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| Edited By: Hormaz Fatakia |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Jul 30, 2014, 12:07 AM IST
While the world gears up to celebrate the momentous occasion of Eid-ul-fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan, people in Gaza would be observing the day in fear and uncertainty. Their feasting would be saving themselves from an Israeli bullet or a missile while we, without a care in the world gorge on the choicest of Biriyani, Phirnis and other delicacies.
The Gaza conflict though is going on for many decades, it has now has taken its worst form and is showing no signs of subsiding. Over 1000 people have already lost their lives and the toll is likely to rise further as a truce looks far from being achieved.
In their attempt to wipe off the existence of Hamas, the Israeli armed forces have wiped out the existence of many innocent citizens, which also include the heart breaking killing of over 200 children. It proves the fact that a bullet or a missile doesn’t look at who is in front of them. It performs its duty of destruction and perishes and leaves behind ruins that have disastrous consequences.
While the citizens keep perishing in the name of anti-terror operations, the arms lobby is laughing all the way to the bank. Their business would be ruined if wars like these do not happen and it is their keen eyes that turn a spark into a fire. It is a spooky co-incidence that any country which did not stand up to a terrorist or fascist regime has been destroyed by the arms of other countries later on. Take a look at Iraq (Saddam Hussain), Afghanistan (Taliban), Libya (Gaddafi), and now Palestine (Hamas), all these countries are now facing the consequences of their own inactions.
Reports say that more than $9 trillion were spent across the world in the name of war and anti-terror operations. Such an amount would have all but wiped away the poverty in Africa or provided food to the millions of starving people across the world. It is unfortunate that the United States, who, like an Indian neighbour has a say in every matter that doesn’t even concern them, has nothing to say against Israel’s killing of innocent citizens while claiming themselves to be the saviours of democracy. If democracy meant taking the lives of people, they are staying true to their word.
The countries that have been destroyed have remained ravaged and have had no chance of getting back on their feet. We never hear of something good happening in Afghanistan, Iraq or even Libya. Whether we do not hear or the media does not want us to hear is a different issue altogether but what is in front of our eyes is not really pleasing. Just like India is still considered as a ‘Third World Country’, they would always be addressed as war torn nations.
Just as Ravi Shastri says “It’s cricket that has won,” it is humanity that has had a humiliating defeat at the hands of the perpetrators of such violence. All we can do is write about it, vent our anger and anguish on twitter, express our sympathies for the silent sufferers, and watch the world leaders, including the spineless UN, do nothing but maintain a stony silence like Manmohan Singh did through most of his ten years in office and Narendra Modi, who has inherited this trait from his predecessor.
Tomorrow is Eid alright, but I do not think it would be a Mubarak Eid for the people who would be digging the graves for their beloved and weep besides them while we celebrate in joy.
