Bosniaks and Croats, Divided in Class and at Play

The New York Times ^ | July 1, 2011 | MATTHEW BRUNWASSER

[MinorityRepublican]

The high school in Vitez, where the Croat children attend classes on the upper floor and the Bosnian children on the lower floor. In Bosnia, the complex system of checks and balances between ethnic groups has cemented the divisions rather than healed them, local residents say, and reconciliation has still not happened.

VITEZ, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA — Every morning at the local grade school formerly known as Brotherhood and Unity, the Catholic Croat children head to the right, and the Bosnian Muslims head to the left.

The Croats study in the school’s cheerful looking main building, which was recently renovated. The Muslims attend class in the crumbling, dingy annex next door.

The school ended up behind the Croat line during the 1992-95 war that killed some 100,000 people. It has remained there ever since.

The children’s fathers fought one of the fiercest battles between Bosnian Muslims and Croats, former allies against the Serbs who turned against each other. Vitez was inside “the ring” — an enclave within an enclave — a Bosnian Muslim enclave surrounded by Croat militia, which itself was surrounded by Muslim forces.

[GeronL]

poor poor Muslims... wah! ... denied their jihad.... so so sad!

[Krankor]

Judging by the picture, it appears the kids on the upper floors had somewhat of an advantage on their lower level ethnic foes.

[oilfieldtrash]

The muslim croat federation was a social engineering experiment by our dearly departed Richard Holbrooke.

The Serbs knew better than to let Richard Holbrooke dictate social policy to them. They got their own canton in Bosnia, just the way they wanted it. Now explain to me why Ratko Mladic shouldnt be a hero to the Serbs.

[Roger_Wildcat]

They should just break up Bosnia into three parts and let the Croatian and the Serbian section unite with their homeland. It probably going to happen sooner or later anyway.