Blood & Honey

We had another long bus ride today, giving me plenty of time to make sense of what happened in the Balkans. Our guide mentioned that the name comes from the words "Blood" and "Honey", referring to the many wars and natural beauty of the region. To me it seems ironic that WW I is traced back to a shot in Sarajevo, and later a direct hit on a market place in the same city was the beginning of the end of hostilities.

The most recent hostilities seems to have started when, in 1990, a new Croatian constitution gave less rights to minority groups living in the new country. The obvious purpose was to cause Serbs and Muslims to move elsewhere. This resulted in disgruntled people. Fighting broke out, churches were desecrated, and the famous medieval bridge in Mostar was blasted. Bosnian Muslims decided to set up their own government, and Serbia acted quickly by using their military might to keep the region of former Yugoslavia unified. You might even call them peacekeepers. A war that started as being "Nationalism" vs "Unification", quickly turned into being about "ethnic cleansing" and "revenge".  Innocent civilians became victims and refugees, and both sides committed atrocities. 

Surprisingly, Jon and I were living in Bulgaria at that time, 45 minutes from the Serb border.  We had no opinion on the conflict and, as much of the rest of the world, did not take sides. "Let them fight it out among themselves". Although I am more in favor of unification, diversity and tolerance, I could not side with the "murderous Serbs". 

The market massacre in Sarajevo finally led to NATO involvement and the Dayton Agreement, and the cease of hostilities. BiH is now made up of four self-governing bodies with 3 presidents. Progress is slowed by political groups and the lack of a strong central government. Not all is well yet.

The older people I talked to seem disillusioned and feel trapped. They have no pension, no respect for their role in the war, and do not feel welcome anywhere else in Europe. They wish for the good old days of Tito and his communism.

The younger people seem more hopeful, but then they are working in tourism.  They tell their war stories gladly. I heard of a mother who walked the streets to work everyday despite the bombing, of a child's life in the basement, of a cousin who escaped at night by running across the runway, and of plastic spoons that came with military rations left over from Vietnam. They know tourism is a way forward without forgetting. They have a beautiful country. (I invite you to take the drive from Sarajevo to Mostar for some mind-blowing scenery.) They also have a story to tell us. 

Our young guide said he wished there was more "Honey" and less "Blood" in their history. But sharing both the "Blood" and the "Honey" will bring people to Bosnia Herzegovina.