Journey to Bosnia

By Carles Brotons Juncà

In the aftermath of the war in former Yugoslavia, a humanitarian aid convoy travels through the cold month of February to Bosnia. Sensitiively and clearly recounted in first person by the narrator, we are made experience the perilous moments that he lived through as if we are there ourselves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carles Brotons
• Release date: Dec 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781071580219

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JOURNEY TO BOSNIA

JOURNEY TO BOSNIA

(A week in February)

By Carles Brotons Juncà

https://www.carlesbrotons.com

INTRODUCTION

This is a word-for-word transcript from my travel diary, covering a week in February 1996, written during a humanitarian aid expedition to Bosnia.

The most important part of the text, I believe, is the content that tells of experiences, of lessons shared amongst a group of people. We knew nothing about each other in beforehand, but in turn we became a very compatible group, on a mission as noble as helping a people in a difficult situation.

I had no intention of making social or political comments regarding the conflict in former Yugoslavia, neither of giving opinions as to which side was right or wrong.

I believe, simply, that the blame lies with us all.

On another note, I think it is necessary to provide some background to the account I am giving. As many know, the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina occurred after the dissolution of former Yugoslavia, from which the crisis emerged, following the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. The League of Communists of Yugoslavia, the national communist party, was losing its ideological sway, as nationalist and separatist ideologies gained momentum during the end of the 1980s.

This was especially evident in Serbia, Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It was an armed civil conflict, continuing from 6 April 1992 to 14 December 1995.

Several ethnically defined factions within Bosnia and Herzegovina were involved in the conflict, each of which are believed to represent their respective populations, which constituted the country. The Republic of Serbia represented the Serbs, the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia the Croats, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina the Bosnians, and then there was the smallest faction in the west of Bosnia with a Muslim majority.

Despite their supposed convictions, these factions altered their loyalties and revised their objectives several times throughout the distinct phases of the war. The confrontation effectively lifted the lid on separatism, but there were other motivations such as religion and various political and territorial interests.

This trip was undertaken three months after the signing of the Dayton Agreement in the US on 21 November 1995 in an air base near Dayton city, Ohio. This was after twenty days of negotiation, although it was officially signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, signifying the end of three long years of war in Bosnia.

The agreement would oversee the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina more or less equally between the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for the Croat-Bosnians, and Republika Srpska, for the Bosnian-Serbs, to be overseen by a multinational Implementation Force (IFOR).

The multinational peacekeeping forces are composed of a wide array of international organisations that must control, supervise and enforce the implementation of all points of the agreement. These forces are directed by NATO and are responsible for providing the military aspects of the agreement and were deployed on 20 December 1995.

We could say, in fact, that the Dayton Agreement enforces an imposed peace as it is not accepted by all involved in the conflict.

With respect to the war in Bosnia, it is helpful to take this into account so as to better understand what is explained here.

We feel as if the conflict is very close by. News of bombings, the killing of civilians in a market, assassinations and violations against young boys and girls, and all the horrors of war unsettle us as individuals and as a society. It was a war fought right here in Europe, not