In Donja Jablanica, the area most devastated by the recent floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, residents organized a cleanup action this Saturday instead of holding a protest. They fear the consequences of future rainfall and emphasize that they have no other option since they lack adequate support from institutions. They hope that this effort will create at least the minimum conditions for their neighbors to return.
Camila Imamovic, a resident of Donja Jablanica, highlighted that the cleanup action is a clear message that the locals are committed to their community and shows their desire to contribute to its recovery. Speaking about the lack of concrete solutions from the authorities following the devastating floods, Imamovic stressed the obvious inaction of institutions:
“We can say that the (public companies) Roads of FBiH, the Railways of FBiH, our canton, and the government are all passing the buck to one another, but their inaction is evident everywhere. You can see it here in Donja Jablanica and in all other places, especially those affected by the floods. They say, ‘We've cleared the roads.’ But they haven’t cleared a single drainage channel, which puts us at additional risk with every little rainfall. They haven’t secured any landslides”, she said.
Imamovic expressed frustration over the inadequate response of the authorities after the floods that struck their area, emphasizing that for the residents of Donja Jablanica, waiting for a reaction from officials is simply not an option.
“They haven’t repaired the eroded roads under their jurisdiction. So today, we took over their responsibilities. Let them come, let them fine us for doing their job. We’d be happy to work alongside them if they had shown up on the first day so we could do this together and protect what can still be protected. Their endless legal regulations hurt us deeply. Do we really have to wait three months, five months for them to agree on something? This can’t wait. People need repairs as soon as possible, whatever can be fixed,” said Imamovic, stressing the urgency of the situation.
“We know that no one has a magic wand to solve our problems overnight. But they must be here with us to work on solutions because we’ve lost even the smallest shred of trust in them. They’ve truly disappointed us in every way. That’s why we’ve taken matters into our own hands and started from here, and we will continue to warn, speak out, and defend what is ours,” she concluded.
Bakir Tufek, president of the Local Community of Donja Jablanica, explained why the residents decided not to protest this weekend.
“This is, in part, a message to the authorities that the residents are not avoiding work or any form of assistance, whatever is needed. But this entire issue with cleaning, drainage, and the village itself—this requires help from higher levels of government,” Tufek emphasized.
He also pointed out that the municipality alone will not be able to resolve these issues and that the involvement of the broader community and higher authorities is necessary.
“I believe the municipality cannot handle this alone, so someone else will need to step in. We’ll see in the coming period,” he added.
As for the next steps, Tufek said the residents would meet again during the week to decide on further actions.
“We’ll see how everything develops, depending on the residents’ responses. We’ll have another meeting this week and decide what happens next,” concluded the president of the Donja Jablanica Local Community.
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