Voice of America, 26 February 1996

From: "Ioannis V. Bousnakis" <ivb19@nfi.com>

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: EARLY EDITORIAL REACTION TO THE SHOOTING DOWN OF TWO U-S CIVILIAN PLANES BY THE CUBAN AIR FORCE OVER THE WEEKEND IS ALREADY SHOWING UP IN THE NATION'S NEWSPAPERS. OTHER TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION ON THIS FINAL MONDAY OF FEBRUARY INCLUDE SUNDAY'S BOMBINGS IN ISRAEL; THE TROUBLED PEACE PROCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND; RUSSIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, AND U-S EFFORTS TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH CHINA. NOW, HERE IS ________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: NORMALLY, EDITORIAL WRITERS ON MOST U-S NEWSPAPERS DO NOT WORK ON SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS, SO THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO COMMENT ON WEEKEND DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR MONDAY ENDITIONS. BUT THE SHOOTING DOWN OF TWO SMALL, UNARMED PRIVATE PLANES SATURDAY BY A CUBAN MIG DREW A QUICK RESPONSE FROM A FEW DAILIES, INCLUDING "THE MIAMI HERALD", WHICH KEEPS A CLOSE WATCH ON CUBAN MATTERS.

VOICE: "THIS OUTRAGEOUS CALLOUSNESS PROVES ANEW [FIDEL] CASTRO'S TOTAL DISREGARD FOR ACCEPTED NORMS OF BEHAVIOR. BUT IT DOES NOT, AS SOME CUBAN EXILES SAID, CONSTITUTE AN 'ACT OF WAR' AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. RATHER, IT SHOWS THAT A TRAGEDY THAT WAS WAITING TO HAPPEN FINALLY HAPPENED. THE PILOTS OF BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE HAD OVERFLOWN HAVANA TWICE IN RECENT MONTHS, DROPPING LEAFLETS. THE U-S GOVERNMENT WARNED THEM AGAINST PROVOKING [PREMIER] CASTRO. SO DID [MR.] CASTRO."

TEXT: "USA TODAY" BEGINS ITS RESPONSE WITH THIS QUESTION:

VOICE: "WHO WAS MORE FOOLISH? THE CUBAN-AMERICAN FLIERS AND THEIR COMPATRIOTS WHO TUGGED FIDEL CASTRO'S BEARD BY FLYING INTO CUBAN AIRSPACE, TWICE DROPPING PAMPHLETS ENCOURAGING THE OVERTHROW OF THE COMMUNIST DICTATOR? OR WAS IT [PREMIER] CASTRO, WHOSE MIG-29 PILOT BLEW TWO OF THEIR CIVILIAN PLANES OUT OF THE SKY SATURDAY -- OVER INTERNATIONAL WATERS -- THUS RUINING ANY CHANCE SOON FOR A FURTHER NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS? THAT'S A TIGHT CONTEST. BUT HOWEVER FOOLHARDY THE CUBAN-AMERICANS MIGHT HAVE BEEN, [PREMIER] CASTRO'S REACTION WAS DESPICABLE AND CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED... THE TRUTH IS THAT ALL THE RESPONSES ON THE TABLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO HURT THE CUBAN PEOPLE THAN TO STRIKE AT [PREMIER] CASTRO HIMSELF."

TEXT: AND IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL, "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" HAS SHARP CRITICISM FOR THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO POINTS AN ACCUSING FINGER AT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION:

VOICE: "AS FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAVE A FUNNY WAY OF DOING, THIS PRESENTS THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE WITH A PROBLEM IT HAD NO IDEA WAS COMING. MR. CLINTON IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING, 'I CONDEMN THIS ACTION IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS' -- WHICH RINGS SADLY IRONIC. THE UNFORTUNATE FACT IS THAT UNDER MR. CLINTON, THE COAST GUARD HAS BEEN DOING ON THE SEAS (THOUGH WITH LESS VIOLENCE) WHAT MR. CASTRO'S PILOTS ARE DOING HIGH IN THE AIR: KEEPING CUBAN MASSES YEARNING FOR FREEDOM FROM ESCAPING TO THE UNITED STATES."

TEXT: "THE MIAMI HERALD" IS CONCERNED THAT THE LATEST PALESTINIAN TERRORIST BOMBINGS IN ISRAEL, WHICH TOOK AT LEAST 25 LIVES AND INJURED SOME 80 PEOPLE, COULD SET BACK THE MIDEAST PEACE PROCESS.

