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Maher Osman
Tommy Winston |
Shocked at these senseless killings
• On Saturday January 28 Maher Osman (pictured
above left), an 18- year-old Somali student was murdered.
The Somali Community in Camden, like everyone else, is shocked
and devastated by this senseless loss of a young life. We share
the sadness of Maher’s family and send them our condolences.
On behalf of the Somali community, the Somali Camden Forum is
calling for unity of hearts in this tragic moment.
An old Somali proverb ‘Kaa dhimay, kuguna dhimay’,
translates as: “The dead one is one of yours and so is
the killer.” This is something of which the Somali community
will be reminding ourselves of this week.
The Somali community in Camden acknowledges the existence of
several problems affecting our integration into mainstream society
and is committed to being part of the solution.
Somali Camden Forum is supporting meetings of young Somali men
to discuss how to bring about better relations with Somali youth
in other parts of London, especially in Tottenham.
Some of the media reports – describing our young people
as ‘feral’ youth who are involved in gang rivalry
on behalf of drug barons – is wild exaggeration which
makes our children, and the community at large, seem like fearful
ogres rather than the troubled and struggling people that they
really are.
We do not seek special treatment, but it is useful to remember
that many in our community have experienced the trauma and upheaval
of civil war and flight, and that this can be difficult to overcome
if one loses the hope of making a new life here.
The Camden Somali Forum calls on all who think they can help
to work in partnership and mutual respect with us. In particular,
we call on the police, the schools, the youth services, health
providers and employers, to recognise the need to work with
and be informed by the community.
Abdiwali Mohamud Chairman
Abdifatah Said
Vice-Chairman
Mohamed Dirshe
Member
Camden Somali Forum
St Martin’s House
Polygon Road, NW1
• The students and staff of South Camden Community School
were shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Maher Osman,
and we send our sympathy and condolences to his family and friends.
Maher formerly attended the British Somali Community Supplementary
School at South Camden, and he had many friends amongst our
students.
I welcome the Camden Somali Forum’s call for unity in supporting
their young people to build positive relationships with each
other and with the wider community in which they live, and will
be working with the Forum to further this aim.
South Camden is proud of the tremendous successes achieved by
our Somali students, and we will continue to work with them
to build on these in the future.
Rosemary Leeke
Headteacher
South Camden Community School
Chalton Street
NW1
• VIVIAN Felix’s letter about the recently murdered
Tommy Winston (pictured above right) was deeply moving and much
appreciated locally (A special young man, February 9).
His idea that some youth facility dedicated to Tommy Winston
be erected in our area is an excellent one. It just so happens
that on the estate where Tommy and his family lived, just across
the street from the soon to be demolished Lyndhurst Hall, there
is a small hall the community built some 35 years ago. It has
since been condemned.
Here is the opportunity for Councillor Raj Chada to put his
money where his mouth is. He says youth facilities do not matter,
but in this, as in so many things, he couldn’t be more
wrong. It matters a lot – to this community.
The council have wantonly sold off the family silver for the
past few years. Just recently they stamped their approval on
a planning application for a seven-storey building scheme at
Dalby Street which will encroach on the Talacre Open Space and
restrict access to Talacre Sports Centre where Tommy Winston
played badminton.
The same council have also reneged on their election promise
to refurbish the Kentish Town Swimming Baths. We anticipate
they will also stamp their approval for the demolition of the
Lyndhurst Hall. No wonder Cllr Chada preaches the virtue of
unity but underplays the importance of youth facilities. He
and his executive are in the process of eliminating the lot
of them.
Here is an the opportunity for Cllr Chada to do more than just
give us a lot of talk. How about doing something positive for
a change and refurbish community hall at Athlone? What is needed
is a good architect to design a soundproof building to replace
the one which has been condemned.
The facilities could be rented to groups when not in use. Here
is what I call regeneration. And you know what, not an inch
of Talacre Open Space, Metropolitan Open Land or sacred sports
facility will be sacrificed.
For a small amount of money, Labour could show they do have
a social conscience and a heart that still ticks.
BEVERLY GARDNER
Chairwoman
Athlone Tenants’ Association
Athlone House
NW5
• Like everyone else I send my heartfelt sympathies
to the family of the young Somali man recently killed in the
senseless and brutal attack that ended his life and totally
endorse the need to support the Somali community at this time
(Unity is the only way forward in tackling our youth’s
problems, February 9).
However, I profoundly disagree with Councillor Raj Chada’s
assessment of how vital a role local youth provision can play
in preventing escalating violent gang culture. Social cohesion
and unity and important factors but now, more than ever, it
is vital that young people from the Somali and every other community
have the opportunity to access quality youth activities and,
crucially, long before the ages of 14-22 as government funding
streams dictate
We have recently observed first hand the result of youth disaffection
and alienation with tragic and irreversible loss of a young
life. Children from overcrowded homes hanging around the streets
quickly learn the law of the concrete jungle in hostile environments
in order to survive. Bullying and intimidation, violence and
substance abuse is rife.
Now, as never before, there is a desperate need to channel funds
into provision of stimulating and challenging activities before
antisocial patterns of behaviour develop. To ignore this obvious
fact is to be short-sighted in the extreme.
Due in large part to Camden Central’s programme of youth
provision over the past five years, racial conflict has been
significantly reduced in Somers Town and surrounding areas,
a fact strongly endorsed by the local community policing team.
Hundreds of young people have actively engaged in activities
that have broadened and stimulated their personal horizons and
thereby reducing their propensity to engage in anti-social and
offending behaviour, including being sucked into drug use, abuse
and violence. This funding ends in six weeks’ time.
The consequent withdrawal of services young people need and
value will almost inevitable result in disaffection or even
an escalation of disturbance, possibly racial, by young people
who feel let down that their needs are not being met.
A wealth of options for youth engagement and diversion abound
for families with the financial wherewithal, time and commitment
to access them.
The major limiting factor in areas of significant economic deprivation
is cost. Adequate quality youth provision does not come cheap,
but every pound invested in supporting our young people is an
investment, not only in their futures, but also in the futures
of our diverse communities and social fabric.
If you feel strongly, as we do, that we have a duty to expand
youth service here in Camden Central, please join us on February
23 in the Upper Room, Greenland Street (for more details phone
Nisha on 020 7554 3540).
Fran Heron
Chair Camden Central Youth Initiative |
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