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48 images Created 11 Jan 2012

Kosovo Widows of War

The province of Gjacova in Kosovo had the highest number of civilian fatalities during the Balkan war. Some villages, like Meje have no men left but their widows and children. The fate of these women increasingly uncertain as international charity organisations are slowly moved from the Balkans leaving the reconstruction process to an halt. Many home have been left half built. The widows and their children have had to seek shelter with relatives, whilst those that couldn't, live in very devastating conditions.
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  • The Meja massacre was the mass execution of at least 377 Kosovo Albanian civilians of whom 36 were under 18 years old. It was committed by Serbian police and Yugoslav Army forces in the Reka Operation which began after the killing of six Serbian policemen by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The executions occurred on 27 April 1999 in the village of Meja near the town of Gjakova, during the Kosovo War. The victims were pulled from refugee convoys at a checkpoint in Meja and their families were ordered to proceed to Albania. Men and boys were separated and then executed by the road.[2][3] It is one of the largest massacres in the Kosovo War.[4] Many of the bodies of the victims were found in the Batajnica mass graves. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has convicted several Serbian army and police officers for their involvement.
    cinzia_widowsofwar017.jpg
  • Skenderaj in Kosovo is the most destroyed area from the war. Many of the women live in what once used to be their home, and now are just empty and half destroyed rooms. The war has left women widowed, without means to support themselves and their children and homeless.
    cinzia_widowsofwar04.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in bombed homes and with no one to turn to for support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar03.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar012.jpg
  • A widow of war in Kosovo. Many widows are left without any means of sustainment.  After the war,  ngos assisted some widows of war in rebuilding their homes however support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This policy has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar01.jpg
  • Kosoli family, missing brothers ( from left, Kastriot, Kriste, Simon,Gjerg,Filip). One night the Serbian military invaded many homes in the Meje village. All the men were taken away and since then are missing. Their bodies have never been found.
    cinzia_widowsofwar07.jpg
  • Ageja Sokoli holding a photo of her husband, who was taken by serbian army. Her four sons and her husband were taken away by the serbian police in a night raid.  She has never seen them since. Their bodies have never been found. She is holding a picture of her husband.
    cinzia_widowsofwar08.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar014.jpg
  • Maria Sokoli is 80 years old and has 5 members of her family missing: Simon, Krista, Filip, Kastriot and Pashka. Her niece Diana sitting next to her is looking after her.
    cinzia_widowsofwar040.jpg
  • In the village of Meje there are no men left. The official line is that they are missing. Diana points to her dad among the missing. Here, A. is pointing to the men of her family and her father that she has never seen again.
    cinzia_widowsofwar037.jpg
  • In the outskirts of Skenderaj, I visited this lady who has 5 children to fend off by herself after her husband was taken away by the serbian army and she has never seen him again. She feels fortunate that she has some land and is able to feed her children in this way.
    cinzia_widowsofwar02.jpg
  • In Kosovo, some of the villages like Meje has no men left.  The widows with their children have a difficult life.  Their homes are mostly unfinished after Ngos were sent away from the country and their meagre support of 60Euros is meant to support the whole family for a month. A widow of Meje with 5 children.
    cinzia_widowsofwar023.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar05.jpg
  • In Kosovo, some of the villages like Meje has no men left.  The widows with their children have a difficult life.  Their homes are mostly unfinished after Ngos were sent away from the country and their meagre support of 60Euros is meant to support the whole family for a month.
    cinzia_widowsofwar026.jpg
  • In Kosovo, some of the villages like Meje has no men left.  The widows with their children have a difficult life.  Their homes are mostly unfinished after Ngos were sent away from the country and their meagre support of 60Euros is meant to support the whole family for a month.
    cinzia_widowsofwar025.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. If they have sons, they normally take charge in the upkeeping of the family with their mum.
    cinzia_widowsofwar029.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar028.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. If they do have sons, they normally take charge in the upkeeping of the family with their mum.  Ngos like Medicos del Mundo have opened workshops rooms where the widows can engage in creating house wares like cloths, towels, etc. by knitting and sewing. They then sell their products. A woman says that overall there is more conformt in being together than in making an income as generally most women in Kosovo know how to sew or knit.
