Sometimes to mend the torn fabric of their lives the best thing is from where it hurts most, the geographical place where your world fell apart, at the very heart of pain. Thus he reasoned Rada Zarkovic when he decided that it made no sense to surrender to a post-war peace was not yet known and that all except a life that begins in some way, even in Bosnia. Rada is divided from Bratunac, a few kilometers from the mass graves of Srebrenica, more than eight thousand dead in a few days of summary executions: 15 years ago, in the heart of Europe. And here, where it is impossible to erase the memory of the bloodshed and ethnic hatred, here in the woods on the Drina, is shared by Rada raspberries. It's called "Together," an Italian name in Serbian-Croatian does not say anything but the name of the cooperative founded in 2003 with the help of the Italian Consortium of Solidarity, Ics. At the beginning had only ten members and today has become a landmark for 400 local producers. This work raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries as well, to be sent frozen on European markets. And now jams. A country of women spending more big were the engines that keep the cold chain, a good debt outstanding. The biggest investment, however, are people. The hands that touch working fast to clean up the fruits are almost all women's hands: the Bosnian Muslim and Serb. Many are widows or single mothers with the family get by. 60% of the population of Bratunac is made up of women, hard to find someone who does not wear it any scar: lost sons and fathers, brothers who do not there are more in the town a monument to the memory of a massacre - Bosnian Serb time, 500 deaths. When we started talking about the return of refugees in 2000, as elsewhere in Bratunac were mostly rubble, the human ones are more difficult to shovel because of those houses. For this reason, raspberries are important. When you put the plants are planted as you quicken up the look ahead: will bear fruit for twelve years. "He began to produce raspberries is back to stay," said Rada, which has fought the war all along. Of the 33,500 people who had Bratunac before the war today there are only about 20,000, including refugees who have returned here more than anywhere else - in Srebrenica, say, I'm just a tenth. It has changed the ethnic mix: the first was Muslim majority, now Serbia, Bratunac is within the borders of Republika Srpska. Raspberries, however, are the main ingredient of cohabitation. It starts like this. The cooperative provides the plants, to treat them are not muscle men: it is women's work here and there. In 2004 householders were 1080, now have twice as much. In Bratunac is back to stay. "Without work you can not live." It is written in the literature in which the cooperative is presented. Without work there is no rebuilding, no co-existence possible. Those of the cooperative know, working around everyone has learned to respect others' pain, which is often the other side of their own. Senad When he returned to Bratunac was a refugee. All of the cooperative has helped him to rebuild the house. Muslims and Serbs. The Bratunac jams are not just a good story to tell those who feel glad when Christmas comes. "Together" is looking for business partners, someone to help distribute its products. Who can not only wood but also of peace. If anyone is listening, there's more good jam.
mmastroluca@unita.it
December 5, 2010 published in National
(page 30) in the "Foreign"
0 comments:
Post a Comment