Ron Haviv, one of the world’s most famous war photojournalists, who witnessed the most horrific crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said in an interview with Dnevni Avaz that all parties in BiH must accept the past, whatever it may be, and move on. In his career in more than 100 countries, Haviv has covered more than 25 conflicts in photography.
His photographs have won numerous world awards and have also been used in court proceedings at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Cruel distress “After 25 years, I relive the moments of freedom. Generations are passing in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but the past still plays a huge role in determining the future.
The past, whatever it may be, must be embraced by all parties, and a common future must exist,” Haviv said at the beginning of the interview.
He first presented his photographs yesterday in Prijedor, a city where Bosniaks and Croats were killed in the most violent manner during the aggression. The exhibition is symbolically called “Freedom” and represents Haviv’s new approach to the old theme of war.
The photos bring to life the moments of freedom of the people who were denied freedom in one of the camps.
“Many murderers were not responsible for their war crimes. Justice is not perfect and I can imagine many people on all sides watching the perpetrators walk freely among them. There are those who are going forward, but also those who cannot until they clear up with the past. I understand them all, it’s not questionable that the pain continues,” Haviv pointed out.
He said that it was very difficult to imagine that there were concentration camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The war was unthinkable, and yet it happened. But today we have to do something, remember what happened and what can happen again. And it is very difficult to explain what I feel when I think of the crime scene in Bijeljina, Prijedor. Generations go by and the conversation about what happened depends on the interpretation. It shouldn’t be that way. Places and people associated with crimes cannot and should not move on. Repentance, justice, and acceptance should always be sought, ” said photojournalist Haviv.
“I will always believe in the opportunity for a better world and I will always hope for a better one here,” Haviv concluded.
