I need more than 24 hours in a day!

I’m very anxious about the current political situation and well, just about everything else. I’ve even lost my appetite. Those who know me will know how strange that. Also, I’m going to be doing two jobs until the end of this month and I have to try and finish my online course. I also have vocal training classes for two hours everyday. I wish I had more time! But my friends do tell me that it’s all my fault for taking on too much. It’s strange that when I do have some free time, I feel anxious about not doing anything. I know there’s some writing in me, dying to come out, but I need some uninterrupted hours to write. I think I’ll have to disappear for a little while. The blog shall also have to be neglected.
I’ll be back.

The Power of One Word

This article was written by Kamil Hamid. An edited version was published in The Friday Times. This is the original. Thank you Kamil.

I’ve been told that if one repeats a word over and over again, it loses all meaning to one’s mind and becomes little more than a hollow shell, devoid of anything but the sound it makes when it clumsily escapes one’s lips.

So allow me to humor this fleeting thought for a moment. Allow me to give you an example of one such word. But let’s raise the stakes. Rather than losing meaning simply to me, let’s make this a word that has lost any and all meaning whatsoever (“Or did it ever have any meaning?” asks the dark voice whispering in my right ear). Hell, lets also make this a word that is frequently used and abused. A word that is pimped out like the latest cheap whore from a brothel. No substance. No definition. Just that moment of self-righteous vindication when the speaker uses it.

And let’s give it power: The power to dehumanize, to corrupt and to make its target seem like the most horrific, barbaric monster to ever walk the earth. The power that separates good from evil, right from wrong, just from cruel. A word that transforms the user into a champion of the light, ready to usher in a new age of peace and hope, if ONLY he is allowed to vanquish that Goliath standing before him, the one branded by this word.

Empires fall before the word. People flee, only to be reduced to dust by its power as they run. Civilizations are wiped out. “Humanity” becomes a fabled thing of the past; tyranny and sadism are the norm in its presence. Even those who try and fight are consumed.

It is thirsty, this word. It wants blood. It hungers for it. It lives within the moment of pain, torture and death. It rules over these realms with an iron hand, mercilessly meting out punishment to all. None are spared, be they man, woman or child.

So what is this diabolical word, with all its power? What sort of abomination, you may ask, has been let loose upon the world to wreak such havoc, such utter devastation?

Terrorist.

No drum roll. No trumpets. No great suspenseful moment.
There it is: Terrorist.

One seemingly innocent word that has caused mankind untold anguish since it ever came into being. Today we have the example of people being branded “terrorists” without any consideration as to what the word implies. The United States government and their allies choose to brand all those who do not support them as “terrorists”.

Of course, it’s easy for those bigwigs. Sitting back in their luxurious armchairs in their temperature-regulated conference rooms, safe and secure. No need to worry about whether their families are alive, when their next meal is going to be or where they’re going to sleep tonight. No strings attached for them. It’s easy. One moment country “X” was not a terrorist state. Now it is.

Time to alert the public. Can’t let them go blundering into country “X” now, can we? It might make for an uncomfortable situation.

So the news is released.
And the cycle continues.
Within one of the countless houses of the citizens of these sanctimonious “terrorist-branders,” a T.V. set is blaring. A news reporter barks out the official government position on “country X”.
A 12-year-old child, curious, watches.
“The big men in the T.V. take care of you,” the child has been told. “They make bad things go away. They’re right, so trust them.”
I wonder who told him that…

And so the child watches. He watches as his heroes tell him about “evil men” who “don’t believe in the ideals of justice and democracy” and must be hunted. The child listens to men make statements such as “This is not a war between civilizations, this is a war ABOUT civilization.”

And he learns.

The child learns that terrorists are evil things. They’re not human. They never were. They hate us. They only exist to hurt and bring pain. They only want to hurt us. They don’t think like us. They have no regard for life! They only want to kill! They must be brought down!

And a new fountain of hate springs forth into existence.
The word has done its job.

Mission accomplished.
Enemy dehumanized.
Ready for the slaughter.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, another child is running. Running from the big, bad men. She’s been told they just want to hurt her. They don’t like her.
Her tired feet pitter-patter across the sand. Little does she know she shouldn’t be there. All she wants is to hide from these men. Where is her mother? She should seek her out. She continues to run towards the fence that looms ahead. Her mother must be somewhere nearby.

From a watchtower above, a sentry peers down. He sees a tiny figure fleeing across the sand. Like a sick Pavlovian response, his brain screams “TERRORIST!” He does not need to think, he does not need to see. He knows, instinctively. This monster he sees comes from the other side. It is coming to hurt him. His hand pulls the trigger.
A tiny hole is formed in the universe as another heart stops beating.

