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20 Years - Siege of Sarajevo
Topic Started: Apr 6 2012, 05:18 PM (654 Views)
Petar
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The General
On April 5th 1992, one month after the referendum on which the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to leave Yugoslavia, Serbian paramilitaries opened fire on peace protesters on the Vrbanja Bridge in Sarajevo, killing Suada Dilberović and Olga Sučić. This event is today considered to be the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo - the longest and one of the bloodiest sieges in the history of modern warfare.

The siege, which lasted for almost 4 years, or more precisely 1,425 days, was almost 600 days longer than the siege of Leningrad. While the siege of Leningrad was much bloodier, the so called "Hell of Sarajevo" was equally as brutal, with 11,541 men, women and children dieing during these 1,425 days of hell on Earth. At least 50,000 other Sarajevans were wounded - a massive number, if we take into account that the population of Sarajevo today is around 310,000.

Today, on April 6th 2012, a concert is being held near the Eternal Flame, on the Marshal Tito Avenue. Lining the Avenue are 11,541 red chairs, filled only with flowers, with Sarajevans respectfully keeping their distance, as each chair represents a person killed during the siege.

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Today, there are many monuments to the fallen civilians, including the so-called "Sarajevo Roses" - holes made by mortar or artillery rounds fired at the city which were filled with red color.

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Today, 20 years later, no one has been punished for their crimes against humanity, commited against the Jerusalem of Europe. With Milošević dead, and Karadžić and Mladić almost on their deathbeds, it is questionable if anyone will ever be punished for their role in one of the biggest post-WWII war crimes.

Today, 20 years later, facing a difficult economic and political crisis in their country, Sarajevans ask themselves if the nation they have gained was worth their sacrifice.

Was it all in vain? I can't really tell - it's a question only they can answer. But what I can tell is that Sarajevo must never be forgotted - it must become a symbol of suffering caused by the lack of action by the international community which could've prevented the entire war. As Edmund Burke would say: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
Edited by Petar, Apr 6 2012, 05:20 PM.
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Basil Fawlty
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Post Tenebras Lux
You beat me to it. ;)

Sad story indeed, and the worst conflict in Europe since WWII. It's amazing it went on for so long.
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