Clandestine Training of Somali Forces in Eritrea made Somali mothers cry.

Friend of mine businessman told me the other day that as he was leaving the supermarket He held the door for a woman with a small baby girl. How old is your baby?” I heard myself asking.

she says 2 years old

And I know I’m supposed to say, Oh, so sweet! So cute, so nice. But instead I look her right in the eyes and say, are you Ayaan and she said yes I am and she said who are you and I said I am your cousin Ahmed and she asked me when did You came from New York and told her few days ago then I said “How are you doing? Are you OK?”

She half-smiles and then says, “No, I’m not,” and starts to cry. I guide her outside the shop to a bench and we sit down. She starts apologizing and I stop her right there and say, “Do NOT apologize — this is a very hard time in your life.”

“I’m just so tired,” she says. “And I haven’t sleep more than 3 months and I don’t know if I’m doing this right, and I’m worried about my son that who’s been deployed to Eritrea for training and Farmaajo Goverment and Fahad Yasin chief of NISA aren’t telling us. if he’s alive or dead.

My cousin Ayaan looks at me like I’m probably going to call Farmaajo —so she feel relief I told her we’ll seek help from International community and other human rights groups.

I. told her is that asking for help is a sign of strength, never a sign of weakness, I also told her to pray to Allah for your son’s safe return many families have lost their Sons in same way I. told her she. needs to sleep and not to get sick because her other children needs her support.

Abdiaziz Amalo