Young murder victim had participated in ‘Gullion Link Project’

Newry and Mourne Councillor Pat McGinn has said that he was deeply saddened to hear that a young participant in the “Gullion Link Project” Ajmol Alom had been stabbed to death.

16 year old Ajmol Alom

Ajmol Alom and another 16-year-old boy were attacked on Monday night in Poplar, east London. Both teenagers were taken to hospital where Ajmol died. The second boy, who was stabbed through the cheek, remains in hospital.

The Sinn Fein elected representative conveyed his sympathies to the family and friends of the 16 year old from London.

McGinn told Newry Times, “Myself and others from the south Armagh area had been involved with building relationships with the St Ethelburgas Centre for Reconciliation and Peace for some years. As part of the natural progress of relationship building the Gullion Link Project was initiated.

“The Gullion Link Project: a youth exchange programme which aimed, in its pilot phase, to build links between groups of around twelve 15-18 year olds in Newry & Mourne and East London. The aim of the project was to bring together young people from very different communities which may face similar issues around violence, identity and negative stereotyping.

“In each place they explore the issues affecting the community, from sectarian violence to post-code wars; they cook and share food from their diversity of cultures, have space to tell their life stories and the chance to explore places of worship they would never usually encounter.

McGinn added. “Ajmol was one of the young people who got involved with the project and those who knew him have described him as not only hardworking, industrious, but also a very caring and thoughtful young man. His tragic death has robbed his family, friends and community of a young man who had so much to give.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=34017

Posted by Newry Times News on Aug 23 2013. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry