I hold a vision of peace for Somalia Amanda Lindhout

[Liibaan]

"My wish for Somalia is to experience freedom. To become free from poverty, free from hunger, and free from the violence which imprisons it's people. I hold a vision of peace for Somalia." Amanda Lindhout

 

Amanda Lindhout addressing the crowd.

 

Lindhout wipes tears from her eyes after viewing a slide show depicting the violence in Somalia.

 

Lindhout poses for pictures after receiving a framed portrait.

 

Lindhout being presented with a necklace with the words 'hero' on it.

 

Former Canadian hostage speaks for first time at Somali dinner in Calgary

 

 

By Shannon Montgomery (CP) – 2 hours ago

 

CALGARY — A woman who was held hostage for more than 15 months in lawless Somalia says that while she can't forgive the horrors she endured, she understands her captors have never known a life without war.

 

Amanda Lindhout spoke publicly for the first time Sunday night at a dinner in her honour held by Alberta's Somali community.

 

She spoke warmly about the people she met before she was snatched off the side of the road outside the capital of Mogadishu in August 2008, and expressed compassion for the Somali youth who have grown up both the victims and perpetrators of violence.

 

"It's obvious that decades of war are producing generations who have never known anything but conflict," she told the crowded community hall in Calgary.

 

"Despite my own suffering and without condoning what was done to me, I feel those inflicting the violence, while certainly not innocent, are deeply wounded and war traumatized individuals."

 

Seated at a table with four friends and her mother and father, Lindhout looked poised in a black blazer and green scarf but declined to speak with assembled media.

 

Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan were abducted together while working as freelance journalists.

 

After the Canadian and Australian governments failed to secure their release, their parents hired a private hostage negotiation group. Several months later, Brennan and Lindhout were freed for a ransom that has been reported at $500,000 to $1 million.

 

Lindhout has not spoken publicly about her ordeal, beyond a statement before Christmas that thanked those who helped her.

 

She revealed little more on Sunday about the more than 15 months she spent in captivity, other than to thank a Somali woman whom she said risked her life in an attempt to free her.

 

"Her courage is a stunning example of one human being's instinct to protect another. She did not know me, yet she called me her sister," she said.

 

"And while she was ultimately not able to save me, she did touch my life in a profound way that I will never forget."

 

Lindhout remained composed throughout her speech, but wept as she watched a video put together by the Somali community thanking her for her bravery and calling her a hero.

 

She said she continues to think of those who suffer in the country and wants their story to be told.

 

"I have the unique chance to actually experience what freedom itself feels like, but you can only feel freedom if you know what it feels like to not have it."

 

Simple things such as seeing the sky and feeling the sun on her face are filled with a new joy, she said.

 

Lindhout was cheered by her audience as she concluded her speech saying "My wish for Somalia is to experience freedom. To become free from poverty, free from hunger, and free from the violence which imprisons it's people. I hold a vision of peace for Somalia."

 

 

Amanda Lindhout speaks publicly for first time since kidnapping

 

Updated: Sun Feb. 21 2010 22:51:35

 

ctvcalgary.ca

 

On Sunday night, freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout made her first public appearance since returning to the country after spending 15 months in captivity in Somalia.

 

Alberta's Somali-Canadian community hosted a dinner in honour of Lindhout in northeast Calgary.

 

Lindhout's arrival at the Pineridge Community Centre was highly anticipated.

 

With a number of her friends and family members at her side, including her mother and father, Lindhout walked in the front door surrounded by the local media.

 

Everyone was clamoring to get pictures of the woman at the centre of an international news story that dates back to 2008.

 

Lindhout was kidnapped while on a freelance assignment in Somalia in August of 2008.

 

She was ambushed and taken hostage along with Nigel Brennan, a freelance Australian photojournalist, and Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi, a Somali journalist, as the trio made their way to a refugee camp near Mogadishu.

 

Elmi was released in January 2008 after spending 146 days in captivity.

 

Lindhout and Brennan were released on November 25, 2009 after their families were forced to pay ransom to their kidnappers that reportedly was around the half million dollar mark.

 

At Sunday's event, Lindhout addressed the crowd, speaking publicly for the first time since her ordeal.

 

Lindhout spoke of her reasons for traveling to Somalia, saying she was touched by the humanitarian crisis in that country and the lack of media attention.

 

She spoke of her desire to help in her own "humble" way to which the crowd of Somali-Canadians in attendance erupted in applause.

 

When Lindhout spoke of that fateful day on August 23, 2008, she said she does not think the brutal actions of the men who kidnapped her are reflective of the Somali people as a whole.

 

She had to pause from continuing on in her speech as the crowd finished clapping.

 

Lindhout said that despite her suffering, she does not hold any hate in her heart for the men who kidnapped her.

 

While she does not condone their actions, Lindhout says decades of war and suffering in Somalia have produced deeply wounded and traumatized individuals who know no other way than violence.

 

The Somali-Canadian community thanked Lindhout for her efforts to expose the plight of their people and presented her with a necklace, a portrait, and flowers.

 

They called her their "hero" and those words, written in a Somali language, adorn the necklace she was given.

 

While the media was invited to the event, Lindhout did not make herself available to answer any questions.

[Che -Guevara]

Amazing she's not bitter-I'm glad she's back in her country.

 

 

I have the unique chance to actually experience what freedom itself feels like, but you can only feel freedom if you know what it feels like to not have it.

Yup!

[Rayyan]

What we deprive from ourselves, our children,and anyone who set foot on that troubled land, in contrast,and Formerly, the land of camels, horses, eagles and lions, Anyone of them, cannot live without freedom, if they not have it, they will die. naturally born free habitat, we just made it a big prison.