VOICE: "IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THOSE BOMBINGS MAY MAKE MANY ISRAELIS DISPIRITED AND INCLINED TO HALT THE ENTIRE PEACE PROCESS. BUT THAT WOULD BE A PROFOUND MISTAKE.... THE IMPERATIVE FOR ALL ISRAELIS IS TO KEEP THE 'WHEREVER IT MIGHT LEAD' UPPERMOST IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND ASPIRATIONS,. WHATEVER HAMAS'S EFFORTS TO DIVERT THEM. [END OPT] THE PEACE PROCESS .... MUST NOT BE ABANDONED."

TEXT: WE GET ALMOST IDENTICAL WORDS FROM TODAY'S "BOSTON GLOBE" CONCERNING ANOTHER WORLD TROUBLE SPOT -- NORTHERN IRELAND.

VOICE: "ALTHOUGH THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY SEEMS DETERMINED TO PRESS ON WITH ITS SPREADING OF INDISCRIMINATE DEATH IN ENGLAND, THE PEACEMAKERS ARE CONTINUING THEIR WORK. FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH, THE PEACE PROCESS MUST CONTINUE, WITH RENEWED EFFORT TO SET A DATE FOR TALKS TO SETTLE THE CONFLICT."

TEXT: LOOKING AT RUSSIA, WHERE A PENDING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND A NOTICEABLE WITHDRAWAL FROM REFORM EFFORTS CONCERNS THE WEST, LEADS "THE WASHINGTON POST" TO APPLAUD THE LATEST EFFORTS TO REVERSE THE TREND.

VOICE: "NOW THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO SERVE WESTERN INTERESTS IN THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW RUSSIA. IT'S NOT TO WAVE A FLAG FOR BORIS YELTSIN, AND THEREBY LICENSE HIS POLITICAL MALPRACTICE AND INVITE THE RESENTMENTS FLOWING FROM FOREIGN 'INTERFERENCE.' IT'S TO USE THE POLITICALLY BLAND BUT POWERFUL INSTRUMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND TO ENCOURAGE REFORM AND A SOUND ECONOMIC POLICY."

TEXT: ANOTHER ONE OF AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY WORRIES, AN INCREASINGLY BELLIGERENT CHINA, IS DEALT WITH IN AN EDITORIAL IN MONDAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES."

VOICE: "CHINA'S BRAZEN EXPORT TO PAKISTAN OF MAGNETS USED IN NUCLEAR BOMB PRODUCTION IS CREATING MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION THAN IS HAS FOR BEIJING. THAT IS BECAUSE WASHINGTON NOW FINDS ITSELF WITH NO CREDIBLE WAY TO RESPOND THAT DOES NOT ALSO INFLICT SERIOUS HARM ON UNITED STATES BUSINESS INTERESTS. THE BEST ANSWER FOR NOW IS TO GIVE PRIORITY TO NUCLEAR SECURITY AND IMPOSE THE PENALTIES SPECIFIED BY LAW."

TEXT: AND FINALLY, IN A DOMESTIC NOTE, "NEWSDAY" ON LONG ISLAND HAILS THE RETURN OF CONGRESS FROM ITS LATE WINTER RECESS WITH THESE THOUGHTS.

VOICE: "CONGRESS IS SET TO RETURN THIS WEEK. AND EVEN THOUGH WASHINGTON IS TRANSFIXED BY THE BLOODLETTING IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES, IT'S TIME TO GET BACK TO WORK... TO SALVAGE THIS SESSION AND MAKE GOOD ON AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR PLEDGES, CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ARE NOW TALKING AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT ATTACHING A SLIMMED-DOWN VERSION OF THEIR ENTITLEMENT-PROGRAM REVISIONS AND THEIR TAX CUTS TO MUST-PASS LEGISLATION INCREASING THE NATION'S DEBT LIMIT... THERE IS STILL GOOD REASON TO PURSUE A SEVEN-YEAR PLAN TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. THE ROAD MAP TO SUCH A PLAN WAS LAID OUT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BUT NEITHER SIDE SEEMED PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING IT."

