Vigil honors lives lost in Mumbai

The day before Thanksgiving, the world felt a tremor. Mumbai, the financial hub of India, a tourist attraction for years and the home of India’s movie industry Bollywood, was attacked.
The University community responded by coming together to pay tribute to the lives lost, and a myriad of campus organizations sponsored a candlelight vigil yesterday on the steps of Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus.
“This vigil was a collective idea inspired from a similar event hosted at [New York University] this past Monday,” said Sana Sheikh, co-president of the Muslim Student Association. “It was long overdue, and we thought this may just be the one opportunity we have to really bring everyone together on campus and stand against these tragic acts of terror.”
According to news reports, Lashkar-e-Taiba is the prime suspect behind last week’s assault on Mumbai, which left more than 180 dead.
Terrorists aged 18 to 28 burst into the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Trident holding hostages, according to reports. In addition, the terrorists also held up the Nariman House, which is the Chabad House in Mumbai.
People of many different religions and races were affected by the attack.
“To the Jewish people, it felt extremely real, something they could closely connect with despite it being so far away, because a rabbi from Chabad was killed,” said School of Arts and Sciences first-year student Chana Morrison. “Sometimes when one of your own is killed, it puts things into such harsh perspective.”
Sheikh, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, said the tragedy has helped bring people together at the University.
“This is no longer only about me being Muslim, but rather me being human and finally bringing everyone together to stand against these terrorists,” Sheikh said. “These terrorists are a minority, and it’s about time the rest of us got together and stood strong against them.”
College Avenue campus Dean Matt Matsuda gave the vigil’s opening speech.
“What we’re doing at Rutgers tonight is also being done by dozens of colleges and universities,” Matsuda said.
The vigil is a memorial for something that will impact everyone, Matsuda said.
“I would like to bring to your attention the police officers and the [national security guards] who lost their lives helping out the victims of the attack,” said Ravi J. Thakkar, a representative of the Hindu Student Council.
One of the police officers killed was Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare, said Thakkar, a Rutgers College senior. He was killed at a shooting encounter outside a hospital in Bombay.
“After the fear, there is anger, and more fear about which direction the anger is going to take,” said Matsuda, referring to the current political unrest caused by these attacks.
The problem of terrorism comes from indifference to poverty, inequality and hopelessness, Matsuda said.
“I believe this tells us to hold our loved ones close. We never have any idea what is going to happen tomorrow, and we need to do whatever we personally can to make a difference,” Sheikh said. “That’s why we want to hold this vigil, to have a non-violent protest against these terrorists and to pay a tribute to those who unfortunately can’t speak for themselves anymore.”
Rutgers Hillel President Avi Smolen, a Rutgers College senior, said he hoped and prayed the University community could unite in the aftermath of this attack to counteract the mission of the terrorists.
Organizations sponsoring the vigil included the College Avenue Deans, the Office of the Muslim Chaplaincy at Rutgers University, Rutgers Hillel, the Pakistani Student Association, the Association of Indians at Rutgers, the Hindu Student Council, the Jain Association of Rutgers, RU Sikh, OXFAM, UNICEF, the Rutgers University Student Assembly, the Baka-Students for Middle Eastern Justice, the Arab Cultural Club, and the Rutgers University Muslim Student Association.

6 comments

Dave

Thu Dec 11 2008 18:17

The vigil was a considerate, symbolic, and most importantly peaceful way to send a strong anti-terrorism statement. It was nice to see that so many religiously diverse groups united in face of these tragic, haneous attacks. The coverage of the event was superb, as well.

Anita Marker

Tue Dec 9 2008 12:24

The article was very well written & covered. It was very thoughtfull to honour in the memory of the lives lost in mumbai terriost attacks.We as indiviuals sholud lighten up & stand against these tragic acts of terror.We all should come forward Unite & put an end to this terrible disease called Terrorism.

Nishit Poladia

Sat Dec 6 2008 09:51

I agree with anokhi here tht the vigil was a very thoughtful act, showing the world that we care, a humane act. But i guess it does not help to fight terrorism. Some solid and concrete steps have to be taken at the grass root level to prevent this things happening again. So i guess if politicians can't do anything about it we the people have to stand up and fight for our ground.

A Person

Fri Dec 5 2008 23:51

I like to refer to these events sometimes as part of a theory I call a Ripple Effect. Some act, somewhere far away, to people unknown to us, ripples across the borders and brings about such hate. How we treat others reflects to how we are seen. Those responsible for these terrible acts should be punished severely, however, we should reflect on the possible things that can corrupt a human mind. Terrorism isn't about fanatical individuals anymore, they're making it a mindset that is influencing others to wreck havoc. It is the root cause of this mindset that we have to challenge.

John Janski

Fri Dec 5 2008 14:49

Unfortunately vigils do nothing to prevent terrorism. Finding and killing terrorists where they sleep does. The world needs to wake up and start treating those who perpetrate such henious acts like the rabid dogs that they are. They are NOT human.

Anokhi

Thu Dec 4 2008 22:21

The vigil seemed very thoughtful towards the attacks in Mumbai. The article was very well written too! Keep reporting =).

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