Cemeteries

“And for me that cemetery was always a symbol of links with family and tradition. I was very sad that this cemetery was used to shoot from, that it was being destroyed. Especially knowing that it was a cultural site, very old. It’s the oldest Sephardic cemetery in Europe; it’s under UNESCO protection.”

- Sonja Elezar, Jewish Community

“This shows that the funerals were deliberately targeted and that the enemy was trying to revenge himself on the town and the people who were burying their loved ones. I’m sorry to say our imams had to take refuge sometimes even had to jump into the grave, or hide behind the dead so that they could finish the prayers and the funeral rites. For that reason, we tried to have as few people as possible attending funerals so there would be fewer victims then we went ever farther and held the funerals at night so that fewer people would be in danger.”

- Muharem Omerdić, Head of the Religious and Educational Service of the Islamic Community

“We had nothing left anymore and we asked those who needed to bury somebody to give us their wardrobes. And we got those wardrobes. The people brought the wardrobes; we brought the wardrobes and various wooden planks. And we made makeshift coffins so that we could bury the dead.”

- Vlado Raguž, Director of the Funeral Services Company