    cinzia_widowsofwar021.jpg
  • In Kosovo, some of the villages like Meje has no men left.  The widows with their children have a difficult life.  Their homes are mostly unfinished after Ngos were sent away from the country and their meagre support of 60Euros is meant to support the whole family for a month. A widow of Meje with 5 children.
    cinzia_widowsofwar024.jpg
  • In Kosovo, some of the villages like Meje has no men left.  The widows with their children have a difficult life.  Their homes are mostly unfinished after Ngos were sent away from the country and their meagre support of 60Euros is meant to support the whole family for a month. A widow of Meje with 5 children.
    cinzia_widowsofwar022.jpg
  • Ageja Sokoli. Widow of war. Her four sons are still missing and husband were taken away by the serbian police in a night raid.  She has never seen them since. Their bodies have never been found. She is holding a picture of her husband and of herself.
    cinzia_widowsofwar010.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. Often if they have a son, he is going to work at an early age to help out the family.
    cinzia_widowsofwar031.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet.  If they do have sons, they allowed them to take charge in the upkeeping of the family.
    cinzia_widowsofwar030.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar027.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. If they do have sons, they normally take charge in the upkeeping of the family with their mum.  Ngos like Medicos del Mundo have opened workshops rooms where the widows can engage in creating house wares like cloths, towels, etc. by knitting and sewing. They then sell their products. A woman says that overall there is more conformt in being together than in making an income as generally most women in Kosovo know how to sew or knit.
    cinzia_widowsofwar018.jpg
  • In the village of Meje there is no men left. They were taken away by the Serbian police in a night raid. Since then most families don't know where they were taken to.  The official line is that they are missing.
    cinzia_widowsofwar039.jpg
  • In the village of Meje there is no men left. They were taken away by the Serbian police in a night raid. Since then most families don't know where they were taken to.  The official line is that they are missing.
    cinzia_widowsofwar038.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar011.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar036.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar06.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. If they do have sons, they normally take charge in the upkeeping of the family with their mum.  Ngos like Medicos del Mundo have opened workshops rooms where the widows can engage in creating house wares like cloths, towels, etc. by knitting and sewing. They then sell their products. A woman says that overall there is more conformt in being together than in making an income as generally most women in Kosovo know how to sew or knit.
    cinzia_widowsofwar020.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar034.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar035.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar013.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar033.jpg
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    cinzia_widowsofwar031_bw.jpg
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    cinzia_widowsofwar03_bw.jpg
  • Widows of war receive 60Euros for maintenance. With this meagre income they can hardly make ends meet. If they do have sons, they normally take charge in the upkeeping of the family with their mum.  Ngos like Medicos del Mundo have opened workshops rooms where the widows can engage in creating house wares like cloths, towels, etc. by knitting and sewing. They then sell their products. A woman says that overall there is more conformt in being together than in making an income as generally most women in Kosovo know how to sew or knit.
    cinzia_widowsofwar019.jpg
  • There are some villages in Kosovo where there are no men left, being taken from the serbian army and still today many are missing.
    cinzia_widowsofwar016.jpg
  • Ageja Sokoli. Widow of war. Her four sons are still missing and husband were taken away by the serbian police in a night raid.  She has never seen them since. Their bodies have never been found. She is holding a picture of her husband.
    cinzia_widowsofwar09.jpg
  • Widows of war in Kosovo.  After the war, some of villages like Meje have no men left.  Many widows have no means of sustainment.  Ngos assisted the widows in rebuilding their homes.  However, the Ngos support has diminuished to null after they have been moved to  Iraq and Afghanistan.  This decision has left the widows in unfinished homes and no one to turn to for any support.
    cinzia_widowsofwar032.jpg
  • A father stands in front of the grave of his son being killed during the war in the Balkans.
    cinzia_widowsofwar015.jpg
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  • For years most women live in a limbo. They write letters, go out to demand justice but they have so far no replies.
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