“Persecution along political lines in one generation … is transmitted to the next generations,” Sidran said in an 2011 interview with a local TV station.
“It’s the curse of the Balkans, the curse of our destinies that here … the past is ‘hotter’ than the present.”
Sarajevo mayor Benjamina Karic paid tribute to Sidran, saying on Facebook: “We will remember you forever, for your testimony about the beauty, the soul and pride of the Bosnian man, about the values that make one a human.”
Sidran had suffered serious health issues over the past year, leading him to withdraw from public and communicate only occasionally via social media.
He was a member of the Bosnian academy of sciences and arts (ANUBiH) and received a series of national and international literary accolades.
They include France’s PEN centre Freedom Award for his book of poetry “Sarajevo Coffin” (“Sarajevski Tabut” in Bosnian), published during the country’s 1991-1995 war.
