Friday October 20, 2017
Muna Jama, the model who represented Britain at this year’s Miss Universe contest, has urged everyone to show their solidarity for Somalia after Saturday’s horrific terror attack.
At least 300 people were killed and another 200 injured when a lorry bomb was detonated in the centre of Mogadishu.
Five days later, people in the city are still clearing away the rubble – and the charred remains of their loved ones – from the city. Around 165 people have had to be buried without being identified, as their bodies were so burned they were beyond recognition.
Muna, who is a British woman of Somalian heritage, made history in August by becoming the first Miss Universe contestant to wear a kaftan rather than a bikini. As well as having spent time campaigning in the country, Muna has a lot of family and friends living in Somalia – but after the attack happened she struggled to find information about it online. But she told Metro.co.uk she later realised that, where the mainstream media fails, the general public needs to step in.
It’s shocking because a typical Saturday in the western world is a day filled with happiness – it’s a day to recharge, to meet up with your family and your loved ones. So to hear what happened in Somalia, considering I’m British-Somali myself, is just shocking,’ she said.
It was overwhelming for myself and my loved ones because we’re over here, and there’s nothing that at the time we felt like we could do. ‘The numbers from the attack are just horrendous. Amongst the victims are young boys, young girls. ‘Myself, I recently came back from Somalia earlier this year when I was campaigning out there against illegal migration, and I bore witness to the severe drought and ongoing famine, and that’s something the people of Somalia are currently dealing with, still. ‘So many Somalis are homeless – and then, for this terror attack to happen… I guess we were all taken aback.’
Muna added that the show of solidarity on social media that she’s seen has almost made up for the relative lack of traditional media coverage. She said: ‘Just today I saw a message of solidarity sent all the way from Brazil. I know it’s not in a newspaper, but it’s still in the media in a way, because it’s on social media. ‘
We need more people to not sit in silence, to use their platforms to speak to one another.’ Muna recently joined the conversation by adding a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #StandwithSomalia. Now, she wants people to use that hashtag to share images and information from the scene, as well as support from around the world.
‘I want people to use that hashtag to share information or updated photos, or anything that will encourage positivity and show that the one common goal we have internationally is to stand against terror,’ she continued.
‘We witnessed that here in the UK, and it was such a dreadful time, but we stood in solidarity and unity – and that was despite our religion, despite our backgrounds, despite our colour, because Britain’s so multicultural and diverse. ‘Somalia needs to know that they’re not alone in this, and that it’s not acceptable.
We need to donate to groups working on the ground in Somalia, and to use hashtags to communicate with one another.’ With that in mind, she’s pledged to use her considerable platform to speak to others, so that they can share information and get it out there for people.
‘I’m British-Somalian – and it’s powerful to know that I can be from two different backgrounds, but still be able to use my voice to share people’s feelings and thoughts,’ she said. ‘It’s really good to know that although I’m so far away from my loved ones and those affected, technology brings us closer together. We can communicate online and people can upload messages.
‘The world should know that Somalia is a lot stronger than it appears. ‘There has been a lot of suffering, but these people are brave. They’re standing together within the community.’ A Gofundme raising money for Aamin Ambulance – Somalia’s only free ambulance service – has raised more than £22,000 so far