Digging instead of tracks: Rehab clinic fought for compromises in course of extension of tram line 3
The extension of tram line 3 to St. Louis has not only caused turmoil between Switzerland and France but also led to talks and compromises regarding two hospitals.
The dispute concerns the Bürgerspital in Basel and the nearby Rehab clinic in St. Louis. The latter has reacted with strong resistance to the tramline extension, fearing that tram passengers would be able to see the patients as they passed by on the initially planned route.
From December this year, tram line 3 will reach as far as St. Louis in France. It has been a strongly disputed and criticised project: First regarding the route, then the tariffs, and also the payment of millions of Swiss francs and Euros, to be borne by both Switzerland and France.
A talk with Stephan Bachmann, director of the Rehab clinic, reveals that the row over the route would have reached boiling point; they would have used “all means available” to prevent the original route plan from going ahead. "We would have rolled in our wheelchairs in front of the construction machines if it had been necessary,” he said angrily.
Do you want to look at the patients?
According to the original plan, tram line 3 would have passed very closely by the clinic, which is on the grounds of the Bürgerspital. Mr Bachman said the patients would have been exposed to the nosey gawping of passengers. Furthermore, there were no plans for any noise protection. The clinic wanted to prevent this from happening, whatever it took. “We would have mobilised our patients, and used legal means if necessary,” Mr Bachmann said.
Following the clinic’s claims, a visit to the scene was conducted. When the decision makers stood on the path between the Rehab Clinic and Pfaffenholz, they could imagine a scene in the near future: A tram passing by every seven minutes only 30 metres away from severely injured patients. And in the winter the screeching and squeaking of the tram wheels would have been added to the disturbance. Not to mention the clear view of the clinic. It was evident that the planned route would not have worked out. The mayor of St. Louis stepped in and decided that the tracks would be laid as far away from the clinic as possible and the patients would also be protected from view by a wall.
The compromise works out
The planned route was not given without reason since a stop was planned just next to Pfaffenholz, the back door to the clinic. “However, this is not necessary,” said Stephan Bachmann, since the access to the new “Burgfelden” tram stop was much better. Patients could use the tram and there is a lift at the tram stop which brings them almost directly to the clinic, only 60 metres away, which is easy to navigate.
The actual solution is a compromise which makes everybody happy. Rafael Ernst, the person responsible for construction and real estate of Bürgerspital Basel, confirmed: “The collaboration with France goes very well, it's give and take.” The Bürgerspital is happy about the tram line extension.
Excavated material as a protection wall
But what about the protection from noise and views? The original proposal of a wall was submitted by landscape architect Alfred Künzel who had worked before on the Rehab Clinic premises. “The wall should have been a nice and natural complement to the premises,” the clinic director said.
The shock came in December: Instead of Mr Künzel's proposal, Stephan Bachmann saw himself being confronted by a massive wall made of excavation material. Soil instead of a tramline - at least a temporary problem which can be solved more easily. The Bürgerspital Basel team is still campaigning for the wall to be built according to Alfred Künzel's plan. And all this could be reached without getting wheelchairs involved.
Wave of abuse by Jehovah’s witnesses: The watchtower distributor did not watch carefully enough
Well dressed, a harmless smile, they walk through residential areas on weekends and distribute their Watchtower magazines to Basler households. In both Basel cantons, around 1,400 Jehovah’s witnesses live and do their missionary work. There was a record amount of questions about the end time-sect after cases of abuse became public.
“When Jehovah’s witnesses appear in public, they seem to be harmless with their glossy posters and brochures,” said Susanne Schaaf from the “Infosekta” advisory service in Zurich. Even an initial discussion could be harmless and friendly, but the narrowing of thinking comes in later.
“The norms of the faith community are strictly implemented,” said the psychologist and sect expert. According to the statistics of the advisory office, 44 questions about Jehovah’s witnesses were submitted in Basel last year. The opening of the Ideale Org by Scientology in early 2015 was also a topic of discussion, and there were also questions about the “Praise Camp” in the Messe.
However, the largest amount of recommendations requested are about Jehovah’s witnesses. This is also connected to the cases of sexual abuse in the headlines and the problematic way of addressing them. The views about sexuality are rigorous within the watchtower community. Youngsters are recommended that “according to the Bible sex is only for married men and women (Gospel 5:18). So who wants to please God is only going to be sexually active when he/she is married.” As a website of the witnesses says about sex and morale: “Those who already had sex - and this includes oral and anal sex or satisfying another person - can't say that he/she is still a virgin.”
Rigorous norms and orders
This prude worldview matches to the idea that the current rule of the world is only temporary. The self-proclaimed watchtower society believes in a Jehovah’s kingdom which is ruled by Jesus and 144,000 co-emperors. Jehovah’s witnesses work hard on a daily basis to become one of them. The baptised witnesses live in a world of strict norms and rigorous orders. According to Infosekta, it is also highly problematic that Jehovah’s witnesses have their own jurisdiction. While in Australia 500 sexual assaults have been admitted by perpetrators, other countries shy away from investigations against the community.
According to Susanne Schaaf, it is problematic that the witnesses know patriarchy and strict hierarchy, e.g. that the role of women and girls are weakened systematically. Within the community, an alleged sexual assault is only investigated when there are two witnesses. If there was no witness, the case will be handed over to Jehovah himself. However, it is a matter of fact that there are hardly any witnesses in cases of sexual assault. Therefore, the rule protects the alleged perpetrators.
In a letter of the organisation to the elders in autumn 2016, different orders are summarised, possibly as a result of an investigation committee: Victims and their parents are explicitly allowed to report the case to the authorities. Or that the case must be reported when required by the jurisdiction of the specific country. There is also the regulation that an under-aged victim cannot be only questioned by an elder without just one parent being present. A spokesperson for the Jehovah’s witnesses, Terrence O'Brien, recently confirmed to the commission that the rule of the two witnesses are required by the writings and therefore would not be changed - this is the position.
Inevitable trauma
Also in the USA, dozens of processes are conducted because of child abuse. Within the community, children and women are barely protected, Susanne Schaaf said. This can be confirmed by the discovered cases in Australia: The trauma is inevitable when the child victim of sexual assault has to confront the perpetrator personally and is questioned only by men.
While there were hardly any cases in Switzerland, there is turmoil in Germany. A former witness reported on the platform “Silent Lambs” how her daughter was abused by another witness who wanted to tell a bedtime story to her daughter.
The witness, Cornelia Wagner, said: “Imagine that while I was ironing and doing the dishes this young man is in the room of my daughter, reads stories to her and abuses her.” Her daughter added: “In a way I knew that it was wrong what he was doing. But I was confused since there was nothing like this among Jehovah’s witnesses.”
Fatally secluded world
Victim Ursel Wagner explained: “I am still angry when I think about how the people dealt with it. I am sure that we could have protected some girls. And nothing happened, simply nothing.” Despite the worldwide discoveries the witnesses seem to be untouchable, said Cornelia Wagner: “They made us feel that the roles were changing and that we became perpetrators. We are accusers and this didn't fit into this perfect picture at all.”
It is clear to Susanne Schaaf and to Infosekta that totalitarian structures favour a lack of protection for children and victims. In their everyday lives, she had to deal with personal dramas: “When people want to get out (of the Jehovah’s) they stand there with nothing.” There is no support for such people since they had been socialised within the organisation over years. The abuse cases show how fatal such a secluded world can be.