Ethnic Cleansing

"Nothing worse can happen in this world," my teacher once told me. After surviving World War II, three concentration camps, seven years of living hell, he was 100 percent sure.

He also claimed that the allies may not have known what was really happening in the camps, but had they known the extent of the atrocities, the religions of the world would have intervened.

He knew the truth:  Man is capable of doing anything.

"Ethnic cleansing." It has a nice ring to it; a new phrase for our lexicon. An idea for legitimizing organized murder, rape and pillage. Sure, the world would never permit another genocide. But maybe a little ethnic cleansing once in a while wouldn't be so bad.

It's not easy to understand the problem in Yugoslavia. True, the people are from different religious backgrounds, but that does not give legitimacy to the evil taking place. Serbs are Eastern Orthodox, Croats are Roman Catholics, and Muslims may have jumped onto the wrong bandwagon in claiming that they side with the Roman Catholics.

This certainly is one of the first times that Muslims and Catholics are on the same team. With all the religious differences, they make strange bedfellows. The only thing that I believe brings them together is that they are both victims of Serbian violence and are, therefore, committed to help each other (watch out when peace comes to the region).

Why Eastern Orthodox religious leaders have not put an end to the rape and carnage is a great mystery. But, before we pass judgment, let's take a look at what America is doing for Samalia.

As I see the boys moving out to the planes fully armed for battle, my heart swells with pride. In truth, they are not soldiers for destruction, but they are American angels on a mission that America is proud of.

When I observe the marines in Somalia consisting of almost every nationality, I feel good. Members of all colors, races, and religions are seen gathering the little children, feeding them and distributing the much needed food. What differences the religions have are reserved for a different time and place. Gone are the all black units, the Japanese unit, the pure-white Marines.

The American-led mercy mission has brought out the better side of man. When faced with the task of saving the starving, we can be counted on to be there. We put our differences aside (Isaiah 2:4:  "they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift a sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more.").

Strangely, enough, Muslim leaders have been quiet about all the suffering in Bosnia and Muslim Somalia. With a deafening silence they stand from afar. Such an icy indifference is hard to comprehend. All the suffering being afflicted to their brethren should have galvanized their armies into action. Yet, there is no overt action taken. I dare say no action seems to be the policy. Why don't the Muslims help each other?

Yet, there's one place in the world where the Arab Muslims stand united, and that is in their timeless battle to destroy Israel, our only democratic ally in the Middle East.

All that Israel is asking from the Arab Muslims is to stop the terrorists from blowing up their country. They are willing to stop the new settlements and to continue the peace talks. They believe that they can be successful. This has been proven with the Egyptians and with Jordan's King Hussein.

Instead of recognizing the new flexibility that Israel is showing, the Arabs have increased the terror. In the past few weeks they have killed, mutilated and maimed countless people. They have attacked, kidnapped and bombed Jewish settlers in their homes and their schools and on their way to work. Imagine for a moment if the Hamas were given free rein to do as it pleased.

What Israel has accomplished by deporting 415 Hamas members is preventing a civil war, where Jews would fight Arabs in the Jewish homeland. Israel is pre-empting an ethnic cleansing war, something that must be averted at any cost.

Right now Israeli soldiers are pretty much frustrated by cruel Hamas acts, especially the young border officer whose body was mutilated. Yes, the heat has been turned up and the Israeli government is using restraint.

If anything, the Lebanese ought to accept Israel's proposal of humanitarian efforts in feeding the deported Hamas troublemakers. By observing what is taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovena, we can imagine what could happen in Israel. Time is running out!

It's time that religious leaderships of all denominations speak strong against what is taking place in Yugoslavia. Now also is the time to demand that the Muslim countries take a stronger interest in helping their own religious families. There is no reason for us to take all the risks while the Arabs stand by and watch.

Ethnic cleansing is 100 percent genocide and endangers the whole world. We must all do as much as we can to stop it.

Maybe my teacher was right when he said that if the world's religions knew what was taking place, they would end the atrocities.