Language diversity, proficiency and opportunity

How naïve I was to think that I am the only one in that palace and the people inhibiting that place can only see the moon and no one else could! I use to ask my mom when dad not use to be with us because of his official work when he has to travel frequently to attend programs else where. I use to ask my mom: “Mom! Could dad might be seeing this same moon in his place?”  My mom use to show her love and her approval to whatever I use to say in my blabbering tone with her contended-smile at my innocent questions. I come of age a bit more and then started wandering how people might be communicating in another community.

It took me more than 26 years to realize that our lingual is only different, in whatever language we communicate, we all have one thing in common – our language have the same touch of feelings and expressions. However cool or weird it might sound listening to another language, it is obviously interesting and mesmerizing to know that we all have the same thing to say, same way to express, same attention to get, same attitude to make – we all are same in everyway!

I think of myself being fortunate in this regard when it comes to language since I was born in the society where my mother-tongue is Maithali language, which is basically used in our society which is interspersed in the Indo-Nepal boarder area, second is national language – Nepali – which I stated speaking after joining my school, third is Hindi language which I started understanding since my early childhood because of the influence of Bollywood movies which have millions of viewers in Nepal itself – this is because of our Sugauli Treaty signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816, between the British East India Company and Nepal, which was a kingdom during that era. This was again fortified with 1950-treaty of Indo-Nepal treaty of peace and friendship. Since then Nepal and India have free movement of people and goods between the two nation. My third language is my English which has been one of my most favorite languages and one of the most dearest languages I speak today – And its been like more than 20 years I have been using this language as one of my second language. Other languages includes Urdu language which I can understand a bit though I can’t speak it fluently and Bhojpuri language which is a kind of local ethnic language used in the neighboring towns of my home town – this language is being confused with Hindi language and my own mother-tongue (Maithali).

Though English language is an international language, depending solely on one language will only marginalize us in the global competition. In Thailand’s perspective, what I can see here is that the kids are taught Chinese language, Japanese and South Korean language because of the influence of those countries on Thailand in terms of business and bilateral relationship. Other languages adds up to their profile and considered as more privileged when it comes to getting job in multinational companies. Now, the day is not far when native English speakers will be considered as secondary option over the one who is proficient in multilingual conversation – because, these days more or less everybody can speak English language, and they have been studying and using English language since their early childhood.  For example: In Asian region, Pakistan have English as their official language despite Urdu as their native language while India and Nepal are other few examples where English is most widely used.

Mastering multi-language is not only beneficial in terms of finding job, but it will also makes us independent in most circumstances. It shoots our emotional level and emboldens us with more confidence than just having one language in our profile. It gives us an extra virtue through which we can mingle with multicultural society in quickly and easily. The issue of cultural transformation to multilingual is becoming increasingly more famous and more emphasis has been put forward in transforming the future generation to multilingual, multicultural society especially in the English speaking countries where English is the sole official language and mother-tongue.

One best and latest example of expanding social, cultural and linguistic collaboration is ASEAN collaboration, European Union and SAARC collaboration. How can we expect to benefit and get the best sustainable and fruitful results depending on monolingual pattern of working environ?

 

 

Honor Killing & Freedom of Life

When I was trying to garner all my things (from my printed research papers to be reviewed to my computer and its accessories) this morning before leaving for my college, for which I was already late, I got stumbled by the news being broadcasted from the Aljazeera English News Channel. It was another “Honor Killing” by what the sources believe was orchestrated by their own family members. The incident took place in Kingston, Ontario Canada.

In 1000 of incidences of killing, torcher, murder, mutilation, today there was another similar news that has dominated all form of media sources since early this morning. From CNN, Guardian, Huffington Post, BBC, Aljazeera, New York Times to the Asian journals, magazine and news media are all galvanized by the most horrific cold-blooded murder of three ten age girls along with their so-called aunty.

The practice of honor killing is highly prevalent in most societies in the world, and sadly enough very little has been done in this regard by the concerned organizations and the persons in the authorities. In the society where honor killing is being practiced, the law safeguards the perpetrators which is why and where even the human-right activists falls short-hand in curbing the brutal social culture. 

The world’s data on human right shows that more than 5000 men and women are subjected to the honor killing, and there is not doubt that sometimes even the innocents falls victim of this intractable way of punishment. In this killing spree game of the vicious societies, women are more vulnerable than men though the punishment is applied to all gender, cast and credits from all walks of life in the society. Though the rules are always meant to be fair in any society and in any circumstances, in this case – when it comes to honor killing , it appears as if the rule has been especially designed for the women against their freedom of life.

