Bosnian Refugees

“History Returns to Haunt the Present” by Dr. Rita Rogers (Commentary, March 1) came as a breeze of fresh air in the midst of a stale stench of misinterpretations and lies about the Yugoslav conflict. Her objectivity is commendable, especially in time of prolonged anti-Serbian hysteria in the U.S. media. It strikingly stands out from attempts to accuse Serbs of all evils. The newest example: prejudiced and ill-intended allegations (based on a false and clearly misleading tip) that the freshly invented “Serbian Liberation Front” was responsible for the World Trade Center blast only a day before the arrest of the suspect, a Muslim fundamentalist.

Her accurate and objective interpretation in stressing deep historical determinants and warning about “ignored Croatian territorial designs on Bosnia-Herzegovina” puts a long-needed revision on the current division between “good guys and bad guys.” The only objection to her writing could be a lack of any specific suggestions about how the United Nations should “act more forcefully.” Hopefully, it means to employ political (and, if necessary, military) pressure against all warring sides, as opposed to the clearly biased, one-sided approach now.

ALEXANDER YAHONTOV

Researcher for the Serbian-American

Community Relations Coalition

Los Angeles