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Community Sets Aside Dissent at Vigil

Mustafa M. Siddiqui '99-'00, who said he believes that NATO intervention is necessary, also said that he attended the vigil in order to think about, and inspire others to think about, the Serbians' persecution of ethnic Albanians and the NATO bombings.

"I think especially after Bosnia earlier in this decade we in the U.S. and in the rest of the world have become accustomed to seeing images like the ones were seeing from Kosovo right now. And in as sense we have become somewhat inured to those images so they no longer horrify us as they should," said Siddiqui, who is the treasurer of the Harvard Islamic Society and a Crimson editor.

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"I feel [the vigil is] a very big step toward letting people actually feel the impact of the situation that's arisen across the ocean," he said.

Lonstein spoke mostly of his organization's relief work in Kosovo and Albania, and Li told the audience that he hoped the vigil would be a springboard for future action.

"This is a night for sympathy and to express solidarity, but I hope that tomorrow and the days after will hold more--will hold action," he said.

After the speech Li passed out a list of relief organizations working in Kosovo and asked those at the vigil--whatever their opinions on the situation in Yugoslavia--to help Kosovars and Albanians in need.

Not everyone was ready to go home, however, after the speech ended. Some felt that not enough time had been spent on simple reflection.

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