The pictures at the top represent Dubrovnik.
The pictures at the bottom represent Mostar.
Let's look at the Dubrovnik map first. Each black dot indicates a direct hit by enemy fire. Red squares indicate a building completely destroyed.
30,000 residents were forced to abandon their homes.
Over 300 citizens were killed. Countless others were wounded.
Tourism dead!
At the bottom left, is a picture which clearly shows what enemy fire looks like on a street in Mostar almost two decades later.
Tens of thousands fled the city. Who knows the number of dead and wounded?
The cost? Over 12 million euros just to replace the famous Stari Most bridge.
Virtually every major building in the city was either destroyed or sustained significant damage.
Tourism: dead!
And what changed as a result of all this devastation?
Muslims and Christians are still living side by side, worshiping as they always have (the war was decidedly ineffective in converting anyone), doing business on the same street.
Nothing changed except that thousands are still displaced.
And beautiful buildings and bridges have been reduced to piles of rubble.
And the death of far too many!
Going back to the pictures at the top of this page, the photos on the right represent the long, difficult road of both cities to repair the damage.
The pictures below speak for themselves.
Imagine
Imagine there's no Heaven - It's easy if you try.
And no hell below us - Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no country - It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion, too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
Imagine no possessions; I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger or Brotherhood of Man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
Maybe someday you will join us and the world will be as one.
John Lennon
