Sarabjit and Sanaullah : Lost Humanity

The quote ‘Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent’ best explains the murders of Sarbajit and Sanaullah.

To think that for some this is how justice is defined is reflective of the state of humanity we are living in and it’s shameful. There is no justification for this attitude.  This mentality is both horrifying and sad.

Countries like India & Pakistan are already facing a plethora of issues and instead of adding to the list, it is better that we look for solutions collectively. Our problems range from the very basic to the extreme complexities. A big percentage of our population doesn’t even have access to the basic necessities of life. Incidents like these are not going to add to the fuel of mistrust and hatred.

‘When one man dies, it’s a tragedy, but when many people die, it’s a statistic’.

It is sad that with all that rage between these two countries, there are a lot of things where we stand at the same level, & the state of human rights in both countries is one such common feature. Neither side can claim that they are the champions of human rights and at times the situation gets really disappointing.

However, in this madness the rays of hope come from individuals within our societies, the small acts of individuals that represent all that is the essence of humanity. This is when the solution becomes clear. The need is for the proper implementation of the laws that are already there for the equal rights and protection of humanity in most of the cases. Like many other things that are there on paper but not practiced, here too the results are painfully obvious.

It is high time that those responsible get their act right, as the stakes are extremely high.     

Sarabjit and Sanaullah: Victims of Fanaticism

Sarabjit Singh's murder in a Pakistan jail shocked and bewildered all of us. Occurring early last month, it led to a lot of speculation, with many knots left to be tied up. Soon after, in what seems like sheer retaliation, Sanaullah Ranjay succumbed to his injuries after brutal assault in a Jammu jail. This is not an India-Pakistan fight anymore; it is overstepping humanity itself.

An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind. And it is blind fanaticism here that has led to these two murders. Sarabjit and Sanaullah were two casualties in this blind fight to even the scales. And now their death has made them martyrs--martyrs due to blind, thoughtless actions.

It might be surprising to note the statistics that the Asian Centre for Human Rights offers. According to the report, a total of 14,231 persons (more than four per day) died in police and judicial custody in India from 2001 to 2010. Alarming yet? Here's what Mr Suhas Chakhma, director of ACHR, says: “About 99.99% of deaths in police custody can be ascribed to torture and occur within 48 hours of the victims being taken into custody."

These are rather depraved statistics. But to look up from it all requires a mere inspection of the mentality of the people. As if India-Pakistan relations weren't strained enough, now we have another boulder in the way. Instead of beholding the two victims as possible preludes to peace, they will be portrayed as martyrs. Tensions will keep rising. More blood will boil. And look, we're back to where we started from.

Possible solutions? Mr Chakhma has an immediate one: that the government should enact the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010. Just because we can't get to the root and change the mentality doesn't mean we become lax and complacent. And this Bill could do a lot to prevent further incidents if enforced appropriately. Since it's not simply an India-Pakistan thing; it's a humanity issue.

President's Note: RCUPG

Rtr Binjal Shah

President 2012-13

This was an initiative that has always been a dream of sorts, ever since I came to terms with the actual magnitude of the platform provided by the Rotaract Movement's network. This organization has an unmatched reach, and if capitalized on adequately, it can indeed make a difference, in the true sense of the term.

I decided to do just that, as a project with a club in this country was atop the check-list I had prepared for myself, when I prepared the blue-print of my year on assuming my term as president. World Peace day came along, and connecting with a club in Lahore seemed like a project that would epitomize 'promotion of peace'. Various clubs were contacted, and we were lucky enough to seal the deal with a club with people who are as friendly, enterprising, ebullient as ourselves. We have the same wavelength, and the chemistry has been crackling so far!

However, the Indo-Pak issue remains to be  a sensitive one, and I knew we were treading on thin ice on the eve of the day the video conference was scheduled to happen. We encountered stiff resistance from authorities who even feared for our safety, if the word was out.

But our resolve was unbending. We went ahead with it, and it was one fruitful session that I am and will remain to be immensely proud of this year! It was one of our most applauded initiatives, and the consequences are going to be more and more apparent and felt by the day.