• Until that moment, the only refugees I had ever seen were those depicted in Uroš Predić’s famous painting Herzegovinian Refugees. When I learned in January 1993 that people were fleeing in large numbers across the Drina River into Serbia, I immediately drove to the area. I expected scenes reminiscent of Predić’s historic canvas, but what I encountered that morning near the village of Crvice was far more disturbing. It was rare for me to take so many photographs in such a short time, yet everything unfolding along the riverbank demanded to be documented. Editors at the Gamma photo agency later commented that they could barely keep up with reviewing the volume of material I submitted. While photographing families fleeing directly from their homes, I noticed that many were armed—not with hunting rifles, but with carbines and Kalashnikov assault rifles. The sight was deeply unsettling. Where had these weapons come from? Someone had manufactured them, someone had purchased them, and someone had paid a high price. Who, and for what purpose? I was reminded of Slobodan Milošević’s words: “Once again, we are facing battles and engaged in battles. They are not armed, although such battles cannot yet be ruled out.” What war instigators had done was devastating. Neighbors, relatives, and lifelong friends were turned against one another. Why? I am convinced it was for profit—for money in someone’s pocket. Hatred, fear, and intolerance were deliberately fueled to serve selfish political and economic interests. The French poet, essayist, and philosopher Paul Valéry captured the essence of war with chilling precision: “War is the massacre of people who do not know each other for the profit of people who know each other but do not massacre one another.”

Crvica area – Serbian Refugees Crossing the Drina River During the Bosnian War, January 1993

€250

File size: 5705 × 3898 px (63.6 MB)
Credit: Dragoljub Zamurovic

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Product Description

Jedine izbeglice koje sam ikada pre video bile su one na slici Uroša Predića Hercegovački zbeg, pa čim sam u januaru 1993. godine čuo da ljudi masovno beže preko Drine u Srbiju, sedam u auto i odlazim tamo. Očekivao sam potresne scene kao na Predićevom platnu, ali ono što sam doživeo tog jutra pored Drine, blizu sela Crvice, bilo je mnogo strašnije. Retko se dešava da za samo nekoliko sati snimim toliko puno fotografija – jednostavno je sve što sam tamo video moralo da bude zabeleženo. Referenti agencije Gama su se žalili da jedva stižu da pregledaju sav poslati materijal. Snimajući izbeglice koje su bežale sa svog kućnog praga, primetio sam da su mnoge naoružane, i to ne domaćim, lovačkim puškama, već karabinima i kalašnjikovima. Pitao sam se otkud im to naoružanje. Neko je morao da ga kupi od proizvođača, neko ga je dobro platio. Ko i zašto? Setio sam se Miloševićevih reči: „Opet smo pred bitkama i u bitkama. One nisu oružane mada ni takve još nisu isključene”. Strašno je to što su ratni huškači uradili. Zavadili su komšije, rođake, prijatelje. Zbog čega? Siguran sam: zbog šake dolara u nečijem džepu. Oni su podsticali mržnju, strah i netrpeljivost među različitim grupama ljudi kako bi ostvarili svoje sebične ciljeve. Francuski pesnik, esejista i filozof Pol Valeri definisao je rat sledećom rečenicom: „Rat, to je masakr ljudi koji se međusobno ne poznaju radi profita ljudi koji se međusobno poznaju, ali ne masakriraju jedni druge”.

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