Muslim students protest U.N.

Carrying placards pleading to "End the Genocide," 12 University students joined in a protest march Saturday, petitioning the United Nations to lift its arms embargo against Bosnia. The University's Muslim Student Association sponsored buses to New York City to display its local support for the Bosnian Muslims. According to Engineering junior Hassan Chowdhry, secretary general of the Muslim Student Association, the main objectives of Saturday's effort were to condemn the hypocrisy of the U.N. with regard to Bosnia, call for the lifting of the arms embargo and show the unity of North American Muslims. "The U.N. is being ineffective," Chowdhry said. "It is in violation of its charter and it is responsible for much of the genocide of the Bosnian Muslims." This "charter violation" represents unfulfilled U.N. promises to protect Bosnian Muslims. Chowdhry cited the U.N.'s vow to protect Serbrenica, a safe haven it had created. But he claimed that subsequent Serb aggression and U.N. ineptitude led to the deaths of numerous Bosnians. The gathering of thousands of protesters in front of the U.N., although described as peaceful by Chowdhry, was a declaration of support for the Muslim war effort. College freshman Tahia Vikado, who also attended the march, said she believes the lifting of the embargo is necessary to protect the Bosnians against Serb aggression. "We still need to have a permanent means of defending our independent country," said Vikado, a native of Sarajevo. Vikado, who experienced the war first hand, said she is still affected by the turmoil despite her distance. Vikado added that she is thankful to the Penn Coalition for Peace in Bosnia -- also known as "MIR" -- which enabled her to leave Sarajevo and attend the University. Vikado believes that without MIR, a word which means "peace" in the Bosnian language, she would still be amidst the fighting in Sarajevo. Many of Vikado's family members remain in Sarajevo, and she said she is deeply concerned for their welfare. Currently, Vikado is working to finish her education at the University so she will be prepared to return to her homeland.