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 Vukovar
is a town situated on the banks of the Danube and Vuka rivers
in Eastern Slavonia, Croatia with a long history. There
is even evidence of the settlement of ancient tribes in
the region. Before the war of 1991-95 it had an ethnically
mixed population of approximately 45 000 people of which
around 20 000 from area were employed at The Borovo rubber
factory.
The
war began in the middle of 1991 following outbursts of fighting
in the previous months. On June 25th of that year Croatia
declared its independence from the collapsing Yugoslav federation
and fighting incresed throughout the country. Vukovar was
decimated by fighting in the town between August and November
1991. In mid November Serb forces took the town. Vukovar
was part of the Kraijna until 1995 when the war was declared
as 'officially' over. Vukovar was under UN protection until
1997 when the period of reintegration of the region ended
and Vukovar returned to the full custody of Croatia.
 However,
the violence continued long after the war officially ended
in Vukovar. Vukovar was raized to the ground and the people
remaining were left afraid and confused, with no future,
living in a state of lawless anarchy. The war was characterised
by extreme, inhuman brutality and the people of Vukovar
were victims of all of the methods of terror used in the
war. Even today people in the region still question the
meaning of, and the reason for the war.
Today Vukovar has a population of approximately 31 000 people
and falling. The town is still ethnically mixed, with approximately
57% Croats, 33% Serbs and 10% ethnic minorities (Roma, Hungarian,
German, etc). The Borovo factory never re-established itself
in the area and it has prooved very difficult to encourage
business to establish in the region. Consequently unemployment
is still extremely high. Services are lacking (for example,
many of the streets are still unrepaired from the fighting)
and there are virtualy no services for youth in the area.
But the towns economic problems are compounded by continued
ethnic tension and deep rooted apathy among the population.
 Unfortunately,
the end of the war brought an end to much of the international
attentionfocussing on the region. Many of the international
NGO's have left the region, but local NGO's are still co-operating
to improove the situation. Youth Peace Group Danube continues
to focus on improoving the situation for youth of all ethnicities
within the community and is actively working on the reconciliation
process in the region.
Vukovar
is a shining example of how the wars in former Yugoslavia
created no victors, only victims.
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