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James Mason | all galleries >> Galleries >> mostar > Three factions: HVO, Bosnian Army, HOS
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Jun '92 James Mason

Three factions: HVO, Bosnian Army, HOS

East Mostar

HVO, the Bosnian Army, and HOS were united against the Chetniks when I shot this picture in Mostar. They had crossed the old bridge the day before and forced the Serbs out of east Mostar. This trio had just come back from a fight at Bijelo Polje. The Serbs were on the run and would be until the communist Charles Holbrooke stepped in to save their ass. Soon after the Croatian HDZ party attacked HOS, setting the two Croatian parties against each other, and HVO attacked the Muslims in Bosnia. A true Balkan war.

Canon EOS-1 ,20-35 2.8L

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Mikail Brkić 19-Mar-2019 23:04
Hi James, in this photo, who is the HVO, who is the HOS and who is the Bosniak?
Dom 18-Sep-2015 07:10
Great shot. Brat do brata, Hrvat do Hrvata. Thanks James
per, sweden 27-Oct-2013 23:27
Firstly i want to thank you for these great photgraphs, especially the one you took in Dubrovnik.
Now, when i first ventured here i didnt recall the commenct-section, but now i am confused. As a journalist (photographer) you should always be neutral and objective when presenting your work, and this might be 20 years back, and maybe you are now retired, but i find it offensive when you, as a professional, regards Charles Hoolbroke as a "communist". That comment made you lower in my eyes of respect. But other than that, really nice pictures.
James Mason17-Jan-2012 03:30
Sorry Lance, but you can't shoot photos without being there. I know what I saw. I also happen to speak the language. Saying the Bosnians, the Croats and the Serbs were all the same was the standard UN line and it's a lie. It was the UN's excuse for being useless. The reason there's no pictures of wasted Serb villages is because the Serbs have a bad habit of shooting journalists. And when I was there the Serb villages weren't getting wasted. That didn't happen until NATO made it happen. Now go back to playing Grand Theft Auto in your mom's basement.
James Mason22-Dec-2011 22:42
I don't know what your issue is, but I was there and I know what I saw.
James Mason
american 22-Dec-2011 13:59
james, sorry to tell you, but you're a f.cking imbecile
James Mason18-Oct-2011 05:37
Hey kid, be as crazy as you want, I don't care. But be crazy someplace else. - James Mason
HVO 17-Oct-2011 19:10
Dear James, my uncle and father was a commander of one unit of HOS(Special force HOS Prozor-Rama), and after murder Blaza Kraljevica, all HOS unit in entire Bosnia and Herzegovina goes on the side of HVO, becase they 90% all Croat, so I can`t agree with you, when you say that HOS and HVO goes one against other. You also know that the Croat people in central Bosnia are minority,now can you explain me, why sholud Croat attacked muslim people in that region, if they know that they are minority and beside that they was surrounded by much strongest muslim army. There are no logic, why somebody should atacck much stronger enemy. Only logic conclusion will be; because they( Croat ) must defend their home and their life.
James Mason13-Jul-2011 16:40
You're a football hooligan.
Guest 13-Jul-2011 09:35
*am leaving
Guest 13-Jul-2011 09:34
You dont know shit. I'm in Zagreb and I'm more educated then you for sure, so I will leaving photographing an making pizzas to you
James Mason13-Jul-2011 07:57
I'm not a teacher, I'm a witness. I was there and I know what I saw. So get lost. Go back to making pizza in Sydney or wherever you are.
Guest 13-Jul-2011 00:58
One sugestion to you, james. Dont be a teacher, be a photographer. You are a great photographer, photos are amazing. You're historical and war lections are ridiculous.

There is about 80percent muslims in central bosnia, they are those who where aggresors in muslim-croat war.Croats defended bosnia and herzegovina, first against the yugoslav agression and then against muslim agression who wanted to create a muslim unitary state on 100% of BH teritory. Unfortunately, they didnt gave up. Seed of future war is growing. I sincerely pray that I'm wrong.

Greetings to you