5/17/2003: Mass grave grief

Undertoad · 05-17-2003, 03:31 PM

MS-NBC's week in pics had a bunch from this week's finding of mass graves in Iraq, from a 1991 Shiite uprising against Hussein. This was the most spell-binding of them because it shows so much. The strangely clear plastic bags that hold what little remains the graves cough up. The grief that can still go on after twelve years - put away somewhere, surely, buried, and now unearthed. It's frightening in how real it is.

Nothing But Net · 05-17-2003, 03:40 PM

Seriously, I wonder how they go about identifying remains that have been buried in mass graves for 12 years. Seems impossible. Unless they get mummified by the desert or something.

Horrific it is indeed.

Whit · 05-18-2003, 12:14 AM

     Does anyone know how they identified the bodies?
     Not to be disturbing or anything but I can't help but wonder if the body in this mans lap belonged to the person he believes it did. The fact that this appears to be a child's body makes this man's pain immeasurable to me. The thought that he might have the wrong body just chills me.

Undertoad · 05-18-2003, 12:22 AM

In another one of the shots, they had a mangled old identification card with a picture. It might have been buried with the body, I'm not sure.

Slithy_Tove · 05-18-2003, 11:14 AM

My god, that is such a sad picture.

Apparently a lot of the bodies have identifying tags. There has been a conflict between human rights groups, who are complaining that the deaths aren't being properly identified and cataloged and information is being lost (that might later be used to bring charges against the perps, for example) and the relatives of the dead, who just want to take the remains home with them for 'proper' burial and to hell with the formalities. I can see the case on both sides, and I don't think there's a truly right answer to this one.

Torrere · 05-19-2003, 08:10 PM

Aww, that's so touching and sad!

I cried. I wanted to reach out and try to help him.

And · 05-20-2003, 12:08 PM

Sometimes I wonder if grief isn't the strongest emotion...

Unknown_Poltroon · 05-20-2003, 01:12 PM

Wait untill the rage from the grief shows its head.

warch · 05-20-2003, 01:40 PM

Heartbreaking. It could be an adult or child, bundled and embraced, beloved and in need of comfort.

05-17-2003, 03:31 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	5/17/2003: Mass grave grief MS-NBC's week in pics had a bunch from this week's finding of mass graves in Iraq, from a 1991 Shiite uprising against Hussein. This was the most spell-binding of them because it shows so much. The strangely clear plastic bags that hold what little remains the graves cough up. The grief that can still go on after twelve years - put away somewhere, surely, buried, and now unearthed. It's frightening in how real it is.

05-17-2003, 03:40 PM	#2
Nothing But Net Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 1,481	The 'Ewwww' factor of this pic is off the scale Seriously, I wonder how they go about identifying remains that have been buried in mass graves for 12 years. Seems impossible. Unless they get mummified by the desert or something. Horrific it is indeed.

05-18-2003, 12:14 AM	#3
Whit Umm ... yeah. Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 949	Does anyone know how they identified the bodies?      Not to be disturbing or anything but I can't help but wonder if the body in this mans lap belonged to the person he believes it did. The fact that this appears to be a child's body makes this man's pain immeasurable to me. The thought that he might have the wrong body just chills me. __________________ A friend will help you move. A true friend will help you move a body.

05-18-2003, 11:14 AM	#5
Slithy_Tove Disorderly Orderly Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Philly 'burbs, PA, USA Posts: 52	My god, that is such a sad picture. Apparently a lot of the bodies have identifying tags. There has been a conflict between human rights groups, who are complaining that the deaths aren't being properly identified and cataloged and information is being lost (that might later be used to bring charges against the perps, for example) and the relatives of the dead, who just want to take the remains home with them for 'proper' burial and to hell with the formalities. I can see the case on both sides, and I don't think there's a truly right answer to this one. __________________ == Tove A rainbow rat, a checkered cat...

05-20-2003, 12:08 PM	#7
And Conjunction Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Conjunction Junction Posts: 168	Sometimes I wonder if grief isn't the strongest emotion... __________________ -And, Word Wrangler and Keeper of the Cuttlefish.

05-18-2003, 12:22 AM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	In another one of the shots, they had a mangled old identification card with a picture. It might have been buried with the body, I'm not sure.

05-19-2003, 08:10 PM	#6
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	Aww, that's so touching and sad! I cried. I wanted to reach out and try to help him.

05-20-2003, 01:12 PM	#8
Unknown_Poltroon Lead Subordinate Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 15	Grief the strongest? Wait untill the rage from the grief shows its head.

05-20-2003, 01:40 PM	#9
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Heartbreaking. It could be an adult or child, bundled and embraced, beloved and in need of comfort.

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