There’s almost nothing I can say about the war in Kosovo. I haven’t engaged with the historical and current complexities of the conflict. All I hear is whatever the Radio 4 news bulletins choose to report. All I do is listen to these and pray for the region when I remember to. But it jerks you, a little, to think that you’re probably supporting our ever-so-noble war effort. I’m assuming you don’t pay income tax (!), but any VAT or duty on items you’ve recently bought might have gone towards the cost of a missile or two.

Below are some bits I’ve sifted out of an e-mail that Christis was sent, a few weeks ago by the time this is read, by the Humanitarian Resource Institute.

“… The scale of the emergency is beyond the worst scenarios previously considered likely, and takes place against the backdrop of an already enormous caseload of refugees from the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest in Europe since World War II.” [a UNHCR update]

“The number of people who have fled Kosovo since the conflict began in March, 1998 is now [early April 1999] more than 600,000.”

“UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] and other agencies issued a new donor alert, requesting more than $138m to assist an anticipated 650,000 refugees.”

“Humanitarian crises often raise questions from the public about the most appropriate way they can offer help to refugees and disaster victims... The best and most versatile form of assistance to victims of war or a natural disaster is a cash donation to a relief, development or refugee-assistance organization operating in the afflicted area.”

For UNHCR updates, go to http://www.unhcr.ch/news/media/kosovo.htm. Donations in the UK can be sent to:

UK for UNHCR/Refaid
Account no. 1006319
Branch no. 30-98-97
Lloyd’s Bank
Butler Place
Caxton St
London SW1H 0PR

Blair Hunwick