TEXT: AND ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE NATION'S EDITORIALS ON THIS FIRST DAY OF THE WORK WEEK. NEB/ANG/PCH 26-Feb-96 10:40 AM EST (1540 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] BOSNIA/SARAJEVO (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: BOSNIAN SERB ARMY TRUCKS, ESCORTED BY NATO TROOPS, ARE BEING USED TO EVACUATE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM SERB-HELD SUBURBS OF SARAJEVO. THE OPERATION HAS BEEN MARRED BY DIFFICULTIES AND CONFUSION, AS MANY SERBS SEEK TO FLEE BEFORE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT POLICE TAKE CONTROL. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS HAD SAID 200 ARMY TRUCKS WOULD BE READY TO TAKE THE THOUSANDS OF SERBS OUT OF THE SERB-HELD SUBURBS OF THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL, BUT ON MONDAY MORNING ONLY ABOUT 20 TRUCKS SHOWED UP IN SERB-HELD ILIJAS, WHERE MUSLIM AND CROAT POLICE WILL TAKE OVER ON THURSDAY.

THE BOSNIAN SERBS ARE ALLOWED TO USE MILITARY TRUCKS IN THE DEMILITARIZED AREAS UNDER AN AGREEMENT REACHED WITH THE NATO COMMANDER IN BOSNIA, ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH. HE AGREED TO ALLOW THE SERBS TO USE THE ARMY TRUCKS, AND AGREED TO PROVIDE NATO ESCORTS, AFTER SERB CIVILIAN VEHICLES WERE STONED WHILE LEAVING ANOTHER SUBURB LAST FRIDAY. UNDER THE PLAN THE TRUCKS MUST NOT HAVE SERB ARMY LICENCE PLATES AND THE DRIVERS MUST BE UNARMED.

ON MONDAY MORNING, THOUGH, THE OPERATION QUICKLY DEGENERATED. MANY OF THE ARMY TRUCKS COULD NOT START IN THE COLD, OR THEY BROKE DOWN ON THE WAY TO ILIJAS.

NATO OFFICERS CRITICIZED THE BOSNIAN SERB LEADERSHIP FOR THE FAILURE, SAYING NATO WAS READY TO ESCORT A LARGE CONVOY OF TRUCKS BUT THE LACK OF ORGANIZATION ON THE BOSNIAN SERB SIDE PREVENTED THE OPERATION FROM GOING AHEAD. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE GATHERED IN ILIJAS WAITING TO BOARD THE TRUCKS, FAR MORE THAN THE FEW TRUCKS COULD HOLD, AND REFUGEES SHOUTED AT OFFICIALS TO FIND THEIR FAMILIES A PLACE ON THE CONVOY. OFFICIALS COULD ONLY PROMISE THEY WOULD TRY TO HAVE MORE TRUCKS AVAILABLE SOON.

U-N REFUGEE AGENCY OFFICIALS HAVE ATTACKED THE PLAN TO ALLOW MILITARY TRUCKS TO EVACUATE SERBS UNDER NATO ESCORT, SAYING SOME BOSNIAN SERBS MAY WANT TO STAY IN THE AREAS TO BE HANDED OVER, AND ARE USING THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION AS A COVER. THE OFFICIALS SAY ONCE A SERB ARMY TRUCK ARRIVES AT A HOUSE, THE OCCUPANTS WILL HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE. THE U-N REFUGEE OFFICIALS SAY THE CONTINUING EXODUS OF SERBS PUT AT RISK THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF A MULTI-ETHNIC BOSNIA, AND THEY ALSO SAY SERBS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DISMANTLING SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, UTILITIES AND HOUSES, AND TAKING THE EQUIPMENT WITH THEM AS THEY LEAVE.

DESPITE THE PLEAS OF THE REFUGEE OFFICIALS ITS CLEAR THAT MOST SERBS DO WANT TO LEAVE BEFORE THEIR SUBURBS COME UNDER BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROL. SERBS SHOW LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN INTERNATIONAL PLANS TO PROTECT THEM. (SIGNED)

NEB/DF/CF
26-Feb-96 2:08 PM EST (1908 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] EAST EUROPE PRESS FREEDOM BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: AN INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA IS TAKING HOLD IN FORMER COMMUNIST NATIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS PRESS FREEDOM IS MOST ADVANCED IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN THE MOST PROGRESS IN BUILDING DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES AND MARKET ECONOMIES.

