100 WORDS: Voice of the victims of terrorism
The testimonials, the voice of the victims,
in 100 words the impact of what they lived through
Theme: social cohesion and terrorism
SOCIAL COHESION AND TERRORISM FRANS WILLEM WINKEL 7
VOICE OF THE VICTIMS FRITS SCHIPPERS 19
TERRORISM AND THE STRENGTH OF VICTIMS ERNST HIRSCH BALLIN 31
“VNet: The Voice of the Victims in Europe” aims to provide the necessary framework for the exchange of different experiences, emotions, demands and testimonials of victims of terrorism in the European Union.
We want to raise awareness in European society, and we work to achieve a real improvement of the legal, social and psychological support to victims of terrorism and to achieve a real improvement of the status of victims of terrorism.
European laws should meet the real needs of victims of terrorism, and as a necessary step to achieve these goals, the Voice of the Victims should be heard. The European Network of the Victims of terrorism should become a solid and efficient speaker with the European Commis-sion and with the member States.
European Network Voice of the Victims
Impact is the Dutch knowledge & advice center for post-disaster psychosocial care. The objec-tive of Impact is encouraging high quality and well-organised post-disaster psychosocial care. Impact’s goal is to compile experience and scientific knowledge, making it available to and meaningful for a variety of target groups including victims and victim organisations and promoting cooperation between the parties involved.
Since 9/11, the Bali-bombings, M 11 and luly 7, terrorism has become a major perceived threat in the lives of Europeans. Therefore Impact compiled a lot of knowledge on the consequences of terrorism on victims, made it concrete in fact sheets for victims and professionals, and started the EU-funded project ‘Citizens & Resilience, the balance between awareness and fear’. Impact developed a document for professional relief workers about what to do after a terrorist attack. For children specific material was developed: a musical and teaching material on how to cope with threats. Impact has developed a format for a public campaign with a Symbol of psychologi-cal counterterrorism: a light. The Symbol was launched in 2007 to support the commemoration day, The European Day for Victims of Terrorism, that unites Europeans and fosters solidarity within the European Community, in cooperation with VNet.
Impact participates in VNet to empathise with the victims of terrorism, to make the professional EU-network available for victims and victim-organisations and to support them with services based on the latest scientific knowledge, best practices and newly developed products.
Impact, the Dutch knowledge & advice centre for post-disaster psychosocial care
Social cohesion is a basic European value
The “Founding fathers of Europe” sought to enhance social cohesion among citizens, making tolerance and respect basic European values. These are also key features of social cohesion. Terrorism aims to undermine these values and is therefore a major threat to social cohesion.
Terrorism enforces the creation of in- and out-groups: ‘us and them’. Social cohesion is threat-ened by the collective exclusion of out-group members - often based on trivial criteria.
Challenges for (opinion) leaders
Labelling terrorism in terms of a clash between ingroup and outgroup civilizations has a dramatic impact on cohesion (e.g “you are either with us or with the terrorists”). This only helps terro-rists to achieve their goal. Communication should, instead, be focused on starting a dialogue.
‘They that sou’ the wind shall reap the whirlwhid”
Professor in Victimology
One Heart Global is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of terror with their long-term psychological and physical recovery. It has been founded by Sarri Singer and Jakob Kimchy, both victims of terrorism. They have shared their impressive, emotional and very per-sonal stories, not only considering the direct impact of the actual events, but also its effect on their relationship with society.
“0//r vision is to kring victims of terrorism from around the ii ’orld to the same table. To listen. To help. And also to cry. One Heart Global is dedicated to educate society and to help them un der stand ii’hat is behind the words ‘victim of terror’. ”
“/ boarded the number 14 bus irh/ch was verj juli. I saw two emptj seats in the front section and decided to sit down, but instead of taking the aisle seat, like I normally would have, I moved in next to the window, a choice thatI know ifl hadn’t made I would not be here today.
I screamed so loud that a stranger heard my cries and ran toward the mangled bus and pulled me out.
I will never forget the kindness and love that was shown to me bj those ii’hom I had never met.
Ajierpersonally going through a terrorist attack, I found that society as a whole initiallj is very sjmpathetic. But after the media fades, society goes about their lives while victims are still dealing with the long-term effects. There is not a day that goes bj that I do not suffer pain and anguish from iièat was supposed to be a short bus ride to meet a friend for dinner and ended up being one of 'Israël's largest bus bombings.
