Two "wars", same "fate"

SARAJEVO (AA) - September 9, 2012 - Bosnian intellectuals, the closest witnesses of the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995, have said that "as was the case 20 years ago in Bosnia, great powers have demonstrated a similar attitude on Syria and chose to remain insensitive vis-a-vis the tyranny taking place in Syria".

Intellectuals of Bosnia-Herzegovina pointed out that there were much similarities between the humanitarian crisis in Bosnia and in Syria.
The Bosnian intellectuals have made a call so the tyranny ended in Syria, one which reminds them of the tyranny in Bosnia 20 years ago. They have underlined that what was happening in Syria for the past 18 months was no different than what Bosnia went through.
A renowned director of the Balkans and an individual who managed to stay alive during the 44-month siege of Sarajevo, Haris Pasovic talked to the Anadolu Agency (AA) and said that a war was a scenario.
"I believe that similar scenarios can be seen in Bosnia and Syria," Pasovic underlined.
"I consider the scenarios in Bosnia and Syria to be very identical to each other. As was the case in Bosnia 20 years ago, an intervention in Syria has been delayed. Among the reasons of such a delay are the presidential election in the United States in November, and the factors of Russia and China. It will be much too late when they agree on intervening in Syria. As in all wars, it is the civilians, women, elderly and children who suffer most," Pasovic noted.
"As was the case in Bosnia, among the targeted people in Syria are artists. The authoritarian regime in Syria attacks artists. Many artists are in jail and some are missing in Syria," Pasovic indicated.
"Syrian producer and artist Orwa Nyrabia, who was presented with the Katrin Cartlidge Fund scholarship at the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2012, is presently in jail. There are other artists who have been arrested in Syria and are experiencing torture," Pasovic said.

-"We saw this film in Bosnia 20 years ago"-

A staff member of the Religious Studies Department at the Sarajevo University, Hafiz Kenan Music said that he was following the developments closely in Syria, a country in which he received six years of education.
What I am mostly bothered by in Syria is the insensitivity of the international community, Music stated.
"I can not understand how the international community permits the tyranny in Syria and the game played by Russia, China and Iran," Music underlined.
It is very hard to understand why the Islamic world, except a very few countries like Turkey, remains silent on Syria and Assad and does not support those oppressed, Music indicated.
The scriptwriter of "Remake", a film considered to be the best one on the Bosnian war, Zlatko Topcic said that he was carefully following the developments in Syria since the first day.
"As was the case in Bosnia, people watch the incidents of violence in Syria as if they were watching a TV series. All wars are the same. All that remains in our memories are blood, devastation, and nameless heroes. We saw this film in our country 20 years ago," Topcic underlined.

-"Two brotherly countries going through same fate"-

A staff member of the Philosophy Department at the Sarajevo University, Dr. Enver Imamovic said that Syria and Bosnia-Herzegovina were "two brotherly countries going through the same fate".
The citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina watch the incidents in Syria with greater pain than other nations, Imamovic stated.
"Some are only concerned about their interests in such cases of violence," Imamovic noted.
"The incidents in Syria remind us about the barbarity in Bosnia and we understand how the Syrians feel. The international community does not show any reaction. While great powers of the world protect their interests, innocent people lose their lives. We pay a special thanks to Turkey for assisting thousands of Syrian refugees. We know very well what it means to be a refugee and what it feels like when you receive aid," Imamovic underlined.
The Chairman of the Helsinki Human Rights Commission of the Bosnian Serb Republic, Branko Todorovic said that it was very sad to see the repetition of the barbarity that was experienced in Bosnia-Herzegovina 20 years ago in Syria.
We have noticed once again that the world has learned nothing from the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Todorovic stressed.
"Solidarity, understanding and international assistance have not developed sufficiently in a globalized world. The incidents which took place in Bosnia-Herzegovina 20 years ago get repeated in Syria. If no reaction gets made, the barbarity in Syria may continue for years," Todorovic also said.

Reporting by Faruk Vele / Senita Seherceyahic