“Mola awape amani” — “May God give them peace”
This message, written in Swahili, was shared by the African Student Union to promote a candlelight vigil held Wednesday evening to honor the lives lost at Garissa University College in Kenya on April 2.
Students hold candlelight vigil to mourn those killed in Kenyan university attacks
Following the terrorist attack on a Kenyan university, MSU students held a vigil to honor and remember the victims.
—An estimated 148 students were killed, and 79 injured in Kenya following an attack by militants of al-Shabab. The gunmen took more than 700 students hostage and killed those who identified as non-muslims.
“We have Kenyan students who are personally affected by this massacre and are in grief," read a letter written by members of the African Student Union, Sankofa Graduate Student Union and Black Student Alliance. "Other students are also in pain and in awe at the fact that such a heinous activity can occur to students just like them in Africa. However, currently on the MSU campus there has been silence about the innocent lives that were slaughtered in the name of vengeance. African lives are just as important and should be discussed and acknowledged within the walls of our university.”
The candlelight vigil was held at the rock on Farm Lane and students were encouraged to wear red, green and white — the colors of Kenya’s flag.
MSU students from Kenya and members of the Lansing Kenyan Association spoke and shared their feelings about the tragedy.
“I was especially saddened to learn that 70% of those killed were female,” african american and african studies doctoral student Tiffany Caesar said. “Their lives and their education were so important and they were cut short.”
Ibrahim Gulamhusein, an economics senior from Kenya, took the time to reflect on the relevance of the killings to MSU’s students. Many other Kenyan students joined him and expressed the importance of standing together as one community.
“If you are black, you are African,” said african american and african studies doctoral student Olaocha Nwabara. “And if you’re human, you know that we need to come together as humanity and show that things like this can’t happen.”
Members of MSU Faculty, including Student Affairs and Services Vice President Denise Maybank took time to say MSU will always be a safe and welcoming place for people of all backgrounds.
“Always know that we stand with you,” Maybank said. “We support you and we love you.”
After lighting candles and draping Kenyan flags over the rock, the group took 148 seconds of silence to honor students killed in the attack.
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