Dr. Irfan Ljubijankić (1952 - May 28, 1995) was a Bosniak facial surgeon, classical music composer, politician and diplomat.
Ljubijankić was born in Bihać, Bosnia, the town in which he lived for most of his life
In 1990 as Bosnia was preparing for its independence from Yugoslavia, he was elected to the Bosnian parliament and became a leading member of the Party of Democratic Action. He temporarily left politics in 1992 after the beginning of the aggression on Bosnia by the Serbs, in order to serve as a medical doctor in Bihać, where shelling by the Serbs caused many facial injuries among the populace.
Ljubijankić remained an active medical doctor until October 1993 when he became foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He traveled widely to help gain international support for his country. Shortly before his death, he represented Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 50th anniversary celebration of the end of World War II in London on May 1, 1995. He was killed when his helicopter was shot down by a missile over Cetingrad, Croatia, a town near the Bosnian border which was being occupied by aggressor Serbs at that time.
Ljubijankić was married and had two children.
Dr. Irfan, who was then the acting Bosnian Foreign Minister, had written a song in Bosnian which, when translated, meant 'I HAVE NO CANNONS THAT ROAR' and recorded it himself on to a cassette presented to Yusuf in a chance meeting in London early in 1995. Dr Irfan had asked Yusuf to use this material to help support his country's struggle at the latter stages of the aggression on Bosnia. So the song is orginially written and composed by Dr. Ljubijankic himself, translated into English by Yusuf Islam and performed by Bosnian singer Dino Merlin.
Lady Margareth Thatcher about Dr. Irfan Ljubijankic:
"The assassination of Dr Irfan Ljubijankic was more than a tragedy: it was an outrage.
For the rebel Serbs of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and their backers in Belgrade, it was just one more atrocious act of callous barbarism along the trail of blood which has led from Vukovar to Sarajevo, from Bihac to Tuzla. But to kill the foreign minister of an internationally recognised sovereign state is to challenge directly the whole international order. Such acts of terrorism are ultimately aimed at all statesmen everywhere. For that reason, if for no other, this vile act should have received far more attention and far louder condemnation than it has.
Dr Ljubijankic died because he had the courage and spirit of service required to hold public office in such dangerous circumstances as those in which Bosnians find themselves today. I knew Dr Ljubijankic all too briefly. But I was impressed by his sincerity and his sense of purpose. He was constant in pressing Bosnia's just cause on every occasion - even when he knew that so many stopped their ears against his arguments.
The best tribute we can pay to his memory now is to ensure that the independent state of Bosnia and its people come through this valley of death; that they are given the means to defend themselves; that their internationally recognised borders are honoured in fact as well as in name; and that the spirit of tolerange and cooperation, which marked out Bosnia before the men of violence manipulated by Belgrade distrubed it, flourishes anew.
I honour Dr Ljubijankic: I offer my deepest sympathy to his family: I shall continue to do all I can to ensure that the Bosnia in which he believed and for which he died survives and succeeds."
Dr. Ljubijankic was aware of the dangers associated with his helicopter journey to Bihac, but he refused to abandon his people who he wished to stand by with and share their pain and struggle.
Lyrics:
I have no cannons that roar
But I have faith in God and love
And I'll surrender you to no one else
My mother, Bosnia, my love
Those hated tanks that crush
Cannot break the power of my Una
Nor the sun's gleaming waterfall drops
I'll defend you with my last breath
I'll defend this bit of happiness
A flame in my heart, and the tears of my son
The mercy of God, and the door of my house
Like a light at the end of my journey
And your warm eyes
And the dear lights of Bihaca
Burn in my heart tonight
In death victory comes
Don't look for my grave
Freedom will come
When I'm gone I'll be everywhere: In a warm breeze from the Una
In the rippling and trickling river
In the smile of the child
In the blue sky of Bihaca
You will know how to find me
For everyone else I'm just a secret
And when you smell those sweet fragrance of flowers
It's the perfume of my soul
And your warm eyes
and the dear lights of Bihaca
Burn in my heart tonight
In death victory comes
Don't look for my grave
Freedom will come
When I'm gone I'll be everywhere
I have no cannons that roar
But I have faith in God and love
And I'll surrender you to no one else
My mother, Bosnia, my love
i love you bosnia herzegovina
polisario75019 2 years ago 10
ooo so serbia is now a nation of peace, comeon stop fuckin around they raped hundreds of thousands of women kiled children torchured muslims burnned vilages, now ur tellin me that serbia is peac, wll u can take serbia stick it up yo ass and have a nice day. one more hing BURN IN HELL U AND UR RAPIST FRIENDS
hare050 2 years ago 8