Sights in Mostar - Croatia and Slovenia - page 650

Through '93 and '94, when the Bosniaks dared to go out, they sprinted past exposed places,
forfearofbeingpickedoffbyasniper.LocalBosniaksexplain,“Nightwastimetolive”(in
black clothes). When people were killed along this street, their corpses were sometimes left
hereformonths,becauseitwasn'tsafetoretrievethebodies.Tensofthousandsfled.Scand-
inavian countries were the first to open their doors, but many Bosnians ended up elsewhere
in Europe, the US, and Canada.
The stories are shocking, and it's difficult to see the war impartially. But looking back
on this complicated war, I try not to broadly cast one side as the “aggressors” and another
as the “victims.” Bosniaks were victimized in Mostar, just as Croats were victimized during
the siege of Dubrovnik (explained on here ). And, as the remains of a destroyed Orthodox
cathedral on the hillside above Mostar (not quite visible from here) attest, Serbs also took
their turn as victims. Every conflict has many sides, and it's the civilians who often pay the
highest toll—no matter their affiliation.
Cross the boulevard and head down Oneš ć ukova street. A few steps down on the left,
the vacant lot with the menorah-ornamented metal fence will someday be the Mostar Syn-
agogue. While the town's Jewish population has dwindled to a handful of families since
World War II, many Jews courageously served as aid workers and intermediaries when
Croats and Bosniaks were killing each other. In recognition of their loving help, the com-
munity of Mostar gave them this land for a new synagogue.