Brothers-in-arms

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar
August 30th 2006

Published: September 3rd 2006

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Gus C

Lest We Forget

Did a day-trip to Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Easiest border crossing ever, just had to flash your passport to the local police.

There now exists a relative truce between the 3 ethnic groups - Croats (Catholics), Bosniaks (Muslim) and Serbians (Orthodox Christians). However there is a pseudo head of state from the European Union who has right of veto over any national matter.

The Muslim-Croat forces had won back Mostar from the Serbs, however they could not decide who would lead the town. So started a bloody war in 1993 between previous brothers-in-arms.

Mostar is a beautiful little town with a 21 metre high bridge that's been there since the 16th century, now restored since the war. There are stark reminders everywhere of the war with a lot of buildings still lying in ruins. There is an arbitrary border which used to be the front line of the war (Mahala Street) with the Muslims living in the old part of the town to the east, and the Croats to the west. Quite a bit of Turkish influence as Bosnia used to be part of the Ottoman Empire.

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