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| Mistrust and anger deepen as Grenfell death toll is still unknown | Mistrust and anger deepen as Grenfell death toll is still unknown |
| (about 22 hours later) | |
| Emma Graham-Harrison | |
| Sat 1 Jul 2017 20.34 BST | |
| Last modified on Sat 2 Dec 2017 03.01 GMT | |
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| The invitation to the first “Grenfell survivors and victims trust” meeting arrived late last week under the doors of hotel rooms across London, where former residents of the tower are trying to process the tragedy and rebuild their lives. | The invitation to the first “Grenfell survivors and victims trust” meeting arrived late last week under the doors of hotel rooms across London, where former residents of the tower are trying to process the tragedy and rebuild their lives. |
| It promised an agenda to match what traumatised survivors have pushed for in public and private meetings: short-term help, long-term support, justice and accountability. | It promised an agenda to match what traumatised survivors have pushed for in public and private meetings: short-term help, long-term support, justice and accountability. |
| There was a smart logo, a packed agenda including elections to the executive committee. The only thing missing from the programme offering “ownership” and “unified voice” was any details on who had set up or would control the trust. Survivors themselves, and the volunteers and activists who have been supporting them, said it had been set up without consultation. They arrived ahead of the meeting and found a single man in a hat, whom no one recognised, and a police officer who was the only named person on the agenda. | There was a smart logo, a packed agenda including elections to the executive committee. The only thing missing from the programme offering “ownership” and “unified voice” was any details on who had set up or would control the trust. Survivors themselves, and the volunteers and activists who have been supporting them, said it had been set up without consultation. They arrived ahead of the meeting and found a single man in a hat, whom no one recognised, and a police officer who was the only named person on the agenda. |
| They shut down the meeting and are still trying to find out who set up the group, whose organisers are not responding to phone calls or emails. But they fear that it was an attempt to co-opt their suffering for political or other ends. | They shut down the meeting and are still trying to find out who set up the group, whose organisers are not responding to phone calls or emails. But they fear that it was an attempt to co-opt their suffering for political or other ends. |
| “We are extremely concerned that a group which we know nothing about, and which was not established by the survivors, or with their support, is trying to become their voice,” said Pilgrim Tucker, a housing campaigner who has worked with Grenfell residents for several years. “At best, this is a serious breach of trust, at worst something far more disturbing.” | “We are extremely concerned that a group which we know nothing about, and which was not established by the survivors, or with their support, is trying to become their voice,” said Pilgrim Tucker, a housing campaigner who has worked with Grenfell residents for several years. “At best, this is a serious breach of trust, at worst something far more disturbing.” |
| Authorities running the relief effort confirmed that they had sent out letters to survivors, but said they had been provided for delivery by the council. A council spokeswoman said she could not immediately provide further details of the group, or why the letter had been delivered to survivors. | Authorities running the relief effort confirmed that they had sent out letters to survivors, but said they had been provided for delivery by the council. A council spokeswoman said she could not immediately provide further details of the group, or why the letter had been delivered to survivors. |
| Several hours later, prominent barrister Jolyon Maugham added his voice to concerns about the group. “Apparently my name is being used to endorse the ‘Grenfell Victims and Survivors’ Trust’. I know nothing of this organisation,” he said on Twitter. He said the group’s lack of public profile raised concerns about their motives for seeking a role in a legal battle that is widely expected to be long and complicated. | Several hours later, prominent barrister Jolyon Maugham added his voice to concerns about the group. “Apparently my name is being used to endorse the ‘Grenfell Victims and Survivors’ Trust’. I know nothing of this organisation,” he said on Twitter. He said the group’s lack of public profile raised concerns about their motives for seeking a role in a legal battle that is widely expected to be long and complicated. |
| “On any view there is an enormous amount of legal work to do. Some will anticipate that there is money to be made and it would surprise me if there is not some kind of land grab afoot. But I hope and trust that those involved will put the interests of survivors and relatives first.” | “On any view there is an enormous amount of legal work to do. Some will anticipate that there is money to be made and it would surprise me if there is not some kind of land grab afoot. But I hope and trust that those involved will put the interests of survivors and relatives first.” |
| Maugham, who confirmed that all work he has done and will do for Grenfell survivors will be unpaid, said it was “profoundly alarming” if the council had ordered distribution of the letters to traumatised families and survivors. “I can’t understand any basis upon which the council should be giving preferential access to, or implicitly recommending anyone at all,” he said. “And what makes it more alarming is that it’s impossible to find out anything about this group. So how did the council apparently come to form the view that it was appropriate for them to facilitate the distribution of this stuff?” | Maugham, who confirmed that all work he has done and will do for Grenfell survivors will be unpaid, said it was “profoundly alarming” if the council had ordered distribution of the letters to traumatised families and survivors. “I can’t understand any basis upon which the council should be giving preferential access to, or implicitly recommending anyone at all,” he said. “And what makes it more alarming is that it’s impossible to find out anything about this group. So how did the council apparently come to form the view that it was appropriate for them to facilitate the distribution of this stuff?” |
