Comments on: Sabra and Shatila MASSACRE (16-17 September 1982) http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/ Because Silence is Complicity! Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:10:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christof Lehmannhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-189708 Christof Lehmann Wed, 19 Jul 2006 23:02:53 +0000 /?p=217#comment-189708 Dear Robin. Thank you once again for your reply. Since you intend to write to our mail address, sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com , I will reply in moore general termes here, and I am looking forward to hearing from you to discuss details. Thank you again because, as a survivor of the atrocities commited in the Sabra Shatila refugee camps in 82, it is heartwarming to read your words and to see that there still are people out there who do still care. I usually do not have the habit to count days of sadness, or weeks, or years, but yes, next year it will be 25 years ago the massacre happened, and yes, we both were young and most probably rather naive then. On the other hand, my naivity has in many ways allowed me to be as idealistic as I was in 1982, and after the massacre I spent years of desorentation, trying to build a life, somehow, trying to find some normal structures that could help me combine those memories, which did not seem to fit into any schemata of normality with, building a more or less normal, happy and not to depressing life. It also took years to get back to the idealism I had in 82, when I went to Beirut as a young man, answering to the invitation of a young Palestinian from Syria, who was attached to the Ahmed Jibril fraction of the PFLP, imagining how I could help people in the camps with my idealism and my wish to help them through the psychological trauma of being a refugee, in a refugee camp, and still besieged in a situation of civil war. I could hardly imagine that I would end up fighting for their lives as well as my own with a rifle in my hands, being overpowered by haubitzer fire, airial attacks and snipers,(in the early stages - the street to street butchering came later) ending up being hit by shrapnell, almost bleeding to death, loosing my friend and after I was patched up in the Gaza Hospital and came out of there, shortly before it was overrun, seeing how the situation had developed, hiding to hang on to my bare life, I sometimes wonder how I could not loose my sanity too. Still, I did not have to live in the camps after the massacre. I went back to the safety of Europe, leaving Beirut and the people there to their own fate. A fate that was already miserable before the massacre. As you mentioned it yourself and as you have witnessed it. And still, people there are living in the poorest and most repulsing of conditions, with nothing but the unperishable hope that they one day may return to their ancestoral land. And this hope is probably giving them the resilliance to go on copeing with open sewers, lousy and cramped living conditions, with not being welcome in the land they are in as well as not being able to return to Palestine. (Andas I am writing this, being under attack from Israeli fighters and cannon fire " again") You can easily see how little they feel at home or at ease in the camps by looking at the mass grave. Ellen Siegel, who came to Beirut as a young nurse from the USA then, once wrote " even the massgrave, which in our country would have been declared hollowed ground, is regulary turning into a garbage place". Quoted from memory. But what does it tell me, and what to do? Having found the strength to engage in establishing the campaign, I do have two purposes or goals. 1) To commemorate the 25th Black September, next year, in a manner that will make the campaign then as memorable, as the massacre was an appaling example of what humaniy is able to do to their own kind, our own kind. Afterwards I would like to see, if this campaign can continue, maybe by raising a fund for a Real Memorial", at the mass grave, which will not invite to being used as garbage dump. 2) In one way or another to guarante, that the survivors of the massacre and their relatives finally have a chance to get the psychosocial treatment, which they should have been offered only fare too long time ago already. Regarding the finances. It is a good idea, partially to finace this psychosocial treatment for survivors and their relatives via donations. I will work on that aspect too. As it is now it would just be premature to begin collecting donations and funds. The campaign should be a little bit more established first. As it is now, I am already havng fare to much work with it, and if to speak about collecting funds, I want to make sure, that there is a structure, that can guarantee a purposeful use of funds and guard funds against being abused. I would, never the less be glad to hear any proposals you have regarding funding, as well as I would be glad for any kind of participation from you, and amoungst an eventually broader audience, "also from YOU". One reason why I am so interested in establishing this self - help groups as well as offers for psychosocial treatment, is becaus I know, that a stronger networking amongst survivors would have prevented much of the desorientation that comes from being isolated with a trauma such as surviving a massacre. Self help groups are good for bulding such support networks that can help coping with the worst problems, and they are a superb base for therapy groups. I know, that I have had benefit from therapy, and I know, that most other survivors never had a chance to afford any kind of psychological traetment for their psychotrauma. Many of the family conflicts and broken lives that result from untreated trauma, as well as the internalisation of the external struggle, into society can be prevented with such treatment, and I simply cannot find any reason why it would not be a high priority goal to achieve. Besides, I am a psychologist myself, and have experience in working with conflict related psychotrauma and traumatic stress. It only is natural, that I want to help in a manner, that involves my professional skills. Compared to 1982, I will probably be able to help with a lower degree of naivity, more experience and still with plenty of "refound" idealism. For others who may read this, if you think you would like to help with either the campaign to commemorate the 25th year after the massacre, in September 2007, or you wish to contribute with ideas, time or ideas for funding in respect to the establishment of psychosocial treatment for survivors and their families, please feel free to contact mme at sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com I am looking forward to hearing from you. And YOU, Christof Lehmann Psychologist MPsych Campaign Manager Sabra Shatila Campaign sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com Dear Robin.
Thank you once again for your reply. Since you intend to write to our mail address, sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com , I will reply in moore general termes here, and I am looking forward to hearing from you to discuss details. Thank you again because, as a survivor of the atrocities commited in the Sabra Shatila refugee camps in 82, it is heartwarming to read your words and to see that there still are people out there who do still care. I usually do not have the habit to count days of sadness, or weeks, or years, but yes, next year it will be 25 years ago the massacre happened, and yes, we both were young and most probably rather naive then. On the other hand, my naivity has in many ways allowed me to be as idealistic as I was in 1982, and after the massacre I spent years of desorentation, trying to build a life, somehow, trying to find some normal structures that could help me combine those memories, which did not seem to fit into any schemata of normality with, building a more or less normal, happy and not to depressing life.

