Terrorist attacks resonate

Written by Drew Espeseth Monday, 08 December 2008 19:00

With the recent terrorist attacks in India, Americans are able to sympathize with the feelings of surprise, shock, and grief many people in India are beginning to deal with.

Even at NDSU, effects from the attacks have reached students, especially those from the country itself.

Pramita Sen, student body vice president, hails from Kolkata, India, which is in the northeast part of the country. The bombings took place in Mumbai, which is about 1,000 miles to the south. Both cities, however, are major metropolitan areas of India, said Sen.

When she first heard the news, Sen was sad, surprised and frustrated. Fortunately she didn’t know anyone who was personally affected in the attacks.

“I was scared for those who were affected and also thought to myself ‘Don’t we have enough violence on Earth already, that we need to have more?’” she said.

The buildings targeted in the attack were certainly not chosen at random, as Sen explained the importance of the terrorists’ targets.

“They were right in the downtown section of the financial capital of India, and the buildings were mostly five-star hotels with historic heritage linked to them,” she said, comparing the targets to United States locales such as Manhattan’s Grand Hotel.

This year will mark the first time Sen has returned to India in a year and a half, as she has plans to take the trip during winter break. While she is very excited to return home, she has a few mixed feelings.

In regards to the mood and the feeling of the country, Sen said “I am sure things are going to be different, but it’s my home.”

“I am a little nervous about travelling, but I’m sure that the Indian government is doing its best to protect innocent citizens and tourists from such unfortunate incidents,” she said.