Today is the 20th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide ……… I made this picture on the border of Rwanda during that time of the slaughter ……….. The genocide and it’s resulting mass migrations is probably still one of the most terrible things I ever covered as a photojournalist ……….. Certainly not something I’m gonna forget in a hurry ……… It’s so terrible to think back even for me …….. And its so terrible and sad to see on news coverage the suffering of people even today as they attend commemorations and think back to those horrific days and the mass deaths of their loved ones.
20 years back I worked on some truly shocking and horrific, sad and memorable stories but there were some great things about the way I worked back then ……. I’m thinking especially the great people that I worked with.
Back then I worked with Marc Jackson he ran the Insight office in London ……. he was at the time one of the only constants in my life ……… he is still a mighty fine guy and great friend …….. and I still miss working with him ……… Today he met me at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam where he now lives ……… its great to see him again ……. one or two jokes about being back in ‘Nam …….. just like the old days :-))))))))))))))
I’m writing this looking out across the roof tops of Saigon :-)))
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
www.jezblog.com
[ 5 ] comments
- Sounds cool…say hi to Marc for me !
Harv.! @ April 8, 2014, 4:35 am
- Yeah having a beer on the roof looking out accross the roofs and higldy pigdley rooftop gardens and new modern towers with an odd mix of pile driver noise of building sites off in the distance and closer by the chanting of a Budhist ceremony (Marc was speculating it was funeral) ….. with the constant of scooter motobikes and folks in the little bars and alleyways …… coming through what was for all that a quiet city scape …….. at gone midnight in the heat of a Saigon night……. with yer old mate Marc J yeah it was a cool way to spend a couple of hours ….. I’ll def say hi to Marc for you…. he is on good form ….. we were laughing about some of those old Insight London dayz of course …… you were there …… I don’t have to tell you half of it was a joke all along hehehehehe :-)))))))))))))))))))))) XXXXXXXCheers bro Jez XXXXXXXXX
Jezblog London :-))))) XXXXX @ April 8, 2014, 5:03 am
- Thats supposed to be from Jezblog Siagon obviously hehehehehe……….Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog Siagon :-))))) XXXXX @ April 8, 2014, 4:29 pm
- Rwanda must have been horific for everyone who had to be part of it, from the people involved to the press like yourself etc.. I know we have had `quick ` conversations about it, and that itself says a lot.. Good to hear your with an old and good friend…Stay Safe Bro xx
PaulS @ April 8, 2014, 2:53 pm
- Yes the obvious distress of relatives looking back at the memorials did hit a bit of a nerve for me but at the end of the day we were just observers those who suffered the extreme fear and shock of the violence and ultimately suffered the deaths of their loved ones really experienced fully the horror of genocide press representatives basically looked on in horror.Yeah its so fab to be in Vietnam and totally brilliant to hang out with me old mate Marc Jacko jackson ……… its great to see yer old friends from time to time you know that bro …… you know i love to see my old friends when i get a chance :-)))))) ……. especially these days i find i am working on my own more …… i miss my old crew :-))))))))))
Cheers bro Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog Siagon :-))))) XXXXX @ April 8, 2014, 4:28 pm
