No One Bothered to Ask Their Names

No One Bothered to Ask Their Names

In the days following the rogue US soldier’s shooting spree in Kandahar, most of the media, us included, focused on the “backlash” and how it might further strain the relations with the US

Many mainstream media outlets channeled a significant amount of energy into uncovering the slightest detail about the accused soldier – now identified as Staff Sergeant Robert Bales. We even know where his wife wanted to go for vacation, or what she said on her personal blog.

But the victims became a footnote, an anonymous footnote. Just the number 16. No one bothered to ask their ages, their hobbies, their aspirations. Worst of all, no one bothered to ask their names.

In honoring their memory, I write their names below, and the little we know about them: that nine of them were children, three were women.

The dead:

Mohamed Dawood son of Abdullah

Khudaydad son of Mohamed Juma

Nazar Mohamed

Payendo

Robeena

Shatarina daughter of Sultan Mohamed

Zahra daughter of Abdul Hamid

Nazia daughter of Dost Mohamed
Masooma daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Farida daughter of Mohamed Wazir

Palwasha daughter of Mohamed Wazir
Nabia daughter of Mohamed Wazir
Esmatullah daughter of Mohamed Wazir
Faizullah son of Mohamed Wazir
Essa Mohamed son of Mohamed Hussain
Akhtar Mohamed son of Murrad Ali

The wounded:

Haji Mohamed Naim son of Haji Sakhawat
Mohamed Sediq son of Mohamed Naim
Parween
Rafiullah
Zardana
Zulheja
This article was first published on Al-Jazeera’s English Website

Source: Al-Jazeera
21-03-2012 - 12:15 Last updated 21-03-2012 - 12:15

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