Iman Alsanji: Iman Alsanji: ”My life and the lives of others ought not to be controlled by criminals”
”I made up my mind to do all I could for my children”Iman Alsanji
I, Iman, came to Sweden six years ago along with my three children. It was naturally a huge upheaval to leave the country I lived in. I came to a new culture, a new language and a lot that was different. But I made up my mind to do all I could for my children.
I found a job at House of Beatrice, a social enterprise in Näsby which tries to integrate people who don't know the language or are unfamiliar with the Swedish culture, especially women, so that they can find a job. But more recently we have been working for ABK and we help at Gamlegården.
I live at Gamlegården. I like living here, almost everything I need is close at hand, and there are activities if you feel like taking part.
At the beginning of August there was a shooting incident at the shopping centre. Three people were seriously injured. At first I was afraid, then sad when I thought about the people who had been hurt, I think everyone is scared when something like that happens. After a while I grew very angry – my life and the lives of others ought not to be controlled by criminals.
”I don't want to move, for I Iike it here. I want to feel safe”Iman Alsanji
When someone shoots wildly at innocent people I think it makes you wonder even more: will there be more shooting incidents? How can you protect yourself?
My biggest worry is for my youngest boy who is in middle school. For example I don't let him go to the youth club as he usually does. My older sons are grown up, they work and study, I'm not so worried about them. I suppose that's because I've been able to teach them enough to know the difference between right and wrong. Nobody knows who it was who fired the shots, or why. And when you read about other shootings, it seems as though they can happen just about anywhere.
The police regard Gamlegården as a vulnerable area, but most of the people who live here are ordinary, decent people who want to live a good life. I don't want to move, for I Iike it here. I want to feel safe, just like most people. So it should be possible to sort everything out – if we co-operate.
”Everyone must talk to their children, find out what they get up to”Iman Alsanji
I think a lot of people are willing to do their bit if security is made a priority. Perhaps we can't do much about what is going on just now, but we can work with our children and young people for their future.
Everyone must talk to their children, find out what they get up to.
Something else that would be helpful would be to talk about everything at Gamlegården that is positive. Information gets around. If we talk publicly about what is good, it will spread like rings in the water. It's exactly the same if someone spreads negative information. That gets around as well.
I hope that together we can build on the good that there is, no matter where we live.
