You probably saw in the news about the bomb blast at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad yesterday. At least 57 people were killed and as many as 230 were injured. No doubt the place was targeted in part because it is a favorite spot among western diplomats. Initial reports I saw said that four Americans from the Embassy were there but made it out alive (one was apparently injured).
I was greatly relieved to hear a friend of mine who is serving there was not among those hurt, and that apparently none of the folks from our embassy were killed (of course, the media never says if locally-hired embassy workers were killed because Americans don't count them as "our people." But all of us in the foreign service do.)
My heart goes out to the Czech mission. Their Ambassador, Ivo Zdarek, who had just arrived in country a month ago, was staying at the hotel and was killed in blast.
You can read more about the attack here.
UPDATE: Reports are now that two American military personel working at the Embassy are among those killed. Our hearts go out to their families.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Today many will experience grief and sorrow for those who have died in the truck bomb in Islamabad, Pakistan at the Marriott Hotel. Disaster grief rings out from the parliament building and the prime minister’s home to the smallest village far out in the distant lands of this proud country. Disaster grief and recovery starts today for them and for others around the world.
For those that are alive, they will begin dealing with grief. Violent deaths are most often complicated grief situations. For many mourners, grief support and grief counseling will help the anguish of coping with grief that they never got to say good bye to their loved one before the truck bomb blast destroyed lives and dreams.
Bomb victims are not only those who die directly from a truck bomb explosion. It also includes all those that now sit at funeral rites, listening to a funeral prayer or grief poems. After the funeral speeches are over, all those who are bomb victims will say good bye to a much too short a time together.
Dr. Terrie Modesto - specialist in disaster grief, individual and community disaster preparation and response with 20+ year’s experience. Author of Train For A Hurricane
http://disastergrief.blogspot.com/
www.trainforahurricane.com
Post a Comment