When the world is developing and when there has been trend of changing patter of women involvement in all sectors of society from social to political, the way in which this culture (honor killing) is being incorporated, being viral and engrossing in the societies where it never had a platform is simply utterly disturbing and ironical.

In 2011, United Arab of Emirates government has announced that their constitutions is going to be amended and in the new form of constitution they underscored the fact that women will be given chance to run for the election. This is where I don’t really understand that whether we are playing a mere game of balancing act or have we really started becoming a responsible citizen of our society – making rooms for the women involvement in one side, whereas taking another step of suppressing them with the brutal force that they will not even dare to make their voice against it or even claim what has already been amended in the constitutions.

Nepal is also one of the conservative societies in Asian region where eloping with someone or inter-cast marriage is discouraged. But even then, the trend of honor killing is below negligible, or better say I have not yet heard any such event in my 27-years of life time till now. However, there are still some incidence of murder by the family members which is also more limited to the society which has culture of dowry system where daughter-in-law is the sole victim of these incidence. This is a different story! But, still, again another way of applying killing-spree-game on women of another society with some other reason. Whatever the reason is, KILLING IS ANYWAY KILLING!, and it can never be justifiable in any society, any culture or any region for whatever reason.

Our society lacks in this step – the step of bringing up their kids with their set of beliefs and what they truly believe as their society and their culture. Violence can never be a good standing point in bringing up the kids, because over time this starts fading and the teenagers starts overcoming it. I think changing the way we believe if imparted to the kids will work better on them, because already engraved set of believes can never be erased and never be over come which is unlike fear.  Engraving their heart and mind with your ideas, your set of belief and making them responsible for their actions will help them never sever or vacillate from what you believe even if you take them to some other completely different society. But, this requires more sacrifice and dedication by the head of the family as dad and mom, which is one of the most uneasy step one dares to take and this is why this is why happening and is going on and on. 

If you want to teach somebody a lesson, the best way is to make them feel guilty of their action – they will never dare to do that again. If you can do that, you will never have to kill your kids by yourself – THE MOST SHAMEFUL ACT!

Nepal’s Movie Mania

When we talk about the history of Nepali movies, we see that it doesn’t have a long history compared to other international media giants. However, it has somehow been able to develop itself overtime and have left its footprint during this course.  To count few: “Darpan Chhaiya”, “Sano Sansar”, “Kaag Beni”, “Caravan” are few of those that are considered as the milestones of Nepali movie. And, it is not surprising that Nepali movies have paved it way towards the nomination for few Oscar Awards occasionally as well, which is in itself something we should be proud of.

I am writing this in response to the Nepali news media that has galvanized the entire reels of the television in this last couple of weeks since the release of the movie “Loot”. Even before the release of the movie, I had watched its promo which has gravitated me so intensely that since then it had been in one of my watch-list. The fact is, this movie has turned down all the negativities about the quality of Nepali movies and the desirable taste of the Nepali viewers. Soon after the movie hit the theaters, it has been virtually impossible for the entertainment houses to meet the demands of the tickets for the shows. This signifies the fact that there is still some hope left when it comes to future of Nepali movie, and the potentiality of the industry in attracting Nepali audiences and viewers – who have veered their attention and their proclivity towards Chinese, Hollywood, South Korean or some foreign movies.

People these days wants something different. The audiences have been blasé of watching same genera of movies. There had been a year or two, some 8 years back when there used to have different genera of movies being produced from the same industry that had somehow managed to drag the industry to a descent financial level and credibility. But, after that grass didn’t seemed greener further till there was the release of the movie “Darpan Chhaya” which was a mega-hit of that time and I guess there might had hardly been someone who had not watched that movie.

The changing trend of making movies have flared hopes in the Kollywood (not to get confused with the name of the Chennai based South Indian movie industry which is also called Kollywood”). Nepali movies have been dominated by love-and-action kind of movies, but what lacks is the lust attached which is an indispensable part of the love-story kind of movies. The image of Hollywood movies have left audiences to wander and lounge for something real, something pragmatic and ethereal intricacies that can hoist the story of the movie  and make it distinguishable and shine in the mass of hundreds of movies produced every year. And the movies coming these days seems breaking those rules of monotonous stories. In this changing trend of the Nepali movies, “Chapali Height” seems more auspicious which is set to break the sex-taboo of Nepali culture and society.

