BY AGATSU KIMURA

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) started airstrikes against Serbia on March 25th (JST). NATO explained that it carried out the military action to make Serbia stop the "ethnic cleansing" of Albanians in Kosovo. This means that NATO fought with Serbia because of their evil infringement on Albanians' human rights.

In this war, women and children refugees from Kosovo in particular have become the biggest losers. They were banished or escaped with nothing, and they are still living in poverty. The problems are not only material, like bad sanitation and lack of the necessities of life, but also mental. Some of them were involved with violence, others saw murders or their houses burned. The children in particular have experienced deep traumas. The number of refugees are increasing and the neighbors of Kosovo have begun to refuse or limit the number of refugees.

It is difficult to judge if the airstrikes are good or bad. It is true that NATO broke the Serbian intrusion. But we cannot accept NATO's military action against a sovereign nation without the benefit of a United Nations Security Council resolution. Balkan history is confusing, and it is impossible to ignore the residents' ethnic emotion. Consequently, no one will find a quick solution. The conflict between Albanians and Serbians will never vanish even if both start negotiations after the war.

The Japanese Government is not able to mediate the conflict. This does not mean that we civilians cannot do anything for the victims of this war. Please remember the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the volunteers who went to that collapsed city and the people who raised funds for it. All of them helped in the reconstruction of Kobe. We are not powerless. We can and should support and aid the refugees with blankets, sleeping bags, tents, water, meals ready to eat (MRE), sanitation goods, medical equipment, and so on. We have enough of all of them. We live in Japan, which is a very rich country, so we can afford to help them.

Japanese Red Cross relief fund

Transfer account :

subscription name: Japanese Red Cross

account number: 00110-2-5606

If you write "Yugoslavia relief" in the correspondence space, the remission fee will be exempted.