Sunday May 27, 2012

Rest in peace

Picture expired.
REUTERS

Members of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force salute after preparing the coffin of a victim of the earthquake and tsunami for burial in a temporary mass grave site in Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, on Wednesday.

  • 0

    wanderlust

    Thanks for trying. Must hard to see so many bodies and so few survivors...

  • 0

    smartacus

    It's very poignant that they salute coffins, as if they are saying farewell to fallen comrades.

  • 0

    chinabeachmoon

    A very moving moment. You can almost hear the silence.

  • 0

    kwatt

    All bodies are buried in ground once, and later all will be cremated and returned to families. They have to be buried because of disease and infection.

  • 0

    DukeTakahashi

    Death is a debt we all must pay. ~Euripides

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    Youdontknow

    Euripides was an idiot.

    May all these victims rest in peace.

  • 0

    Ranger_Miffy

    Seems to me that Euripeds is quite, quite on target. It's a moment that needs recognition, which these fine Self Defense forces are providing.

  • 0

    Ilana888

    So sad, RIP you will never be forgotten.

  • 0

    asianTourist

    Life is beginning

  • 0

    sqwak

    @Youdontknow - Euripides was an idiot.

    How so? This is the first time I've heard of him. From his quote here, he did not sound like an idiot to me.

    Are you just joking?

    Moderator: Stay on topic please.

  • 0

    dbuurman

    My heart and prayers go out for all in Japan - this is such a touching picture that brings tears to my eyes. I pray families who lost loved ones can heal and grieve with a lot of support from others closeby and know others in the world are praying for you. God bless you all.

  • 0

    smithinjapan

    Very sad, and very honourable of these SDF to work so hard and give so much physically and mentally (even spiritually, perhaps). Good picture. Sad content, of course, but very moving.

  • 0

    Fadamor

    I find it heartening that, even in the case of impersonal temporary mass graves, the SDF is still trying to provide some sort of "personal service" through the use of privacy screens. While the screen may actually just have a utilitarian purpose in quickly identifying the location of each coffin after the coffins are buried, they could have done that with just a stick between each coffin rather than a plywood screen. A class-act on their part.

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    Gurukun

    I saulute the one's who died as well...RIP

  • 0

    Kwaabish

    These SDF members deserve a whole lot of credit. Prime Minister Yoshida once addressed a graduating class of the defense school that to the effect of "SDF members will work in the shadows in the peacetime and receive very little recognition and work thankless jobs, which is a good thing since that means Japan is at peace; but during times of national emergency, it will be their time to shine..."

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