Hundreds Begin Bus Journey to Escape Horrors of Sarajevo

After months of waiting, hundreds of people began a bus journey Tuesday out of Sarajevo, hoping finally to leave behind the horrors of the city’s siege.

Several previous departures were blocked by fighting or bureaucracy. Many of those leaving had gathered a month ago and said tearful goodbys to relatives, only to be sent home again when the convoy was abruptly canceled.

Eight buses accompanied by a U.N. escort left Tuesday for Serbian-held Lukavica, south of Sarajevo. After Serbian checks, they are to go to Split, Croatia. Some people will then go to third countries.

By Tuesday evening, about 400 people had arrived in Lukavica. About 200 were en route, and 200 others were still waiting for a U.N. escort.

Most of the evacuees were Muslims, mainly women, children and elderly people.

“I have been waiting for over a year,” said Ivanka Boskovic, 38, an ethnic Croat who hopes to reunite in Croatia with her son, 14, and daughter, 10.

Boskovic, who was leaving her husband behind, has not seen her children since war began in April, 1992.

As lists of names were checked, people waited outside the badly damaged railway station, exposed to sniper fire.

“I don’t care where I am going to as long as it is far away from this misery and madness,” said Nazifa Husic, 50.