[sheherazade]

I missed the part where she did something that warranted the hero necklace. Musta missed it or these people are what Ibts would call apologists. I didn't miss the part where she describes another woman as heroic. Somebody help me out here. Cadan iyoo heeso come to mind. :rolleyes:

[Juxa]

did the silsilad contain dhago, faranti and jijin.

 

hope it was complete set. other than that her plight is not worse than entire nation held hostage by continues fighting and daily violence.

 

at least she got out.

[sheherazade]

I heard they also had Mariah in the background: and then a hero comes along, with the strength to carry dahab.

 

Gimme an H, gimme an E, gimme an R, gimme an O(uucc).

[Juxa]

somalida have serious lack of caring for their own. meeqaa dhimatay maanta kaliya in somalia.

 

that set of dahab could feed entire family for 2 months, waa hadii runta lashegayo.

 

i dont deny her ordeal but

 

oh well

[Ashkiro]

This is not an ordinary case and hence why it is receiving extra attention perhaps? I think some of the above comments are emotional and ignorant. You say that the gold could feed a family for two months, no offense but I am positive you spend your earnings on far more trivial matters which could feed families in Somalia as well, as we all are guilty of. And to say these Somalis don’t care for their own is an assumption, just because they are paying attention to this extraordinary case of this women does not translate to them not caring for their own. You neither know their hearts or their actions in helping their people. Allah Alone Knows her intention the young woman in question and it depends on ones definition of a hero, however what we have is a foreigner, a young Canadian woman who was very touched by the situation in Somalia that she embarked on a dangerous journey to put the spotlight on this crisis, for the world to witness it. She paid dearly as the reports state and through her ordeal is still compassionate, connected, touched, pained by the plight of the Somali people. That is a remarkable individual in my eyes and I am happy to see the Somali community honored her. InshaAllah her pain will be healed, and that of the nation this young woman from the looks of things cares very much about.

[Juxa]

there is no reason for you to dismiss other people's opinions as emotional and ignorant. this is general discussion so how anyone spends his/her money is hardly relevant.

 

the fact is there is wide spread suffering in somalia. the suffering of one woman, altho recognised, symphatised with does not negate the suffering of many.

 

i dont consider her efforts are anything special, after all she was doing her job as a journalist.

[NGONGE]

She looks nothing like the plump woman with hijab on that people used to post the picture of on here. Were there two Canadian women kidnapped in Somalia?

 

Good PR at any rate.

[Juxa]

Ngonge i am glad she is free, in fact i remember reading she was forced to have a child, altho later on been bey noqotay to my relief.

 

ps: the company that negotiated her release have offices in london. jobs are available specially multi-language speakers. i thought of you

[Ashkiro]

@there is no reason for you to dismiss other people's opinions as emotional and ignorant. this is general discussion so how anyone spends his/her money is hardly relevant.

 

I didn't dismiss your opinions, only stated it struck me as emotional and ignorant, neither did i make how anyone spends their money relevant, you did and i pointed out the hypocrisy of your statement.

 

@the fact is there is wide spread suffering in somalia. the suffering of one woman, altho recognised, symphatised with does not negate the suffering of many.

 

I don't think anyone negated the suffering of many, it was as you have yourself stated here, the suffering of this woman was recognized.

 

@i dont consider her efforts are anything special, after all she was doing her job as a journalist.

 

We all will see things differently and that is fine, I think anyone who risks their life to highlight the suffering of others and bring it to the world stage, endures an ordeal as she has and furthermore displays the compassion as Amanda has, is a remarkable human being.

[General Duke]

A good story, she deserves all the praise for what she went through is worse than many here can imagine..

 

The fact she is not bitter is also good news.

[sheherazade]

Originally posted by Ashkiro:

This is not an ordinary case and hence why it is receiving extra attention perhaps? I think some of the above comments are emotional and ignorant. You say that the gold could feed a family for two months, no offense but I am positive you spend your earnings on far more trivial matters which could feed families in Somalia as well, as we all are guilty of. And to say these Somalis don’t care for their own is an assumption, just because they are paying attention to this extraordinary case of this women does not translate to them not caring for their own. You neither know their hearts or their actions in helping their people. Allah Alone Knows her intention the young woman in question and it depends on ones definition of a hero, however what we have is a foreigner, a young Canadian woman who was very touched by the situation in Somalia that she embarked on a dangerous journey to put the spotlight on this crisis, for the world to witness it. She paid dearly as the reports state and through her ordeal is still compassionate, connected, touched, pained by the plight of the Somali people. That is a remarkable individual in my eyes and I am happy to see the Somali community honored her. InshaAllah her pain will be healed, and that of the nation this young woman from the looks of things cares very much about.

She was looking for a scoop. Journalists can't resist such things. Does it maker her a hero? I think not. Kidnap comes with the territory. You can't go into a lion's cage and complain of its haliotosis and sharp teeth being a total drag. She has no buisiness being bitter; she knows this and behaves accordingly. But the Somalis? Iyaga maxaa haya? Is PR a new toy they've discovered?

 

She has said little since Xmas. Her book will be out soon enough. She'll make some money and publicity out of the ordeal and the Somalis will only have spent some while looking like muppets. Please does being white and claiming to give an ish(while doing your job) mean you get lavished with gifts?

 

Cr*p, I was born into the wrong race. Were I white I'd have had a pity party thrown for me:

 

when I gave food to a beggar in SE Asia and she threw it back in my face. Chanel sunglasses please to hide the almost black eye. Ignore the fact I was there of my own volition and chose to give.

 

when I gave my friends the correct answers to a school test and wrote in incorrect ones myself. Therapy please for that one.

 

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Juxa]

sheh how can you deny the remarkable lady tut tut.

 

somalida suffer from misplaced sense of sacbo-tumis