Flood Relief Solidarity Trumps Ethnic Divisions

From sportsmen from Bosnia and Serbia who raised money together to volunteers who went from one part of the country to another to help people, Bosnia’s recent floods have prompted many to put solidarity ahead of ethnic divisions.

The international High Representative to Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, said on Friday that the floods seemed to have united all peoples in the country in a common fight against the catastrophe.

“I was deeply touched by numerous scenes of ordinary citizens rushing to help people in need in neighbouring cities and towns and across entity lines – entity lines did not exist -- risking their lives and donating supplies and assistance,” he told a news conference.

“It has shown us once again that the people of this country are not interested in hearing about the divisions of the past. They want to build a successful country together in the interests of all.”

Inzko also linked the reaction of ordinary people to the floods with months of protests against politicians.

“Their response has been consistent with – and in some cases directly connected to – the new civic activism. This is going to have political consequences,” he said.

In one example of ethnic divisions being put aside, the mayor of Samac, in the Republika Srpska part of Bosnia, said the most important help the town received came from Gradacac, in the mainly Bosniak-Croat Federation.

Republika Srpska Veterans Minister Petar Djokic also thanked the citizens of Gradacac for their help and for “getting over the events of the past and showing their human sides”.

Officials in Doboj in Republika Srpska also thanked the nearby town of Tesanj in the Federation for their help. A policeman said the town had received more aid...