| The letters were the latest blow to community trust in authorities, so battered by the handling of the fire and its aftermath that experts in disaster recovery warn it could threaten long-term efforts to rebuild. | The letters were the latest blow to community trust in authorities, so battered by the handling of the fire and its aftermath that experts in disaster recovery warn it could threaten long-term efforts to rebuild. |
| The mistrust has grown so toxic that some in the community regard almost all authorities with suspicion, from the council and local councillors to police, MPs of both parties, the judge chosen to lead the inquiry and even, in some cases, the Red Cross. | The mistrust has grown so toxic that some in the community regard almost all authorities with suspicion, from the council and local councillors to police, MPs of both parties, the judge chosen to lead the inquiry and even, in some cases, the Red Cross. |
| North Kensington is now in a crucial transition and planning phase between the intense efforts of immediate relief and longer-term reconstruction, when failures of leadership can be particularly damaging, said David Alexander, professor of disaster management at University College London. | North Kensington is now in a crucial transition and planning phase between the intense efforts of immediate relief and longer-term reconstruction, when failures of leadership can be particularly damaging, said David Alexander, professor of disaster management at University College London. |
| “We find that in some cases – the worst ones – it isn’t a transition at all, or rather it is a transition from nothing much to nothing else,” he said. “Absence of clear strategies breeds lack of trust in authority, loss of confidence and a fear of the future that, sadly, is often well founded.” | “We find that in some cases – the worst ones – it isn’t a transition at all, or rather it is a transition from nothing much to nothing else,” he said. “Absence of clear strategies breeds lack of trust in authority, loss of confidence and a fear of the future that, sadly, is often well founded.” |
| The damage began in the chaotic first hours of the fire itself, when emergency responders seemed to be the only official presence, although community organisations stepped admirably into the void. | The damage began in the chaotic first hours of the fire itself, when emergency responders seemed to be the only official presence, although community organisations stepped admirably into the void. |
| The failure of those who should have managed the crisis was so extreme that the prime minister later apologised publicly and took control away from the local council. | The failure of those who should have managed the crisis was so extreme that the prime minister later apologised publicly and took control away from the local council. |
| But events have continued to feed a toxic atmosphere, from daily frustrations like the “survivors trust” letters to the long-term impact of limiting the scope of the coming inquiry and choosing a controversial judge to head it. | But events have continued to feed a toxic atmosphere, from daily frustrations like the “survivors trust” letters to the long-term impact of limiting the scope of the coming inquiry and choosing a controversial judge to head it. |
| “You would think with the public reaction you have, there would be an improvement in the situation, and yet every day it seems to be worse,” said Alexander. | “You would think with the public reaction you have, there would be an improvement in the situation, and yet every day it seems to be worse,” said Alexander. |
| One of the greatest sources of frustration has been the lack of clarity about the numbers killed in the inferno, with many residents convinced that authorities have been downplaying death tolls, or at least showing little urgency in calculating the dead. | One of the greatest sources of frustration has been the lack of clarity about the numbers killed in the inferno, with many residents convinced that authorities have been downplaying death tolls, or at least showing little urgency in calculating the dead. |
| In the absence of official numbers or information, beyond a slow release of information from inquests of those who have been identified, locals have turned to drawing up their own databases with help from volunteers. | In the absence of official numbers or information, beyond a slow release of information from inquests of those who have been identified, locals have turned to drawing up their own databases with help from volunteers. |
| “Its hard to describe the extent to which the local council has lost the trust of these people,” said David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham who lost a friend in the fire and has become a strong advocate for survivors and bereaved families. | “Its hard to describe the extent to which the local council has lost the trust of these people,” said David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham who lost a friend in the fire and has become a strong advocate for survivors and bereaved families. |
| “They completely understand the difficulty in identifying people because of the nature of the fire. But if they are to trust that the authorities are standing with them, they need to know that every possible effort is being made to count and identify the dead, and they don’t think that is true.” | “They completely understand the difficulty in identifying people because of the nature of the fire. But if they are to trust that the authorities are standing with them, they need to know that every possible effort is being made to count and identify the dead, and they don’t think that is true.” |
