Pendle-Hill Weekend on Bosnia, October 28-30

Summary

On the evening of Friday, October 28, 1994 we gathered at Pendle Hill. Our group included: Osman and Sabiha Botonjic, Siobhan Bracken, Vicky Campbell, Violet Devlin, Stephen Dotur, Jo Francis, Dana Garber, Morris Milgram, Deborah Osborne-Daily, Andras Riedlmayer, Michael Sells, Andrew de Treville. The following day we were joined by Helene Pollock, Amila Buturovic, Aida Premilovac, and Sabiha Kopanja.

This was a very special group. Each person had something distinctive and special to contribute. Some of us gave presentations while others made contributions by sharing their comments throughout the sessions. The summary below describes the topics we discussed and attempts in some way to bring across the spirit of each discussion. There is not way this summary can adequately represent the unique contributions of each person to this extraordinary conference.

"Killing Memory: The Cultural Heritage of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Its Destruction."

Our first presentation was by Andras Riedlmayer, Curator of the Islamic Arts collection at the Fine Arts Library at Harvard University. Riedlmayer presented the slide-show and lecture on the cultural aspect of "ethnic cleansing": the destruction of the National Library of Sarajevo in August 1992, the largest book-burning in human history; the destruction of the Oriental Institute manuscript collection, the territorial museum, the great mosques, bridges, music schools, monasteries, libraries, clock-towers, and bridges throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina. Andras explained that the existence of Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, and Jewish religious monuments side-by-side in Mostar and Sarajevo was proof that different religious could and did live together in peace and for this reason these monuments are being systematically annihilated by "ethnic cleansing" militias. He explained why to the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina the destruction of art, books, and cultural heritage is as painful as the physical suffering they are enduring.

Andras spoke of the Sarajevans who are forced to burn their furniture for fuel, but refuse to burn their books until the cold and hunger force them to use books for fuel as well. He told us of the UN complicity in cultural destruction, particularly through the UN blockade on the importation of books into Sarajevo, despite the desperate pleas of Sarajevans.
Finally, Andras spoke of international efforts to help protect what remains of Bosnia's fabulous cultural richness and to restore what has been destroyed.
Our discussion focused on the importance of culture to people's lives and the reason that cultural annihilation has been incorporated into the goals of the ethnonationalists.

Supporting Bosnian Student and Scholars:
Amila Buturovic and Aida Premilovac

On Saturday morning, Professor Amila Buturovic of Sarajevo, now a professor of Islamic Studies at York University in Ontario, Canada, spoke to us of her experiences in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Amila's sister Aida was killed when she volunteered to help save precious manuscripts during the destruction of the National Library, and her father was killed by a Serb army sniper in front of his home. Her mother remains in Sarajevo. Because of the long time-lag for mail, Amila still gets letters from her deceased relatives and friends.
Amila's cousin, Mirza Filipovic, was a major cultural leader in Bosnia-Herzegovina and has since come to the U.S. as a refugee. We spoke of ways we might help support Amila's family. Mirza's son, Vanja Filipovic, is applying to colleges and will be applying to Haverford (see update, below).
Next we heard from Aida Premilovac. Aida is from Stolac in Herzegovina, which was a truly magnificent small city that was shelled for months by Serb ethnonationalist militias and then attacked by Croat ethnonationalists. Aida's family was saved by a brave Croatian family which hid them in their home until Aida could escape to Croatia and then to Germany. The Community of Bosnia helped secure her a scholarship at Bryn Mawr, where she is thriving. We learned of the condition of Bosnian refugees in Europe, where they have almost no opportunity to pursue their education or any kind of career.
One of Aida's brothers has been resettled now in Australia and another brother is still in the city of Mostar (see below). Aida's mother and sister are in Croatia but are in danger of being sent back to Stolac before it is safe for Muslims to be there.
Our constructive reaction was focused upon the efforts to help other student like Aida pursue their education. A college scholarship not only helps a promising student resume an educational dream that had seemed lost, but it helps give the entire family a sense of reconnection to the world. It thwarts the efforts of "ethnic cleansers" to destroy the future by destroying the records of the past.
Michael Sells spoke of the experiences of the Community of Bosnia in attaining scholarships; the effort to reconstruct dossiers, attain student visas, and convince American colleges and universities to understand the particular situation of Bosnian Students. He also spoke of the difference between attaining domestic scholarships (available to those with refugee status) and foreign student aid (more difficult to attain). Finally, he spoke of the need for mentors to help Bosnian student understand the American educational system.

