Tsunami Loss Felt Deeply

Sweden's loss of life

Sweden and other Nordic countries are (being) keenly affected by the tsunami disaster with such a large number of dead, missing, and injured citizens. The governments should have reacted more quickly, but they are not alone in being a bit slow to act. -- Steve Heneghan, USA

Our hearts go out to those who suffered such grievous loss and trauma. A joyful escape from the grim winter should not end this way. Any loss is terrible, but when the percentage is so high relative to the population it transcends mere tragedy. -- Suzanne Howell

Two Swedish priests pay respects to six victims of the tsunami disaster at a ceremony held at the Phuket International Airport, Thailand on Monday

The degree to which a nation mourns the loss of life in a tragedy is clearly related to its sense of community, its prior experience with tragedies and the value it assigns to life.

We in the USA felt very strongly our losses on Sept. 11, 2001 and we feel it now in Iraq as it affects both our and Iraqi troops and ordinary Iraqi citizens.

We are all enormously saddened by the incredible loss of life from this tragedy and especially so because it was so concentrated in its affect and indiscriminate in claiming the young, the old and everyone between who did nothing wrong except to wake up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I see it as a compliment to the people of Sweden that they feel their losses so deeply, for it is a result of their sense of community and appreciation of the value of life.

May more of the world's citizens be free enough and educated enough that they can have the same sensitivity to the loss of life that Sweden's citizens have. -- Hal Eis, USA