It also took years to get back to the idealism I had in 82, when I went to Beirut as a young man, answering to the invitation of a young Palestinian from Syria, who was attached to the Ahmed Jibril fraction of the PFLP, imagining how I could help people in the camps with my idealism and my wish to help them through the psychological trauma of being a refugee, in a refugee camp, and still besieged in a situation of civil war. I could hardly imagine that I would end up fighting for their lives as well as my own with a rifle in my hands, being overpowered by haubitzer fire, airial attacks and snipers,(in the early stages – the street to street butchering came later) ending up being hit by shrapnell, almost bleeding to death, loosing my friend and after I was patched up in the Gaza Hospital and came out of there, shortly before it was overrun, seeing how the situation had developed, hiding to hang on to my bare life, I sometimes wonder how I could not loose my sanity too.

Still, I did not have to live in the camps after the massacre. I went back to the safety of Europe, leaving Beirut and the people there to their own fate. A fate that was already miserable before the massacre. As you mentioned it yourself and as you have witnessed it.

And still, people there are living in the poorest and most repulsing of conditions, with nothing but the unperishable hope that they one day may return to their ancestoral land. And this hope is probably giving them the resilliance to go on copeing with open sewers, lousy and cramped living conditions, with not being welcome in the land they are in as well as not being able to return to Palestine. (Andas I am writing this, being under attack from Israeli fighters and cannon fire ” again”)

You can easily see how little they feel at home or at ease in the camps by looking at the mass grave. Ellen Siegel, who came to Beirut as a young nurse from the USA then, once wrote ” even the massgrave, which in our country would have been declared hollowed ground, is regulary turning into a garbage place”. Quoted from memory.

But what does it tell me, and what to do?
Having found the strength to engage in establishing the campaign, I do have two purposes or goals.
1) To commemorate the 25th Black September, next year, in a manner that will make the campaign then as memorable, as the massacre was an appaling example of what humaniy is able to do to their own kind, our own kind. Afterwards I would like to see, if this campaign can continue, maybe by raising a fund for a Real Memorial”, at the mass grave, which will not invite to being used as garbage dump.
2) In one way or another to guarante, that the survivors of the massacre and their relatives finally have a chance to get the psychosocial treatment, which they should have been offered only fare too long time ago already.
Regarding the finances. It is a good idea, partially to finace this psychosocial treatment for survivors and their relatives via donations. I will work on that aspect too. As it is now it would just be premature to begin collecting donations and funds. The campaign should be a little bit more established first. As it is now, I am already havng fare to much work with it, and if to speak about collecting funds, I want to make sure, that there is a structure, that can guarantee a purposeful use of funds and guard funds against being abused.

I would, never the less be glad to hear any proposals you have regarding funding, as well as I would be glad for any kind of participation from you, and amoungst an eventually broader audience, “also from YOU”.

One reason why I am so interested in establishing this self – help groups as well as offers for psychosocial treatment, is becaus
I know, that a stronger networking amongst survivors would have prevented much of the desorientation that comes from being isolated with a trauma such as surviving a massacre. Self help groups are good for bulding such support networks that can help coping with the worst problems, and they are a superb base for therapy groups.

