sequence
In 2018, the news that a suspect was sentenced caused a sensation around the world.
Ali Omar Adel was sentenced to 15 years in prison for her involvement in the kidnapping and gang rape of Canadian journalist Amanda Lindt.
As a result, the experience of Canadian female journalist Amanda in Somalia in 2008 was brought up again.
Amanda was born in a small town in Canada, and Amanda lived in poverty when her parents divorced.
In order to be able to live, Amanda even needs to pick up waste to subsidize the family.
Due to the poor family conditions, Amanda did not go to college, but worked as a barmaid.
But Amanda's only thoughts didn't stop there, and she began to save money to travel to some countries in her spare time.
During her travels, Amanda also had the idea of becoming a journalist, so she became a "freelance journalist".
What a journalist needs is keen insight and sensitivity to the news.
So during Amanda's self-proclaimed "freelance writer", she went to some of the more controversial countries.
For example, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Amanda's "inhuman" experience in Somalia
After the experience of going to these countries,
Amanda set her sights on Somalia, which at the time was called "the most dangerous country in the world".
When it comes to Somalia, many people's first reaction should be "a pirate gathering place".
But even if Somalia's notoriety spreads,
Amanda still set out on a journey to Somalia with her boyfriend Nigel without hesitation.
Nigel is an Australian photographer.
The two had illusions about everything here before they arrived in Somalia.
Amanda even said that there is "no competition" here in Somalia,
If he can make a difference in Somalia, he will definitely make a name for himself.
But what Amanda imagined didn't happen,
Little did she know that Somalia would bring her a nightmare that would last for 460 days.
After arriving in Somalia with her boyfriend, the two began to conduct interviews and reports non-stop.
While preparing to travel to the Somali capital to report on hospitals and educational projects,
Misfortune struck, and the two were kidnapped by terrorists.
After being kidnapped, the kidnappers' first task must be to demand ransom from the families of the two people.
So at that time, Amanda's family was asked to give a ransom of $3 million,
This number is completely astronomical for the families of the two.
In desperation, the families of the two began to turn to the Canadian government, but they were refused.
Two weeks before the kidnapping, the Canadian government also sent experts to negotiate with the kidnappers.
But nothing went wrong, and the two were still locked up in a room full of creatures.
At first, the two were kept together, after which Amanda was moved to another room.
After separating from her boyfriend, Amanda lived a life that was worse than death.
The kidnappers first covered Amanda's head with a bed sheet, and then they began to rape her.
And that's not all, for the days that followed, Amanda was kept in this small dark room,
And the kidnappers also tied her hands and feet all backwards, like an object that could be moved from time to age.
The consequence of being tied up like this is that she can't move, and Amanda even can't breathe.
But Amanda has no way to save herself, so she can only wait for her family to rescue her.
Amanda has a short time to loosen every day, but this is not a benefit for Amanda,
but to facilitate the violent rape of Amanda by these dozen kidnappers,
Not only that, but they will also punch and kick Amanda, and even humiliate Amanda in front of Nigel.
In order to protect themselves, Amanda and her boyfriend chose to join Islam, the religion of the kidnappers.
The two of them originally wanted the kidnappers to be kind to themselves after seeing the concessions they made.
But even after becoming the same faith, Amanda was not treated kindly,
They didn't do what Gusling demanded, but continued to repeat the previous atrocities to Amanda.
Amanda and her boyfriend's long wait did not usher in the news,
A year after the two were kidnapped, Canada also gave up on saving them.
This also means that the hope of both of them to escape will be pinned on their families.
So Amanda's mother hired a private consultant to ensure that the negotiations with the kidnappers would not be interrupted.
After the Canadian government gave up on the rescue, the kidnappers also vented their anger on Amanda and her boyfriend.
Amanda went on to experience something worse than before.
In the eyes of the kidnappers, Amanda seems to have become their toy,
They make Amanda play some games of death, laughing at Amanda when she is terrified to the extreme.
Faced with this dilemma, Amanda thought about it more than once, and even thought of committing suicide by cutting her wrists with a razor.
But Amanda still has a strong desire to survive.
This suicidal thought also appeared in Amanda's heart again and again, and was abandoned again and again.
In the end, Amanda waited for her family to rescue her, but Amanda had been tortured by the time.
Kept in a dark cabin, Amanda's face was covered in fungus and even her nails were falling out.
Amanda after being rescued
During the time when she was first rescued, Amanda had nothing but hatred and anger in her heart.
Her former family also went bankrupt in order to rescue herself, but in the end, Amanda redeemed herself.
It took her three years to write a book about her experiences in Somalia, "Castles in the Sky."
It also caused an uproar at the time.
After escaping Somalia, Amanda did not shy away from this sad place,
Rather, he wants to use his own strength to improve the violence in this country.
In 2010, she also founded a foundation to help Somali women receive and educate.
The foundation has also reached out to local women, sponsoring more than 40 Somali women to enter schools.
Today, Amanda still travels back and forth between Somalia and Canada many times.
In this way, Amanda is completely the embodiment of "the world kisses me with pain, but I repay it with a song".
Even if the country has allowed itself to have a painful experience,
Amanda still wants to change the status quo of some women through her small power, which is undoubtedly great.
epilogue
However, some people believe that Amanda's purpose in going to Somalia was not simple.
She and her boyfriend decided to go to Somalia in order to be able to report the exciting news.
And before going here, I also blew Somalia into the sky.
However, this cannot be an excuse for the inhumane treatment they have suffered in Somalia.
Now Amanda has a new look compared to before, and I hope her life will be smooth sailing in the future.