We remember the events of September 11 last Sunday. I can't believe 10 years has passed since the series of suicide attacks was launched on America. I remember a feeling of disbelief as the images of the planes crashing into the World Trade Tower was splashed across our TV screens. I thought it was a scene from a new movie being played over and over again.. Everyone in the office came to a standstill and the images and the news seemed surreal.
In total nearly 3000 people perished. New York had to be rebuilt. 10 years later, there is a memorial, which is inscribed with the names of all the nearly 3000 known victims. It is worth while noting that there are some families who have not found closure as they do not have anything tangible by which they could identify their loved ones.
The series of attacks were marked by moments of stillness:
- The world remembers a day of horror with six moments of stillness. The first minute's silence 8.46 am NY time will mark the moment American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston flew into the World Trade Center's north tower under the control of al-Qaeda terrorists.
- In Washington, the great funeral bell of the National Cathedral will begin tolling in memory of the 300 dead.
- At 9.03am, we will remember the moment United Airlines flight 175 flew into the south tower and again at 9.59am and 10.29am, the moments the towers collapsed, killing thousands of civilians and hundreds of firefighters and emergency personnel.
- In Washington, there will be a minute's silence at 9.37am to mark the time American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the defence building.
- Another pause will come at 10.03am, the moment United Airlines flight 93 was flown into the ground by hijackers, who could hear passengers trying to break into the cockpit to regain control.
New York came to a standstill after the attacks. It is said that a disaster brings out the best in people. I think 9/11 affected New Yorkers in one way or another. Life was brought back into perspective.
Mayor Giulani said that people should go back to living in the city as usual and as much as they could. The city was deserted and downtown was only opened to foot traffic except for recovery operations. One had to show ID to get in. As the days went on, local businesses were suffering as no one wanted to be downtown.
Robert de Niro and his business partner, Jane Rosenthal, started a programme called Dinner Downtown with the aim of bringing people back to help revive the neighbourhoods. He together with a few artists such as Meryl Streep later started a New York film festival which has now become a tradition.
"Everything was pulverised down there. There was nothing left." Most of the firefighters (some only in their 40s) had to opt for early retirement due to re-occuring lung problems. Some have left New York, some are now ill, some shattered, some have broken marriages, some are still firefighters but are still affected.
On the flipside, there are some young firefighters or army recruits who do not have any recollection of the 9/11 events.
More than 100 search and rescue dogs were involved in the aftermath of 9/11. Ten years on, only 12 are still alive.
According to estimates published in the New York Times on Sept 8 2011, the attacks in New York and Washington caused damage amounting to $55billion and an economic impact of a further $123 billion. The Times also estimated that the increased spending for homeland security in America amounted to $590 billion while the immediate costs of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq amounted to around $1.65 trillion with a further $870 billion to come from future war costs and veterans care. In Australia, it is estimated that the total cost in increased spending on homeland security over the past decade has been around $30billion. A lot of money has been spent... have we made this world a safer place??
Sadam Hussein and Osama bin-Laden has been caught and met their fate.
The tenth anniversary of the attacks serves as a "timely reminder of the need to keep at bay complacency about the terror threat". We must maintain "constant vigilance" but not to let fear get the better of us.
As the song goes..."Heal the world, make it a better place... for you and for me and the entire human race..."
A note on the memorial - the memorial plaza will feature 400 oak trees, a sign that life has returned to the site. The site sits on a 3.2 ha piece of land and is expected to be completed by 2012. Two tridents, part of the Twin Towers, will be seen from the memorial plaza through a glass atrium. There is a memorial museum which will sit 20 m below ground. The memorial museum will feature a wall of potraits allowing visitors to learn more about the 2.983 people who died on Sept 11.
