We lost another member of our family yesterday in a bombing at our embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Like me, my wife, and all of our colleagues, he was serving our country. He was serving America.
But he wasn't American. He was Turkish, a local guard at our embassy. And this is what I find frustrating. So much attention was paid to when we lost Ambassador Chris Stevens, and rightly so, though often for the wrong reasons. But we regularly lose members of our Foreign Service family in attacks like these. Often, those are members of our local staffs and local guard forces. And Americans quickly move on to the next thing because no American was killed.
But these people are serving you too. They are working to keep you safe too. Often at greater risk to themselves than we diplomats are because of local attitudes regarding working for America. And I can tell you that I am closer to my local staff than I am to many of the Americans I have served with. They are my family.
I did not know the guard who was killed in Ankara, but I mourn him. And I want you to remember him. So here he is.
This is Mustafa Akarsu, a much-loved guard at the American Embassy in Ankara who an innocent victim of yesterday's senseless bombing at the Embassy. He was part of the foreign service family, and we hold him and his family in our prayers. May he rest in peace.
Please remember him.
12 comments:
Thank you.
Thank you for your service Mr. Akarsu. RIP.
Very well said.
Excellent reminder. This frustrates me on a regular basis...thank you!
Beautifully said. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this post. I was so touched by the line "They are my family" and when you introduced Mustafa. Thank you for writing it because it expresses things that I can never successfully explain to my friends and family about my experience working with such people overseas.
Thank you. Well meant, well said and well shared.
Well stated. Mr. Akarsu was working with us and that needs to be remembered and celebrated. The local staff at our Embassies are working for and with us...and should be recognized as part of our family.
It was frustrating that we knew the name of the dirtbag bomber before we knew Akarsu's. He died that others might live.
Uğurlar olsun, brother. RIP.
We should mourn the loss of Mustafa Bey, who gave his life to protect Embassy Ankara. The Foreign Service--all of us--are one family. Ugurlar olsun. D'Arlington
http://webtexans.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/broken-bruised-concerned-but-also-very-thankful/ Just wanted to let you know that I linked to you. Again, thank you for helping to honor our local guard and his sacrifice to keep the mission in Ankara safe. We owe him a huge debt.
I'm glad to have found your blog. In particular, I loved your post on the Ankara guard, Mustafa Akursi, who lost his life on Friday. My parents served in Turkey from 1993-95. According to friend who served twice in Ankara, Mr Akursi worked for the Embassy for 20 years... which means he started right around the same time my parents did.
So Mr. Akursi, thank you for helping to keep my parents and their colleagues safe. And for all your service for all these years.
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