I hope you noticed the role of the Peace Corps and USAID who jumped into the fray even though they weren't at the site of the explosion
Fourth Anniversary Of The U.S. Embassy Bombing
Venue: Utalii House, August 7, 2002.
Remarks by Ambassador Robert V. Royall
Thank you for joining us this morning for this very special observance. And let me especially welcome Minister Meghji, Minister Kahama, and the other members of the Government who have joined us today.
10:39 a.m. on August 7, 1998, will be forever etched in the memories of many of the people in this audience today.
For some, it is a time when they lost loved ones and friends and colleagues.
For some, it is a time when roofs collapsed and workspaces disappeared.
But for all of us, it is a time when heroes rose to the occasion and lives were saved, and a time when we struggled together against the common foe of despair and hopelessness.
It is a sign of our common humanity that when the worst instincts of mankind inflict brutal violence upon us and upon our world, the best instincts of humanity come to the fore. We unite, we persevere, we rebuild.
Let me read you just two paragraphs from an essay written by Ambassador John Lange, who is leaving Botswana today after three years as the chief of the U.S. Mission there and who was Chargé d'Affaires at the American Embassy in Dar es Salaam on that fateful day four years ago.
The bomb had just exploded, and there was a sea of humanity trying to cope with the aftermath. This is what Ambassador Lange witnessed:
'Embassy staff escaped by using a ladder to go over the perimeter wall most distant from the site of the explosion. As I made it to the wall, the French Ambassador was there to greet me and offer help. In those first minutes, there was an incredible outpouring of assistance. Zainul Dossa ensured that his Ultimate Security vehicles were on the scene immediately and transferred staff members to our evacuation point, my residence. Acting Peace Corps Director Terry Murphree brought in their vehicles and helped secure the site around the Embassy. Medical personnel of all sorts quickly converged on the scene to care for the wounded. The Embassy's local physician, Dr. Soter Da Silva, nurse Audrey Yohani, and Peace Corps medical officers Anne Outwater and Edith Mpangala climbed over the wall into the compound. FSN investigator Cornelius Kafipa assisted in moving the injured to safety. Tanzanian ambulances and fire engines arrived in record time. The Foreign Minister arrived on the scene within half an hour to express his condolences and support. The Canadian High Commissioner offered his car for transport. It is impossible even to begin to list all of those who deserve great credit for their instantaneous response.
... The Ambassador's limousine, much of the rest of the Embassy motor pool, and the motor vehicles and bicycles of many American and FSN staff were destroyed. Near the Embassy, several houses ... were irreparably damaged. ... Six employees at the Nigerian High Commission, on the other side of the Embassy from the explosion, were injured and their building suffered major structural damage that will require its demolition. The French and Algerian Embassies were damaged, and numerous office buildings and residences within a mile or so -- including the U.S. Ambassador's residence (which the General Services Office had painstakingly made ready in anticipation of the arrival of Ambassador Charles R. Stith in September) - suffered serious damage.'
I hope you were counting all the heroes who helped out that day. I hope you noticed the medical personnel who came to the aid of the victims: Representatives of the Red Cross and other organizations -- and Dr. Da Silva and Nurse Yohani -- are present with us today.
I hope you noticed the role of fellow diplomats from other missions who pitched in to help: Several representatives of the diplomatic corps are with us today.
I hope you noticed the role of the Government of Tanzania: Minister Meghji and Minister Kahama and the other officials of the Government represent the Foreign Minister and the others who sprang to our aid in our hour of need.
And I hope you noticed the role of the security guards who suffered losses during the bombing -- and who protected us and our property in the aftermath of the bombing: Representatives of the guard force are with us today as well, and one of them helped raise the flags a few minutes ago.
I hope you noticed the role of the Peace Corps and USAID who jumped into the fray even though they weren't at the site of the explosion: I am glad that our colleagues from the Peace Corps and USAID are with us today.
But I am most struck by the role of the dedicated employees of the U.S. Embassy who struggled in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, who pitched in to help each other, and who continue to work so hard today to help us cope with the tragedy and the loss of August 7, 1998.
With us today are several survivors of the attack on the American Embassy. You'll hear from three of them in a few minutes. Some of them have participated in this program of commemoration and dedication by raising the flags of the United States and Tanzania and others helped by singing in the choir.
To them and to the others who work hard each day so that the work of the Embassy -- and the cooperation with the people of Tanzania -- can continue: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You have the gratitude of the American people and the Tanzanians whose lives you touch each day.
A special guest who is with us today is Mr. Emmanuel Mdobilu. You'll hear from Emmanuel's mom, Tina Mdobilu, in a couple of minutes, but at the time of the bombing, Emmanuel was still inside his mom, and Tina was meeting with the Chargé d'Affaires in his office. We are all grateful that Emmanuel -- and Tina -- are with us, just as God was with Tina on August 7, 1998.
I also know that the families of those who lost their lives in 1998 are with us today. As Secretary Albright said in the words reprinted in your program today, we shall never cease to mourn the loss of our colleagues and friends whose lives were taken from us on August 7, 1998.
Today, as a mark of respect for the lives of those who were taken from us on August 7, the flags at all U.S. Department of State facilities and Embassies abroad will fly at half-staff. In a few minutes, we will join people at Embassies around the world in pausing for a moment of silence to recall the lives of those people listed in your program.
While they can never be replaced, we can honor them by rebuilding, by moving on with determination to overcome adversity. Together, we will defeat the ugly forces that tried to destroy us on August 7, 1998.
Let us not forget that the same terrorist network that committed the heinous acts that killed Tanzanians, Kenyans, Americans and others on August 7, 1998, also killed thousands of innocent people on September 11, 2001, in the United States.
Minister Meghji, Minister Kahama: The people of the United States of America are very proud of the support your country has given us, in coping with the destruction of August 7 and September 11. Thank you for being our friend and ally in this war against terror.
It is most appropriate for Americans to express our thanks to the people of Tanzania today, and we do so with pleasure in presenting to you the new Utalii House as a remembrance of that terrible day four years ago.
Good can triumph over evil, and we wish meaningful success for Tanzania as this facility is used for the benefit of your country.
God Bless Tanzania and its people. And God Bless the people of the United States of America.
