SPECIAL COMMENTARY

The Latest Balkan Crisis

world perished, including 6 million
n a radio broadcast on Sept. 27,
Jews in the Holocaust.
1938, British Prime Minister
One lesson the experience of World
Neville Chamberlain told his lis-
War
II taught us is that there are no
teners: "How horrible, fantastic,
" countries in our world.
faraway,
incredible, it is that we should be dig-
Today, even more so than
ging trenches and trying on
six decades ago, we are inex-
gas masks here because of a
tricably linked — economi-
quarrel in a faraway country
cally; politically, culturally
between people of whom we
and informationally — with
know nothing."
countries and peoples
Chamberlain's comments
around the globe. What
were made on the eve of the
happens in Kosova or in
infamous Munich conference
Karachi, in Indonesia, or
at which he and the French
Iraq or Ireland, has a pro-
premier acquiesced in Hitler's
found impact upon Ameri-
annexation of the Sudeten-
U.S. REP.
cans and upon people and
land from Czechoslovakia,
governments everywhere.
TOM L ANTOS
the first step in the occupa-
The
outrageous violation of
ial
to
Spec
tion of that country.
human
rights in Kosova —
ish
News
Six weeks later in Ger-
The Jew
spelled with an "a" at the
many, Jewish synagogues and
end in Albanian, but an "o"
Jewish businesses were
in Serbo-Croatian — is only the latest
burned and windows smashed in the
in a long line of abuses against a
infamous Kristallnacht pogrom. Less
group of people for racial or ethnic or
than a year later, German troops
religious reasons. The abuses in Koso-
began the blitzkrieg against Poland,
va
are a continuation of the ethnic
launching World War II.
violence
and human rights violations
What happened in Czechoslovakia
that have followed the break-up of the
in 1938 led irreversibly to the Second
former Yugoslavia.
World War in which hundreds of
Many Americans have argued, like
thousands of Britons lost their lives; it
Chamberlain, that Kosova is not our
led directly to events in which ulti-
problem, that it is a distant land that
mately 20 million people around the
does not affect us, and that we should
let the Europeans deal with it.
U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif), the
In the past few months, more than
only Holocaust survivor ever elected to
1,500 ethnic Albanians in Kosova
Congress, is a senior member of the
have been killed, most of them delib-
House International Relations Commit-
erately and indiscriminately murdered
tee and co-chairman of the Congression-
by Serbian military and police officials
al Human Rights Caucus.

I

in a calculated campaign of terror to
intimidate the population of that area.
This escalation of violence against
Albanians is the culmination of a
decade-long effort of the Serbian gov-
ernment to repress the population of
the province of Kosova.
This area has a population that is
more than 90 percent ethnic Alban-
ian, but it is an area that has great
historical importance for Serbs. In an
effort to repress the Albanians, the
Serbian government has systematical-
ly withdrawn the governmental and
cultural autonomy the Albanian
majority enjoyed under the former
Yugoslavia.
The increasing Serb repression has
finally exploded in violence, with the
vastly superior Serbian military
forces unleashing death, violence and
terror in an effort to expel the ethnic
Albanians or force them into submis-
sion.
Our world will be safe for people
of all races, ethnic backgrounds and
religions only if we fight against
repression and discrimination and the
violation of individual rights wherever
and whenever we find them and only
if we establish international legal
principles and procedures to protect
these rights.
Our forefathers, as well as many of
us, have suffered injustice, violence,
abuse and bigotry. Because of this
long history, and especially because of
our background with the Holocaust,
Jews in America and elsewhere have a
special obligation to fight violations

of human rights here and abroad.
Jews have consistently shown lead-
ership in fighting against racism and
discrimination — not only against our
own people, but against all people
everywhere. We understand, perhaps
better than most, the idea that was
expressed so eloquently by the Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. in his "Letter
from the Birmingham Jail" (Atlantic
Monthly, August 1963): "Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice every-
where. "

Especially
because of the
Holocaust, Jews
have an
obligation.

The violence and repression and
murder in Kosova is a matter of seri-
ous concern for all of us, and we
should support strong action by our
government and strong action by the
United Nations and other internation-
al-organizations to bring an end to
that conflict. We must work to end
the horrendous human suffering that
Serbs have inflicted upon the Albani-
ans of Kosova. ❑

LETTERS

anthropists will be Jewish
camping. Tamarack Camps
offers over 10 Judaic spe-
cialists at camp, a Judaic
scholar-in-residence pro-
gram, 20 shilichim (coun-
selors) from Israel, regular
visits to camp by our
Detroit clergy and Jewish
educators, and a strong
commitment to teaching
Jewish values, ethics and
morals. Tamarack's truly are
Jewish camps for Jewish

exists to help all Christians do what
their church leaders and church con-
ventions call them to be doing in the
area of Christian-Jewish relations.
That, as I have learned in the few
months I have been here, does make
the Ecumenical Institute unique.
Thank you for making that clear.
David Blewett
Executive director,
Ecumenical Institute,
Southfield

Jewish Life
Strong At Camp

I read your article about Jewish camp-
ing ("A Jewish Gamut" Jan. 15). I
believe it did not capture the true
essence of Jewish camping at Tama-
rack Camps.

1/29
1999

32 Detroit Jewish News

A recent Council of Jewish Federa-
tions study stated that the second
most powerful tool to instill Jewish
identity is a Jewish summer camp
experience. Going to Israel with a teen
trip is the single most important factor
according to the study.
The next major push for the phil-

children.
At Tamarack, we pride ourselves
that, at any time on any day, you will
easily know we are a Jewish camp for
Jewish children. Our mission is clear:
Strengthen the Jewish identity of our
campers and staff by providing a Juda-
ic atmosphere in which they can

-

develop friendships, self-esteem and
independence.
We believe Judaism is more than
doing something on Shabbat; it is part
of our everyday program, atmosphere
and life at camp.
I am proud to be president of.
Tamarack Camps and even more
proud of how we help Jewish children
and young adults become better Jew-
ish individuals.
Dr. David L Harold
President,
Tamarack Camps

Comparison
A Detraction

This is a rarity for me — writing to
your letter box in response to an arti-
cle ("Life After Arbor" Jan. 15) that

[=/