By Faisal Kutty

Special to Arab News – As millions celebrated Canada Day on July 1, a young Canadian, Alen Okanovic, began his 8,688 km long bike ride to heighten awareness of the plight of children in Chechnya, Iraq and Palestine. In the process he hopes to raise at least $250,000 for Human Concern International projects in those countries.

The journey scheduled for three-and-a-half-months will take him from Canada’s Atlantic seaboard in Newfoundland to her Pacific coast in Victoria, British Columbia. Along the way, he hopes to participate in fund-raising and awareness raising events organized by the local communities. He is expected to also make stops in the United States in Detroit, Chicago and Seattle.

The 27-year-old Bosnian spoke with the writer during a break after cycling 151 kilometers on the third day of his trip. In 1994 Okanovic and his sister, originally from Bihac in northwest Bosnia, were among hundreds of refugees who fled the ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia. His wife had the misfortune of losing her father and an uncle in 1992 when she was a child in Bosnia.

“They were taken by Serbian soldiers, and were later found dead,” says Okanovic.

“War is particularly cruel on children. I was too young to do anything to help during the war in Bosnia which claimed the lives of 250,000, including 6,000 children,” says the resident of Calgary, Alberta.

“I am lucky I escaped. Now that I’m living in Canada I have the opportunity to help others,” he says. This is what keeps him going as he struggles along the rugged uphill terrain and against the wind — in many cases, for up to eight hours a day.

Okanovic says the media response so far has been good. Radio stations in Saskatoon and Montreal have interviewed him. The reaction from the general public appears encouraging as well. Okanovic says that people respond favorably when they see the promotional writing on the van accompanying him — Second Cross-Canada Cycle for the Children of Chechnya, Iraq and Palestine.

“People walk up and offer encouragement and money when they realize what the cause is — most people can identify with children,” says Okanovic.

The tour is sponsored by Human Concern International (HCI), a registered charitable organization. Since1980 , HCI has contributed over $20 million toward long-term development projects and direct relief assistance to poor and war-torn countries. HCI has also provided assistance to Chechen refugees and to the people of Iraq and Palestine.

This is the second cycle tour organized by HCI. In June 1995, 28-year-old Housam Kabalan, cycled across Canada to raise money for the children of Sarajevo. He was accompanied by Wael Zahad, a former karate champion. Their trip was very successful in raising money for Bosnian children.

Okanovic, currently a college student, says he decided to go on this mission after learning of the success of the First Cross-Canada Cycle. “Recent wars have exploited, maimed and killed more children, more callously and more systematically than ever before,” says HCI Executive Director Kaleem Akhtar.

“HCI applauds Alen’s determination and willingness to put his life and family on hold for more than three months and to push past pain and exhaustion to achieve his goal.”

Accompanying Okanovic on this grueling journey is 20-year-old Zenel Gashi, a refugee from Kosovo. Gashi will be following Okanovic’s in a van.
* * *

(For more information log on to www.humanconcern.org.)

Note: First Published Thursday, July 19, 2001 (28, Rabi`ath-Thani, 1422)

Tags: Bosnia, children, HCI, Iraq, Palestine

Short URL: http://tinyurl.com/ydsr97n