Bosnians Bring Aid to Syrian Refugees in Turkey

A three-sided war pitching Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats against each other from 1992 to 1995 forced hundreds of thousands of people in Bosnia to leave their homes.

Elmedin Skrebo, vice-director of IFS EMMAUS in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has helped organise several aid convoys from Bosnia to the refugee camps in Turkey.

He said life somehow goes on in these camps, even in what looks like poor conditions.

"This is not my first time here, but every time I face those children, some of whom were probably born while their parents were running away from the horrors of war, I know we are doing the right thing," he said.

Refugee camp Photo courtesy of IFS EMMAUS Bosnia

"When you look at the camp from a distance, it can even look beautiful, white, with tents close to each other but …. these are their only homes now. It is all they have now," Skrebo observed.

Group of volunteers from Bosnia, gathered around the International Forum of Solidarity, IFS-EMMAUS, part of the international EMMAUS network, regularly collect and distribute food for the refugees from Syria.

The last convoy, containing nearly 600 tons of essential food products, was the sixth and largest so far coming from Bosnia.

It was organised jointly by EMMAUS and the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"This is our second aid convoy coming in the time of Ramadan, and that gives it a special, spiritual value," Skrebo noted.

Among the various supplies they bring, flour is close to the top of the list, as only three bakeries operate in the camp.

"With this convoy, I can proudly say that Bosnians have sent a total of 2,000 tons of help to the people of Syria - and we can only thank God for the opportunity to help those in need," Skrebo added....