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The Srebrenica Genocide left an indelible mark on Bosnia. In Sarajevo, the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide stands as a solemn reminder of this mass tragedy
By Aayushi Rana
In the heart of Bosnia, a haunting legacy continues to linger on, as a simmering moment of pain, which simply refuses to go away. This photo feature offers a glimpse into the Sarajevo Museum’s powerful and deeply disturbing exhibits, showcasing the intense pain, and the resilience of the human spirit amid unimaginable suffering.
Through these images, we honour and remember the victims and survivors, and strive to hope that such atrocities are never repeated again, in any society, in the world.
A brief history of Genocide
During most of the 1992-95 armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the town of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia was an enclave under Bosnian Muslim control by the Army of the Republic of BiH (BiH Army). Tens of thousands of Bosnian Muslims from the surrounding areas, fleeing the attacks of Bosnian Serb forces on their towns and villages, sought shelter in Srebrenica.
For three years, Bosnian Serb forces besieged the enclave and frequently shelled it. They controlled the access roads and impeded international humanitarian aid such as food and medicine.
Srebrenica town was saturated with refugees. People camped in the stairwells and corridors of apartment buildings, inside cars, and in public buildings such as schools and sports centres, while others were hungry and roofless, with no shelter at all; they huddled, out in the open, in temperatures that dropped to -25°C at night during winter.
Most who had fled to Srebrenica had little food since leaving their villages, and the only water source, the river, was heavily polluted with offal, excrement, and oil. In March 1995, Radovan Karadžić, president and supreme commander of the armed forces of the self-proclaimed entity, Republika Srpska, instructed Bosnian Serb forces to eliminate the Muslim population from the Srebrenica and Žepa enclaves.’Directive 7′, as it became known, served as a precursor to the ghastly crimes of July, 1995.
The army had this order: “By planned and well thought-out combat operations, create an unbearable situation of total insecurity with no hope of further survival or life for inhabitants of Srebrenica and Žepa.”
The Directive was transformed into a concrete plan, which started with an operation code-named Krivaja 95, and ended with up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys killed or still missing, and up to 30,000 Bosnian Muslim women, children and elderly persons forcibly transferred from the enclave.
Ferhadija Street
Situated at 17 Ferhadija Street in the heart of Sarajevo, the museum enjoys a prime location. This bustling street showcases a fascinating blend of architectural styles, with Roman Catholic buildings on one end and Ottoman-era Turkish architecture and a vibrant market on the other. Thanks to its central location, the museum is easily accessible on foot from all parts of the Old Town of Sarajevo.
Letters (Pismo)
This picture shows a woollen jacket of a 12-year-Bosniak(Bosnian Muslim) boy named Sadmir Nukic, along with the letters which he exchanged with his aunt in Austria.
Sadmir Nukić was 12 when he sent this letter to his aunt in Austria, 1994
“Dear aunt and uncle… Regarding Fatima, she lives nice in marriage, they just need some salt. Abina and Armin are playing around, and Armin likes to play on the children playground. Mom and grandma miss coffee. Grandpa didn’t had any shoes but he found some in humanitarian aid. I like to play football, but I don’t have shoes. Dad received letter from Razija yesterday. I study German language, and Mujo works with UN personnel.”
Letter that Sadmir’s father wrote in March 1995, to Merhaba, his sister:
“How are you? Is everybody ok? How are you doing this Ramadan month? We are fasting here. It is not hard, we are forced to fast for the last few years. Love and respect your husband and your friends because they are everything you have. Good luck. There is no prosperity here. The worst thing is we might not see each other again. Write to me please, about everything. Allahimenet.”
The picture also has a second letter which Sadmir’s father wrote in January, 1995, addressing his sister living in Austria:
“The package you sent to use, went to unknown direction. I want to tell you not to send the things again because you are wasting it. Receive salaams from me and Hadzira.”
When UN Safe Zone Srebrenica was captured by Serb forces in July 1995, men from Sadmir’s family hid in the forest in order to survive. His father was killed in first ambush in Kamenice region, and his body remains were never found. Remains of his cousin were found in one mass grave near the place where he was killed. His grandfather was also killed, and his body remains were found in a mass grave in Zvornik area.
Personal belongings recovered from mass graves
These pictures above show the personal items of the victims which were found during the exhumations of mass and individual graves. Apart from the skeletal remains, photographs, documents, watches, medicines, hygiene accessories, keys, cutlery, and clothing and footwear were found in the graves. The DNA analysis of victims and surviving family members helped identify the victims exhumed from the grave, and also through his clothes, footwear, or personal belongings.
A man who waited in line for bread
Its a heart-wrenching statue crafted from slices of bread, representing, ‘A man who waited in line for bread’. This poignant sculpture, created by artist, Mensud Keco, serves as a powerful monument to those who lost their lives while waiting for food.
The artwork is based on a grenade attack which killed 26 people and wounded over 100 starving civilians on May 27, 1995, on Ferhadija Street, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
This is part 1 of a series of seven photo features which will be carried in timesheadline.in
in the days to come.
Photographs by Aayushi Rana.
Also see: Srebrenica Echoes: A Tribute to Agony and Resilience