TEXT: EASTERN EUROPE HAS EMERGED FROM A 50 YEAR PERIOD IN WHICH GOVERNMENTS EXERCIZED ABSOLUTE CONTROL OVER THE NEWS MEDIA. NOT SURPISINGLY, WITH NO MODERN TRADITION OF A FREE, WESTERN STYLE MEDIA THE PROGRESS IN BUILDING A FREE PRESS HAS BEEN UNEVEN.

THE OPEN MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, BASED IN PRAGUE, HAS SURVEYED MEDIA TRENDS IN ALL OF THE POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES. ITS CONCLUSION IS THAT OVERT CENSORSHIP HAS LARGELY DISAPPEARED, THAT FOREIGN-OWNED MEDIA INSTITUTIONS HAVE PROFLIERATED, AND THAT JOURNALISTS HAVE FOUNDED ORGANIZATIONS TO DEFEND THEIR INTERESTS.

THE INSTITUTE SAYS POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES CURRENTLY FALL INTO THREE GROUPS: THOSE THAT HAVE ABANDONED COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY BUT NOT NECESSARILY AUTHORITARIAN PRACTICES; THOSE THAT ARE OSTENSIBLY BUILDING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS BUT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS HAVE FALLEN SHORT, AND THREE, THOSE THAT HAVE MET BASIC STANDARDS OF DEMOCRACY, BUT WHOSE CITIZENS HAVE NOT ALWAYS ADOPTED THE THINKING REQUIRED TO FOSTER DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.

THE OPEN MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE SAYS PRESS FREEDOM IS LEAST DEVELOPED IN SERBIA WHERE JOURNALISTS OPERATE UNDER CONSIDERABLE DURESS. CROATIA, LIKEWISE, IS GIVEN LOW MARKS FOR DEVELOPING AN INDEPENDENT MEDIA. THE SUCCESSES, SAYS THE INSTITUTE, ARE IN THE FAST REFORMING COUNTRIES -- POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AND THE BALTIC STATES.

ERIK BEST PUBLISHES THE FLEET SHEET, A DAILY ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPENDIUM OF PRAGUE NEWSPAPERS, THAT IS FAXED TO SEVERAL HUNDRED BUSINESS CLIENTS. MR. BEST SAYS WITH 10 DAILY NEWSPAPERS THE CZECH MARKET IS VERY COMPETITIVE WITH STEADY IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE NEWSPAPERS IN GENERAL HAVE MADE GREAT IMPROVEMENT. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THEY NEED TO IMPROVE UPON IN TERMS OF ATTRIBUTION OF SOURCES AND SMALL THINGS LIKE THE ASSUMPTION OF INNOCENCE BEFORE BEING PROVEN GUILTY. BUT IN GENERAL THE IMPROVEMENT IS FANTASTIC.

THE CZECH REPUBLICIS MOST ADVANCED IN BROADCAST MEDIA. A PRIVATE TELEVISION CHANNEL OPENLY COMPETES WITH STATE TELEVISION AND ATTRACTS 70 PERCENT OF ALL VIEWERS. POLAND HAS WITNESSED A 50 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS. AS IN PRAGUE THE MOST POPULAR DAILIES HAVE FOREIGN -- OFTEN GERMAN -- PARTNERS.

IN THE BALTIC STATES, SWEDISH AND FINNISH MEDIA INTERESTS HAVE EXTENSIVE HOLDINGS. IN ROMANIA AND BULGARIA, THROUGH LARGELY INDIRECT MEANS, THE GOVERNMENT STILL EXERCISES CONSIDERABLE CONTROL OVER THE MEDIA. IN MOST COUNTRIES BROADCAST MEDIA, PARTICULARLY TELEVISION, REMAINS LARGELY UNDER STATE CONTROL. AND YET, GIVEN THE STARTING POINT OF COMPLETE GOVERNMENT CONTROL ONLY EIGHT YEARS AGO, THE PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE REGION IN DEVELOPING AN INDEPENDENT MEDIA HAS BEEN BOTH STEADY AND SUBSTANTIAL. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/MH/CF
26-Feb-96 11:18 AM EST (1618 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[04] GERMANY / TERRORISTS (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: GERMAN POLICE HAVE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY TWO MEN SUSPECTED IN BOMB ATTACKS ATTRIBUTED TO A LEFT WING TERROR GROUP KNOWN AS THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST CELLS. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM BONN.

