Students Have Vigil, Speeches On Bosnia

Dozens of concerned students demonstrated yesterday to oppose the violence and human rights violations occurring in Bosnia.

The events began at 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon when people gathered at the 'T" stop in Harvard Square to hold a candlelight vigil.

Ralliers carried signs which read "Never Again is Happening Again," and "Stop the Massacre in Bosnia" while they marched though the Yard to Emerson Hall.

Alberto Simpser '95, one of the coordinators of the candlelight vigil, said he organized the event to "express our concern over the tragedy in Bosnia and the lack of an appropriate U.S. response."

After the rally, spectators gathered in Emerson Hall where Susannah M. Sirkin, deputy director for physicians for human rights, and author Leonard Fine gave emotional speeches about the Bosnian crisis.

Both speakers compared the ethnic cleansing that has occurred in Bosnia over the last two years to the Holocaust, and they emphasized the imminent need to stop the violence in theformer Yugoslavia.

"No matter what each of us does, we need totake action now," said Fine.

A film was also shown which vividly portrayedthe current situation in Sarajevo, comparing it toten years ago when it hosted the 1984 WinterOlympics.

Yesterday's events were part of BosniAid, anational project sponsored by the National HillelCenter in Washington, D.C.

Eric Wagner, a fellow at the HillelInternational Center in Washington, said, "Hillelcreated BosniAid because we wanted to revivepeople's interest in Bosnia."

"Though the media seems to have forgotten theviolence in Bosnia, the suffering and killingstill goes on," Wagner added "and we felt that, asa Jewish community, we couldn't stand by andwatch."

Similar activities took place at 133 collegecampuses around the country, including Brown,UMass, Cornell and Stanford, according to Wagner.

Elie G. Kaunfer '95, chair of Harvard-RadcliffeHillel, said he believed the events "raised theawareness of the alarming atrocities going onevery day in Bosnia."

"Hopefully [these events] will shake the apathyout of people," added Kaunfer, who is SeniorEditor of The Crimson.

David L. Bosco '95, Co-Chair of Harvard HumanCrisis Watch and one of the organizers of thespeakers' panel, said, "We are hoping to getpeople who are not already dedicated to the issueknowledgeable and active in the efforts on behalfon Bosnia." Bosco is also Associate EditorialChair of The Crimson

"No matter what each of us does, we need totake action now," said Fine.

A film was also shown which vividly portrayedthe current situation in Sarajevo, comparing it toten years ago when it hosted the 1984 WinterOlympics.

Yesterday's events were part of BosniAid, anational project sponsored by the National HillelCenter in Washington, D.C.

Eric Wagner, a fellow at the HillelInternational Center in Washington, said, "Hillelcreated BosniAid because we wanted to revivepeople's interest in Bosnia."

"Though the media seems to have forgotten theviolence in Bosnia, the suffering and killingstill goes on," Wagner added "and we felt that, asa Jewish community, we couldn't stand by andwatch."

Similar activities took place at 133 collegecampuses around the country, including Brown,UMass, Cornell and Stanford, according to Wagner.

Elie G. Kaunfer '95, chair of Harvard-RadcliffeHillel, said he believed the events "raised theawareness of the alarming atrocities going onevery day in Bosnia."

"Hopefully [these events] will shake the apathyout of people," added Kaunfer, who is SeniorEditor of The Crimson.

David L. Bosco '95, Co-Chair of Harvard HumanCrisis Watch and one of the organizers of thespeakers' panel, said, "We are hoping to getpeople who are not already dedicated to the issueknowledgeable and active in the efforts on behalfon Bosnia." Bosco is also Associate EditorialChair of The Crimson