Kashif Mahmood Peace Monument It is with great sorrow and shame that I undertake this presentation for funding towards a community monument. Why you might ask? We have all read about Kashif Mehmoods death so many times I personally have always felt great sympathy for the family and friends of Kashif - who died so tragically at such a young. The impact of his death and the torrid details so pernicious that they dominated the front cover of our local newspapers and even made national news! I have been a resident of Redbridge for 33 years now and never before had I seen our town besmirched in such a manner. The callous murder of Kashif that led to a life sentence to one of his assailants and another party to the act absconding from the country - still send shivers down my spine. To think that a youth could inflict multiple knife wounds to a peer in a fit of fury without recourse to the consequences is disturbing. Coupled with the recent murder of Jack Large this problem is made more evident in a borough that once used to be a peaceful neighborhood.

How can we alleviate this awful social malaise from within our midst?

More youth clubs - this is not a bad idea but they don't always work.
Better education? - well yes but this also does not always work.
Perhaps, we could hold another knife amnesty a great idea but with short term impact.

We the EIBP and the committee formed in the aftermath of Kashif' unfortunate demise would like to suggest a new method - the use of art to convey a message of peace and unity. With this in mind we have submitted our application for financial assistance towards a community monument that would have the following benefits:

" A quote from Gandhi provides a Black History Motif that would appeal to our local diverse community. Ghandi was a significant player in the Civil rights movement that led to the independence of various British colonies and his words promote peace and unity.
" Young people would read a plaque dedicated to the memory of Kashif and his tragic demise. This would resonate with the pain and suffering of the family and friends left behind to deal with his loss. We hope this would trigger a recognition of the consequences of antisocial behaviour and knife crime and its impact on society.
" The monument would provide a much needed modern art feature to a ward deficient of the such items.
" The feature could act as a marker point to travelers
" The monument would provide a focal point to the friends and relatives of Kashif Mahmood, who still hold an annual memorial service and regularly replace fresh Flowers with his name at the location. The feature would prove a more suitable location for the flowers than the existing fence around recycling bins that is quite honestly an insult to this family.

I press upon Councillors here today to consider the borough's sullied reputation and the fact that the Mahmood family only moved to Redbridge to escape the potential threat to their children they perceived to be in their previous borough of Tower Hamlets. I personally feel a debt to this family and hope that the community recognizes their hurt and perpetual attempts to bring solace to one another by the annual memorial.

Could this monument achieve peace to this family and in the minds of the young people of Redbridge through the message of unity and memories of pain?!!!

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