Students Will Pressure Clinton on Bosnia

Outraged by presentations at a recent human rights conference, a Dunster House senior is forming a campus organization to pressure the Clinton Administration to take action in war-torn Bosnia.

"I get somewhat emotional when I hear about women who are gang-raped in Bosnia," said Dominique Padurano '93, the leader of the new group. "I find it hard not to get involved."

Padurano said the "A Day for Bosnia" conference held at Harvard last weekend spurred her to action.

"The Bosnia Day [conference] was definitely the catalyst," said Padurano. "I can empathize with the horrors the Bosnians, especially the women, must have gone through."

Padurano said her moral outrage provoked her to help by putting political pressure on the Clinton administration.

"How can I criticize President Clinton's inaction when I haven't been doing anything?" she said.

The unnamed organization will pressure President Clinton to take the initiative in Bosnia and stop the genocide, Padurano said. The group will hold its first meeting tonight at 10 p.m. in the Dunster junior common room to discuss specific measures students can take.

Padurano declined to give details of her plan for political pressure, except to say that letter-writing would be included. She said tomorrow's meeting will canvass ideas and serve to inspire students to become involved in ending human suffering.

"It is easy to abstract this issue emotionally, physically, and psychologically, but I wish people would take another look," she said.

While the Bosnian issue has only recently gained the public's attention, Padurano said other campus organizations have worked in the past year to assist the nation. The Harvard Islamic Society (H.I.S.), Padurano said, collected clothes to send to Bosnia.

"Bosnia has been an issue for us since the beginning of the year. I'm glad the conference has raised awareness and made people realize the grave situation in Bosnia," said Omar M. Maabreh '94, president of H.I.S., which co-sponsored "A Day for Bosnia."

Padurano said she wants to build a larger Bosnia movement at Harvard because she thinks only a huge movement in America can stop the atrocities. Outraged Harvard students would have more influence than other groups and contribute toward enlarging the movement, she said.

"If we get people to express their outrage, then the Clinton administration would know the public outrage," said Padurano.

Padurano called on students to become involved by coming to the meeting or giving donations for the expected mass mailings.

"Every day more women get raped, more people become displaced and killed," said Padurano. "I can't justify inaction any longer.

"Bosnia has been an issue for us since the beginning of the year. I'm glad the conference has raised awareness and made people realize the grave situation in Bosnia," said Omar M. Maabreh '94, president of H.I.S., which co-sponsored "A Day for Bosnia."

Padurano said she wants to build a larger Bosnia movement at Harvard because she thinks only a huge movement in America can stop the atrocities. Outraged Harvard students would have more influence than other groups and contribute toward enlarging the movement, she said.

"If we get people to express their outrage, then the Clinton administration would know the public outrage," said Padurano.

Padurano called on students to become involved by coming to the meeting or giving donations for the expected mass mailings.

"Every day more women get raped, more people become displaced and killed," said Padurano. "I can't justify inaction any longer.