The movie “Chapali Height” has been certified as “A” by the censor board of Nepal.

A Bad Hair Day!

The recent news on SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) might have affected somehow everyone this time. The reason why this world got panicked was the way it had been devised, and the principle on which it was based. In one short simple word, the nature and the principle on which SOPA was based suggested to stop sharing things. It was the first thing of this nature which was totally against the law of internet which people have made and used and helped to revolutionized  in internet history. When the world is opening themselves by sharing things, it was a kind of moving summon to move back to the old world. In fact, this is not about SOPA, because if you want to know more about SOPA, I know you will be preferring to enter into WIKIPEDIA rather than my kind of trinket blog. So, lets veer here and look into different aspect of this blog.

Everybody have their own way of taking things and that’s what is also applied to blog or some form of journal. Some take it to share their things, their ideas in different forms: music, picture, stories, poems. Whatever it is, it is quite sure that we all enjoy to share and this is even more evident when it comes to writing on your blog or your own website, which I consider it as one of the most open way of sharing things on internet. And for this reason internet has to be free. Thank god, finally, it is free and the SOPA was pulled back for infinity till they will reach to some kind of mutual agreement, common sets of rules or say a mutual goal, and make it more meaningful than to just shut all the doors and windows of creativity.

This might be my one of the most delayed blog after my last one which I posted on January 16, 2012. Today is almost a week or about to be, and I felt that I should at least put something on my blog to give it a continuation. Nonetheless, it sounds little bit lame and insincere. However, as I had ever said to my blog sometimes we have to break our own rules to survive, though it doesn’t really literally mean that in this context – this is just to fortify my statement and underscore the fact I am trying to say.

I do not want to make an excuse for the delay caused, but the fact is, I have been busy lately doing my lab work and it has been a very hard time for me to fix the problem. And the saddest thing is that I do not know the matrix of the problem. In fact, I had already optimized my reaction a week ago or so and I was quite elated when it made it, but once I started to continue with my sample everything went upside down. When we encounter such problems in lab, we often try to appease ourself saying that “dude, this is science and it always have some form of exceptions and nothing goes robotic and swimmingly”. I do not really use to believe this, but now I am getting some vibes something like that.

Apart from all these lab crap things I have been reading a novel: “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell. This has been another mind bogging job for me. In fact, people read novels for enjoyment, to pass their time and moreover to learn something from it – especially when you want to be some form of writer or if you have a passion for the literature things. But, this time, for me, this has turned out to be  form of job. The thing is, I have been reading this novel for nearly two months. When I say this, you guys might certainly be laughing at me. But, this is not my fault and not even yours. Yeah, who could even think of reading a novel for over a month? – doesn’t really sound good in anyway. Its just like being disrespectful towards literature and the passion for novels.

I think I should stop right here otherwise I guess, if I will keep on telling what I have been through in this last 3 months of time, I think I am not gonna finish it this time – at least not now, not today.

 

 

A Letter to Dr. Wagle

 

Dear Dr. Wagle,

I have just come across your post: “KU’s forward move” dated January 16, 2012 in “The Himalayan Times”. And I must say that was a wonderful stuff I got to read after a long time. That was worth reading and I can fully comprehend that. After reading the post I am confused with few issues what you have put forward – which I have been accustomed to through out my life and even till now, which is not something surprising, and I have got few questions to ask you.

Before I should start with my queries and my points to get cleared, I want to make few things clear here. The thing is I am not writing you to discuss on this matter as my panel of balance is not tantamount to yours, and so, for that very reason I do not have that leeway to argue, discuss on this particular matter. I am not a politician and I do not have that understanding of even basic politics, but what I do understand is the basic sense of assimilating things in our daily life and putting into action. If it goes wrong or if it become aberrant in its nature and values, that’s what I believe might a politics – which is never straight forward and obviously not honest in manner in anyway.

I do not want to comment on which I am not quite sure of, but what I can guess from your tone of writing and your ideas is that you are trying to pour something personal irk here. You are trying to actuate the poor students and the staffs members of the KU community which is truly devastating in nature. Because as of nature of fact this will create a massive disorganization and anarchism in the institute which is by no means good for an organization and its integrity – which I believe as a member of KU organization you are trying to commit suicide. First thing first, because the person who is trying to create a rule of “divide and rule” will not be trusted by any other organization once they will have no platform to stand after the institute they are associated with once gets demolished. Every true leader of an organization loves their institute and they will by no means going to jeopardize it in the hands of few turncoats.

