Palestinians have been enduring great suffering at the hands of the oppressive Israeli Occupation for over 39 years.  This suffering has intensified since the beginning of the second Intifada as Israeli practices became even more aggressive and more widespread.  Despite the ongoing prospect of peace, nearly 4,000 martyrs have lost their lives, 55,000 individuals have been injured and over 10,000 Palestinians are currently detained or imprisoned.  Obviously, listing off numbers can, in no way, reflect the suffering Palestinians have endured.  However, the numbers do clarify the immense efforts needed to alleviate the symptoms of mass trauma.

If we are to discuss a future full of serenity, independence and an end to violence, we must never assume that this means an end to suffering, especially on the mental and social levels.  Unfortunately, the consequences of mental and social trauma are enduring, and often these consequences surface years after the trauma.  This, in turn, makes it necessary that strong, reliable, and stable services are available to alleviate the consequences.  In fact, assuming that suffering will end once the violence ends, and that those who were affected, either directly or indirectly, are no longer in need of care, adds to the trauma.

When the Second Palestinian Uprising began on September 28, 2000, The Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC) had to adapt its services to include emergency programs, and had to expand its target group to include bereaved families, the injured, families whose homes were demolished and victims of organized violence.  Furthermore, as a result of the crippling restrictions placed on travel and the building of the Apartheid Wall, TRC developed the Outreach Program and began devoting great efforts to reaching those in need of services in their homes throughout the West Bank.  To facilitate the great demand for TRC’s services, a branch office were established in Jenin and Hebron, and finds it necessary to establish more offices throughout the West Bank to further facilitate the services provided by the Outreach Program.  Now, that nearly six years have passed, and due to the ongoing and increasing violence and suffering, TRC’s emergency programs have become a fundamental part of its activities. 

These realities have made cooperation and coordination among relevant institutions crucial.  All the suffering of the past and the synchronized efforts to alleviate it will need to be increased in the future to ensure that commitments and pledges made do not result in any violation to the values and principles of human rights.   Furthermore, in order to secure a community that upholds the rule of law and knows independence and safety, it is necessary to secure a community that is free of violence and its consequences and respects human rights.

Dr. Mahmud Sehwail

General Director TRC

July 2006