Colonialism and the World's Problems
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Monday, 18 July 2011
Nelson Mandela: Happy Birthday to a pride of the world
This is a special birthday wish to a man that has taught the world how to respect racial differences, and live in harmony and accord. Madiba, as he is fondly called has continued to be a pillar for the world at large in balancing democracy, justice and reconciliation. This day, July 18th has been set aside by the UN to celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day, and many people around the world, his country, South Africa have started wishing him a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
There is one remarkable act being practiced in South Africa on this day. They claimed Mandela spent 67 years of his life making South Africa a better place, they have asked ordinary South Africans to spend just 67 minutes one day a year to make a difference in someone else's life. If this can be emulated throughout the world, the world will truly be a better place.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Aborigines: when are they getting back their lands?
I wonder why we keep quiet about the plight of the Aborigines. I wonder why the international community is practically not saying much about the suffering of the Aborigines. I wonder why the British won’t return Aboriginal lands to them. And I wonder why the whites in Australia call themselves Australians when originally their (White) forefathers were “savages and convicts” that cruelly and unjustly snatched the fertile lands of Australia from the natives.
The Aborigines have been denied the right to their ancestral and native lands since time immemorial. They were subjected to what I like to call ‘genocide and cleansing’. Much has been said about the atrocities committed against the Aborigines and the many Indigenous Australians, and yet little has been done to correct the evils of the past. The most notorious of all the Australian evil policies were those that led to what has become known as the ‘Stolen Generations’. Under several federal and state programs that continued into the 1970s, the government forcibly removed Aboriginal children from their families and sent them to white families and church-run institutions for “cultural reprogramming”.
The settlers not only stole Aboriginal lands, they also took away their culture, and left them with diseases, idleness, alcoholism and violent aggression to mention but a few. They said the present government is ‘trying’ to correct some evils of the past! What did he do if I may ask? ‘He apologised’ for the evil deed of their forefathers and the country as a whole celebrates ‘Sorry Day’. They are also making efforts to address some of the imbalances.
But in my opinion, the greatest justice that can be done to correct this evil of the past, is to restore the right of ownership of Aboriginal lands to the Aborigines; and all claims the state possesses on the lands should be relinquished to the rightful owners.
Monday, 27 June 2011
India & Pakistan: A tale of two Cities.
Bitter experiences of colonization are still being felt till date. Many wars were fought against what people considered an unfair partition of their native lands by the colonialists. The animosity between India and Pakistan today is dated back to 1947, the year of independence for the two nations. The year the colonial master- Britain- partitioned their land along religious line to create two nations and some princely autonomous states.
The two nations have always dealt with each other with distrust, accusations and counter-accusations. They have fought many wars all in the name of protecting their sovereignties. But we should ask ourselves; what are we fighting and killing each other for? What do we need sovereignty for when we are brothers? Indians should look at Pakistanis, and Pakistanis should look at Indians and see the similarities; which should we talk about; the facial similarity or the same cultural background the two nations share? The two nations have a lot in common aside the names ‘INDIA or PAKISTAN’.
We should put religious differences aside and try to see how we can accommodate peaceful resolution to this unending indo-Pakistan conflict. I support the recent bi-lateral peace talk held in Islamabad on the 23rd of June. Although it did not yield any tangible outcome just as those held before it, it shall be recorded that effort had been made. More of these meaningful meetings should be encouraged, and the leaders of the two nations should be sincere and put the interest of the general public at heart, they should take note that any fallout from the peace talk will have adverse effect on the public of the two republics.
It is high time united kingdom stood up to its responsibility, by helping and contributing to the growth of its former colonies. A peaceful world is what we crave for.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Colonialism and the World's Problems: International Day of the African Child: The Unendi...
Colonialism and the World's Problems: International Day of the African Child: The Unendi...: "Colonization was the greatest evil ever done to Africa. All in the name of colonization, many atrocities were done to subject the native to..."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)