The Sudanese environment in Tromsø is saddened by the deaths

– “This is so sad for everyone. Not just us who are from Sudan, but for everyone living in Norway,” says Gamal Eldoum.

Eldoum talks about a welded, small Sudanese society in Tromsø, where everyone knows everyone and is like a big family. Many in the society know the family that has been hit by two deaths, a homicide investigation and where two daughters are hospitalized with critical injuries after being found lifeless in the water near Tromsøya on Monday.

– “It’s a huge news story. And no one can do anything,” he says.

The children were played together
NTB meets Eldoum at home where he lives in Tromsø with his family. They came to town six months ago.

Inside the living room sits his wife and three children, who he says have played a lot with the children in the affected family

“They don’t know anything,” he says.

And the family is unsure what to tell them.

The families of children from Sudan used to meet regularly for parties and events. The family affected by the tragedy also participated there.

Supports the father
Eldoum says he has not eaten or slept after learning about the case on Monday night.
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On Tuesday morning, he and several others from the Sudanese society were at the airport and supported the father of the affected family, he says.

The father traveled to Oslo, where the two surviving daughters of four years and a six month old are being treated for life-threatening injuries at Rikshospitalet. Their mother and sister of six years
died in hospital, and police have started a murder investigation on the mother.

Thought everything was normal
NTB has spoken to several in the Sudanese society and they say that they have not heard anything about the family having problems in advance. And that what has happened comes as a shock.

– “Everyone thought everything was perfectly normal,” says a Sudanese man living in Tromsø named Ali, who has used his first name but does not want to use his last name.

He also says he was at the airport, and says that he had contacted the father by phone no later than Tuesday morning.

Ali is unsure of how many Sudanese live in Tromsø, but estimates they are between 30 and 50 people.

– “There are many here who knew the family. They can’t say anything. It sits deep in the heart. Everyone is so sad,” he says.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today