Munirul-Haq Raza | News Editor
Featured image: SSAY’s Pray for Muqdisho raises crucial awareness for the October attack in Somalia. | Maymuna Mohamed
On October 14, Somalia experienced one of its deadliest terrorist attacks in the country’s history, with at least 350 people dead and over 400 injured. The Somali Student Association at York (SSAY) hosted an event two days later called Pray for Muqdisho (also spelled Mogadishu) to honor the victims of the attack.
“The SSAY decided to take up space in order to raise awareness, collect donations, and to pray for lost lives,” says the SSAY collective.
“During this demonstration, we highlighted the constant violence and recurring attacks experienced by the Somali community, both back home and in Canada.
“We recognized the inaction of the international community—in particular, the Canadian government,” they add.
The dua, or prayer, was led by SSAY’s Vice President of Finance, Issa Abdi Jamaa, who included a statement of condolence and condemnation. One of the prayers was: “We pray, O Allah, for all those who suffer from acts of war, especially for the victims of this horrific attack on Saturday October 14, 2017, in Mogadishu, Somalia, that You ease their difficulties and grant them a speedy recovery. We plead to You to accept our prayers, so that by Your grace, peace may return. Our Lord, hear the supplications of all who call to You in oppression, sorrow, and affliction.”
Speaking on the success of the event, the SSAY collective adds: “Oftentimes, we are not allowed time to mourn and grieve when tragedy strikes—to provide a space for the community that means a lot. We were able to raise over $400 thanks to the generous contribution of students, professors, and others who were passing by.”
The SSAY says they are still “collecting donations on behalf of Amin Ambulance, one of the freely accessible first-responders.”
SSAY is also selling Somalia pendant necklaces in their office for $20.
The SSAY says that more support is still needed—in particular, highlighting the lack of backing through means such as solidarity statements from the YFS and York.
“As a show of support, York and YFS should have condemned this attack and state that they stood in solidarity with one of its largest communities of black students.
“However, this never happened.”
