"It is sad and unnecessary that any of these photographs exist.
Most of the events chronicled here can be attributed directly to mankind’s greed, intolerance, prejudice, inhumanity, lust for political power, and sheer stupidity. The siege of Sarajevo, ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, famine in Sudan, AIDS in Africa, devastated post 9/11 New Yorkers – generations of lives needlessly wasted.
The people portrayed in the preceding pages are heroes. Real heroes, unlike those shallow icons from the worlds of cinema, fashion, or football, so carefully manufactured to sell movies, newspapers, cars, and sunglasses.
Innocent people trapped and battered by circumstances beyond their control. Ordinary humans in extraordinary situations, displaying immense courage, sacrifice, dignity, and the determination to survive what has befallen them and their loved ones.
So don’t feel sorry when you look at these pictures – feel angry that we need to be reminded of such folly.
It is sad but necessary that these photographs exist."
So says the afterword for Tom Stoddart's book 'iWITNESS', first published in 2004. A brilliant but, at times, harrowing visual account of some of the great human tragedies of the past twenty years, both natural and man-made.
I have looked through the pages of this book and as the afterword suggests I did feel angry and very moved by these powerful images that should not exist. But did they inspire me to take any direct action? The honest answer is no, my response to these images went no further than my feelings of anger, sadness and helplessness.
I also found myself asking "what good do these images really do?"
It seems on the surface the answer is 'not much' as the same things appear to happen over and over again to innocent people all over the world.
The people responsible for many of these events would most likely view images like these as proof of their success, as reasons to celebrate.
For many of us living in the 'first world' we view them as further confirmation of 'other' societies inhumanity to their fellow human beings. We do not see them as pictures of us or even people like us, they are from somewhere else far away.
One thing I think a photograph has difficulty doing is creating a strong sense of empathy in the viewer for the circumstance portrayed in the image. Unless of course there is some kind of personal connection.
It is like seeing someone in a wheelchair in the street. Sure we can be sad for the person but unless we know someone in that situation personally or have experienced it ourselves then we cannot really 'feel' what it must be like.
I think these images are important and we need to see them as often as there are conflicts and events that cause them to be taken. And we need people like Tom Stoddart to take these pictures, at great personal risk, so we cannot pretend that this is not happening to people just like us, every minute of every day in many parts of our world.
You can see a gallery of images from iWITNESS here.
Let me know your thoughts.