'Ethnic Peace-lovers' protest U.S. involvement

Their intent was peaceful and the message was clear. The Ethnic Peace-lovers, a group of about 30 students, demonstrated on the Diag yesterday at noon to protest for peace in Kosovo. Their mission was to educate students on the situation in Kosovo and tell them what they consider to be the truth of the Yugoslovia crisis.

Sporting black and white bullseye pins to symbolize that all people are targets, protesters marched on the Diag, holding signs, handing out pamphlets to passers-by and chanting "One, two, three, four, stop the bombs in Kosovo."

A Serbian woman, who did not wish to be identified because she said she wanted the student activists to be heard instead, spoke against U.S. actions. "Americans haven't heard the story from the other side," she said.

She added that U.S.government officials "only inspire hatred" by neglecting to hear grievances from Albanian and Serbian groups.

She concluded by saying that this has "all been for nothing," arguing that for Yugoslavia to accept unconditionally a solution that the United States feels is best for Kosovo is unreasonable.

"Violence cannot solve anything," said Engineering graduate student Dejan Filipovic, a native of Serbia.

Speaking against NATO's bombing campaign he said, "Nobody from the outside can solve internal problems. Serbian government and Albanian representatives should be involved in talks."

In a pamphlet distributed to students, the group advocated that the solutions to the war should include peaceful negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary General, rather than bombings.

Protestors also blamed members of the media, claiming that they do not "give the public the opportunity to understand the complexity of the situation," Education graduate student Ioanna Vekiri said.

Vekiri said she is for solutions that protect ethnic Albanians, and she wants "more opportunity for the promotion of democracy."

The Ethnic Peace-lovers' pamphlet concluded with the words, "Bombing is not part of the solution. It is part of the problem."

04-09-99