I know, that I have had benefit from therapy, and I know, that most other survivors never had a chance to afford any kind of psychological traetment for their psychotrauma. Many of the family conflicts and broken lives that result from untreated trauma, as well as the internalisation of the external struggle, into society can be prevented with such treatment, and I simply cannot find any reason why it would not be a high priority goal to achieve. Besides, I am a psychologist myself, and have experience in working with conflict related psychotrauma and traumatic stress. It only is natural, that I want to help in a manner, that involves my professional skills. Compared to 1982, I will probably be able to help with a lower degree of naivity, more experience and still with plenty of “refound” idealism.

For others who may read this, if you think you would like to help with either the campaign to commemorate the 25th year after the massacre, in September 2007, or you wish to contribute with ideas, time or ideas for funding in respect to the establishment of psychosocial treatment for survivors and their families, please feel free to contact mme at sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com

I am looking forward to hearing from you.
And YOU,

Christof Lehmann
Psychologist MPsych
Campaign Manager Sabra Shatila Campaign
sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com

]]> By: Robinhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-189298 Robin Wed, 19 Jul 2006 12:05:26 +0000 /?p=217#comment-189298 Dear Christof, I am not Palestinian or Arab by origin. I arrived in Beirut in March of 1975, approximately two weeks before the outbreak, the very beginning of the civil war there. I was married to a Saudi. My sister-in-law is the one who took me to Shatilla while she was doing her studies for public health at AUB. Her best friend lived in an apartment a stones throw from Shatilla. I will never in my lifetime forget the sad conditions that I witnessed there, BEFORE the massacre. I was very young, only 20, and very very naive. I was told it was a refugee camp. In my naivity I asked, "When do the people get to return home? What arrangements are being made for these people because these living conditions are not acceptable." As an American from a middle class family I just could not believe what I saw. But the spirit, the kindness, the gratitude and the hospitality from these people who lived there will also never leave my memory. As I began to learn what had caused their situation, and as the civil war broke out, I came to know that their mere presence in Lebanon was not welcomed by most Lebanese. It seemed many of the Lebanese wanted them gone. They felt they were the source of many problems, ie, vis a vis Israel and the threat they incurred. This was the beginning of my long journey of learning about the plight of the Palestinians. Only two years prior to this the Yom Kipper (as it is referred to here in the States) had occured. As Americans, myself very young, we cheered as the Israelis pounded the Arabs again. I did not have a single clue as to why we should be cheering, I just went along with everyone else here and applauded the Israeli victory. It was through my personal, eyewitness experience and study that I came to learn the truth. When the Sabra and Shatilla massacres occured I by then understood completely the circumstances surrounding all the parties. That the Israelis had guarded the camp while the Philangists entered and massacred hundreds was one of the saddest most evil days which ever happened. But I also knew this was but one more incident, in a long line of incidents, in which innocent Palestinians had been massacred. Deir Yassin, and many others. Still others after Sabra and Shatilla. These cannot be denied, the numbers cannot be argued to downplay the truth that these massacres occured. That the world does not know this, that the world continues to cheer as Palestinians are tossed around, made to live miserable lives and given no hope and killed is a modern tragedy. We are living our own history as it will become right now. It is NOW that the world is conttinuing and creating the legacy of the tragedy of the Palestinian people. We cannot say that we did not know, that we were to busy to care, that the people are not worth caring for because like us, like every other living being on this Earth, they are equal in every way as children of our creator. It is a sin against humanity. It is a sin against God. If there is anything that I could do to help you, as an American who was not personally involved yet very deeply concerned with your cause, I will do so. I just noticed you have an email address above so I will contact you there. I am also hoping that there might be something you can offer here for others to help with, donations and such. As the survivors of Sabra and Shatilla, as the survivors of all of the refugee camp incidents, these people need to know that the world cares for them and is doing something for them out of the love in their hearts which God placed there as the tool to do his own work for our fellow man. Dear Christof,
I am not Palestinian or Arab by origin. I arrived in Beirut in March of 1975, approximately two weeks before the outbreak, the very beginning of the civil war there. I was married to a Saudi.
My sister-in-law is the one who took me to Shatilla while she was doing her studies for public health at AUB. Her best friend lived in an apartment a stones throw from Shatilla. I will never in my lifetime forget the sad conditions that I witnessed there, BEFORE the massacre. I was very young, only 20, and very very naive. I was told it was a refugee camp. In my naivity I asked, “When do the people get to return home? What arrangements are being made for these people because these living conditions are not acceptable.” As an American from a middle class family I just could not believe what I saw. But the spirit, the kindness, the gratitude and the hospitality from these people who lived there will also never leave my memory. As I began to learn what had caused their situation, and as the civil war broke out, I came to know that their mere presence in Lebanon was not welcomed by most Lebanese. It seemed many of the Lebanese wanted them gone. They felt they were the source of many problems, ie, vis a vis Israel and the threat they incurred. This was the beginning of my long journey of learning about the plight of the Palestinians. Only two years prior to this the Yom Kipper (as it is referred to here in the States) had occured. As Americans, myself very young, we cheered as the Israelis pounded the Arabs again. I did not have a single clue as to why we should be cheering, I just went along with everyone else here and applauded the Israeli victory. It was through my personal, eyewitness experience and study that I came to learn the truth. When the Sabra and Shatilla massacres occured I by then understood completely the circumstances surrounding all the parties. That the Israelis had guarded the camp while the Philangists entered and massacred hundreds was one of the saddest most evil days which ever happened. But I also knew this was but one more incident, in a long line of incidents, in which innocent Palestinians had been massacred. Deir Yassin, and many others. Still others after Sabra and Shatilla. These cannot be denied, the numbers cannot be argued to downplay the truth that these massacres occured. That the world does not know this, that the world continues to cheer as Palestinians are tossed around, made to live miserable lives and given no hope and killed is a modern tragedy. We are living our own history as it will become right now. It is NOW that the world is conttinuing and creating the legacy of the tragedy of the Palestinian people. We cannot say that we did not know, that we were to busy to care, that the people are not worth caring for because like us, like every other living being on this Earth, they are equal in every way as children of our creator. It is a sin against humanity. It is a sin against God.
If there is anything that I could do to help you, as an American who was not personally involved yet very deeply concerned with your cause, I will do so. I just noticed you have an email address above so I will contact you there. I am also hoping that there might be something you can offer here for others to help with, donations and such. As the survivors of Sabra and Shatilla, as the survivors of all of the refugee camp incidents, these people need to know that the world cares for them and is doing something for them out of the love in their hearts which God placed there as the tool to do his own work for our fellow man.