At LAX airport in Los Angeles, a young woman checks passengers in. Suddenly she sees the flash of green and gold coming from a passport. She sees the “Arabic” and gazes up at the bearer. Hollow eyes set in a sunken brown face covered with a long, bushy beard look back at her.
Her pulse starts racing, her mind screaming orders she never knew she had.
“We’re going to have to check, sir…”

She wonders how one of them got this far. What are they doing over here? Who is their next target? Is it me?
She is fearful. No, terrified. She fears for her life. She is in danger, and she knows it.
Have I just sealed someone’s doom? Oh God, what if they’re planning to blow the airport up?

In Guantanamo Bay, a new prisoner has arrived. The routine interrogation is set for three pm.
A young corporal enters the cell. One look tells him all he needs to know.
Terrorist. Enemy. Pervert. Killer. Backstabber. All synonymous.
This creature in front of him must have been planning to kill innocent people. His friends. His family. It wants to hurt him and everyone he cares for.
He will make sure it can never do that.

A few days later, when asked to comment on the three suicides that took place in Guantanamo, the camp commander states, “They have no regard for life, either ours or their own. I believe this was not an act of desperation, but an act of asymmetrical warfare waged against us.”

We’re the good guys. We’re the victims here.
We don’t kill people in barbaric ways by shooting them or stoning them like those terrorists do.
We kill them with nice, painless lethal injections.
Those three were probably terrorists anyways. The world’s a better place without them.
They all need to be hunted down and killed before they kill us all!
KILL THE TERRORISTS!

And the word still wanders, seeking new victims.

Terror

Disclaimer: I am not anti-American, nor do I have any issues with the Jewish nation. I only object to certain policies of many governments, especially my own. I am not trying to offend any one culture or religion. I am a firm believer in human rights. This piece is not intended to cause any offence and if it does, I apologize in advance.

I’m feeling very distressed today because it seems that the US government is trying its darndest to come in and bomb the life out of us. Yes, it is true that the tribal belt of Waziristan is harbouring fugitives. Yes, it is true that Osama bin Laden is probably hiding somewhere in that region (though I’m beginning to question his existence). It is true that terrorist training camps are proliferated with disenfranchised and brainwashed youths. However, all this is, and should be, an internal affair. Foreign intervention, especially from the US, will only add fuel to fire. As it is there is much resentment amongst the masses when it comes to US foreign policy, and some of it is quite justified. What the US needs to realise, however, is that although there are millions of Taliban in this country, they are a fraction of the population, which is over 150 million. The vast majority of people do not have a fundamentalist view of life; in fact people are intrinsically tied to their culture and have syncretistic approach to their religion. There is no one interpretation of Islam, and fundamentalism in this region was nurtured and born out of US foreign policy. For those who are not aware, the US supported the Afghan “mujahideen” in their war against Russia, proving aid, equipment and training. Their own creation turned around and stabbed them in the back.

I take issue with the word terrorist itself. Terror does not solely belong to the Jihadi Muslim. Terror doesn’t necessarily mean wanting to hurt the West alone. Terror, as I see it, is so common the world over that we’ve had to slot it in a pigeon hole and define it very narrowly. I see terror as the Rawandan genocide that was ignored by the west, even though there was enough warning. I see the same terror in Sudan. Terror to me is not just the Hamas militants on suicide missions in Israel, but also the so called “legitimate” actions of the Israeli government when it comes to dealing with Palestinians. I also see racial profiling as a profound form of terror.

Terror is what I felt when the Lal Masjid was under attack. The images of religious fundamentalists wearing gas masks, and sitting on a stock pile of artillery were truly frightening. It was horrifying to realise that this kind of militancy was taking place in the heart of the capital. In this case, is the government to blame? Most definitely. Most argue that Musharraf waited too long to act upon the Lal Masjid issue, especially since the students of the madrassa and Jamiah Hafsa had already been on a rampage in the capital doing heinous things like taking a woman’s child away and kidnapping Chinese citizens. I say that yes, they did wait, but at least they did something. Never before have I seen the Pakistani government take such pro-active action against a threat to national security (ours- not yours). Yes, Musshy has ulterior motivates. Imposing martial law would serve his purpose and help him delay the elections so that he can remain in power. But, in my quest to be an optimist (for once), I have some hope that Musharraf will take some form of action in Waziristan now that the US has threatened to do so. I also have some hope that the deal between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto will lead to some sort of push towards democracy (albeit a sham one). I also am not too distressed about Bhutto’s return as I think that despite her corrupt background, she will not let terrorism flourish as much as she did in the past.

I know I’m deluding myself. The reality is that the army is full Islamic sympathisers. The reality is that Benazir is a self serving politician who will do all she can to remain in power- the power she has been craving for years. I still want to hope that someone will do something, somehow. US intervention in Waziristan will only lead to a spate of terrorist activities in the country- something we are witnessing on a fairly regular basis now. Reading the newspaper or listening to the news has become an anxiety inducing experience for me now. Everyday raises new, truly fucked up questions and I almost feel like I’m waiting for a deadline to approach. I have no hope for the situation to get better anytime soon, but I do wish for some respite and hope that it doesn’t escalate. And escalate it will if the US comes in.

