PIU Housing

Integrated reconstruction in Trnovo

The village of Delijasi, in the municipality of Trnovo (35 kilometres from Sarajevo) was totally destroyed during the war. A Bosnian organisation, PIU Housing, established by the Ministry of Physical planning and Environment of the Federation BiH, introduced a proposal to the European Commission to rebuild 135 houses (115 for Bosniak families and 20 for Serb minority families). Along with the housing, the PIU proposed to rebuild 10 km of destroyed roads, a health centre, the primary school and the connection of all the houses to the electricity and water nets. The EC included the project worth 3 million EURO in its 1998 return programme. " This is our first completely integrated project", says Muris Hadzic, Director of the PIU. "Most of the people who fled this village are now living in Sarajevo. They need to be strongly motivated to come back here". Besides the destruction, one of the main psychological obstacles for Bosniak families to come back to Delijasi is the fact that part of the road to come here runs through Republika Srpska.

By Omar Filipovic

School is a strong motivation

"Many families chose to come back when we explained to them that we would not only rebuild their house, but also their social environment. We will even provide apartments to school teachers and doctors, because they are essential to revive this community" explains Muris Hadzic. An elementary school existed in Dijelasi before the war and it was attended by all children from the whole area. The school has been heavily damaged. Its rehabilitation will enable 100 pupils to go back to school in the village. The nearest schools at the moment are in Trnovo or Sarajevo, quite remote from the village. School is a strong motivation for young families in their choice to return. Under this project, 600 pre-war inhabitants will return to Delijasi and consequently free up occupied space, mainly in Sarajevo, allowing pre-war occupants to return.

Village completely destroyed

Since the signature of the Dayton Agreement Delijasi has belonged to the "Federal" part of Trnovo municipality, enabling Bosniaks to return to their homes or what is left of them. During the war, the village was almost totally destroyed and most of the former now residents live mainly in nearby towns and villages. Most of Delijasi's Bosniak population is now in Sarajevo while Serbs moved to nearby Kijevo and Krupac, areas known as 'the other Serb Sarajevo'.

Piles of material

After a trek of around five kilometres one finally reaches the village which nestles between the high foothills of Jahorina Mountain. The place has the atmosphere of somewhere that is being revitalised. There are piles of building material everywhere and all around you can see picturesque scenery and new red roofs. The image is particularly poignant in a country where many people have no roofs over their heads.

Between visit and return

We met an old man who was relaxing under an oak tree in the courtyard of his newly rebuilt house. People in the village say he was the first refugee to return and that he did not wait for aid donors to help him rebuild his home. Instead he invested his own money and had carried out the work himself.

Asked how the man of his age managed to do this on his own, he answered showing a mixture of modesty and protest, that he did not do all that by himself. Soldiers of the Federation Army from the nearby garrison and PIU Housing helped him. "I returned almost four years ago and only three more people have returned since then. Most former inhabitants come to visit. They have a look around and then they leave again. But I had to come back, I could not wait any longer", he explained.

Used to live in Sarajevo

The most striking buildings in the village are the newly built school, an accommodation block for teachers and a polyclinic. We spoke to local Community Secretary, Rasim Cibra, who tried to explain to us why there were so few returnees in the village.

"Many people got used to living in Sarajevo. Some people found a job, some went to school. Even before the war, many people from here went to Sarajevo by bus every morning either to go to work or to school. They are afraid that they would have no future if they come back here. Many things have changed.

Applications to return

"Krupac and Kijevo are now in Republika Srpska and one has to go through these villages to reach Sarajevo. People cannot imagine doing this every day, at least not in the situation as it is now. Serbs are afraid to live in areas with a 'Muslim-Croat majority', and they have become accustomed to living wherever they are", says Cibra. However, he says it is encouraging that great number of people have applied to return to Delijasi.

For more information:
PIU Housing
Muris Hadzic
tel.: + 387 71 664 293 or 663 561