TEXT: AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TWO MEN, WHO WERE DETAINED LATE SUNDAY OUTSIDE OF THE NORTH GERMAN CITY OF HAMBURG.

A STATEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN KARLSRUHE SAID THE TWO ARE SUSPECTED OF CARRYING OUT BOMB ATTACKS AND BELONGING TO A LEFT-WING EXTREMIST GROUP.

THE MASS CIRCULATION TABLOID BILD ZEITUNG, IN AN EARLY RELEASE FROM TUESDAY'S EDITION, SAID EXPLOSIVES WERE ALSO FOUND IN A CAR CONNECTED WITH THE SUSPECTS.

GERMAN SECURITY EXPERTS WHO ASKED NOT TO BE IDENTIFIED SAY THE TWO MEN ARE BELIEVED CONNECTED TO THE SO-CALLED ANTI-IMPERIALIST CELLS, A LEFT WING GROUP THAT HAS CARRIED OUT SEVERAL RECENT ATTACKS AGAINST GERMAN POLITICIANS.

THE GROUP CLAIMS TO BE THE SUCCESSOR TO THE NOW DEFUNCT RED ARMY FACTION, WHICH CARRIED OUT A WAVE OF BOMBINGS, KIDNAPPINGS AND ASSASSINATIONS DURING THE 1970'S AND 1980'S. (SIGNED)

NEB/KBK/JWH/CF
26-Feb-96 8:24 AM EST (1324 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[05] LIFELINE NETWORK FOR PEACE HELPS WAR VICTIMS IN BOSNIA BY JUDITH LATHAM (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AMERICAN THERAPIST BEVERLEY BRITTON AND HER COLLEAGUES FROM LIFELINE NETWORK FOR PEACE HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM BOSNIA WHERE THEY ASSESSED THE POST-WAR MENTAL

TEXT: THREE YEARS AGO BEVERLEY BRITTON FOUNDED THE WORLD ALLIANCE FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR BOSNIA TO EXTEND A SO CALLED "LIFELINE" TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. SHE SAYS THE WORLD ALLIANCE WAS AN OUTGROWTH OF HER WORK WITH LIFELINE NETWORK FOR PEACE, WHICH SHE STARTED MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. THE GOAL OF THAT ORGANIZATION, MS. BRITTON SAYS, IS TO "PROMOTE PEACE AND HEALING THROUGH BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT." SHE SAYS LIFELINE NETWORK WORKS TO BUILD BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING AMONG ALL PEOPLES WHILE RESPECTING THEIR CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES. AND THE WORLD ALLIANCE COORDINATES SPECIFIC MEDICAL, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR BOSNIA. HAVING JUST RETURNED FROM BOSNIA, BEVERLEY BRITTON SAYS SHE FOUND THAT VIRTUALLY EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY IS SUFFERING FROM A CONDITION KNOWN TO PSYCHOLOGISTS AS "POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS."

TAPE: CUT ONE -- BRITTON (0:39) "EVERYONE FROM PHYSICIANS AND JOURNALISTS TO JUST AVERAGE CITIZENS [AND] CHILDREN TELL ME THAT, ALL THROUGH THE WAR, MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE, WITNESSING HORRORS AND SO FORTH. BUT NOW, AFTER THE WAR HAS CEASED, NOW IS WHEN THEY'RE EXPERIENCING INSOMNIA AND NIGHTMARES AND INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE, AND SHORT-TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS. ALL THESE ARE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS. AND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IS REALLY CRUCIAL IN HELPING THESE PEOPLE HEAL, TO GET BACK TO THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE."

TEXT: BEVERLEY BRITTON HAS VISITED BOSNIA FIVE TIMES. THE FIRST WAS DURING THE SO-CALLED "MARKETPLACE MASSACRE" IN SARAJEVO TWO YEARS AGO. THEN SHE WORKED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF KOSEVO [KOSH-EH-VOH] HOSPITAL TO CARE FOR SEVERELY WOUNDED VICTIMS OF SHELLING. ON HER MOST RECENT VISIT, MS. BRITTON SAYS, SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES DELIVERED MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND OFFERED TRAINING. AND, SHE SAYS THE EMPHASIS OF HER WORK IS WITH PROFESSIONALS IN BOSNIAN HOSPITALS.

