Rarely does man see beforehand the consequences of his actions, and rare it is, indeed, even if he does, that he allows such knowledge to inhibit his activity. The pull of desire is so strong that, for most, its demands are all-compelling. 

Thus it is today in Yugoslavia where the desire for power of one weak and willful man has caused untold misery and death to many thousands. Those nations now in contention with this ruthless adventurer ignore at their peril the brutal history of this reckless man. The United Nations, standing and sounding as one, must indict and try him as the criminal he has shown himself to be. Otherwise, peace in the Balkans - and, by imitation, elsewhere - is a forlorn hope.

Naturally, the nations are divided in their response to the actions of the NATO forces. They have each their various reasons for hesitation and criticism, but without such action the tyrants of this world would cause ever greater mischief and suffering to their peoples and imagined foes. 

We, your Elder Brothers, are never advocates of war but neither do We advocate a lame acceptance of genocide and human degradation; the world, today, is too fraught with dangers for such appeasement. From now on, the nations must plan ahead for such contingencies, and let be known their will to act. The sentimental call for peace at any price is not Our way; the Path of Love must also be the Path of Justice and Sanity.

Tragic episode

The question arises: how to proceed to end a tragic episode in recent European history? Nothing less than the complete abandonment of this cruel endeavor of separation by the Serbian leadership should be acceptable under the rule of law. Otherwise this evil adventure will inspire others to emulate its ambition and prove a constant threat. The return of the refugees and their rehabilitation is a major priority; the reconstruction of their torched and pillaged villages a daunting task. The Serbian people should be held responsible for the reparations required and thus, in some measure, assuage their guilt. Huge loans will be needed by the Yugoslav Federation to enable them to meet these obligations and to rebuild their own war-shattered homeland. They must be made to see the unacceptability of their nationalistic ambitions and the need to abandon a leadership which leads them so astray.

Ferment

This is not the first time that the bitter ferment of the Balkans has erupted in war. The world is now too small and too interconnected to allow this age-old separation to do its destructive work. Wise diplomacy, broad vision, and the threat of force of arms must together calm the fires of territorial ambition and ethnic pride. We, the Teachers, watch closely this hard lesson for humanity, and, in the present situation, are not discouraged.  

From the July 1999 issue of Share International