OCTOBER 14: Lest we forget

A month ago this day, tragedy of immeasurable proportion tore into this city’s heart and spirit. It claimed hundreds of lives, robbed families of their loved. Devastated livelihoods. It pricked the soul of a nation.

A doctor, teacher, journalist, student, son, daughter, Mum and Dad. Pain and loss was inflicted on innocent lives. A city was wounded, robbed of its own. The October 14 tragedy never belittled several other attacks this city has endured but its magnitude and scale of destruction shook the core of the nation and reminded us of the existential security crisis we are confronted with.

But Somalia’s unflinching resilience and determination to rise again has never been in doubt.

In revisiting the accounts of families, friends and colleagues, we endevour not to relive a painful past but to do one very important thing-to remind ourselves never to forget.

It is a call to action. It is a solemn reminder to every mortal in this city, country and beyond that we can and should do something to avoid a similar tragedy in our land.

The dreams, visions and aspirations of the 15 school children who perished in their school bus after a day’s extra knowledge from their teachers were lost that Saturday afternoon. The hope of getting a new doctor in town faded away after Dr. Maryam Abdullahi perished days to a graduation after six years of hard-work, determination and focus.

A crippled man’s aspirations and hopes of seeing his children grow and lead a better life to not only support him but their fellow siblings who too are handicapped live no more.

We cannot put all in black and white but the stories of the few people we managed to record here represent those of the over 700 killed or maimed.

The solidarity and confidence to boldly say never again must live on.