Members of Chicago`s Croatian community marked the weekend with events calling for peace in their ravaged homeland.
In a visit Sunday to the Croatian Cultural Center, 2845 W. Devon Ave., Sen. Alfonse D`Amato (R-N.Y.), advocated a stronger international response to the crisis in the former Yugoslavia but stopped short of endorsing U.S. military action there.
”I`m not going to suggest military tactics, but I will suggest to you that we have the power and the ability to project our force in such a way to make those who are responsible pay a price,” D`Amato told reporters before a peace rally and luncheon in his honor.
D`Amato would not discuss specific actions but said there were economic targets, such as power plants and railroad lines in the Yugoslavian capital of Belgrade, that would ”bring great pain” if disabled.
He also said the United States should support any United Nations resolution calling for the use of necessary force to accomplish the release of civilians from Serbian detention camps and to keep heavy weapons under UN control.
D`Amato has been a supporter of the Croatian cause since the republic declared its independence from Yugoslavia last summer. Last week, he helped win the release of a 21-year-old computer science student from New York who spent almost five months in Serbian prison camps after returning to his parents` homeland to fight in the Croatian military.
About 500 people attended Sunday`s event, which included the presentation of a plaque to the New York senator. Maria Bosnjak, 30, a Croatian who moved to Chicago from Bosnia eight years ago, said she and her husband, Vlado, came to the $25-per-person buffet to support D`Amato and to urge stronger action to end the fighting in their former homeland.
”It`s important to stop this before it spreads,” Bosnjak said. ”If just the killing stops, it`s a big step.”
That was also the wish of dozens of members of St. Jerome Croatian Church in Bridgeport, who marched Saturday in an annual parade honoring the Virgin Mary.
Usually, this is a day for prayers, for thanksgiving. But this year, there were prayers for peace-and for a war victory.
”My prayers are that Croatia does win this war and things get back to normal,” said marcher Katica Miocic, 20.
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Ironically, the church`s day of celebration stems from a 12th Century Croatian war victory over Turks. Croatians prayed that if they could resist a Turkish attack, they would forever set aside Aug. 15 to honor the Virgin Mary. ”These are very trying times for us,” said parade organizer Giggie Cortese. ”Many of the people who belong to this parish have their parents still there or their sisters or their brothers, especially in Bosnia.”