Fri Apr 6, 2012, 04:24 AM

Bosnia marks 20 years of the beginning of its war

Source: AP News

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) -- Exactly 11,541 red chairs have been lined up in rows along Sarajevo's main street - one for every man, woman and child killed in the siege that ended up being the longest in modern history.

Sarajevo on Friday marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Bosnian war. Exhibitions, concerts and performances are being held, but nothing can match the impact of hundreds of rows of red in the same square where it all started on April 6, 1992.

Hundreds of the chairs are small, representing the slain children.

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The Serb siege of Sarajevo went on for 44 months - 11,825 days - longer than the World War II siege of Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. Its 380,000 people were left without electricity, water or heat, hiding from the 330 shells a day that smashed into the city.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BOSNIA_20_YEARS_LATER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-04-06-01-08-26

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3 replies	Author	Time	Post
Bosnia marks 20 years of the beginning of its war (Original post)	dipsydoodle	Apr 2012	OP
I was in Bosnia last year	Lars77	Apr 2012	#1
Did you go on tourism? Or do you have people there?	Blue_Tires	Apr 2012	#2
Just backpacking to and from Split.	Lars77	Apr 2012	#3

Response to dipsydoodle (Original post)

Fri Apr 6, 2012, 06:03 AM

Lars77 (3,032 posts)

1. I was in Bosnia last year

Its countryside is scattered with ruins of farmhouses and villages. The beautiful town of Mostar is still partially destroyed, although the old, famous bridge that was blown up is now rebuilt thanks to UN funds.

In Sarajevo most of the public buildings have been rebuilt, but the facades on the apartment buildings tell a different story. You can trace the machinegun fire on the facades.

Bosnia marks 20 years of the beginning of its war

1. I was in Bosnia last year

2. Did you go on tourism? Or do you have people there?

3. Just backpacking to and from Split.