Try
accessing any media at this point of time, be it print, visual, internet and
the only news that stares at you is of destruction, human loss and tragedy.
There is plethora of articles, visuals strewn all over depicting the
catastrophe happening. Humans are killing fellow humans mercilessly, in the
name of religion, caste, race, communities, and country. In doing so there is
no remorse is what shocks me and many alike. Where are we going, what are we
doing, why are we doing, to whose benefit are some questions which would
trouble any sensitive and peace loving human, but there are no answers as of
now. Is human life so cheap to be sacrificed for someone’s eccentricity?
Definitely not, but who is going to bell the cat is the question. These blood
thirsty Dracula’s are decimating, annihilating god’s creation blatantly and no
one can stop this rampant massacre is what is troubling. We have so many
international bodies like UNO and others who are simply rendered useless. I
really don’t know why we have these so called watch dogs if they cannot halt
these games of death.
Story 1 – Gaza – The
deadly, tragic saga of death and misery
Since last few weeks, the Gaza city is turned to
rubble by incessant bombing from the Israelis. The death toll has crossed the
thousand mark and is counting. This deadly offensive between the old enemies
has raised its ugly head again resulting in casualties of innocent civilians
who include infants, women, and children. No one is ready to retreat and
REVENGE is on everyone’s mind. This bellicose nature is only going to take them
to the brink of death if not extinction. Hamas is hell bent on avenging the
Israeli transgression, and in turn Israel is not going to lie down dormant, but
chop off every hand that is raised at them. This is only going to create a
stalemate which is no good. Perpetrators from both sides have their hands
soaked with blood and they want more. It’s such a sorry sight to look at the
pictures showing total destruction in the Gaza with women folk crying tears of
blood for the loss of their near and dear ones. Fathers, clenching their dead
infants in their arms, inconsolable. The Israelis have lost their sons as well
in this battle of egos and scorn. There have been parleys between world
leaders, but the fight is far from over. Why can’t one of them say let bygones
be bygones, let’s start afresh and live in peace and allow our kids to prosper
and have a good life. It’s easier said than done, but someone has to be
proactive to reach a settlement or it is going to bring in more misery and
pain, and nothing else. A statement made by Ayatollah Khamenei is only going to
fan the fire, by asking the Arab world to supply arms to Palestine to give a
befitting reply to the Israelis. This eye for an eye approach is only going to
make both sides blind. It’s imperative for the world leaders to step in and
douse this fire or its going to turn into inferno in no time. I don’t
understand this game of truce for a week and then again continue the killings,
what sort of understanding is this? Are they playing a game in a boxing ring,
wherein after each round of assault, there is a time out for both the parties
to plan their strategies? This is no game mister; it’s a question of life and
death. I hope better sense would prevail and this animosity ends once and for
all, and the truce prevails.
Peace |
Story 2 – MH17 tragedy
What can be said of this unfortunate incident,
More than 200 innocent men, women killed by an act of terrorism by some loony
person / governments. The raging war between the Russians and the Ukrainians
has already claimed many lives and is continuing unabashed. Russian claim on Crimea
is the bone of contention and no party is ready to back down. Putin’s alleged
role in this conflict is been criticized worldwide. Having rubbed the Americans
the wrong way, Putin and Russia is facing a lot of flak from the west and is
only adding oil to the fuel. This might give an impetus to another cold war
between these nuclear nations. The tragic shooting of the NH17 passenger plane
has only galvanized the West against the Russian govt. Allegations and counter
allegations continue to pour in from both sides and no one is ready to accept
the responsibility of this grave human loss, rather they are more concerned
about passing the buck. It is such a pity and shows how humans have turned into
an insatiable beast whose hunger for blood never ceases. I am not convinced by
the clamor around that this carnage is going to stop in future. There will only
be a lull before it raises its ugly head again. The angst and the helplessness
of the Dutch father was heart melting when he thanked Putin for killing his
only daughter who was about to go to college. Why can’t’ these leaders step
down from their pedestal and understand the common man’s plight, their
expectations, their dreams. In one callous blow the dreams of hundreds of men
and women were laid to rest. Thanks to the perpetrators for relieving 200 plus
human lives from the mother earth.
