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November 14, 2006
Serbia: Grenade Attack At Muslim Activist's Home
News from Focus, B92 and Associated Press reports that a grenade was thrown into the bedroom of a Muslim political activist of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) early this morning. The attack happened in Novi Pazar, Sandzak, around 3 am while the activist and his wife were sleeping. Mahmut Hajrovic was injured in the blast, but his wife Zumreta suffered serious injuries.
Zumreta Hajrovic received injuries all over her body, but particularly in her abdomen. Both were admitted to hospital, and Mrs Hajrovic was operated upon. Though her condition is said to be serious, it is not thought to be life-threatening. The unknown assailant broke the window of their bedroom before throwing the grenade.
The two sons of the family live in the same house as their parents, with their own families, but they were unharmed. Police in Novi Pazar are investigating.
Novi Pazar is the main town in the mainly agricultural Sandzak region of southwest Serbia. Sandzak is a Muslim enclave. Novi Pazar has a population of 52,000 and has an established textile industry and is the business hub of Sandzak.
There has been talk of recent strife between Muslim political parties, which can occasionally erupt into episodes of shootings, but whether the assailant's motives were political, or religious, is not known. The party which Mahmut Hajrovic supports, the SDA, is led by a Muslim, Dr Ibrahim Rugova. The SDA has long campaigned to have the region of Sandzak made into a republic, independent of Serbia.
Novi Pazar is in many ways isolated from the mainstream of Serbian life. An apartment here costs 750 Euros ($960) per square meter, compared to 400 Euros ($512) in central Serbian cities such as Kraljevo and Kragujevac.
Over the last few years, the actions of the SDA have been blamed for an exodus of the minority population of ethnic Serbs from the city of Novi Pazar to other regions of Serbia. Where Serbs formerly comprised 22% they are now only 17% of the population of the city. There are fears that this will increase the demands of the SDA and others for independence, perhaps provoking a civil conflict. Some of the SDA members also wish to have themselves incorporated into Bosnia. The local Muslims in the Sandzak region describe themselves as "Bosniaks".
Moves to join Montenegro into the political region of Serbia are not helped by Bosniak desires for secession from the nation, as Sandzak lies along the border of Montenegro.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 14, 2006 10:54 AM
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