Despair in Jenin: Who Will Listen, Who Will Care?

by Marilyn Robinson in Jenin Refugee Camp

May 10, 2002, Friday, 9pm (Palestine Time)

Appeared at the www.PalestineChronicle.com on May 11, 2002

I did not understand any words coming from their lips, yet I UNDERSTOOD as though I was fluent in Arabic. The pain of the Palestinian people of the Jenin Refugee Camp was reflected in every movement of their body. Their eyes were filled with such extreme sadness and despair. I have never seen such sadness placed in front of my eyes except in documentaries on film. Here it was right before me.

They were speaking of the horrors, the shootings of their husbands, fathers, sons, mothers and children. OH God, the children. Some children smile, most just stare with their eyes filled with a sadness beyond their years. They listen as you ask questions of their family members such as mothers, fathers, sister and brothers. Even though they have talked about the invasion with many other journalists and various media people, the words continue pouring from their lips. They cannot stop. They will not stop.

They must keep telling anyone who will listen of these horrors. Any question is answered. This is a real need. Yet, I feel the real question, the real need is, "Who will listen"? Has the world already grown tired of this news? Is it considered old news already? Interest wanes. Are we a society that needs to be constantly entertained with new news? New amusements for our senses to enjoy?

We need not to let the fact the world seems to have backed out of the investigation here to affect the need to talk about this grievous, inhuman, intolerable desecration of human life here in Jenin Rufugee Camp. My promise is never to quit talking about it. I will not only talk about it when I am awake; I will talk about it in my sleep. Will you help get the message out also?

Each and every building here holds damage whether it is solely inside in addition to the outside of the structure. Outside walls blown away by rocket bombs, missiles, bullets paid for with U.S. taxpayer monies fired from Apache helicopters, M-16's and armed tanks dot the landscape. Bizarre shapes of cement chunks, stone walls and foundations hanging in the air, with snarled rod reinforcements protruding from the remaining walls and foundations exposed as ghastly, grotesque forms no Picasso nor Dali could ever imagine or create.

I referred to the real question and real need above, "Who will listen?" however, I believe there are at least two real questions, two real needs and the other is "Who will care?"

* Marilyn Robinson is one of four members of the Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace who have joined other internationals in solidarity with Palestinians nonviolently resisting Israel's illegal military occupation.   More on their trip at: www.ccmep.org/palestine.html