IN BOSNIA, MUSLIM AND SERB WOMEN RECONCILE
By Amra Hadziosmanovic

June 1, 2004 — (Agence France Presse) Hundreds of Bosnian Serb and Muslim women, who viewed each other as enemies not long ago, have decided to put the past behind them for the sake of business, bringing hope for reconciliation in this war-torn country.

The Bosnian Handcraft, a non-governmental organization based in the northern town of Tuzla, hires women of all ethnicities, mainly refugees who lost their men and homes during the 1992-95 war, to hand-make various garments that have already attracted buyers abroad.

"We made a deal with Robert Redford's Sundance mail-order business on producing various knitted items worth $160,000(130,000 euros)," head of the organization Lejla Radoncic said.

Hollywood veteran, and Oscar-winning director, Redford, owns Sundance catalog sale service, and is founder of the celebrated Sundance Film Festival - a showcase for independent movie makers.

The first order from the Sundance last year for some 3,000 Trademark Bosnian wool socks was sold out in just a few days. The company has decided to double the order this year.

The "priglavci" are multicolored slipper stockings with traditional geometrical patterns handed down from mother to daughter.
The Bosnian Handcraft products have also been sold to French fashion house Agnes B., and the organization is currently negotiating with potential clients in Britain.

The project started in 1995 as a way to help traumatized and impoverished Muslim women who survived the 1995 massacre of more than 7,000 men and boys in the eastern town of Srebrenica. "We wanted to help them become economically independent, it was not a healing therapy," Radoncic said.

Business grew in during the postwar years and some 300 women were employed throughout the country, including some from Bosnia's two other ethnic groups - Croats and Serbs.

Another similar organization, Bosfam, is focused on producing woolen carpets also with traditional Bosnian designs. Bosfam, which also promotes ethnic tolerance, has recently set up a website (www.bosfam.ba) for on-line orders, hoping to attract international customers. The site offers pictures of colorful carpets accompanied with life stories of their makers, mainly Srebrenica women. Thanks to the handicraft business, some women have been able to return to Srebrenica where they now work together with their Serb colleagues. Among them is Ajsa Bektic who lost her son, husband and father in the ill-fated Muslim town, and decided to return three years ago. "Knitting helped me a lot. I was able to earn some money, but more importantly it saved my mental health," said the 54-year-old. "If I had nothing to do I would have gone crazy after the massacre," she said recalling the days just after she was expelled from Srebrenica, while her husband and father were taken away by Serb forces, never to be seen again.

Her son disappeared in 1992 when he tried to reach Srebrenica which was at the time surrounded by the Serb forces. But despite the enormous personal loss, Bektic said she does not feel uncomfortable working with Serb women in Srebrenica. "It's wrong to think that all of the Serbs are guilty for the massacre. I don't know who killed my son, husband and father, but I cannot blame every Serb for it."

Sladja Stankovic, a Serb from Srebrenica also working with Bosnian Handcraft said that "despite what has happened we have to work together if it brings in money."

"Knitting, and weaving is the only way for a woman here to provide income", she said referring to postwar Bosnia's poor economy. All the women agree that improving business is the right way to facilitate reconciliation.

"We will never forget what happened, but business is business. If it provides us with a decent income I don't care who am I working with," said Magbula, a Muslim.

From: http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=46032&d=1&m=6&y=2004&pix=community.jpg&category=Features%22