Letter: Life-savers for Bosnia - both in and out of uniform

Sir: Your report on the possible withdrawal of British troops from Bosnia ('Hurd defends Britain's aid record in central Bosnia', (24 January) and your leading article 'We must not abandon Bosnia' (21 January) omit several vital considerations.

Firstly, it should be understood that given the minimal present level of agricultural production in central Bosnia, a UN pull-out would result in the rapid death by starvation of the 1.5 million people estimated to be in the area. Since the populations in Serb- and Croat-held territories will continue to be supplied by their 'mother countries', the impact of such a UN pull-out would in practice fall almost entirely on the Muslim population, probably entailing its near-total liquidation.

Secondly, despite the narrow official mandate of the UN troops, the delivery of aid has represented only one of several vital contributions they have made. The UN- sponsored maintenance of power stations has saved countless lives Similarly, it is thanks to the UN presence that journalists have enjoyed free access to the war zone. A withdrawal would entail an almost total news blackout, thereby giving the green light for further and unrecorded atrocities.

Thirdly, your leader suggests that the Bosnian army has been carrying out actions against the non-Muslim population. While there are well-documented cases of miscreancy in the government-held areas, to imply that the Bosnian army is committed to a systematic policy of ethnic cleansing is demonstrably false. On New Year's Day, a convoy from this charity reached the government-held city of Travnik, and was delighted to report that many Croats and Serbs still live there, and that they vigorously deny that they have been the victims of persecution.

Fourthly, we can report that the British forces enjoy an admirable reputation among the civilian populations, both for their professionalism and their humanity. It would be a tragedy if their work were to be abandoned in favour of a policy which would bring annihilation, rather than succour, to a whole population.

Yours sincerely,

TIM WINTER

Chairman

Bosnia Aid Committee of Oxford

Oxford

25 January