Question

Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, once contained concentrations of many ethnic groups. In retaliation of Ethnic cleansing by the Serbs and Croats, the Bosnian Muslims now in control of Sarajevo have been forcing other ethnic groups to leave the city, and Sarajevo is now inhabited overwhelmingly by Bosnian Muslims. Discuss the merits and obstacles in restoring Sarajevo as a multiethnic city.

Answer 1

Sarajevo was historically a multiethnic city, and many different people from different ethnicities considered it home. Because of this, politicians, as well as citizens, might be interested in restoring this legacy.

There are some merits to this idea. The fact that Sarajevo was so diverse meant that many different opinions and ways of being existed simultaneouly. This made it a very rich place. Moreover, this would allow members from different communities to be able to live in their home again.

On the other hand, there are many obstacles to this. The main obstacle is that racism and discrimination are still common in the city. Moreover, many minorities might have permanently moved to other areas and might not be interested in returning. These factors could make it difficult for people to return to Sarajevo and make it a multicultural place once more.