While Haviv’s photo of the Serbian paramilitary member kicking a civilian was taken in 1992, its implications as documentation of war crimes has had continued effects beyond the nineties. The photo, which has been mentioned in Time Magazine, NPR, and The New York Times, among other sources, has been analyzed by media outlets. Similarly, these critiques often yield to criticisms of Haviv, rather than merely the photo that he took.
Today, Haviv is credited with capturing a war crime or a genocide, and is primarily looked at in a positive light. He is seen as a hero of sorts, due to his willingness to risk his life to capture moments that reflect the horrific nature of Arkan and his men. In a 2015 interview with Anthony Feinstein of the Canadian Globe And Mail, it is stated: “Twenty years after the photograph was published, Bosnians still respond to Haviv in a way that amazes him. “I’m so happy to meet you … I appreciate everything you did. And then they start crying”’. To that, Haviv’s photos have created a lasting legacy on the Bosnian people. Although he captured gruesome and violent scenes, the Bosnian people still appreciate his work because it helped expose aspects of the war to the rest of the world.
While Haviv’s goal was to expose Arkan’s men and objectively capture what was happening, these efforts may have not been enough to sway the actual indictment of the paramilitary members after the war was over. In the Balkan Transitional Justice, an article titled, Arkan’s Paramilitaries: Tigers Who Escaped Justice, delves into the idea that justice has not been fully restored to the region more than twenty years after Haviv’s photos were taken. The article states, “many believe that Arkan’s men have not been prosecuted because of their leader’s links to Serbian police officials, politicians and organised crime”.
In other modern instances, the photo has become so popular that it has been misappropriated. In a Time Magazine article from 2014, author Josh Raab states that Haviv’s “photo recently went viral on Facebook and Twitter, with a caption claiming it portrayed Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea”. Due to the popularity of the photo and the striking impact that it has on an audience, the photo was easily transformed into a provocative representation of the events of a different era, and place. Although the photo was used to sway an uninformed audience, the visual aspect of the image itself still created a profound impact on its viewers.
To that, it is important that as many people reflect on this image as possible, on the terms that the image is used correctly. The image should be used as a representation of war crimes, and should serve as a reminder of genocide with hope that these actions will not be repeated. As far as critical analysis, I believe that Haviv’s interpretation and opinions of this photo should be held to the highest regard, since he shot the photo in the first place and was present when this occurred. Similarly, articles should focus on the triumph of capturing this photo and the impact that it has had on others, rather than stating that the photo itself was not enough to sway opinion and outcome. While the photo was meant to be influential, a single, objective work cannot be expected to change the world entirely. Rather, it serves as yet another piece of evidence to the atrocities of the world.
Sources:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/capturing-a-war-crime/article25016202/
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/arkan-s-paramilitaries-tigers-who-escaped-justice
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.