My understanding of Nepal is as a potters-clay which is slime and it has still not got its true shape before we are trying to cook it in the furnace. In another sense, Nepal is just a small plant from which everybody wants their share of branch for their use even before it is fully grown into a tree. How about trying to water it, mineral it and let it protect from the external environmental factors to let it grow as  big tree from which even chopping few branches will not make difference. But, in fact what we are doing here is trying to chop its branches when the tree itself needs its braches and leaves to become a perfect strong tree to give us shade later in our life. I am sad to know from your article that you are also in the same track as our dear leaders and members of parliament who can barely write their names, but still can travel in Pajero and get a salary far more than a real salary of most revered jobs positions in the world – doctors or engineers.

I am not writing this because I have got some ulterior motif hidden in myself, and I am not taking a position in favor or against somebody and I do not longue anything from this . What I am trying to explain here is what I have felt as my carrier as a student in that institute. A student’s the first and last expectation from an institute is that they should get a better and quality education and they wish that they will get return for what they pay and their tuition fee doesn’t go in vain. And, I guess almost all students have got that. So, its worthless to tickle them for your own benefit. Everybody knows that the only last person to get benefitted from this protest against the institute if erupted is you, and you are not going to make it a golden palace even after you get appointed to that  position. I don’t think that any students or working staffs there will be getting much benefitted in your command if in case you come to the position.

You know what is the problem of Nepal and we Nepalese here? We can’t see somebody progressing. Something starts biting us when we can’t do something by ourself. The only option we are left is to backbiting others, making gossips and trying to pull their feet somehow or if not then finally trying to create some obstacles in their way so that we can feel good. We do this to vent our frustrations out. This is a well established phenomena in our society. So, as a educator of the society, I think its your duty to mitigate these problems, educate the kids to not involve in the issues like this, and not to actuate them for something there are never meant to. Do not try to create another politician here. We have enough in our parliament to voice our wants and our demands – in fact, precisely there are almost 650 of them to speak in favor of us somehow – doesn’t matter how ignorant they are and how they come to escalate to that position.

Now my question is: Where have you been when Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma and his friends were struggling to give Nepal a good institute? For me, they do deserve to stick to the position for whatever tenure they want – in return for their sacrifice. Kathmandu University has more affiliations than any other institute in Nepal and this has been a kind of benediction to all staffs. I have seen every year there are staffs from every department who are getting benefitted from this institute – they are getting chances to continue their education, their research and their carriers ahead with training where they can’t afford to pay by themselves, and everybody knows that. I think you should come up with a good set of plans, ideas and some golden words that people will truly believe in you so that they can support your voice for you.

We have a bad habit of having read-made food. How about cooking ourself? Having food in restaurant might be delicious, but it can’t be as salubrious as cooked in our home. So think about cooking by yourself rather than having ready-made food. Think about it!!

Investigation? Seriously?!

I am about to finish a book called “The Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell”. A book being written by the lone survivor of SEAL TEAM of US task force deployed in Afghanistan. The story is about the team of 4 soldiers that includes all those who had been in their task within Afghanistan for more then three times. I am very much fascinated by this book and the way Marcus has written, and I duly and truly respect him and for what he has done. I feel like he is one of those US SEAL who deserves true respect and the acknowledgement of valor for what he has done for his country, and how he and his family rose from the ashes and made his capable for that revered position and status.

US has done a great deal for thousands of people from all around the world. But truth to be told, no body does anything for anyone unless there is some ulterior motif hidden inside it which is in favor of yourself. The reason is: “Have you ever given a single penny to somebody – even a beggar who is in desperate need of food, habiliment or something else?  I guess not! Yeah, there might have been certain circumstances when you/I might have been moved by their pathetic condition, but that is just some rare situations which do not normally happen and it should not be counted.

I do not want to hurt the sentiments of our those American friends and families who have lost their sons, daughters, wives, brothers, fathers, sisters, fiancée in the tragic incidence of 9/11. Even rewinding and reminding those events time and again through any means is like being disrespectful to those family, hurting them every time and I am not here to do that, because I know the value and the feeling of losing someone.