Terrorism does not discriminate — it can happen anjwhere at anjtime and it is not just our responsibilitj as victims or those that work with victims, but it needs to be the responsibilitj of'governments, organi^ations and com-munities to kring about social cohesion. ”
“/ had the honor to knon> my fatherfor almost 25years. My father was a sensitive, warm, kind, loving man, with beautiful blue eyes and a big, big smile.
He taught me that we need to help those who can’t help themsebes. He always welcomedpeople with a smile. He had a lot of patience, was a good listener and always gave bis best advice to who ever asked for it. Andpeople did.
I can ’t even describe in ii’ords how hard it is to live every day without my father and to know how he was murdered. It is a nightmare that has no end.
But despite all this pain, our enemy should know that they can ’t break our spirit and soul. Forever, m will standproud with our values for life, freedom and love.
The Israëli society is very involved in giving help to terror victims.
But the question is — Hoiv can there be social cohesion when there is not a complete understanding for the needs of terror victims?
Society needs to reali^e that someone who has lost a family member in a terrorist attack or was injured can be dealing with trauma for many years.
We didn ’t choose to be victims, we didn ’t choose to be under attack or to lose a family member, but it’s in our hands to improve the cohesion between victims and society. ’’
What is needed to maximise the impact of the victim’s voice
The question how victims and their representatives can contribute to social cohesion is a dif-ficult one to answer. A variety of answers was given duriiig the group discussions. Several of the elements mentioned by the delegates from different countries, are considered necessary at every thinkable scale level, ranging from local to international communities:
• victim involvement or participation in networks
• raising media attention, ereating public awareness
• acknowledgement and responsibility taken by governments; focus on victims, not only on perpetrators
• education on trauma and support, on listening to the victim’s voice
• equal treatment and access to support for all victims
There are important challenges any society must overcome to fully make use of the potential the victim’s voice has to offer. The voice must be positioned within society, it must be remembered. Ways must be found to try and connect to people. Make them understand trauma and how people are affected by it. Listen to victims and disseminate and sustain the lessons we can draw from them. Providing assistance on the short term is absolutely necessary yet, make sure that support is maintained on the longer term. Still, one fundamental challenge remains: oppose to the definition of in- and out-groups.
Two hundred and two people died in the Bali-bombings of Saturday the 12th of October 2002; among them, the son and daughter-in-law of Frits Schippers. His life and that of his family changed forever. It took over two months before the bodies of their loved ones were identified and they got certainty about what had happened to them.
Emotional and practical support from family, friends, neighbours and acquain-tances was great. The attention from the media and the govemment, however, faded as it tumed out there were not many Dutch casualties.
In listing the Al Qaeda attacks, the Bali-bombings are often forgotten.
‘We had the feeling that the Bali-bombings had only small importance, that the Bali-victims received no acknowledgement. ”
On the 3rd of June, 1984, Michael Gallagher’s youngest brother, who had joined the Security Forces, was killed in an IRA ambush. At the time, Michael Gallagher thought that was the worst thing that could ever happen to him. Unfortunately, fate struck again. On the 15th of August, 1998, his only son of just 21 was killed by a car bomb, placed by the Real IRA in the city of Omagh, Northern Ireland. Though never politically involved, the proceedings of the two criminal investi-gations spurred Michael Gallagher to become co-founder of Omagh Support. The truth about the terrorist attack had to be told.
A problem in getting support from the community in which he lived was that it supported the republican ideology. Consequently, the community had difficulty accepting the fact that the families of victims started questioning many things that had been handled badly.
‘The friendsyou had bef ore are often not the friendsyou have aft er, because thej don't understandwhatyou are going through. ”
Returning from a mission in Tanzania, Annick Perrine’s husband became a victim of terrorism when on the 6th of April, 1994, terrorists shot down the airplane he shared with the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi at the time. Mr. Perrine was killed.
Support from family, friends and colleagues, but also from the government was great in the beginning. However, today — 15 years after the event — many problems remain unsolved, support for tlie families and their efforts is decreasing, and critique from tlie press is growing. This has led to an increased feeling of isolation. There is an important role for victim or-ganisations to create understanding.
“An organisation of victims can prevent trïvialisation of ii’hat has happened and continue the long-term remembrance, irhich will create bonds irithin the communitj. ”
On the llth of March 2004, Eloy Moran De La Fuente became a victim of tlie terrorist attack in Madrid. It was important for him to join the organisation that was established to help people like him who were on tlie train that was bombed. Not just to provide them with support, but also to make sure that justice will be done; a crucial element for victims.
