On October 4th, a bomb went off near the Kilometer 4 junction in downtown Mogadishu. The death toll was over 70, and hundreds were wounded - some charred, some in pieces, some still smoldering from the impact. I saw the aftermath on a video that was posted online just a couple of hours after the bomb went off. I regret watching that video and seeing the dead bodies, some clearly young children. This is a rude awakening, reminding us all that while Mogadishu appears to be improving, just below the surface are fundamental problems. Al-Shabaab may have "pulled out" in August but they are far from gone.
The most tragic part of this bombing was the victims: they were mostly young students who were lining up outside the Ministry of Education to receive results from an examination. The Turkish government offered scholarships to Somali students, and these young kids had the smarts and confidence in themselves to try their luck at the chance to study abroad, hoping for a better future. I'm sure their families were tremendously proud of them, but unfortunately this hope and pride was shattered by terrorism.
Al-Shabaab has become nothing more than a terrorist organization with a bankrupt ideology. With every murder of an innocent individual, more and more Somalis increase their loathing for the organization. Although I may at some time thought al-Shabaab was just a violent political movement, now I believe they are beyond the pale and cannot be dignified with the title of political movement. They are inhuman terrorists. If they cared at all for the Somali people they would not be killing them in such violent ways. The sole purpose of al-Shabaab now appears to be terrorism, and wreaking havoc on Somalia so that no government can establish itself. And it looks like they are succeeding.
This bombing and mass murder of innocent young people will nevertheless backfire on al-Shabaab because terrorism doesn't sit well with Somalis. My hope is that the people are angry enough to mobilize against al-Shabaab following this tragedy, and deal the organization a serious blow.
Somalis have been trapped by fear long enough. At a certain point, fear isn't enough to contain the hope for change.
The most tragic part of this bombing was the victims: they were mostly young students who were lining up outside the Ministry of Education to receive results from an examination. The Turkish government offered scholarships to Somali students, and these young kids had the smarts and confidence in themselves to try their luck at the chance to study abroad, hoping for a better future. I'm sure their families were tremendously proud of them, but unfortunately this hope and pride was shattered by terrorism.
Al-Shabaab has become nothing more than a terrorist organization with a bankrupt ideology. With every murder of an innocent individual, more and more Somalis increase their loathing for the organization. Although I may at some time thought al-Shabaab was just a violent political movement, now I believe they are beyond the pale and cannot be dignified with the title of political movement. They are inhuman terrorists. If they cared at all for the Somali people they would not be killing them in such violent ways. The sole purpose of al-Shabaab now appears to be terrorism, and wreaking havoc on Somalia so that no government can establish itself. And it looks like they are succeeding.
This bombing and mass murder of innocent young people will nevertheless backfire on al-Shabaab because terrorism doesn't sit well with Somalis. My hope is that the people are angry enough to mobilize against al-Shabaab following this tragedy, and deal the organization a serious blow.
Somalis have been trapped by fear long enough. At a certain point, fear isn't enough to contain the hope for change.
