Civilians have been stuck in Gorazde, population 60,000, since the war began. A visiting U.N. official, Mark Cutts, promises change. As conditions slowly improve in other parts of Bosnia, Gorazde still holds the distinction of being the worst off, exhausted by years under siege with relentless shelling. There still is no electricity, meaning people must saw and stack wood for what they know will be another freezing winter. The river through town is a maze of waterwheels that generate for their owners a few volts of hydroelectric power, enough to run a light and a radio.
Food is scarce.
Everyone depends entirely on humanitarian aid. Journalists asked about a calf they saw and were told it would soon be slaughtered. But it is meat that would go only to those who could afford it. It's not unusual to see sickly children in Gorazde with sores on their faces because of the lack of vitamins. Despite talk of peace in Bosnia, evidence of war is all around.