The sense of compassion and support from Spanish society was great. The citizens of Madrid did not want to forget tliis attack. But still, a dis-crepancy exists between the experience of tlie victims and tlie understan-ding of tlie wider population.
‘The citizens cannot understand nèat m have been through, neither can the gover nment which represents us, irh/ch is why we do not have the same concerns and not all available means are used to obtain justice. ”
In the 1960’s Antonio losa founded the cultural association Caiio Perini on tlie outskirts of Milan. Through this association Antonio losa tried to stimulate dialogue and discussion between the different groups of people living in that area. Unfortunately, his work was not appreciated by all, resulting in an assault by tlie Red Brigade on April 1, 1980. Antonio losa was shot in both legs.
After 29 years, he still suffers from this attack everyday, both physically and mentally.
The most difficult and hurtful thing is that people, loved ones and people in general, do not seem to understand what impact the assault has on him.
“Though family and friends can be big supports, joh are often alone with your pain. ”
Working as a London Metropolitan Police offïcer Pamela Wliite respon-ded to a call concerning a suspected car bomb device on December 17, 1983. Wliat appeared to be a routine check, turned out to be a life-changing event. Though she came out of the IRA car bombing witli no severe physical injuries, Pamela Wliite was affected mentally by tlie incident. She lost confïdence in everyday situations, but was afraid tliat asking for help or support meant risking her job.
Family and friends supported Pamela Wliite in her struggle to come to terms witli what happened and why she survived. Her inner anger did not subside until she had the opportunity to share her story with (former) IRA members and other victims.
“I was ostracised by my colleagms who feit I was trying to gain attention and sympathy and had to change to an other police station”
TERRORISM AND THE STRENGTH OF VICTIMS
Terrorism is targeted against society, but it affects individuals. Even victims chosen deliberately are more or less the target by accident — because they symbolise the values which the terrorists want to destroy. Terrorism takes advantage of existing conflicts and lines of division. Therefore, both at the level of society and for the individual, we must prevent people from living without any real contact, and to ensure that people feel included and respected. This involves combating poverty and creating conditions so that people can participate in society.
After an attack, it is essential that we remain conscious of the things that bind us. Our core European values are: freedom, solidarity, and respect for each other. These are the cornerstones for a peaceful society, and are essential for social cohesion. If a crime is not punished, the injustice remains. A sensible society, however, would not give in to the need for retaliation. Such a society would try not to exclude people, but include them, by showing that they can reach out to each other, in spite of dividing lines. Such a society takes its own values seriously.
‘We shouldfeel inspired bj jour strength. Your strength to be here todaj. Your strength to show us that jou have not been b roken. ”
Dutch Minister of Justice
Children are directly and indirectly exposed to terrorism and natural disasters, which can fill them with fear. The goal of “Impact — The Musical” is to increase resilience in children. It wants to provide them with the appropriate tools to healthily deal with their feelings about possible threats, so they are able to “bounce back”.
The musical and the accompanying teaching material offer children understandable Information on resilience and (historical) backgrounds to terrorism. Moreover, it provides them with the opportunity to express their fears and feelings and playfully learn about positive ways to deal with them.
An intervention for primary schoolchildren
The stories brought by different speakers from different countries, represent the voice of the victims of terrorism. Emotional stories fed by personal experiences and grief. Personal, but with a universal message: listening to the victim’s voice contributes to social cohesion. That is to say, participants of the conference recognised social cohesion as an important concept, affecting the bonds that keep people together. Social cohesion was presented as a basic European value. A ‘social fabric’ based on tolerance and respect, mutual understanding and harmonie interactions. Terrorism threatens this fabric, by making in-groups and out-groups salient. Existing conflicts within society may serve as a catalyst. The victim’s voice can serve as a reminder of the universal values our society is built on. It is an instrument to nourish tolerance and respect. Still, the voice itself must be remembered. This can be done by stimulating the exchange of victim experiences through societies. The victim’s voice must be heard and in this respect its representatives play a crucial role, as well as media, politicians and govemments. Awareness and platforms are needed. Self-organisation guidelines and educational material may assist victims in telling their story and may help communities to understand the personal and universal message.
AMSTERDAM, JUNE 30, 2009
Impact, Dutch knowledge L advice center for post-disaster psychosocial care
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