3 ms·

In the heart of Europe we let this go on for years. Still makes me furious, the willingness to look the other way.

by jacobush 6y ago

somecallitblues 6y ago
I don’t know why they’re downvoting you. Europe did fuck all. Shame on them!
- sgt 6y ago
  Not exactly true, but it sure took them a long time to actually make a move.
input_sh 6y ago
As a citizen of Sarajevo, I just want to say thank you. <3
- jacobush 6y ago
  A friend showed me the news that the war was over. He had a news poster (the paper flyer kind) in his room. At that moment I could not properly express my disgusted reaction. How can we celebrate that something ended through sheer attrition? Why didn’t we do anything when it was on our doorstep? Why do we celebrate this war’s end when we ignore countless other wars all over the globe? It was shown in the headlines of newspapers like it was WW2 ending and like we had a hand in it ending and it was over through some great struggle on our part, when in reality Europe watched in a “bring more popcorn” fashion. AT THE VERY LEAST the siege should have been broken (through force) and a humanitarian corridor opened. This was right after the Cold War, the Western powers, including my native Sweden were still armed to the teeth.
  - input_sh 6y ago
    A tiny tunnel was constructed that served as the entry point to the city through which supplies were transferred (and a few thousand civilians fled the city): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Tunnel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Tunnel It went underneath the airport (controlled by the UN at the time) and is now often referred to as the "Tunnel of Hope". Definitely not big enough to stand upright, but the city was fortunate enough that the Serb forces never quite figured out where the entrance is (a private home that looked quite ordinary from the outside).
082349872349872 6y ago
I'm counting 1991-1992 as the end of the short twentieth century and the start of (a hopefully also short?) twenty-first century characterised by countries imploding into violence under the impact of sectarian fake news. (broadcast in the case of yugoslavia. probably more internet-mediated these days.) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23612974 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23612974
- selimthegrim 6y ago
  The BBC documentary linked down thread of that post being on TV is fitting given the role TV played but there is an accompanying book too

In the heart of Europe we let this go on for years. Still makes me furious, the willingness to look the other way.

somecallitblues 6y ago

I don’t know why they’re downvoting you. Europe did fuck all. Shame on them!

sgt 6y ago
Not exactly true, but it sure took them a long time to actually make a move.

input_sh 6y ago

As a citizen of Sarajevo, I just want to say thank you. <3

jacobush 6y ago
A friend showed me the news that the war was over. He had a news poster (the paper flyer kind) in his room. At that moment I could not properly express my disgusted reaction. How can we celebrate that something ended through sheer attrition? Why didn’t we do anything when it was on our doorstep? Why do we celebrate this war’s end when we ignore countless other wars all over the globe? It was shown in the headlines of newspapers like it was WW2 ending and like we had a hand in it ending and it was over through some great struggle on our part, when in reality Europe watched in a “bring more popcorn” fashion. AT THE VERY LEAST the siege should have been broken (through force) and a humanitarian corridor opened. This was right after the Cold War, the Western powers, including my native Sweden were still armed to the teeth.
- input_sh 6y ago
  A tiny tunnel was constructed that served as the entry point to the city through which supplies were transferred (and a few thousand civilians fled the city): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Tunnel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Tunnel It went underneath the airport (controlled by the UN at the time) and is now often referred to as the "Tunnel of Hope". Definitely not big enough to stand upright, but the city was fortunate enough that the Serb forces never quite figured out where the entrance is (a private home that looked quite ordinary from the outside).

082349872349872 6y ago

I'm counting 1991-1992 as the end of the short twentieth century and the start of (a hopefully also short?) twenty-first century characterised by countries imploding into violence under the impact of sectarian fake news. (broadcast in the case of yugoslavia. probably more internet-mediated these days.) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23612974 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23612974

selimthegrim 6y ago
The BBC documentary linked down thread of that post being on TV is fitting given the role TV played but there is an accompanying book too