That's history. Still... Nevertheless, the Krajisnici are still dreaming about the Drina. They are the most spiteful part of the Bosniak people. These people hold on to their dreams.
After passing the images of the catastrophe on the outskirts of Bihac, where Chetniks celebrated for four years and picked which parts of the city to bomb, we pass next to a unique memorial to their barbarity in Ripac, where in the former [Muslim] cemetery one can see a plaque which states that a nearby mosque has been destroyed during the war; later, one reaches the expanse of Medeno Field where Krajisnici have always raced their horses; this tradition has been renewed this summer. The Grmec mountain dominates in the background; during the last seventy years it has been called Starina, and now again Hadzija Grmec. Next to the road one can see a slightly "modified" plane from W.W.II which used to be a part of the so-called Partisan airport museum: some playful Krajisnik fired a "zolja" [shoulder launched anti-tank weapon] and cut the plane in two; the plane gained in historical authenticity and can now only be used as scrap metal.
The slaughter of Bosniaks in this city started on June 2, 1992. 69 civilians were killed, among them a one year old child, and the whole family of Sevko Balic, father, mother, son and daughter.
Serbs sadistically destroyed two mosques in Bosanski Petrovac and one each in Razenovac and Bjelaj; the destruction was rooted in their style of warfare and the belief that a crime is not a crime without witnesses; during that time Bosanski Petrovac was turned into a concentration camp for the local Bosniaks. The Serbs went so far as to force the detained Bosniaks to clear the ruins. Then, once they had enough of killing, the Serbs expelled the remaining Bosniaks on September 24. But not in the direction of Bihac because their fear that the expelled Bosniaks will return from Bihac as liberators.
Still the freedom arrived to Bosanski Petrovac from Bihac. Among the liberators, who on September 15, 1992, entered the town, there were about 20 Bosniaks who had been expelled from this town.
Several hundreds of Bosniaks from Bosanski Petrovac fought in the Bosnian Army units during the war. Most of them in the Third and Seventh Corps, especially in the Third and Seventeenth brigades. Although they were systematically resettled, and although a large portion left Bosnia (2,000 out of original 3,500), those who stayed in Bosnia fulfilled their duty to the homeland.
"About ten percent of the pre-war Bosniak population of Bosanski Petrovac fought in the units of the Bosnian Army. We have 16 shehids [martyrs for Islam] and 20 registered disabled soldiers. We try to fulfil our duty towards those families. All wives of soldiers who died in combat are employed. We found employment even for those without adequate education. We also try to take care of orphans and that is the priority in the budget of Una-Sana canton... At the same time we haven't found evidence that even a single citizen of Serb nationality had behaved as a patriot during the occupation of this city and had resisted the destruction of Bosnia and Bosniaks. Now, we are preparing detailed lists of all [Serb] criminals," emphasizes Mithad Hidic, two time wounded member of the famous 501st brigade, commander of a unit in the famous battalion Ljutoc, who after the liberation of Bosanski Petrovac took over the position of the President of the War Presidency and later also that of the head of the municipality.
"This town has a long and rich past and it doesn't deserve to bear the name of the Petrovic dynasty or some Petar," says Ahmet Hidic, technical secretary of the Party for Democratic Action [SDA, major Bosnian Muslim political party], which in the recent elections confirmed total domination in this region.
It is rare to find so many people knowledgeable in the history of their region as in Bosanski Petrovac. All of them are of the same opinion, which is also shared by all the local inhabitants: Bosanski Petrovac should be renamed. True, there are more pressing problems, but it is certain that they will soon find a new name for their city. They shouldn't be accused of intolerance for this; it is characteristic that the Orthodox church in the center of the town hasn't been damaged since the liberation.
True, I said that there are more pressing concerns in this town, but...
One of the local curiosities is that the whole municipality has today as many inhabitants as before the war lived in the town. All the villages were destroyed in the war. This municipality is also one of the most spacious in Bosnia.
Going through the data we find out that almost none of the local Bosniaks who found refuge outside Bosnia have returned! Those thousand or so who stayed in Bosnia came back. Consequently, today there are twice as many Bosniaks resettled from other parts of Bosnia as the locals! The new arrivals already feel at home in the town. Most of them are from Prnjavor, while quite a lot of them come from Bosanska Gradiska.
How were these people received? Are there tensions between them and the locals? There are many possible questions but the answers to them, based on the impressions of Ljiljan's journalist, are outrageously favorable. New arrivals were received with open arms. Collective accommodation was used only on the day immediately after the arrival and the people were placed in houses and apartments on the following day. Food and the donations are distributed equally among the locals and the new arrivals. Of course it is natural that the people who have lost their homes and property feel differently, but it is true that in this town they often have better accommodations than those who lived here before the war. One should add that resettled persons account for over 80% of employees in the municipality! Some of them are on key managerial positions. It is true that the response of the locals may seem idyllic but it is undeniably grounded in reality:
"All of us, Bosniaks from Bosanski Petrovac, who have returned to our home town, had experienced the life in exile so that we try to be good hosts. Also we are waiting for the return of our compatriots from abroad, who have apparently forgotten about their town. Their houses and apartments are waiting for them."
"Repopulation of the municipality is our project for the future, and agriculture the basis for our future economy!" says Mithad Hidic.
This is a realistic plan, based on the past experience. Although just before the start of Serb aggression this municipality had about 15,000 inhabitants, before W.W.II the more than 30,000 people lived in this area. And lived well; without any industry.
The existing industrial infrastructure (logging, textiles and plastic) is slowly being reactivated but the agriculture is the real opportunity for this region; also the overpopulation of some regions in Bosnia convinces one that Bosniaks will migrate here.
"We have enough state owned land which we will give to those who are willing to resettle here," states Hidic.
"How will you resolve the problem of their accommodation and the realization of concrete plans in agriculture?" we ask.
"German government has a program for building of such villages and this municipality should get priority because we lack population. If we receive assistance from Bihac and Sarajevo and, above all, the international community in realization of attractive programs, then we can expect the response from thousands of Bosniaks. Based on the size and agricultural potentials of our municipality we expect to eventually settle 30,000 Bosniaks in our municipality."
Enver Ferizovic, an experienced expert in the Agricultural service claims that the soil will certainly give its contribution to the local plans for resettlement and the development of agriculture but the people are urgently needed.
"We need people as well as the funds to buy mechanization and cattle. We were given seed potato, onion, carrots and were very successful. There are a lot of fields and pastures in this area, but the situation at the moment is not satisfactory. The animal fund has been totally devastated during the war. Only 20 tractors remain out of 800 before the war. So far, we have received 10 cows from Tyrol and expect another 45 and some mechanisation," adds Ferizovic.
Translated on 11/5/96