Srebrenica, Bosnia Herzegovina: "Life After Genocide"

Bosnia & Herzegovina

On this page, I will show my continued and edited work on my long term project where I focus on the survivors of the genocide that took place in Srebrenica in July 1995. I showed a version of this project at the Foto 8 gallery in London (my foto 8 page). Parts of this project has been on display at the FIFDH Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (twice) and Nikon Pro Magazine recently selected part of this story to be featured in their magazine. The story on the Yazidi people in northern Iraq was featured in Global Geneva. 

Stories are available through Keystone, Switzerland.

Every year, there is a peace march (Mars Mira) between Tuzla and Potocari, near Srebrenica. It follows the route taken by men, boys and some women when they tried to escape to safety, after Srebrenica fell to Ratko Mladic on July 11th 1995. Only this time, it goes in opposite direction, honouring the 8373 who were killed during this one week period. Upon arrival in Potocari (The walk takes 3 days and covers about 120 km), the memorial ceremony takes place and the burial of the dead will happen. Every year, the remains of the identified bodies are laid to rest. There are still more then 1000 bodies yet to be buried. Some are still not discovered.

Bellow is a picture of Advija who buried her father on July 11th 2012. 

The burial of the dead.

July 10th, it marks the day before Srebrenica fell to Mladic's troops 22 years ago in 1995. Today, coffins with the remains of identified victims of the genocide in Srebrenica will be carried out too the memorial cemetery in Potocari. On July 11th 2017, 71 victims were laid to rest. Over 8000 men, boys and some women were killed during the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995.

Potocari July 9th 2012. 520 coffins are being carried into the old car battery factory/ UN Dutch Bat HQ near Srebrenica.

175 bodies were laid to rest during the commemoration burial at the Potocari Memorial cemetery, near Srebrenica on July 11th 2014.

Bill Clinton arrived for the 20th commemoration in Potocari, just as he did for the opening of the memorial.  136 bodies were laied to rest this July, on July 11th 2015 in Potocari.

A young girl is crying outside the warehouse in Potocari where the coffins for this years burial of the dead are placed, one day before the burial. Potocari July 10th, 2015.

175 bodies were laid to rest during the ceremonial burial in Potocari, near Srebrenica on July 11th 2014. Approximately 8000 people were murdered in a week during July 1995 in Srebrenica, Bosnia.

Thousands of family and friends came to help and to pay respect that memorial funeral that took place in Potocari, near Srebrenica, on July 11th this year.

After the rainfall, the graves were full of water. this man is preparing the grave for a relative who can finaly be laid to rest, 19 years after the genocide which took place in Srebrenica in July 1995.

Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright arrived for the 20th commemoration in Potocari, just as he did for the opening of the memorial.  136 bodies were laied to rest this July, on July 11th 2015 in Potocari.

This young man is likely carying his father or another relative as he is walking with the casket.

30000 people gathered for the annual "Burial of the Dead" at Potocari Memorial cemetery. 617 identified bodies was laid to rest on this July 11th 2011.

Survivors visiting a school which was used during the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica. July 13th 2014.

Nedzad Avdic, a Srebrenica genocide survivor, talking to survivors on July 13th 2014.

Survivors visiting the Aluminium Factory Dam, more then 700 men and boys were murdered during July of 1995. July 2014, 19 years after the genocide in Srebrenica.

Survivors visiting the Branjevo Fields in July 2014, praying for the over 1000 victims who were killed here during the genocide in Srebrenica (July 11th 1995).

Hasan Hasanovic inside the culture centre in Pilica where 500 men got killed, including Hasan's twin brother.

Survivors praying for the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica at the culture centre in Pilica in July 2014. 500 men got killed there during the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995. 

The Peace March goes through mayn small villages that still carry marks from the war, near Nova Kasaba.

The new Bosnian flag is being caried for the 120 km, 3 days long throughout the Peace March. 

People walking, following the route men and boys walked trying to escape the genocide in July 1995.

