A generation of selfish tribal beings

One of the hardest things about having a newspaper column is the need to be interesting each week. In an ideal world, I would focus on beautiful gardens, cute puppies and otters. But reality is different; planet earth is often cold, heartless and unfair. Many of us are living with high levels of stress stemming from the world in which we live. While the non-Americans among us can ignore the shenanigans of Donald Trump, there are other news items we cannot help but be concerned about. The war in Syria is exhausting and almost seems like an endless loop of disaster. Then there is Haiti with an unbelievable streak of misfortune. And of course the daily reports of corruption all over the world. The list could go on but today, my heart and mind are with the Rohingya people of Myanmar. Rohingya? Who are they? That was the question when overcrowded boats with Rohingya Muslims turned up in Thailand. This was seven years ago. The Thai navy fixed the boats and with great haste, towed them back to the wide open ocean. No one seemed to care if they floated around and suffer while nations closed their borders. That was the first and last time that many had heard of this persecuted group of people. Not having heard much of the Rohingya since then should not be taken as a sign that their lives have improved. Our not having heard much since 2009 does not signal that their lives are now better. As a matter of fact, reports show that life for this Muslim Indo-Aryan group has worsened. The Prime Minister of Malaysia has been bringing much needed attention to the situation. The claims out of Malaysia are denied by Myanmar. Voices in Naypyidaw have asked Malaysia to stop meddling in its internal affairs. As a student of the study of government, I have the utmost respect for the sovereignty of nations. But, in this instance I feel paused by Myanmar’s reluctance to allow in observers or the media. Several Asian states have seen an increase in the number of Rohingya turning up on their shores. Malaysia alone has accepted over 56,000 over the last few years. BBC now reports that within the past few weeks, over 10 000 have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. There have been reports of rape of Rohingya women by state soldiers. Villages of these already impoverished people have been reportedly burned to the ground. The UN has been appealing for help. In November, John Kissick of UNCHR Bangladesh highlighted that forces in Myanmar seemed to be working towards the “ultimate goal of cleansing of the Muslim minority in Myanmar”. UNHCR is not alone in its call for help but responses to the pleas seem to be falling on almost deaf ears. Will a population of people endure rape, torture and death while the world looks on in silence? Are we seeing another Bosnia or Rwanda? Another situation where people are crying for help only to be ignored? Will political agendas and correctness leave the Rohingya people to suffer? Have we not learned anything from the past? Where is the human element? Where is the compassion for a people who are not fighting for power, who are not trying to topple a government? A people whose main crime is being of another religion and ethnicity. Frantz Fanon, the Martiniquais revolutionary and philosopher wrote, “Each generation, must, out of relative obscurity, define its mission, fulfil it or betray it.” The generation which saw stalwarts such as Jomo Kenyatta, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, NnamdiAzikwe and Norman Manley had a clear mission. The task at hand was to bring independence to their nations. The clarity of mission and the unity around issues is lacking among today’s leaders. This generation seems to primarily focus on selfish goals, power, greed and short-sightedness. History will remember us as the ones who allowed unspeakable atrocities. We have made our mark as the generation of political correctness. The ones who care little for anyone different from ourselves and our family. One day I hope to be a part of a world where I feel relaxed enough to want to write about beautiful gardens and otters. Until then, let us keep our voices loud,our hearts pure and our eyes wide open. The writer is a development consultant as well as owner and operator of Forrest Jackson Relocation Services. Twitter @NatsCR

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A generation of selfish tribal beings