Jordan Times
Saturday, November 12, 2005
King, Queen visit blast
victims
By Victoria Macchi
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah toured two
hospitals on Friday to visit victims of Wednesday's deadly suicide attacks.
The King first visited a Chinese national who was injured in one of the blasts
and is recovering at the King Hussein Medical Centre.
His Majesty expressed his and the nation's condolences over the deaths of three
Chinese citizens in the attacks.
“I know it is very difficult to express in words the sorrow that we feel as well
as the sorrow that the families are going through now,'' he said, adding that,
“we will not allow terrorists to win and endanger our security and stability.”
Officials from the Chinese embassy commended the strong ties between Jordan and
China and thanked the King for his visit.
Later on Friday, the King offered comfort to many of the blast victims at the
Jordan Hospital, where 19 of the 96 injured are receiving medical treatment,
according to Dr. Abdullah Bashir, the hospital's director general.
During the visit, patients and families shared their grief with the King through
photos and stories.
Before leaving the hospital, His Majesty told reporters that those responsible
for the attacks would be brought to justice.
Earlier Friday, Her Majesty Queen Rania and Nane Annan, wife of UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan, also visited patients at the Jordan Hospital, several of
which Her Majesty had met during a tour of the wards on Thursday.
The two women also spent time visiting the youngest explosion victims at the
Jordan Hospital — five- month-old Toleen and four-year-old Ammar.
One of the victims shared with Queen Rania and Annan her grief at the loss of
her only two daughters in the attacks. Next to her, another woman had also lost
her only child.
Nurses, doctors and other medical staff at the hospital briefed Their Majesties
and Annan on the conditions of the injured.
Queen Rania underlined the need to treat the emotional and psychological traumas
suffered by the victims through counselling and support, to help them deal with
the unimaginable and sudden loss of loved ones.
The injuries of those being treated include bone fractures, head trauma and
internal organ damage. Many have skin lacerations and swelling from the force of
the blast. According to a hospital official, only one or two patients remain in
critical condition.
Earlier on Friday, the Queen met with Annan, who was accompanying her husband
Kofi Annan on a trip to the Kingdom. Mrs. Annan paid her condolences to Her
Majesty, and expressed her hope that Jordan will pull through this ordeal.
In a related development, Prime Minister Adnan Badran announced that the
government would shoulder the treatment costs for all those injured in the
blasts. He also stated that additional security measures have been taken in
public places to ensure safety.