MH17 Tragedy |
Story 3 – Mayhem in Iraq, Syria
Iraq situation is going from bad to worse, a
point of no return. The incessant killings of its citizens by the militants is
chilling, no day passes without the bloodshed and gory massacres of its
citizens. Iraq is a very good example of what a country leader leaves behind as
legacy, is it prosperity or adversity. Saddam Hussain the despot ruled the
country with an iron fist for ages before he was killed by the US forces. Since
long the country has plunged into despair and Saddam can be attributed to this
sorry state. The US backed government is considered a puppet and not accepted
by the militants. This has led to fierce fighting between the Sunni militants
and the Shiite government. The formation of ISIS is creating havoc in this worn
torn country of Iraq. People are butchered at the drop of a hat and women
warned of dire consequences if they do not follow their archaic rules. Syria is
no different under Assad’s regime; civil war for 3 years; sectarian wars; has
killed thousands of innocent civilians and has resulted in mass exodus of its
people to neighboring countries. Assad is proving to be a new age despot not
shying away from using chemical weapons to suppress his opponents, who are no
one but the civilians. The unrest in the country has only sown the seeds of
hatred and revenge in the minds of kids and has robbed them off their
innocence. These kids, the future of Syria are turning to militancy at this
young age, when they should be following their dreams. Only time will tell what
fate holds for these perennial war zones.
Peace Lost? |
Story 4 – Taliban, Al Qaida trouble in Afghanistan
Since long what reminds me of Afghanistan is unfortunately
the notoriety associated with Taliban and Al Qaida. These two militant groups
have transformed this land into mass graves. Millions of men, women, and kids
have been killed in the name of Jihad and blasphemy. The same Taliban and the
holy warriors as they call themselves were glorified in many Hollywood movies
when fighting against the Russians, but now the same behemoth is proving to be
a massive headache for the Americans. Killings and bomb blasts has become part
of the civilian life. The Karzai government is doing everything possible but in
vain. It seems two parallel governments operate in Afghanistan which is only
making life difficult for its people. Peace and harmony in this region sounds
like an aberration. Only the all mighty knows if the blood sport in this region
will stop or otherwise
Besides these stories, there is unrest in almost
every part of the world which is only aided by the natural disasters caused by
the abuse meted by the humans on the Mother Nature. Has the heavens faltered in
creating the human race, many must be thinking. Deaths, misery, sufferings are
the order of the day and I am afraid if this continues, we won’t need a
Nostradamus to predict the end of the world soon.
Related article
James Foley Murdered Whose Foll(e)y ?
Demand for peace |
Related article
James Foley Murdered Whose Foll(e)y ?
your article recalled me a poem of Faiz sharing few lines
ReplyDeleteये दाग़ दाग़ उजाला, ये शब-गज़ीदा सहर
वो इन्तज़ार था जिस का, ये वो सहर तो नहीं
ये वो सहर तो नहीं जिस की आरज़ू लेकर
चले थे यार कि मिल जायेगी कहीं न कहीं
फ़लक के दश्त में तारों की आख़री मंज़िल
कहीं तो होगा शब-ए-सुस्त मौज् का साहिल
कहीं तो जा के रुकेगा सफ़िना-ए-ग़म-ए-दिल
This stained tainted light, this night bitten dawn,
That we were waiting for, this is not that morning.
This is not that morning, in whose yearning,
We had set out full of hope that we will surely find,
In the wilderness of the sky, the final destination of stars,
Somewhere the night-weary waves must find their shore,
(Faiz Ahmad Faiz)
kya baat hai. So true.
ReplyDeleteSamu , Even after loving the Exodus ,you have maintained the balance ,while writing about Israel and Hamas . That's absolutely commendable . Please read "Operation Antebe " or the diary of Jonathan Netanyahu.
ReplyDeleteHi Sujata, thanks for your comment, and one praising me :) Yes it is very essential to be neutral and not jump to conclusion and take sides, since we really don't know the complexity of these issues sitting here in our homes. I have read the book Exodus, and I liked it very much, it made me sad most of times. I would definitely read the other two books, they are on my radar now :)
DeleteHi, sorry for spelling mistakes. It's Operation Entebbe ( I read it in Marathi. I was in school at d time , so don't remember the author ) or 90 minutes at Entebbe. Jonathan Netanyahu is pronounced as Yonathan Netanyahu.
DeleteHey Sujata, Hope you are doing fine. Ganesh Chaturthichya Anek Hardik Shubhecha. Would surely read these books, I am on a book hunt :)
Delete