Peace Commits Suicide

Breaking News: Peace Commits Suicide and Body Disappears

Reporter: We are here at the scene of the crime where a lady named Peace allegedly committed suicide today, hanging herself on the ceiling of her house, which she shared with two men. Her body is nowhere to be found. The police have not yet issued a statement about the incident. With me are the two men she shared a house with.

Reporter: What’s your name?

Man 1: My name is Christian.

Reporter: How are you related to Peace?

Man 1: She is my wife.

Reporter: And what is your name sir?

Man 2: My name is Muslim.

Reporter: How are you related to Peace?

Man 2: She is my wife also.

Reporter: (Shocked) Why don’t you tell us what happened?

Christian: (Wiping his tears and choking on his words) I heard sirens from afar; the police throwing tear gas while an angry mob caused riots in the middle of the city. I saw people running. Naked headed women, and some covered in hijabs. I heard cries from our neighbors’ houses; little boys wailing, because Peace committed suicide hanging on our ceiling. She left us a note but no one has seen her body.

Muslim: (Crying, with one hand on Christian’s shoulder) We weren’t prepared for her to go. We thought she was fine. Fifty years of Ramadan iftar, first holy communions, and confirmations, we were still having a party. I still have her love letters from last Eid and Christmas, they were written in love. It was the only language she spoke. She wrote about her love for me and for Christian. She loved us both equally, and I know we both loved her dearly. Christian used to buy her flowers, her favorites were white roses. She said they kept our house pure. I used to bathe her with Arabic oils. Her mixed scents made our home smell like heaven. How can we live without her?

Reporter: What did her suicide note say?

Christian: (Still crying) She said that people were abusing her. That, she wished we had noticed before her suffering got out of hand. She was too fragile, she just couldn’t take it anymore.

Muslim: (Fighting back tears) Some people raped her in Zanzibar. She went to visit my mother. They broke into our house right by the church. They burned the side of her face.

Christian: (With a painful look in his eyes) She came home bruised. She said neighborhood bandits tried to rob her. I didn’t notice her burns because she started wearing a ninja like scarf to cover her face, which I just thought was exotic. She must have gotten plastic surgery or done a skin drafting. Her face was almost back to normal, and with her make up on we could barely notice a thing. How I wish we had taken it seriously.

Muslim: It happened several times more. Recently she was battered on her way to Mbagala to visit a friend. An angry mob saw her in the middle of two young boys arguing about faith. One neighbor slashed her with a machete, another grabbed her arm and slit her dress, another one forced himself on her, while the rest of the men watched and threw stones at her. She cried for help but no one came to her aid. (Muslim’s voice trailing off)… She must have felt so alone. She must have been so afraid.

Reporter: But why did she kill herself?

Christian: I don’t believe she committed suicide. Somebody must have forcefully taken her.

Reporter: Did Peace report the abuse incidences to the police?

Muslim: We didn’t know it was abuse. But when she came home bruised she reported the incidences as robbery. The Police said it was just some bandits. They must have hated to see me and Christian so happy with Peace. I guess they expected us to fight. But Peace loved us for our unity, she said that is what made us special. That is what made our house special, and that is why she called it Tanzania — it means unity. When in our house, she never called us by our names, we were both just Tanzanians.

Reporter: (Dumbfounded, getting off the subject) How could you both live with the same woman? Weren’t you Jealous? There must have been times when you would have wanted her all to yourself, I mean how is that possible? Are you even real men?

Muslim: (Smiling through his tears) Peace was a heavenly gift. Our ancestors left her for us to share. From the time we were born, we knew,  that she was either for us both or for none of us.

Christian: (Patting Muslim on his shoulder) We are real men. Only real men can do this because they feel neither superior nor inferior to any other man. They understand equality. And they are born of a real woman, a woman like Peace. And reporters like you, instead of focusing on our marital affair, you should concentrate on finding the culprits. We love Peace. We’ll do anything to bring her back.

Muslim: Deep down we know she is not dead. She is a fighter. Whoever kidnapped her probably stole my identity again, broke into our house, and forced her to write that note. He will be put to shame. God will bring him down.

Christian: Let’s all pray for her.

Reporter: Thank you Muslim and Christian for your cooperation. We are all praying that your wife returns to you safe and sound.

Breaking News: Peace is Alive!

The Police have found the men that kidnapped Peace. Earlier this week it was reported that she had committed suicide but her body had mysteriously disappeared.

These men were found rioting in the busy streets of Kariakoo, vandalizing property and stealing from shops.

The men admitted to tying up Peace and throwing her in a hidden basement of the house. The police say Peace is alive but on life support. Her vitals are stabilizing. Doctors are doing everything to save her.

Our prayers go to Peace and her family. We hope she recovers soon and rejoins her family.