parts of Bosnia that are Send your cheque/PO for £17 (one year) E9 (six months) to "Socialist Name...
Address.
Post Code.. Fort eiti E the Educ , res i bal e of 6 go : 357 n00g SIS laims forie fucein de agre in f shcr ier
Socialist Serb activist on Big Serbia project p11 Socialist Outlook redesigns for 12 pages BRITISH READERS will know that over the last year the cost of newsprint has increased by nearly 50 per cent. Rather than increase our cover price, we have chosen to start redesigning the newspaper to better fit 12 pages.
Outlook Fund", PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. For one year overseas: surface: £22. Airmail: £38 Australasia and far east, E30 Rest of the world.