Virtually devoted

Recently I happened to see an episode on ‘Seventh Heaven’ which got me thinking. That particular episode was dedicated to the issues in Darfur.
It had been a while since I had heard, if anything, about the situation there and was beginning to be convinced that, soon, Darfur would join the other countries that were being talked of only during the late night commercials, sponsored by Non Profit organizations. I then thought that I could read a little more on it and maybe write about it here. But to my surprise the very next morning I think I got my sign. I knew I had to address this when I read the headline on CNN.com. The very first headline read

“Rape a way of life for women in Darfur”!

Or something to that effect!

I realise that this kind of news has ceased shocking the reader, simply because we all know that in a crisis ridden land, anything like this was only bound to happen - it was only a matter of time. After reading the first few lines, I was even more saddened and actually felt rage, when I came across the ages and the reason for this barbarity. Girls as young as 4 are not spared and the reason – Ethnic Cleansing!

The situation is so grim that fathers fearing for their own lives abandon their children and spouses to be raped, just to protect their own lives. Grown men curb their natural desire to provide and to protect their own, for fear of getting caught in between. One can only imagine the plight of the victim. That again probably explains why men and fathers are driven to to make that sordid choice. HOw such a decision eventually weighs on them is only one’s guess.

On the other hand, we again have men who may be fathers, behaving like monsters. I wonder if ethnic cleansing is even on in their minds when they resort to such monstrosity.

Yet another dismal and expected repercussion of all this is the abandonment of innocent babies! Babies, who are born out of these crimes, end up being disowned simply because of the social stigma attached to it. The statistics of these kinds of innocent lives being thrown away is staggering. These again are grounds for new kind of crises, millions on homeless children who grow up as a community, stripped and devoid of any love, nurturing or compassion, provided these little ones survive such abandonment.

The question that comes to my mind is- What happens when these innocent and traumatised little lives become a nation? What about all those mothers who suffer not just the loss of their children, but so much more. What about the mental health crisis of the scores of women who have not just lost everything, but know no way out and have no support? They may have lost all hope and faith in tomorrow. For some lightning strikes twice and sometimes more than twice. It is a wonder they are even able to function.

A recent trip to a water park brought a lot into perspective. I realized we are so blessed, at least I felt I am. While I enjoyed watching my dear ones playing in the many pools and rides, so carefree, I also happen to watch the many other women who were cherishing every moment in the sun and water. The park looked so beautiful spotted in various colours and felt like such a wonderful place, with the sounds and squeals of laughter. The women looked so beautiful in their bikinis and the young ones, so precious in their little outfits and giggles. The mothers wore a look of contentment and adorned the joy of having their loved ones and young ones all around, safe and happy. The men who were around did more than enjoy. They played and protected. They enjoyed and respected. They took good care of those entrusted to them. The only weapons they had were their wallets and perhaps their charm( though that failed to fire at times!). But they were there- because they respected life.

All this a far cry from a land filled with the cries of women, children and innocent men. I enjoy a day in the sun, while the woman in Darfur dreads the sun, for fear of collapsing under it or worse to get raped while on her way to get water. I enjoyed the company of my husband at the pool, while she hasn’t seen hers in days or worse perhaps saw him getting murdered. I enjoyed the squeals of laughter my little one made, while hers, wailed over a pool of shattered dreams. I enjoy life while she merely exists and she does not know why.

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