Relief Supplies Gathered

In an effort to end what they call apathy on campus about the war in Bosnia, several Harvard students have begun organizing an effort to sent a truck full of medical supplies to the war's victims.

An organization, which is now calling itself the Harvard Coalition Against Atrocities in Bosnia, met for the first time Sunday night to make preparations for their project.

The organization plans to start dropping leaflets on the Bosnia crisis at students' doors within the next few weeks.

Coalition members will begin asking for donations in the dorms and houses two days after the leaflets are distributed, according to Martin Lebwohl '96, one of the group's organizers.

The coalition estimates that the cost of sending one truck to Bosnia will be about $50,000.

Coalition members said they were moved to launch the group after a speech last Tuesday by writer and activist Leonard Fine in Emerson Hall.

In his speech, Fine told a story of how a wealthy philanthropist friend, moved by the film "Schindler's List," had called on Fine to suggest means to help the victims of the former Yugoslavia's civil war.

With $100,000, the man pur- chased two trucks full of medical supplies andsent them to Bosnia, Fine said.

Fine asked if Harvard students could do thesame. The coalition's members said they can.

"For me it really began when I heard the'primal scream' before exams," said Marc J.Kuchner '94, a coalition member. "I thought tomyself, here we are screaming like we're about tobe lowered into hell--and then I realized that inBosnia screams like this are real."

Lebwohl compared the war in Bosnia to theHolocaust.

"Our generation has a chance to rise to theoccasion," Lebwohl said. "Students during WorldWar II had no previous experience with suchatrocities--we have CNN to watch it on."

The coalition is currently working under theguidance of the Harvard Human Crisis Watch. AndLebwohl said the group is planning to contactother campus organizations for their support.

Although Lebwohl called today's studentpopulation "indifferent" to the atrocities, hesaid there is a precedent for the relief effort.In 1930s, Harvard students sent funds toBarcelona, which was then under siege by fascists.

Kuchner said that because of the kindness ofstudents, the project should work.

"We're saturated with news stories about[Bosnia], but I think that every student has acore of care in his heart and I want to bring thatout in every-body," Kuchner said. "It's going tobe difficult, but it's going to work.

Fine asked if Harvard students could do thesame. The coalition's members said they can.

"For me it really began when I heard the'primal scream' before exams," said Marc J.Kuchner '94, a coalition member. "I thought tomyself, here we are screaming like we're about tobe lowered into hell--and then I realized that inBosnia screams like this are real."

Lebwohl compared the war in Bosnia to theHolocaust.

"Our generation has a chance to rise to theoccasion," Lebwohl said. "Students during WorldWar II had no previous experience with suchatrocities--we have CNN to watch it on."

The coalition is currently working under theguidance of the Harvard Human Crisis Watch. AndLebwohl said the group is planning to contactother campus organizations for their support.

Although Lebwohl called today's studentpopulation "indifferent" to the atrocities, hesaid there is a precedent for the relief effort.In 1930s, Harvard students sent funds toBarcelona, which was then under siege by fascists.

Kuchner said that because of the kindness ofstudents, the project should work.

"We're saturated with news stories about[Bosnia], but I think that every student has acore of care in his heart and I want to bring thatout in every-body," Kuchner said. "It's going tobe difficult, but it's going to work.