Ahmed Ali Hashi was born in Somalia, but always had a special place in his heart for Massachusetts. He attended Newton High School where he was presented with a special award for his prowess in soccer by then-Governor Michael Dukakis. He attended Bradford College, where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Management in 1985. He loved going to the beach, exploring the country roads of New England and visiting his friends in the region. Among these friends were students from the United States, and also from other countries, many of whom came from political families like his. His father was the Ambassador of Somalia to major countries of the world such as: France, Italy, Ethiopia, and the former U.S.S.R.. Ahmed traveled to these countries and many more, and was able to speak six languages-Somali, English, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, and French.
One of his special friends at the time was Carol. They called and wrote to each other over the years after Ahmed graduated , and when Ahmed worked as a loan officer in Kuwait and as a translator in Canada. They lost track of one-another for about five years until October, 1996. Ahmed called from Washington, D.C. where he was living with his parents, who had escaped from Somalia during the civil war there. Ahmed and Carol renewed their special romance and got married in January of 1997. It was like a miracle for both of them to enjoy such unexpected happiness and mutual devotion.
However, shortly after their marriage, the U.S. government denied his appeal for political asylum, and he had to leave the country. Having nowhere else to go, Ahmed left for Canada. It was a fateful mistake. On St. Patrick's Day, 1999, three white people, one whom was out of prison on parole, got high on crack and attacked Ahmed as he was walking home from visiting a Somali friend. A crowd of white people watched as the three beat and kicked Ahmed to death. Witnesses also say that many onlookers encouraged them to kill him, using hateful racial slurs, and that a person who tried to call for help was denied access to a telephone. In spite of these reports, Canadian authorities refuse to acknowledge the racist elements of the case, insisting that there is no racism in Canada. Two of the killers have been apprehended, and the man on parole has been sent back to prison. However, they have been charged only with manslaughter and may well get away with their vicious crime.
Carol is bereft. After living so many years with only a dream of someday being with Ahmed, she had less than a year of marriage before he was taken away, first by the U.S. immigration authorities, and then by a hate crime that is not recognized as such. Every day she asks herself how to get through the day, how to learn to live with such pain and betrayal, and how best to fight for  justice for her sweet and loving husband. It is not easy.
His family is also suffering greatly. It is hard to accept this kind of senseless loss after all the other losses they have suffered from the war. His parents and four of his siblings are living in the United States, having been granted political asylum.
Ahmed was like a father to his nephew and niece in Washington, D.C.. And after he got married and moved to Massachusetts, he kept in touch with seven year old Moustafa by phone and mail. Carol and Ahmed had plans to invite him up for a visit to see Uncle Ahmed, and to meet their cat. Now it is too late.
Postscript:  The two people accused of killing Ahmed were acquitted in January of 2001.
The judge decided there was not enough evidence (even for manslaughter) in spite of Ahmed's blood being found on the clothing of one suspect, and the footprint of another that was imprinted on the back of Ahmed's tee shirt. Yet another murder goes unpunished...
Carol, Ahmed's widow, along with friends and family, have established a scholarship in Ahmed's name at Carleton University in Ottawa. This annual scholarship is for the purpose of keeping the story of this tragedy alive, and to benefit a young person involved in studying issues of social justice at the graduate level. For more information, or to make a donation, please contact the Norm Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.
Thank you!!!