Yugoslavia’s Civil War
The Yugoslavian civil war is like Californian redistricting: Two sides battle over each meter of territory. Here, Democratic and Republican legislators fight to a draw, accomplishing nothing, then the court takes over and draws the lines. There, Croats and Serbs are fighting to a draw, and a new border will eventually emerge. We could save a lot of trouble in either case if courts stepped in at the beginning to draw boundaries.
The United Nations should start drawing up a new border now, separating Serb from Croat villages where possible. Serbs and Croats living on the wrong side of the new border will either move, or if not, U.N. observers should try to protect their human rights (though discrimination is likely anyway).
This solution is not perfect, but it is more fair to have the border determined by an impartial judicial body than by body counts. Sometimes both sides seem to enjoy killing each other to work out centuries of hatred, but until the world presents an alternate method for redrawing the border, they will keep fighting. Either by blood or by ink, borders will be redrawn. United Nations, use your pen.
LARRY BAUM
La Jolla
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