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Kamel Sa’adi, mine survivor and Landmine Survivor Network Associate for the Middle East, responds to student questions. (Because of the volume of questions, not all questions could be answered.)  1. Questions from sixth graders in Lawrence, Kansas, USA! What year did it happen? (your accident) Why was the landmine there? What war/battle was it from? Thanks. Margaret Moses Dear Kamel Sa’adi Where exactly are the mountains of northern Jordan? Benjamin Fowler Kamel Sa’adi: At around 2.30 PM 16.03.1979. The landmine was there because there used to be a war in the past, and that area is pretty close to the border with the other country Jordan was fighting. The war that took place is called the “67” war, between Israel and the Arab countries, in 1967. The mountains of northern Jordan are in northern Jordan (silly joke). They are close to the south side of Syria, and the west side of Palestine. The major city in northern Jordan is called Irbid. Those mountains are beautiful and there are old scenic sites still left from a long, long time ago. 2. What kind of mine was it ? Lycée de MontBrison France KS: I don’t really know what kind of a mine it was. All I know is that it was an anti personnel mine, meaning a landmine that would kill or hurt a person. 3. Dear Kamel, When you stepped on where the landmine was, did you notice any difference in your footing at all? Mr Douglas R Greenhill KS: Unfortunately no, Mr. Douglas, for the area I was walking through was rocky, unlike when walking on sand for instance, where you might feel so. 4. Did anyone know you were picnicing in a dangerous area? -Bryan KS: The area I was picnicking at was filled with people doing the same. It is not supposed to be a dangerous one. However, about 500 yards below it, you might consider it dangerous because it would really be close to the border with Israel. When the mine exploded, just because of the sound every body ran away and cleared the area, including the ones who saw me, or just heard about what happened, or even simply heard the loud sound of the blast. 5. Hello my name is Jimmy Chavez.I go to Lanier Middle School in Houston, Texas. How much did your medical expenses cost? KS: Well Jimmy, the three surgeries I had were on the Jordanian government’s expense. But I had to go to Germany every other year for a new prosthesis. So travelling, accomodation and the cost of the leg never cost less than $ 5000 every time. Luckily for me, my father was able to cover that every time, but always the hard way even though neither he nor my mother ever let me feel it. It was heavy for them to get me a good leg. That was one of the reasons I learned prosthetics: to do my own, as well as that of others, for no more than the cost of the materials. 6. Hello, we are from San Luis Gonzaga School, Argentina. We send you our best wishes. How was your life affected after this accident? Was that the hardest time in your life? KS: Hello San Luis School. My life was affected alright. Yet I never let the accident overcome me, even though I failed many times. The hardest part was the lying. You see, I’m the type who would not admit pain. So I had to pretend for a long while. In a way, I felt isolated although all the loved ones were around me. I felt alone. Urging some one to be able to understand the insides of me, I was choking but couldn’t show it to any one.And most of all, I had begun building anger inside of me, especially towards those who cared for me. It was wrong but I was exploding inside. Until I started treating myself by myself. And, thanks to those around me, I succeeded—but it began by admitting to myself that I had a problem. 7. What was the reaction from your family after the accident? Jonathan Young KS: My mother had a nervous breakdown. My father is a solid man, but cried and blamed himself for no reason.Yet, the first morning after the accident, when they came to see me, and while they were walking in the corridor heading towards me, shaking and forcing a smile on their faces, I lifted up both my arms with the tubes of blood and glucose hanging out and smiled, hiding the pain and saying : I’m like steel, I’m iron. Those words gave them the break they were praying for. 8. I am a pupil at camps bay school in cape-town (South Africa). The story I just read about your terrible incident really made me feel even stronger about banning landmines than ever because you made it sound so real. I’d like to ask you how people that do not know about the reality of landmines (like myself) relate to you and is it very difficult to carry on as you did before the incident? Thank-you Amy-lee Emdon Were you depressed? How did other kids treat you? Did they laugh or stare? Sixth Graders in Lawrence, Kansas, USA (Margaret Moses) KS: Amy, you sound so sweet and that alone is the relation we ask from you. Just be yourself, never fake or hide your feelings towards one of us, we would adore you. When you fake it, we know it, and create distance. As for carrying on, it must be more difficult, because different sorts of pressures are added on to the load one must carry—whereas life is hard enough without them.I unknowingly, built a depression in my soul. Especially at first, but when I got back to school after about a year—and I was afraid of returning—I was surprised to see that I was treated as the HERO by all the students at school. Some used to stare out of curiosity, some out of pity, and I never liked either. One time, while swimming, three guys saw my artificial leg on the ground. Trying to be funny, one said: "Oh, look, someone forgot his leg." I got out of the pool and fought the three of them on one leg. The gaurds came in fast and kicked the three bad boys out of the club. It feels good when you get support on a right issue. 