Economic Sanctions

* The last decade of the 20th Century is witnessing an upsurge of economic warfare passing under the euphemism of “sanctions.” With a greater and more diversified interdependence within the world community, this kind of war has become more effective and deadlier than ever before. Since the only victims of sanctions are civilians, the omnipotent gods of the public opinion, the media, are used to justify the reasons and obscure the real aim, which is to destroy the enemy.

The glaring example of this “new world order” policy are the U.N. sanctions implemented against Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) 17 month ago. After persistent attempts by U.S. ambassador Madeleine Albright to link the sanctions to “the U.N. peacekeeping plan for Croatia,” it became quite evident that its primary goal is the destruction of any Serbian statehood by inflicting an extreme hardship on the Serbian people. The strict embargo on all essentials--food, drugs, oil, basic chemicals--has already resulted in an alarming rise of mortality in the elderly, newborns and patients with chronic and infectious diseases. It has also provoked a wave of suicides from despair.

Some observers are finding that the sanctions “are working”; obviously, in anticipation of further disasters. In this, they will soon be gratified. In a month or two the potable water will become an unavailable commodity in Serbia, due to the embargo on chlorine. These sanctions, already inhuman in their blockade of medical supplies, have all too apparently become the “legal” and “civilized” form of genocide against the Serbian people.

ALEXANDER YAHONTOV

Researcher for Serbian-American

Community Relations Coalition

Los Angeles