Responses to student questions from peacekeepers in the field: Mr. Earnest Lehmann, UNMIBH, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Q

Hi, my name is Cade Cornett. I am in the 12th grade at River Valley High School in Marion, Ohio, USA.  I'm a 17 year old girl who enjoys playing softball and volleyball. Please tell me a little about Bosnia and Herzegovina and what a normal day is like?

A


As someone who had never before spent time in this region, I can tell you that living here in Bosnia Herzegovina is proving to be quite interesting, albeit not free of danger and tense situations, as the country is still recovering from the worst war in Europe since World War II.

Of course, one's  experience greatly depends on where you live in the country. Sarajevo, Bosnia's capital city, offers a life style very similar to that of other cities in many western countries, especially now that it is undergoing extensive reconstruction.  I, however, live in Brcko,  a much smaller town in northern Bosnia where evidence of destruction can not be overlooked, and the contrast of pre-war and post-war realities is much more visible, as it is throughout most of the rural countryside.

Almost every day I find myself driving past a horse-drawn wagon, only to be overtaken soon after by a brand new car.  My "modern" office (fax, computer, etc.)  is a five minute drive from a destroyed but inhabited neighborhood without running water, electricity or roofs, and it is not uncommon here to walk past an abandoned, bullet-riddled home across the street from a modern, recently rebuilt one.

These images add an unusual element to daily life in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and they motivate you to work longer hours than usual. In fact, the UN staff members here spend most of our day involved with work related activities, which differ according to our responsibilities. Time outside of work is usually spent meeting local friends, attempting to learn the customs and  language (which can make your work much easier), eating local foods and finding reliable ways to contact your friends and family back home.

 

Q


I am a student at River Valley High School in Marion, Ohio. I have a few questions that I would sincerely appreciate if you would answer them.

What is your responsibility as a peacekeeper and what problems have you had to face?
Any other information that you could share would be greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU for your time and hope to hear from you soon! Sincerley,
Kristie Frank

A


The ultimate goal of peacekeepers in Bosnia and Herzegovina is to strengthen the mechanisms created so that lasting peace can take hold, and eventually allow the country and its citizens to prosper without outside help or "supervision".  In pursuit of this goal, peacekeepers (military, police and civilians) fulfil many different roles involving reconstruction, elections, human rights, political affairs, health and education.  My own personal responsibility, as a member of the UN Press and Information Office, is to provide information to local journalists so that they can report to the Bosnian people what the United Nations is doing to improve the conditions in their country.  At the same time I check to see that the press reports information accurately, without intentionally misinforming or misleading the people - such hate propaganda was one of the main problems during the war.

Sometimes, the problems one faces as a peacekeeper can get a bit frustrating.  Eventually, though, you learn how to keep from getting discouraged, so small things like  power outages and cold showers become  an accepted part of your daily routine.  Perhaps the most frustrating challenges are caused by the inability to speak the local language (I work with local interpreters, as necessary) or having to deal with an ancient telecommunications network which rarely works.  When political tensions rise, it gets bothersome (sometimes frightening) having to prepare for  possible evacuation.  But personally, I think remoteness and loneliness are often the most difficult problems facing us.

 

Q


Why did Bosnians have to die and suffer when there is a Universal Declaration of   Human Rights to protect them?  How useful is it when it didn't give these people the  protection they needed?
Memorial School
West patterson, NJ

A


The Declaration alone can't guarantee all citizens of the world protection from violence and discrimination, if there are forces at work who act in open defiance to international norms and standards.  The Bosnians are not the only people that have suffered the consequences of war since 1948, when the Declaration was adopted.  Today people in various countries continue to be victims of policies and decisions they have no control over.
The importance of the Declaration lies in that it sets standard and goals for people and governments everywhere, outlining for the first time the basic human rights each government should strive to guarantee for its citizens. Many of its provisions have been included in legally-binding treaties and conventions, and many countries have voluntarily adopted the Declaration's provisions into their basic laws or constitutions. Although the UN tries to promote the compliance of the Declaration's articles by its members, by definition it must rely on the countries' own commitment to enforce and put into practice its provisions--and on the knowledge and vigilance of the world's people.

 

Q


Is the Serb action affecting you in any way?
Cade Cornett, River Valley High School in Marion, Ohio, USA

A


I assume you're referring to the situation in Kosovo, where fighting has been going on between Serbian police and military units and ethnic Albanians, and many ethnic Albanians have been killed or forced out of their villages.  I don't live in Kosovo, but  I am not very far away, in the Serb entity of Bosnia Herzegovina--less than an hour from the Bosnian border with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia  (F.R.Y.).  The Bosnian Serbs share a very strong bond with their Serbian neighbors in the F.R.Y., which many here consider their "motherland". The Serbs from these two countries have a similar cultural, historical and ethnic identity which they commonly refer to as a "brotherhood".  This sentiment has led many of the Serb politicians in Bosnia to declare that any NATO offensive against the Serbs in the F.R.Y., would be considered an attack on all Serbs, including those from Bosnia.  As NATO is an international organization, this implies that any use of force on NATO's part could prompt retaliatory action against international personnel working in the Serb entity of Bosnia Herzegovina, regardless of the international organization they work for.  The threat to us was real, with many local residents warning us about the consequences of a NATO attack on the F.R.Y.   We spent two weeks devising evacuation plans and carrying evacuation bags to work with us.

 

Q


I'm a student at river valley high school. We were recently asked to mail one of three choices of government officials. I chose you, and I would like to ask you about the situation in the near by Kosovo.
Do you think that the U.S.A. should bomb them?
I would appreciate an answer as soon as possible. Sincerly,
Jon Lemasters

A


I don't believe that anyone in my position would favour more warfare in this region.  The long and intense discussions over this issue and over what to do next are, I think, evidence that people in responsible positions want to avoid further bloodshed.  Having said that, I should point out that, as a member of the United Nations staff,  I am obligated to refrain from putting forth my own personal opinions on matters before the Security Council.  I can only hope that the arrangements for an observer mission by the OSCE and NATO overflights will improve the situation and stop the suffering of the people in Kosovo, and that bombing--by NATO or anyone else--will be avoided.

As far as the Security Council's view on this is concerned: The United Nations Charter gives primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security to the Council.  It has served in this case, as in many others, as a place for governments to try to work together and come to grips with a complex and dangerous situation.  In September, the Council adopted a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Kosovo and warned that it would consider "further action and additional measures to maintain or restore peace and stability in the region".  It also called on the Government of Yugoslavia and the Kosovan Albanian leadership to negotiate a way out of the crisis.  As you probably know, there has been disagreement among Member States in the Council over the use of force by NATO in Kosovo. Fourteen of the Council's fifteen members voted for the resolution.  China abstained.

In October, the Council demanded  that Yugoslavia  cooperate   fully  with  the   Organization  for  Security   and Cooperation in Europe  (OSCE) and North  Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) verification missions to be established in and over Kosovo, respectively. Thirteen Council members voted in favour, China and Russia abstained, specfically over the question of the use of force and reference to the Chapter of the UN Charter that pertains to enforcement.  In the Council, the United States argued that  threat of force was  key to both achieving the  OSCE and NATO  agreements and in ensuring their  full implementation.  Finally, your question focuses only United States action: discussion of bombing has involved not just the United States, but all 16 countries participating in NATO.