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Mother of victim of Anders Behring Breivik wants memorial scrapped Mother of Anders Behring Breivik victim wants memorial scrapped
(35 minutes later)
The mother of the youngest victim killed by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway has called for a proposed memorial to be scrapped, claiming many of the bereaved families have not been consulted about its construction.The mother of the youngest victim killed by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway has called for a proposed memorial to be scrapped, claiming many of the bereaved families have not been consulted about its construction.
Vanessa Svebakk, who lost her 14-year-old daughter Sharidyn Svebakk-Bohn in the 2011 attacks, stressed she had no problem with the design by the Swedish artist Jonas Dahlberg, who in February won a competition run by the culture body Public Art Norway to create a tribute to the 77 victims who died.Vanessa Svebakk, who lost her 14-year-old daughter Sharidyn Svebakk-Bohn in the 2011 attacks, stressed she had no problem with the design by the Swedish artist Jonas Dahlberg, who in February won a competition run by the culture body Public Art Norway to create a tribute to the 77 victims who died.
However, Svebakk said she was unhappy at Public Art Norway and the previous Norwegian government, which started the memorial process, for not consulting directly with all the bereaved families regarding the project, which will cost 27m Norwegian kroner (£2.7m).However, Svebakk said she was unhappy at Public Art Norway and the previous Norwegian government, which started the memorial process, for not consulting directly with all the bereaved families regarding the project, which will cost 27m Norwegian kroner (£2.7m).
Three memorials are proposed to be built. One, called Memory Wound, will cut a 3.5 metre wide slit into the Sørbråten peninsula, which faces the island of Utøya, where Breivik killed 69 people, including Svebakk's daughter.Three memorials are proposed to be built. One, called Memory Wound, will cut a 3.5 metre wide slit into the Sørbråten peninsula, which faces the island of Utøya, where Breivik killed 69 people, including Svebakk's daughter.
"It should be scrapped," said the New Zealand-born Svebakk. "They should go back to the drawing board and start again. The choice of memorial site is ludicrous. There should be a monument, but the monument should be built on the island."It should be scrapped," said the New Zealand-born Svebakk. "They should go back to the drawing board and start again. The choice of memorial site is ludicrous. There should be a monument, but the monument should be built on the island.
"This monument is proposed to be built on the mainland overlooking the island. That makes no sense for us who are grieving about a child we have lost. It's the actual places that make people stop and think."This monument is proposed to be built on the mainland overlooking the island. That makes no sense for us who are grieving about a child we have lost. It's the actual places that make people stop and think.
"As hard as it is for families and friends to go to the island, there is no better way to learn about the worst day in Norway's history since world war two."As hard as it is for families and friends to go to the island, there is no better way to learn about the worst day in Norway's history since world war two.
"Realistically, these plans should be stopped until such time that all who have an interest in the monument have had a chance to have a say. That's what democracy is.""Realistically, these plans should be stopped until such time that all who have an interest in the monument have had a chance to have a say. That's what democracy is."
Two memorials – one on Sørbråten and one in the governmental quarter in Oslo where a car bomb detonated by Breivik killed eight people – are scheduled to be unveiled on 22 July 2015, the fourth anniversary of the attacks.Two memorials – one on Sørbråten and one in the governmental quarter in Oslo where a car bomb detonated by Breivik killed eight people – are scheduled to be unveiled on 22 July 2015, the fourth anniversary of the attacks.
Victims' families had stayed in contact with each other on Facebook, Svebakk said.About 20 families regularly communicated via the social media site, emails and texts. Victims' families had stayed in contact with each other on Facebook, Svebakk said. About 20 families regularly communicated via the social media site, emails and texts.
"The memorial is not something the families all talk about [constantly]," said Svebakk, who lives in Drammen. "But I do know that none of us have been asked about it [the memorial] and, though I know of some families who do not oppose it, I do know of a substantial number of families who are against the build of a national monument on Sørbråten."The memorial is not something the families all talk about [constantly]," said Svebakk, who lives in Drammen. "But I do know that none of us have been asked about it [the memorial] and, though I know of some families who do not oppose it, I do know of a substantial number of families who are against the build of a national monument on Sørbråten.
"We all want to honour our children. There isn't one family that doesn't want that. We all want to have some form of a monument. But we all deserve to be asked. It's our children's names.""We all want to honour our children. There isn't one family that doesn't want that. We all want to have some form of a monument. But we all deserve to be asked. It's our children's names."
The jury for Public Art Norway that selected the memorial included representatives of the Labour party youth organisation and the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks. Dahlberg, who did not to speak directly to victims' families, said these representatives had passed on positive feedback from relatives who had viewed the designs.The jury for Public Art Norway that selected the memorial included representatives of the Labour party youth organisation and the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks. Dahlberg, who did not to speak directly to victims' families, said these representatives had passed on positive feedback from relatives who had viewed the designs.
Svebakk criticised the limited time members of the public had to view shortlisted entries for the memorial, which included one by the former Turner prizewinner Jeremy Deller. She has not spoken to Public Art Norway about the consultation process.Svebakk criticised the limited time members of the public had to view shortlisted entries for the memorial, which included one by the former Turner prizewinner Jeremy Deller. She has not spoken to Public Art Norway about the consultation process.
The Labour party youth organisation proposes to construct a separate, unspecified monument on Utøya in 2015 as part of the rebuilding on the island. Svebakk called for an Auschwitz-style approach to conserve the island as a "memorial-museum so it can give people an idea of what happened".The Labour party youth organisation proposes to construct a separate, unspecified monument on Utøya in 2015 as part of the rebuilding on the island. Svebakk called for an Auschwitz-style approach to conserve the island as a "memorial-museum so it can give people an idea of what happened".
Jørn Mortensen, chair of the jury for Public Art Norway, said contact with the families had been organised through the representation of the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks on the committee.Jørn Mortensen, chair of the jury for Public Art Norway, said contact with the families had been organised through the representation of the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks on the committee.
"This way of organising the contact has been correct and transparent," Mortensen said in a statement. "The committee has experienced fruitful feedback both from the support group and the Labour party youth organisation [which also has a representative on the jury].""This way of organising the contact has been correct and transparent," Mortensen said in a statement. "The committee has experienced fruitful feedback both from the support group and the Labour party youth organisation [which also has a representative on the jury]."
Mortensen, who also highlighted the Labour party youth organisation's plans for a memorial site on Utøya, said the public display of entries "was never intended to be a subject for public consultation" and that the location of the memorial was outside his jury's remit.Mortensen, who also highlighted the Labour party youth organisation's plans for a memorial site on Utøya, said the public display of entries "was never intended to be a subject for public consultation" and that the location of the memorial was outside his jury's remit.
Reacting to the statement, Svebakk said: "I'm horrified. It's an arrogant answer. The fact they haven't recognised the need to consult the bereaved families directly is arrogant."Reacting to the statement, Svebakk said: "I'm horrified. It's an arrogant answer. The fact they haven't recognised the need to consult the bereaved families directly is arrogant."
She said Public Art Norway should remember that not all bereaved families were members of the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks.She said Public Art Norway should remember that not all bereaved families were members of the national support group for victims of the 22 July attacks.