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Massacre of Children – How to cope ?. Torill Tjelflaat Head of Research NTNU Social Research AS The Regional Child Protection Research Unit Trondheim, Norway. NORWAY. Rated by UN as the best country for children to grow up Peaceful and peaceloving country
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Massacre of Children – How to cope? Torill Tjelflaat Head of Research NTNU Social Research AS The Regional Child Protection Research Unit Trondheim, Norway
NORWAY Rated by UN as the best country for children to grow up Peaceful and peaceloving country Children’s interests and rights aretakenseriously Children are the future Emphasis on equality and social security – ”the welfare state” Democracy Opensociety Closenessbetween the official Norway and its population More and more a multi-culturalsociety
On Friday, July 22, 2011, the unthinkable happened in Norway as the country suffered its deadliest attack since the Second World War. First, a car bomb was set off outside a government building in the capital of Oslo that housed the prime minister's office, killing eight people. Soon afterwards a group of young people who were attending a youth camp sponsored by the ruling Labour Party was attacked by a lone gun man.
The massacre at the camp left 69 dead and nearly 100 wounded. Many of them children under the age of 18. The youngest one was 14.
The Presentation In this presentation, I will reflect upon how Norway managed to cope with this tragedy, both on the societal and personal levels. Which “survival strategies” were used? How can we understand the apparently unifying effect the tragedy had on the people of Norway? I will focus on: CARE OPENNESS COURAGE
THE MESSAGE Om én mann kan vise så mye hat tenk hvor mye kjærlighet vi alle kan vise sammen» Helle Gannestad "If one man can create that much hate, you can only imagine how much love we as a togetherness can create” Stine Renate Håheims iconic commentary to CNN (July 24th. 2011)
OPENNESS Giving the victims ”a face” Individual Stories Families Friends Future plans Funerals
COURAGE I My Scares is a symbol that Democracy is not for free (the youngestsurvivor – shotfour times)
ONE STORY Ylva wasonly 14 years old whenshewas on the island, and she is the youngestwitness in court. Shecalled the gunman a coward and lookedhiminto his eyes. At the island, shewas first shot in her stomach and shoulder, and then a shot in each leg. Shewascertainshewould die: ”I waited for the dark or the light – in moviespeople die afteroneshot – whyshould I survive with four?” Howevershesurvived, butverybadlywounded. The family was not certainshewouldmanage. Theydesperatelysearch for her, and shewas the last one to be found. In court, Ylva toldabout all the muscles in her legs damaged by gunshots. Sheshowed her scars from the shots. ”I have no problems showing my scars. I look at them as a victory, and I exposethem with dignity.”
Going beyond anybody’s imagination, death came brutally upon us without a warning. It changed society and it changed our people, but in all its ugliness, it paradoxically also brought life and hope for the future. The citizens of Oslo and elsewhere in Norway gathered in our capital. The streets filled with 200 000 children, parents, and grandparents who had turned up to listen to our Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg. He declared that “we do not let fear break us. Evil may kill a human being, but will never defeat a people.” He went on “Norway will pass the test, applying the strongest of all weapons; with the free word and democracy, we will chart the course after 22nd July 2011.” He concluded “More openness, more democracy, firmness and strength. That is us. That is Norway.” (Roger Ingebrigtsen, State Secretary - speech in UN).
