Healing southern wounds

An outreach programme is helping victims of violence come to terms with their tragedies

By Anjira Assavanonda

Ahama Mahama, 42, has been afraid to leave the house since he and his family were attacked by unknown assailants in May last year. Mr Ahama, his wife, and two children were riding on a motorcycle from their home in Ban Mohmawee of Yarang district when armed men opened fire at them. His three-year-old son was killed instantly and the others injured.

Although their physical injuries have healed, the mental wounds remain.

Mr Ahama has yet to return to work as a staff member of his tambon administration organisation. The tragedy still haunts him, and he feels scared whenever he goes out.

''Now I only stay home, doing the housework. I want to go back to work, but I do not dare. If I have to go out, I would rather go by car than motorcycle,'' he said.

A medical team from the community health centre has visited twice to check on the family's physical condition. But there had never been any attempt to offer them counselling.

Mr Ahama's family was among those selected for the Canada-funded home visit programme carried out by student volunteers who call themselves ''Friends of Victimised Families,'' from Prince of Songkhla University.

The volunteers who visited Mr Ahama said he often cried for his dead son when they first met him. He didn't talk much to the visitors. But after two months of home visits, he began opening up and talking more, they said.

Started in 2005, the project was previously sponsored by the Development Institution of Mahidol University, with the focus on families of victims of the Tak Bai incident on Oct 25, 2005.

When the university ran out of money last year, the Canadian government took over. The programme has now been extended to 50 families.

Soraya Jamjuree, a Prince of Songkhla University lecturer and the project manager, said the aim is to build up a healthy relationship and bond between the visitors and victims, increase coping skills for families and establish a database of victimised people.

''Home visits are one way we can help victims heal themselves mentally. Some families are abandoned. Their relatives dare not come to visit them. When the volunteers show up, they feel good to know there are people who care for them,'' she said.

Sakinah Chena, 23, a graduate student who has been with the Friends of Victimised Families group since the beginning, said she volunteered for the work because she wanted to know what was going on in her hometown.

''Terrorism is not new in this part of the country. We've heard about the insurgents' attacks since we were young. Back then they were more infrequent, not the daily bombings and shootings we have now,'' she said.

After training for four days with a US expert in psychological counselling, Ms Sakinah and other student volunteers started their work visiting victimised families at least three times a month. She said she has learned a lot from her work.

''The most important thing is to create a sense of trust, to make them feel as if we are friends, so they feel comfortable enough to talk,'' she said.

Some victims' stories were so sad they made her cry, she said.

''I found two children whose parents were killed by a bomb right before them. The younger child has become aggressive, while the older one goes to bed each night crying.''

Ms Sakinah said she felt it was her duty to lend a hand to people suffering in her community.

''When I visited these people and saw them getting better, I felt better too,'' she said.

Bangkok Post
Sunday February 11, 2007