]]> By: Christof Lehmannhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-189261 Christof Lehmann Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:25:17 +0000 /?p=217#comment-189261 Dear Robin, You have been in Beirut in 1975, so was your sister. I can figure that you are Lebanese or Palestinian of origin. Let me inform you about my undivided and wholehearted solidarity with you, against the Zionist aggression which is in progree at the time. This naturally must bring up some unpleasant memories in you and your sister, as well as it brings a lot of scars closer to the surface with me. Today, we are arranging a solidarity demonstration against the Israeli aggression in the Palestinian Territories and lebanon in Copenhagen, ?hus and ?borg / Denmark. We will be lighting a torch for every casualty of the current aggression. On behalf of the Sabra Shatila Campaign and the Danish Palestinian Friendship Association , be assured of our full solidarity. Christof Dear Robin,
You have been in Beirut in 1975, so was your sister. I can figure that you are Lebanese or Palestinian of origin. Let me inform you about my undivided and wholehearted solidarity with you, against the Zionist aggression which is in progree at the time.
This naturally must bring up some unpleasant memories in you and your sister, as well as it brings a lot of scars closer to the surface with me.
Today, we are arranging a solidarity demonstration against the Israeli aggression in the Palestinian Territories and lebanon in Copenhagen, ?hus and ?borg / Denmark. We will be lighting a torch for every casualty of the current aggression.
On behalf of the Sabra Shatila Campaign and the Danish Palestinian Friendship Association , be assured of our full solidarity.

Christof

]]> By: Christof Lehmannhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-189256 Christof Lehmann Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:14:31 +0000 /?p=217#comment-189256 Dear Robin, Thank you a lot for your support and your prayers. For many people prayers do help. Only problem is, that prayers do not help us get the treatment for the psychotrauma we have sustained. I am rather privileged in this respect, because I am a psychologist myself, but the vast majority of survivors and their relatives have never ever had the chance to get any form of psychosocal treatment. This is ONE of the long term goals of the camoaign.And prayers do , in my opinion not save us from the same attrocities being committed again. Right now the IDF is shelling Western Beirut and the South of Lebanon. Please do not see this remark as any critics about prayers. What I do want to say is, tha I would be glad to hear from you again if you would not mind and could try to help making this campaign successfull, wherever you are. Under any circumstance, thank you for moal supprt. Christof Lehmann Psychologist MPsych sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com Dear Robin, Thank you a lot for your support and your prayers. For many people prayers do help. Only problem is, that prayers do not help us get the treatment for the psychotrauma we have sustained. I am rather privileged in this respect, because I am a psychologist myself, but the vast majority of survivors and their relatives have never ever had the chance to get any form of psychosocal treatment. This is ONE of the long term goals of the camoaign.And prayers do , in my opinion not save us from the same attrocities being committed again. Right now the IDF is shelling Western Beirut and the South of Lebanon.
Please do not see this remark as any critics about prayers. What I do want to say is, tha I would be glad to hear from you again if you would not mind and could try to help making this campaign successfull, wherever you are.
Under any circumstance, thank you for moal supprt.

