By RFIPalled on 20-01-2019Modified on 20-01-2019 at 22:10

In Kenya, arrests continue in the country nearly a week after the attack on the Nairobi hotel complex, which claimed 21 lives. In particular, the woman and the father of the suicide bomber were arrested in Mombasa on the coast. The Shebabs of Somalia claimed responsibility for the attack. Since then, the Somali Muslim community in Kenya has been fearful of stigmatization and retaliation. Reportage in the neighborhood of Eastleigh in Nairobi with Somali majority.

The streets of Eastleigh are packed this weekend. The shops are open. Life takes back its rights. In appearance only, because anxiety reigns, confirms Yassine, a shoe salesman: " We suffer a lot. To be a Muslim does not mean that one is a terrorist. No religion should be blamed otherwise the country will deteriorate. "

The Somalis, a Muslim minority in Kenya, are regularly stigmatized, accused of complicity of shebabs by the population.

Jasmina tries an orange burka in this little street stall. Hiding her face with her hand, she says, " We are victims, but we are also the suspects. They also kill our community. We are Kenyans. "

So to express their solidarity and stop the amalgam, the Eastleigh merchants closed their shop last Friday and demonstrated for peace. This is the case of Guerra who runs a small perfume shop: " We closed yesterday to condemn the attack on the hotel. But most Kenyans think that Somalis are shebabs. I am very worried. "

The residents of Eastleigh remember the police abuses of 5 years ago after the attack on the Westgate shopping center. Arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial crimes. Somalis were targeted. But this time, none of this to date. The inhabitants are still on their guard.

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