Participants of Mars Mira, the 120 km Peace March, that takes place between Nezuk and Potocari have arrived in Lipije after one day of walking, on July 8th 2017, 22 years after the genocide in Srebrenica. 

Long walk- time for a rest, one day to go. 120 km is a long way to walk, particularily through the hills and the woods with temperatures reaching 44C.

It gets hot in Bosnia in July. Every day of the march saw temperatures of at least 40C. Water was distributed via trucks. A meeting place for survivors. 

Evening Prayers during Mars Mira/ Peace March, July 9th 2011.

For three nights, the walkers are camping outside, on locations where genocide took place in July 1995.

Some participants walk bare foot- all 120 km. 

As the temperature reached 44C- the local farmers continues to work. 

Lots of evidence is still littering the landscape along the route of Mars Mira. Mines are a real problem, more then 20 years after the war.

The Mars Mira or Peace Walk is following the footsteps of the Death March- 120km, 3 days between Nezuk and Potocari.

These young men had already walked for 4 days before participating in the 120km, 3 day long peace march between Nezuk (Tuzla) and Potocari near Srebrenica. July 8th 2012.

Family supporting the Mars Mira, peace walk, that follows the foot steps in reverse based on the route of the "Death March". This is the march that men and boys took in order to try to escape being killed during the genocide.

Teenagers showing support for the Mars Mira at the starting point.

Every evening, survivors will tell the walkers about their experiences from the genocide.

The Imam in Srebrenica welcoms the coffins for the burial the following day. The remains arrives after having been identified during the last year.

Marizela lives in Srebrenica. She is studying to become a nurse, she does not want to continue of her mother and to run the family farm.

Hasan Nuhanovic was a translator working for the Dutch Bat. in Potocari during the war. He later sued the Holland for their unwillingness to help his family in July 1995. He won the case in the Dutch high Court, 9 years later. He is still waiting for compensation. His family has later been identified from their remains found in mass graves. 

Bodies from a recently found mass grave near the former Dutch bat Potocari HQ was opened late summer 2012. They are being identified at the ICMP (Body Identification Center) in Tuzla.

Ramiz Nukic walks through through the hill above his house, in the village of Kamenice, around 30 minutes drive from Srebrenica. He is a farmer and is also looking for human remains. There’s rarely a day in which Nukic does not find the remains of at least one murdered boy or man. He himself is responsible for finding the remains of about 250 people who were murdered during the Genocide in Srebrenica.

Fatima was 26 years old in July 1995. She had two and a half years earlier graduated from University as a medical doctor. She was pleased she could work at the hospital in Srebrenica as it had earned a very good reputation. In in 1995 things had dramatically changed and she ended up being a very young doctor working in extremely difficult situations with almost no equipment. The worst wartime situation in Europe since the second world war was happening outside the hospital and they were only a hand full of doctors working. When the genocide really started, Fatima as well as the other medical staff decide to walk with around 10000 others to Tuzla, 120 km away in order to reach the other "safe area". Fatima was one of only a handful of women to walk and to survive. Today, she works a gynaecologist and deliver babies at the University Hospital in Tuzla. She feels blessed that she can now bring life to the world, rather then work with death... She is married and has two children.

Nedzad Avdic, Srebrenica genocide survivor, with his children at his home in Potocari.

Saliah Osmanovic lives about an hour outside of Srebrenica. She lost both sons and her husband during the Srebrenica Genocide in July 1995- it is extraordinary to still posses the spirit, energy and will power that she has. She tells me that she uses work to keep her going. To produce what she needs is hard work- and she enjoys it- makes her not think too much about the sad things in life.

Advija can finally lay her father to rest. He is one of 520 people being buried on July 11th 2012.

Advija got married last year and is now the mother of a little baby boy. Such a contrast to last time I saw her when she buried her father after he was identified 18 years after the genocide in Srebrenica. 

This project has been part funded  by 

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