Supporting and Sponsoring Bosnian Refugees

After Lunch, Vickie Johnston led us in a discussion of the support of Bosnian refugees and the issues involved in sponsoring refugee families. She spoke of her successful efforts to get Churches to sponsor a family, and of her experiences with sponsorship issues. We discussed the need for better orientation for Bosnian refugees and for their sponsors, so as to avoid cultural misunderstandings. Vicky has been a leader in the Princeton area in supporting the Bosnian community and on Sept. 27 she wrote me that she had found a sponsor for the Lasic family from Maglaj. Maglaj was an ancient and distinctive city that was attacked and besieged for over a year simultaneously by ethnonationlist militias of the Croat HVO and the Bosnian Serb army. We spoke of the experience of Jean Baur and her group in Yardley, Pa in sponsoring a refugee family from Mostar. Vicky has been offering her translation ability and her experience in advising the group and has developed a series of important insights into the issue of sponsorship. We decided to work on a bi-lingual pamphlet that addresses such issues to be made available to sponsors and newly arrived Bosnians.
With Vicky was Jasminka Kopanja, representing another Bosnian family that has come to the Princeton area. I enclose another copy of the write-up Vicky shared with us, "Sponsor a Bosnian Family."

Osman and Sabiha:
Testimonies from Survivors of Ethnic Terror

After dinner, Osman and Sabiha Botonjic, who have been sponsored by a group in Woodstock, Connecticut that includes Rev. Jamie Harrison and Andrew de Treville who was with us. Osman spoke to us of the "ethnic terror" that came over their formerly peaceful town of Sanski Most in 1992 after the Serb army occupied the area. Osman was arrested, held in atrocious conditions, and beaten. He was then loaded onto a truck with many others and taken to the Manjaca concentration camp. He said that many of the prisoners died on the way from the beatings they had received and from the lack of oxygen. He was then held at Manjaca where prisoners had to sleep on the ground which was covered with sheep-feces that had washed down from the neighboring fields. In several months of confinements, he was allowed to wash only twice. Osman shared with us sketches of Manjaca concentration camps that one of his friends had made. Osman's father was still in Sanski Most where the "ethnic terror" is continuing even as I write this report.
Sabiha spoke of what it was like to live in Sanski Most after Osman was taken away. For some time she did not know if he was alive or dead. Muslims were forced to wear white-patches and put white flags on their homes. Sabiha told us of the anxiety of trying to protect her two small children from drunken soldiers and militia members, and of the difficulties of obtaining food in a town where Muslims were not longer viewed as human. She described going to a store and having Serb customers crowd in front of her one after another until all the provisions were gone. As a Muslim, she had no right to object. Sabiha's family is scattered around Europe.
This was an emotional and gripping presentation, that brought us all deeply into the human aspect of the Bosnian tragedy and helped weld us together as group committed to support people like Osman, Sabiha, and their children. The Community of Bosnia has offered to help translate Osman's book on his experiences and to help get it published. We are also looking forward to helping the Botonjic's find scholarships for their children to attend college. Adita is now a junior at Woodstock academny.

On Sunday morning Dana Garber showed us pictures of her trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina and described in moving terms her experiences in places like Mostar. She spoke of the bridge-jumping ceremony in Mostar, during which Bosnians would leap off the high Stari Most (old bridge) build in the 16th century. After the bridge was destroyed by the Croat ethnonationlist HVO militia, a temporary bridge was used. The entire Muslim community came out to watch the divers reaffirm their spirit and their commitment to life after the horrors of the long siege of Mostar.
Dana spoke of the efforts to return the devastated right-bank of Mostar to a semblance of order; to offer housing to refugees, clean water, and medical care.

