A regional conference of some 49 Asian-Pacific countries on human rights, just held in Bangkok, has done well in calling upon the West to put its own hoAse in order before criticising the alleged abuses in the Third World

The meeting tn the Thal capital is one of the series of regional ones which are to formulate a common programme for the UN-sponsored World Conference on Human Rights to be held in Vienna tn June.

There are grave doubts if regional meetings can evolve a plan of action that covers all the conflicting requirements and. what is more important. produce a mechanism that protects the human rights in all different parts of the world, regardless of race, religion and nationalities of victims.

In this context, the call from Bangkok to the West to set its own house In order assumes Immediate and urgent significance.

Here, we are looking at the situation In Bosnia-Herzegovina where, right in the heart of Europe, the worst possible violations of human rights have been taking place day after day. As we have reported In our news columns and commented in editorial and opinion pieces, people in this troubled zone have been murdered, evicted from their homes and moved to makeshift concentration camps, children separated from their parents and. last but not the least, countless women raped by Serbian soldiers and civilians. All this has been happening in the name of "ethnic cleansing", the aim being to wipe out Muslims In that region and to replace them with nameless faceless Serbs. Nothing like this has ever happened anywhere since Nazi atrocities committed during the World War.

If Bosnia tops the list in terms of human rights abuses, other areas where the West is involved cannot escape the attention of the international community, not to mention the United Nations. Several hundred Palestinians from the occupied territories, deported by Israel and now living in severe winter In a no man's land on the border of Lebanon represent another gross violation of human rights. All kinds of technical and political arguments can be advanced as to why Tel Aviv cannot let these deportees return to their homes. But we cannot be convinced that Washington has brought enough pressure on Israel to tackle the problem In a just and fair way.

The list does not end here. Neo-Nazi groups in the new Unified Germany have gone after Immigrant and guest workers; the extreme rightist political groups in France have been harassing African and Aslan workers; and. even In parts of Western Europe, racialism, in one form or another. seems to have gained a new lease of life.

All this doesn't mean that in turning to the alarming situation that exists within the West today, we should play down the worst form of human right abuses in countries in Asia. Africa and Latin America. In fact, judging by press reports from Bangkok, two countries which were particu- . larly vocal in their criticisms of the Wqst were Iran and Myanmar, which have dismal performance in the observance of human rights. There is nothing surprising that they should use the meeting in the Thai capital to divert the attention from their internal situation. They may well do the same, perhaps in co-operation with a few other countries, at the meeting in Vienna in June.

One way of turning the conference In the Austrian capital is to make some kind of a distinction between the denial of democratic political rights, as we see in Myanmar, and the abuses of human rights of countless individuals or groups of individuals on ethnic and religious grounds ds we witness in Bosnia and. to a lesser degree. In parts of the West.

Unless this distinction is made, the situation In Bosnia may Just bracketed with the denial of human rights in some Third World countries. Between now and June next year, the International community must evolve a plan of action that changes the scenario in Bosnia. The time is running out. And responsibility clearly lies with the West.