Osman Brka, SDA Co-Founder and Long-time Politician, Dies

Osman Brka, a prominent Bosnian-Herzegovinian politician, has died in Sarajevo. He was a co-founder of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA). Brka was a close colleague of Alija Izetbegović, the SDA's first president.

Born on April 9, 1942, in Tešanj, Brka studied in Sarajevo and became a geography and history teacher. He worked as a teacher in Tešanj from 1965 to 1980. From 1980 to 1990, he directed the Education Center in Tešanj.

In 1990, Brka was crucial in establishing the SDA. He led founding efforts in Tešanj and other towns. He then moved to the SDA headquarters in Sarajevo, holding various key positions. These included membership on the Main Board, Executive Board, and Political Council. He also served on the Merhamet BiH Main Board.

Brka participated in drafting the Platform for the Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1991. He also represented the SDA in the Defense Coordination Body in 1992. After the war, Brka served as a representative in the Parliament of the Federation of BiH. Later, he was a representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, where he chaired the Human Rights Commission. From 2003, he became a delegate in the House of Peoples. Brka authored two books about Bosnia and the SDA. He was married and a father of three.