Dignity for the Dead: Lessons from Malaysian Plane Crash over Ukraine

The tragic fallout of the Malaysian flight originating from Amsterdam shocked the entire world. The very circumstance of the crash made the incident even more heart wrenching and an unbearable horror for affected families, friends and nations of the deceased. Almost 300 innocent souls literally dropped off the sky and plummeted to an unimaginable and painful tragedy in a situation devoid of any fighting chance for survival; devoid of any opportunity to send distress calls; and devoid of any preparedness. It was certainly one of the most unwarranted, preventable and painful disasters in recent times. 

The whole world of humanity (unfortunately, we must acknowledge there are relatively few people who believe and live in a world of brutality and savagely, who daily grab media headlines with atrocious acts for whatever reasons or cause) rose up in condemnation, not only of the horrific act itself but also of the treatment of the bodies of the deceased and other evidence at the crash scene. Dead bodies are simply not dead object; these are children, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunties, grandparents, friends, colleagues and nationalities. They do not simply turn to objects by cessation of life. The victims were people who just a while ago, hugged their families and bade farewell to their families, friends and associates. Death only took away their lives but not their personhood; not their dignity; and not their right. The intransigence of the pro-Russian rebels by limiting access to care for the bodies of the victims and secure other evidence was roundly condemned by the humane world. 

The contrast, which is a standard for treatment of the dead, could be seen in the manner in which the bodies of the dead were prepared and transported to Netherlands for forensic investigation. Each body was placed in a separate coffin and carried into transport aircraft with solemn air and decorum. On arrival at destination, there was a formal procession to welcome the dead bodies. They were treated with the dignity they deserved even in death. Each coffin was carried by a separate hearse and accorded utmost respect. It would have been “convenient” and “cheaper” for just one cargo plane to have carried all the bodies/bodies parts bundled together, but a decent world would not do that. Two or more bodies could have fitted into a coffin; after all they were just being transported to a facility for further investigation. And that would have been very 
inappropriate. The way any society treats the dead is a reflection of level of civilization of such society.  

Africa has a lot to learn from the crash over Ukraine. Most governments in Africa do not reckon with expending resources to manage the dead. Once a disaster occurs and after some feeble rescue and recovery operations, the next move is usually to quickly dispense with the dead to “avoid epidemic”. Such unfounded assertion and unchallenged myth has been promoted even by government officials.  Any attempt to advocate for proper management of the bodies of the dead and disaster victim identification (DVI) is usually met with the cold attitude of the dead not being in any priority for “scarce resources”. The next action is usually mass a burial of largely unidentified and unclaimed bodies, and the penchant to “move on”. To nowhere! Families, friends and communities are left permanently in a pit of devastation without any opportunity to achieve closure. The resultant deep resentment, suppressed anger and lack of closure fuel a vicious cycle of violence in Africa with attendant destruction of more lives and property. It therefore makes no socioeconomic sense to “save cost”, ignore the dead and “move on”.  Society never recovers in the true sense from such disasters and it is almost impossible to make any human progress where people are still stuck in a pit of despondency and unresolved cases.  

The lack of disaster preparedness especially with management of dead bodies in mass disasters is lacking in most of Africa. The use of refrigerated train coaches by the government of Ukraine to store and transport the dead underscored the essence of innovation, creativity and flexibility in disasters.  

And the dead never die as the pain, loss and reality of the sad incident still reverberates through affected families, friends, communities and nations. Only a process of closure which includes proper treatment of dead bodies with respect and dignity, appropriate investigation and justice for the dead and their families and loved ones, is a definitive step in soothing the pain of the affected community. Indeed, the dead cannot be forgotten because their families, friends and loved ones bear the scars in their heart. Dignity for the dead is at the heart of our individual personhood. Anyone could be a victim of disaster at anytime. Management of bodies of victims following disasters is therefore as important to the dead and their families and friends as rescue operation is to the living. This subject was the theme of the 2014 pan-African conference of the African Society of Forensic Medicine (ASFM) in Abuja Nigeria. It is a message that government and agencies in Africa desperately need to embrace especially through difficult times on the continent where a trail of bloody conflicts and man-made disasters leave numerous dead victims.

Terrorism in Nigeria: Victims Support Fund

It is a good development that the government of Nigeria has established a Victims Support Fund for victims of ongoing terrorism and other conflicts in the country. Terrorism is not a familiar terrain in Nigeria and members of the Victims Support Fund Committee will need to work with a technical committee that will ensure that the Victims Support programme achieves the intended purpose. The need for accountability and objectivity in the disbursement of the funds and other support facilities for the victims should be a core aspect of this intervention if the objectives are to be realized. I'll needs to focus on forensic medical management of victims and their families and reiterate that trampling upon  fundamental human rights are at the core of the tragic incidents going on in parts of Nigeria. The victims of the terrorism and other conflicts in Nigeria are not only those who are alive, the survivors, but also the dead and their families.

The Victims Support Fund should therefore articulate a broader approach in ensuring that funds are also made available for appropriate disaster victim identification (DVI). The current disaster management in the country especially with regards to terrorism and armed conflicts apparently excludes DVI. Mass burials, chaotic and indiscriminate claim of bodies by families and relations have further complicated the picture. The  prevailing sociocultural mindset, often laced with religious interpretations negate the principles and essence of disaster victim identification,  and government officials often do not see reasons why resources should be deployed in death investigation and DVI "after all the dead is dead and nothing can bring them back to life" being the usual justification for this sorry state. However, this unfortunate disposition has failed to appreciate that treating the dead in that manner means how much we devalue life itself, and counters the right of victims to dignity and justice. The Victims Support Fund should cater for the dead in facilitating DVI, proper storage, handover of bodies to families and relations and decent burial. Families, relations and dependents of dead victims should also receive adequate financial support. Living victims in addition to adequate medical intervention to restore their health following injuries sustained, also deserve appropriate forensic medical management for injury interpretation, psychosocial care and compensation for trauma, disabilities and lost property. It is therefore imperative that a technical committee comprising of relevant expertise be put in place for expert and objective assessment. Transparency, accountability and probity must be the key words.