Then Siobhan spoke of her work to support medical therapy in Bosnia-Herzegovina. She showed us moving pictures of those who have been wounded and spoke of an entire floor of a building in Zenica given over to housing paraplegics, without adequate therapy or wheelchairs. She then recounted the extraordinary efforts she has been involved in to bring wheelchairs to Bosnia-Herzegovina and to help these forgotten people who, by virtue of the chaos and lack of transportation, are without basic help. She spoke of the dramatic difference a wheelchair, prosthesis, or other aid can make in the life of one of these people. Particularly interesting were Siobhan's accounts of how she and others helped attain the critically needed materials from companies and other agencies and how they managed to secure transport for them.

We ended with a discussion of possible meetings in the future and follow-up activities. The energy was intense, after our three days of meeting, and that intensity has resulted in a series of follow-up activities that stretches beyond what might have been thought possible in just the few months since out meeting. Attached is a brief report on those follow-up activities.

Michael Sells, Haverford, January 20, 1995

1) Osman Botonjic sent me his book recounting his experiences with "ethnic cleansing" and concentration camps in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I am working now on assembling a team of translators. We hope to have a translation ready by this summer. It is painstaking work, but Osman's book is important and we are determined to see it translated and made available to educate people on the human dimensions of the tragedy in Bosnia.

2) Deborah Daily and Helene Pollock have been working with Germantown friends and it looks like Germantown friends is willing to offer a scholarship to a Bosnian high-school student! We are now working with an immigration lawyer at Germantown, Peter Bauman, on issues of student-visas and finding a host-family.

3) Violet Devlin is hosting a meeting of the Adult Education Class at Falls Meeting as on Saturday, January 27. an information and fund-raising event. I will be sending Violet some information to share with her group, and of course she is welcome to share the report on the Pendle-Hill activities as well.

4) Jo Francis has become a mentor to two Bosnian students now residing in Maryland: Alma Alirejsovic and Ira Eric. She is helping them understand the American college system which is bewildering for those used to the European system, and supporting them in their efforts to attain scholarships. Jo has also composed a "What you can do" packet of suggestions. I enclose a copy of Jo's packet.

5) Dana Garber and Siobhan Bracken have helped arrange a major international performance. They have taken roles in organizing the visit of Vedran Smailovic, the Peace-Cellist of Sarajevo who is the only surviving member of his string-quartet to New York on January 22 for an appearance at St. John the Divine at 12:30 AM, and a recital at the Statue of Liberty the following day, with press conferences at various places, including the United Nations. Please see the enclosed local e-mail bulletin where I describe these events in more detail. 6) At Haverford we are proceeding with our two Beethoven for Bosnia Concerts on February 19 and April 2, conducted by the superb musicians, Curt Cacioppo at Piano and Geoffrey Michaels at Violin. Proceeds go to help local Bosnian students. The Community of Bosnia's sponsored students are now getting their grades--close to straight A's by students who came to a new country, studied in a new language, after years of interrupted education. The students are: Alma Omerhadzic at Duke, Aida Premilovac at Bryn Mawr, Irvana Kapetanovic at Villanova, Ismir Tufekcic at Goldey-Beacom, and Suljo Linic at West Chester.

7) I was referred to St. Joseph's University by Linda and Steve Myers, who hosted our Bosnian Student Suljo Linic last summer. Suljo is now at West Chester University. St. Joseph's has offered a full scholarship to a Bosnian Student! We have chosen Muharem Jakubovic from Brcko whose entire family has been liquidated in the "ethnic cleansing" of that town. Muharem, a superb student, is now in Tuzla. We will be working for the student visa, and working on helping Muharem show community-ties to his new town of Tuzla.

