Press Releases
Eighth Anniversary of the U.S. Embassy Bombing
August 7, 2006
Today (August 7) the staff of the United States Embassy in Dar es Salaam commemorated the 8th Anniversary of the bombings of US Embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi and the entire staff paused at 10:39 for a minute of silence.
Ambassador Michael L. Retzer said, “10:39 a.m. on August 7, 1998, will be forever etched in the memories of many of the people here today. For some, it is a time when they lost loved ones and friends and colleagues. For some, it is a time when roofs collapsed and workspaces disappeared. But for all of us, it is a time when heroes rose to the occasion and lives were saved, and time when we struggled together against the common foe of despair and hopelessness.”
“It is a sign of our common humanity that when the worst instincts of mankind inflict brutal violence upon us and upon our world, the best instincts of humanity come to the fore, we unite, we persevere, we rebuild,” said Ambassador Retzer.
He thanked all employees who were present the morning of August 7, 1998 for their dedication and hard work. “Let us not forget that the same terrorist network that committed the heinous acts that killed Tanzanians, Kenyans, Americans and others on August 7, 1998, also killed thousands of innocent people on September 11, 2001, in the United States,” Ambassador Retzer said.
He laid a wreath of flowers below the plaque bearing names of those who died in the embassy attacks.
Ambassador Retzer said, “Today we share our sorrows. But as we reflect on past tragedies, it is important to look forward and move ahead. Let us use this occasion to look forward and celebrate life and a brighter future for ourselves, our families, our communities, our countries.”
Ambassador Retzer’s remarks follow:
Commemoration of the 8th Anniversary of the August 7, 1998 Attacks on U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi
VENUE: American Embassy, Dar es Salaam, August 7, 2006.
Remarks by Ambassador Michael Retzer
Thank you for joining us this morning for this very special observance.
10:39 a.m. on August 7, 1998, will be forever etched in the memories of many of the people here today.
For some, it is a time when they lost loved ones and friends and colleagues.
For some, it is a time when roofs collapsed and workspaces disappeared.
But for all of us, it is a time when heroes rose to the occasion and lives were saved, and a time when we struggled together against the common foe of despair and hopelessness.
It is a sign of our common humanity that when the worst instincts of mankind inflict brutal violence upon us and upon our world, the best instincts of humanity come forward. We unite, we persevere, we rebuild.
I am most struck by the role of the dedicated employees of the U.S. Embassy who struggled in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, who pitched in to help each other, and who continue to work so hard today to help us cope with the tragedy and the loss of August 7, 1998.
In a few minutes, we will pause for a moment of silence to recall the lives of those people listed on this memorial plaque. This is our tribute to:
While they can never be replaced, we can honor them by always remembering their sacrifice. Together, we will defeat the ugly forces that tried to destroy us on August 7, 1998.
Let us not forget that the same terrorist network that committed the heinous acts that killed Tanzanians, Kenyans, Americans and others on August 7, 1998, also killed thousands of innocent people on September 11, 2001, in the United States.
Today we share our sorrows. But as we reflect on past tragedies, it is important to look forward and move ahead. Let us use this occasion to celebrate life and a brighter future for ourselves, our families, our communities and our two countries.
God Bless Tanzania and its people. And God Bless the people of the United States of America.