A Postcard from Teslic

The sitation in Bosnia varies from one area to another, not only with regard to troops in control, but also when and how the authoritiy of a nation was established. If a town was "liberated" at the outbreak of conflicts, it stood a chance of surviving, because all later "liberations" did nothing but destroy life in them.

As one goes deeper into Serb-held territory in Bosnia, one runs into check-points manned by Bosnian Serb police every 20 kilometers. The presence of troops is visible along the corridor.

Teslic, along with Doboj and Tesanj, is said to be the gate to Bosnia and the Balkans. To get there, one has to go by way of Cecava - the largest Serb village in Bosnia before the war.

Memica Brdo, a settlement on the outskirts of Teslic, was razed and renamed Sekulica Brdo (which has a more Slav sound to it).

The only signs of fighting in Teslic, which now as before the war has 50,000 inhabitants, are buildings with walls riddled with bullet-holes and shattered windows - proof that operation Teslic was carried out quickly and without resistence. The ruins of the town's mosque are now covered with grass.

Otherwise, life is normal in the front line zone. Normal, meaning that the administration functions and that positions are secure on the 100-km- long front line. Teslic Mayor Nikola Perisic says the war has claimed the lives of 340 residents, while 700 were wounded. "There was no choice. All those who linked their dreams and their future to this area know they have to hold on till the end," says Perisic.

"People here are not sad, they are not hungry, it's the feeling of insecurity that bothers them," said the Mayor. Some economic facilities still operate and refugees from Tesanj, Zenica, Zavidovici, Maglaj, Travnik and Vitez have replaced 10,000 Moslems and Croats who no longer live in Teslic.

Asked to comment the possiblity of Teslic being placed under someone else's administration, the Mayor said: "We are not considering that possibility, this has always belonged to the Serbs."

The latest Croat-Moslem alliance and an anticipated Moslem offensive have made the situation in the region more complicated. Since last summer, Serbs and Croats have shared combat positions and were even engaged in joint attacks on Moslems.

Serbs in this area are also wary over Serbia's reluctance to recognize and incorporate the Serb Republic in B-H. Not a few believe that they have been betrayed and that something is being cooked up behind their backs. "Milosevic has betrayed the Serbian cause, he created the Serbian movement and then left those who believe in the idea in the lurch," said an influential resident of Teslic.

It is impossible to find out how many of the 14,000 Moslems and 7,000 Croats have remained in the town. Informed sources say that there are still 2,000 Moslems and 500 Croats left in Teslic. They live well, work in factories or as housekeepers, and are paid for their work. But no one mentions that they are also sent out to dig trenches for the Serbs.

Serbs here say that everything began in April 1992, when the Croats cut communication lines between Teslic and Serb villages, and Moslems prepared to seize the city hall. To prevent this, Serb troops - at that time part of the army of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzeogivna - supported by special police units "neutralized" Moslem and Croat villages surrounding the town. Croats retreated towards Zepce, and Moslems withdrew towards Tesanj and Maglaj. The borders were drawn that same summer and only a sporadic exchange of fire has been reported since.

As for Serb-Croat relations, wounded Croats until recently had the privilege of being treated at the Vrucica spa in the center of Teslic. During the period of Croat-Serb cooperation Croat troops killed Moslems ruthlessly, so that the Serbs find it difficult to believe in their recent reconciliation.