Events | 2009.11.08
International victims' relatives group aims to curb terrorism
Two relatives of victims of terrorist attacks are launching a support group today which aims to combat extremism by highlighting the universality of losing a loved one in such circumstances.
Carie Lemack is an American who lost her mother in the September 11 attacks and Ashraf al-Khaled is a Jordanian who lost his father, father-in-law and mother-in-law when a suicide bomber attacked the hotel where his wedding reception was taking place in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on 9 November 2005.
That shared experience of having lost loved ones in terrorist attacks will bring them together in Amman to launch Global Survivors Network , an organisation that aims to unite survivors of terrorism from Bali to London.
The organisation is the brainchild of Lemack, who will be in Jordan on the fourth anniversary of the 2005 attacks along with Khaled and people from eight countries affected by terrorism in the last decade.
A tree planting ceremony will be held in the Jordanian capital to mark the fourth anniversary of the Amman attacks, in which more than 60 people were killed, and to launch the network.
Lemack, whose mother was on board American Airlines Flight 11 which crashed into the World Trade Centre, was inspired to form the group after attending a UN symposium for victims of terror, the first event of its kind.
She said: "I found that I had a connection with these people even though they were from totally different backgrounds and many faiths. We had all gone through this unimaginable pain and we all wanted to find a way to make sure that no one else would have to endure what he had.
"Since my mother\'s death I have dedicated my life to trying to find out how we can stop what happened to her happening to anyone else\'s loved ones.
"I realised that one of the best ways was to find a way to get the stories of the survivors and their lost ones out there: you always hear the experts and the stories of the extremists who turned violent but what about the stories of the ones who are senselessly murdered and the ones they leave behind? Where are their stories?"
Although there have been support organisations for the survivors of individual terrorist attacks, what makes GSN unique is that it highlights the global aspect of terrorism and the universal pain of losing a loved one.
"I was raised Jewish," said Lemack "but if you look at the figures the vast majority of those who have been killed in terrorist attacks have been Muslim. When you start hearing the individual stories it becomes really clear that terrorists don\'t care what religion you are, it is just a question of whether you happen to be on that plane or bus or train."
Among those supporting GSN are Gill Hicks who lost both legs below the knees following the 7/7 bombings in London and Tahir Malik, a retired Pakistani army officer, whose wife died last month after a a suicide bomber attacked a UN office in Islamabad.
Lemack accepted that GSN may not be able to reach those who are firmly on the road of extremism but is convinced that showing the human price of terrorism could persuade those who are wavering to turn away from violence.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/09/global-survivors-network-launch
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