Vic Ferguson

Mission accomplished as Hurmija arrives safely in British soil with Mama, Mersija (her twin sister) and Ramija… my 3 little Bosanska Princezas x

Photo by PO Phil Ball without whom none of what we have achieved would have been possible.  Cheers Phil.

From:  WO2(SQMS) V A Ferguson

Superintending Clerk

Coalition Press Information Centre

Holiday Inn, Sarajevo

British Forces Post Office 543

Tel:  (00387) 71 447-617

Fax:  (00387) 71 447-600

Miss H Norfolk

14 Skelton Terrace

LEEDS

LS9 9ES                                                             March 1996

HOPE FOR HURMIJA APPEAL

Thank you for your letter of 6 March 1996.  Your interest in helping me to help the many unfortunate children, most of whom are victims of a terrible war in one way or another is very much appreciated.

I am enclosing a selection of press cuttings from my campaign to bring Hurmija Mujic to Britain for treatment which will give you an idea of how I have been filling what little spare time I have had during the past 4 months.

I am pleased to inform you that I am, in fact, bringing Hurmija, with her mother, twin sister and younger sister to England on Tue 19 March 1996.  She will be treated in Oswestry orthopaedic and spinal clinic in Shropshire.

There are many others here who need help, particularly in the light of the UNHCR’s decision recently to cease the evacuation of children from Bosnia now that the war is over.  Unfortunately, the suffering is not over.  The hospitals here are not well equipped enough to deal effectively with many illnesses.  I am, for instance, now trying to help three other young boys.  One is 5, one is 8 (both have different forms of Leukaemia and have almost no chance of survival here in Sarajevo.  They would have approximately an 80% chance of remission if treated in the UK.  Another is 10 and has a blockage of the main valve in the heart.  He has gone from being an apparently fit and healthy young boy to a ‘Cardiac Cripple’.

I am now assisted by a Charity called Child Advocacy International.  They are currently the only UK charity evacuating children from the former Yugoslavia.  Unfortunately their funds have almost run out and the five children that we bring to Heathrow on Tuesday are likely to be the last until funds are forthcoming.  The staff have been working without pay since 31 January 1996.

I do not utilise any moneys raised by myself for personal expenses and the like.  Every penny is spent directly on the treatment and well being of the children.

The Registered Charity Number of Child Advocacy is 1048781.  My account is at TSB, 58, Station Road, Crossgates, LEEDS, LS15 7YJ.  The account title is:  V A FERGUSON Hope for Hurmija Appeal.  The account number is 19180060 and the bank’s sort code is 771407.

I hope that you decide to help me.  There are so many other wonderful children that deserve to be given the chance of a life after their terrible suffering for the past three and a half years.

great memories of playing football with the local kids of Mostar (Bosnia-Hercegovina) en-route to the UK with Hurmija Mujic and the first group of children we (Kids in Desperate Situations (KIDS)) sponsored for MEDEVAC with the help of Professor David Southall and Dr Michael Plunkett of Child Advocacy International.

Right foreground of pic:  me in a “spot the ball” audition pose mid-air!

r foreground: Vic Ferguson demonstrates the “spot the ball” shuffle.

final score:  NATO Troops 5, Local Bosnian kids 8

Mejra Mujic kisses her sister Hurmija goodbye as we leave Kosevo hospital, Sarajevo for the United Kingdom.

L foreground:  Ramija Mujic

L background:  Mersija Mujic (Hurmija’s twin sister)

R foreground: Vic Ferguson (me).

HOPE FOR HURMIJA

by WO2(SQMS) Vic Ferguson

The war in Bosnia Herzegovina raged from April 1992, until the Dayton Peace Agreement was signed on the 14 December 1995.  During those years thousands of people have lost their lives and thousands more will carry the horrors experienced and the injuries received for the rest of their lives.  Many of the soldiers currently serving as part of the Implementation Force in Bosnia Herzegovina  are shocked by the devastation they see around them, many want to do more to ease the suffering experienced by so many.  I am one of those soldiers, like many of  my comrades I have left a wife and family at home.  I arrived in Sarajevo on 22 November 1995, having been given 48 hours to deploy as Staff Assistant to Colonel John Smedley, Commander ACE Rapid Reaction Corps’ Liaison Officer to Commander United Nations Protection Force.  The endless stream of haunted faces can be depressing, especially those of the children, you want to help but just don’t know where to start.

On 29 November 1995 I found my starting point.  I met Hurmija Mijuc, a 12 year old girl from Srebrenica, who is paralysed from the waist down having been injured by shell fragments on 5 October 1994.   I have visited Hurmija almost every day since we first met.  She is a normal young girl who has suffered more than enough for a whole life time in just 12 years.  Her father and two of her older brothers were killed in Srebrenica.  Her mother, twin sister and younger sister live here in Sarajevo in a refugee camp in appalling conditions.  Her older brother and sister live in a refugee camp in Tuzla:  Hurmija has not seen them since she was injured some 15 months ago.

During the past 6 weeks I have raised about £ 2,000 from soldiers based here in Sarajevo, members of my own family, and friends in Germany.  On 15 January 1996 The Sun newspaper agreed to publish a Nation-wide appeal for help.  The aim, to raise £ 20,000 to facilitate Hurmija’s evacuation and subsequent treatment to achieve my dream;  for Hurmija to walk again:  or, at least, to improve her quality of life.

On 17 January I recruited the help and advice of Sir Jimmy Saville.  We discussed the possibility of evacuating Hurmija to the Stoke Mandeville hospital for admission into the Spinal Injuries Clinic, reputed to the be the best in the world.  After discussing the fine detail I soon realised, to my horror, that I would in fact need to raise around  £ 150,000 if, after her initial assessment, Hurmija is eventually admitted for full rehabilitation treatment, which may take over 7 months:  I can only pray that this will be the case.

I still need:

Air ambulance facilities from Sarajevo to UK

A wheelchair

Accommodation for myself and an interpreter for approximately      2 weeks at the end of        February/beginning of March – the period      of initial assessment (not yet firm)

Around £ 148,000!!

If this story has touched your heart, let’s hope it will also touch your wallet.  One pound from each person reading this article may help a wonderful little girl walk again.  If you have any ideas for fund-raising, please put them into practice, contact me and let me know what you intend to do and I’ll try to publicise it as widely as possible.  Thank you for your attention.

Cheques should be made payable to:

WO2(SQMS) V A Ferguson

and sent to:

Supt Clerk

CPIC Sarajevo

HQ ARRC

BFPO 543

If you would like to help, Vic Ferguson can also be contacted in Sarajevo on:              (00387) 71 447-617 or

Fax:                               (00387) 71 447-600