What I read in the papers, I have deep respect for the people living in the area of the disaster.
That respect, i believe, is reciprocated.
These are villagers from around the crash site. They gathered to hold an impromptu religious ceremony for the victims.
I am posting these pics because they are the first pics i have seen about MH17 that has softened the scowl on my face. I had a very teeny 'ahh' moment. They may be a rough looking bunch because, I am sure, life is not a stroll in the park for them. They gathered in their Sunday best with their home made floral tributes to pay their respects to those passengers who were complete strangers to them. No pomp, no fuss, they didn't invite the press. No money. They just wanted to do something for the victims.
This is my favourite picture.
As she sobs into her roughly cut flowers. Her hands look like they have seen a few days of hard graft.
These ladies have vowed to return every year out of respect for the dead. These people are poor and have nothing to give but they managed to give so much.
Indeed. Photos of grieving Ukrainians have been in the newspapers here a lot.
Today there was an interview with a woman, her house damaged, because someone fell on it from above. She welcomed family of the victims to come and grief, they could stay in her bed if need be. That is, if her house would still be standing, she had no idea, with this war going on.
A major of a town was looking for reliable ways to get personal belongings back to where they had to be. He had taken them to keep them safe, to make sure that they could be returned to family. It was no looting what he had done, it was keeping safe. He also hoped relatives would be allowed to come over and grief.
I think it would be good and healing, both for the relatives of the people who got killed, as for the people living in the crash-area.
