The Other Twin Towers

In my earlier posts, I commented on the aftermath of the conflict in Bosnia and what I was able to observe during my travels there. Now that I have settled in to Budapest for a semester abroad at Corvinus University in Hungary, I have more time to write. I find it somehow appropriate that I am sitting in front of the computer on the 10th annaiversary of 9/11.
The Twin Towers in New York were not the only ones in the world. Sarajevo also has its own set. They are located next to the Holiday Inn near the beginning of Sniper's Alley. These high-rises were quickly bombed out during the siege of the city in the early 90's. As defininig landmarks of Sarajevo's own sykline, their skeletons became a symbol of the lives lost and the devastation the country suffered during the war.
Even 15 years later, the towers are not the only signs of that devastation. From the time of my arrival, I was shocked by the state of the buildings in many parts of the city: bullet holes and craters from mortar impacts still riddle many of the buildings. In many cases the block's inhabitants have simply plugged the holes with whatever building material they can find, still unable to truly restore the bulding. Many of the city's main churches are still construction sites. While the famous old bridge in Mostar has been rebuilt, practically half of the city's buldings remain little more than burnt-out hulks.
In many ways Bosnia is still licking its wounds. Not only have Bosnia's people lived through a bloody civil conflict, but in the present day must live among their former enemies. In order to even make peace, the country had to be divided into 2 autonomous regions, one of Bosniaks and Croats. The other one is Republika Serpska (the same name as the country) where the Serbian flag is flown more from homes than the national Bosnian flag to this day. There are different versions of each banknote, one displaying historical figures from each ethnic group. The coins all feature a bird with a olive branch, and are clearly inscribed in both latin and cyrillic lettering with the phrase 'Glomb Mira' -- The Dove of Peace. Despite the passage of time, anger still exists on all sides. When I overheard one tourist ask her guide about the Serbian army during the conflict he responded almost harshly. "The Serbian FASCIST Army," he corrected her " because only fascisists like the Nazis could bomb hospitals, mosques and schools."
Despite such impediments, the country is rebulding. Sarajevo's twin towers recently were re-built, and serve once again as a business center. They stand not only as a monument to the past, but also as symbol of hope for the future. They show us how such tragic circumstances on a grand scale can change countires and the people who live in them, no matter where they are in the world. Most importantly, they remind us of the consequences of unfounded fear and hate.
The 9/11 memorial in New York has finally opened to the public. I hope it continues to remind America that we must continue the long process of healing and look toward the future.