nepass1 wrote: ↑20/11/2025 17:18
"Harun’s Top-15 (so far) survival lessons of genocide in Bosnia (and maybe elsewhere too):
1) Be extremely well armed and organized. Nobody else will save you but you.
2) Never ever give up weapons to someone promising you’ll be safe when you disarm. (see: why Srebrenica fell and why Goražde didn’t)
3) When they say you’re being taken for prisoner exchange, you aren’t. You’re being taken to execution. Consider yourself dead already and fight back even if futile. (see: Hrastova Glavica Massacre)
4) Your neighbors have killed you off and on for 150 years, their reasons and excuses for committing genocide haven’t gone away, therefore it’ll happen again. Don’t assume anyone has changed especially since there hasn’t been a reconciliation movement where they have proven and demonstrated their change on Individual and cultural level.
5) It only takes 2-3% of the population to physically commit genocide, but it wouldn’t be possible unless 40-50% of others enabled it directly (aid and abet) or indirectly (they were “neutral” I.e. indifferent to you dying)
6) Your neighbors practice “keep your friends close but enemies closer” philosophy. I have found at least 10 instances of a family wedding godfather killing the family and their godchildren (see: Suha Bratunac massacre). Because someone befriended you an poses as your family doesn’t mean that’s what they really are. Assumption is, as they say, mother of all fuckups. (see: Mokronoge Massacre)
7) Spaking of assumptions… assuming villages will be safer than a city is a bad assumption (see: Hasan Nuhanovic’s book)
8 ) If you’re on the run, cemeteries are a good place to sleep, nobody seems to expect the living there. (see: Nedžad Avdić story of survival)
9) If you’re chosen to be the trench digger you’re not safe theyll kill you eventually (see: Oborci Massacre)
10) Be self sufficient: food, water, power.
11) Practice culture of remebrance not culture of amnesia. Not heeding the lessons of past dooms them to repeat (see: Kulen Vakuf massacres of 1873, 1941, 1992)
12) Hiding somewhere and they yell to you to surrender and you’ll be safe. No you won’t. Stay hiding. (see: Prhovo Massacre, Srebrenica Massacre)
13) Escaped an execution? Don’t return to where they kidnped you to begin with. (see: Ibrahim Ferhatovic survival story)
14) They roll into your town asking for men only to surrender. No, everyone just run they can’t chase everyone down. (see: Biljani Massacre)
15) Run while you have a chance when you know danger is coming, don’t live in denial and false hopes that it’ll be ok then get going too late. (see: Kulen Vakuf Massacre)
Thanks for attending my TED talk."
Harun Mehmedinovic
Evo nauci sta helasu
