The UN declared Srebrenica a "safe zone" (meaning it was protected under international law and parties to the conflict could not attack in the territory). After agreeing to disarm Bosnian Muslims in the safe zone in exchange for a promise by Bosnian Serb forces that they would not attack, the UN watched as Bosnian Serb forces entered the safe zone and removed its inhabitants.
Every year, thousands of people come from all over Bosnia. This year, over 30,000 people attended.
Traditionally, women do not attend Muslim funerals. But due to the nature of the genocide in Srebrenica, there are not many men left in Srebrenica, so one of the striking things is this thick crowd of women walking through the graves, looking for the site marked for their relatives. Men come in from other areas of Bosnia to carry the coffins to the grave. As the names are called, the men take the coffins from where they are gathered and carry them to the site, where the family, mostly women, is waiting. There is a period of time where the family kneels and prays before the grave, and the men then lower the coffin into the ground and cover it. They then return to the group of coffins to get the next one.
I posted photos below of what I was comfortable taking pictures of. I didn't feel right about taking photos of women crying, so i did not. I think one of the worst things I have ever seen is a few of the women whose family members were being buried were screaming and crying and tried to throw themselves into the graves. It took many people to hold them back. I can't really describe the experience; it was a feeling of absolute horror, indescribable sadness and despair.
No comments:
Post a Comment