Monday, April 30, 2012

(57 ) BOSNIA TWENTY YEARS LATER A STORY FROM BOSANSKA KRUPA

(BOSANSKA KRUPA)

1) Do you remember where were you when you realized the war was imminent? What town and what location in the town?

 I was in school. My parents ignored all the advices from our neighbors and friends believing that the war will not begin and that their neighbors would never do anything to harm them. Bosanska Krupa, elementary school at that time called “Djuro Pucar Stari”.

 2) Do you remember where you were when the war broke out, specifically?

 I was picked up from school, my father decided to stay and he sent my mom and us kids to go and visit our aunt that lived in nearby village, because he still did not want to accept the reality around us.

3) Where were you when the war came to your town? Were you at home, relatives, friends, work?

 On April 21 1992, when the war started in my hometown I was in school together with a handful of other students that had the parents that refused to believe war was inevitable.

4) The most memorable event of the war for you was?

it is hard to pick between so many.....funerals, running from school when the attack starts, all the media coverage about the massacres in our country...really hard to choose only one – they are all unforgettable.

5) What made you hopeless during the war?

Never knowing if you are going to see your father, uncles and other family members the next day, constantly waiting to get the word about the death of your friends and family.

6) What gave you hope during the war?

I guess it was easier for me to be hopeful being a kid. Adults kept saying that it cannot last forever; it has to be over at some point and even though they did not believe in that, we did.

7) Did you lose anyone close to you during the war?

Friends, acquaintances, teachers, however I did not lose any immediate family members.

Were you wounded during the war? Where were you wounded? Anyone close to you wounded?

 I was not wounded; My grandmother, grandfather, and two uncles were wounded.

9) Your biggest loss during the war was?

My friends and people I knew that died during the war.

10) What was the hardest part about the war?

Not knowing what tomorrow brings, if you will have to run again, if you will learn that your family members died.

11) Did you leave the country during the war?

No.

12) 20 years later, what do you think of what happened?

As with every war, politicians and people in power played a game with little people. Manipulated those that were too stupid to think about the consequences of their actions and clearly heartless enough to follow the plan that was presented to them. Those in power bounced back again, and the stupid little people are still trying to recover from years of hatred, unemployment and painful memories.

13) Are things better or worse than what you expected 20 years later?

I would say worse. I was hoping to see some change, it’s been 20 years after all, but it seems that we are still standing still, waiting for a miracle that will bring us all together so we can be one country with one president and people that are trying to improve that country not undermine it whenever there is a chance for that. We have three groups of people pulling in three different directions.

14) Do you think war will return to BiH?

I was refusing to say that for the longest time, but i am not sure anymore. There are still schools that are segregated, three different languages that are thought in schools, people calling themselves members of different countries even though they still live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I don’t know what to think.

15) What do you think the future of BiH will be?

 I am trying to be positive, and believe that we can bounce back eventually. One the regular Joe sees that politicians are idiots trying to still fuel the hatred and undermine the country; maybe we will have the chance. We are at a point where we have nothing to lose, no job, no prosperity no hope of a better future. We need different representatives on the top, those that will work for better of every religious community, not just one and those that will try to improve the country and its infrastructure, not just their personal bank accounts.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Update on the Divovic family





Here is some photos of the grave bought for Nermin. The money helped the family but they are still in a very difficult position. They live in this small flat and have two small children. The flat is moist and damp very,very small for a family of four.

The father has some heart condition and they live off of almost no money.

My work with the family and this project is finished but I have some contacts with people who help the family and with the family themselves for anyone interested in helping out.

I know I sleep better knowing that Nermin after almost 20 years has a proper final resting place.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Today marks the 20 anniversary of the ARBiH

Today marks the 20 anniversary of the ARBiH. Twenty years ago Bosnia was already under attack, in 1991 in Ravno were the first ethnic cleansing occurred. Radovan Karadzic declared in congress "The road you are leading down, is the road to hell. You Muslims aren't prepared for war and may disappear". Stark warnings that would prove to be the blueprint for the genocide that was to soon face the Bosnian people and her defenders...Bosnia was ill prepared for what was about to happen to her, it's leaders failed to see what was happening in Croatia and to anticipate that she was next...Avoiding war at all costs when the war was already planned well in advance by the rebellious Bosnian Serb "leaders" it was just the arm, the heart and head lived in Serbia in the Serbian Academy of Sciences. In early 1992 before Bosnian independence already towns like Zvornik, Bijelinja and other towns bordering the Drina were attack. Some Bosnians supported an all defense position that Bosnia should be defended on the Drina and Sava rivers. Politics got involved and the goals from the beginning were obscured by political goals and ideas. The people organized themselves into groups like the Patriotic League, Civilian Defense Forces and Police and MUP forces. Eventually these organizations were reorganized into the ARBiH. Organizing an army in wartime under unbearable circumstances without weapons facing off against the fourth largest army in Europe seemed like a suicide mission and for many it was. Many Bosnians of all nationalities and ethnic background gave their lives in the defense of a unified unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many foreign volunteers’ not just ones from Muslim countries but from Western countries as well gave their lives for the birth of the modern Bosnian nation. The ground in BiH that gave life to the state was nourished by the blood of all those who sacrificed it all to make sure those others could live and that the story of the Bosnian people would continue. On this day of all days we in the world who oppose fascism in all its faces and forms who believe the words spoke about WW2 Germany, “Never again” hasn’t lost its meaning, salute those who fought fascism in Bosnia in all forms and the struggle for peace in Bosnia which continues today.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Thanks to all that helped the Divovic family!

 Funeral of 7-year-old Bosnian Muslim boy Nermin Divovic. Father Paso Divovic, soldier defending Sarajevo, attended the funeral of his son. (Bosnian Genocide)
Funeral of 7-year-old Bosnian Muslim boy Nermin Divovic. Father Paso Divovic, soldier defending Sarajevo, attended the funeral of his son. (Bosnian Genocide)



Thanks to everyone that contributed their time and money to helping the Divovic/Sokolovic family...

Microgiving took almost $100 for funding the project leaving it at $470.00 that they sent my in a check. I recieved an additional $30 through ebay funding. I then spent $20 myself to send the money via Western Union to Dr.Kabil in Sarajevo who took care to ensure the money go to were it was needed most in clothing and food.

I want to thank most of all Samira Tahirovic who has quietly without fanfare or public acknowledgement has helped the family for years. She has sent money herself and actually paid for the gravestone herself about a week before the money arrived in Sarajevo. She is a genuine hero  and friend to Bosnian people and has done so much for this family.

The money went to the two brothers of Nermin (one who is named Nermin also) to buy some clothes for school. The rest went to buy them food. In total they recieved 700km from the donations, my friend Edin took them shopping with the money drove them around the city and found the cheapest place to buy food in Sarajevo and paid 20km to send the food home with them in a cab. Thanks for all that everyone did, it was special.


Amra Suljagic$ 20.00Mar 14 '12
Anonymous$ 20.00Mar 14 '12
Anonymous$ 20.00Mar 12 '12
James Lee$ 50.00Mar 12 '12
Mirsad Hodzic$ 50.00Mar 11 '12
emira basic$ 55.00Mar 11 '12
zlata okic$ 30.00Mar 11 '12
Faruk & Azra Bilalagic$ 125.00Mar 11 '12
Anonymous$ 30.00Mar 11 '12
Justin Booth$ 20.00Mar 08 '12
Namik Sevlic$ 40.00Mar 08 '12
Halima Hodzic$ 100.00Mar 08 '12