General information

Call No.:

350-1-1:99/1

Part of series

HU OSA 350-1-1 Records of the International Monitor Institute: Europe: Balkan Archive

Located at

BetaSP NTSC #99 / No. 1

Digital ver. identifier

HU_OSA_00000099

Date of production

1993

Date

1993

Level

Item

Primary Type

Moving image

Language

English

Notes

Rape • Torture • Prison Camps • Destruction Civilian Property • Military/Para-Military • Refugee/Ex-Pow ID

Content

Form/Genre

Documentary film

Contents Summary

This film, produced by the Islamic Relief organization, focuses on Bosnian Muslim women. The role and character of Muslim women in Bosnia are both explored, including the ways the war has changed their lives. The report states that the Bosnian Muslim women became a target for abuse because to hurt a woman represents the greatest injury in Muslim culture. The emotional scarring left behind by rape is highlighted throughout. It is explained that Bosnia is the only place where Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Catholicism are highly intertwined. The early days and months of the war are described as having been the worst for the Bosnian Muslim and Croat population. The Bosnian Muslim population is explained to have suffered by being reduced to refugee camps, after living a life of wealth where they owned houses and numerous livestock. Statements are made by four women, all with their identities concealed, telling of direct rape and abuse. The first woman describes a drunk JNA commander entering her house and ordering her to go to the bedroom. The second woman tells of a young mother who was raped by four Chetniks. The third woman describes the rape she and her four-year-old daughter endured. The fourth woman describes being threatened with a knife and then being raped by four Bosnian Serb soldiers. The fifth woman tells of young girls being systematically raped by drunk Bosnian Serb soldiers, and a sixth woman talks about her inability to comprehend the ethnic hatred, and about being raped in a camp. Three young girls also give testimonies of how their relatives and parents were beaten by Bosnian Serb soldiers. The first girl tells of her house being destroyed by a grenade and being taken up by UNPROFOR soldiers. The second girls talks about her grandfather and her mother being beaten. The third girl talks about her father being beaten (at Ramiz Raganovic's house) and killed. A man is shown admitting to committing rape under the influence of alcohol. A Bosnian Muslim man explains that Bosnians will stand by their women regardless of what has happened. Dr. Yusuf Al Qardawi, an Imam, offers insight into Islam's view on raped women. He also explains the role of the whole Islamic community in regard to helping raped women. Other footage included: mosques in Bosnia, Bosnian Muslim women walking through a forest, civilians running from shelling, destroyed mosques, JNA planes dropping bombs, burning and destroyed buildings, the breadline massacre, women running with children, Bosnian Muslim funerals, refugees getting off trucks, a Bosnian Muslim refugee camp, Bosnian Muslim prayer service, Bosnian Serb soldiers singing, Bosnian Serb soldiers (Chetniks) marching, and various scenes of destruction in Sarajevo.

Context

Associated Names

Islamic Relief (Producer)