Christof Lehmann
Psychologist MPsych

sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com

]]> By: Robinhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-180578 Robin Sat, 08 Jul 2006 18:06:55 +0000 /?p=217#comment-180578 Dear Christof, What a beautiful and long overdue needed thing you are doing. I am an American who lived in Beirut in 1975 during the beginning of the civil war. My ex-sister-in-law (Saudi) was attending AUB at the time studying public health. I went with her to Shatilla and saw the horrendous circumstances there BEFORE the massacres. That you have survived this and come out wishing to help others is a gift only God can give through human hands. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers that you are successful in reaching victims and helping them. God bless you in your work. Masalama. Dear Christof,
What a beautiful and long overdue needed thing you are doing. I am an American who lived in Beirut in 1975 during the beginning of the civil war. My ex-sister-in-law (Saudi) was attending AUB at the time studying public health. I went with her to Shatilla and saw the horrendous circumstances there BEFORE the massacres. That you have survived this and come out wishing to help others is a gift only God can give through human hands. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers that you are successful in reaching victims and helping them. God bless you in your work. Masalama.

]]> By: Sabra Shatila Campaignhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-180565 Sabra Shatila Campaign Sat, 08 Jul 2006 16:34:44 +0000 /?p=217#comment-180565 SABRA SHATILA CAMPAIGN sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com SKYPE : lehmannmpsych SABRA SHATILA CAMPAIGN
sabrashatilacampaign@gmail.com
SKYPE : lehmannmpsych

]]> By: Sabra Shatila Campaignhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-180564 Sabra Shatila Campaign Sat, 08 Jul 2006 16:33:31 +0000 /?p=217#comment-180564 The Sabra Shatila Campaign is now arranging an international campaign, to commemorate the 25th Black September, september 2007. We also attemt to establish self help groups for survivors as well as we try to establish offers for psychosocial councelling and psychotherapy for survivors and their families. The Sabra Shatila Campaign is now arranging
an international campaign, to commemorate the 25th Black September, september 2007.
We also attemt to establish self help groups for survivors as well as we try to establish offers for psychosocial councelling and psychotherapy for survivors and their families.

]]> By: Christof Lehmannhttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2004/09/16/sabra-and-shatila-m-a-s-s-a-c-r-e-16-17-september-1982/#comment-97211 Christof Lehmann Thu, 04 May 2006 10:10:41 +0000 /?p=217#comment-97211 1982 i had just graduated from Moscow University, Psychology. My friend Naadim invited me to come to Sabra. All progressive forces were needed he said. He was at my age and member of the PFLP-GC. I went to Beirut and we were living in the house of some friends until the massacre. Nadim was wounded and shot. I was taken for dead and survived. The rest is history. What really bothers me is that many or most other survivors never really have had a chance to get proper treatment for their trauma. Even though I got good , professional treatment, much of my life, until now, turned into a constant uphill battle. Next, I am very isolated with the trauma of 82 and would like to have more contact to other survivors. Finally i think it is imperative to establish proper psychosocial treatment fascilities in all the camps of Lebanon. One study after the other has resulted in nothing else but a confirmation and reconfirmation of the obvious but little real progress has been made. 1982 i had just graduated from Moscow University, Psychology. My friend Naadim invited me to come to Sabra. All progressive forces were needed he said. He was at my age and member of the PFLP-GC. I went to Beirut and we were living in the house of some friends until the massacre. Nadim was wounded and shot. I was taken for dead and survived. The rest is history. What really bothers me is that many or most other survivors never really have had a chance to get proper treatment for their trauma. Even though I got good , professional treatment, much of my life, until now, turned into a constant uphill battle. Next, I am very isolated with the trauma of 82 and would like to have more contact to other survivors. Finally i think it is imperative to establish proper psychosocial treatment fascilities in all the camps of Lebanon. One study after the other has resulted in nothing else but a confirmation and reconfirmation of the obvious but little real progress has been made.

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