2008--A year which left many deep scars

2008- What did we learn?

Indeed, one of the most trying periods in the history of modern times. I call this as trying since the world was subjected to events that called for extreme patience and caution. In a way, perceived as a great leveler by many. Rich and developed societies were dealt with in exactly the same was as the not so rich and the not so developed ones. In fact, if one delves deeper, one is tempted to believe that there was greater testing time for the more privileged one. As a student I did study some one and his theories of nature having its own unique way of settling the scores. Then I was skeptical. But today, something seems to be touching me somewhere which makes me feel that perhaps, he was correct? Nature cradles existence. And nature , perhaps, is aware of those whom it cradles. And when these people test Nature, it reacts. Disasters surface. What we see across the globe today is a consequence of our very own doing. If reports are to be believed, then close to 250,000 people would have been killed in some kind of a disaster or the other before we close the year. Cyclone Nargis which swept through Myanmar accounting for more than half the deaths, and the earthquake in Sichuan, China was the second most serious, killing 87,449 people. Looking across the world, we saw hundreds killed in Kenya due to violent rioting, Tornadoes in various parts of the US, the severe snowstorms in Southern China, earthquakes in Congo, dengue and Cholera in Brazil and Zimbabwe. I suppose almost every region was hit,be it Philippines, Japan, South Eastern Europe, India, Pakistan, Spain, Canada , France. Just name the country and you will find a disaster. However, the worst year of natural and man-made catastrophes was 2005, with 374,042 people killed.
However, one disaster which never gets reported and known to the people in the world is the man made catastrophe on the Palestinians. What happens in the Gaza strip is nothing short of what happened in Mumbai, India. The world was outraged and shocked to see how man can kill a fellow human being without even batting an eyelid. How his eyes would light up in glee when he knocks yet another innocent fellow human being. Palestine faces brutality of another kind but of similar dimension. Perhaps more sadistic and gruesome for it is planned and executed over a long period of time. Here, no terrorist are behind the killing. And that makes this even more unpardonable. Imagine over 1.5 million people living on subsistence level? It is said that around 70% of the people of Gaza live on the UN relief! There are virtually no hospitals to care for the weak and the sick. Children have long lost dreams of going to school, as no such thing exists for them. And children have no idea what a playfield is all about. They see none and they see no games except war games. They are growing up with gunshots as part of their daily lives. No innocent laughter or even the small curving of these small lips. They know not what is happiness. Perhaps happiness to them is when there are no burials on a day. No industries, No commerce. No electricity. One lives for another day not in hope but in despair. Yes, only hoping, that tomorrow is not worse than today. But the ruthless blowing up of living beings on the 27th of December shatters whatever dreams might have existed for this battered community. Even their modern day "ghettos" are targeted with vengeance by the marauding soldiers. This is a part of a nation? Is it? And yet, the world waits. For what?

The world is talking about the great economic meltdown, the horrendous, cold blooded, inhuman terrorist attacks in India, Pakistan, Palestine. Let us add the shrieks of the small maimed Iraqi kids and the desperate howls of the weak in Afghanistan. This is our world of 2008. Natural disasters coupled with man made destruction. And the world looks on-in despair, in disgust, in shame. Perhaps, in frustration as man realizes how the Frankenstein devours the world and he can just look on. We can do nothing? Are we ourselves responsible, by our own deeds, for the natural punishments which we are incurring? Maybe it is time to remember the fate of the people of Luth, Aad and Samud. Allah reminds us in Sura Raad,chapter 13, verse 11, that .." Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves".
Come the 1st of January 2009. And probably history will repeat itself. But is there nothing that a normal, sane, citizen of the world do? Are we impotent to a degree of no return?
Let me assure you that no Obama or Sarkozy or Putin or Brown can really address the situation if we, the world citizens, do not seize the initiative. India has shown the way. The people woke up and addressed their problems themselves. They dropped the politicians aside. They understood that no one fights for a cause better than he himself. He is now ready. This attitude needs to spread worldwide. Let us hear the howls of the weak and the sick. Let us, as world citizens give a ear to the poor beleaguered Palestinian, the skin and bones only hungry African, the terrorized Iraqi, the shocked and awed Afghani and the rest of the weak world.
Ducking is an art that comes in handy when confronted with flying size 10 leather missiles, but the Arabs need to get out of their "ostrich mode" and be more upfront when taking on to their real problems-head on.
Join all voices and make it be heard. This world of today is callous to the core. It cares not for the weak. But it fears the strong. And then, does it hear.