Suffering for the wrong son

[Abtigiis]

Whomever he is being tortured for must have either looked like him, or someone really framed him. The Tigre Torturer was adamant that Soofe Ahmed Naaleeye, the 69 years old man from the village of Kabtinaag in Qoraxeey was the father of the terrorist who murdered two of his comrades in Suuqa-xoolaha a week ago.

 

Kiflom, the torturer, was sure he got the right man. But he was also losing his sanity as the old man clinged to his denial story. He lashed out one last time and caught Soofe on the right ear with a ferocious slap and left the room, giving an ultimatum for the old man to cooperate or else he will be made to expire before the sun sets that day.

 

Back in the Military canteen, Kiflom was bothered by the pain he inflicted on his subject, which went on for five days now. He is after all a devout Christian, and Aba Tesfazgh in Kiflom’s monastery in Taaj Armaacho in Southern Tigray would not have approved of these cruel actions. He made the cross on his face, shut his eyes and prayed for forgiveness, if he is wrong, before he took out the wooden masqal (cross) on his neck and kissed it for eternity.

 

But he was comforted by the knowledge that he is fighting demons, who would have crucified Christ himself, if they have their way. What do they call them back in his village, he recalled: “Aramane”, and he sighed a sigh of relief. Yes, barbaric (aramene) is the name they call muslims.

 

And after all, who killed Minase and major Giramay? Anyone who sired such a killer deserves equal pain. He has enough information that the man who led the killing gang, who call themselves Al-itihaad, that fatal night, was Abu-Obeid. But the old man still contends Abu-Obeid is not his son. He even said that his son is a big time Qat chewer, who is known in the town.

 

What Soofe knows of his real son, Mahamud-dheeg was his addiction to Qat. He was there when the wife of Mahamud complained that she told her husband to take all their three children to their beds when they sleep the night she went to her families home to mourn the death of her father. When she returned late in the night, she found one kid who was still watching the analog Stallite Dish, while Mahamud was still munching his green leaves. But what surprised her more was his justifications for not asking the boy to go to sleep.

 

“Kan ayaa seexan waayey mooye, the rest are asleep.” He said. She was speechless.

 

“This boy, Faysal, is the son of Ahmed-dheere, our neighbor. Why didn’t you tell him to go?”

 

Mahamud was embarrassed; he didn’t notice that all night.

 

Soofe expected the routine of pain to resume when Kiflom walked in. He, Sofe, no more counts how many days he was here. But he would be forced to do was even more shocking. He was taken outside his cell and driven to the town market, where crowds were pitifully looking at a body of a man killed. Soofe was asked to identify the body. It didn’t take him any effort. How can he not know Mahamud-dheeg, even if his torso was on one side and the rest of his body on the other?

 

“Why did you kill my son?” soofe mumbled, his eyes dry, not able to produce any more tears after the life he had last couple of years.

 

Mahamud, is the third child he lost in three years. And no more sons are out there for him. One died of natural death, one blown up by a land mine as he was travelling to look for a job in Jigjiga. He was travelling with army convoy.

 

“So you will not tell the truth when we you see your son’s dead body, no?” Kiflom was a relieved man.

 

“Why did you kill him, and not me?”

 

“Because he is Abu-Obeid.”

 

“When did he become Abu-obeid, you kufaar!!!!He is not Abu-Obeid. He is Mahamud Dheeg!?”

 

"The Amir of the Mujaahidiin regiment in Qoraxeey province is Mahamud Dheeg, who is renamed Abu-Obeid." Siyaad Af-yare, the head of the Gobolka said, in somali, to Soofe.

[Jacaylbaro]

Inaalillaaahi ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I know worse stories happen in that part of the world.

 

Very sad indeed ...........