CHRISTINA'SVOW
Aboutviolence against women in war and peace
Sead Košević
Sead KOŠEVIĆ
CHRISTINA'S VOW
About violence against women in war and peace
TRANSLATION
Aida (Salkić)Haughton
Aida
Džafić
Stockholm, 2026
With special thanks to:
Christina Doctare, Aida (Salkić)Haughton, Aida Džafić, Hasan Džafić,Mirsad D. Abazović,Iso Porović,Alija Arnautović.
©2026 Sead Kosevic
Förlag: BoD ·Books on Demand, Östermalmstorg1, 11442Stockholm, Sverige, bod@bod.se
Tryck: Libri Plureos GmbH, Friedensallee 273, 22763 Hamburg, Tyskland
ISBN: 978-91-8097-841-5
FOREWORD
Drama ‘Christina’svow’ is based on fragments from the life of Christina Doctare, Swedish doctor,humanitarian, and apublished author,who also held positions in relation to health and social welfare in Sweden. To awider public, Christina is known for her engagements during the Cyprus war in 1974 and war in Balkans in 1992.
During the war in Cyprus she was the first Swedish woman to bedeployed as amilitary doctor with the UN battalion, while during the war in the Balkans she was a leadonaphysical and psychological rehabilitation project under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO). She was one of the first people to report on systematic rape during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For a while, as Swedish representative, she also worked at the European Committee against torture.
Following the decision of the Nobel Committee to award writer P. Handke, denier of crimes committed over Bosniaks, Croats and Albanian Kosovars with aPrize for Literature, Christina got actively involved with protests against this shameful decision. She was akey speaker at the Stockholm protest which took place on 10th of December 2019. On this occasion, Christina Doctare returned the Nobel Peace Prize medal she was awarded in 1988, for being one of the UN troops.
Drama is taking place in Christina’sflat on 10th of December,the day the Nobel prize was being awarded. Christina plans to attend the protests despite her age (76), 3
pneumonia and afreezing temperature. Her friend, Maria, who came to pay her avisit is trying to persuade her not to go. Just like alittle Mephistopheles, Maria presents her with amoral dilemma -what is more important, good health or the engagement and what, if anything can be changed in this world full of injustice, tricksters, cheats and landlopers, asks herself her friend Maria.
Same day,Christina receives an unexpected visitor.The visitor's name is Harun and he is aSwedish student of Bosnian descent. To her surprise and delight, Harun brings her the Nobel medal she lost in besieged Sarajevo. Neither Christina, nor Harun know that he is ason of araped Bosnian woman.
From an early age, Christina dedicated her life to the fight against injustice and violence, whether that may be in war conflicts or in Sweden, her peaceful motherland. All those both personal and social conflicts she took part in, left deep marks on her,and caused her frequent nightmares. Therefore, the opening scene presents one of those restless dreams, which can be shocking and unpleasant to an unexpectant viewer,because in her dreams, Christina is making her way to raped women and listens to their testimonies. Surprisingly,though justified, such in media res introduction, aimstoportray the cruel reality in which Christinaisabout to find herself in. Reality is worse than anynightmare. Burden, as heavy as the stone, bothers Christinaduring the day,and keeps her awake at night. Christinaisalsobothered with the realization that criminals gotoff scott-freeand thatfor four years Europe witnessedChetnic's crimes and did nothing about it -those same perpetrators now try to hide, justify and negate the crimes they committed.
Literary prize to writer Handke, one of biggest deniers of war crimes, is proof of acynical attitude of western, islamophobic, social circles against persecution of Bosniaks. To Christina, awarding Handke with the Nobel Prize for Literacy presents general amnesty for the war crimes, which allows further denial and forgetfulness of what really happened. To all those preaching hate, in her speech Christina will send the following message: “Do not speak to me about the literature that rises above the war crimes……”
So, evil must be faced with force, but reason too, so that both perpetrators and those who issued the orders, as well as deniers, would be identified in order to protect future generations from violence and bullies. And not just during the war,but wherever necessary.Inseemingly peaceful Sweden arrogant and degrading behaviour towards women is very much present. By showing the way she was fired from the Social Welfare Directorate, where she worked as the medical advisor,during the early 1990s we notice the macho and bullying attitude towards women in Sweden. Her bosses do not regret losing Christina, but are in fear of the reasons ‘why’ being uncovered. Christina was under the pressure which resulted in her dismissal, as she simply did not fit their vision of subordination, obedience, fear of superiority and culture of silence -all for the benefit of a good position and influence. However,Christina never ‘learned’ to keep quiet. It was back in her high school days that she vowed to always speak the truth. She repeated those words while listening to her teacher who used to speak at length about Nazi labyrinth, referring to Hitler’s Germany at the beginning of World WarII, where he found himself at the time. Her teacher,led by apersonal experience, also talked about the wall of silence he faced while trying to warn those around him about Nazi evil that
was coming their way.Weare facing the same nihilistic silence when talking about aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This is why Christina does not wish to remain silent when talking to the members of Swedish Academy.She says that they belong to the naughty corner,rather than the institutions like the Science Academy,especially after the irresponsible decision to award Handke with the Nobel prize. One act is dedicated to the Academics and their high and mighty outlook to the world. Characters of Academics were created based on their statements given to different media when referring to several scandals related to the Swedish Academy.Their arrogant statements and their self-infatuation portrays them as grotesquely anachronistic, which only reveals their true self -pompous skipjacks.
