Raw Flour in Dirty Water

Sarajevo before and after the massacre in Miskin Street are two completely different cities. Not only because of the bitterness aroused by this crime, the like of which has rarely been seen in history, but because of the fact the present Serbian negotiators have definitely compromised themselves in such a way that the continuity of the Lisbon Conference, at least in the current light, has been cut short. This is confirmed by the departure of the SDA delegation from Cutillero's table, allowing itself the luxury of behaving like a spoilt child, which is, nonetheless, legitimized by most of the public in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Afflicted by ever stronger shelling (whenever you think it can't get any worse, the next moment this is proved wrong), the public, starting with Izetbegovic, who it seems no-one (at least for the time being) has any intention of deposing, seeks more and more explicitly withdrawal from the negotiations foreseen in Cutillero's document, and those who think that the Bosnian question only has a chance of being resolved when Karadzic is removed, are ever louder and greater in number. At this time (Friday afternoon) the heaviest attack on Sarajevo since the beginning of the war in Bosnia, is in progress. There is hardly a building in the area 2 Km from the western part to Bas Carsija (in the east), which hasn't been considerably damaged, and it is now certain that orders from Pale are to demolish Sarajevo along the lines of Vukovar.

It has become known that in the absence of the busy Karadzic the command is taken over by Momcilo Krajisnik, former president of the BH Parliament, who "responsibly" announced that the "Serbian fighters in no way" had anything to do with the massacre in Miskin Street, or with the worsening situation in almost all parts of the city.

Things are the worst in Dobrinja, as well as in Vogosca, which, for all non-Serb inhabitants, has been turned into a concentration camp. It is already stale news that Croats and Moslems are obliged to obtain a certificate of loyalty which is given on the basis of witness by two Serbs. The Crisis Headquarters, led by Jovan Tintor - Joja (he who carried out the heroic attack on the maternity hospital), also issues permits to leave the district of Vogosca, which are given only to non-Serbs, while Serbs not loyal to SDS are dealt with by make-shift trials. In accordance with the latest order, not even fifteen year-old Serbian girls can leave the area.

As they still have not discovered a way to overcome their fear of shelling and at the same time feed themselves, the inhabitants of Sarajevo are eating their last reserves of food, if little bundles of grasses which are bought for hundreds of dinars can be called food. In Hrasnica and the Sokolovic Colony people are eating raw flour mixed in dirty water. The tenants of high-rise buildings have invented the vertical walk, from ground floor to top, which, apart from physical, supplies mental exercise; an old lady of well-preserved spirit, has learnt to imitate the sounds of over twenty different weapons, to the amusement of her neighbors. The "Marshal Tito" barracks are still prolonging their dislocation, which, from a military point of view, is entirely understandable considering the very complex strategic position of the building, without which Vrace, from where the bombardment of the city of Sarajevo originates (the term city is justified only by the few tall buildings still standing), would have no backup and would quickly be overcome.

The freshest news has leaked into Zenica, where Fikret Abdic and Jure Pelivan were stationed, that the Yugoslav dinar still in use will soon be replaced by a new currency, which, as a transitional solution, could very well be the Croatian dinar. It is expected that an offensive on the part of the Territorial Defense of B&H will begin these days from the direction of Visoko and Zenica towards Sarajevo in order to create some sort of corridor of territory on which at least part of the little Bosnian state can function. In the meantime, the war continues. With intensifying force.