Veckans Krönika Tidningen Nära Web Varför hjälpa djuren när det finns människor som lider?

Att man hjälper och ger är det enda rätta, om det så är till en person, ett djur eller till vår jord. Vi delar alla samma plats." Krönikören Mia Mattsson-Mercer berättar i sin senaste krönika om sin tid i Sarajevo efter kriget och varför hon räddar djur när det finns människor som lider.

That's Amore!

 Foto Sarajevo efter kriget. Jag blir intervjuad av TV Sarajevo för att AWL hjäper djur. (Sarajevo after the war. Being interviewed by TV Sarajevo about AWL work after the war)

AWL were together with children too. Helping and creating!

Veckans krönika kan Ni läsa här 

MRKI Brown Bear

(Follow up from last Friday 15th)

The last time I saw Mrki was 2002. It was with a heavy heart that I left him and Sarajevo. For the first time in my life I was a "chicken," I didn't go and tell him good bye. I felt like a failure, someone who had turned down a friend.

We had become close, he and I. I could sit by the cage, scratch his ears, or he layed with his big head on his frontlegs but close to the bars, and me. Only one time did he become he angry! I had gone home to Sweden to work and returned one month later, but I didn't go and visit him right away. When I finally arrived he was quiet and when I was close to him his big paw reached out and tore my trousers. My translator and I were surprised! But a few minutes later he was snuggling with my hands (don't ever try this at home).

Six years later and with a knot in my stomach I returned, with the same translator, husband and children. He had gotten a new cage, a bunker was working as the house. A high fence, so no one could reach him, and he could return into privacy. Some small (but much bigger than anything he had before) area to stretch his legs, wrestle with a tree-trunk or even dip in some water, likewise fenced in so nobody could poke him as they did before.

Mrki and his "wife" in the new Brown Bear enclosure at the Sarajevo Zoo. Photo Copyright (c) 2008, Todd A. Mercer

I was so happy even if I wanted to touch his ears again. I looked inside through the bar window on the backside of his "home". When my eyes got used to the dark I could spot MRKI. I yelled out his name! He looked up, his nose started to sniff my scent, fast and intensive. Suddenly he stood up on his back legs and he started to dance...the same dance he had done every time I came and he heard my voice. I cried so hard of happiness and from missing him so badly that my husband put his hand on my back. He took the children and walked away so Mrki and I could have our moment together, by ourselves like old times.

This was the most painful Amore in my life. But MRKI got his own Amore now, his own wife.

Sarajevo Trip

picture Copyright (c) 2001, Mia Mattsson-Mercer

After six years I returned to Sarajevo (BiH) bringing my own family with me to show them "my Bosnian family" who took great care of me for many wonderful ways during my stay there between 2000-2002. It was a fantastic trip in many ways! My wonderful family that had always believed in me and coached me, welcomed my own family with loving, open arms.

Sarajevo had changed so much! And that's for the better. A very positive atmosphere was in the air, beautiful cafe's and restaurants (the food has always been great). Clean and green, and people walked in fashionable clothing, colorful buildings. Nature so incredably beautiful.

Coming back to where we live in Campania was much like the shock we experienced when we first got here a year ago. Trash and rude drivers, and strays made this area look like Bosnia circa 2000. (I love the people here --- it is the surroundings that bother me). The politicians and residents of Campania should be ashamed! Bosnia went through a devistating civil war, after generations of Socialist rule but have taken charge and are taking care of their cities and environment.

Back in 2000-02, while living in Bosnia, I found out about the horrible situation that Sarajevo Zoo had had during the war and after. The brown bear, Mrki was stuck in a horrible situation. In a small cage with concrete floor, it looked like a cage from the Crusades in the Middle East!

His world was a small 4 x 4 meter cage with rats as his companions, and people tormenting him by poking him through the cage door.

Sometimes some young people could be stupid and throw in firecrackers into his cage. They loved to see him dance, or like one man whom poked his umbrella stick in Mrki's nose.

Mrki and I had became wonderful friends. I could scratch his ears, and he always danced when I arrived together with my translator.

Animals without Limits (AWL) wanted to help, but failed after a charity event in Germany for Mrki's new home, the lawyer and his friends took the money and disappeared.

I also contacted other organizations in the world asking for help, they said they would look into it. I never heard anything back.

Some people in Sweden said, "shoot the bear!"

I couldn't handle that we had failed. It was a devastating feeling saying good-bye to my friend, and leaving him to go back to Sweden. I became depressed. AWL took a pause!

This time, back in Sarajevo, with a hard knot in my stomach I asked about the Zoo, "Was it still open?"

I didn't want to see Mrki, afraid that all the sad memories would return. I felt ashamed and sad!

And, would he recognize me after all these years? So many questions.

These are the Amore bear questions!

More to follow