I an not in favor or against of some particular group, people, ideology or set of believes or country. I do not have to do anything with these things. The only thing that irks me is: “Whether there is any difference between a developed nation, civilized society and the so-called uncivilized society?” I mean, how are we going to define those terms? On what basis? There has to have some basic level of differentiation or some extra-terrestrial kind of virtues, either logically or hypothetically which might help us to define those terms – civilized and uncivilized.

There have been piles of thousands of document being investigated in the Iraq war, mistreatment of prisoners in Guantanamo bay prison: prisoners eye pocked and blinded, sleep deprived, bored in chilling water, confined in isolation hell dark dungeon, sexually abused (you can guess how, and whether they have anything left with that thing specially) – and surprisingly the investigation is going on and on. Few of them died because of the harsh treatment in the prison and the rules which immunize the soldiers dealing with those guys. Its already been more than 10 years now, but still there are those thousands of documents which have not been finished being investigated, the badger elements  has not yet been held accountable, and they have not yet been prosecuted. We all know these things even though we do not have some valid solid reason or proof to prove this. And, now, I am sick of this term “ INVESTIGATION”.

Honestly, I am infuriated with the latest news about the US soldiers urinating on the deceased Taliban body. At first even I felt like this is just like some other news, but when I kept on hearing and the responses from all over the world, and I felt this is not really good in any sense, at least not morally. This is the high time to question ourself and start looking at the mirror. It’s the time to question ourself: “Where do we really stand?”, “Are we really civilized and moral?”, “How can we differentiate ourself from those who lacks those moral sense, vibes and virtues?” “Will we be able to bring back those we have lost by indulging in such mortifying activities?” If not then what’s the use of denigrating ourself being a part of it?!

Our governments investigates the issues, take months, years and more years and finally they come to a conclusion after 10 or 20-years that the decision they made earlier was a mistake – a BIG mistake, and now they want to induct someone who is the real culprit, one who is the real offender and who have been at large for more than 20 years or something. They find those guys, prosecute them and finally put them in the list of capital punishment for their heinous crime. I don’t understand the use of carrying out all these investigation and sentencing someone of 70 or 80 years old or near about who are already half dead and they are naturally on the death list.

Nothing makes any sense to me at this juncture. I think it’s the time to take it more seriously and we should not count on their another new excuse — “INVESTIGATION”.

Is She Less Beautiful than You?!

Usually I do not post pictures in my blogs and I consider my writings and my blogs posts as something more revered and I take it more seriously than anything else. I do not want to amalgamate it with something that doesn’t deserve its position in these writings or even a cubicle in any of the posts published here. However, this one is something different, and at this juncture I am obliged to break the rule, and honestly, I do not regret breaking my own rule sometimes when it weigh more meaning than my own principles. 

As I was surfing through the blogs I find in one of my subscribed blogs. I could not resist than to keep on looking at this little kid for long time. Finally, I downloaded it and try to write something on it. I was totally mesmerized, and after looking at this post for long time I was compelled to think, “What do we really think of ourself?”.

I do not have precise and concrete data on how many people are suffering in this world, how many of them are dying because  of lack of food and good nutrition, how many of them are deprived of education, good food, good habiliment. I think it will takes ages before I collect all those data and put them in writing – that doesn’t really make sense. Because that has already been done by thousands and millions of people, but nothing seems changing the existing tribulation scenario.

We have better habiliment, delicious food which we keep changing because we feel like the same food doesn’t taste good everyday, we have good education, but we grouse and whine for having terrible education, we have vehicles to travel and we don’t even consider walking for a while short distance. But for kids like these, they do not have slipper in their feet, but still they are happy in their village, they never complain not having a slipper and having to walk on the rocky hills and the boiling desert. The big question do we still think that we are smarter and better than them? – in fact, not. NOT REALLY!

We are vainglorious after having everything!

Those are the ones who are deprived of all those things we are enjoying today. Forget about internet, computer, good food, restaurants, good habiliment, still they are happier than us without having slipper in foot walking in rocky hills and boiling heat of desert, sharing things among themself whatever they have in their family. Sleeping in hard-rock-bed, walking miles to fetch drinking water, sleeping curling in small ragamuffin in the chilling nights, bathing without soap, having meal barely twice a day have become their life style. Surprisingly, they are the one who never grouse for anything and still happier than any one of us.

