In the pain of Srebrenica, remembering the power of one woman's life
News came today that Hatidža Mehmedović, who survived the war in Bosnia and led the Association of the Mothers of Srebrenica, had died in a hospital in Sarajevo.
I met Hatidža four years ago when I visited the Srebrenica Memorial, where the victims of the genocide -- the worst massacre on European soil since the Holocaust -- are buried. I remember it vividly. Sitting in a circle of other bereaved and widowed mothers of Srebrenica, quietly and with the utmost dignity, she told her story.
(Angelina Jolie visits the memorial center of Potocari near the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica in 2014.)
She painted a picture of life before the war, with her husband Abdullah and their two sons Azmir and Almir, who were 21 and 18 years old. She described the terrible days in July 1995, when they were forcibly separated from her and sent to their deaths, along with at least 8,000 other innocent men and boys. As well as her husband and sons, Hatidža lost her father, her two brothers, and scores of her extended family members.
Those who carried out the genocide went to considerable lengths to conceal or destroy the bodies of the victims. For 15 years, Hatidža searched for the remains of her family. She was one of the first survivors to return to Srebrenica. She lived bereaved and alone, facing threats and intimidation, in a climate of persistent attempts to deny the genocide.
She told me that when they finally found the remains of her husband and two sons, all she received to bury of Almir, her youngest, were two small leg bones. Instead of dwelling on the heartrending pain of that moment, she simply told me that she was fortunate. Many mothers, she said, still lacked even that small consolation.
(Hatidza Mehmedovic at the Potocari memorial center near Srebrenica.)
In many ways, Hatidža Mehmedović reminded me of the other Bosnian women I have met who survived the war, for the way she combined deep strength and resilience with tolerance and humility and a refusal to succumb to hate.
But Hatidža was also exceptional. For 23 years she was a tireless seeker of truth and justice. She never claimed any special status, but spoke on behalf of all the Mothers of Srebrenica. She did not distinguish between the victims, but regarded them as all equally worthy of dignity and recognition. Even as her health failed, she worked to organize aid convoys to take food and medicine to refugees in Syria. She died before her time, at just 65 years old, her death no doubt sadly hastened by all she had endured.
It is testimony to the depth of Bosnia's wounds that Hatidža did not live to see the end of the fight for justice and security for the survivors of Srebrenica. Others must take forward the burden she carried for so many years. But her example will live on, in the memories of all who knew her, and in the stories that we should all tell, wherever we live, so that the memory of Srebrenica never fades.
While her death fills me with sadness and regret for all the victims of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, I am sure that I am not alone in remembering Hatidža with gratitude and awe.
There are times to dwell on the many lessons of the Srebrenica genocide, and where violent hatred toward any group or people can lead. But as Hatidža is laid to rest and mourned by her country, it feels like a moment to reflect on the power of a single individual life.
Hatidža Mehmedović lived an honest life. She never allowed anyone to frighten her or to corrupt her sense of truth and fairness. We too may never see justice in our lifetimes, but we cannot go wrong if we follow her example.
Editor's Note : Angelina Jolie is an actor, director, special envoy for the UN Refugee Agency and co-founder of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.
courtesy : cnn.com
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Modi should leverage his ties with world leaders to de-escalate war in West Asia: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.
He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.
"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.
"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.
Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."
He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."
Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.
Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.
"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.
On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.
He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.
"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.
Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.
