I wanted to visit these two towns south east of Sarajevo after reading Lynne Jones’s Then the Shooting Started. Gorazde was under siege for most of the war. Foca saw some of the worst ethnic cleansing and atrocities. Gorazde is in the part of the country known as the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Foca is in Republika Srpska or the Bosnian Serb Republic. I wanted to speak to young people in both places to see how those who grew up with the war understand it now, and how they think about the war’s end and its legacy. I wasn’t disappointed. Spent about half the day in each place (they are just 20 or 30 minutes apart by road) and heard quite a range of experience, emotion and opinion. Foca is a more tense and troubled place still and it was harder to find people willing to speak there. Here are a few photos:
Merima and Belma, Gorazde
Muslic and Muslic, Gorazde
Novak and Zeljko, Foca
Mirjana and Andrej, Foca
I learned a lot from these teenagers and 20-somethings today. You’ll hear from them in my radio pieces at some point.
The journey out and back from Sarajevo was beautiful. You’re in wilderness in no time after leaving the city and the road winds through steep gorges and into dark mountain tunnels and above swirling green rivers. Hoped to see bears and wolves but had to settle for cattle and plough horses. There were farm yards with wisteria in full bloom and at one point a valley full of silvery-blossomed trees I couldn’t identify and my translator only knew the Bosnian word for. Note to self: learn more fauna and flora before getting much older.
Tomorrow: Civil courage and Sevdah
8 responses so far ↓
Andras // May 15, 2008 at 2:48 pm |
The town of Gorazde (note the correct spelling; the ‘z’ is pronounced like the ’s’ in ‘measure’) was one of those forgotten stories of the war. If you haven’t yet, you should read Joe Sacco’s graphic novel “Safe Area Gorazde.” It’s in a lovely natural setting, but now has a sort of end-of-the-road feel, a stranded bit of Federation territory on the Drina, surrounded by the RS. I’ll be interested to hear what the local young people were saying about life there and their visions of the future.
jebsharp // May 15, 2008 at 9:26 pm |
Hi Andras, thanks so much for taking the time to find the blog and keep tabs on my trip. I hope you can see your influence! I carry the scrap of paper with the proper pronounciation of the “c’s” and “z’s” and “s’s” wherever I go. I have not yet read Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde but it is certainly on my list. “End of the road” feel is just about right for Gorazde, especially since I spent a lot of my time there at the Sports Hall which really has an end of the road feel, right by a cafe and a school. As you predicted it’s all a complicated mixture–of what it’s hard to say–progress and stuckness, time passing but deeds that can’t be forgotten. I see less reconciliation here than in Rwanda. But that may not be fair since the kind of reporting I do is far from scientific. But the contrast between a place where reconciliation is policy versus here where policy actually entrenches division is quite striking.
jebsharp // May 16, 2008 at 4:48 am |
Ah…I see now the correct spelling…my eye does something strange with the zd because even as I’m looking at it and seeing your correction I am repeating the mistake. I will fix!!!
Julie // May 27, 2008 at 5:31 pm |
I have been following your blog for a few weeks now — just want to echo the recommendation of “Safe Area Gorazde” — it is absolutely compelling.
jebsharp // May 27, 2008 at 5:45 pm |
Thanks very much; I clearly need to get my hands on a copy!
Jaime // July 8, 2008 at 12:27 pm |
Hi
regards from Sudamerica
i chilean attorney and i readed and studied a lot about Eastean europe and the tragic Balkans story
but i have hope in the future of this region and i want visit the area soon.
My final write job in the university is a about Bosnia war, so, i want see with my own eyes the places and cities that only know ijn books and internet.
regards
Jaime.
Eda quincy // August 14, 2008 at 12:41 am |
it is hard to understand how those people endure those sorrows. when i have been in bosnia, i cried all the time. after two months, i have never been the same again. I never expect them to be a normal ever. but i wish and pray them to be better better and beautiful life. because bosnians are very strong and good people. because of the shock and ashame, they dont want to speak. but nowadays they start to reveal it in master thesis, doctoral studies even in the court. they love Turks too, like we do them very much!
Irena // September 1, 2008 at 3:42 pm |
Hello! I just wanted to say that the guys from foca ” Novak and Zeljko” are my friends
I would be very glad if you could somehow send me the radio pieces where i can hear them speak?