8) This winter, Pendle Hill sponsored another reunion for Bosnian students in the United States. Over twenty students attended and I cannot adequately describe how meaningful it was to them. I visited with them for an afternoon. It fills them with human contact, solidarity, mutual support, good humor, and cultural richness and inspires them to continue their work in the United States.

9) Amila Buturovic, who visited us at Pendle Hill and spoke so movingly, and I gave a series of interviews and talks in Ottawa on January 10. Our interview on CBC world-service was carried nationwide twice and lasted for about 10 minutes. I also interviewed for the leading newspaper in Ottawa and they ran a feature story on my comments on religious dimensions of genocide. That night Amila and I spoke to a large, responsive crowd at Carleton University. Then, after that, we had dinner with 15 Bosnia-supporters in Ottawa--a diverse crowd with wide and deep experience and knowledge. We learned so much.
The events were arranged by Emran Qurayshi and Nader Nashemi, two of the most extraordinary people I have met. Emran is an engineer and Nader a student at Carleton. They have brought some 10 major speakers to Ottawa, including Christopher Hitchens, Roy Gutman, Andras Riedlmayer, and David Rieff (author of a forthcoming book on Bosnia), and have played a critical role in placing the issue of Bosnia back into the Canadian public consciousness by his superbly organized events in the nation's capital.
Professor Buturovic's new scholarly work is a major essay dealing with the issue of how "ethnic identity" has been constructed in Bosnia over the last three centuries. We are working on the report of our activities at Pendle Hill last fall. It has been delayed on my part by a series of urgent matters--deadlines for applications of Bosnian students, family and immigration emergencies on the part of Bosnians. But I hope to have the report to you all soon.

10) The slide show that Andras Riedlmayer showed us at Pendle-Hill has been shown around the U.S. and Canada and has been instrumental in galvanizing support for Bosnia. Andras and I took the show down to DUTV at Drexel and they have made a professionally produced video for us. The video, "Killing Memory: The Cultural Heritage of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Its Destruction," will be distributed by the Community of Bosnia Foundation. It will also be shown three times in the Philadelphia media-area by DUTV. 11) During Amila Buturovic's talk at Pendle Hill we discussed ways to support her family. I have been working closely with the Haverford admissions office and with Amila's cousin Mirza and Mirza's son Vanja. Vanja is an extraordinary student, of brilliant potential. I have support the application of Vanja Filipovic, and another Bosnian refugee, Jasmina Hadzihasanovic, to Haverford. I am hopeful they will receive scholarships and will be doing everything I can to support their applications.

The Community of Bosnia is working closely with Mirza Filipovic who was the publisher of some of the major works of Bosnian culture: including an edition of the famous Sarajevo Haggadah of the 13th century, a masterful book entitled The Art and Architecture of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Serbo-Croatian edition of the most famous work of Bosnian literature, Mesa Selimovic's Dervish and Death. We are working to republish these texts as a way of reviving Mirza's career and as a way of developing a much stronger awareness of Bosnian literature and culture in the U.S. We already have a publisher willing to make a Serbo-Croatian version of Dervish and Death which Bosnians in exile would dearly love to have available. We are now working on the project of find a translation for this work, which, incidently, Amila Buturovic has written about in a new essay to be published in the journal Edebiyat.

12) Aida Premilovac who joined us at Pendle Hill, and another Bosnian Student, Irvana Kapetanovic, spoke at Haverford at a "Collection," a special student-sponsored campus-wide event. The room was filled and their talks were riveting. They helped galvanize the Haverford community this year. The Community of Bosnia is now engaged in a number of activities to raise funds for Bosnian Students. We have made all-purpose note-cards based on the Mostar Bridge as a symbol of a multireligious Bosnia-Herzegovina. The cards are on sale at the Haverford College bookstore for $5.00 a pack-of-ten. We also can sell large numbers for $10.00 for three-packs.

I include a packet of the note cards as my own personal gesture of appreciation for the contributions of each of you. The cards were designed by Janet Marcus, one of the founders of the Community of Bosnia who also happens to be my wife.