October 18, 2017
Led by the International Students Association (ISA), the Ashesi community held a vigil in solidarity with the victims of the recent bombings in Mogadishu, Somalia.
On October 14th, a truck bomb was set off in a busy market area in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital city, killing over 300 people and injuring another 250. Following what was the deadliest attack in the country’s history, heartfelt wishes have been pouring in from across the world, to victims of the bombing.
Led by Daniel Muigai ‘20, Vice President of the ISA, members of the community lit candles and shared words of encouragement and reflection about the bombing and its effect on the continent.
“This world is full of discrimination, slavery, starvation and slaughter,” Daniel said. “Throughout Africa, the events that have unfolded over the last month show that African bleeds more than any other part of the world. We are agonizing so much. In Kenya, we have a political crisis that has led to the deaths of more than 50 people from one community. All these are differing evils, but are common works of man. They represent the imperfection of human justice, inadequacies of human compassion and our lack of sensibility towards the suffering of our fellows humans. Nobody ought to die that way, but here we are commemorating the lives of all those who died, and it sad 300 people have to die because of selfish gains.”
“When this attack happened, I saw myself there,“ said Gumiso Chisi ‘20. “It could have been me. We see them from afar, and may think we are not affected, but we all are one way or another. As an international community, we join other countries sending their words of courage to Somalia.”
“As we reflect of the world, and Africa in general, I just want to remind us that the world is here in our communities as well,” said TK Azaglo, Associate Dean of Students and Community Affairs. “The world is in our residence halls, our classrooms, the world is here right now. So, as we talk about all the hate that’s in different corners of the world, let’s try and inject our worlds with love. Let’s try and fill this place with love.”
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