Tuesday: Vukovar

I mentioned yesterday that I had an early start today.  I was heading east to take part in the commemoration of the fall of Vukovar, which occurred 23 years ago today.

For most of us who were news-aware in the early 90s, Vukovar has deep resonance and is one of the names that summed up the worst of the Balkan War.

The day started with a simple ceremony in the grounds of the hospital where many sheltered when the town was under siege.  A procession (of about 100,000 people) then walked the six kilometres to the memorial site.  And from there, we went to Ovcara to pay our respects.  Ovcara, where this photo was taken, is the place where about 280 people, taken from the hospital, were killed.

As you can imagine, it has been a poignant day but it was good to see everyone come together to pay their respects.  Last year it didn't go so smoothly as political agendas got in the way but this year those were put aside.

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