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12- Orono Weeklylmes, Wednesday:Juine 3, 1998 Dateline Bosnia.... Fromi time ta time we have reprinted letters fromi Tomn Cameron, one of the two Durhiam Regional police offi- cers serving in Bosnia as part of an International Police Task Force (IPTF). Officers Cameron and Arscott have been in Bosnia since late November 1997. May 13, 1998 Hello Ail: Weil the weatlier has warmed up and so lias the sit- uation. In Drvar, a "bat" area for some time, an elderly Serb couple were shot and killed in their home whicli was then set on fire. Within a week a large group of Serbs had attacked and surrounded a ruined Derventa church in which a Catholic Bishop was holding a mass for Croats. Attempts ta set fire to the structure were thwarted by Local Police and it was more than seven hours before the besieged Croats were able ta escape ta armoured buses escorted by SFOR troops. One priest, a number of Croats, and several soldiers received minor injuries wlien tliey were struck by rocks. The follow on ta this event occurred a few days later in Drvar which lias experienced dozens of arsons since the begîinningý of the year. Tliousands of Croats attacked mnembers of the international commiunity including the IPTF. llie IPTF station was buirned ta the ground, a numnber of IPTF vehicles were destroyed and somie Monitors were injured. One of tliem, a newly-arrived RCMP officer, was struck in1 the hiead by a rock thrown tlirough the window of bis vehicle. The situaion wvas quelled by two Companies of the Royal Canadian Regimient who rescued the lUN person- nel in armoured veliicles. Nearer ta me in Tuzia, a clasli between Muslimns and Serbs led ta 5 Serbs being seriously injured in a grenade attack. Thie catalyst for these problems is the return of refu gees ta areas they were displaced from by the ýwar. On the brighter side, things have been quiet for the past couple of weeks. Last Satuirday I attended the Canadian Contingent meeting and mnedal parade lid in Sarajevo wliere 1 sawv Don Arscott for the first time since Novetnber. île looks well and 15 liappy ta bc returning ta Canada on May 22nd. H1e lad the mnisfortune of being assigned ta Konjic Station where, for a long time, hie was the only English speak- ing Monitor. 1 will be return- ing ta Canada on May 24th for a wveek or so but 1 was asked ta continue somée work I'mi doing and I've agreed ta stay in Bosnia until August. Many people here have made comparisons between flie conflict in the Balkans and aur own situation with Quebec. Some time ago a twenty-something Frenchi- Canadian female soldier looked at mny shoulder flashes and said, I hate Durham." Being no stranger ta com- mnents about the police, I'd neyer heard that particular one s0 I asked, "And why is that?" Her answer startled me. She said, "Because Lord Durliam wrote to the Queen that Frenchi Canadians are only fit ta work as slaves for the Englisli." She told me that she liad been tauglit this in school in Quebec. I point- ed out that, if this liappenied, it was 300 years ago and that France and England had foughit a number of wars since then bath as enemies and as allies. I asked lier wliy shie thouglit this information was relevant in 1998. Shie acknowledged that it was nat ai ail relevant but said she liad cam-e ta believe that: this view of the Frencli was still lield by Englisli Canadians. We talked for a few minutes and 1 was able ta assure lier that I was bon and raised in Toronto and had nieyer hieard any sucli tbing either in scliool or anywhiere else. Many believe that the war in Bosnia resulted fromn lyling propaganda sncb as this and f asked hier if she didn't sec tlic tragic irany of aur conversa- tion occurring, as it did, in the rubble of Bosnia. 0f course shie did but shie told mie that mnany of lier friends back homne did not have the benefit of lier worldliness and believed that Englisli Canadians were out ta get tliem. In contrast, a Frenchi- Canadian Montreal Urban Commiunity Police officer who recently arrived liere volunteered to play "0 Canada" on bis trumipet wlien the recaeding obtained for the Canadian medal parade proved ta be of poor quality. fie did an excellent- job. I thouglit I would share these stories witli you sa that yon can join mie in understandingy a little more about wliat leads ta wars and what lielps ta avoîd itbeni. As Canadians we'd better work liard at avoiding ail the traps. Thiat about winds up this despatcli. Until next ........ Tom A ýRTHUR BLACK PUT AN ARGYLE SOCK IN IT! May tlie God of the Tundra forgive me.' May the Frigid Furies wlio guard tlie spirit of the Great White Northi have mercy on my soul. I arn about ta utter tlie starkest of Canadian beresies. Here it is: I've heard eilougli of Stan Rogers. There. 