By Galal Nassar Outside the headquarters of the Egyptian battalion in the heart of Sarajevo Emina Sarajcic, a 17-year-old girl, stood amidst the hundreds of Bosnians who had gathered to bid the Egyptians farewell. Weeping as she moved among the crowds, she reminisced about her life with the Egyptian battalion which arrived in Sarajevo in 1992 as part of the UN peace-keeping force. Emina was only 11 when the war began but she clearly recalls the sights and sounds of explosions and the devastation which followed as houses crumbled, parents were killed and entire families were stranded in the mountains surrounding Sarajevo. Emina and other children sought refuge with the Egyptian battalion, where they found help, shelter, food and medical care. As a result, Emina came to consider the battalion as her home. She learned Arabic and viewed the Egyptian officers and soldiers as brothers, fathers and friends. As the battalion moved on its home-bound journey, Emina insisted that as soon as she finishes secondary school she will depart for Cairo, enrol with Al-Azhar University, and make Egypt her home. According to the journal of the UN peace-keeping force "for six years people from the Sarajevo community have lined up almost daily outside the EgyptianTaba Battalion's main gate in Tito Barracks, Sarajevo, knowing that they would receive food and medical attention." Italian Brig. Gen. Giuseppe Valotto, commander of the Italian brigade which is to assume Egyptian peace-keeping responsibilities, said the Egyptian soldiers had been charged with extremely important tasks, specifically to control the northern sector of operations undertaken by UN forces in Sarajevo. The Egyptian battalion carried out night and day patrols, firmly maintained control of the borderlines between the warring factions and secured meetings between the three presidents of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Maj. Gen. Kovac Hilom, commander of the 121st Bosnian brigade, said that the Egyptian battalion had worked closely with his own forces before the war and provided his men with shelter against Serbian attacks. He said it was a haven for the civil population and for the military. Avdo Hebib, the Bosnian interior minister, asserted that the Egyptian battalion had made substantial contributions to the restoration of stability in the areas under its control. This, he said, was due to the empathy that quickly built up between Egyptians and Bosnians. Ahmed Abu Taleb, the Egyptian ambassador to Sarajevo, said the people of Bosnia were saddened at having to bid farewell to the Egyptian battalion. The Egyptian embassy has, and is still receiving, scores of pleas from officials and ordinary Bosnians asking for the battalion to remain in Bosnia, he added. People, he said, are flocking to the embassy to ask if any action has been taken in this regard. The pleas, which include one from Ezzat Bigovich, the president of Bosnia, urge President Hosni Mubarak to respond positively to the wish of the Bosnians. Haris Siladivich, prime minister of Bosnia, assured Egyptian journalists that keeping the Egyptian battalion in Bosnia was the wish of the people, and would serve to ensure that ethnic cleansing operations against Muslims would never be resumed. Hostility against Muslims in Europe is on the rise, he said. "The international community, represented by Europe and the US, are quite indifferent to the tragedy we are living. They do not care about benefiting from the presence of Muslims in Europe to consolidate ties between East and West and overcome the so-called clash of civilisations," he added. Sergeant Said Ibrahim, a gunner on an armoured personnel carrier, said that he was glad to be in Sarajevo. "I have never felt threatened during my tour of duty here. Bosnia has been a wonderful experience. I feel as though Bosnia is now my second home. There is very little difference between here and my own country," he asserted. "I had a chance to participate in a humanitarian assistance programme, organised by our contingent here. It was a pleasure for me to be able to help and provide some satisfaction to people who are not as fortunate as the others. We have had a good time here with the other nations. I am happy I was given the opportunity to work with them in the peace-keeping mission here," he said. Leaving Bosnia is not an easy task for Ibrahim. And yet, he is also happy to be returning home.