The fact of the matter is that this is not just a war on the West, but a war on us, the so called elites, who are viewed as too western. We are seen as a stain on the name of Islam. We are seen as apostates and whores. We are as much of a threat to the religious fanatics as is the West. What the West needs to realise is that we are also at as much risk as they are. Indeed, it can be argued that we are at more risk since fundamentalists do not have to cross borders to get to us, and have an extensive support system of madrassas all over the country. According to our local Taliban we, the so called liberals, need to be ousted and shariah law imposed.

Another factor which needs to be addressed is the fact that many “Muslim” terrorist in the West are home-grown. Many hail from the very country they attack. Yes, they do come to Pakistan to get trained etc. but why is that? Why can’t the West pause to reflect on that for a moment? The fact of the matter is that these very youths feel disenfranchised and isolated in the West, where they live. They are not just religious people who have suddenly found a renewed purpose. A person being questioned due to racial profiling is seen by many as insulting, which it really is. The ill treatment, illegal detention and forcible deportations in the name of terrorism provoke intense anger. The existence of Guantanamo Bay is immensely distressing for Muslims the world over, even secular ones. It is a blatant violation of human rights, and to assume that people are guilty until proven innocent is something only fools and madmen can agree with. This is similar to terrorism in any country- any minority that feels oppressed will eventually come to a breaking point.

There are plenty of political factors. The West’s support of Israel is seen by many Muslims as a slap on the face. The plight of Palestinians is felt throughout the Muslim world. The war in Afghanistan has not improved the situation in the country much, nor will it until the Taliban’s stronghold is destroyed. The war in Iraq is seen as a heinous sham and is thought of as a way of imposing power over the resources of the nation. The war on Iraq was a blow to Muslims the world over because it was instigated in the name of terrorism, but is viewed as Bush’s personal vendetta against Saddam Hussain. Ironically, Iraq seems to have more Al-Qaeda supporters now than they did in the past. This farcical war has managed to create a whole new spate of terrorists.

My point is that foreign intervention or the invasion of a country has not helped in the recent past, thus it is doubtful that it will help now. In fact, what it will be seen as is yet another imposition of the West upon Muslim countries and will undoubtedly add fuel to fire. By invading and bombing Pakistan, America will not see an end to terrorism within its boundaries- it is likely that she will see more. American will see more resentment and a renewed sense of “jihad”. What will happen is truly counterproductive and frankly, a disgusting show of power. I just hope that these threats remain threats. I also hope that bombing Pakistan is being used as an election issue and is not a real, concrete idea because for me, terror includes many factors that the West is guilty of.

Terror to me is the unrealistic debt rescheduling that the IMF imposes on developing countries. Terror is violence in the name of religion. Terror is violence against a religion under the assumption that every follower is a potential threat. Terror is racism. Terror is sexism and crimes against women that are silenced everyday. Terror is the injustice that is prevalent the world over. Above all, terror is the fact that the West produces more then enough food to feed the world, yet chooses to watch millions starve. Terror is the fact that when a western citizen dies there is a huge outcry and thirst for revenge, yet when tons of third world citizens the world over die, there is no justice, no respite, no hope.

Every mother cries for her dying child. Every mother who loses a child to malnutrition feels a loss more profound than I can imagine. The same is true for mothers of jihadis, whether we chose to believe it or not. These same jihadis can either be bombed, or a more humane approach can be adopted. Kill them or educate them- that is the crucial question. We know what doesn’t work- slaughtering Muslim fundamentalist has not worked, and has lead to a lot of resentment. Lest we make the same mistake again, perhaps we should draw a lesson from it. Why not shut down madrassas with weapons? Why isn’t the government making the madrassas conform to the country’s education requirements? Why aren’t they imposing the syllabus? I guess the biggest question is why are they letting the religious fundamentalists brainwash our youth under the guise of an “Islamic” education? The simple fact of the matter is that we, Pakistanis, need to stop turning a blind eye to these issues. Also, we, the privileged few, need to try and understand the reality of those who resent us and why. Only then can we heal. Until then all we can do is hope and pray that we do not become the next Iraq.

Oh, and please watch “Khuda Ke Liye” (In the name of God). It is perhaps the best Pakistani independent movie ever produced, even though it has its faults. The movie deals with the issue of terrorism and the toll it takes on people. It raises questions we chose to ignore. It’s well worth the three hours.

Alas!

My best friend, Reza, went to China on a business trip and fell in love with a Chinese woman. He is not coming back and is going to live in the countryside. Since him and his future wife can only have one child, he is going to adopt a couple of pandas. In a few years he plans on moving to the Gobi desert. He wants to teach her Urdu so he’s going to start with the word gobi (cauliflower).

You will be missed Reza! Lahore is not the same without you. Good luck raising your pandas in the Gobi desert.