I think all those little deprived kids from penurious family are the one to have all those attitude of being vainglorious, but unfortunately its other way round — WE HAVE THE ATTITUDE! We do not have any of those things they have. They are stronger than us, they are smarter than us, they are wiser than us. Lacking opportunity doesn’t mean that they are good for nothing. In another word, kids from the suffering world is far more better than us. They know how to live a happy life even without having any of those things we have now. RESPECT WAIF AND STOP BEING VAINGLORIOUS!

 

 

Countenance Dilemma

---

[NOTE: Before I begin to write on this context, let me make it clear to you all that this post is not motivated by ethnicity, country of origin, religious or whatsoever dogmas,  perspective or orthodox. This is purely a personal experience I have encountered. And we often get into such amusing situations when we are travelling to a place other than our own country. And I feel happy to share this with you. In case if this might touch you and irks you somewhere somehow unintentionally, please pardon me.]  

---

After my couple of trips to India which was literally for the first time in my life I had ever been to foreign land, I come to realize that the perspective of people in India (because that was only where I first travelled out of my home which was a foreign land for us where we are not required to present our visa-passport) towards Nepal is somewhat hazy. And this turned out to be even more pronounced when I came to Thailand. However, the way of taking things is different, which is quite normal. Even we Nepalese might have somewhat different perspective in taking culture, tradition, geography and people from different country. By the way, none of us are perfect and this doesn’t necessarily has to be perfect because this is where people from different countries differ which is fairly normal. 

From the Indian perspective, Nepalese are the one having chinky eyes with flat nose and short stature in terms of physical appearance. While at the same time, people in Thailand think that Nepalese are something like Indian, however, there are time when people often get confused differentiating exactly and they can’t guess even near about the correct answer. Let me share some funny moments with you regarding our appearance and getting into these kind of situations.

One day I was having lunch with my Nepali friends in canteen in our college when an old women asked one of my friend, “Are you Indian?” She said, “No”. “Why?, Do I look like Indian?” The women was confused and was so pestering confident that she insisted that my friend is Indian. After she failed to argue with her, she turned towards me and insisted questioning my friend, “Then, he must be Indian!”. “No. He is Nepali too”. Then, she turned towards the rest and asked, “So, they are Nepalese too?” Finally she left, but unfortunately we were not sure whether she was convinced whether we are Nepalese or not.  In similar incidence when I was in India during our India trip we were surprised to know that people there use to think that we were from North India – particularly from Himachal Pradesh and they were quite perplexed when we use to explain them.

I ever had one similar experience in Thailand:  I was in taxi with some of my Thai friends, when taxi-driver asked to one of my friends, “Where is he from?” One of them then asked me, “He is asking, where are you from?” After that I asked them to ask him to guess, “What do I look like to him?” “Can he guess something?” He replied with a pause for a while when he looked at me through his rear mirror inside the car, “I think he is from Germany”. That was when I started to laugh my head off. But, this is not his problem and his is not anybody’s problem. The thing is we Asian are different little bit, but in over all most of us look alike. For example, we might not get confused recognizing a Nepali guy, but we are often confused when it comes to rightly identifying amoung Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi and sometimes even Afghanistani, however, Afghanistani is mostly more pronounced from their appearance than the rest of the others mentioned in the list.

The gist of this issue is, God has not made us different in anyway, but we ourself tries to differentiate and analyze people based on their country of origin, religion, ethnicity, color and countenance. And, the big question is how fair is it? In another perspective, if we look back we realize that God is the creator and we are the destroyer – there is nothing like devil – devil is inside us – we divide, differentiate, demolish, fight, kill and whatever heinous crime is there we are always inclined to it. Its just the matter of chance when and where it will appear!!

Women of Afghanistan

Till today approximately 3000 coalition troops have lost their life since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 – a war led by the US in response to the Taliban uprising in Afghanistan, and their growing influence in the middle east, Asia and else where in the world, which had been a biggest headache for civilized societies of the world – specially the western world. And, this number is still counting and mounting in the American history of war. God know how long this gonna prolong and the maim will continue to persist. 

Tens of thousands of civilians have lost their life since the Afghanistan invasion and the civilians have been the victims from both the sides (army and insurgents). The data shows that in the 3-month period between October 7, 2001 and January 1, 2002, at least 1,000-1,300 civilians were killed just because of the aerial bombing by the US. And if we amass the entire data counting the number of innocent deaths, you will realize that the data is really alarming and this has been one of the most significant humanitarian loss in the war after WW II. 

