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| Bosnian war veteran turns his cafe into free kitchen for migrants | Bosnian war veteran turns his cafe into free kitchen for migrants |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| In Bosnia-Herzegovina, a new thoroughfare on the European migration route, exhausted and demoralised refugees and migrants have found charity and support from a local population that remembers its own hardships in the not-so-distant past. | In Bosnia-Herzegovina, a new thoroughfare on the European migration route, exhausted and demoralised refugees and migrants have found charity and support from a local population that remembers its own hardships in the not-so-distant past. |
| Four months ago, about 70 migrants arrived in the city of Bihać, close to the border with Croatia, and pitched tents in the centre. The mayor, Šuhret Fazlić, suggested they move to the concrete shell of a half-built dormitory on the edge of town. | Four months ago, about 70 migrants arrived in the city of Bihać, close to the border with Croatia, and pitched tents in the centre. The mayor, Šuhret Fazlić, suggested they move to the concrete shell of a half-built dormitory on the edge of town. |
| “During the war, Bihać was under siege for 1,200 days,” said Fazlić. “We feel enormous empathy with these people.” There are now about 1,000 people living in the building. | “During the war, Bihać was under siege for 1,200 days,” said Fazlić. “We feel enormous empathy with these people.” There are now about 1,000 people living in the building. |
| Few migrants and refugees want to stay in Bosnia, citing a lack of economic opportunity, but as people have been repeatedly and violently pushed back from Croatia, they have been made to feel welcome by many locals. | Few migrants and refugees want to stay in Bosnia, citing a lack of economic opportunity, but as people have been repeatedly and violently pushed back from Croatia, they have been made to feel welcome by many locals. |
| Asim Latić, a restaurant owner in Velika Kladuša, another border town, said: “In February I saw a man standing in the street in the snow. I asked if he was hungry, and he said he didn’t have any money. | Asim Latić, a restaurant owner in Velika Kladuša, another border town, said: “In February I saw a man standing in the street in the snow. I asked if he was hungry, and he said he didn’t have any money. |
| “I said it didn’t matter and fed him. That guy texted his friends and the next day they came. More people came, and I had to close the restaurant. Since then, we’ve given out 68,000 meals.” | “I said it didn’t matter and fed him. That guy texted his friends and the next day they came. More people came, and I had to close the restaurant. Since then, we’ve given out 68,000 meals.” |
| Latić, 63, now receives funding from the International Organization for Migration, but for two months he and three friends funded the operation. | Latić, 63, now receives funding from the International Organization for Migration, but for two months he and three friends funded the operation. |
| “We are all war veterans. We know what it means to have nothing, we know what it means to be hungry,” he said during an interview at the back of his cafe, as dozens of people tucked into plates of spaghetti at the front. | “We are all war veterans. We know what it means to have nothing, we know what it means to be hungry,” he said during an interview at the back of his cafe, as dozens of people tucked into plates of spaghetti at the front. |
| As the months go on, the mood is beginning to sour, however. On Monday in Bihać, locals protested against the current situation. Most of the anger was directed at authorities for mishandling the situation, but there is also growing unease about the migrants. | As the months go on, the mood is beginning to sour, however. On Monday in Bihać, locals protested against the current situation. Most of the anger was directed at authorities for mishandling the situation, but there is also growing unease about the migrants. |
| Harun, 20, held up a sign saying “immigrants go home”. He said that three days previously, two migrants had stolen his mobile phone, possibly a result of Croatian police stealing or breaking phones, an allegation that came up repeatedly. | Harun, 20, held up a sign saying “immigrants go home”. He said that three days previously, two migrants had stolen his mobile phone, possibly a result of Croatian police stealing or breaking phones, an allegation that came up repeatedly. |
| News doesn't always have to be bad – indeed, the relentless focus on confrontation, disaster, antagonism and blame risks convincing the public that the world is hopeless and there is nothing we can do. | |
| This series is an antidote, an attempt to show that there is plenty of hope, as our journalists scour the planet looking for pioneers, trailblazers, best practice, unsung heroes, ideas that work, ideas that might and innovations whose time might have come. | |
| Readers can recommend other projects, people and progress that we should report on by contacting us at theupside@theguardian.com | |
| The situation is made more difficult by Bosnia’s complex and dysfunctional political system, which has four separate levels of authority. Added to this are upcoming elections in October. Milorad Dodik, who leads the Serb-majority entity that forms half the Bosnian political system, has claimed Sarajevo authorities are deliberately settling Muslim migrants in order to change the demographic balance of the country. | The situation is made more difficult by Bosnia’s complex and dysfunctional political system, which has four separate levels of authority. Added to this are upcoming elections in October. Milorad Dodik, who leads the Serb-majority entity that forms half the Bosnian political system, has claimed Sarajevo authorities are deliberately settling Muslim migrants in order to change the demographic balance of the country. |
| Fazlić said the government in Sarajevo was more concerned about scoring political points than finding a workable solution to the issue. “There are so many scumbags in politics who will say anything for political advantage,” he said. | Fazlić said the government in Sarajevo was more concerned about scoring political points than finding a workable solution to the issue. “There are so many scumbags in politics who will say anything for political advantage,” he said. |
| This article is part of a series on possible solutions to some of the world’s most stubborn problems. What else should we cover? Email us at theupside@theguardian.com | |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| The Upside | The Upside |
| Migration | Migration |
| Immigration and asylum | Immigration and asylum |
| Europe | Europe |
| Croatia | Croatia |
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