NATO BOMBING

Liberal Democrat News is the weekly newspaper of Britain's Liberal Democrat party, currently represented by 52 Members of Parliament. This is in reply to a letter which mentioned that people in Yugoslavia compared NATO's actions over Kosovo to "Krajina". This was my response, and my first published views on Croatia.

Liberal Democrat News No. 560 - 7 May 1999

 

The letter entitled 'aiding extremists' (23 April) contains references to the Krajina in Croatia that cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.

The re-taking of Krajina by Croatia in 1995, during which the Serb population fled, is frequently compared to the ethnic cleansing currently going on in Kosovo as an example of NATO 'hypocrisy', i.e. why didn't NATO bomb the Croatians in the same way as they are bombing the Serbs? Allow me to explain why NATO did not.

The Krajina Serbs with the Yugoslav Federal Army carved out almost one third of Croatia, virtually cutting the country in half, with the intention of forming 'Greater Serbia'. This was when the Serbs began ethnic cleansing; within Krajina, Croatians were ethnically cleansed by their Serb neighbours - ensuring they could never live in peace again.

In 1995, the Krajina Serbs attacked the UN safe haven of Bihac in Bosnia. Croatia launched an offensive. The Serbs, fearing reprisals, fled - their leaders first. Their 'capital' Knin was largely deserted by the time the Croatian army got there.

If the offensive had not been launched, Bihac would have fallen and 'Greater Serbia' established; we would all have our heads in our hands wondering how we could have allowed such a state to be created.

This is why NATO did not bomb Croatia. What happened to innocent Krajina Serbs was tragic, but it was brought about due to their leader's policies which incurred the wrath of the Croatians.

Had we intervened when Yugoslavia attacked Slovenia in 1991, starting these wars, the events in Croatia, Bosnia and now Kosovo may never have happened. We must ensure we never make the same mistake in Europe again.

Brian Gallagher

London