1 said it. Not that 1 don't admire the mani. He was a fine writer of songs witli a wonderful ring- ing voice and a mesmerizing- presence in concert, not ta mention on cassette, LP and CD. It's just that I've . . . .eard enougli of him. For a wliule. And that goes for the Barra Macleans, tlie Rankins, tlie Irish Rovers, mnost of Sarahi McGlauglilin -- for any musical group within ten feet of a fiddle, a bodhran or a penny wliistle. Itfs Celtic Overload that pIm suffering fromn. Every time I turn on the radio I hear Celtic music. I'd like, just for a whî le, ta hear somiething - anYthing -- else. And before you accuse me of petty nationalismi or out- rigit racismi, allow me ta pre- sent mny own, impeccably plaid Celtic credentials. The nâme is Black. I biail fromn the lieather-clad hilîs and miisty laclis of Clan Gregor. As my uricle Iaian 50 mcel- egantly put it, years ago: "Fear not my boy -- youI corne froml a long Lowland uine of porridge-eaters, deer poachers and slicep mioles- ters.' "Celtic". It's certainly a venerable word. The first references appeared in Ancient Greek and Roman timnes, wlien the word was used ta describe tlie barbariani liardes of wliat would one day becomie Western Europe. Julius Caesar refincd tlie terni, usinig it ta refer specifi- cally ta tic barbarian liardes of 'miiddlc Gaul' -- in otier words, mnuci of what becamie miodemn-day France and Germiany Someliow, in the interven- ing twa millennia, the terni came ta describe the barbar- ian liardes wlio spoke a gut- tural famnily of languages including Welsli, Gaelic and Breton. And tliere's at least one expert wlio thinks the whole notion of "Celtislness" -- bagpipes, shllelaglis, tartans and leprecliauns -- is a crack. As fiat as a pint of day-old Guinness. Simon James, an archeolo- gist at Durliam University in England, maintains that use of the label 'Celtic' is histori- cally unfounded. H1e says it was part of a very "simple and attractive picture" that aur ancestors invented for tliemselves --pleasant, but essentially bogus. James dlaims we've put the cart before the hiorse-; that we ve created a mythical Celtic culture and romantical- ]y superimposed it onto wliat lie maintains were essentially mere 'fringe communities' of ancient Britons. And I'm sure I don't need ta tell you that Professor James lias ta be very careful which pub lie chooses ta have a pint in, of an evening. There are Celtic patriats who would clieerfully run bimi out of town on a greased caber. I don't know wbetber Jamies .is on ta sometliing or not - but I do knmmw that any- one - arclieologist or barfly - 1 - o se * e 1998 Summer Adventure Camp Garnet B. Rîckard Recreation Complex SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP is geared for children 6 to 12 years of age and is designed ta be a challenging and enjoyable experience. Our camp provides the opportunity for children to participate in and develop basic skills related to a variety of sports and crafis. As welI, our counsellors make use of our indoor and outdoor facilities for group special events, games, swimming and exploring nature. Corne on out ta Join the fun and make new friends. REGISTRATION PROCESS 1) Summer Adventure Camp registration form-s are available in the SpringlSummer 1998 edition of the Cornmunity Guide. Addit'ional forms are available at the Community Services Department (40 Temperance St.), Rickard Recreation Complex (2440 Highway #2),Clarington Fitness Centre (49 Liberty Street North) and at the Courtice Community Comnplex (2950 Couirtice Road). 2) Registrations can be MAILED or dropped off at tbe Clarington- Fitness Centre, Courtice COMMUnity Complex, Rickard Recreation Comnplex or the Municipal Administrative Centre.-Reg istrations dropped off will be processed the following business day. CAMP SCHEDULE - Fees Subject to Change Without Notice *1 June 29 JulylO0 $109.00 DC1010411 2 Juyl13 Juy 24 $121,00 DC1020411 *3 July 27 August 7 $109.00 DC 1030411 4 Augustl10 August 21 $121.00 DC1040411 f I MUNICIPALIY CF ONTARtIO Dates of Publication WVednesday,June 3, 10, 1998 P.O. #6789 - wants ta tbink very careful- ]Y before telling Ceits that they're a crack. Alyanle- archealogist or .barfly - attacks any culture's identity at their peril. This is a lesson that Raipli BenMergui knaws far better thani1do. Yau know Raipli -- the guy who hasted the hapless Friday nighit CBC TV show a few years back. The critics roasted poor Raipli unmerci- fully. Finally, lie bailed from the Friday Niglit siot in a hail of bad reviews and slim rat- ings. But he's stili with the CBC. Nowadays, Ralpli fronts a daytime talk show on the tube. Recently, the topic for discussion was: "Celtic Music: Enough Already". Apparently flot. The phone lines lit up, the studio audi- ence hissed and Raîpli was forced ta retreat once again, confessing that lieliad ah, perhaps underestimated the fervour of Celtic music fans. Last week on the show, Ralph was apologizing ail over the place. And riglitly so. The Ceits have a long history of hlon- ourable beliaviaur. Ben Murgui. .. .tliat's a ighiand Scots clan, isn't it?