A man who survived an assassination attempt in his native Somalia has said he came to Ireland in search of “peace”.
Before he became an asylum seeker, Salman Jamal worked as a journalist and advisor to the Somali Government.
It was, he said, “difficult” work as many journalists in the East African nation end up being murdered.
One day, Mr Jamal and two colleagues were travelling along in a car when a bomb planted by the militant group Al Shabaab went off.
It was a turning point in his life.
“[They are] a terrorist group, they want to control Somalia and they are fighting against the Somalian Government,” he told The Hard Shoulder.
“As a journalist, if you don’t talk about [them favourably], you will be a target.
“If they saw you as [being] on the Government side, you will be a target.
“That’s why we were a target.”
Escape
For many years, Mr Jamal had reported on Al Shabaab’s reign of terror and his coverage had left the group incandescent with rage.
Realising he was lucky to be alive and determined to live a life of “peace”, he decided to leave his homeland and seek asylum somewhere safer.
He contacted an agent who prepared the documents he needed to flee to Europe.
It was only at the airport he was informed his destination was Ireland.
Upon arrival in Dublin, Mr Jamal travelled down to the International Protection Office and was allocated a bed in the CityWest hotel.
He has spent the past five months there.
“It is very difficult,” he said.
“You don’t have any privacy sleeping [in the same room] with four other different nationalities.
“You want to talk to your family, you want to talk to your Mum, so it is not private.”
The Citywest Hotel in Dublin.That said, he has nothing but praise for Irish people, who he feels have been nothing but kind and generous to him.
“Of course [I feel] welcome,” he said.
“Good people are here, respectful people.
“[It’s] a clean country, very good people.
“Sometimes in the train or the Luas, they ask you where you are from and they will welcome you.
“I like it.”
Mr Jamal is unsure when a decision on his application for asylum will be made.
You can listen back here:
Main image: Salman Jamal. Image: Newstalk
