The family of drowned Bury schoolgirl Shukri Abdi have issued a statement in support of a prominent campaigner whose work on behalf of the family has been attacked on social media.
Maz Saleem has been campaigning for the family since news of Shukri’s tragic death first emerged in June.
Aside from helping to keep the case in the public eye, she and fellow campaigner Shabnam Kalsoom have helped the family find legal representation, given them emotional support, and even helped them to find alternative accommodation.
Saleem’s own father, Mohammed Saleem, was murdered in a brutal terrorist attack in Birmingham in 2013.
Nevertheless, she has been accused of mismanagement, trying to raise her own profile, and trying to advance her own career through the Shukri Abdi case by several fellow activists on social media.
One of several critics, Dr Aayesha Hassan, said on Twitter: “A mismanagement of the #JusticeForShukriAbdicampaign forced us to take a step back. Now that the family have been victims of further injustice we have been asked to SPEARHEAD this campaign. The final hearing is in December. On that note we ask our Somali community, NO JUSTICE?”
Following the social media spat, the Shukri Abdi family spokesman, Mustaf Omar, issued the following statement.
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“On June 2019 we lost our beautiful and beloved Shukri to a tragic suspicious incident that has broke the hearts of our family and friends and shook up the wider community.
“The institutions that we have entrust our children with have treated us in a way that was inconsiderate to our emotions while dealing with the grief and the lies on top of the lack of effort while dealing with this case was a blatant disregard of our intelligence as a family.
“Through the mercy of Allah we have had people come forward to support our struggle such as Maz Saleem and Shabnam Kalsoom. They have worked tirelessly to get us the coverage to ensure we get justice.
“They have pushed our campaign to places we would have never reached on our own as well as be there for Zamzam (Shukri’s mother) on a emotional level.
“We have been made aware of the hate messages Maz Saleem has been receiving. Zamzam would like everyone to know that there is no mistrust between herself Maz and Shabnam. They continue to work together and are in contact daily. They have our full support and trust.”
The Shukri Abdi family remain unsatisfied by investigations conducted by Greater Manchester Police and her school, Broad Oak Sports College, which have failed to conclude that bullying led to her death.
An inquest into her drowning in the River Irwell will begin in December.