This is the rule of nature that we have to pay the price for everything. Every sunny morning has to pass through the darkest night, and we need to sacrifice one thing to get something better. We can’t have sweets in our both hands. This has been holding true to its meaning since long time ago – can be called hypothetically something like Precambrian Era. But slowly the things seems changing as we are developing: the number of war-casualties have been dropping and the authoritarian and barbarian act is taking the deep slope, which is in itself a kind of positive sign.

However the world-inside-our-world (Afghanistan) seems somewhat stoic and irresponsive in this sense. And, I think, its going to take some time before the things will be changing and this world-inside-the-world will be taking some new shape – a good shape of course and will sprint to match its steps with the other developing nations.

In every war, apart from the normal casualties which are inevitable, women suffers the most and so in the Afghanistan. The only thing different is that in other wars women used to get brutalized, mutilated, raped and were subjected to all forms of torchers from the enemy side, however, in case of Afghanistan this is completely opposite from what it seems from the last 10-years of history. They are still being brutalized by their own relatives and their kith and kins who use to take care them and protect them.

The news of women being treated inhuman is really disturbing. There have been number of news coming out everyday and there hasn’t been a single day in which the women has not been mentioned in the news specially from Afghanistan: from the story of 21-year-old Afghan women named Gulnaz who was raped by her own cousin’s husband, a 15 year old girl who had been celled in confinement by her own in-laws relatives to the story of an Afghan women who’s nose and ears were sliced off because of some reason. Everywhere and every time  its just the women who have to pay the price – even in the condition when it is not even justifiable in any sense.

These nerve chilling news of brutality against women seems unstoppable, since it has been continuing for long time and the rate is even increasing and this is now spreading across the boarder to Pakistan. The trend is taking shape in slower pace in Pakistan, while the world is still and watching senselessly. And, this is not going to change over night. I think even if we say, “Its going to take some time”, it will be so inane to say that, because this has just begun in violent manner and there is no sign of abate!!

Liberty Under Threat

When we talk about liberty, freedom, human right and people’s voice, the first thing that comes to our mind is America – United States of America (USA). That’s where its matrix lies, that’s where it all begun. This is what we have been believing and this is because US took seriously and has been able to maintain goals and objectivity. US has been able to hold on to its position in defending it for long time, and that is why it became its game-changer. However, when we scurry deep into the history we can find that there are still some countries in the world where the slavery system was abolished long before America ended its own.

US, the term itself has become a symbol and reflection of virtues like “The Country of Freedom and Dreams”, “Land of opportunities” and whatever terms that can signifies, adore, be its adjective that can be its addendum. This is all because US has been able to purchase her position. Because of this there has been a trend in the adolescent and the researchers, academicians from both developed and developing countries of the world ending up in US. The reason: they have a gateway to show their talent and try their lucks in whatever way they can.

The ideologies of American achievements and the dream world is so deeply engraved in the heart and minds of the people from around the world, that they started losing their faith in themselves, condescending themselves and started believing that there is just one world where we can achieve whatever we want and that is obviously US. In fact, to some extent is it true as well for there are reasons to believe. Whatever we see today has originated from US. In everyway Americans are perfect – kind of world of perfectionist.

But, now, the things seems little bit changing with a slow pace which might not be very significant. After the recession hit America in 2008, for example, everything started changing: there has been huge decline in the rate of students entering American college for pursuing their higher education, the research budget in many universities had been cut short overnight and the list follows. The recent American recession has been little bit apprehensive in a sense when we hear that unprecedented $700 billion bank bailout and $787 billion fiscal stimulus package was used for bolstering the shattering and severing American economy during the period of a year since December 2007 till June 2009.

In addition to all these unstoppable events unfolding there has been another huge issue of security and human right which has taken a very nasty backfire turn towards America itself. It has been very tough time for America to withstand her coming election, hobbling economy, ever protracting wars in all over the world against terrorism, and then another big problem of appeasing Israel to not go for war against Iran where Iran has shown being little bit provocative in someway. Apart from all these, America’s homegrown badger elements challenging her security system has been a major issue these days – most notably war against drug cartel from US to the bordering neighbor Mexico. I don’t know whether America is being too much liberal for its own people,  and too much aggressive in protecting human right all over the world.

As I was browsing through the New York Times magazine online, I found one sections having articles from the columnist from all walks of life – specifically from major religions in America. Everybody has the same issue: “We are not exercising our right to our fullest”!!

Is this the good sign for the American dreams and for the American and America itself?