WOMEN RECOLLECTING MEMORIES: GENDER DIMENSION

With the inception of the wars in former Yugoslavia, women victims of war rapes became incarnated symbols and national metaphors: Raped Bosnian woman (Croat woman, Albanian woman, Serb woman…) symbolized the “raped” Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo… At the same time, the media started presenting images of sexy young women in military uniforms. Women were constructed as symbols on whose bodies all nationalisms of the region inscribed their state-funding projects and their “thousand years old dreams”. Individual women and feminist groups that did not conform to state orchestrated nationalism were declared traitors and un-feminine.

Women were the victims of ethnic conflicts, but women also played an active role in resisting to war and nationalisms. Immediately after the wars stopped, women’s suffering and sexual war violence upon them disappeared from public memory. Although peace is valued today, women’s resistance to armed conflicts and nationalisms has been erased from collective memory.

Women’s project of reconstructing memories starts from the premise that dealing with the past and memories strongly influences the processes of transitional justice, facing the past, reconciliation, seeking the truth and, inasmuch, creating conditions for stability, democratic development and lasting peace in the region. This cannot be achieved without active participation of women. If for no other reasons, then because women and women’s groups are the bearers of memories about continuous peace building activities.

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To woman's and peace organizations all over the world
CENTER FOR WOMEN WAR VICTIMS
Zagreb, Tkalčićeva 38
Croatia
 
Zagreb, December 21 1992
 
LETTER OF INTENTIONS
 
We are impressed by the response of international women and peace movement on the systematic raping of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Demonstrations and support actions organized all over Europe encourage us in our work and give as hope that we can strengthen the work on supporting women victims of war. However, we would like to share with you some of our serious concerns.
 
We are writing this letter because we fear that the process of helping raped women is turning in a strange direction, being taken over by governmental institutions, Ministry of Health of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and male gynaecologists in particular. We fear that the raped women could be used in political propaganda with the aim of spreading hatred and revenge, thus leading to further violence against women and to further victimization of survivors.
 
A lot of talks have been done so far, but the concrete out-come is still very poor. Some raped women have presented publicly their tragic experience, hoping to receive more understanding and help; they are disappointed now because they still do not get the needed support. We believe that this sensationalistic journalist approach has frightened and additionally upset the raped women. Raped women will feel the consequences of the crime during their whole lives and deserve appropriate help - not instant solutions. Developing of serious women-support -projects needs understanding of the problem, patience and time. Otherwise, the good intentions could turn out to be useless or even harmful, bringing some relief only to the conscience of the support-givers.
 
Therefore the women active in peace initiatives decided to make initial steps towards self organizing of women in refugee camps. On the basis of experience acquired in work with women victims of violence in Autonomous Women's House Zagreb, we believe that the first step which is needed very much is establishing communication among women. We are establishing, a women's network working on process of trust building by systematic visiting of refugee camps. The shape-of the appropriate support to raped women could be defined as a result of learning about the destinies and problems of women in the camps. When we find the specific needs of women victims of war, the concrete institutional way of support will be proposed. Before the basic work in camps has been done, we can only point out the principles which have be fulfilled in order to begin with sensible support work:
 
- support has to be given by women, because only women can understand the deep crisis of the raped women
- the work have to be done by non-governmental organizations to avoid possible misuse of the raped women for political aims
- support should be given to women's non-governmental organizations on the basis of detailed project proposals and clear selection criteria
- possible future centers for the support have to be established in all the states on the territory of former Yugoslavia, as raped women live in all the states
- possible network of centers has to be decentralized and run by women only.
 
Exchange of experiences between the women helping rape victims in different countries and direct support is necessary to build the needed network of volunteers and institutions as soon as possible. Help should be planned and organized on the long-term basis.
 
Looking forward to our future cooperation.
 
Zagreb, December 21,1992
 
Ženski lobby Zagreb
Autonomna ženska kuća Zagreb
Nezavisni savez žena Hrvatske
Ženski informativno – dokumentacijski centar Hrvatske
Antiratna kampanja Hrvatske
 

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These pages are dedicated to women’s memories of resistance to war and nationalisms in the countries of former Yugoslavia, but also to the activities of all women in the world who, in the context of transitional processes, raise their voice against war violence and discrimination.