| In an era when so much of our lives is catalogued digitally, recorded in mobile phone signals, bank accounts, fast food deliveries and other details, locals say it seems incredible that police cannot gather at the very least an estimate of permanent residents. | In an era when so much of our lives is catalogued digitally, recorded in mobile phone signals, bank accounts, fast food deliveries and other details, locals say it seems incredible that police cannot gather at the very least an estimate of permanent residents. |
| “The council know the number of flats, tenancy agreements signed, and people in each household, so why don’t we have a clearer number, of dead and survivors?” said Souad Talsi, founder of Al Hasaniya, a charity supporting Arabic-speaking women in the area. | “The council know the number of flats, tenancy agreements signed, and people in each household, so why don’t we have a clearer number, of dead and survivors?” said Souad Talsi, founder of Al Hasaniya, a charity supporting Arabic-speaking women in the area. |
| The police may be wary of repeating mistakes of both the 2004 boxing day tsunami and the 1999 Paddington rail crash, when initial estimates of the toll were far beyond the final figure. They argue this prompted needless despair and grief in families who would ultimately be reunited with their loved ones. | The police may be wary of repeating mistakes of both the 2004 boxing day tsunami and the 1999 Paddington rail crash, when initial estimates of the toll were far beyond the final figure. They argue this prompted needless despair and grief in families who would ultimately be reunited with their loved ones. |
| But excessive caution can be equally damaging, Grenfell survivors say. People spent days searching hospitals, clinging on to desperate hope that the extremely low initial death toll meant their loved ones had miraculously escaped the inferno. | But excessive caution can be equally damaging, Grenfell survivors say. People spent days searching hospitals, clinging on to desperate hope that the extremely low initial death toll meant their loved ones had miraculously escaped the inferno. |
| The mistrust generated by suspicions about the death toll has been multiplied by concerns that the close-knit community which leapt into action when the tower was still blazing, and supported survivors in the immediate aftermath, is being ignored and excluded from longer-term planning. Arabic is the second most widely spoken language in Kensington and Chelsea after English, and many survivors needed help with translation. Yet although Al Hasaniya has three decades of experience with Arabic speakers, including victims of trauma, no one reached out to the charity until senior staff members emailed the council. | The mistrust generated by suspicions about the death toll has been multiplied by concerns that the close-knit community which leapt into action when the tower was still blazing, and supported survivors in the immediate aftermath, is being ignored and excluded from longer-term planning. Arabic is the second most widely spoken language in Kensington and Chelsea after English, and many survivors needed help with translation. Yet although Al Hasaniya has three decades of experience with Arabic speakers, including victims of trauma, no one reached out to the charity until senior staff members emailed the council. |
| And although much of the focus has been on the conservative-controlled local council, whose leader and deputy resigned after trying to bar the media and survivors from a council meeting this week, the frustration crosses party political lines. | And although much of the focus has been on the conservative-controlled local council, whose leader and deputy resigned after trying to bar the media and survivors from a council meeting this week, the frustration crosses party political lines. |
| Labour MPs invited survivors to parliament for a meeting chaired by Diane Abbott, which collapsed into recriminations and resentment. | Labour MPs invited survivors to parliament for a meeting chaired by Diane Abbott, which collapsed into recriminations and resentment. |
| One activist, who walked out of the meeting, said that local residents and survivors felt as if they had been paraded before a “flock of vultures”. | One activist, who walked out of the meeting, said that local residents and survivors felt as if they had been paraded before a “flock of vultures”. |
| “How many more times are the victims of this tragedy going to be exhibits in a grotesque sideshow?” Ishmahil Blagrove said in a posting on Facebook after the meeting, questioning why MPs had not come to visit the site of the fire. | “How many more times are the victims of this tragedy going to be exhibits in a grotesque sideshow?” Ishmahil Blagrove said in a posting on Facebook after the meeting, questioning why MPs had not come to visit the site of the fire. |
| Yet amid the anger there is also hope that the public pressure may be bringing slow change. Al Hasaniya managers said the visit from a councillor was followed by an offer of funds to support survivors and the wider community. | Yet amid the anger there is also hope that the public pressure may be bringing slow change. Al Hasaniya managers said the visit from a councillor was followed by an offer of funds to support survivors and the wider community. |
| “I’m an ever-optimist, I’ve got quite burned quite a few times, but I would hope that lessons have been learned from these few weeks,” said one of the senior managers. “Just because they messed up so badly, doesn’t mean that they need to keep messing up. It’s clear the public will hold them to account.” | “I’m an ever-optimist, I’ve got quite burned quite a few times, but I would hope that lessons have been learned from these few weeks,” said one of the senior managers. “Just because they messed up so badly, doesn’t mean that they need to keep messing up. It’s clear the public will hold them to account.” |
| Grenfell Tower fire | |
| The Observer | |
| Diane Abbott | |
| Police | |
| London | |
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