07/17/2005 Bringing closure Scared to be preceived by the survivers as an intruder, I was strongly debating wether to attend the commemoration in Sebrenica on the 11th of July, or not. While my doubts where outweighted by the thought that my presence will show the survivors that what happened in Sebrenica will never be forgotten, I could not get around feeling out of place and intruding upon their most private feelings.
The speeches of the various „worldleaders“ seemed like a boring formality addressed to international news listeners rather than the audience here- the victims. While „never again“ was repeated like a well-ment mantra by all of them, it probably provided little comfort to the peole who were burrying their loved-ones. „Never again“ looses its meaning if no collective action is taken to hold the perpetrators of the Sebrenica massacre accountable for their murderous past. In the end actions speak louder than words.

The stories of the women here at Bosfam show me that while the war has changed their lives forever and forced them to struggle with the unimaginable on a daily basis, they did not forget how to make eachother laugh. However, one should not be fooled by the image of life simply going on because pain and laughter do coexist. Claiming responsibility for finding and trying the perpetrators is the only way that survivors of the massacre, including the women here at BOSFAM, will ever be able to make peace with a world, in which „never again“ had almost lost it’s meaning.