950804

Malaysia wants 'day of

mourning' for Bosnians on

UN's 50th anniversary

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a constant critic of UN's ineffectiveness in war-torn Bosnia-Hercegovina, wants the 50th anniversary of the United Nations to be declared a "day of mourning."

Mahathir, at a dinner late Thursday hosted for visiting Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, slammed the world body for failing in its role "as the guardian of peace and protector of the weak and helpless."

"Rather than celebrate the anniversary, it is perhaps more fitting to declare the anniversary a day of mourning," Mahathir declared.

Mahathir has said he would attend the upcoming UN General Assembly, but reiterated his intention not to attend the UN anniversary celebrations in New York, "because there is nothing to celebrate."

Malaysia has been at the forefront of attempts by Muslim nations to get the 1991 UN arms embargo on Bosnia lifted and has pledged to keep its 1,533 peackeepers in Bosnia-Hercegovina even if Western forces withdrew.

"It is irnoic that in this day and age, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the UN, the powerful and self proclaimed defenders of justice, human rights and peace seem paralysed when faced with genocide perpetrating right in front of them," he said.

Mahathir has blamed perceived Western inaction for the prolonged conflict in the Balkan republic.

He told Rao that as both countries rejoiced over their economic progress, people in Somalia, Rwanda, Chechnya and Bosnia-Hercegovina were being killed, raped, plungered and driven out of their homes.

In the case of Bosnia, "nothing has been done by those in a position to do so that would effectively put an end to Serbian aggression and brutalities against the Bosnian Muslims," Mahathir said.

Rao said regional conflicts, international terrorism and drug abuse should be tackled immediately.

"These are the problems that the world should solve as soon as possible so that we do not have to relapse into some kind of chaos worldwide," Rao said.-AFP