Coming home on the tube after a night out with a friend from Vienna, I had a "lightbulb" moment. I was actually dozing when a thought occurred to me, "if an issue concerns a group of people, it concerns me." Bear with me while I expound; its the essence of being one's brother's keeper.
I've quietly given up watching the news, because much of it is about terrible things happening near and far, but what's worse is the response or lack of a response to these terrible events and injustices. I'm tired of yelling at my television or throwing things at it when a news commentator or public figure is talking absolute "crap" [pardon my French] about an issue close to my heart, and they are many. I decided I didn't need the added stress of high blood pressure or stomach ulcers to add to my various other ailments, also yelling at a television does nothing but make you hoarse!!!
There's a very apt saying, "evil thrives when good men do nothing". This was so true when in the run up to the second world war, Hitler stripped the Jews of their rights and property, put them in seclusion camps and the world watched and did nothing!!! Till he struck his blows further afield. Its relevant in today's world, when the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan had oppressed women, ethnic and religious minorities and supported Al-Qaeda. Not until the Twin Towers were struck on 9/11, did the United States and the rest of the world wake up to the fact that there was an "evil regime" in its midst. Its true about the unfair, prolonged incarceration of "enemy combatants" in Guantanamo bay, by a country that preaches, 'justice delayed is justice denied'.
Lest we [Nigerians] start feeling self-righteous, we have been guilty of oppressing the Ghanaians in the 80's, when in a fit of pique our government decided that they were the cause of the economic rot in Nigeria and forcibly repatriated them, The acronym "Ghana-must-go-bag" was coined from that period. I remember being 12/13 years old at the time and arguing vehemently with my father that the petty thefts of a few errant house-helps was not the cause of our ruined economy, rather it was the excessive greed and corruption of our political and military leaders.
I had on previous occasions argued with him about his prejudice against a certain tribe in Nigeria. I was only about 10 years old at the time, but felt not everyone should be tarred with the same bad brush. I mention these incidents to illustrate my sense of fair play even at an early age. I must give credit to my dad who helped instil in me my sense of justice and fair play which I live by today, and who would listen to the "chatter" of a ten year old even if he didn't agree with her opinions... Not the typical picture of "children should be seen and not heard", which was the reigning theme in child-rearing practices at the time in Nigeria.
In today's interconnected world if we ignore oppression and injustice anywhere, we soon reap the terrible effects. Oppression leads to dissatisfaction and resentment, which in turn leads to civil wars, then refugees, orphans and war-widows. Next thing we know, our taxes are raised or budgets cut because we have to increase our UN contribution or cater for a large influx of refugees from a shattered war-torn country. If we ignore unfair trade barriers and practices, we get economic refugees, illegal immigration and the attendant ills. If we ignore the maltreatment of women in Pakistan or India, we should not be surprised when teenage British girls of Asian parentage are being forced into marriages against their will, and sometimes killed to defend the families "honour".
If we ignore the poor treatment and 2nd class status of women in much of Africa and Asia, then we should expect our daughters to be valued less, fed less, EVEN GANG-RAPED TO DEATH PERHAPS , educated less, sometimes abandoned in orphanages, then when they grow up, be forced to undergo endless pregnancies and degradation, all in the search of that elusive male child to inherit and carry on the fathers name. If we ignore the problems in the Middle East, then religious fanatics can stir up hatred and provoke some hot-headed young rebel to blow himself and others up, all in a misguided attempt to right a perceived wrong or to simply draw attention to it. If we ignore the persecution of people with a different sexual orientation to us [and hey, I'm no fan of homosexuality] then we shouldn't be surprised if our own child is bullied and socially excluded at school because someone decided they "look" or "act" gay, then spreads a vicious rumour.
What I'm saying in my long diatribe, is that if it bothers somebody, it should bother us. We should endeavour to be like the good Samaritan rather than the righteous Pharisee. We may not be able to do much, but we can all raise our voices when we see something wrong going on. If we can't change policy, we can at least offer a word of sympathy to the affected people, a shoulder to lean or cry on, a listening ear. Sometimes we can even contribute our "widows mite" through donations or by supporting charities. We can lobby the government, go on protest marches or at least exercise our right to vote, so we "may" get a say in policy making.
Somehow, Somewhere, Sometime, we must all stand up and be counted. I sometimes think indifference is a worse crime than that committed by the perpetrator. As Martin Luther King Jnr once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we keep silent about things that matter". For now, I switch off the news channel, meditate, take my antacids [it stops the heartburn], support charity organisations and occasionally attend a protest rally or debate about issues close to my heart, but mostly I pray!!! Because the Lord hears and answers us when we cry out to Him, particularly the cries of the oppressed, whoever and wherever they might be.
Christie Nonyelum Akumabor© 17/03/08
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| There can be no peace without justice, and the scales MUST be evenly balanced.   |
