The current name of Mostar was for the first time mentioned in documents dating from 1470 and 1474. And so, since that time the arguments about whose city Mostar is, what it is like, and whose city it will be have never stopped. Mostar, the city that has for centuries been on the crossroads of different civilizations, is the biggest, capital city of Hercegovina, or Hum, which is the older and ancient name for the region. Each one of these civilizations impressed some of its characteristics in to the city, and a magnificent cultural monument testifies about the early Christian period - famous early Christian basilica in Cim, which is approximately dated from 4-6 century. This information about the history of the city of Mostar can be found in every tourist guide (regardless of which civilizational circle wrote the guide). However, Mostar is a unique city in the world also because every once in a while, again from the start, a new reason for mistrust and digging through history is found. The most recent such reason is based on the old topic: "How Mostar again became a Croat city".
The author of that article, one of a series of the anti-cross articles published this week on the occasion of the blessing of the cross and the corner stone for the chapel of the Triune God, that will be built on the top of a small hill Hum above the city of Mostar, probably because of the heat had the impression that Mostar had stopped being a Croat city.
In general Bosniak-Muslim media again made a lot of noise. "Hurt citizens of Mostar" sent nice and open letters to mufti Smajkic to urge him to do something about the size of the cross, while, on the other hand, the representative of the remnant of the remnant of the Yugo club of brotherhood and unity, comrade Jovicic, refered to builders of crosses and chapels as lunatics and in addition put forward the rhetorical question of the century: should some fool now build a huge concrete crescent moon and a star on the slopes of the Velez mountain in eastern Mostar?!
Observing and listening to all the commotion in connection with the centuries long desire of the Croatian people in Mostar to above their city, in glory of God, Christ, and all people of good will (as is the custom everywhere in the world) build a cross and a chapel, one cannot but notice the reasons which make this city, and the rest of Bosnia-Hercegovina, the region of misfortune and evil. Intolerance and refusal to recognize the rights of the other, religious and national rights, is here a rule and a need, and that is a formula for the resuscitation of, as one thought, long gone ex-Yugoslav demagogic phrases and platitudes that Mostar (as well as Bosnia-Hercegovina) are not and must not be either Serb, or Muslim, or (especially not) Croat, but, as you've guessed, both Serb, Muslim and Croat (if anything's left over).
Accordingly, the cross, as therefore a Christian symbol and thereby, according to them, a Croat national symbol, must not be erected in Mostar or above it on a visible sport, since otherwise on the other side someone may do something similar, but with the crescent moon. Look, as if a Catholic Croat would be bothered by that, and as if in Mostar and in many other places all over BH that already hasn't been done. For example, only in Mostar, almost all the mosques damaged in the war have been repaired. Moreover, those that were destroyed fifty years ago and many more, have also been built. Also, for example, a big and white mosque has been built on still fresh foundations of the destroyed old chapel in Sjeverni Logor. And no one, none of all those "cleronationalist Croats" did not say a word (not even a well-known quiet Croat word).
In many places in BH new minarets are shining, even in places where there were none before, not even during the Ottoman empire (Bradina [a Serb village before the war], Mojmilo in Sarajevo, etc.). And again no one says a word. From all those minarets, as at no time in the past, and never more loudly, one can hear the sound of Ezan [Muslim call to prayer]. Early in the morning, then later in the morning, then at noon, and early afternoon, and afternoon, and early and late in the evening. Croats and other normal people, tolerant and with well-built multicultural consciousness, after being woken up, have no other choice but to turn around and cover their head with a pillow.
Perhaps the best solution, as has been with a lot of irony suggested in Mostar, would be to leave alone the old brotherhood and unity sign "Tito we love you" on the top of the dominant hill on the left bank of Fortica. However, even that sign would now have to be redone as at the time of the establishment of the Army BH it was changed into "BH we love you". And who is then bothered by a cross? And is there a "threat" that the erection of a cross will "again make Mostar a Croat city"? It is not difficult to find an answer to the questions that surge forward.
Therefore, there is no "danger" for the multicultural Mostar coming from "Croats", as the Croatian culture and its civilizational achievements have been built from hundreds of differences and influences of other cultures. Unlike other, intolerant and exclusive cultures. Above all, the Croat man, hard working and entrepreneurial, cares to see that the cry and desire of bishop Peric be fulfilled - "let the sound of tanks and guns never again be heard from the top of Hum". Because the hard working and entrepreneurial people need only one thing: peace!
Also, he cares to know that those 14 stations of the cross are truly a symbol of 14 centuries of Croat spiritual presence in Bosnia and Hum. Because that tells them that Croats have roots and that they definitely know where they will erect the symbol of their faith, hope and love during the history of suffering and Calvary.
If during a short walk through Mostar you conduct a brief poll about the recent events in connection with the cross, you will hear of course at least two different opinions. The future of this city does not lie in bans (as has been true until now, since Mehmed the Conqueror, until Tito) but in the freedom of expression of one's own feelings and opinion. Just as European and world officials repeat almost daily, although, to tell the truth, they know how to say something as silly as that the erection of the cross is a political rather than a tolerant act.
While they do not decide for themselves, and figure out why in the morning they say one and in the afternoon a totally opposite thing (like one of local leaders of the people [Alija Izetbegovic]) the cross on the Hum hill will remain a symbol of the message of love and peace that has been sent in different parts of the world for more than two thousand years. Ever since the birth of Christ, all the way until our days.