A Bridge Divided

On the 8th of March we went to Mitrovice, which was fantastic. This is a very interesting visit since the globalization is not as present as it is in Prishtina, and ... the city is divided in two. North Mitrovice is home to the Serbs, South Mitrovice is home to the Albanians and there is not any amount of significant interaction between the two. How, do you ask, is one city divided into two? Well, Mitrovice is naturally divided by a river, and this natural division became an ethnic division to the point where soldiers are guarding both sides of the bridge in case of trouble.

(the infamous bridge)

(soldiers on the Albanian side)

(soldiers on the Serbian side)

And as we were told by K-FOR representatives, this bridge was and still is the boiling point for tempers on either side. With rocks being collected at either foot of the bridge, both groups are ready if the tension does boil over. Last September it did just that and for the first time since the war soldiers were shot at, while they were trying to intervene in such an instance. This bridge, to me, really epitomizes the tension that is still present in Kosovo. Though the majority of people may want to move on with life, there is an underlying fear that there will be further conflict.

( a soldier and his guard dog [actually it is a stray dog] screening those going over the bridge)

Throughout the day we stayed on the South side of the bridge, but since we were Americans we were allowed to walk across the bridge to step on the North side for a brief time.

(view from on the bridge - to the right is the Serbian or North side, to the left is the Albanian or South side)

(Here I am investigating the armored truck on the Serbian side, only to burst into laughter since the soldiers in the truck are gathered around a pizza - needless to say I was probably closer than I should have been)

It is sad that a bridge enabled the separation of these people along ethnic lines, and that despite the passage of time it still separates them. On one side of the bridge Albanian flags fly in grandeur, and on the other side Serbian flags fly in the same grandeur... one bridge, two worlds.