DATE=4/18/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL
NUMBER5-46150
BYLINE=MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE=OKLAHOMA CITY
CONTENT
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Today (Wednesday) is the fifth anniversary of
the deadliest terrorist act committed on United States
soil. The truck bombing of the Oklahoma City federal
building killed 168 people and injured 850. President
Clinton will join thousands of people at the bombing
site today for the dedication of a multimillion-dollar
memorial to the victims and survivors. V-O-A's
Michael Leland reports.
TEXT: Talk of a memorial commemorating the bomb
attack began within weeks of the tragedy. A design
competition resulted in construction of a three-part
memorial: an indoor museum and Institute for the
Prevention of Terrorism, both of which open late this
year, and an outdoor park full of symbolism related to
the bombing. Jeannine Gist participated in the
memorial planning. Her daughter Karen was among those
killed in the Murrah Federal Building.
/// GIST ACT ///
When you walk in, the first thing you notice is
the chairs. They have such an impact because
you can see at a glance just what we all lost
that day.
/// END ACT ///
One hundred sixty-eight bronze-backed chairs are
arranged in nine rows. Each row represents a floor of
the federal building. The number of chairs in each
row signifies the number of victims working or
visiting a particular floor when the building was
bombed.
Two granite-and-bronze gates frame the park. One
reads 9:01, and the other 9:03, representing the
minutes before and after the attack. Oklahoma City
Memorial Foundation Director Bob Johnson says a
reflecting pool occupies the space where Fifth Street
ran alongside the building.
/// FIRST JOHNSON ACT ///
It occupies the space where the Ryder truck,
which held the bomb, was parked. You see this
wonderful reflection, you hear the running
water, you do not see its source, you do not see
where it is going. It reminds you of some of
the things in life we can not comprehend, such
as the reason for this tragedy t begin with.
/// END ACT ///
A few meters from the reflecting pool is an elm tree
that has come to be known as "the survivor tree."
/// SECOND JOHNSON ACT ///
On the day of the bombing it took the brunt of
the blast, it was surrounding by burning cars
and yet, miraculously, it survived. Its
branches were broken, its bark was scarred, but
its leaves are flourishing today and it is a
survivor.
/// END ACT ///
A plaza has been built around the tree. It is
surrounded by a long low wall that gives people a
place to sit down and take in the park's various
elements. The wall is engraved with a message
reading; "The spirit of this city and this nation will
not be defeated. Our deeply-rooted faith sustains
us."
/// OPT ///
Before construction began on the memorial, the bombing
site was surrounded by a chain link fence. That fence
turned into a spontaneous memorial as visitors began
leaving photos of victims, along with letters, poems,
flags, flowers and other mementos. Memorial
Foundation archivist Jane Thomas says more than 50-
thousand items have been collected from the fence and
placed into storage. The new memorial includes two
segments of chain-link fence where people can continue
to leave items.
/// THOMAS ACT ///
We are more than happy for them to come here and
bring them. We want them to come here and find
hope, peace, comfort and serenity.
/// END ACT ///
/// END OPT ///
The memorial also remembers those who were in the
immediate area of the bombing and survived. Those 700
names are engraved on two of the only remaining wall
segments from the Murrah Federal Building. Many of
those people are expected to attend the dedication.
(Signed)
NEB/mjl/gm
18-Apr-2000 17:32 PM EDT (18-Apr-2000 2132 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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