Serbians Southern California

The longshoreman and the scientist have everything in common and nothing in common. They both came to Southern California from Yugoslavia, but one is a Croat and the other is a Serb. They speak the same language but read a different alphabet. They pray to the same Jesus Christ but belong to rival denominations. They love roasted lamb but would feel awkward sitting down at the same table.

The demons that pursue Danny Djurkovic come in a constant and numbing barrage. Each day, he watches the stream of news reports: Serbs raping Muslim women. Serbs herding skeletal prisoners into concentration camps. Serbs maiming innocent victims in a random artillery attack. "I am going through hell," said the 63-year-old Studio City man who survived one war in the Balkans and now finds himself entwined in another frighteningly similar conflict. Djurkovic is a Serbian-American.

The demons that pursue Danny Djurkovic come in a constant and numbing barrage. Each day, he watches the stream of news reports: Serbs raping Muslim women. Serbs herding skeletal prisoners into concentration camps. Serbs maiming innocent victims in a random artillery attack. "I am going through hell," said the 63-year-old Studio City man who survived one war in the Balkans and now finds himself entwined in another frighteningly similar conflict. Djurkovic is a Serbian-American.

The longshoreman and the scientist have everything in common and nothing in common. They both came to Southern California from Yugoslavia, but one is a Croat and the other is a Serb. They speak the same language but read a different alphabet. They pray to the same Jesus Christ but belong to rival denominations. They love roasted lamb but would feel awkward sitting down at the same table.