In peace or war, Christina does not remain silent before the bullies. Neither did she remain silent before the WHO officials during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially regarding their war profiteering, which she discovered and dissected. Christina was never discouraged with the possibility of losing her job, getting ridiculed, boycotted, or left to her own devices. At the age of 50, more than once, she went to besieged Sarajevo. She went during the period of heaviest shelling, which destroyed not only living units, but national cultural objects too such as the town library -Town Hall. She would run into people who desperately wandered through the town searching for water and food, completely oblivious of shelling, snipers and any other danger.
Christina visited other Bosnian towns too, made contacts, and grew her rehabilitation project and aid for the
suffering residents. During this time she met many raped women who confided in her.Christina listens and records their testimonies. She takes these, very upsetting testimonies, to Geneva, where she was among first people who shared this news and the truth about the systematic rape of Bosniak women. The testimony of Emina, Harun’s mother,isone of several testimonies portrayed in this drama.
Harun learns from Christina the truth about his mother. Despite crippling truth that would affect the strongest among us, Christina manages to bring him out of despair, by saying that there is no time for desperation at times when oppressors are gloating and pushing victims into silence, regret, and feeling of guilt. She does not let him succumb to despair over his faith. Instead, she advises him to honour his mother and other victims by fighting against violence and bullies. How,ask Harun. Christina offers the answer,for her mother was avictim of rape too, and this is what helps her fight injustice, violence, bullies and evil of any kind. This is why Christina is keen to send the message from the Stocholm square to all pompous people, genocide deniers and all those who preach hate and violence.
This storyline is presented in atheatre play with 15 acts, as well as in abook. Besides the acts happening now and here, that is on 10th of December of 2019, we also have a series of flashback scenes that are a‘product’ of Christina’smemories from the 1990s conflict areas in Sweden, Croatia and Bosnia. The play portrays events that are amix between memories and apresent day,where we see one Swedish heroine fighting for good.
So, we have two Christina’s, one that is 50 years old and the other that is 76 years old. They both have energy and enthusiasm to fight for abetter world that we all, and especially people like Christina, deserve. Her dedication to fight for truth, justice and better life for us all deserves to be described and published. This is one of those attempts inspired by Christina’swork and gratitude for all she did for Bosnia and its injured people.
Hasan Džafić
The forewordwas based on conversations with expert consultant Hasan Džafić,who unfortunately passed away beforehewas able to write these words down himself. With due gratitude, Isign the forewordinhis name. /S.
Košević/
CHARACTERS:
Christina,(Christina Doctare), 76 years old, doctor,one of the UN troops Nobel Peace Prize winners in 1988 and (in flashback scenes) as a49-year old medical adviser at the Swedish Social Welfare Directorate, later WHO project leader.
Harun,Swedish citizen of Bosnian descent, medical student, 26 years old.
Maria,Swedish AcademyOfficial, friend of Christina, 60 years old, also (in flashback scenes) a33year old
Christina’ssecretary at the Swedish Social Welfare Directorate and later,secretary at the Swedish academy.
Dr.Cerić,Professor,doctor at the war hospital, 50 years old,
Emina,pregnant woman, victim of war crime of rape, mother of Harun, 25 years old,
Official I,55years old,
Official II,40years old,
WHO Activist I,60years old,
WHO Activist II,45years old,
Academic I,65years old, member of Swedish Academy, Academic II,50years old, member of Swedish Academy, Honorary, 33 years old, Honorary member of Swedish Academy, Irma, victim of war crime of rape, Ena, victim of war crime of rape, Mejra, victim of war crime of rape, Alma, victim of war crime of rape, Lady,Drunken man, Runner,Woman with ajerry can, Sarajevo man I, Sarajevo man II, andSarajevo man III,
Women –victims of the war crime of rape, members of Serb para-military formations, and UNPROFOR soldiers.
NOTE:
Characters ofOfficial I, Academic I, WHO Activist I, are to be acted by the same actor.The same goes for characters of Official II, Academic II, and WHO Activist II.
The same extras in aplay,both men and women, also portray different characters mentioned at the end of the Character list. Christina Doctare is played by two actresses, one as 76 year old Christina and aMiddle Aged, Christina, 49 years old. The same goes for Maria, 60 years old and Young Maria, 33 years old. For clarity,inthis edition which is adapted to reader audiences, double naming of the characters has been left out, so only names of Christina and Maria will be used.
The play takes place in Stockholm in 2019, as well as in Stockholm, Zagreb and Sarajevo from 1992 to 1993.
Drama Christinas vowisbased on fragments from the life of Christina Doctare, Swedish doctor,humanitarian,and apublished author, who also held positions in relation to health and social welfare in Sweden. To awider public, Christina is known for her engagements during the Cyprus war in 1974 and war in Balkans in
During the war in Cyprus she was the first Swedishwoman to be deployedasa military doctor with the UN battalion, while during the war in the Balkans she was alead on aphysical and psychological rehabilitation project under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO). She was one of the first people to reportonsystematic rape during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fora while, as Swedish representative, she also
worked at the European Committee againsttorture.
Following the decision of the Nobel Committee to award writer P. Handke, denier of crimes committed over Bosniaks,Croats and Albanian Kosovars with aPrize for Literature, Christina got actively involved with protests against this shameful decision. She was akey speaker at the Stockholm protestwhich took place on 10th of December 2019. On this occasion, Christina Doctare returned the Nobel Peace Prize medal she was awarded in 1988, 1992.
for being one of the UN troops.