FROM VILLAGE TO CITY

Migrations and Future of Republica Srpska

AIM Banja Luka, 14 October, 1996

However dull it may be, the speech of figures is sometimes more eloquent than any wise generalizations. Although not especially attractive to ordinary people, statistics often assists a connoisseur to reach real conclusions and coordinate his actions accordingly.

At the end of the last world war, Banja Luka had a reduced number of inhabitants, but then by 1948, it already reached 31,227, but not naturally, through birthrate, but through migrations of rural population to the city. This trend continued during the decades which followed, and reached its climax in the period which started in 1961 when the city had 50,650 inhabitants, lasted during the period after the earthquake when in 1971 it had 74,790 inhabitants, in 1981 it reached the figure of 128,439, and finally in 1991 ended up with 150,000 inhabitants. The city simply could not assimilate all the newcomers, it changed, acquired elements of a rural environment and inclined towards its mute majority which simply tranferred their native villages into the city. And they did not just bring their customs into the city, but also their livestock. That is how Banja Luka overnight faced sights forgotten for many decades - horses and cows freely walking around the city, numerous chicken pecking around city lawns.

These few figures and data that in 1981 there were 36.2 per cent urban and 63.8 per cent rural population in B&H, it is possible to draw certain conclusions, both about what has happened and about the gloomy prospects which are awaiting the population of Republica Srpska, and probably the whole of B&H.

Faced with the possibility to choose, the population of prewar B&H made the choice customary for rural population which chooses as a group, according to principles of a tribe (herd) which needs a leader. There is no place for any democratic variations about an individual as the so-called free personality or a citizen who is free to associate. A tribe is capable of recognizing only its members, all the others are possible enemies. Fear is the only argument in it. "If you do not choose as a nation, you will perish", said all three B&H parties (tribes). Whether natural, inherited or revived, fear is always fear, it dominates all our actions.

Rural B&H voted again, for the second time, as it did in the first (so-called) free elections. The winning parties knew what they were doing, they addressed the people in the language which is understandable to them. The people got their true representatives according to the logic that similar people trust each other or that birds of feather flock together. According to this, these elections actually were democratic, but the issue here is what democracy is in tribal communities.

What consequences for the population of this region can predomination of rural population have in cities and in everyday life? Culture is dominated by populism, folk one-string fiddle overnight took the place it had not held ever since the times when there was no other instrument in this space and when news were retold by one person to another. Leading men in culture of Republika Srpska want to introduce the fiddle at the music academy, sincerely believing that it is our idiosyncrasy with which we can stand side by side with the developed nations of Europe.

From the war-stricken regions, regardless of ethnic origin, the first to leave were university educated people, followed by those who have always left the Balkans through its entire history - the talented. If one accepts that talent is a product of divine mercy, its departure is equal to natural catastrophe. This can be observed by a man who had regular education and who thinks freely with his own head, but not the intelligent, half-educated controller of our development. A very small number of those who have gone into the wide world to get educated come back to their hometowns and contribute to its development. Banja Luka was always and still is condemned mostly to those who are not from the so-called first division, regardless of the undoubted fact that even among its university educated citizens there have always been excellent professionals, artists, professors, and sportsmen. Ever since the time of Nikola Tersla and Mihailo Pupin, all the way to the modern brilliant Serb painters - their home was the world.

Sometime in 1994, news appeared in the newspaper that about thirty university educated persons have left Korenica in the postwar period. In view of the fact that for four long years capital was flowing away from that very same Krajina, the question what and who have remained has become the key question for survival of the Serb nation in this space. The opinion that it is possible to go on without those who are not here is just another general statement in empty and annihilating populist consollations. It might be true, but not always. It was impossible in Krajina even for ten days, as we have seen. Departure of the educated, crime and political mistakes always go hand in hand - the result is quite predictable. That is why Krajina was simply written off the minute it was created.

What should Republica Srpska do in order to avoid the same tragedy? The main thing is, of course, to start to operate (within permitted, that is, dictated framewok) as a single organized entity, like other states operate. Its future is in its youth and an attempt should be made not only to keep them here, but also everything should be done to enable those who have left for all kinds of reasons to return some day. Slogans are of no use in this business, talent is a fragile plant which seeks a lot of tending in order to develop and bear fruit. The state always chooses between two extremes - education is on the one end and police on the other. Plato said that the state which does not pay its teachers must pay its police, and the centuries which followed confirmed his statement.

The rural spirit must not rule our cities, let it stay where it feels best - around the fields and hills of our really beautiful country. Cities must quickly be freed of war looseness, law and order must stream along the streets, corridors, elevators. Darkness which penetrated our souls must be forced out of them, any effort made in this direction will bear brilliant fruit. In the end of the twentieth century, no country and no city should be left without electric power supply for so long as Krajina and its key city, Banja Luka were.

If no radical changes are introduced into our everyday practice, we will be faced by even greater challeneges. If the result of this whole "struggle" will be the same as the Calvary of the people of former Republic of Serb Krajina, do not let us accuse others for it - prevailing portion of guilt is always ours. Even a gentle breeze can pull down a crumbling house!

(AIM) Ranko Risojevic

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