9. How did your friends help you to save your life? San Luis Gonzaga School, Argentina KS: My two friends, who were not far from me, rushed to get their dad. The two who saved me from the area I was blown up in were two brothers living in that area, and I had never seen them before. 10. Have you gone back to see the people who saved you? Lycée de MontBrison KS: During the two and a half months I remained in the hospital, I couldn’t wait to get out and meet those two guys who saved me again. After I got out, it was out of the question for my parents to even let me get near that area. But I kept thinking of them and still do. When I grew up, I did many times think of going there and asking about them, yet I never did so. To this day, something inside of me wants to go back and look at things again. Yet, for some reason I just wouldn’t go there. Why do you think? 11. Dear Mr. Sa’adi, I read your story on the I*EARN conference Landmines. I wanted to thank you for sharing your story, which made me realize just how real the problem of landmines is. Having lived in the U.S. my entire life, I haven’t been exposed to the horrors of war, so once again I want to commend you on your courage. Is there anything I can do to aid the Landmines Survivors Network? KS: Sir or Madam, Thank you for whoever and whatever you are. Only by asking to do something, you have done a lot. Giving—in my book—is related to ability. We need all the aid we can get. If you are ABLE to aid LSN with one million dollars, then you have given a million dollar gift. Still, if your ability is the feeling of the heart, then that, to LSN, is a million dollar gift as well, if not even more. 12. Hello. How are you? My name is Cheneika Parker. I am a student at Lanier Middle School, in Houston Texas. I was online reading about landmine tragedies and I came across yours. First I want to say, I’m sorry about what happened to you when you were a child. It must have been terrible missing out on some of your greatest childhood moments. I feel the same as you, the problem starts with landmines and that’s what we need to get rid of. The reason I wrote is because I wanted to ask you a question about what happened after the incident. After it happened did anyone do anything to stop landmines from being planted in that area? Thank you for reading my letter, and once again I’m really sorry for what happened to your leg. Sincerely a concerned student, Cheneika S.Parker KS: Thank you Miss Parker for your concern. After I stepped on that landmine, the army immediately fenced the hill and did its work the best way possible back then. However, I happily inform you that the Jordanian army has really been clearing out landmines for the past 4 years from different areas in the country. For every mine that is cleared out, there is one safer person. 13. What do you feel when you help people who are in the same situation as you are? The people who formed the foundation [LSN] are only the ones who were affected by mines or are there other people who are working in solidarity? San Luis Gonzaga School, Argentina KS: What do you feel when you mend a bird’s broken wing? The bird is lying on the ground, unable to fly safe, and it can’t move except to keep going round and round in circles, unable to go anywhere. You go in and mend that bird’s wing, then the bird goes in a straight line, goes faster and faster, and then it flies, safely, reaching its goal and destination... What would you feel doing a thing like that? I would feel the same! LSN welcomes any one who works for humanity. 14. How did the LSN help you? Sixth Graders in Lawrence, Kansas, USA (Margaret Moses) KS: The LSN helped me simply by being a Landmine Survivors Network. You see, the arrow without the bow could be misdirected. LSN is the BOW, and I am the arrow. 15. Hello my name is Alex Walmsley. I have written to the other people to ask questions. I also have a question for you, what are the chances of stepping on a land mine in the Middle East? KS: Depends on where you go. But let’s put it this way: there are about 115 million mines in the world. If you include Egypt, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, the Arab & Islamic world has about 54% of the total amount of mines in the world. Now that’s a number worth fighting. 16. Mr.Sa’adi How long have you worked on the landmine project and why do you like this work? long dang KS: I have been in this issue since the moment I met and shook hands with Jerry White, the director & co-founder of LSN, in August 1996. The Landmine Survivors Network http://www.landminesurvivors.org 700 Thirteenth St, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone:(202)661-3537 Fax:(202)661-3529 |
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