TAPE: CUT THREE -- BRITTON (0:19) "WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS CARE TO THE CAREGIVERS BECAUSE THE DOCTORS, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, THE SOCIAL WORKERS, AND SO FORTH ARE SO TRAUMATIZED THEMSELVES THAT, IF WE CAN GO IN AND HELP THEM HEAL, THEY CAN BEGIN TO USE THESE THERAPIES WITH THEIR PATIENTS AND TRAIN OTHERS."

TEXT: AT KOSEVO HOSPITAL IN SARAJEVO, THERAPIST BEVERLEY BRITTON TAUGHT STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES TO MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH STAFFS. SHE SAYS IT WAS A VITAL TO THEIR RECOVERY.

TAPE: CUT FOUR -- BRITTON (0:33) "I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE IN THE PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL THAT THEY FELT THAT THE SINGLE MOST USEFUL TOOL THAT THEY HAD WAS THE STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES THAT THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO TEACH THE CHILDREN. [AND] THAT THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES REPORTED WHAT A WONDERFUL RELIEF IT WAS, FIRST OF ALL, [TO KNOW] WHY THEY WERE EXPERIENCING WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING -- SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND FEAR AND PANIC, NIGHTMARES AND SO FORTH -- BUT IT WASN'T PERMANENT. AND, [BY] USING CERTAIN KINDS OF BREATHING TECHNIQUES AND SO FORTH, THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FEEL MUCH BETTER VERY QUICKLY."

TEXT: [BEGIN OPT] ANOTHER CRITICAL PROBLEM SHE DISCOVERED THAT HAS NOT RECEIVED NEARLY ENOUGH ATTENTION, MS. BRITTON SAYS, IS THAT MANY BOSNIANS -- ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE -- ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF DENTAL CARE.

TAPE: CUT FIVE -- BRITTON (0:43) "THE AVERAGE CHILD IN BOSNIA HAS TWELVE CAVITIES, OR [DENTAL] PROCEDURES THAT ARE NEEDED. BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE DIET, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF WATER AND JUST THINGS AVAILABLE FOR DENTAL HYGIENE, THE CONDITION OF THE CHILDREN'S TEETH IS REALLY, REALLY GRIM. SO, I MET WITH THE DENTAL FACULTY WHILE I WAS THERE AT THE DENTAL SCHOOL IN SARAJEVO AND RECEIVED A LIST OF THE NEEDS. WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IS TO OUTFIT TWO OR THREE MOBILE DENTAL CLINICS BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE EXCELLENT DENTISTS, BUT THEY HAVE NONE OF THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT INTO THE TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES AND DO THE DENTAL SERVICES THERE BECAUSE IN THESE COMMUNITIES THE AVERAGE CITIZEN HAS NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION." [END OPT]

TEXT: BEVERLEY BRITTON SAYS A CRITICAL ASPECT OF HELPING BOSNIAN CHILDREN IS HELPING THEIR MOTHERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE WAR WIDOWS WITH NO MEANS OF SUPPORT.

TAPE: CUT SIX -- BRITTON (0:27) "WHEN I WAS IN SARAJEVO, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM 60 DIFFERENT WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS FROM ALL OVER BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, AND WE CAME TOGETHER AND SHARED IDEAS AND HEARD WHAT IT WAS THAT THEY FELT THEY NEEDED AND WHAT THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS WERE. AND I SHARED WITH THEM THE IDEA OF SETTING UP WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO THEN SHARE INFORMATION, IDEAS, SUPPORT SYSTEMS -- [TO] SET UP A SUPPORT SYSTEM AND SO FORTH ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR THE WOMEN OF BOSNIA."

TEXT: BEVERLEY BRITTON SAYS ONE OF THE GOALS OF LIFELINE NETWORK FOR PEACE IS TO OPEN A WOMEN'S INSTITUTE OF PEACE IN SARAJEVO. MS BRITTON IS THE FOUNDER OF THE NETWORK, WHICH NOW HAS 110 THERAPISTS FROM SEVEN COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, ENGLAND, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, HOLLAND, AND SWEDEN. THEY WILL VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES ON A ROTATIONAL BASIS TO BOSNIAN TOWNS AND VILLAGES, COMBINING TRAINING IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITH TECHNIQUES FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT. THEY HOPE TO BEGIN THEIR WORK THIS SPRING. 26-Feb-96 4:31 PM EST (2131 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America