Don’t raise your voice improve your argument
On Saturday 03/31/2012 about 100 people showed up to see the speech on the Concentration Camps and Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Professor Emir Ramic and the book presentation by Dr. Esad Boskailo “Wounded I Am More Awake” organized by “Bosniaks Association Lily”.
Program started with the opening remarks by Sabina Mujanovic the MC of this event by welcoming guests and presenters as well as giving a wonderful introduction to our audience.
As you all may suspect by the title “Concentration Camps and Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina” the subject matter was extremely difficult and heart wrenching, but by the same token an exceptionally important one to be discussed and shared. Many of the people in the audience have lived through the most atrocious crimes that no person should ever have to hear about – let alone live through.
The event is not only important that audience learn about historical facts and cruelty that took place in that little country called Bosnia half the world away from here- but to understand that evil has no regard for a child, a pregnant woman, an elderly grandfather, a newborn baby, or a young man. Evil has no regard for an institution, for a library, for a place of worship – evil destroys, it mutilates, it demolishes not only buildings, economy and a society, but it hurts souls of those that carry the most painful memories on what have happened in the past.
This event we hope will show that no matter how great evil may be, that goodness in the end is by far more powerful and can lift you up to the places you never even dreamed of ascending to.
We hope that people that attended this event will be able to see that it is possible to rise from the ashes no matter what your struggles are. The stories shared no matter how painful, left us with courage and desire to push through our own struggles and be appreciative of everyone and everything we may have today.
Our first speaker was Professor Emir Ramic from the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada.
In his speech Professor Ramic covered the impact of the Genocide on Bosniak people and its affects in the future as well as the how the Genocide was planned and executed by our enemies. Profesor Ramić also covered the historical importance of Bosnian statehood and challenges facing Bosnia and Bosniaks today and Bosniaks declaration.
Our second speaker presented his newly published book “Wounded I Am More Awake”.
Dr. Esad Boskailo is a doctor who survived six concentration camps in Bosnia emerges with powerful new lessons for healing in an age of genocide. Dr. Boskailo presented his book and covered the importance of dealing with trauma from concentration camps. He also told couple stories about his experience in the camp and how he survived. Time spent in the concentration camps was the time that he showed the true courage and determination to survive even under the most adverse conditions.
During the Dr. Boskailo presentation we discovered that one of the members in the audience was in one of the pictures that were shown during the presentation. Picture was showing Bosniak man in the concentration camp behind the barb wire fence, starved with their bones protruding staring at the camera. He stood up so he can get recognized but the audience rewarded him with the big applause and he was also invited to sit on the stage with our guests. We had no idea that he went through hell and all this time he was living among us. After the presentation Dr. Boskailo signed about 50 books which was obviously not enough due to the level of interest for the book so he is going to send some more to be distributed.
At the end of the program Sabina finished with her closing remarks and an interesting quote by Archbishop Desmond Tutu who stated: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
Sometimes I feel that Bosniaks were unfortunately that mouse, and the heavy artillery and army of well-armed men were the elephant that were shelling and destroying our beloved country and killing the innocent children and civilians for years. UN was neutral – we all remember them driving around in the big army vehicles around the towns doing absolutely nothing. They did not react to the screams and calls for help from those that were on the verge of starvation, hunger, or being near execution. Their response to the human who is about to die was that they are there to keep peace by remaining completely neutral and not taking sides. Many times felt worse than being attacked.
Furthermore, this brilliant man once stated, “Don’t raise your voice improve your argument”.
We need to actively speak intelligently not loudly in order to change this world for the better and fight for the justice and human rights everywhere in the world.
Moreover our religion Islam calls us to speak of crimes against innocence so that they would not return and be repeated. In our holy Book Quran (chapter 5, verse 82). It says: “Those among the children of Israel who rejected truth were cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus son of Mary because they disobeyed and committed excesses, because they did not use to forbid one another the wrongs they committed.” (5:82)
A similar point is made in that well known Hadith in which the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) is reported to have said:”If one of you sees something wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart and this is the weakest faith.” Some versions add: “there is no part of faith behind that, not even so much as a mustard seed.”
After the program guests and audience enjoyed delicious authentic Bosnian food made by local Bosniak woman.
As a small token of appreciation our local artist Ismar Hasanovic painted two pictures for our guests; for Dr. Boskailo his bellowed Pocitelj and for Professor Ramic his hometown Prijedor.
Through this event we were able to spend some time with our extraordinary guests and make new friendship that will most likely last for a long time.
Bosniaks Association Lily