The Balkan-undrum.

What do you think of when you hear the name Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Children playing with an old bazooka. Sarajevo, 1993. 

Anyone old enough to remember VCRs is probably thinking the same thing, war. This small nation is nestled in a tangle of former Balkan states and has a population less than that of Melbourne. If not for the events of the 1990s it may have been a country as forgettable as Liechtenstein or Latvia.  However, a melting pot of ethno-cultural tensions caused it to explode onto the world stage, becoming a region synonymous with conflict and bloodshed. 

Almost two decades later the historical scars of this war remain, entrenched within a fragmented national consciousness. Although it has received little international media attention, recent years have seen a resurgence of ethnic tensions and racial discrimination (also against the Bosnian Jewish and Roma populations). Historically, such divisive strains have been at their lowest when these groups have held a strong common identity. Membership to the European Union may just be the unifying goal that develops and secures cross cultural ties. Whilst most countries in Western Europe might delegate the EU to the dustbin of modern idealist dreams, it is still a club highly sought after by many nations wishing to boost their economic profile.

Young Bosniak woman holding the national flag.
Nezuk, 2011.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's flag is of course relatively new and bares a striking resemblance to that of the EU's. It's colours are seen to represent harmony and neutrality.  For some, these connections to a greater more centralised Europe embody a flicker of hope, an end goal of political unity and economic stability. For others, the EU is little more than a foreign power seeking to encroach upon internal affairs. 

Stari Most Bridge, Morstar 2009. 

I wonder if the power of a simple flag is enough to be an iconic force of unity and tolerance within a nation. I'll suppress my inner cynic and hope for the best. Who knows, maybe one day Bosnia and Herzegovina will be a nation synonymous with tolerance and peace.