Friday, November 9, 2007

SMILE, IT IS PTSD !..



It was one of the important discussion programs. Eight (politicians, journalists, formerly kidnapped etc) were going to discuss the return of eight soldiers kidnapped by PKK.

We like to discuss alot lately. How did they kidnapped? Did they surrender or taken hostage after using their last bullets? Was / is there any collaborators between them? How come DTP deputies took part in their delivery? With what authority they signed documents with terrorists? etc... etc...

While we are discussing all these, boys are still under interrogation. It had been nearly a week and one cant keep herself to question why. We will learn soon anyway.

The thin man sitting at the beginning of the line at the screen took my attention immediately. Others begun to discuss but he stayed silent for a time. Some were defending the operation with humanly emotions and some were accusing all the participants with communicating by terrorists (latest news is about one of the deputy's husband, his photos with other PKK leaders
wearing guns are on newspapers).

At last the thin man begin to speak; "Generally there are two results under these conditions; Stockholm Syndrome and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I thought death only for the first two months..."
A first, others couldn't understand the man whose voice was shaking as if he was talking a foreign language.

His eyes were getting wet with the insensitivity he have to face. After some turns, they tried to seem understanding him but they were not still able to see above the politic lines.

The man's story was not so unique as he told himself. There were others (as shown in VTRs) who stayed longer and under harder conditions in the hands of PKK at the mountains. One told; the satellite photos they saw during their interrogations after their releases were so clear that they were able to see every detail.

Again tricking minds wondered why they left to their fate for months or years if there were/ are such detailed intelligence. Intelligence!.. Better to stop there and think a little more. Is it the same intelligence US Bush promised to deliver?... Or can it be the same intelligence on which the 3 young Turkish engineers were working on and found dead (suspicious suicides)?...

Whatever...

The thin man went on shaking, telling he had therapy for 3 years. Though he seemed more effected than the ex soldiers at the VTRs, at least he is a journalist and could have a therapy. It would be a fake dream to think even one of them heard about the PTSD after whatever they lived. One said; he couldn't have "one" night without nightmares for nearly 4 years after his release. There was a meaningless smile on some of the trembling lips.

No need to repeat the discussion programs or any other information.

A friend who wrote a book for help to PTSD victims last year feels so sad because the information in press releases missed in the book and many of his friends phone to ask him what PTSD means. I told him not to worry and tell them to look at themselves.

We are a PTSD victim society which is not aware. As delicate as poppies on the fields, as much as their seeds. Kidnapped? Tortured? Trapped in the middle of a demonstrations? Survived bombings? Your children taken under custody? Jailed for years? Lost loved ones? Old, young? Male, female? Turkish, Kurdish, etc? Don't worry we are from the soil and water of these lands, it would come and pass...

Come on, smile... Didnt elders said; "We smile whereas we had to cry!"...

Let your hands and voices shake, let your eyes wet free.. Just smile and learn what PTSD means as soon as possible because it is already here and dangerous than ever...

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