THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 12, 1995 TAG: 9512120260
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SANJA OMANOVIC, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
``I'm so sorry that the American soldiers are in Tuzla. I would like them to be here in Sarajevo,'' Fatma Tihic said.
That is maybe the best picture of the sense that Sarajevans have about the arrival of American troops in Bosnia. These days everybody is talking only about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces - how many of them will come, what kind of weaponry and equipment they are carrying with them, where their bases will be.
``I have two sons,'' said Tihic, 37. ``One is 11, the other 16. They are talking about NATO all the time. When I ask them are they sick of the war already, they say, `No! What is the matter with you? NATO is something else.' Obviously these kids like to talk about the weaponry and the war, at least when American soldiers are the topic of conversation.''
But many Sarajevans still worry about their city. They would like to believe in the possibility that it will be united after almost four years. But they are afraid that changes might be made to the peace plan reached last month in Dayton, Ohio, before it is signed by the warring parties Thursday in Paris.
Sarajevans do not believe what they have been told, and that is why they would like the Americans to come into their town.
``If I see the American flag here in Sarajevo, I would say everything will be as the politicians agreed in Dayton,'' Elvedina Tahmaz, 25, said.``But we will have the French here. We know them well. Every time when there was shooting or sniping, they used to say, `Oh, yes, there have been 1,235 violations of the cease-fire,' and that was all.''
``I had also hoped that maybe I would get a job,'' Tahmaz said. ``I know English well. But now I will try to go to Tuzla. I have some relatives there, and I had heard that the Americans need a lot of translators. There is a chance to earn some extra money. In that case, I could continue my studies.''
There is a word in the Bosnian language that describes well what Sarajevans feel right now: baksuz. It means ``somebody who does not have enough luck.''
Every time a person thinks everything will be OK, something suddenly happens and everything is spoiled.
``We suffered so much in this war. I don't believe U.N. soldiers anymore. Only if Americans are here, things will change. It would be fair if they came here. I would feel safe,'' Adnan Mulalic, 35, said.
Of all the NATO troops, the Americans will undoubtedly be most welcome. It is hard to explain why Bosnians, and especially Sarajevans, trust them so much.
Just before the war, people in Sarajevo made jokes about Bosnia-Herzegovina. They used to say that they would like to become the 51st star on the American flag.
When the war started, they believed for a long time that the Americans would save them. And even though they did not like President Clinton's hesitation, they strongly believed that American soldiers are so brave, so well-trained, so well-equipped, that only they could help. And that is why Sarajevans are disappointed that Americans are not coming into Sarajevo.
``It is hard to believe that after four years of killing, somebody is coming here to make peace,'' Irfan Kreho, 54, said. ``It would be nice if they justified everything we have heard about them. I would like so much to see these troops. I have heard that they are the best in the world. And that's the reason I trust them.''
However, even without Americans in the city, Sarajevans hope that the coming of NATO forces will have enough influence to calm the hard-liners.
``There has to be a difference between U.N. and NATO forces,'' Jasmina Rustempasic, 42, said.
``Some people say that this will be a kind of occupation. Well, if it is so, this will be the first occupation in history when those who are occupied are happy to have such an experience. I can hardly wait to feel that.
``So I can say `Welcome' to all of them. I just hope that there will be peace to keep.'' ILLUSTRATION: Sanja Omanovic, a Bosnian journalist, was a National Forum
Foundation visiting fellow at The Virginian-Pilot.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bosnian Muslim women weep at a rally Monday in Sarajevo during which
people called for their Serb neighbors in Grbavica to accept the
peace plan. Story on Page A6.
by CNB