KISSAH AND DAWAT: Trauma healing needed for families of Mary Joy tragedy

There are photos of charred bodies from the Mary Joy 3 tragedy circulating on social media. We have to be careful about this because of the emotional and psychological effects it can elicit especially from those aggrieved individuals and families. 

Let us call on the @Ministry of Health – BARMM and similar government agencies to extend post-trauma psychological therapy to the aggrieved families. They can work with local ulama in Sulu and Zamboanga City to blend this with religious counseling. These agencies can start with Psychological First Aid (PFA).

Emotional distress is not as visible as physical injury, but it can be even more painful and debilitating. The sight or knowledge of loved one’s charred body is a source of extremely high emotional stress and psychologically unsettling.

Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin started a group intervention for her city team of responders. A more tailored intervention is needed for aggrieved individuals and families.

This kind of trauma takes time to heal. Let us be considerate by not adding flame to fire, so to say. As Muslims fasting in the month of Ramadhan, let us include them in our du’a (supplication) at the time of breaking the fast. 

In our understanding those who perished are shaheed (martyrs). But those left behind will have to make amend with their lives. And these efforts and without professional help, (will take) even years to heal or unheal. 

May Allāh SWT have mercy on those departed souls and may He give strength and fast healing to the aggrieved parties. Ameen