In
the same instant as NATO declared the Air campaign in Kosovo and Serbia
for ended, the Kosovo refugees who had escaped the genocide and sought
refuge in neighbouring Albania, started a massive return on their
own, back to Kosovo. Humanitarian organisations like UNHCR, begged them to stay
and wait for a more organised return, since no one knew exactly what they could
expect upon return.
A few thousand were persuaded to be transported back home in a more organised way, by the international organisations present in Albania.
This picture is taken in the Northern Albania, upon the arrival of a train to a transit camp, where the refugees were registered and stayed overnight, before resuming the long journey back home by trucks and busses.
The children pictured are looking out of the window of an old train, seeing a colourful mixed scenario of tents, shiny, silver water towers, light masts, Foreign Aid Workers and uniformed NATO soldiers waiting to receive and help them.
The expressions on their tired and dusty faces, varies from the small children's ecstatic joy over the fantastic view upon their arrival, to the elder children's more worried and troubled faces, haunted as they are by thoughts and memories no child should have.
How are we going to eat? Where are we going to sleep? What's to become of us?
Where's mom and dad...