THANK YOU FOR THE POSTING ON YOUR WEBSITE!!
Dear Friend,
From June 28th till July 18th, 2006 I participated in the human rights delegation to Bosnia with your generous help and support. It was an unforgettable trip with many faces.
A small selection of photos of the journey you can see online (http://www.think4peace.org) and will possibly be exhibited in the International Peace Museum in Dayton, Ohio. If it does get the green light, I will definitely let you know.
On the same website you can keep an eye out for the blog, where an update on the current state of affairs of Bosnia will be given. Also, any recent work of the human rights delegation will be posted such as the recent Letter to the Editor of the New York Times written by the delegation member Richard Bennett.
Eleven years after signing the Dayton Peace Accords, Bosnia is still a war-torn country with many tensions between the ethnic groups. The government is deteriorating by corrupt officers who are still in office. Schools are many times still separated by ethnic group. There is hardly any economic prosperity, most people in the province towns and villages are poor and unhappy with the state of affairs of their country.
While attending the mass funeral of 505 victims of the Srebrenica massacre (where 9,000 men and boys were killed in little over a week's time eleven years ago), it was shocking to know that on Bosnian territory, these Bosniaks (Muslims) could only receive Serb radio and television where the anniversary of the Srebrenica murders are neglected and were therefore not broadcasted. Young kids who could get away with their mothers on buses to Tuzla are now eleven years after the atrocities returning home. They are returning to a home that are destroyed during the siege. They are cut off from the world for 5 months in winter (and Bosnia has severe winters!) since there is no public transportation any longer and only a few own a car nowadays. A returnee told me during an interview about the jobs in his village. There are two jobs, one is the teacher for the youth, the other the janitor of the school building. Everyone else is unemployed.
Sarajevo is now again a bustling city and it shows promise to the rest of Bosnia. We met with many NGO's who are having a strong stand in the community and are actively involved in many projects that support the well-being of many Bosnians. The smiles on their faces, the twinkling in their eyes are captured in some of these photos.
In the province town of Sanski Most the Center for Peace-Building held a three-day workshop where Bosnian youth of all ethnicities were invited to participate. The approach of the workshop was a great success and will be repeated in the future. This center organizes peace camps during the summer months and actively promotes dialogue between the different ethnic groups.
One day during my internship I got a ride with the EUFOR troops. Their mine educator took me and one other delegation member to houses in remote areas in the region of Bosanski Krupa. During these visits the EUFOR staff explained about the dangers of mines, how to recognize one and who to contact. It was inspiring to see that the EUFOR troops make the effort to talk one-to-one to the local population. It does make a difference.
The whole trip was very inspiring, and many lessons were learned, many more stories to tell. I am excited to start my studies in Coexistence and Conflict at the Brandeis University where I'll find the practical skills to help places like Bosnia.
Keep up your good work and support! The world needs you.
Peace,
Judith van Raalten
[email protected]
http://www.think4peace.org
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