ABC AU
Friday, July 29, 2016
By Clare Rawlinson
Melbourne's Somali community is responding to the threat of radicalisation by sharing its own "heroic" stories.
PHOTO: Melbourne's Somali community are finding ways to beat extremist views. (774 ABC Melbourne: Clare Rawlinson)
Every week hundreds of people weave through the side streets of West Heidelberg in Melbourne's north-east to attend Friday prayers at the local mosque.
Cars are parked bumper to bumper in the surrounding blocks, including dozens of taxis whose drivers take a break to rush in for the sermon.
Most of those at the mosque are Somali migrants who live locally, in the former 1956 Olympic village.
"The mosque is our first home and the [West Heidelberg] Mall is our second home — we call it Little Somaliland," said Hussein Haraco, secretary of the Somali Australian Council of Victoria.
Somali refugees have settled in West Heidelberg since 1982, when their country's civil war forced millions to flee.
The former Olympic village has progressively become home to the biggest Somali community in Australia, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 migrants living there.
Lack of role models adds to pull of extremist ideas
The problem of high unemployment and the lure of extremist ideology that plagues Somalia is something the children of migrants are grappling with.
Mr Haraco said there was concern in the community about the absence of Somali role models represented in the mainstream media.
"What we worry is that our young people would be attracted by extreme people with extreme ideas outside the community," he said.
PHOTO: Imam Alaa Elzokm and prayer caller Weli at the West Heidelberg Mosque. (774 ABC Melbourne: Clare Rawlinson)
The mosque's imam Alaa Elzokm echoes Mr Haraco's concerns.
For the past eight weeks, his Friday sermons have focused on Islam and Australian citizenship.
"All the Friday sermons are about this topic — extremism," he said.
"The importance is for our youth. Some of them are misguided now and attracted to these extremist people.
The teachings at the mosque are only one part of the community's efforts to build positive cultural identity among its youth.
Real-life stories of Somali heroism told in a book
The Olympic Adult Education centre published a book, called Paths to Peace, chronicling the survival stories of 14 Somali former refugees living in West Heidelberg.
PHOTO: Youth worker Mahad Abdirahman at the West Heidelberg Mall. (ABC Local: Clare Rawlinson)
Many of them had never spoken about their trauma before.
Among the stories in the book are experiences of torture, imprisonment, massacres and the loss of relatives during the Somali civil war.
"There aren't many heroes [young Somali people] can identify with and that makes all the difference," youth worker Mahad Abdirahman said.
Mr Abdirahman said the absence of Somali role models in the media was something he struggled with growing up.
Paths to Peace also offers a positive vision for the future and a display of pride about "Little Somaliland".
"We want to show our youngest our identity; when you show the positive stories, it builds hope for the community," Mr Haraco said.
PHOTO: Ayan Mohamud is one of 28 Somali shop owners who work at the West Heidelberg Mall.