The afternoon was very intense as we had a panel of survivors:
Marin Yann - gave an emotional tesimony about suriving the killing fields of Cambodia
Mevludin Rahmanovic- A survivor of the Bosnian conflict and Trnopolje concentration camp
Aline Umugwaneza- survivor of the genocide in Rwanda and the crimes against the Tutsi.
It turned out that Aline and her fellow Rwandian Paul work at the memorial in Kilgali and I will see them there
The day ended with the most disturbing documentry film called UNDER the SKIN about young men who are kidnapped from Eritera and tortured until ransoms are paid. This truly is an atrocity I had no clue about. The writer and director will conduct discussion tomorrow. It was very graphic and shocking.
Bosnia- He was11 yrs old and his father - was an Imam Muslim was beaten andhe, as a child no longer felt safe.his famly went to camp because they worried Serbs wanted them dead. He was told by a young Serbian solddieer to stop crying or be killed since then he has been called cold blooded and not feeling. he sstated he has only actually cried 5 times since he was a child.
Cambodia- The Kilmer Rouge forced people to work in the fields etc.They (KR - Kilmer Rouge) took anything they wanted. They killed over 2 million. His Brother died from illness and starvation.his Mother died , and his sister disappeared.he survived alone at 6 . One day he was on verge of starvation and found an injured bird and he wanted to eat it, a KR soldier accused him of stealing a chicken. the KR threatened to kill his family over a bird that they said was a chicken. He was 5. at 6 he stole raw rice from a warehouse. ate it raw, which were part of his survival skills. once he got caught. KR who dragged him out drove him to the field (survivor became very emotional while retelling his story) 6 rs old. he was forced to spit out the food and stare at the KR soldier He was dragged to the water canal. he screamed he did not want to die. no one saw him. if i see you again said the soldier stealing rice you are all dead. Ironically he then was adopted by KR and survived
Rwanda- SHe gave background of persecution of Tutsi. 1950s . her uncle was out of country and decided to return he was then killed as well as his family. In school she said a teacher beat her everyday. because she was Tutsi. Her father did not do anything to protect her bc if he did say anything things would be worse. her father met with director and spoke to teacher who said she only wanted to correct her to write with right had This was a lie.
1994 finish what was started. The genocide was being prepared prior to the President dieing in aircrash, this was an excuse. weapons already distributed, militias armed and ready, people lived side by side and overnight it changed. killed up close with machetes.
Auschwitz- The survivor said he was moved by listening to other speakers. how he felt as a young person was at 11,12,13 locked in ghetto and sent to Auschwitz (18) realized he was different . 1930s with German all around. saw the caricatures and then felt he was different. Nazi youth would bash them with toy swords. felt different when banned from riding trams having to wear the star of David, pushed out of a line to buy bread. Ths was nothing compared to the other survivors. pivotal as life as a teen started when he moved to ghetto.
commentator - asked all of the panelists if there were any signs of good will. Bosnia- no , when he moved to liberated part he metSerbs who did not want to participate and they too persecuted.
Cambodia- KR killed indiscriminately but in his case he was adopted by KR soldiers. he was trying to catch a snake for food. he was exhausted and resting under a tree and became motionless almost dead. a young KR maybe 16 yrs old soldier picked him up splashed water and carried him to his house where is mother fed him and took care of him.
Rwanda- some participated willingly, others remained silent, if you decided to hide people you could - by instruction of government- Tutsi deserved to be killed- very few who stood up against government, very risky to save and hide Tutsis She recalls a family near them that did their best to hide her family. The militia learned they were hiding and the father of the family came . He had to tell them to leave but gave them food.
Poland- If you asked people in Warsaw ghetto they would explain bc it was enclosed. it was difficult to hid anyone, but in Lodz, it was different but town was suppose to be free of not just Jews but Polish free. There was no possibility of contact. But he recalls when he was sent from Auschwitz to a place to have an encounter with Poles. Here foreman told him do not go away from the group.
Borders of evil. Evil transferred, it permeated from those who are commanders, to kapos, to prisoners, bystanders.
The commentator asked
do you remember how it happened that conflict faded out and you will be saved, What did you feel next
Bosina- wished he was older to commit revenge too be able to kill those who beat his father burned his house. At 16 17 yrs old he wanted to plan revenge. He did not do it and helped him to understand how people react in anger .Meeting Serbs who did not support the conflict. Violence and revenge was not the answer. If you do not learn how to deal with anger and lossyou will repeat it.. How to talk. As a father he is ready to kill as a husband he is ready to kill but before it happens we have to learn how to heal the wounds. Money spent on waging war is in billions.money spent or invested in peace and dialogue is minimal.
Cambodia- No logical answer for this. He saw table turned and peresonally saw KR killed in front of him.at 9 years old he said to kill the captured KR. but came to US and learned about a new culture. Teens in Usa on alert; gangs, drugs etc. but US not so peaceful .
He felt nothing could touch him bc of what he experienced, NOW he thinks of compassion and education as the way. When he asked people where do you think I come from many have no clue when he says Cambodia they say where is that
Rwanda- When genocide was over in aftermath people felt hopeless and were traumatzied.
But time to start thinking what do we do where do we start. Houses rebuilt, schools open. best revenge was not to take revenge. Best revenge was to live again and overcome and succeed.
Poland- witness to the history but also a question how to judge the history. after the first and second march of death. He thought about Avner Kovner to create the Jewish revenge to poison wells in Germany and he dreamt of doing this. I am now a witness to history and a man of books. The highest form of art is to be able to forget. When he was young and shook hands with a German who was older and wondered who that persn could have been, He matured, The idea of justice is violence, You have to live next to your neighbor or you can not live.
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