Jimmi James is a former British soldier originally from Edinburgh. In 1992 & only 22 years of age, he joined the Bosnian Army in Mostar. He filmed the destruction of Stari Most. He travelled for days from Mostar to Sarajevo to get the footage out to the rest of the world.
"I knew this had to be recorded. I knew it was of major significance. I thought these pictures should end the war. I thought that the deliberate destruction of a culture could not be separated from the deliberate destruction of people...this was an act of cultural genocide."
In Bosnia, Jimmi was met by Slobodan Praljak, a Croatian general that took his own life at The Hague a few years ago upon hearing his guilty verdict, told Jimmi. “We’ve done a deal with the Serbs, we’re going to cut up Bosnia, and a couple of million Muslims will die”.
Jimmi couldn't accept that, he couldn't sit back and watch. When I asked Jimmi why he decided to risk his life for the people of Bosnia, his reply was clear. “If one part of humanity is attacked, then all of humanity is attacked and humanity must respond. Therefore, I responded.”
“We were heartbroken. Not only the history of generations but the dreams & hopes of generations at the time all destroyed together in one moment. Yet in defiance we were born. The destruction of the Old Bridge was life defining for myself & I think for Mostar.“ Jimmi James
It took Jimmi several days to travel up to Sarajevo on foot & through mountains in order to get this footage out to the world. He believed this was a defining moment which would end the war. Sadly, the worst was to come. We will never forget that winter in Mostar.
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