"OPENING MARCH 4 Pre-season Savings ALocated at the Castieger & District Golf Course - For Lunch or Dinner Reservations or Catered Banquets, call Dan at SUN STAFF PHOTO John Van Putten An early start—The spring itch to get out and start yard work has targeted Frank Donofrio earlier this year than it would normally. On Saturday, Donofrio made his way out into his yard along 8th Street to prune grape vines, readying them for another growing season. Peace Symposium Guest speaker paints hellis SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Editor When Christopher Cushing arrived in Castlegar, he found it difficult to relax. But it was understandable—he had just returned from a landscape strik- ingly similar to that of the West Kootenay—only this time he wasn't being shot at. ing, over the last yore has d extensively into zones of conflict for Medecins sans Frontieres, otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, helping coordinate the organization's relief efforts in the former Soviet republic of Georgia and in Bosnia-Herzegovina, from which he returned in February. In Bosnia, he participated in negot ations with the three warring sides to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian relief. A guest speaker during the Peace Symposium, held at the Brilliant Cultural Centre last week- end, Cushing's job was to put a Inuman face on the tragic conflict, by describing civilians caught in the crossfire of this bloody war. He did his job all too well. Cushing painted a picture for his audience that could very well have been the description of Hell itself. He spoke as candidly as he could about what he saw behind the front lines: How it felt to doc- tor a woman who was partially mittilated; or an eight-year old girl who had just been gang-raped, or arriving upon a posse of extrem- ists about to wipe out an entire family. These, he stressed, are not when the wind is right, you can actually hear everything that is going on. You can hear the is the war crimes in that country were equally as strong for the actions of the United Nations, which he says has provided a “disgraceful lack of effort to solve the Bosnian conflict.” His criticisms of the UN, based on personal experience he says, ‘We get upset when the UN drapes itself ina humanitarian flag and then bombs well-marked hospitals.’ — CHRISTOPHER CUSHING Doctors without Borders were harsh: By entering the situa- tion the UN only, setved 9 bring in more politics,. thereby endan- gering more civilians, the conflict in Bosnia is a political one, and instead the UN offers broad, cos- metic fixings; international humanitarian aid is devalued by political and military objectives; the UN's ‘protected areas’ are more like “kill zones” or “con- centration camps”. Cushing said his frustration with the UN is compounded when clearly marked compounds and hospitals are ‘accidently’ bombed by UN air strikes —something he witnessed in Somalia. “We get upset when [the UN] drapes itself in a humanitarian flag and then bombs well-marked hospitals,” said Cushing. And while the politics of the UN serves to be its own hurdle, Cushing did commend many of tions going on, and I know they are also under a lot of stress because they are under-defended themselves. I’m serious when I say that there are people from all sides in that country ‘who aré just intent on killing—it doesn’t mat- ter who or why anymore.” The killing has resulted in 200,000 dead, and three million displaced. Still, organizations such as Doctors without Borders continues to somehow bring in seven per cent of Bosnia’s medicine, a country that once had a health care system similar to Canada. The organization, which is often looked down upon by some other western relief organi- zations for its ‘cowboy’ image, has only lost nine people in the past 24 years. As a testament to " Christopher Cushing the chaos in the former Yugoslavia, five of those deaths occurred in the last 18 months. But despite all the atrocities of war, Cushing says he is amazed at the “sheer determination and will many people have to live—and to help others live. “I know this will be hard to believe, but despite all the death, there really is an incredible testa- ment to life. I think that’s what keeps you going.” Symposium participants pos People in the West Kootenay and beyond have a lot to say when it comes to the politics of peaco— and they had their chance to say it during the Unit- ed Nations Peace Symposium, held last weekend at the Brilliant Cultural Centre. Speakers at the day-long symposium included those involved in all aspects of the United Nations—from the political, right down to the field troops. Peace activists and representatives from humanitarian relief organizations also spoke elo- quently of their duties and the relationships—both positive and negative—that have developed with the UN in the eye of a conflict. Much of the day was spent discussing UN Sec- retary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali’s An Agen- da for Peace, a preventative diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping report. Residents from across the province who trav- elled to attend the conference also voiced personal opinions of the UN, as well as suggestions which individuals and groups would like the UN to con- sider. Questions were raised it women’s issues and gender equality at the UN table as well as rep- Council adopts changes for better water conservation make specific provisions for water conservation. New homeowners, while not required to install a water meter, are now obligated to provide a ‘sufficient location’ for future water meter installation if necessary. Other changes‘to the bylaw conservation on all water closets (toilets), stating that each should use no more than seven litres of water per flush. All shower heads should have options to limit the flow rate to 10 litres or less per minute, and ail sink faucets should limit the flow rate to nine litres or less, per minute. Changes in the bylaw come into effect for those who become users of the city’s water supply after March 1, 1994. The mayor and councillors voted unanimously in favor of the bylaw adoption. e questions to UN officials resentation from the Indigenous People, who, as one woman said, “are survivors of the most unspo- ken holocaust in Western history.” Attendants also questioned panelists about the use of air strikes, new peaceful tactics that can be used by military, the principles of self-defence, and influences over the UN, and the perception that major colonial powers determine where and when the UN becomes involved in a conflict. It was David Cadman, president of the Pacific Region United Nations Association, who often summed up the feelings of the audience and was met with approval when making remarks such as, “In order to effectively work towards peace, we must also work to suffocate the arms race.” Arriving from Vancouver to attend the sympo- sium and act as one of the moderators, Cadman urged Canadians to lead peacekeeping. “Canadian peacekeeping traditions must be involved in build- ing a peaceful world.” Cadman continued to say that Canada should take a greater role in determing. future UN changes that are designed to provide greater security around the globe. CAR TES cessx FREE! BCAA HOSTED TOURS MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE LANNED * WOR THE BEST OF BRI RELA E ¢ CONVENIENT LAND 3449 ES: Round trip airfare from Vancouver on Air Ca EUROPEAN MAGIC ‘3598 SEPT. 21 - OCT. 8 AMSTERDAM + RHINELAND + SALZBURG VENICE * ROME + FLORENCE * LUCERNE * VIENNA * PARIS INCLUDES: Round trip airfare from Vancouver on KLM WE HAVE MUCH, MUCH MORE TO HELP YOU PUT YOUR EUROPEAN VACATION TOGETHER! CALL US TODAY! BCAA Travel AGENCY ery S96 Baker Street 452-3535 ~ Nelson