Banja Luka

Obviously Banja Luka is another town as all the other town mentioned. It is not a magnet, like Sarajevo. It is a big town, in comparison with the other towns mentioned. It is, as only town mentioned, in Republika Srpska and lives because of that in an entire different sphere of influence. While in the Muslim part (I hate that term) thoughts live like: See what they have done too us, in Banja Luka there is more the feeling like “what have we done” The frustration among young people is not more or less but different.
Banja Luka was a transit city in former Yugoslavia. From Zagreb you came through Banja Luka when you went many parts of the country and it was quite connected. From Belgrade you came through Banja Luka when you went to the coast and from Sarajevo you came through Banja Luka when you wanted to go to other places. Banja Luka also was a rock city with many groups and a strong music scene. There is not much left of this anymore. The leaders of the state, recognized by no-one, sucked the sources and spend the money of the ‘state’ on the countryside where for example the ‘government’ was seated. Banja Luka got controlled by chetniks, serbian nationalists who, like serbian governments, used a fascistic and rassistic style. Not many mixed marriages survived Banja Luka. All mosques are vanished exept one which is heavily detroyed and thanding like a broken stem. The youth seen no future at all and people of 20 years old excuse themselves while they hide openly behind alcoholism.

In Banja Luka we meet Goran, a 2 meter tall guys of approximately 20 years . He works on the radio, studio A. The reasonable independent station that does not do politics. He suggests to become a guide in town and I take the offer gratefully. We speak about music. I know a lot of music from former Yugoslavia since I played in a Slovene group in the eighties. It turns out this group is one of his favorites. Also he has record of a group called Blind, a Dutch group that played in Banja Luka just before the war. Also Goran knew that at this concert there were hardly no people but he was there and he has a the record.
We also meet Mrza. The hearts of these young musicians and musiclovers speak. After we mentioned several groups he says: “I do not only want to know what you like but also why you like it” Personally I’m always touched when people show such an openness towards feelings. How many bullshit blabber you meet who just want to talk a little and be part of it even if it is nothing. These guys don’t waste a minute. I see future for Banja Luka and I hope these guys will see that as well. Banja Luka needs guys like this to get out of the self chosen isolation.
In Banja Luka we visited DIA. We will introduce you DIA when we make a complete article about this organization.

We also visited CRC - IYB.