28 juillet 2008
Violence Staple
BAGHDAD - "Female suicide bombers struck a Shiite pilgrimage in Baghdad and a Kurdish protest rally in northern Iraq on Monday, killing at least 57 people and wounding nearly 300, police said.
Women are more easily able to hide explosives under their all-encompassing black Islamic robes, or abayas, and often are not searched at checkpoints because of sensitivities.
On Monday, three women blew up their explosive vests in the middle of pilgrims in Baghdad moments after a roadside bomb attack, killing at least 32 people and wounding 102, Iraqi officials said." Yahoo news, picture and text, 28/7/08
--- --- ---
At the reading of this, yet another absurd mass murder, I am wondering what happens when a whole group of people, what we call a society, lives daily within extreme violence, for a long, long time.
It can be the violence derived from being obliged to flee from their homeland, doomed to a standby on the non-lieux that are refugee camps, a temporary state of non citizenship and identity denial that can last for generations (South Sudan). Or it can be the violence derived from alien invasions of the minds and bodies, the individual ignoring the reasons of its absurdity, but suffering the constant threats of mines, state violence, or kamikaze explosions (Irak, Palestine). Among others.
Imagine for a moment your physical space, your involvement in your daily activities. I do not know where you are, from where you read this, what kind of a life or background do you have. But imagine for a moment stepping out to buy some bread or vegetables to you local market or shop, and then try to imagine your every movements to represent a threat on your life or your integrity. the every step you take could kill you, the every step you take puts you at danger of being abused. A bomb could explode anytime. Anytime. Imagine...
Some people are, as you read this, being harassed by other, stronger people wearing military clothing and weapons at some random place called a checkpoint. They are lowering their eyes and being abused, robbed, raped. Others are queuing under the sun for a bag of rice and two pieces of soap, and will also queue next month. They hope their misery is big enough to touch the people far away who seem to be able to feed them. I met some, they seem to be waiting, and its very difficult to be welcomed, if not in their UN plastic sheeting tents, in their hearts.
Others are crying their dead, exploded hours ago into pieces, their bodies not more so but just pieces of bloody flesh, absurdly enough, shocking enough, for which no crying and shouting will be enough. Their hearts are filled with rage and sadness and you'' ll never be welcomed inside unless you've lived throught the same ordeal, for you'll never understand their hearts unless you've lived the same. Others are hearing ambulance noises and trying to heal wounds as much as they can with no means. I can almost hear the sounds, the voices, the crying. Others are celebrating an ephemeral and stupid victory over some unseen enemy, which takes them closer to some purpose-built heaven. These, someone took their hearts long ago.
Violence. All the time. Even if you switch off the images. but you knew that. So?
I'm just wondering, today at the number x suicide bombing in Irak ( this time female kamikazes make the headlines, but who cares. No difference...or is it? Is death also a gender issue now? wow) I'm just wondering what happens with a whole human society that lives this day after day, with no hope of it ending, minute after minute, year after year, in pain, and fear, and outrage, and explosive noises, and destruction, and crying, and loss, and desperation, and hunger, and burnt houses, and mines.
What happens when getting the most basic survival needs ( as a person, body and mind) represent a threat to the lives of the people, day after day, year after year?. What happens when a whole generation is born and raised in refugee camp, only to get work with some agency in the war next door (South Sudan-Darfur)?
Individuals are known to get mad, depressed, unbalanced, out of society, sick, etc.
What happens to societies? what happens in twenty years to a society made of children who grew up inside this, constant extreme, violence, non belonging, mythified homeland, hunger and oppression? How can a society bear this? for how long? for how long can a human being, a human group, stand random explosions every week?
Does a society gets radiated in their collective unconscious, so that their offspring will need to be fed the same violence, condemning themselves to the vicious circle of destruction and Pain?
Like a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for a human society. Constant, impeaching, handicapping, condemning.
Today a great sadness feels my sould for our fellow human beings, and my heart aches with sorrow for the our human condition. No paradise deserved indeed.
Commentaires
Poster un commentaire
Rétroliens
URL pour faire un rétrolien vers ce message :
http://www.canalblog.com/cf/fe/tb/?bid=239400&pid=10066267
Liens vers des weblogs qui référencent ce message :